In the passage we see that the barrier between Jew and Gentile is broken down. The message of grace in Jesus Christ unites and reconciles people from all kinds of different backgrounds. We are to value what God has done to bring about a new humanity. We are told that ‘…. in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.’ No longer does a person have to become a Jew in order to be near God.

The ‘building’ of a new humanity is what God Himself is doing and in which He dwells ….. God’s household. Jesus is the cornerstone of this building and everything in the building is set in reference to Him. Dividing walls such as language, cultural backgrounds, nationality, race, age, gender and fear are no longer able to separate people who have embraced the gospel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This passage from the book of Ecclesiastes shows what to many is the ‘meaningless’ activity of our lives. There are two questions which the writer asks. The first is ‘What do people gain from all their labours at which they toil under the sun?’ He then describes the repetitive cycles of the created world …. ‘generations come and generations go’ ……. ‘the sun rises and sets’ ……. ‘the wind blows to the south and turns to the north’  ….’ the streams flow into the sea  yet the sea is never full’. He then concludes ‘all things are wearisome’.

The second question asks ‘Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”?’ then the writer laments …….’it was here already, long ago; it was here before our time’ …….. ‘even those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow them’.

This sadly leaves out the most wonderful part …. the marvelous plan of the Creator God and Saviour.  When we see Him by faith as the one who is perfectly ordering all these things, the unsatisfying becomes full of meaning and purpose. The knowledge and experience of His grace, God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense, leads us into a new life which involves a relationship with Him that lasts for all eternity.

 

 

 

 

In these verses the apostle Paul draws a distinction between the mind which is set on the ‘flesh’ and the mind which is set on the Spirit. The first is hostile towards God, does not obey Him and the outcome is death. The second mindset, however, results in life and peace.

It is also important to keep in view what Paul has said earlier in Romans that, “… all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Rom 3:23 (NASB) Therefore, becoming right with God does not depend on any merit in the person, only on receiving, by faith, what Jesus has done. ….. “….. a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the Law.” Rom 3:28b (NASB)

 

 

 

 

In the movie ‘Guess who’s coming to dinner’ the guest who arrives was quite different to what they had expected. In these passages we see that it was like that with Jesus. The Jews were expecting someone who would be a mighty military ruler to conquer the occupying Romans. Instead, Jesus came as a suffering servant who would deliver them from the bondage of their sins.

The Jewish Scriptures had told them that anyone hung on a tree would be cursed. They didn’t understand that Jesus would be on the tree for us … he bore our curse on the cross so that we could be set free. The prophet Isaiah saw a long time before it happened that ‘He was pierced through for our transgressions’ and also ‘by His scourging we are healed’. This healing comes to us as a free gift though faith.

One well known Hymn puts it like this … ‘his robes for mine O wonderful exchange’. The apostle Paul, in his letter to the church in Corinth writes: ‘He made him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.’ (2Corinthinans 5:21)

 

 

Romans 8:1-4

The apostle Paul continues on by saying…. “ …. there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Vs1b (NASB). The reason for this is, once again, that Jesus kept the Law perfectly and has also paid the penalty for sin on the cross. This is ‘imputed’ to the believer (it is transferred to their account).

The Holy Spirit, who is really the author of God’s Word (the Bible) ‘communicates’ Christ to the believer and this affects the way he or she lives.

 

 

 

The fourth question and answer in relation to justification by faith in Jesus Christ follows on from what Paul has been saying about sin being the problem and not the Law …^” Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? May it never be! Rather it was sin …” Rom 7:13a (NASB). He once again uses a personal type of illustration, but this time it shows a conflict within the person.

Verses 24b & 25a hold the key … “Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (NASB). Jesus kept the Law perfectly and paid the penalty for sin on the cross. When we are united to Him in His death and resurrection by faith we are truly set free.

 

 

 

 

This third possible objection to justification by faith which the apostle Paul raises is linked with his responses to the previous two. Sin had been likened to a ‘master’ and the Law had been likened to a ‘husband’. This raises the question “Is the Law sin?” Rom 7:7a (NASB). Paul again answers with a definite ‘no’.

Paul explains his answer with a personal type of illustration which shows that the Law reveals sin, sin’s activity and sin’s capacity to deceive us. He concludes by saying “ ….. the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.” Rom 7:12 (NASB)

 

 

The second objection to justification by faith is similar to the first  … “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?” Rom 6:15 (NASB) Paul responds once again with a definite ‘no’. He explains his answer with two illustrations. The first is about two types of slavery and the different outcome of each. A person is either a slave to sin or enslaved to a gracious Master, God.

The second illustration describes relationship to the Law and relationship to Christ in terms of marriage. Marriage to the Law means having to do things in order to be justified. Marriage to Christ means freely receiving by faith what He has already done. We must be released by ‘death’ from the Law in order to be united to Christ. This union produces a ”harvest of good deeds for God.”

 

 

 

What the apostle Paul has said at the end of Ch 5 and in the earlier chapters of his letter to the church in Rome was about being made right with God through faith in Jesus alone. This was, and is, likely to raise objections. Here in Chs 6&7 we find four possible or actual questions which might have been asked. The first is: “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? ” Rom 6:1 (NASB)

Paul’s answer to this question is a definite ‘no’. The reason is that the believer is united to Jesus in His death and resurrection and is therefore ‘dead’ to sin. This does not mean that there are no longer any struggles but that he or she is released from its controlling influence….. “For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” Rom 5:14 (NASB)

 

 

 

In this passage we read that … “The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,” Rom 5:20 (NASB) The general effect that the Law has on mankind is to reveal sin. Because of the fall, sin is the master or ruler …. it is said to reign in death.

However when, by God’s grace, people receive a righteousness (i.e. as if they had kept the Law perfectly) through an exchange with Jesus by faith, it sets them free forever from having sin as their master…. “so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom 5:21 (NASB)