Wonderful Salvation - Romans

The book of Romans tells us of God’s method of making guilty people good. The key of this great thesis is found in Romans 1:16-17.

In the New Testament, 13 of the 21 books were written by Paul. Paul was eager to visit Rome church, and sent them this letter from Corinth, from the home of Gaius, a wealthy Corinthian Christian, while he was on his third missionary journey. It was written in the fourth year of Nero, then Emperor of Rome. In this Epistle, he sets forth his gospel (Romans 1:16-17). After Paul’s greeting to the church, he thanks God for their faith (Romans 1:8).

Read every word of Romans 3. You will believe then that the natural heart is desperately wicked. The general charge is stated – “all under sin” (Romans 3:9). Both the gentile (Romans 2:1-16) and Jew (Romans 2:17-3:8) are given the opportunity for a hearing. Against all this there is no defence. The Judge says, “Is there anyone to plead the cause of the prisoners?” and there is no answering voice. Every mouth is stopped (Romans 3:19). There is no room for excuse. The condemnation of the world is settled. The next step in order will be to reveal the plan of God to save a lost world.

Sin is universal – “All have sinned”. Hence we need a world’s savior. Because God is a God of love, He has provided just this one. Repeat John 3:16. The judge on the bench says, “Is there anyone to appear for the prisoners?” then the son of God says, “Yes I am here to represent these. It is true that they committed these sins. It is true that they are guilty, but I bore their guild on the cross. I died in their place that they might go free. I am their righteousness” and the judge sets them free.

Christ not only saves us from the penalty of sin, but He is also able to free us from the consciousness of guilt and the power of sin. Any president or governor or king can pardon a criminal, but not one has the power to remove the guilt. Proper punishment for the deed must be given. This is what Christ has done. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) and because all of us “have sinned”, Christ came to die and bear the penalty for the sins committed against a holy God.

Paul gives us illustrations of justification by faith from the Old Testament. Especially does he tell us how Abraham’s faith was counted for righteousness (Romans 4). Abraham received three things by faith: righteousness, inheritance and prosperity (Romans 4:3, 13, 17). We, too, have great benefits when we are justified by His grace. Grace is unmerited favour. In this life, we find that faith is followed be peace, pardon and promise (Romans 5:1-5) and more than all, an assurance of salvation (Romans 5:6-11).

We are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood” (Romans 3:24-25). I am a person condemned to die because of my sin, “for the wages of sin is death”. But I can look on the cross and see that Christ has already died for me. I believe that He died for my sin. And so in exchange for my poor, sinful, condemned life, I can accept His righteousness and His life (1 Peter 2:24).

The person who put faith in Christ an hour ago is just as much justified as the oldest Christian living. We never become any more justified than the minute we received Christ. Justification depends upon something done outside of us, something done on the cross of Calvary.

When I was born in this body, I was born a descendant of Adam; I have his nature, which is sinful. When I am born into the family of God, by Christ Jesus, I have Christ’s nature, which is holy. In the words of scripture, “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22). I did not choose to be a descendant of Adam; I may choose to be a child of God.

Once in Christ, Christians soon find a new standard for life. They do not try to live up to the Law, for they are no longer under it. They strive to please the One who dwells within them. “For to me to live is Christ” and I “do all to the glory of God”.

The first part of Romans is what God did for us. The last part of Romans is what we may do for God. Until we have been saved by His grace and transformed by His love, we can do little for God. Read 1 Corinthians 13. But when we present ourselves to Christ and become filled with His love we can find much to be done. Christ wants a living sacrifice, not a dead one (Romans 12:1). Many will die for Christ. Few will live for him.

Why was Paul not ashamed of the gospel of Christ? Because it reveals what the sinner needs and what he may have on the ground of simple faith. “A righteousness of God” – the righteousness of Jesus Christ. The gospel had dynamic power. It is the power of God unto salvation. I pray that you realize that nothing short of the power of God could make one Christian.