ROMANS ROAD
to RIGHTEOUSNESS |
Romans
1:18-3:20
|
Romans
3:21-5:21 |
Romans
6:1-8:39 |
Romans
9:1-11:36 |
Romans
12:1-16:27 |
|
SIN
|
SALVATION
|
SANCTIFICATION |
SOVEREIGNTY |
SERVICE |
NEED
FOR
SALVATION |
WAY
OF
SALVATION |
LIFE
OF
SALVATION |
SCOPE
OF
SALVATION |
SERVICE
OF
SALVATION |
God's Holiness
In
Condemning
Sin |
God's Grace
In
Justifying
Sinners |
God's Power
In
Sanctifying
Believers |
God's Sovereignty
In
Saving
Jew and Gentile |
Gods Glory
The
Object of
Service |
Deadliness
of Sin |
Design
of Grace |
Demonstration of
Salvation |
|
Power Given
|
Promises Fulfilled |
Paths Pursued |
Righteousness
Needed |
Righteousness
Credited |
Righteousness
Demonstrated |
Righteousness
Restored to Israel |
Righteousness
Applied |
God's Righteousness
IN LAW |
God's Righteousness
IMPUTED |
God's Righteousness
OBEYED |
God's Righteousness
IN ELECTION |
God's Righteousness
DISPLAYED |
|
Slaves to Sin |
Slaves to God |
Slaves Serving God |
|
Doctrine |
Duty |
|
Life by Faith |
Service by Faith |
|
Modified from Irving
L. Jensen's excellent work "Jensen's
Survey of the NT" |
THROUGH WHOM WE HAVE RECEIVED GRACE AND APOSTLESHIP: di ou
elabomen (1PAAI) charin kai apostolen:
(Ro 12:3; 15:15, 16; Jn 1:16; Acts 20:24, 1Co 15:10,; 2Co 3:5, 3:6;
Gal 1:15, 1:16; Ep 3:2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9; 1Ti 1:11; 1:12) (See
Torrey's Topic Grace)
Through him we have received God's kindness and the privilege of being
apostles (GWT)
from whom we received grace and our commission in his name (Phillips)
Through Whom grace has been given to us, sending us out (BBE)
Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority to tell
Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them (NLT)
Through Whom
- This phrase speaks of the instrumentality or the "instrument" by which
Paul received his apostleship. Ultimately it was from the Father but it
was through the Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, Who is the quintessential
manifestation and "conduit" of grace to the human race, John declaring
Him as the Word Who became flesh and Who was "full of grace and truth"
(Jn 1:14, 16, 17, 2Ti 2:1-note).
(Click
for simple study on "Through Him")
Received (2983)
(lambano) means in the active sense to take or grasp. It can
indicate both benevolent and hostile actions, and have as object either
people or things; e.g. take a wife, collect taxes, accept a verdict,
take a road, and fig. take courage. In the present context lambano is
used in the passive sense meaning to receive, this sense being used to
embrace all areas of life from simple things to spiritual benefits such
as grace and apostleship.
Grace and
apostleship - Note that grace precedes apostleship for
without grace even one as gifted as Paul could not fulfill his mission
(see 1Cor 15:10). This same truth applies to all of God's children, all of
whom have been drafted into His army and are in "active service" (cp 2Ti
2:3-note
; 2Ti 3:4-note)
William Newell
writes that...
Personal grace must come before true
service. The grace Paul had received concerned both his personal
salvation and his service as the great example of divine favor. Paul’s
own words are the best comment on this: “I am the least of the apostles,
that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the
Church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace
which was bestowed upon me was not found vain; but I labored more
abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with
me” (1Cor 15:9,10); and, “I obtained mercy, that in me as chief might
Jesus Christ show forth all His longsuffering, for an ensample of them
that should thereafter believe on Him unto eternal life” (1Ti 1:16).
