Romans 1:5-7

While I get myself settled, let me invite you to open up your Bibles to Romans chapter 1.

Romans 1 · chapter mention

!

Paul's salutation in this, the greatest letter ever written, I argued.

Our outline followed the way that Paul establishes the authority by which he writes.

His hope and mine last week was to draw your attention to the letter and to say that it matters, it's important.

I think that getting Romans right helps us to set in context so much of the Scripture.

So this morning, the plan is to study the rest of the salutation, which we see in verses 5 through 7.

And I'm grateful to be back in a text and slowing down and taking the time to meditate on just a couple of verses at a time.

But before I read verses 5 through 7, I want to begin in verse 1.

It's the beginning of the salutation and it just will make more sense if we begin reading there.

So let me read beginning in verse 1 and remind you, beloved, that this is God's Word to us.

And it was written for His glory and our good.

And so we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,

which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures,

concerning his Son who was descended from David according to the flesh,

and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by His resurrection from the dead.

Jesus Christ, our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith

for the sake of His name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.

To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints,

grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

And in verses 5 through 7, Paul tells the Roman believers and us that we have been called to a purpose,

that we have been called to belong to Jesus Christ, and that we have been called to be saints.

And these three callings will be our outline points for today.

So first, in verse 5, we see that we are called to a purpose.

And I want to first note that in verse 5, Paul does not use the word called as he does in verses 6 and 7.

He does, however, use the word in relation to his own calling as an apostle in verse 1,

which I asserted last week was an appeal to his authority as one of the men especially set apart in history to the office of apostle.

Those 12 plus Paul.

This is not the apostleship that he is referring to here in verse 5.

He is not saying that we are all or that anybody amongst us might be called this capital A apostle.

But he is using it in a more broad and generic way.

That said, we will do well to not minimize the general calling of all who are in Christ Jesus to be sent ones.

This is what the word apostle means, sent one.

It is the most literal translation of the word here we find, apostleship.

In order for us to see this as a calling upon all Christians from this text,

we need to deal with some translation challenges.

Now, anytime we come upon a text that brilliant men who have gone before us disagree upon,

we've got to take a little extra time.

We've got to pause and really think together.

So I'm going to share with you what I believe Paul is communicating here.

And maybe at the end of it, you might disagree with me.

But I think the purpose still lands biblically all the same.

First, we need to deal with the plural pronoun we.

Now, it's important to know that it is not inserted there.

In fact, that is a phrase altogether, which is a single word in Greek.

We have received.

It's a plural noun, which means the we is entirely appropriate in English.

But to whom does the we apply?

Some commentators argue that he is using his pronoun in reference to his particular calling as an apostle,

along with others particularly called to share the gospel with Gentiles.

Perhaps those in his missionary band of brothers.

I don't find this making much sense because he hasn't introduced himself along with anybody else as he does in other letters.

He simply introduces himself, Paul, and doesn't refer to himself singularly,

but rather than he uses the plural pronoun we.

I believe that this plural pronoun is more inclusive than that in light of another translation challenge.

In the ESV, the phrase at the end of verse 5 is rendered among all the nations.

I think most of you are using ESV since that's what we tend to preach from here.

But some translations, good translations like the NASB, which we love, render it among all the Gentiles.

So this Greek word, sometimes translated nations and sometimes translated Gentiles,

is going to be used a lot in this letter.

So I anticipate there's going to be some future potential challenges we may find as we work our way through.

In fact, Paul uses it 29 times in the book of Romans.

Its root is the word ethnos, from which we get our English words ethnic or ethnicity.

So it is fair to translate it Gentiles.

It is also fair to translate it as nations,

as the word is meant to communicate non-Jewish people.

And I think this is one of those cases that we don't have a really great equivalent English word,

because the Greek word seems to have more depth than any single word we might place in its spot.

Now, I think, and I am not a Greek scholar, so take this with a grain of salt,

but I think that perhaps another good word here would have been the word peoples.

I think that may get at its core meaning a little bit better, I say with a great measure of humility.

But however it is decided upon, there is a phrase that precedes this word,

and that phrase is among all.

So whether it's among all the people, or among all the nations, or among all the Gentiles,

Paul could have simply said among the Gentiles as he does elsewhere, but he does not.

He says among all the ethnos.

