The Greatness of Grace

We find status, Identity, as our anchor. In Paul’s day, it was to be Jewish. The People of God. Today, many hold the same attitude for themselves as being American. Herein is our warning. As much as Israel, the Jews were and still are the favored people of God; Although America has been blessed, graced and protected by the hand of God, it appears we are a favored nation. Yet, this is not going to be sufficient to nullify the judgement. We, as the Jews, will not be able to declare our nationality or how God had cared for us thinking that we will be excused. In fact the opposite is true, we will be spotlighted for judgement for what we have had of His evidences.

For the Jews, they recieved “the oracles of God.” For America, we have recieved the blessings and graces from those oracles. Yet, as a nation we turn away for the God who provides such gifts.

Romans & Galatians (Commentary)Mohrlang, Roger, Gerald L. Borchert. 2007. Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 14: Romans and Galatians. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers says, The fact that human nature is so often viewed today as good (or at least as “not so bad”) reflects the superficial nature of the modern understanding of sin and the extent to which people have lost a profound sense of the holiness of God.

A faulty reasoning: sin more so that grace is greater!

(Chapter 3) 5 But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) 6 By no means! For then how could God judge the world? 7 But if through my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? 8 And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.

Some Subtopics to be aware of: National Identity, Law, wrath, personal judgement.

Romans & Galatians (Commentary)

Behind Paul’s argument lie certain traditional Jewish assumptions about the nature of God that are not widely held in the modern world—assumptions about his holiness and moral demands, his judgment and punishment of sin. Many people in the twenty-first century have a much more benevolent view of God and find it hard to believe that God would condemn anyone; but the New Testament writers speak as much of God’s holiness and judgment as they do of his love and grace, and everything they write reflects the dominance of the final day of judgment (Rev 20:11–15) in their thinking.

The pitiful, depraved life:Paul has a focus on certain parts of the human body: the mind, eye “of the heart”, throat, tongues, lips, mouth, and feet.

certain parts of the human body: thus their life has become useless, without value according to God’s desire & plan. The Good is temporal, for self, or in the context of good in this life. The term for “worthless” is that of a good thing having spoiled, turned sour.

things need to be stressed, however. First, the expression “does good” would be better translated if the who “habitually do good” were included, and, second, the concept of goodness is defined of His nature rather than the product of human activity

Mankind has degenerated to this context…(God selected a nation, and individuals to be preservers for the human race. These failed.

S. Brisco says: in effect, says that without a single exception there is net in being of any shape, size, or form from any culture, environment, or age who has habitually produced a life characterized by undeviating commitment to righteousness and unadulterated good. No, not one!

Now the Grace is for God to come to individuals, to show the eternal life in this life. This is a GREAT GRACE!) We now encounter a string of pearls, a CHAVAZ teaching.

mind- incapable of desiring God of its own generation. Sin has left man with a warped wall as well as a confused mind.

eye of the heart- (seeking): The Lord Jesus made it clear that those who “seek will find” but Moses said to God’s chosen people “…thou shalt find him, if thou seeks him, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul” (Deut. 429) it is this kind of “seeking” that man does not naturally engage in engage in, as determined search after something.”

throat, (v. 13) is a striking, even disgusting, metaphor. . An “open tomb” is an apt description of the inner realities of human experience where little remains but the rotting bones and corrupting flesh of one noble bodies of opinion. The stench of rotting flesh is the concept. This contaminates the next 3 connecting points.

tongues Far from being disgusting and obscene, the speech of some is sweet and smooth. Sugar-coated statements and well-buttered platitudes expressed in cultured, modulated perfection are no less demonstrations of human perversity because these words are designed for deception.

