by Gary L. Evans
(revised 7/29/2023)
Romans — Part 6
Rom 2:17-20 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.
Paul is now addressing those who are of Israel by birth and who have been trained in God’s Law. He is still on the subject of unjust judges or self-righteous hypocrites.
Rom 2:21-23 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
Self-righteous hypocrites commit sin but are quick to point their finger at other people, and in so doing make a mockery of God.
Rom 2:24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.
Where was it written that Israel caused the Gentiles to blaspheme?
Eze 36:17-20 Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings: their way was before me as the uncleanness of a removed woman. Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it: And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them. And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land.
When The Lord scattered them among all of the Gentiles because of their apostasy against Him, they told them that they were God’s Chosen People. But they continued in sin, that is, doing the lawless things Paul listed back in chapter one verses 29-32.
Eze 36:21-23 But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.
So our Lord has not given us His New Covenant because we deserve to have it, but for His Name’s Sake which is Holy. And our Lord’s Name will be sanctified by The Gentiles when they learn that He is truly The Lord God, regardless of Israel’s sin.
Rom 2:25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
The circumcision was according to the covenant God made with Abraham, and was also included for Israel in The Law. It is a blood sacrifice technically, because cutting off the foreskin of a baby boy or of a man causes bleeding in the process. But being circumcised does not offer any help for a man who lives a sinful life.
Rom 2:26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
Paul uses the circumcision to refer to Israel and uncircumcision to refer to the Gentiles. If the Gentiles keep the righteousness of God’s Law by their natural moral conscience, then even though they have not been circumcised, they will still be considered righteous.
Rom 2:27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?
And so the Gentiles who take part of The First Resurrection will sit as judges over the unrepentant descendants of Israel.
Rom 2:28-29 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.
Who receives God’s Promises to Israel through The Law and The Prophets? Those who obey His Law from their hearts and minds, not so much by every specific detail of The Law, but by their reverence and discipline to keep a clear conscience before God in spirit and truth. Our Heavenly Father is The Heart Knower.
Deu 10:16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.
Romans — Part 7
Rom 3:1-2 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.
The benefit that a descendant of Israel has over the Gentiles is that through them came God’s Word. If we just consider the benefit of God’s Dietary Laws, then we can see that Israel enjoyed the best health and physical strength when compared to the Gentiles who ate an unclean diet. In fact, Israelites tended to live a hundred years or more while the Gentiles tended to die in their thirties and forties, and suffered through many diseases along the way. And regarding the dietary laws, we know that the descendants of Adam knew them even before the flood.
Gen 7:1-2 And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.
Noah knew the clean animals from the unclean before the flood, and this knowledge was passed down from generation to generation by oral tradition and some writings. Then these laws were codified by The Lord through Moses in The Written Law.
Rom 3:3-4 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
Where was this written?
Psa 51:3-4 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
Paul quoted from Psalm 51.
Rom 3:5-7 But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man) God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world? For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?
That’s a good question. If Israel’s sin and consequent scattering among the Gentiles has caused them to recognize God’s Glory by His mercy and grace, then why should Israel be judged? Simple, because of their sin.
Rom 3:8 And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.
The Kenites had been bearing false witness against the Christians claiming that they taught lawlessness. So it was not true that Paul and the other Apostles were teaching lawlessness.
Rom 3:9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
The doctrine that Christians taught was that both Israel and the Gentiles were guilty of sin and must repent.
Rom 3:10-12 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Where was this written?
Ecc 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Psa 14:2-3 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Psa 53:2-3 God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Paul was quoting from these Scriptures, combining them together to provide a summary.
Rom 3:13-18 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Where was this written?
Psa 5:9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.
Psa 140:3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah.
Psa 10:7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.
Isa 59:7-8 Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.
Psa 36:1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
Paul then summarized these Scriptures. This is a perfect example of what Paul taught Timothy:
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
The conclusion is that all are guilty of sin and must repent.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.
Romans — Part 8
Rom 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Paul is quoting from the Psalms.
Psa 63:8-11 My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me. But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth. They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes. But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.
Psa 107:40-43 He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way. Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock. The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth. Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.
