Salvation To The Uttermost (5:1-8:39).
The depths of our sin having been revealed in Romans 1:17 to Romans 3:23, and Jesus Christ's activity, (His activity in bringing about our salvation through the cross by means of the reckoning to us of His righteousness by faith), having been made known in Romans 3:24 to Romans 4:25, Paul now sets about demonstrating the consequences of this for all true believers (Romans 5:1 to Romans 8:39). He wants us immediately to recognise that being ‘accounted as righteous' by God will necessarily result in our becoming alive in Christ (e.g. Romans 6:4; Romans 6:11; Romans 6:22-23; Romans 7:4; Romans 8:2; Romans 8:9-11), in our ‘sanctification' (Romans 6:22) and in the work of the Spirit within us (Romans 5:5; Romans 7:6; Romans 8:2; Romans 8:4-12).
As has been pointed out by scholars this whole section is presented in chiastic form:
A We are assured of future glory and the basis of this is what Christ has accomplished for us as we suffer for Him (Romans 5:1-21).
B This is inworked in us through His death and resurrection (Romans 6:1-11).
C Deliverance from the sin that rules within (Romans 6:12-23).
C Deliverance from the law of sin (Romans 7:1-25).
B This through the inworking in us of His death and resurrection (Romans 8:1-17).
A We are assured of future glory and the basis of this is what Christ has accomplished for us as we suffer for Him (Romans 8:18-39).
Central therefore in the chiasmus is the Christian's deliverance from the slavery and guilt of sin. This is a reminder that God has not done His perfect work simply in order to make us acceptable to Him. He also has in mind our being perfected, our becoming like Him in His glory. And all this is the consequence of our ‘having been accounted as righteous by faith' (Romans 5:1)
Furthermore all this comes to us ‘through our LORD Jesus Christ' (the LORD Jesus Christ Who was declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead - Romans 1:4). We put LORD in capitals in order to stress that it is expressing the highest form of Lordship, the Lordship of ‘God the LORD'. LORD is regularly found in parallel with God in the New Testament and 1 Corinthians 8:6 makes clear that it is of equal weight. In the Old Testament the Greek translators translated the Name of God (YHWH) as ‘LORD' (kurios). This phrase, ‘through our LORD Jesus Christ' and its parallel ‘in our LORD Jesus Christ' is indeed one of the themes of this section. Being the One Who has been ‘declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead', it is through His power that we can experience His salvation. It is through Him that we have peace with God (Romans 5:1); it is through Him that we boast in God (Romans 5:11); it is through Him that grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life (Romans 5:21); it is in Him that we receive the gift of God which is eternal life (Romans 6:23); it is through Him that thanks for deliverance and victory are due to God (Romans 7:25); and it is in Him that we are participants in the love of God from which we will never be separated by any power whatsoever (Romans 8:39). He is the file leader of our salvation (Hebrews 2:10), the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), our Perfecter in readiness for that day (Ephesians 5:25-27).
At first sight it might appear, that in spite of the opening phrase, ‘being justified by faith' (Romans 5:1), being followed by a description of the consequences of such justification (Romans 5:2-5), chapter 5 continues on with the theme of justification, especially in the latter part (Romans 5:6-21). And to some extent this is correct. But this is because in the economy of God justification (the accounting of men as righteous) can never be far away. It is the basis of all other benefits that we receive from God.
On the other hand it should be noted that in what follows Romans 5:1 there is a notable difference in emphasis. Whilst justification by faith is still seen as undergirding the Gospel (Romans 5:6-11; Romans 5:15-19), it now does that as something which results in ‘sanctification' (Romans 6:22). Thus Romans 5:2-5 initially indicates how justification results in a series of experiences whereby God proceeds to ‘sanctify' His people. And this is required because they are ‘weak' and ‘ungodly' (Romans 5:6) and ‘sinful' (Romans 5:7). Consequently, this weakness has to be dealt with by means of justification (accounting as righteous) and reconciliation through the cross. But this is not to be seen as the final result. It is to be seen as leading on to a ‘saving by His life' (Romans 5:10).
In Romans 3:24 to Romans 4:25 the emphasis had been wholly on justification (being accounted righteous) as making men right with God. Now the new element is entering in that its purpose is to result in men being made holy and righteous. Until the doctrine was firmly established, such an addition to it might have provided a misleading emphasis, for it might have suggested to some that it was necessary for justification, but now that it has been made clear that our acceptance with God is made possible by faith alone, without the need for anything else, the idea of sanctification can be introduced, an idea first mooted in Romans 5:1-11; Romans 5:12-21 then continues on with the thought that justification through the gift of the righteousness of Christ (Romans 5:15-19) is basic to the reigning life that Christians should now be leading, and to the final reception of eternal life through the reigning of God's grace through Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17; Romans 5:21).