Paul’s apostleship was marked out by the fact that he had “seen Jesus
our Lord” (1Cor 9:1), and by the “signs of an apostle,” in “authority,”
(2Cor 10:8; 13:10), in “all patience, by signs and wonders and mighty
works” (2Cor 12:12). Though desperately resisted by the Jerusalem
Judaizers, he continually insisted, to the glory of God, upon “obedience
of faith among all the nations.” To obey God’s good news, is simply to
believe it. There is now a “law of faith” (Ro 3:27); and Paul ends this
Epistle with this same wonderful phrase: “obedience of faith” (Ro
16:26). Paul was not establishing what is now called “the Christian
religion”! Having abandoned the only religion God ever gave, that of the
Jews, “By “religion” (thrēskeia): we mean that worship which is
conducted through ceremonies. Paul, indeed, calls that worship, in
Galatians 1:13,14 Judaism—(Ioudaismos). James 1:26 uses the word
thrēskeia, which primarily means, fear of the gods. The fundamental
thought in “religion” is the performance of duties. In fact, the English
word “religion” from Latin, religio, a binding, that is, to bind duties
on one, and is an accurate setting forth of the original meaning.
Now this was exactly what was not
done in the gospel. “Religious” duties as Such were wholly set aside,
and faith in the living Christ substituted. Strictly speaking, a
believer is a man who has a Person, not a religion.
The “Judaizers” were those professing
to be Christians who were determined to fasten on Christian believers “Iaudaismos,”
as Paul calls it. The cross ended all that: the veil was rent, the way
to God made wholly open, apart from “religious duties and ceremonies,
days, seasons, months and years”! he went forth with a simple message
concerning Christ, to be believed by everybody, anybody, anywhere. And
all was “for His name’s sake”—Christ’s. And why not! The Christ of glory
had done the work, had “emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant,
becoming obedient unto death, yea, the death of the cross.” He was the
“propitiation for the whole world” (1Jn 2:2). We are likely to think of
the gospel as something published for our sake only, whereas in fact God
is having it published for the sake of His dear Son, Who died. It is
sweet to enter into this, as did John: “I write unto you, little
children, because your sins are forgiven you for His Name’s sake” (1Jn
2:12). Preachers, teachers, and missionaries everywhere, should regard
themselves as laboring for Christ’s Name’s sake, first of all.
Grace
(5485) (charis
[word study]) is God's unmerited,
unearned favor, to which a believer does not and cannot contribute
anything of worth. Someone once said that grace is everything for
nothing for those who don't deserve anything. For the most part, this is
an accurate statement but the phrase "everything for nothing" needs to
have the caveat that it cost God everything - the sacrifice of
His inestimably precious only begotten Son! In short it reads more
accurately "everything for everything"!
Donald Grey Barnhouse said that
Love that gives upward is worship,
love that goes outward is affection; love that stoops is grace.
Apostleship
(651) (apostole
from the verb apostello - from apo = from + stello =
withdraw from; Click related word
apostolos
or
here) means a sending forth, sending off, sending away, a
dispatching. In secular Greek it was used of an expedition (LS).
As noted earlier not
every believer is an apostle in the technical NT sense, but every believer
is in a real sense "sent forth" from God and privileged to be an ambassador
for Him, going forth with the life transforming message of the gospel of
grace and truth. Are you fulfilling your purpose beloved? (cp Eph
2:10-note)
Apostole -
4x in 4v in the NT -
Acts 1:25 to occupy this ministry and
apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own
place."
Romans 1:5 through whom we have
received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of
faith among all the Gentiles, for His name's sake,
1Corinthians 9:2 If to others I am
not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my
apostleship in the Lord.
Galatians 2:8 (for He who effectually
worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised
effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles),
There are 5 uses in the
non-apocryphal
Septuagint (LXX)
- Dt 22:7; 1Ki 3:1; Ps
78:49; Eccl 8:8; Song 4:13; Je 32:36. (Note: Although the Lxx uses can
sometimes help amplify the Scriptural meaning of a Greek word, that is
not always the case and these 5 uses are an example. They are included
for completeness sake).
