04.30. LESSON 30

LESSON 30

Paul’s discussion of divine sovereignty and human accountability in Romans contains no suggestion whatsoever of incompatibility between the doctrines. Neither in Peter’s indictment of the Jews on Pentecost, "Him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye by the hand of lawless men did crucify and slay," which focuses the two truths more sharply than Paul’s discussion does, is there so much as a hint of discord between the doctrines.

All questions that may arise from the fact that God’s foreknowing and predestining Christ’s death did not affect the responsibility and accountability of the men who crucified him are "foolish and ignorant questionings," which Paul told Timothy and Titus to shun and refuse. If Peter and Paul even thought of this matter at all, they stayed not to meddle with it, but leaving it to God whose business it was and who alone was competent to deal with it, they hastened on, humbled and sobered by the dread truths involved, as faithful stewards in tremendous earnestness with their own commissioned business of preaching the universal gospel of reconciliation, hoping to humble the perishing rebels of earth into surrender and repentance to the merciful, sovereign Maker and Owner.

Two Kinds of Righteousness

How is it that such perverted, depraved Gentiles as those described in Romans 1 "attain to righteousness," while Jews, who zealously, laboriously, and sincerely observe religious rites, elaborate rituals, and burdensome traditions, fail to attain it? The Gentiles, who had no self-righteousness to hinder them, freely and gladly entered in through the "door of faith" (Acts 13:48; Acts 14:27) into Christ, thrown wide open to them by God’s mercy, as their only hope. Thus they obtained the righteousness, which is the free and gracious gift of God to believers. The reason Israel failed to arrive at this faith-righteousness was that they were seeking a law-righteousness of their own "by works of law"—counterfeit righteousness camouflaged as the righteousness from God. Paul gives them full credit for their zeal, but tells them it is "not according to knowledge," and that it is no ground for salvation. This is the key to the whole chapter, the purpose of which is to show the Jews why they are set aside. Paul’s own life is the best commentary on the appalling truth that sincere, zealous men may be lost.

Paul in relating his religious experience contrasts these two kinds of righteousness: "Not having a righteousness of mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, even the righteousness which is from God by faith" (Php 3:9). These two kinds of righteousness cannot coexist, because one must be dead to the former in order to be alive to the latter: "For I... died unto the law that I might live unto God" (Galatians 2:19); "For if there had been a law given which could make alive, verily, righteousness would have been of the law" (Galatians 3:21). Law cannot give pardon and life and hope and love and security. Since Pentecost, Jews must be as completely done with Mosaic law, both as a means of obtaining life and as a rule for living life, as if it had never been given; or as dead to it as are Gentiles, who have never been under it.

Israel is a tragic example of religious men of legal mind clinging, blindly and doggedly, to traditions and symbols instead of growing into the truth and the life symbolized by and embodied in the types and emblems. Nothing more surely than the leaven of legalism paralyzes the finer instincts and most godlike facilities of the soul. Jesus warned his disciples against it (Luke 12:1). Remember, it was Jewish legalists who forced the Pagan Romans contrary to their feelings and will to crucify Jesus. Had Jesus but said, "Woe unto you Romans," instead of: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites," what a difference it would have made. Remember, Paul, probably in mental gifts and nobility of soul the greatest of all Jews, was first "A Pharisee... as touching the law, found blameless." But he was withal, because of his inhuman, bloody persecution of holy, helpless saints, the chief of sinners. But this was the best the principle of legality could do for him! Need Christians today be told that they may eat the Lord’s Supper, and in every way live respectable, nominal Christian lives in this cold, formal, traditional, legalistic, partisan, loveless, flesh-centered, spirit-killing manner?

"All Things Are Now Ready" (Christ) In Romans 10:5-21, Paul, continuing his contrast of law-righteousness and faith-righteousness, shows that the free and universal nature of Christianity is set forth plainly in the Old Testament. "For Moses writeth that the man that doeth the righteousness which is of the law shall live thereby. But the righteousness which is by faith saith thus, Say not in thy heart, who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down;) or, who shall descend into the abyss? (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word we preach."

First, Paul here makes a free quotation from Moses (Leviticus 18:5) to the effect that the life of men living under law depends on their perfect obedience of law. Second, he incorporates, with Christian meaning, the strong, lively words of Moses with reference to the law (Deuteronomy 30:11-14) into his exposition of Christianity. What could so well show his skill and power in reasoning with Jews as this personifying the gospel and having it say what Moses said of the law? His purpose is to convince Jews that Christianity is a fulfillment of Moses, and that following Moses through will make Christians of them; that instead of doing meritorious deeds they have only to believe in the divinely wrought, past Incarnation and Resurrection of Jesus, the benefits of which are as free as the air they breathe, and to realize that with respect to righteousness, the gospel says, not "do," but "done." He is begging them to lay their "deadly doing down," to empty their hands that they may grasp what only empty hands may grasp, and to see that they cannot drag themselves up the lofty peak of righteousness by natural human strength.

Finally, Paul quotes Isaiah and Joel to show that the gospel is, not only free, but also universal—"Whosoever shall call..." Then, he quotes Isaiah and David to show that this free, universal gospel has had divine universal proclamation. Thus, Paul vindicates his mission to the Gentiles, the very thing that the Jews say makes him their enemy. Last of all, he has Moses and Isaiah testifying that the acceptance of the Gentiles was made known from of old.

Questions