Epistle to the Romans Paul's Epistle to

Epistle to the Romans Paul's Epistle to the Romans is one of the most extensive statements of theology in the entire Bible, because in it he attempts to outline and describe the entire process by which mankind is initially condemned for its sinful nature, and thus doomed for a final judgment according to the actions taken in life, but is offered the chance for redemption through faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul simultaneously confronts some of the most pressing theological issues at the time of the epistle's writing, such as the relationship between God and Israel as well as the redemption of Gentiles, but he also provides more general insights into how the beliefs expressed in Romans should influence and inform the everyday life of a Christian.

By examining the process of condemnation, justification, sanctification, and preservation described in Paul's Epistle to the Romans, one can begin to appreciate the enormity of Paul's contribution to Christian theology as well as continuing centrality of Jesus' message to everyday Christian faith and experience. Paul highlights the fact that the only means to salvation is through faith, and not actions, but that actions nevertheless play an important role in the outward expression of God's will as enacted in the Christian life.

Before addressing the theological content of Romans in more detail, it is necessary to address previous and ongoing considerations of Paul's message. As Brendan Byrne notes, there are two general interpretations of Romans that, while not mutually exclusive, have frequently been posited as such. On the one hand there is the presumption that Romans represents "a systematic exposition of Pauline theology, that is, […] a stately procession of theological themes (e.g.

justification, sanctification, law, spirit) embedded in a theological treatise cast in the form of a letter." This is contrasted with an approach that views Romans: Not as an exercise in dogmatics but as a protest on Paul's part against Jewish particularism [and accounts] for the content of Romans in light of the circumstances of Paul and his addressees, specifically the relationships between Christian communities adopting differing attitudes to the practice of the Jewish Torah.

However, even a cursory examination of Romans reveals that far from representing two oppositional views, in reality one must consider "that the letter, though addressed to concrete circumstances, does offer a unified and structured exposition of the gospel and of its consequences for the life of communities of believers," especially because the elements of Romans that seemed directed to a specific historical audience nevertheless serve to reiterate the larger theological argument.

This will be seen both in Paul's discussion of mankind's condemnation due to the universal stain of sin, as well as the particular historical example he uses to illustrate the notion of justification through faith. Thus, it is necessary to treat Paul's "theological statements in view of their text-external function while simultaneously recognizing and assessing their inherent theological import," because these two levels of reading can only serve to inform and explicate each other.

This fact can be seen most clearly when one considers the first crucial element of Paul's message, which is the universal condemnation of mankind. Paul states explicitly that: For those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

For God does not show favoritism.

While Paul is obviously arguing against Jewish particularism, this argument is largely incidental, rather than central, because as Paul states later on, the central point of his message is that "Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin [….] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Recognizing this is crucial because it allows one to understand how mankind's condemnation due to sin is universal; that is, in Romans, "sin is Sin -- not a lower-case transgression, not even a human disposition or flaw in human nature, but an upper-case Power that enslaves humankind and stands over against God." Arguments concerning Jews and Gentiles become obsolete in the face of sin's power over mankind, because this power transcends these divisions, and all who sin are condemned to an eternity in hell.

Upon recognizing that all of mankind is condemned, regardless whether they are Jew or Gentile, one can understand why "no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law;" quite simply, it is preposterous to believe that any human action could ever atone for the universal stain of sin that covers all of mankind, because regardless of one's individual actions, the fact remains that everyone has sinned and thus is not worthy of God's glory.

Furthermore, this reveals how the concept of universal sin and condemnation is not as simple as the notion of "inherited sin," or the idea that "Adam's sin is […] somehow transmitted or imputed to all humankind." In Romans 5:12-21, Paul uses the images of Adam and Jesus to present a kind of poetic juxtaposition, demonstrating how sin enters the world through Adam but mankind is saved from this sin by Jesus.

This passage has occasionally been interpreted as Paul suggesting that mankind has "inherited" sin through Adam, but this reading does not take into account the rest of Paul's discussion.

Instead of reading verse 18, which says that "one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people," to mean that mankind is condemned solely due to Adam's sin, it is more accurate to consider the notion of "all people" to mean that "Jews and Gentiles alike are affected by sin and death." Thus, while sin entered the world through Adam's actions, the sin which condemns all mankind is of its own doing; that is, Adam allowed for the possibility of sin in the world, and every person since has enacted this possibility.

Similarly, then, Jesus' sacrifice has the power "to bring both Jews and Greeks into the blessing of the age to come (salvation)." Paul is clear that all of mankind has sinned, and that no actions performed by mankind will ever be enough to make up for that sin. Therefore, for mankind to ever be redeemed requires a sacrifice above and beyond what is humanly possible, and this sacrifice was that of Jesus.

Just as all of mankind is condemned through its sin, all of mankind is equally "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." This justification, whereby mankind is declared righteous, "is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe," because only by faith can anyone be saved from the condemnation he or she deserves.

This statement simultaneously reiterates Paul's earlier claims regarding the universal condemnation of mankind and expresses the hope for avoiding the consequences of this condemnation through faith in Jesus, which is the only possible way of overcoming the effects of sin.

Once again, Paul helps make this point by discussing a theological matter of interest to his particular historical audience, because uses the example of Abraham to demonstrate how even he, essentially the father of Israel, was deemed righteous not by his adherence to God's covenant through circumcision, but rather by his faith.