After one of D. L. Moody’s
sermons, a highly educated man came to him and said,
Excuse me, but you made eleven mistakes in your grammar tonight.”
In a gracious
rebuke Moody replied,
I probably did. My early education was very faulty. But I am using all
the grammar that I know in the Master’s service. How about you?”
On another occasion a man came up to
Mr.
Moody and said, “
I don’t like your invitation. I don’t think it’s
the right way to do it.”
I appreciate that,” Moody responded. “I’ve always been uncomfortable
with it, too. I wish I knew a better way. What is your method of
inviting people to Christ?”
I don’t have one,” the man replied.
Then I like mine better,” Moody said.
When God calls us by His grace, He gives us a
purpose to every saint, calling each one to His service.
TO BRING ABOUT THE OBEDIENCE
OF FAITH AMONG ALL THE GENTILES: eis hupakoen pisteos en pasin tois ethnesin:
(Acts 15:14, 15:18, 19;16:19, 16:26;
Acts 6:7; 10:4, 10:5; Heb 5:9)
Obedience of faith
- see discussion below regarding the interpretation of this passage (see
related discussion )
the obedience that comes from faith (NIV)
who bring people from every nation to the obedience that is associated
with faith (GWT),
in order to lead people of all nations to believe and obey (TEV)
so that they will believe and obey him (NLT)
Obedience
(5218) (hupakoe
from hupó = under + akoúo = hear) (Click study of
hupakoe) means
literally to "hear under" which conveys the picture of listening and
submitting to that which is heard. This response often involves a change
of attitude in the hearer. The idea is to obey on the basis of having
paid attention to. Hupakoe is used six times in Romans (click
uses). (See Torrey's Topic on Obedience)
In fairness, it should be stated
that the phrase "obedience of faith" is somewhat ambiguous as to Paul's
(and God's) intended meaning. Charles Ryrie sums up the two main
ways one could interpret this phrase explaining that it could refer
to...
Either obedience that leads to
initial faith (as in Acts 6:7) or obedience that results from faith. (The
Ryrie Study Bible: New American Standard Translation: 1995. Moody
Publishers)
After some study on this phrase obedience of faith including review of a very balanced, well written
analysis by D. B. Garlington ("The Obedience of Faith in the Letter to
the Romans Part I: The Meaning of hupakoen pisteos Ro 1:5; 16:26"
in the Westminster Theological Journal Vol. 52, Page 223, Fall,
1990), although I favor this phrase as referring to obedience that
emanates from genuine faith, it may well be that this phrase is
deliberately ambiguous and thus includes both of the primary
interpretations Ryrie mentions...
Below are some excerpts from
various commentaries reflecting both of the major interpretative views.
The Net Bible Notes give a
more detailed analysis of "hupakoen pisteos" writing that this phrase
has been variously understood as
(1) an objective genitive (a
reference to the Christian faith, “obedience to [the] faith”);
(2) a subjective genitive (“the obedience faith produces
[or requires]”);
(3) an attributive genitive (“believing obedience”); or
(4) as a genitive of apposition (“obedience, [namely] faith”) in which
“faith” further defines “obedience"
(NET
Bible)
G Handley Moule writes that
the obedience of faith means...
to produce the obedience connected
with believing. Justifying faith is itself an act of obedience (see Ro
10:3-note,
"have not submitted themselves", and 1Pe 1:2-note),
and it results in a life of obedience.
Kenneth Wuest writes
that ...
As to the meaning of the words, for
obedience to the faith, scholars differ. Some say that it means
obedience to the Faith, the Christian system of belief, as in Acts 6:7
where a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. Others
say that obedience is the obedience which springs from and is produced
by faith.
(Wuest,
K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans
or
Logos)
A T Robertson writes that
obedience of faith in the original Greek text reflects what is
referred to as the...