He broadens the scope, and I believe he does so because the plural pronoun we applies to his original audience,

and it applies to you and to me.

He's expanding it beyond even just his missionary call,

or that of those Roman believers who we know were a mix of Gentile believers and Jewish believers.

He's saying this gospel, this message, is meant to go to the very ends of the earth,

beyond even the known world of their time.

So, if you're still with me, let's see what you and what I have received.

A calling to a purpose.

Paul is saying here that we are meant to bring about the obedience of faith.

We're to bring about the obedience of faith.

First, and as we will see more starkly in subsequent studies of this book,

God is the primary cause of all faith.

It originates with him.

But that does not preclude the secondary working of those who take up the ordinary means to see people come to faith.

Namely, the call to repent and to believe.

Paul is not here saying that we can somehow manipulate or muster up faith in people.

He is not saying that we are primary cause.

He will argue for us again and again throughout this letter that this is not the case.

But he does know that God uses his people to bring about the salvation of his people.

As a simple example, Romans chapter 10 and verse 14.

Romans 10 · chapter mention

He says,

So God uses the proclamation of his word both in bigger public settings and privately one-to-one to bring about the obedience of faith.

The obedience of faith was the major content of Jesus' preaching.

In Mark chapter 1 and verse 15, he said,

Mark 1 · chapter mention

The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand.

Repent and believe in the gospel.

This must also be the primary thrust of what we do as God's people.

There are many other good things to be done in this world.

Sometimes those things can become distractions from the main thing rather than platform and help for the main thing.

Some get distracted by social justice.

Others get distracted by political cause.

Some get distracted by the seeking of miracles.

And beloved, let me say to you, if you want to see a miracle,

see a dead, defiant soul come to life in Christ.

There is no greater thing that God does miraculously in this world than make dead people alive.

So as a command from God incarnate,

it is a matter of obedience to turn away from one's sin and turn in faith to the saving work of Christ.

To decide that the way of the world is not a way that is pleasing to our God

and to turn to his way in Christ.

If a person does not heed this command,

they are committing a grievous act of wicked rebellion.

So you here this morning, just hearing the call,

repent and believe, turn from your sin and place your faith in Christ.

If you don't, you are in rebellion against a most holy God

who will judge the living and the dead.

Paul certainly here means that we are meant to see peoples everywhere

repent and believe.

The thrust, the core of it is that people would come to saving faith in Christ.

But I also think he means more by this phrase.

You see, genuine faith is obedient faith.

We are not saved by our works.

But if we place our faith in Jesus Christ,

it is a faith that will work.

The person who has been saved by Christ

does not arrive at perfection on this side of glory.

But that person will, in ever-increasing measure,

be obedient to Christ.

We will continually, bit by bit,

one degree of glory to another,

look more like our Savior.

This is the doctrine of progressive sanctification.

I like that many scholars call it biblical sanctification.

And we live in an age of easy believism.

We're looking for people to raise a hand or walk an aisle,

sign a card.

We live in a day in which the declaration,

I am a Christian,

makes that declaration factual.

Just look at statistics in our day, right?

What do evangelicals believe?

And you could very quickly look at what evangelicals declare they believe

and say, you're not an evangelical at all.

How could you possibly say you're a Christ follower

when you deny his very person?

And we live in an age that to show people from the word

that transformed people should live as transformed people

is shockingly unpopular.

We finished studying not too long ago the book of James.

And James says this so clearly.

And I'm so grateful for this letter.

It's of interest to you.

We'll talk in some coming weeks about the Reformation.

Martin Luther was translating the book of Romans

as kind of a balm for him.

They were trying to get him to calm down

about the trouble of the state of his soul.

And he came across Romans 1.16.

He came to understand by revelation of the Spirit

that salvation is by faith alone.

We're going to see that repeated theme throughout this letter.

We're saved by grace alone, through faith alone,

and the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.

He thought this was so important to our understanding as Christians

that he didn't want the book of James included in the canon.

He wanted it discluded just in case anybody might be confused.

And so we have to be so careful at this point.

But let me read to you just three verses from James 2.

This is verse 17 and following.

James says,

So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

But someone will say,

You have faith and I have works.

Show me your faith apart from your works,

and I will show you my faith by my works.

He's saying it's nonsensical just to say you have faith.

You have to actually evidence that you believe something to be true.

And then he says this astounding thing in verse 19.

He says,

You believe that God is one.

