Light Brings Salt
Volume 2, Issue 46
Iron Range Bible
Church
Dedicated to the Systematic Exposition of the Word of God
Grace in the Book of
Romans Part 2
The following is the second part of the study we began
last week by Roy L. Aldrich on the subject of grace in Romans. Read carefully!
Father Abraham
After the original apostasy of the
nations described in Romans chapter 1, God began to reveal Himself anew through
Abraham. An unconditional covenant of blessing (Abrahamic Covenant) was made
with this man, and he became the father of a new race. He became the father of
the Jews, but he became also the spiritual father of all who would believe, of
both Jews and Gentiles. He became the pattern man-of-faith for all who would
believe, after him. He is “father Abraham” to believing Gentiles as well as to
believing Jews. Note how this truth is emphasized in Romans four
: “Abraham, our forefather,” vs. 1; “father of all them that believe,”
vs. 11; “father Abraham,” vs. 12; “father of us all,” vs. 16; “father of many
nations,” vss. 17, 18.
Having established that Abraham is
the pattern man for salvation, Paul proceeds to show that the righteousness of
Abraham is an imputed righteousness-the same kind of righteousness which is the
heart of the gospel. This is done in five steps: (1) By
recalling Abraham’s experience, vss. 1–5. Genesis
15:6 is quoted to show that Abraham received an imputed righteousness by
believing God. This righteousness was not the just reward of works or merit,
but entirely apart from works and therefore by grace. (2) By showing that the
greatest of Abraham’s seed, David, was also saved by an imputed righteousness
apart from works, vss. 6–8. (3) By showing that
justification is apart from ordinances, vss. 9–12.
Abraham was justified before he was circumcised. Thus he becomes a fitting
pattern man-of-faith for the uncircumcised as well as the circumcised. (4) By
showing that justification is apart from the law, vss.
13–16. Heirship to the promise of blessing is of faith by grace, in order that
the promise might be sure. It is the principle of grace and of grace alone, that can make the promise sure; for grace throws the
responsibility upon the character of God, and not on the character or behavior
of men. (5) Finally, Paul shows that the faith of Abraham is the same as the
faith of the gospel, vss. 17–25. Abraham believed in
the God of resurrection and received an imputed righteousness. We likewise
receive an imputed righteousness, “if we believe on him that raised up Jesus
our Lord from the dead,” vs. 24.
The conclusion of all this is
evident. Abraham is “father Abraham” for salvation to both Jews and Gentiles.
The righteousness that saved Abraham was an imputed righteousness. The
righteousness that saves us is therefore an imputed righteousness received by
faith and therefore on the principle of grace. Grace originated the promise to
Abraham, and grace makes the promise sure to him and his seed by faith.
Standing in
Grace.
If we were attempting to give an exposition
of Romans 5:1–11, this section would doubtless be called, “The Results of
Justification.” However, as we have in mind primarily the subject of grace,
this section can be well designated, “Standing in Grace.” This expression is
taken from the second verse and is usually thought of as one of the results of
justification. It is true that we stand in grace because we have been
justified, but, as has already been noted, we are justified by grace. Therefore
the ultimate explanation of our standing in grace, is
grace.
What it means to stand in grace
would involve an exposition of what it means to be “in Christ,” with all the
security and blessings of that position. Such a study cannot be attempted here,
but the simple meaning of the believer standing in grace should be noted. The
sinner is not saved by grace to be placed under law, but is saved by grace to
be placed under grace. Having been saved by grace, the believer’s continued
standing before God is on the one foundation of grace. This is the only foundation
upon which the believer could continue to stand before a holy God. If the
believer did not stand in grace the slightest sin of omission or commission
would be his undoing. The believer stands in the unlimited, changeless, and
eternal favor of God. “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath
made us accepted in the beloved” (Eph 1:6).
That the believer stands in grace
is further emphasized by the argument of Romans 5:6–11. Christ died for us when
we were without strength, ungodly, sinners, his enemies. Surely now that we are
“justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” If God’s loving favor to the hell deserving prompted their
salvation, surely that same loving favor is a sufficient guarantee of their
safe-keeping, now that in Christ they are no longer hell deserving but
justified. Grace is the rock upon which is built the doctrine of the eternal
security of the saints.