Thus from Romans 5:1 onwards justification is seen as undergirding subsequent sanctification and the reception of eternal life. This is a new emphasis. And then in Romans 6:1-11 another aspect of justification, that we have died with Christ and risen with Him, is presented, as the basis:
1) for our living in ‘newness of life' (Romans 6:4).
2) for our ‘living with Him' (Romans 6:8).
3) for our ‘being alive to God in Christ Jesus' (Romans 6:11).
Thus teaching in Romans 5:1 to Romans 6:11 about justification is to be seen as undergirding the teaching of Romans 5:1 to Romans 8:39 on the work of the Holy Spirit and the reception of eternal life, both present and future (John speaks of both as ‘eternal life', Paul thinks of the present experience as ‘life' and the future experience as ‘eternal life').
This may all be presented in a summary as follows. Note the continual mention of either the Spirit (of life), or of life, or of eternal life:
The Consequences of Justification.
1) Justification is the precursor to experiencing the glory of God (Romans 5:2, compare Romans 8:38-39) by means of endurance and character building experiences, which are utilised by the Holy Spirit in our sanctification as He sheds abroad God's love in our hearts (Romans 5:1-5).
2) Justification and reconciliation are seen as the first steps towards dealing with our state of weakness which has resulted from our ungodliness and sinfulness, with the consequence being that we will be ‘saved by His life' (Romans 5:10) and will be able to rejoice in God through our LORD Jesus Christ (Romans 5:11). (Romans 5:6-11).
3) All have sinned because of Adam, resulting in death for all, whether under the Law or not. But this is something which has been countered by ‘the One Who was to come' (Romans 5:14), Who has brought the free gift of His righteousness (Romans 5:17). This has resulted firstly, in the consequent justification, and secondly, in the ability for His people, through God's abundant grace and the gift of righteousness, to reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17), and this as a consequence of grace reigning through righteousness unto eternal life ‘through Jesus Christ our LORD' (Romans 5:12-21).
4) Considering the question ‘are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?' in chapter Romans 6:1, Paul deals with it by pointing out that our justification has been obtained for us through His death (mentioned in each verse from 3 to 8), with the consequence being that, as we have been conjoined with Him in His death, we have ourselves died to sin, thus making it impossible that we should think in terms of continuing to live in sin. Thus, because Christ not only died but also rose from the dead (Romans 5:4-5; Romans 5:9) we can, as a result of being conjoined with Him (Romans 5:5), walk in newness of life (Romans 5:4), experience ‘living with Him' (Romans 5:8), and enjoy ‘being alive to God in Christ Jesus' (Romans 5:11). What follows from this is then that we should yield ourselves as instruments of righteousness to God (Romans 5:13), escaping the dominion of sin because we are ‘not under the Law but under grace' (Romans 6:1-14).
5) Dealing with the question ‘are we to sin because we are not under the Law but under grace?' in Romans 6:15, Paul points out that as a result of obedience from the heart to the body of teaching that we have received (originally the Apostolic tradition, now the New Testament), we are freed from the slavery of sin in order that we might become ‘the slaves/servants (douloi) of righteousness' (Romans 6:17-18), that is, ‘slaves of God' (Romans 6:22), which will result in the fruit of sanctification, the end of this being eternal life (Romans 6:22-23). (Romans 6:15-23).
6) As a result of dying with Christ through His sacrificial death we have been released from under the Law so that we might be conjoined with Him Who has risen from the dead so as to bring forth fruit unto righteousness. Being discharged from the Law we can therefore live in ‘newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter'. Compare how ‘circumcision of the heart' (a true spiritual change in people wrought by God) was also said to be ‘in the spirit and not in the letter' (Romans 2:29). (Romans 7:1-6). This in Christ we have become the true circumcision, that is, true Jews (Romans 2:28-29), a theme later taken up in Chapter s 9-11.