Subjective genitive as in Ro 16:26,
the obedience which springs from faith (the act of assent or surrender).
(Word
Pictures in the NT)
Marvin Vincent another
respected Greek scholar writing on the RSV translation "unto obedience
of faith" says that...
Unto marks the object of the grace
and apostleship: in order to bring about. Obedience of faith is the
obedience which characterizes and proceeds from faith. (Vincent, M. R.
Word studies in the New Testament Vol. 3, Page 1-5) (Bolding added)
Expositor's Bible Commentary
explaining the "obedience of faith" writes that...
The desired response to the gospel
message is "obedience that comes from faith" (Gaebelein,
F, Editor: Expositor's Bible Commentary 6-Volume New Testament.
Zondervan Publishing)
Robert Haldane commenting
on the obedience of faith writes that...
Some understand this of the obedience which faith produces; but the
usual import of the expression, as well as the connection in this place,
determines it to apply to the belief of the Gospel. Obedience is no
doubt an effect produced by that belief; but the office of an Apostle
was, in the first place, to persuade men to believe the Gospel. This is
the grand object, which includes the other. The Gospel reforms those who
believe it; but it would be presenting an imperfect view of the subject
to say that it was given to reform the world. It was given that men
might believe and be saved. The obedience, then, here referred to,
signifies submission to the doctrine of the Gospel. (Haldane, R. An
Exposition of Romans)
The UBS translator's handbook
comments that
Believe and obey translates obedience of faith. This is not “obedience to the faith” (Moffatt),
but obedience that is caused by faith (NEB “to faith and obedience”;
Goodspeed “obedience and faith”). Although “obedience” and “faith” are
nouns in Greek, they describe events rather than objects, and so are
better rendered by verbs. The last clause in verse 5, introduced by in
order to lead, reflects only a preposition in Greek. However, the
relationship between the “apostleship” and the “obedience of faith”
involves obvious purpose. Furthermore, in most languages one must make
explicit the role of Paul with respect to the people of all nations, and
for this reason the TEV makes this relationship explicit by means of the
somewhat expanded rendering in order to lead people of all nations to
believe and obey. (The
United Bible Societies' New Testament Handbook Series
or
Logos)
Life Application Bible
Commentary writes that obedience of faith refers to...
the obedience that comes from faith.
This was the desired response to the gospel message and the goal of
Paul’s ministry to the Roman Christians—that they would obey God because
of their faith in God. The only source for the kind of obedience
expected is faith in the one true God and in Jesus Christ, his Son.
Faith and obedience are inseparable. Where one is lacking, the other
will not be found either. Real faith will always lead to obedience; real
obedience comes from faith. (Barton,
B, et al: The NIV Life Application Commentary Series: Tyndale
or
Logos)
The Preacher's Commentary notes
that...
Wherever he went the objective was the same—to bring people to
“obedience to the faith.” It is important to note that for Paul “faith”
was considerably more than an intellectual assent or even an attitude of
trust. Faith, in his preaching, constituted a life-style of obedience,
so wherever he went he presented truth to which people should assent,
promises they should trust, and commands they should obey. His goal and
burning desire was to bring people to the point where they would “trust
and obey” Jesus Christ. (Briscoe,
D. S., & Ogilvie, L. J. The Preacher's Commentary Series. New
Testament. 2003. Thomas Nelson
or
Logos)
(Bolding added)
John MacArthur writes that
The
message of the gospel is to call people to the obedience of faith,
which is here used as a synonym for salvation...It is not that faith
plus obedience equals salvation but that obedient faith equals
salvation. True faith is verified in obedience. Obedient faith proves
itself true, whereas disobedient faith proves itself false. It is for
having true faith, that is, obedient faith, that Paul goes on to commend
the Roman believers... Together, faith and obedience manifest the
inseparable two sides of the coin of salvation, which Paul here calls
the obedience of faith. (MacArthur,
J: Romans 1-8. Chicago: Moody Press
or
Logos)
J Vernon McGee adds that...
