December 2, 2001
The
Epistle to the Romans – Chapter 1
Handout No. 2
Answers to Study
Questions:
Q: What
are Paul’s credentials?
A: Paul’s
credentials are based on his calling.
He is the “bondservant of Christ“ and the validity and authority of his message
are based on that. Two other aspects
mentioned in verse 1 that give Paul’s message authority are the fact that he
was “called to be an apostle” and the fact that he was “separated unto the
gospel of God.” We have discussed both of these in some detail. In addition, in
order to further prove the truth of his message, Paul appeals to the Old
Testament and emphasizes that his gospel is not a new philosophical contrivance
but is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies.
Q: What
important doctrines are implied in verses 1 to 5?
A: The
two important doctrines implied (not solely based on these four verses)
have to do with the person of Christ and the Trinity.
The doctrine of the
person of Christ can be summarized by using the Latin dictum verus Deus,
verus homus (truly God, truly man). The Lord Jesus Christ was truly (100%)
God and truly (100%) human, in one person. How was that possible? Those
who do not recall the answer, please refer to Romans 11:33-34. The doctrine of “two natures, one person”
was formally established by the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD. The Council issued the following definition:
Therefore,
following the holy fathers, we all with one accord teach men to acknowledge one
and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at once complete in Godhead and
complete in manhood, truly God and truly man, consisting also of a
reasonable soul and body; of one substance with the Father as regards his
Godhead, and at the same time of one substance with us as regards his manhood;
like us in all respects, apart from sin; as regards his Godhead, begotten of
the Father before the ages, but yet as regards his manhood begotten, for us men
and for our salvation, of Mary the Virgin, the God-bearer; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord,
Only-begotten, recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change,
without division, without separation; the distinction of natures being in
no way annulled by the union, but rather the characteristics of each nature
being preserved and coming together to form one person and subsistence, not as
parted or separated into two persons, but one and the same Son and
Only-begotten God the Word, Lord Jesus Christ;
even as the prophets from earliest times spoke of him, and our Lord Jesus Christ himself taught us, and the
creed of the fathers has handed down to us.
Why was it necessary that
Christ be fully human and fully God in one person? Well, interestingly enough,
the participants in the Westminster Assembly of 1646 asked themselves the same
question and, even more interestingly, they came up with the following answer:
Q. 40. Why was it
requisite that the Mediator should be God and man in one person?
A. It was requisite that
the Mediator, who was to reconcile God and man, should himself be both God and
man, and this in one person, that the proper works of each nature might be
accepted of God for us,[1] and relied on by us as the works of the whole
person.[2]
(Westminster Larger
Catechism, Question 40)
[1] Matthew 1:21, 23. And
she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall
save his people from their sins.... Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and
shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being
interpreted is, God with us.
Matthew 3:17. And lo a
voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Hebrews 9:14. How much
more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your
conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
[2] 1 Peter 2:6.
Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief
corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be
confounded.
The doctrine of the
Triune God (or of the Trinity) teaches that there is one true God who
exists in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. For a
formal expression of this doctrine let’s turn again to the Westminster
Assembly:
Q. 8. Are there more Gods
than one?
A. There is but one only,
the living and true God. [1]
Q. 9. How many persons
are there in the Godhead?
A. There be three persons
in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are
one true, eternal God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory;
although distinguished by their personal properties. [2]
Q. 10. What are the
personal properties of the three persons in the Godhead?
A. It is proper to the Father to beget the
Son, [3] and to the Son to be begotten of the Father, [4] and to the Holy Ghost
to proceed from the Father and the Son from all eternity. [5]
(Westminster Larger
Catechism, Questions 8 – 10)
[1] Deuteronomy 6:4.
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD.
1 Corinthians 8:4, 6. As
concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice
unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is
none other God but one.... But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom
are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all
things, and we by him.
Jeremiah 10:10. But the
LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his
wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his
indignation.
[2] 1 John 5:7. For
there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy
Ghost: and these three are one.
Matthew 3:16-17. And
Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the
heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a
dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven,
saying, This is my
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Matthew 28:19. Go ye
therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
2 Corinthians 13:14. The
grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and
the communion of the Holy
Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
John 10:30. I and my
Father are one.
[3] Hebrews 1:5-6, 8. For
unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I
begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a
Son? And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith,
And let all the angels of God worship him.... But unto the Son he saith, Thy
throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre
of thy kingdom.