7) The parallels in Paul's words between the effects of the tyrant ‘sin' and the effects of the Law (see below) then raise the question, ‘is the Law to be equated with sin?' Paul reacts strongly to such a suggestion. ‘Certainly not!' he declares. He then goes on to point out that his position is proved by his own personal experience (demonstrated by the change from ‘we, us' to ‘I, me'), by which it was through ‘the commandment' that he became aware of his own sin and acknowledged his sinfulness, with the sad result for himself that instead of gaining life he lost it (Romans 5:9-11). This demonstrated that it was not the Law which was at fault. The Law was ‘holy and righteous and good'. But it also demonstrated the inability of the Law to make men acceptable in the eyes of God. This then leads into the question of what is ‘spiritual' and what is ‘fleshly'. (Romans 7:7-13)
8) Taking up the contrast in Romans 7:6 (compare also Romans 2:2) between ‘the newness of the Spirit and the oldness of the letter', Paul now illustrates from his own present personal experience (the past tenses have become present tenses) the fact that the Law is ‘spiritual' (pneumatikos) while he is ‘carnal, fleshly' (sarkikos). This is why, indeed, the Law appears to fail. It is because it can do nothing to aid him in his fleshliness. Note the implied contrast between ‘spirit' (pneuma) and flesh' (sarx) which is found elsewhere (e.g. in Romans 8:4-13; Galatians 5:16 onwards). The Holy Spirit, introduced in Romans 5:5, and Who is active in the Christian life in Romans 7:6, is therefore now seen as involved in evidencing the holiness of the Law. The Law is ‘spiritual' (to be received through the Spirit and effective in the realm of the Spirit). It thus caters for those who are truly spiritual, that is, for those who, whether Jew or Gentile, are ‘true Jews' (Romans 2:29). But its fulfilment required God's sending of His own Son ‘for sin', condemning sin in the flesh (Romans 8:3). And as a result it will be seen as fulfilled in those who ‘walk after the Spirit' (Romans 8:4), that is, those who ‘have the mind of the Spirit' (Romans 8:6). In contrast to this is man as he naturally is, who, like Paul himself, is in a part of himself ‘fleshly' (Romans 2:14; Romans 2:18), a part within him which contains ‘nothing good', and makes him unable to respond satisfactorily to the ‘spiritual' Law. This is because being fleshly he is driven by ‘the sin which dwells within him' (Romans 7:17; Romans 5:20), something that results in his doing the opposite of what he really wants to do. In his inward man and in his mind he delights in the law of God, factors which involve him in a war with ‘the law of sin' in his members (Romans 7:22-23). But in this war he only too often finds himself ‘taken captive' and defeated (Romans 7:23), something evidenced by contrary behaviour in which he wants to do good but instead does evil (Romans 7:15-17). Crying out for deliverance he discovers the answer in ‘Jesus Christ our LORD' with the result that he, as he is in himself, serves the law of God, although in his fleshly disposition also still serving the law of sin (Romans 7:25). And this deliverance is in consequence of the fact that ‘the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus' has intervened in his captivity and ‘has made him free from the law of sin and death' (Romans 8:2) as a result of Christ's sacrifice on his behalf. Thus while he still fails and sometimes panders to the flesh he knows that he is acceptable to God through Jesus Christ, and that the Spirit will enable him to walk after the spirit, albeit with some of the lapses previously described. The ‘I' ‘me' verses go from Romans 7:7 to Romans 8:2 thus justifying the inclusion of Romans 8:1-4 with Romans 7:7-25 for interpretation purposes. (Romans 7:14 to Romans 8:4).
9) Paul now contrasts those who walk after the flesh and have the mind of the flesh with those who walk after the Spirit and have the mind of the Spirit (Romans 8:5-6). The former are unable to please God (Romans 8:8), but the latter, being indwelt by the Spirit, and having Christ within them, are dead through Christ's death but alive through the Spirit Who gives life because of righteousness (Romans 8:9-10). In consequence the Christian puts to death the deeds of his body so that he might live (Romans 8:13), for if he were to live after the flesh he would die (Romans 8:13). This being led by the Spirit of God demonstrates that God's true people are sons of God (Romans 8:14). It is the consequence of their having received the Sprit of adoption whereby they can call God ‘Father' (Romans 8:15), and as a result they recognise that they are children of God, having become heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:16-17). (Romans 8:5-17)
10) God's people, however, continue to experience suffering in this present age, for they are a part of the whole creation which is groaning in its present state. But one day their bodies will be redeemed (at the resurrection - Romans 5:11) and they will enter into the freedom of the glory of the children of God (Romans 8:21; Romans 8:23), something for which the groaning creation awaits with eagerness for thereby it too will be delivered. This process is aided by the fact that the Spirit Himself is groaning through God's people and on behalf of God's people in a way that is effective (Romans 8:18-27).
11) Paul closes this section with a glorious presentation of the certainty of the deliverance of God's people, a process which began in eternity and will continue until their glorification, their being meanwhile kept secure by the love of Christ and of God, so that nothing will be able to separate them from His love (Romans 8:28-39).