Grace Reigns by Jesus Christ
The teaching of Romans 5:12–21 is
simplified by looking at its broader outline first rather than its details. The
passage teaches that there are just two races in the world. There is the race
of the first man (Adam), of which Adam is the federal head, and there is the
race of the second man (Christ), of which Christ is the federal head. Cf. 1 Cor
In the race of the first Adam,
death reigns, vss. 13, 14; judgment is unto
condemnation, vs. 16; and many have been made sinners, vs. 19. In the race of
the last Adam, life reigns, vs. 17; there is justification, vs. 18; and many
have been made righteous, vs. 19. A race
is lost in Adam while another race is saved in Christ, but both on the same
principle of imputation. Entirely apart from any consideration of personal
merit or demerit, a person is lost because of the one act of disobedience on the
part of Adam, and a person is saved because of the one act of righteousness on
the part of Christ. The sinner may complain that he is not responsible for a
condemnation apart from personal demerit, inherited by imputation from Adam,
but the complaint is seen to be unjustified when it is realized he is freely
offered a salvation apart from personal merit on the same principle of
imputation.
The relationship of all this to
the doctrine of grace is evident. Salvation is by the one act of Another. Personal behavior either good or bad does not even
enter into the discussion. Grace is therefore the explanation of God’s
salvation and not only that, but the only possible explanation. The sinner is
saved by grace, he is made to stand in grace, and he is ushered into a new race
in Christ where grace reigns as the principle of righteous government. “That as
sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness
unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom
Deliverance under Grace
It has been pointed out in the
discussion of the last part of Romans chapter five, that the sinner is
justified and eternally uncondemned because of the one act of obedience of
Christ. This is all apart from merit or demerit and therefore is of grace.
Moreover the believer is ushered into a new race in Christ where grace reigns.
All of this leads to the practical question with which chapter six begins,
“Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” If abundance of sin has
resulted in abundance of grace, then shall we not continue in sin that grace
may appear even more abundant?
The answer is an emphatic
negative. The question is based upon a wrong conception of the gospel. The
gospel is the good news of deliverance from the power of sin as well as from
its penalty. This deliverance is not accomplished by obedience to law, or
rules, but by further understanding of, and dependence upon, grace, “For sin
shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under
grace” (Rom
The
believer’s victory over sin is the victory of the cross. In Christ the believer
is reckoned to have had part in His death and resurrection. He is therefore
dead to sin, but alive unto God (see Rom 6:2–11). This does not mean that the
sin-nature has been eradicated, but it does mean that the authority of that
sin-nature over the believer has been destroyed. He no longer has to obey its
desires. This is negative, but on the positive side the believer is alive unto
God and therefore responsible to God. As these things are reckoned to be true,
practical victory over the power of indwelling sin is experienced. “Even so consider
yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
(Rom
The believer’s victory over sin,
then, is God’s victory over sin, and therefore it is the victory of grace.
The seventh chapter of Romans
teaches that the believer is delivered from the law as a means of
sanctification. It has already been shown that justification is apart from the
law. Now it is shown that, not only does the law fail as a means of victory
over sin, but it stirs up the very sins it is designed to prohibit. This is not
the fault of the law, which is good, but the fault of the sin-nature. The
believer by himself is not only utterly impotent to obey the law,
or that which is good, but he finds himself in actual bondage again to sin.
“For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I
do,” (Rom
The eighth chapter of Romans up to verse 13, continues the
subject of chapters six and seven. In Romans six there is presented, what might
be called, the judicial basis of deliverance from the power of sin. The
believer can be free from sin because the old nature was crucified with Christ,
while a new life has been provided through His resurrection. As the believer
reckons himself to be dead unto sin and alive unto God, he finds practical
deliverance is accomplished by the power of the indwelling Spirit. Deliverance
from the power of sin has been purchased by the death and resurrection of Jesus
Christ, according to Romans 6, but this deliverance is actually wrought in the
believer by the power of the Spirit, according to Romans 8. The righteousness
of the law is fulfilled in the one who walks after the Spirit, and the deeds of
the body are mortified through the Spirit. It is quite evident that the
believer can take no personal credit for a deliverance from the power of sin
which is accomplished judicially by Jesus Christ, (our identification with Him)
and practically by the power of the Spirit (and the implanted word). Therefore
the foundation principle of deliverance from the power of sin is grace and
grace alone.