Romans

Tuesday, 5 March 2013

“Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit”; Romans 3:13

In this verse and the next two verses come quotes from the One who created the human body. As the designer of man, God understands the intended use of the parts of the body and He also understands both what they can represent metaphorically and also how they can be misused.

In these three verses, the throat, the tongue, the lips, and the mouth are noted in order and then the feet are mentioned. The order starts with the internal most part and works outward – throat, tongue, and lips. It then is summed up in the visible notation of the three combined – the mouth. It is as if we are visibly watching a person vomiting out wickedness.

After this will be noted the feet. Once the heart’s wickedness is expelled from the mouth, the feet are used to carry it everywhere they go. The imagery is shocking when considered as intended. Verse 13 is a quote from the 5th Psalm, and is taken more specifically from the Greek translation of that Psalm known as the Septuagint. Noted below are the Hebrew (NKJV) and Greek (LXX) translations:

For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; Their inward part is destruction; Their throat is an open tomb; They flatter with their tongue. (NKJV)

For there is no truth in their mouth;
their heart is vain;
their throat is an open sepulchre;
with their tongues they have used deceit. (LXX)

As with any quote from the Old Testament, the context needs to be considered. The quote is specifically speaking about “boasters” and “workers of iniquity” (v5) and “those who speak falsehood” and “the bloodthirsty and deceitful man” (v6). Therefore, this verse, as with the previous verses, is not intended as an all-encompassing indictment, but is directed to those who practice such ways.

The throat of these people is compared to an open grave. The grave is the repository for the dead. If the grave is left open, the stench of the decaying body is left uncovered and it affects everything around it. The words which proceed from such a person are intended to reduce anyone around to a nauseas state, even to despair.

At the same time as being a place from which stench and putridity arises, the grave is open to receive more corpses – even until it is filled. The mouth which speaks such abominations not only offends, it destroys and consumes. Because it does it will continue to put out a vile odor as those it receives begin to rot. This is the state of mind we are intended to see. Those who speak falsehood and who are bloodthirsty reek with wickedness, destroy others, and cause them to reek with their decay. It is a repetitious and increasing cycle which is never satisfied.

All of this proceeds from the heart, through the open throat, and then off the tongue. The symbolism of these body parts is so vivid and correct because God who designed them knows how easily they can be misused.

Life application: Our words have consequences. When they are used properly, they are edifying of others, honoring to ourselves, and glorifying of God. When they are used in a wrong manner, they cause harm to those who receive them and they will be used as a tool of judgment against us (Matthew 12:36). Let us determine in our hearts to use our words carefully and in a manner which is good and right, not in evil and wickedness.

Jesus, may You be with me and remind me that the words I speak have power to help or to harm, to glorify or demean, to build up or to tear down. May the words of my lips only be used in a positive and honoring way. I know that what they ultimately reflect is the state of my heart, so change my heart to be pure, noble, and right. This I pray to Your glory. Amen.

Monday, 4 March 2013

They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” Romans 3:12

This verse, taken from Psalm 14:1 and Psalm 53:1, is to be taken in a general sense. The gentile has turned away from the natural revelation given by God which is written in our hearts and consciences. The Jew has turned away from the special revelation he has been given by God and toward apostasy. Paul has shown this in the chapters and verses leading up to this conclusion. Because the Jew has the natural revelation and also the special revelation and yet they still turn from God, it shows the truly depraved nature of man.

And so, both Jew and gentile have “together become unprofitable.” The Greek of this word is echreothesan. It has been variously translated as worthless, useless, completely useless, unprofitable, rejected, rotten to the core, corrupt, etc. The word from which it stems in the Hebrew has the idea of something offensive or putrid. The corresponding word in Arabic is used to describe sour milk. In man, it is the state of moral impurity which is vile and degraded.

Because of these things, the result is that “there is none who does good, no, not one.” As noted in the previous verse, care needs to be exercised here. The portion of the psalm being quoted is specifically speaking of the atheist – “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.'” It would be contradictory to Scripture, even Paul’s writings, and yes even the book of Romans and the very thoughts which he is presenting, to apply this to all people in an absolute sense. For example in Romans 2:14, 15 Paul shows that there are gentiles who “by nature do the things in the law.” He then explains this and other notable traits throughout the rest of chapter 2. This must, by definition, be considered as “good.”