You do well.

So here's a declaration of faith.

I believe that God is one.

He says,

You do well.

But then he says,

Even the demons believe and shudder.

And they do not have saving faith.

Jesus says it in Matthew chapter 7.

Matthew 7 · chapter mention

Similarly,

the Sermon on the Mount,

speaking of the judgment that will come,

beginning in verse 18 and following,

he says,

A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit,

nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.

We're shown who we are by what's being produced in us.

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

And if that doesn't make you shudder enough,

he says in verse 21 and following,

Not everyone who says to me,

Lord, Lord,

will enter the kingdom of heaven.

But the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

On that day,

many will say to me,

Lord, Lord,

did we not prophesy in your name

and cast out demons in your name

and do many mighty works in your name?

And then I will declare to them,

I never knew you.

Depart from me,

you workers of lawlessness.

So it's altogether possible

to do the things that you think you ought to be doing

and not to be producing righteousness

as a result of your saving faith.

It is of great concern to me

that you may think you are a Christian

because you declared it so,

but that you have yet to experience

the transformative work of Christ.

that you're not going about the labor

of being an active part of a church.

That you're not making your calling and election sure.

That you're not working out your salvation

with fear and trembling.

That you're not asking others to examine you

and correct you

that they might find in you repentance

and continued faith.

Please this morning,

if you think you are in Christ

and you don't evidence that

in your works at all,

come talk to somebody.

We want you to see in your life

ever-changing growth in glory.

None of us will arrive.

None of us this side of heaven.

But be sure that you're not deceiving yourself.

That you're not deluded in thinking

that you're in Christ

simply because you've declared it so.

We are to bring about the obedience of faith.

A faith that works,

that expresses itself.

This is a purpose that's given

to each and every one of us

who are in Christ.

Christ,

we have been set apart

for this work.

Sent into the world

for this work.

And this is a work done

by grace.

We received grace

and apostleship.

And it's done

primarily in the context

of the local church.

Turn with me, if you would,

to Matthew chapter 28.

Matthew 28 · chapter mention

It's a text that I hope

that you're familiar with.

Amen.

We'll look at verses 18 through 20,

but I want to read first verse 19.

If you have any church background

and you've heard this,

Jesus says,

Go therefore

and make disciples

of all nations.

There's that word again,

ethnos.

Baptizing them

in the name of the Father

and of the Son

and of the Holy Spirit.

And this verse

rightly in so many ways

becomes the drumbeat

of churches

and mission movements.

It's a wonderful command.

It's a command

that should be obeyed.

But often we miss

that there's something

key happening in this

and that is the

baptizing

of these

disciples.

Baptism is an ordinance

of the church.

So Jesus has

embedded

right into this

what we call

the Great Commission,

the centrality

of the church

in doing this

work.

We're to go

and make disciples

of all peoples

and we're to baptize

them in the name

of the Holy

and of the Father

and of the Son

and of the Holy Spirit.

We're to go

and we're to create

churches

so that

verse 20 says

we can teach them

to observe

all that I have

commanded you.

To bring about

the obedience

of

faith.

But a lot of people

also miss

the bookends

of this

great command

that begins

in verse 18

and ends

in the last half

of verse 20.

We act as if

the task is for us

to go and do

something for

Jesus.

And you hear this

language used

all the time.

As if

our Lord

did his three years,

completed the task,

left,

and said,

good luck y'all.

I've got a task

for you to accomplish.

I'll be watching.

Go get it done.

And whether we say

we're doing this,

we have any

mental assertion

that that's what

we're doing,

we often

functionally

do this.

And we forget

that in verse 18

Jesus says,

all authority

in heaven

and on earth

has been given

to me.

He says,

I am completely

and totally

in charge.

So,

Jesus Christ

as the primary means,

he says to us

as secondary means,

go make disciples,

baptize them,

share the gospel,

see people come

to faith,

start churches,

teach them

to observe

all that was commanded,

bring about

the obedience

of faith,

and then he says,

and behold,

I am with you

always

to the end

of the age.

So,

we don't

do things

for Jesus,

we do things

by Jesus.

For the great

grace he's given us,

by the power

he works

within us.

What an astounding

task.

Praise God

that it is

an empowered

task,

for we,

apart from the

grace of God,

are altogether

unworthy for it.