lips,: VENOMOUS ATTACK- WORDS OF POISON, THIS describes in a chilling and graphic way the far reaching destructive capabilities of words spoken from a sinful heart. Sometimes it is the frontal venomous attack of an irate enemy couched. n violent, vitriolic verbiage which is so debilitating; at other times t is the sudden sharp sting of the unexpectedly bitten heel that produces an even more devastating result. James, expressing similar g sentiments, said, “But no man can tame the tongue. It is an y evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3.8)

mouth, (THE SYNERGY EFFECT): to curse others. Jesus taugh we are to bless. Paul expresses the totality of impact of the fore mentioned parts. The mouth is full of cursing and bitterness, it reveals the length one will go to remove from his path all obstacles that threaten the advancement of his own designs and the selfish development of his own person. It meant the use of words which of themselves held the power to bring about the desired effect of their malediction. Peter recognized that Simon the Sorcerer’s interest in the Holy Spirit was not at all related to spiritual growth but a desire to possess the “power” of the Spirit so that he might gain even more control of people’s fate.

and feet. (SWIFTNESS) they have lost the way of Peace! their desire is to shed blood. Kill, destroy. There is an enthusiasm in their life conduct, whatever it takes to life how one wants.

eye… no fear, no reverence, a haughty glare at life, or others. This is the opposite of how one is to look upon God when he discovers Him. This is the spiritual connection of the bodily expressions. The dynamic of sin is responsible not only for the presence of malevolent forces but also for the of benevolent forces. (Briscoe)

Does grace nullify the Law?(Chapter 3) 27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.

31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law

WE live the Law by the faith in God’s grace. The law reveals our need. The Great Grace meets our need, our inability to live. This Great Grace is more than the band-aid for life. It is a complete gift to enable a life that pleases God.

Romans & Galatians (Notes) Though the message of the Good News seems to deny the law (because it teaches salvation by faith apart from the law), in reality it affirms the law in at least three ways:

There are three ways in which the Good News of salvation in Christ may be said to affirm the role of the law of Moses:

1. It validates the absolute demands of the moral law; in other words, it takes the righteous demands of God seriously and acknowledges that judgment must be meted out for failure to obey them.

2. It recognizes the deeper purpose (the true purpose) of the law in God’s scheme of things—namely, the law’s function in making people aware of their moral failures so that they might be wakened to their need of God’s forgiving grace.

3. It confirms and fulfills the teaching of the law itself—that God considers people righteous on the basis of their faith (Gen 15:6; cf. Hab 2:4). It is this point that seems to be in focus here, judging from what follows (4:1–25).

Mohrlang, Roger, Gerald L. Borchert. 2007. Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 14: Romans and Galatians. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

Some practical usage of the Law connecting with Grace:

(1) it accepts the holy standards of the law as a measure of human behavior,

(2) it acknowledges the deeper purpose of the law—to show people their sin and their need of salvation (cf. 4:15; 5:20; 7:7–11; Gal 3:19, 22–24), and

(3) it affirms the teaching of the law itself—that righteousness is conferred on the basis of faith (4:3; Gal 3:6).

Romans & Galatians (Christ as Our Righteousness)

Most pious Jews earnestly hoped that by their sincere attempts to observe the law of God they would in the end be judged as righteous on the last day, when everyone stands before God. The Good News of Christ reverses the order: believers are pronounced righteous at the beginning of their course, not at the end—as the result not of their works but of God’s free gift!

The Good News of Jesus Christ shifts the focus from our righteousness to the gift of God’s righteousness—the righteousness he mercifully confers upon us because of Christ’s sacrifice for our sins. Salvation, then, is the result of two acts: (1) God’s gracious giving of Christ to die for our sins, by which it becomes possible for God to forgive and accept us; and (2) our coming to trust in that sacrifice, by which the gift of salvation becomes personally effective in our own lives

Salvation is always sola gratia, sola fide, soli Deo gloria (by grace alone, through faith alone, to God alone be the glory).

There is no room here for the person who says, “I do the best I can, I try to live a decent life—what more can God expect of me?” Such self-reliance reflects both an inadequate view of sin and a failure in understanding the Good News of grace. Second, there is no preferential consideration given to those who keep the law; Gentiles are accepted on the same basis as Jews (3:28–30). Paul’s emphasis on this point would seem to be directed to Jewish Christians who may be critical of Gentile believers.

Mohrlang, Roger, Gerald L. Borchert. 2007. Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 14: Romans and Galatians. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.Romans & Galatians (Christ as Our Righteousness)

Related Media

Related Sermons