Obedience to the faith is
very important to God. God saves us by faith, not by works; but after He
has saved us, He wants to talk to us about our works, about our
obedience to Him. I hear many people talk about believing in Jesus, then
they live like the Devil and seem to be serving him. My friend, saving
faith makes you obedient to Jesus Christ. (McGee,
J V: Thru the Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson
or
Logos) (Bolding
added)
If one says they have believed in the gospel of God
and yet continually are disobedient to God, then that individual needs
to be wary and should prayerfully look at Paul's warning in (2Cor 13:5).
On the other hand, Paul is not saying that works gain God's favor, but he is saying that a
"working" faith produces a change in one's behavior. For a
great "summary" of the relationship of salvation to works study (Ephesians
2:8; 2:9; 2:10 see
notes
Ep 2:8;
9; 10)
Man is saved by grace alone
but the faith that saves is never alone (see James 2:17, 18, 19, 20, 21,
22, 23, 24, 25-notes), but brings
forth fruit in keeping with repentance (Mt 3:8, Lk 3:8).
Note that it is widely
taught that "once saved, always saved" and I agree with that,
with the caveat that the initial salvation is genuine! Some (even in
evangelical circles) teach that a man or a woman can simply pray a
prayer to accept Jesus into their heart, and then live the rest of their
life just as they did before they obtained the "fire insurance" policy.
These teachers conclude that such a person is saved. This website
respectfully disagrees with that teaching. And I think Paul (and James) would
likewise disagree for the faith that genuinely saves, is the faith that
results in obedience.
Albert Barnes explains that the
obedience of faith means
in order to produce, or promote obedience to the faith; that is, to
induce them to render that obedience to God which faith produces. There
are two things therefore implied.(1) that the design of the gospel and
of the apostleship is to induce men to obey God. (2) that the tendency
of faith is to produce obedience. There is no true faith which does not
produce that. This is constantly affirmed in the New Testament..."
(Barnes Notes on the Bible)
Augustine said
Let the acts of the offspring indicate similarity to the Father
Romans opens with obedience
and
Closes with obedience
In
the final chapter Paul mention obedience twice writing thus "forming the
archway through which one enters the portal and by which one departs
this magnificent cathedral of sacred literature"....
For your obedience is come abroad
unto all men (Ro 16:19-note)
And again explaining that by the Scriptures
the "preaching of Jesus Christ" has been
made known to all nations for (the goal) the
obedience of faith (Ro 16:26-note)
Other translations of (Ro
16:26)
are rendered...
to bring about the obedience of faith
(NET)
so that all nations might
believe and obey Him (NIV)
with a view to the obedience to
the Faith among all nations (Wuest)
John Piper writes that...
True, God-exalting OBEDIENCE comes
from FAITH. Any other kind of OBEDIENCE is not true OBEDIENCE at
all. (Why
Does it Matter Which Came First: Circumcision or Justification?)
(Bolding added)
Faith alone saves but the faith
that saves is inextricably linked with obedience. Tragically there are
many in our day who teach that there is no vital relationship between
faith and obedience. Listen to what some of the giants of the Christian
faith have to say about faith and obedience.
Therefore everyone who hears
these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a
wise man, who built his house upon the rock. (See notes
Matthew 7:24)
— The Lord Jesus Christ
Faith is the fountain, the
foundation and the fosterer of obedience. — C. H. Spurgeon
Believing and obeying
always run side by side. — C. H. Spurgeon
When a person truly trusts
Christ, he or she will obey Him. — Warren Wiersbe
We see in the flood account (we see
that) God has always saved people the same way: by grace (Ge 6:8), through faith (Heb 11:7)... (and) True faith leads to
obedience (Ge 6:22; 7:5). — Warren Wiersbe Expository Outlines
James 2:14-26 (see
notes) discusses the
relationship between faith and works, and James uses this event to
illustrate his main point: true faith is always proved by
obedience.— Wiersbe Expository Outlines
Faith that saves has one
distinguishing quality; saving faith is a faith that produces
obedience, it is a faith that brings about a way of life. — Billy
Graham
Faith and obedience are bound up in the same bundle. He that
obeys God, trusts God; and he that trusts God, obeys God. — C. H.
