SOME FURTHER SUMMARIES FOR THE STUDY OF ROMANS 1-12
For more extensive and intensive coverage for students,
of Romans 1-12, use this link.
THE FIRST 12 CHAPTERS OF THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS
In Chapters 1-3, having covered the universal guilt of man,
and the adequacy for all of the freely available grace from the intervention of
God, the inspired Paul proceeds to scrutinise different aspects in what follows
in Chapters 4-12.
Chapter 4: FORESIGHT AND FULFILMENT
Here is seen the Divine Favour of the Filler for Faith, moving from the Ram (Genesis 22:5-14) to the Regal (cf. Romans 4:17, Micah 5:1-3 and Revelation 13:8) and First Fulfilment of the Promise to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3). God does not need to wait, and in His sight there is "the Lamb of God slain before the foundation of the world."*1
Chapter 5: A MIRROR TO THE DIVINE MASTERY
1) vv. 1-11 The Finality of
Saving Faith and the Massif of Immortality, with
2) its total historical perspective (5:12-21) and the Reign of Grace (5:21) are
all declared.
Chapter 6: THE CLARIFICATION
Profuse Abuse of Grace in Self-Indulgence/Self-Centredness is ruled out by the nature of the inner change and the outer fealty (6:14ff.) "Shall we sin because we are not under law!" Sin's sovereignty and God's gift issue in death/eternal life (Romans 6:23), and as modes of life they are mutually exclusive.
Chapter 7: THE QUESTION
What if the lively power backing a life of transformation should fail ? It would then become a mere dream of philosophy; but thank God such a state is a mere mythical option, one haunting falsetto faith.
Chapter 8: THE ANSWER
8 1) vv.1-8 There is a law to the Spirit of Life within man, indicating a meaningful thrust with a dedicated scenario. Man's fruit in this is wrought by the Spirit, made manifest in mind, and wholly divergent (not merely diverse) from the truth and texture of godliness.
2) All Christians are so vitalised by the Spirit and the power available spiritually is nothing less than that which raised Christ physically from the dead 8:11).
3) vv. 9-17 Indeed, God's children have a spiritual closeness and are so 'led by the Spirit of God', and naturally cry 'Father' to Him. To have a vacancy instead of the Spirit of God within is characteristic of non-Christians (8:9).
4) vv. 8:18-25 These events have their due place in the very history of the universe, which is huge in quantity, but undergoing curse in quality, from which mercifully in its time, it will be delivered.
Its appointed time of deliverance in the divine schedule comes, and till then it groans in its plight till relief is assigned. To this whole development in glory, the redeemed also look forward eagerly from within this accursed globe, and the Spirit moves graciously meanwhile even in our prayers to the Lord, to interpret those surpassing our speech.
5) vv.26-30 Meta-history (8:26-28) and The Cycle of Salvation (8:29-30). As foreknown as His by God before even creation and therefore before human sin or sinfulness (Ephesians 1:4) and its results*1, God planned and provided for His own. But He also made provision for all, making His redemption and deliverance in His name adapted and desired for all, available for any and effectual for those who received this grant of grace. Love does not force and where the offer was forfeited in God's knowledge, it did not apply (cf. John 15:21-25, 9:4), grievous though this was to the loving Lord.
6) vv. 31-36 Unquenchable salvation, once conferred, is shown in its magnificent coverage through a list of related questions.
7) vv. 38-39 Love trumps trials and children of God are never abandoned to or through any forces whatsoever.
*1Here a virtual excerpt from Bulletin 146 may help, concerning the cycle of salvation.
We see likewise in John 15:21ff., as in John 9:41, that responsibility is not only a datum in the biblical model, but a practical one. Thus Christ is telling us that the damnation for sin would not so far in actual test, be applicable per se, in the first of the two cases above, if those concerned had not SEEN His works, or HEARD His speech. But since they HAD both seen and heard, and yet still did not believe, therefore their sin remained. Such was the declaration of the Son of God. In the second case, the Pharisees would not be responsible if merely blind, but because they had nevertheless said, 'We see,' therefore their sin remained.
Hell is attainable only in effect, over the dead body of Christ, who in love freely provided to the contrary to the uttermost. Its hopeless loss however may be achieved and is sadly available, for negative zealots, in effect on demand! If you won't catch the flight, it will go without you. Deserved for all as in Romans 1-2, due condemnation is escaped by many (John 10:9,27-28) and the Lord constantly encourages flight from it by His rescue in redemption (Matthew 23:37ff., Isaiah 48). Made in God's image, man is not turned directly or indirectly into a robot or manipulee, but is still showered with an extravaganza of divine grace.