Apart from

God's saving grace,

grace,

we would not

be sent ones,

and apart from

his sustaining

grace,

we would be

no good

for the task.

I mentioned

last week

that Paul

begins his

appeal

to his

authoritative

role

to write

this letter

with a great

measure

of humility.

He introduces

himself as a

servant

of Christ,

Jesus.

May we

approach the

task with

the same

humility.

Karl Barth

once said

of this

text,

only when

grace is

recognized

to be

incomprehensible

is it

grace.

That God

would call

me

and that God

would call

you

to be sent

into the

world to

bring about

the obedience

of faith

and that he

provides all

that is

necessary

for that

is an

astounding

reality.

It should

be

incomprehensible

to our

hearts.

So we

have received

grace and

apostleship to

bring about

the obedience

of faith.

We have a

very specific

purpose and

our purpose

has a

purpose.

It has a

purpose.

Paul says

for the

sake of

his name

among

all

the

nations.

We are

to be

used as

the

secondary

means of

bringing

all the

praise

and

adoration

due the

name

of

Jesus

Christ

our

Lord.

I want

to read

something

brief to

you from

Martin Lloyd

Jones'

commentary

on this

text.

He

writes,

the

introduction

of this

term

name

is

important

and

significant.

The

name in

scripture

always stands

for the

revelation

by which

we know

and

apprehend

the

person

indicated.

In the

Old Testament

for instance,

God revealed

himself to

the nation

of Israel

through his

names.

You will

find them

in the

Old Testament

scriptures.

Jehovah

and the

various

additions

to that.

Jehovah

Jireh,

Jehovah

Shalom,

and so

on.

God makes

himself known

through

names.

Names

which are

descriptive

of him,

of his

person,

of his

motives,

of his

desires,

and of

his

activities.

The

name

reveals

the

man.

We

say

about

a

man

that

he

has

a

great

name

as

a

barrister

or as

a

doctor

or

whatever

his

calling.

We

mean

by this

that

the

name

which

he

has

made

for

himself

tells

us

about

him.

Now

the

apostle

uses

it

in

that

sense

here.

The

name

stands

for

and

represents

the

glory

of

the

Lord

Jesus

Christ.

We

are

meant

as the

high

end

of

bringing

about

the

obedience

of

faith

to

see

God

glorified

in

the

person

and

work

of

Jesus

Christ.

Another

word

for

glorified

is

magnified.

If you've

been here

long,

you've

heard me

share

this

wonderful

example

from

John

Piper.

He

expresses

there

are

two

types

of

magnification.

There's

the

magnification

that a

microscope

does

where it

makes

small

things

look

bigger

than

they

actually

are.

And

then

there's

the

type

of

magnification

that a

telescope

does

that

makes

huge

things

look

more

like

they

actually

are.

And

this

is

the

type

of

magnification

we

do

as

we

by

grace

bring

about

the

obedience

of

faith.

Making

a

massive

God

look

more

as

he

actually

is.

Our

lives

our

obedience

of

faith

and

our

work

to

bring

about

the

obedience

of

faith

is

divinely

designed

to

magnify

the

one

to

whom

we

belong.

Beloved

because

our

God

is

great

we

should

desire

that

he

would

be

greatly

praised.

I

admit

that

sometimes

to

my

shame

I

lose

sight

of

this.

The

gospel

is

not

simply

about

me

or

about

us

but

it

is

about

the

glory

of

our

God

among

all

peoples.

If

our

theology

does

not

lead

to

does

not

drive

doxology

the

praise

of

our

God

either

something

is

amiss

with

our

theology

or

something

is

amiss

in

our

hearts

and

God

have

mercy

on

us.

Now

I

am

about

to

land

my

first

point

and

I

am

noting

that

it

is

afternoon

so

let

me

actually

conclude

today

with

this

and

we'll

pick

back

up

the

following

two

points

next

week

I

want

to

read

the

first

four

verses

of

Psalm

96

and

then

I'll

pray

oh

sing

to

the

Lord

a

new

song

sing

to

the

Lord

all

the

earth

sing

to

the

Lord

bless

his

name

tell

of

his

salvation

from

day

to

day

declare

his

glory

among

the

nations

his

marvelous

works

among

all

the

peoples

for

great

is

the

Lord

and

greatly

to

be

praised

!

He

is

to

be

feared

above

all

gods

let's

pray

together

as