Paul notes that "Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness" before he was circumcised, such that "he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised." Thus, righteousness, something that could never be attained through human works, is bestowed upon the individual as a result of his or her faith in Jesus, because "the mark of faithfulness to God is now no longer the law, however, but faithfulness to Christ, who is himself the model of faithfulness and what it is to be righteous." Therefore, Paul is arguing for "justification by faith alone," because faith in Jesus and his sacrifice is the only means by which mankind can ever hope to be free from sin.

Although mankind is justified and deemed righteous through faith in Jesus, Paul does not suggest that this faith marks the end of the process towards redemption. On the contrary, while faith in Jesus is quite enough to justify mankind in God's eyes, this only marks the beginning of the process, because the next step is sanctification, whereby mankind is made righteous through the transformative power of the Holy Spirit.

In Romans 8:1-2, Paul states that "therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death." This does not mean that mankind is set free from sin through the transformative power of the Spirit, but rather that through faith in Jesus and his sacrifice, mankind is subsequently transformed by the Spirit, such that their subsequent actions will reflect both Jesus' righteous nature and the will of God as expressed through his Spirit.

Thus, mankind is justified through faith, and following this justification, is sanctified though the Spirit such that the individual's actions will begin to reflect the nature of the Spirit of Jesus, rather than the flesh. This detail is crucial for understanding the relation of Romans to everyday Christian experience, because it reveals the continued importance of actions even in light of the fact that actions will never be sufficient for redemption.

This sanctification is the outward demonstration of the inner justification made possible through faith, just as Abraham's circumcision was the outward demonstration of the justification he received through his faith, such that "sanctification is the consequence-- rather than the grounds -- of justification." Thus, mankind is saved through faith, and is subsequently transformed through its "conversion and incorporation into Christ." While justification by faith in Jesus is what saves the individual from sin and death, and sanctification is the transformation of the justified individual's life, preservation is the grace and reward offered to those who believe.

God promises eternal life to those with faith, so that "if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live," and "share in his sufferings in order that [you] may also share in his glory." By making oneself "dead to sin" through justification and sanctification, the individual is able to avoid eternal condemnation and hell, because as Paul says, "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." There are two crucially important elements of Paul's Epistle to the Romans that pertain to both Paul's own thoughts as well as the everyday life of a Christian, because although Paul and contemporary Christians live in vastly different historical epochs, the trials and tribulations they face are largely the same.

The first crucial belief outlined in Romans is the notion of justification through faith alone, because this is a clear enunciation of theology regarding the only way to attain the eternal life promised by God. Paul is unequivocal in stating that everyone is condemned to eternal damnation in hell, and that no human action can ever even come close to changing this fate.

The only way to successfully ensure eternal life with God is through faith in Jesus Christ, because only Jesus' sacrifice can overcome the immeasurable gap between mankind's fallen state and the glory of God.

The second crucial element of belief outlined in Romans is the concept of sanctification through the Spirit, and in some ways this is the element most relevant to Christian's everyday life, because it concerns itself with the actions one takes after being justified through faith; put another way, sanctification essentially is everyday Christian life, because "those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires." Paul commands Christians not to "conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind," because this is the only way a Christian can hope to know and intentionally enact God's will for his or her life.

Because sanctification is the outward expression of justification through faith, Paul actually spends a good deal of Romans describing what this looks like. He describes how: We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

He goes on to highlight the proper attitudes a Christian should hold, telling his readers to "hate what is evil; cling to what is good," and "live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited." These are practical instructions for ensuring that one's behavior conforms to the example set by Jesus and thus maintaining the process of sanctification until the moment when one will finally meet with God in heaven.

These instructions reveal how sanctification, rather than being a single event, is more like an ongoing process, whereby the Christian must constantly work to outwardly demonstrate the inward salvation they have through Jesus. This is why Paul highlights the fact that: The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God.

For both Paul and the contemporary Christian, it is crucial to understand that sanctification is not a single event that merely "happens" as a result of faith in Jesus, but rather a process that proceeds from the moment of salvation all the way up until the final judgment, after which the Christian will finally be able to meet God in all his glory, for eternity.

Thus, Romans not only teaches the Christian why their behavior still matters even after having ensured their salvation, but also how their behavior will change due to the influence of the Holy Spirit. In turn, this provides the Christian with a straightforward way of determining whether or not he or she is living according to God's will, because the Christian can compare his or her own behavior to the behaviors and attitudes that Paul says will be indicative of someone living according to the dictates of the Holy Spirit.

Examining Paul's Epistle to the Romans in detail reveals the robust, structured theological argument he makes for the process by which mankind can be saved from sin, death, and eternal damnation in hell. Although Romans is ostensibly a letter written to a specific group of people in a specific historical context, Paul manages to use the social and theological concerns of his historical audience in order to present a clear-cut argument about the Christian faith in general.

He does this by noting the pointlessness of dividing the Christian community along lines of behavior in accordance with laws that no longer have any bearing on spiritual life, and by using historical examples, such as Abraham, to illustrate the points he is making in regards to Christian theology. Thus, Paul begins his message by highlighting the fact that all people are condemned through sin, regardless of whether they are Jews or Gentiles, because all have sinned and thus are not worthy of God's glory or eternal life.

Recognizing that everyone is equally guilty in the eyes of God, Paul makes it clear that no human action, regardless of how noble or moral, is sufficient to make up for the sin committed.