But God demonstrates
His own love
toward us, in that
while we were still
sinners, Christ died
for us. Much
more then, having now
been justified
by His blood, we
shall be saved from
wrath through Him.
For if when we
were enemies we were
reconciled to God
through the death of
His Son, much more,
having been
reconciled, we shall
be saved by His life.
Romans 5:8–10
In many of
the Churches today, and in the beliefs of many Christians, Jesus Christ is
being presented as more of a buddy, a friend, One who blesses all who call on
Him. The old hymn: “What a Friend We Have In Jesus” is sung, and it is true:
Jesus Christ is our Friend, Jesus Christ blesses those who call on Him
according to His will, but, but, but, Jesus Christ is not our buddy. If you or
I are living contrary to the commands of God, how then can Jesus bless us? He
won’t, in fact you or I will be chastised. Jesus is a Friend to those who
convert to Him and this is demonstrated in the pragmatics of our lives, not in
some emotional display, or by doing work for Him that is not having been called
by Him for anyone to do. When we do not have a clear understanding of God, His
Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit we fall into the trap making Jesus, God,
the Holy Spirit to be what they are not. We do things that are out of harmony
with God’s revealed word. We must not forget this most important doctrine: “God
demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still
sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus Christ is our
Savior: PERIOD! We are saved by His life (vs. 10)and this is by being
reconciled to Him through His death. Jesus Christ died for you, and me, all of
those elected by God for salvation. Live according to His word, His commands,
and you will be blessed. Paul in Romans is addressing many misconceptions of
Jesus Christ, the Church, salvation, and by his writings we come to understand
the doctrines as revealed through the Holy Spirit, the ones correct, and the
ones incorrect. Study this book and you will grow in faith, and in knowledge of
the One True Savior, and you will become an ambassador teaching, preaching, and
living, according to truth.
Romans 1:1–4: “Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ,
called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God which He promised
before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus
Christ our Lord, who was born 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.”
Paul begins his letter and describes himself first as
a “δοϋλος,” a slave, but more than just a slave, a bondservant, one who is
permanently related to servitude of another and whose will is completely
subject to the will of another. Paul ensures us that he was called (Acts 9:
10–12), to be an apostle, “άπόστολος.” An ambassador, a messenger, one who has
been sent forth, and the one sending Paul was the One who called him, Jesus
Christ. It is true that Paul is considered as an Apostle, notice the capital
“A”. This is not wrong, he was called by God, but do not think he was the only
apostle: he is not, you are, for you are an ambassador as well (2Corinthians
5:20), that is, you are also, if you choose to be, a bondservant, one who has
willingly submitted yourself to God, as Paul, separated to the gospel of God.
The Gospel is simple this: Jesus Christ is the Messiah who lived, suffered,
died, was buried, rose again to life, and ascended to God to be an eternal
intercessor for God’s children. What can be added to that? Nothing, but we do,
don’t we? People don’t need some supernatural demonstration, they need the
gospel, and this gospel was promised by God through men of old, those prophets
who themselves were apostles for God, and wrote this promise in the Old
Testament, the Holy Scriptures. The Gospel is: “His Son Jesus Christ our
Lord, who was born 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” (vs. 4). Jesus demonstrated the love of God,
that God had through Him kept this promise of old by many miracles, and power,
and that He is divine, God, in the flesh, and this; “according to the Spirit
of Holiness.” Notice this fact: God, Jesus and the Spirit of Holiness all
mentioned by Paul in his opening statement to the Roman Church, and to us.
What
a way to open a letter. To immediately set forth his premise for the rest of
the letter, that God through Jesus Christ demonstrated His love by sending to
earth, to receive a carnal body, to join together the divine, God, with earthly
flesh, this hypostatic union, and that this Son of God was resurrected from the
dead. Our hope, our faith, all rests on this fact that Jesus Christ died and
rose again: not by some magical and mythical resurrection through others, in as
some teach that Jesus is not God and therefore could not resurrect Himself,
that it took God. Yes, it took God and this is extremely, without prejudice
agreed upon for Jesus Himself told us: “Jesus answered and aid to them,
‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). Who
did Jesus say would resurrect Him: He, Himself, because Jesus by power, and His
divinity would raise Himself up. Death could not hold Him. Death could not
destroy Him. Death was required to pay our debt of sin. This Jesus did and
demonstrate and we have the written word that this occurred and our faith
should be strengthened. This Paul sets forth for the Roman Church and for us.
Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and by His death, and resurrection, we have
life. Read the closing verse carefully, for Jesus makes it clear that while He
was bodily on earth, He was in heaven. How? Jesus is God, the Second Person of
the Trinity.
No one has ascended to heaven
But
He who came down
From heaven, that is, the Son of
Man
Who
is in heaven.
John 3:13
No condemnation to those who
believe
Richard L. Crumb
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