July
16, 2010 ·
Apostle
Paul wrote to the Romans, expressing earnest desire and great urgency to preach
the gospel to them. He was most emphatic that he would not build on another
man's work, "Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ
was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation." Do all
these indicate that he was writing to those that have not heard the gospel,
where Christ was not named?
His
earnest desire to evangelize them:"For God is my witness, whom I serve
with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of
you always in my prayers; Making request, if by any means now at length I might
have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. For I long to
see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift... See More, to the end
ye may be established; that is, that I may be comforted together with you by
the mutual faith both of you and me."
His
great urgency to evangelize them:
"Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also."
"Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also."
Apostle Paul's resolute policy of evangelizing in places where Christ has NOT been preached
and made known:
"Ro 15:20 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation.
"Ro 15:20 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation.
Apostle
Paul is crystal clear about what he wants to achieve in his work of evangelizing them:He said, "For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual
gift, to the end ye may be established; that is, that I may be comforted
together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me... Now I would not
have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but
was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among
other Gentiles."
To
this end also the epistle was written to them before he could speak to them in
person. He
wants:
- To
impart unto them some spiritual gift.
- To
establish them in their faith.
- To
be comforted together with them by their mutual faith.
- To
have some fruit among them also.
For these reasons - "So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also."
To
impart unto them some spiritual gift:
- unto
whom can Apostle Paul impart some spiritual gift - to those already possessing
spiritual life, or unto those still dead in trespasses and sins?
To establish them in their faith:
- who
are capable of being established in their faith by Apostle Paul's ministry;
those who have the grace of faith worked in their hearts by the indwelling
Spirit, or those still dead in trespasses and sins?
To be comforted together with them by their mutual faith:
- with whom can Apostle
Paul to be comforted together by their mutual faith; with those who have that the grace of faith worked in them by the Spirit of God, or with those who are still
dead in trespasses and sins?
To
have some fruit among them also:
- of whom are fruit to be had; of those that are
spiritually alive, or of them that are spiritually dead?
Note how Paul designated those whom he wanted to evangelize:
Note carefully the way Apostle Paul designated, by divine inspiration of course, those whom he was earnestly desiring, and with great urgency also, to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Note carefully the way Apostle Paul designated, by divine inspiration of course, those whom he was earnestly desiring, and with great urgency also, to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.
"Among
whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: to all that be in Rome, beloved of
God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the
Lord Jesus Christ."
The
recipients of his letter are designated as:
- the
CALLED of Jesus Christ...
- the
BELOVED of God...
- the CALLED to be SAINTS...
- God is their Father!
- God is their Father!
These
terms most certainly mean that they are regenerated and are children of God.
But they are babes, and needed to be ESTABLISHED - "For I long to see you,
that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be
established."
Apostle
Paul's ministry is specifically appointed and intended for these alone. His
mind is very clear concerning the recipients of his ministry. The ministry is
irrelevant, and in fact, foolishness to all others. "For
the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us
which are saved it is the power of God."
Please
note that the gospel ministry comes unto them that ARE SAVED... to such the
gospel speaks of the power of God in saving them.
The
gospel ministry is appointed for, and relevant to them that ARE SAVED - already
bestowed with eternal salvation by the free and sovereign grace of God.
"For
therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith":
Please
note that in the preaching of the gospel, the righteousness of God (i.e. the
righteousness of God's provision for the eternal redemption of His elect) is
revealed from FAITH to FAITH.
The
righteousness is NOT revealed from FAITH to UNBELIEF!
The
one who preaches the gospel DOES SO because of the grace of faith worked in him
by the Spirit of God. The gospel reveals the righteousness of God to those of
FAITH, those in whom the Spirit of God dwells and working the grace of faith,
thus enabling them to believe.
'Faith
to faith' reminds us of the 'mutual faith' mentioned by Apostle Paul a little
earlier - "For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some
spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; that is, that I may be
comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me."
'Faith
to faith' and 'mutual faith of both you and me' establish that the FACT that
those Apostle Paul are desirous to evangelize are in the same spiritual state
with him, i.e. children of God. Of course, they were still babes that needed to
be established in the gospel whereas Apostle Paul has attained manhood!
"The
just shall live by faith."
Please
note its plain declaration: it is the just, the justified ones, that shall live
by faith, shall believe and receive the gospel of Jesus Christ and rest in Him.
Please
note that there is NO - NO - NO offer here. Many understand these six words as
offering justification on condition of believing, i.e. as though it says,
"the condemned shall be justified on condition of faith and shall
live."
The
simple truth is, ONLY those ALREADY justified by God's free grace, i.e. whose
condemnation of death has been removed, is capable of believing, and shall live
by faith.
One
must be just first, i.e. justified by God, before he can live by faith in Jesus
Christ. Is anything more elementary than that?