Spurgeon
Obedience is the hallmark of faith, and the proof of grace;
but Judas and others worked miracles, and were lost.— C. H. Spurgeon
True
faith commits us to obedience. — A. W. Tozer
To
escape the error of salvation by works we have fallen into the opposite
error of salvation without obedience. — A. W. Tozer
What saves is faith alone, but the
faith that saves is never alone. —J. I. Packer
Faith must have adequate evidence,
else it is mere superstition. — A. A. Hodge
Faith is the starting-post of
obedience. — Thomas Chalmers
Hebrews 11:17, 18, 19 indicates that
Abraham believed that God could even raise Isaac from the dead! In
short, Abraham proved his faith by his works. His obedience to the Word
was evidence of his faith in the Word. His faith was made perfect
(brought to maturity) in his act of obedience. — Warren Wiersbe
He does not believe that does not
live according to his belief. — Thomas Fuller
The best measure of a spiritual life
is not its ecstasies but its obedience. —Oswald Chambers
The obedience that springs from faith
is the obedience of a son, not of a slave. — Thomas Brooks
Faith and obedience are
bound up in the same bundle. He that obeys God, trusts God; and he that
trusts God, obeys God. — C. H. Spurgeon
Obedience is the hallmark of
faith. — C. H. Spurgeon
If we would know whether our faith is
genuine, we do well to ask ourselves how we are living. — J. C. Ryle
The scriptural doctrine of
justification by faith alone, without any manner of goodness or
excellency of ours, does in no wise diminish either the necessity or
benefit of a sincere evangelical obedience. — Jonathan Edwards
The threefold purpose of the Bible is
to inform, to inspire faith and to secure obedience. Whenever it is used
for any other purpose, it is used wrongly and may do actual injury. The
Holy Scriptures will do us good only as we present an open mind to be
taught, a tender heart to believe and a surrendered will to
obey.— A W Tozer
It is faith alone that justifies, but
the faith that justifies is not alone. —John Calvin
Only he who believes is
obedient; only he who is obedient believes. —Dietrich Bonhoeffer
The Bible recognizes no faith that
does not lead to obedience, nor does it recognize any obedience that
does not spring from faith. The two are opposite sides of the same
coin.— A W Tozer
Faith alone unites us to
Christ and Christ alone is the ground of our justification. Our
obedience is the fruit of that faith. The faith that justifies is
the kind of faith that, by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:13-note), changes us.
If your faith in Christ leaves you unchanged, you don’t have saving
faith. Obedience—not perfection, but a new direction of thought and
affections and behavior—is the fruit that shows that the faith is alive.