So Paul is clearly not saying, as Calvinism claims, that man is entirely incapable of doing good or seeking after God. Rather, this is the general, not absolute, tendency of man. Having said this, when Paul writes, “there is none who does good, no, not one” it isn’t at all contradictory. The sin in man – both inherited from Adam and committed personally, places a barrier between God and man. It is impossible for man to please God unless the sin is dealt with first. And so truly, “there is none who does good, no, not one.”

Making the leap from not being good to not being capable of doing good is a category mistake. There may be nothing good in us, but this does not mean we cannot see the good in God (or in His revelation of Himself – either natural or special) and pursue it. We see the good in Him and either choose or reject that. Is it the confused soul who says that man has free will to commit evil, but denies the free will to pursue what is good, even if erringly.

Life application: Ideas, concepts, biblical truths, evaluations of man’s relationship with God, etc. all have individual categories which must be kept separate and distinct. When we take one concept from the Bible and inappropriately apply it to, or over, another our thinking on what is biblically correct becomes skewed. Keep the boxes straight and fix your eyes on Jesus.

Heavenly Father, You have shown us what is good, both internally in our hearts and in a specific way in the Bible. And then You have allowed us the choice of pursuing it or going our own way. Help us to choose what will be pleasing in Your sight and by following Jesus who guides the path. In His name we pray. Amen.

Sunday, 3 March 2013

There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. Romans 3:11

Real care needs to be taken when evaluating quotes in the New Testament which come from the Old. Anybody can quote anything to come to whatever conclusion they wish by tearing things out of context. This is the case with today’s verse more often than not. Paul is citing Psalm 14:1 and Psalm 53:1 which are almost a mirror of each other in their first verse.

If taken at face value, and without considering both the context and the rest of Scripture, then one might come to the conclusion that “Man in his natural state cannot seek God” or something similar to this. This is the standard conclusion of Calvinist doctrine as well as some others, especially among those who deny the free will of man in accepting or rejecting Jesus. However, this is wrong.

Taking the verse in proper context as Paul would have expected his readers to do, we see the basis for the original statement which was made by David in the psalms –

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good.

David had in mind, and was speaking of, the atheist – “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.'” To make an all-inclusive claim about this verse as Calvinism does is to completely tear it out of its original context. We could question, “Are Muslims seeking after God?” “Are Mormons seeking after God?” “Are Buddhists seeking after God?” The answer in each case is “Yes. They are just doing it wrong.” Further, if Calvinism were true and this were an all inclusive statement, then David couldn’t have even written the psalm because “none” would include him. Such a conclusion is entirely unsupportable by the rest of Scripture.

Enoch who is recorded in Genesis 5 “walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.” (v. 24). Ruth, a young girl from the pagan nation of Moab refused to be separated from her mother-in-law and stated,

“…wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God.” Ruth 1:16

Speaking of a time, yet future, Hosea prophesied that the Israelites who had long rejected God will search Him out in the latter days –

“Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days.” Hosea 3:5

Those who seek after God, from both within the covenant people of Israel and those from without, are noted time and time again Scripture. Therefore, that this verse today is not “all inclusive” is as evident as water is wet.

Having determined this we can acknowledge that there is “none who understands” God in the fullest sense. If they did, they would be God because only God who is infinite can fully know Himself. It is also true that without His special revelation to us “there is none who seeks after God” perfectly. To perfectly seek after God would imply a perfect knowledge of how to do so. But, in His wisdom, God sent us Jesus to reveal the Father in a way which we can understand. When we look to Jesus, we see the Father (John 14:7).

By showing us who the Father is, we now have the ability to properly pursue God and to accurately understand Him as He continually, ceaselessly is revealed by the Son. It will be an eternal adventure for us if we are willing to start the trip. Jesus offers any to come unto Him and when they do the journey begins. It is not forced upon us, nor are we first “regenerated” in order to accept the offer as those who deny free will must claim. Rather, we are given the free-will to choose and the mental faculties to make the choice.

Life Application: The fact that God already knows what we will choose in no way negates our responsibility in the matter. Don’t be the fool David wrote about and whom Paul analyzes in today’s verse. Rather, think it through and understand that God has given us all we need in order to make the right decision. Now it is up to each of us to do so. Choose life. Choose Jesus.

Lord, Your word is sure and without contradiction. If those throughout the history recorded in it have sought You out, then so can I. And so I commit my life to Jesus and look forward to eternally learning more about You. What a great and awesome God You are! Amen.

