Bible Matters 259: Gospel to the Romans According Paul

As you study the New Testament using the preponderance of evidence standard, you can see the doctrine from the books align.  This is to be expected as the eight witnesses talked to each other.  Paul had high regard for Mark’s doctrine of Jesus.  Mark was profitable for the ministry. 

2 Timothy 4:11 – Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.

We also recognize that Jesus’s salvation message in Mark aligns with the other Gospels, with the end, everlasting life.

Mark 13:13 –  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Even Jude says to keep yourself in the love of God by doing and living a righteous life.  Looking for God’s mercy unto eternal life.

Jude 1:21 – Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

When you study Romans, Paul is very descriptive.  The Romans had hung Jesus at the persistence of the Jews.  The Romans viewed the Jews worship of God as a cult.  Killing Jesus was the only way a cult could eliminate the heretic.  Paul, a prior persecutor of Christians, is now willing to die for Jesus and shows up in Rome and tells the Romans that they too can have the power of the almighty God,  by just putting their trust in Jesus and not by Jewish blood bath of animal sacrifice.  For Paul this was a monumental task.   With conviction, he uses repetition to make the salvation message clear.  When we look at Romans as a whole contract, God’s message of salvation should also align with the other books, as it does! 

Paul had to convince them that the Jesus in the flesh as the Son of God was the power unto salvation and is available to all.

Romans 1:3,4,16,28-32 – Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;  And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 

Jewish circumcision means nothing.  Sin is sin in the eyes of God.  All that matters is the circumcision of the heart.  When the heart is right with God, you seek and praise God and live a righteous life.  You are a doer of his word. 

Romans 1:28-32 – And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Romans 2:22, 24,28-29 – Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?  For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Romans 4:16 – Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, 

Romans 3:10-11,18,22-25,28 – As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:  There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.  There is no fear of God before their eyes.  Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;  Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Romans 5:5-6,8,18 – And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

Paul tells the Romans that sin will destroy their life and God’s gift of life.  They must become as a new creature and walk in the newness of life. Present your body as a living sacrifice.  Live a life unto righteousness, not serving sin. Obey God’s word from the heart.

Romans 12:1-2 – I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 6:4,6,8-11,13,14,16-18 – Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.  Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.  Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?  But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.  Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. 

Paul tells the Romans to repent of their sins and be delivered from the bondage of corruption.  Living to the flesh shall lead to death.  Being married to Christ, Live in the spirit and you shall have life bringing forth fruit unto God.

Romans 6:1-2 – What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Romans 8:12-13, 21 – Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Romans 7:4 – Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God

With a pure heart, they are to live by faith unto righteousness.  Confess and repent of their sin daily.  Loving God and one another as Jesus commanded.  Not being ashamed of his glorious gospel.  You do his word.  Serve God by serving others.

Romans 10:10-11 – For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Romans 13:8 Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

In the end you will be judged by Jesus Christ. Live your life for Jesus Christ by being a doer of his word. Repent of your sins, live a righteous life unto the Lord, love God, love one another, follow his commandments as a servant to God and in the end, everlasting life. 

Romans 14:8-12 – For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.  But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Romans 5:21 – That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 6:22 – But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

To God be the glory in all you do. Amen.