Note that Paul does not speak from his own imagination, but teaches The Word of God. Everyone in this world is guilty, and everyone should shut their mouths before God’s Righteousness.
Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Where was this written?
Psa 143:1-2 Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness. And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
Paul quoted from this Psalm. No one can be justified by his own deeds, either by The Law or without The Law.
1Jn 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
Paul’s statement that “by the law is the knowledge of sin” is purely logical by word definition. Sin is the transgression of The Law.
Rom 3:21-22 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 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:
How has God’s Righteousness, separate from The Law, now been revealed, and witnessed by The Law and The Prophets? When our Lord gave us His Law, He noted that we lacked the ability to obey. So it was already impossible for Israel with his natural mind to receive the promise of Eternal Life.
Deu 29:1-4 These are the words of the covenant, which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, beside the covenant which he made with them in Horeb. And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land; The great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles: Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.
Our Lord had not yet given us the heart and mind to see and understand His Law and to take it to heart in all sincerity so that we could obey it from the heart. God’s Law is The Law of Love.
But God’s Righteousness is now revealed by The New Covenant through The Blood of The Only Begotten Son, whereby we are given a new Heart and Mind in Christ Jesus, the very things we lacked under The Covenant of The Law.
1Co 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
Paul explains that we have The Mind of Christ in Corinthians.
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
The following Scripture illustrates Paul’s point:
Dan 9:9-11 To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him; Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.
Even those who obey God’s Commandments to the letter still have a serious problem with sin, as though it is unavoidable. Jesus taught us some of the subtleties of sin.
Mat 19:20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
The young man had asked Jesus how to have Eternal Life, and claimed to have obeyed The Commandments since he was a child.
Mat 19:21-23 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
The young man gave up on his hope of obtaining Eternal Life, because his covetousness for the things of this world was too great. If we love anything more than we love God, that is the transgression of The First Commandment. Therefore if we love the things of this world more than we love God, then we cannot enter into The Kingdom of Heaven.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.
Romans — Part 9
Rom 3:24-25 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;
How can Christ’s Blood be a propitiation for the remission of our past sins? (Note that His Blood covers our PAST SINS.) Where was this written?
Lev 16:11-12 And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself: And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail:
Note that this blood offering was performed within The Vail, that is, within The Holy of Holies.
Lev 16:13-17 And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not: And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times. Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness. And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.
The Blood was sprinkled by The High Priest for his own sins and for the sins of the people, and by that blood were their sins atoned for. The Blood of Jesus was the price for our past sins, and Jesus Himself became our High Priest to make this offering of His Own Blood once and for all time.
Mark 15:37-38 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.
The veil of The Holy of Holies was torn in two, showing that the way into the presence of God was available to all of God’s People.
Why is it important to note that The Blood of Christ covers our past sins? There are many antichrists that teach it is okay to continue in sin by transgressing God’s Law willfully.
Heb 6:4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Anyone who has turned to Christ with repentance and entered into The New Covenant but who turns back into transgression of God’s Law cannot humble themselves again to repentance, because they crucify The Only Begotten Son of God again and make an open mockery of Him. The Blood of Christ atones for our past sins. Do not let anyone seduce you into sinning willfully again.
Rom 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Our Father is Just, and He justifies everyone who believes in Jesus.
Rom 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
Therefore we have nothing to brag about, because we cannot be deemed righteous by our own works, but by our belief in Jesus.
Rom 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Although we were still sinners, our Lord died for us, therefore aside from strict obedience to The Law which was impossible for us, we have been counted as righteous by our belief in The Blood of Christ. Our repentance and subsequent forgiveness of sin allows us to approach our Father and ask for The New Covenant.
Rom 3:29-30 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
God loves all of His Children, Israel and Gentile alike, and all must receive the promise of The New Covenant exactly the same way.
Rom 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
The word “establish” is from the Greek “his’-tay-mee” which means “to stand (transitively or intransitively), used in various applications (literally or figuratively).”
Christians make God’s Law a solid foundation for salvation, because now by our belief in Jesus we are given The Holy Spirit and can obey The Law from the heart. We are become God’s People, and He is become our God. This is the promise of The New Covenant, which demonstrates The Righteousness of God to give us what we lacked so that we can receive Eternal Life.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.