James put it this way, “So also faith by itself, if it does not have
works, is dead” (James 2:17-note). Faith alone justifies, but the faith that
justifies is never alone. It is always accompanied by “newness of life”
(Romans 6:4-note). —
John Piper (Sermon)
If lips and life do not agree, the
testimony will not amount to much. —Harry Ironside
In His Word, God tells us again and
again that as believing children we are to live by faith and we are to
walk by faith. This reference is to God's believing, trusting people and
to the kind of faith that is saving faith. There are many other brands
of faith being displayed in our world today. Saving faith—biblical
faith—is on the highest level, for it is the life of trust and
obedience that our Lord requires of us.— A W Tozer
The difficulty we modern Christians
face is not misunderstanding the Bible, but persuading our untamed
hearts to accept its plain instructions. Our problem is to get the
consent of our world-loving minds to make Jesus Lord in fact as well as
in word. For it is one thing to say, "Lord, Lord," and quite another
thing to obey the Lord's commandments. We may sing, "Crown Him Lord of
all," and rejoice in the tones of the loud-sounding organ and the deep
melody of harmonious voices, but still we have done nothing until we
have left the world and set our faces toward the city of God in hard
practical reality. When faith becomes obedience then it is
true faith indeed. — A W Tozer
A visitor, passing through a certain
department of a large shop, noticed a set of regulations written on a
blackboard. He also noticed that, in several particulars, every man in
the shop was disregarding them. He questioned the foreman concerning the
matter. At first the man was reluctant about answering him. Finally he
said, "Those rules were written by one of the firm. He has neither
wisdom nor judgment. If we should follow his directions, we would ruin a
good part of the work." The men took their own way because they lacked
faith in their commander. However else we may characterize it, failure
to obey is simply lack of faith.— Bible Illustrations
The man that believes will obey;
failure to obey is convincing proof that there is not true faith
present. To attempt the impossible God must give faith or there will
be none, and He gives faith to the obedient heart only. Where real
repentance is, there is obedience; for repentance is not only sorrow for
past failures and sins, it is also a determination to begin now to do
the will of God as He reveals it to us.— A W Tozer
Among the Gentiles - This
phrase identifies Paul's primary missionary field which was selected not by
himself but was "by the will of God". Jesus Himself designated Paul as
a
chosen (ekloge = "a picking out" or selection translated
elsewhere in Romans as "election" ) instrument of Mine, to bear My
name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel (Acts
9:15)
Later in Acts Paul recalls Jesus' commission to
Go!
For I will send you far away to the Gentiles (Acts 22:21)
Bearing witness before King Agrippa, Paul explains that Jesus' declared
He was sending him to the Gentiles
to open their eyes so that they
may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God,
in order that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance
among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me. (Acts
26:17, 18)
Later in Romans Paul says
I am speaking to you
who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I
magnify my ministry (see note
Romans 11:13)
Again Paul wrote to the saints at
Ephesus that to him
"the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to
preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ." (see
note
Ephesians 3:8)
Finally, writing to son in the
faith, young Timothy, he declared
that
for this (points back to the commandment to pray for the
lost in vv
1-2) I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am
telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith
and truth." (1
Ti 2:7)
It should
be clear from a study of the Word that God has wedded faith and
obedience so that they are related much like two sides of a coin.
Dr. H. A. Ironside was told by a lady that she expected to get to
heaven by faith plus her good works, explaining to Pastor Ironside...
It's like rowing a boat. It takes two
oars to row a boat; otherwise you go around in a circle.
Dr. Ironside replied
That's a good illustration except for
one thing: I'm not going to heaven in a rowboat!
The faith that saves is the faith
that proves itself in good works (see notes
Ephesians 2:8;
2:9;
2:10; Titus 2:14; 3:8,
3:14 - notes
Titus 2:14;
3:8,
14).
Abraham was saved by faith (Genesis 15:6; Ro 4:1; 4:2; 4:3; 4:4; 4:5-see notes
Ro 4:1;
4:2;
4:3;
4:4;
4:5; Heb 11:8-note), but
his faith was made evident by his obedience (James 2:21-24-note).
FOR HIS NAME'S SAKE: huper tou
onomatos autou: (Malachi1:11, 1:14; Acts 15:14; Eph 1:6,
1:12; 1Pe 2:9, 2:10)
This is for the honor of His name (GWT)
for his name (BBE)
I do this work for Christ (ICB)
bringing glory to his name (NLT)
For
His Name's sake stresses
the fact that the honor and glory of Jesus Christ is the ultimate goal
of God in the proclamation of the gospel. Man’s salvation is simply a
by-product of God’s grace. Its main focus is to display God’s glory.
When obedience to the gospel occurs among the pagans, the name of Jesus
is honored. Paul did not seek honor, but did what he did for the
honor and glory of Jesus Christ. What a privilege saints have to speak
the truth of the gospel to a lost world and in so doing to bring glory
and honor to the only One to Whom it is due.