Saturday, 2 March 2013

As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;…  Romans 3:10

Today is the start of a rather long set of quotations selected by Paul directly from the Scriptures in order to justify his statements and prove his case. He starts with, “As it is written…” If the Old Testament (the Scriptures of his day) are truly the word of God (and he takes this as an axiom), then what they say is absolute truth and is binding as guidance and instruction.

The verses he selects will continue through verse 18 and come from Ecclesiastes, the Psalms, and Isaiah. They will speak of God in verses 10-12 first as a judge, then in verses 13-15 as an anatomist, and finally in 16-18 as an anthropologist.

Today is a close quote of Ecclesiastes 7:20 –

For there is not a just man on earth who does good And does not sin.

From the first man, Adam, there has been none who have not sinned. Adam was created as a perfect man, but he lacked the knowledge of good and evil. This was not a flaw, merely a lack. Something lacking something else is not necessarily flawed and we cannot ascribe his innocence as such. In his innocent state, he was given one command. But, exercising the free will was given, he chose to disobey this command. This became “fault” or as we would term it “sin.”

From this one man’s sin, sin entered not only the world at large, but into the stream of humanity as well. Sin transfers through man to the next generation and therefore we are born in sin. David understood this when he penned these words –

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. Psalm 51:5

The NIV clearly translates this, “Surely I was sinful at birth.” All people are born into sin and therefore, “There is none righteous, no, not one.”

But this isn’t just a philosophical concept of Solomon which is repeated by Paul. Rather, it is a truth born out in the historical record of the Bible as well. In Genesis 4 this truth is highlighted several times. In verses 3 through 5 offerings are brought to the Lord and yet there is no record of Cain or Abel having committed any sin. The Bible therefore implies that because no demonstrable sin was committed, they had inherited their father’s fallen state. This concept continues to be born out in Cain’s murder of Abel and on through the rest of the Old Testament.

And yet, from the same early pages of the Bible, all the way through to Malachi, there are pictures and promises of One who would come to right the wrong of Adam and thus restore the fellowship that was lost so long ago. Yes, there is none righteous who is born of man. But Jesus wasn’t born of man; He was born of the Holy Spirit and through a woman. The sin of Adam didn’t transfer to Him.

Life application: Are you doing works in order to please God and get you to heaven? Guess what, it won’t work. You have already inherited a problem which works can’t fix. You have inherited a nature which infinitely separates you from God. But there is a remedy. By faith, put your trust in Jesus and what He did and He can be your bridge back to a right relationship with His Father. Only then can your works be found pleasing to God.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the plan of redemption which includes me… a sinner in need of a Savior. Thank You for Jesus who would give up His perfect life in order to restore me to You. I stand in awe of the majesty of what You have accomplished on my behalf. May my lips ever sing Your praises, O God. Amen.

Friday, 1 March 2013

What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. Romans 3:9

“What then?” What is the result of the question posed in 3:1 & 2? “What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God.”

Paul noted that there is both advantage and profit in being a Jew and being circumcised. However, he then laid out the case that if their actions didn’t correspond with the sign they bore that God would be proven just in His judgment of them. He also showed that His faithfulness isn’t negated by their unfaithfulness and that His receiving glory through their unrighteous actions gave them no excuse in acting in an unrighteous manner.

And so he asks “Are we better than they?” In the end, are Jews better than the gentiles? The answer, “Not at all.” In chapter 1, he proved that the gentiles are bound under sin and then in chapters 2 and 3 he showed that the Jew are also – “For we have previously charged…”

The charges have been made and they have been fully substantiated. “All are under sin.” This is a truth not just found in Paul’s philosophy, but is found in Scripture itself. As Paul notes in Galatians 3:22 – “But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.”

Yes, Paul wrote Galatians, but he is citing “Scripture” which at that time consisted only of the Old Testament. The proof of Paul’s claim comes from the earliest pages of the Bible and continues right up until its last paragraph. Something more would be needed – Jesus. As chapter 3 unfolds, we will see this clearly.

Life application: God has shown in His word that all people are bound under sin. This doesn’t merely mean that we are sinners individually, but that we are under a broad kingdom of sin. We are trapped in it and there is only one exit. Take time to read Jesus’ words from John 14:1-6 and then stand fast on the truth that Jesus is the only way to be reconciled to God. Then, determine in your heart not to waffle on this conviction when confronted by those who challenge it.

Heavenly Father, I can see that I am no better than any other person. But what is also true is that no other person is any better than me. All it takes is one sin for us to be separated from You. Help me to remember this as I deal with others who seem so much more “sinful” than I am. We are all in the same desperate need of Jesus. Amen.