[4] John 1:14, 18. And
the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the
glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.... No
man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of
the Father, he hath declared him.
[5] John 15:26. But when
the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the
Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.
Galatians 4:6. And
because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your
hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
For false teachings about
the two doctrines, and the scriptural refutations of these false teachings,
please refer to Handout No. 1.
Q: What
should Christians be "famous" for?
A: This
a little bit of a trick question.
Christians are not “famous” for
something that they can accomplish on their own. They are “famous” for what God accomplishes
in them. Paul is telling the Christians
in Rome that their faith was renowned throughout the Empire, but was that their
accomplishment? No. According to Ephesians 2:8-9, faith itself is a gift from God. In like manner, their godly lives were not a
result of personal virtue, but were the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives
working in them the process of sanctification. We will discuss this issue in
more detail once we get to the point in the book of Romans where the doctrine
of sanctification is specifically addressed (Romans 7).
Q: Why
does Paul say he's not ashamed of the Gospel?
A: Paul’s
message of an incarnate Savior was utter foolishness to the Greeks whose
philosophers had generally tried to keep the physical and spiritual as far
apart as possible. Paul is not ashamed
of this message of divine love and emphasizes that this gospel which is “a
stumbling block for Jews and foolishness to Gentiles” (1 Corinthians 1:22-24)
is the “power of God (as opposed to human ability) for the salvation of
all who believe.” (v. 16)
Q: [Not
a question actually] Reading Psalm 19 will shed some light on verse 20.
A: Psalm
19 presents both general and special revelation. The conclusion of the first part of this Psalm is that God’s
glory is manifest in creation. That
renders all excuses of ignorance powerless and irrelevant.
Q: What
are the results of mankind's refusal to obey and glorify God?
A:
I might have mentioned this a few times, but these results are summed up in:
“left to our own devices we are bound for destruction.” Man is hopelessly fallen and has nothing
within himself that would improve his condition. Since the fall of Adam, our wills are in the bondage of sin and
we cannot will our way out of sin.
God’s unmerited grace expressed in the wonderful gift of salvation is
the only solution to mankind’s fallen condition. The realization of how unworthy we are to receive such amazing
grace should drive us to our knees in gratitude and awe. Thanks be to God!
Two other important
points:
1. When we talked about verse 9 we mentioned the importance of prayer in our lives. James 5:16 says that “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (NKJV). That is why we have started gathering prayer requests at the beginning of each meeting. Let us be faithful in our commitment to pray for one another following Paul’s example.
2. When we talked about the second half of the chapter (verses 18 – 32) we mentioned the importance of true and correct doctrine in our daily lives. For those of you who have not received the email about this here is what Charles H. Spurgeon said regarding this point:
"For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth."
--3 John 3
The truth was in Gaius, and Gaius walked in the truth. If the first had not been the case, the second could never have occurred; and if the second could not be said of him the first would have been a mere pretence. Truth must enter into the soul, penetrate and saturate it, or else it is of no value. Doctrines held as a matter of creed are like bread in the hand, which ministers no nourishment to the frame; but doctrine accepted by the heart, is as food digested, which, by assimilation, sustains and builds up the body. In us truth must be a living force, an active energy, an indwelling reality, a part of the woof and warp of our being. If it be in us, we cannot henceforth part with it. A man may lose his garments or his limbs, but his inward parts are vital, and cannot be torn away without absolute loss of life. A Christian can die, but he cannot deny the truth. Now it is a rule of nature that the inward affects the outward, as light shines from the centre of the lantern through the glass: when, therefore, the truth is kindled within, its brightness soon beams forth in the outward life and conversation. It is said that the food of certain worms colours the cocoons of silk which they spin: and just so the nutriment upon which a man's inward nature lives gives a tinge to every word and deed proceeding from him. To walk in the truth, imports a life of integrity, holiness, faithfulness, and simplicity--the natural product of those principles of truth which the gospel teaches, and which the Spirit of God enables us to receive. We may judge of the secrets of the soul by their manifestation in the man's conversation. Be it ours to-day, O gracious Spirit, to be ruled and governed by Thy divine authority, so that nothing false or sinful may reign in our hearts, lest it extend its malignant influence to our daily walk among men.
-- Morning and Evening, November 29
If you have any
questions, do not hesitate to ask me either in person or via email (sorinvc@utdallas.edu).
Sorin Voicu-Comendant
21 November 2001
Soli Deo Gloria!