As the
Psalmist so appropriately declares
Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but
to Thy Name give glory because of Thy lovingkindness, because of
Thy truth." (Ps 115:1)
Spurgeon comments on this psalm:
It will be well to remember that this psalm was sung at the Passover,
and therefore it bears relationship to the deliverance from Egypt. The
burden of it, seems to be a prayer that the living God, who had been so
glorious at the Red Sea and at the Jordan, should again for his own
name's sake display the wonders of his power.
Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory. The
people undoubtedly wished for relief from the contemptuous insults of
idolaters, but their main desire was that Jehovah himself should no
longer be the object of heathen insults. The saddest part of all their
trouble was that their God was no longer feared and dreaded by their
adversaries. When Israel marched into Canaan, a terror was upon all the
people round about, because of Jehovah, the mighty God; but this dread
the nations had shaken off since there had been of late no remarkable
display of miraculous power. Therefore Israel cried unto her God that he
would again make bare his arm as in the day when he cut Rahab and
wounded the dragon. The prayer is evidently tinctured with a
consciousness of unworthiness; because of their past unfaithfulness they
hardly dared to appeal to the covenant, and to ask blessings for
themselves, but they fell back upon the honour of the Lord their God --
an old style of argument which their great lawgiver, Moses, had used
with such effect when he pleaded, "Wherefore should the Egyptians speak,
and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the
mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy
fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people." Joshua also
used the like argument when he said, "What wilt thou do unto thy great
name?" In such manner also let us pray when no other plea is available
because of our sense of sin; for the Lord is always jealous of his
honour, and will work for his name's sake when no other motive will move
him.
The repetition of the words, Not unto us, would seem to indicate a very
serious desire to renounce any glory which they might at any time have
proudly appropriated to themselves, and it also sets forth the vehemence
of their wish that God would at any cost to them magnify his own name.
They loathed the idea of seeking their own glory, and rejected the
thought with the utmost detestation; again and again disclaiming any
self glorifying motive in their supplication.
For thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake. These attributes seemed most in
jeopardy. How could the heathen think Jehovah to be a merciful God if he
gave his people over to the hands of their enemies? How could they
believe him to be faithful and true if, after all his solemn covenant
engagements, he utterly rejected his chosen nation? God is very jealous
of the two glorious attributes of grace and truth, and the plea that
these may not be dishonoured has great weight with him. In these times,
when the first victories of the gospel are only remembered as histories
of a dim and distant past, sceptics are apt to boast that the gospel has
lost its youthful strength, and they even presume to cast a slur upon
the name of God himself. We may therefore rightly entreat the divine
interposition that the apparent blot may be removed from his escutcheon,
and that his own word may shine forth gloriously as in the days of old.
We may not desire the triumph of our opinions, for our own sakes, or for
the honour of a sect, but we may confidently pray for the triumph of
truth, that God himself may be honoured.
Paul went to the Gentiles, out of
whom God was pleased to take
a people for his name (See
Acts 15:14, 13:46, 14:27)
Through Isaiah the LORD declared that
The people whom I formed for Myself, will declare My praise." (Is
43:21)
All because of the glorious Gospel
of God.
Vine
adds that
This is the paramount consideration in all gospel work. While the
gospel is intended to accomplish the salvation of souls, yet, above and
beyond this, its object is the glory of the Redeemer. The proclamation
of the Gospel is a witness for His Name. His Name expresses what He is,
and it is His character that shines out not only in the nature of the
Gospel itself but also in the results which it achieves. Those who yield
to the gospel the obedience of faith, therein reflect the
character of Him Whom it preaches and Whom they receive. Thence onward
their lives, as they show forth His glory, bring honor to His Name (See
Acts 15:14)" (Vine,
W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. Nashville: Thomas Nelson
or
Logos)
