Milo

OCTOBER 1

Reading 274

NO ONE RIGHTEOUS Romans 2–3

“No one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the Law; rather through the Law we become conscious of sin” (Rom. 3:20).All have sinned. So all are eligible for the salvation won by Jesus for sinners.

Background

Law.

“Law” is one of the most complex concepts in Scripture. The Hebrew Torah may refer to the Pentateuch, to the entire Old Testament, to the Ten Commandments, to the whole body of God’s requirements for Israel, and to the way of life adopted by the covenant community. The Greek nomos, used here by Paul, has these meanings and more. So as we approach each section of Romans it’s important to ask what Paul meant when he spoke of the “law.” In Romans 2 and 3 the basic meaning of “law” is “God’s revealed requirements for righteous living.” Later in Romans the meaning of “law” will shift subtly, and often. Here, however, we need only keep in mind the “revealed standards” aspect of God’s moral law.

Overview

God alone is competent to judge (2:1–4), and He judges Jew and Gentile on the basis of truth (vv. 5–11). Gentiles sin against their conscience (vv. 12–16). Jews boasted of possessing God’s Law (vv. 17–20), but law is of no value to those who break it (vv. 21–29). Those entrusted with the words of God must respond with faith (3:1–8). Yet Scripture shows that no human being is righteous (vv. 9–18). Thus the law’s intent is to make man conscious of sin, not to be an instrument of salvation (vv. 19–20). Through faith in Christ’s blood we are given a righteousness apart from the law (vv. 21–26). Jew and Gentile are saved by faith (vv. 27–31).

Understanding the Text

“You are condemning yourself” Rom. 2:1–3. One of the hardest things we have to learn is that when we point a finger at others, we point four at ourselves! That’s what Paul said here. We look at another person’s actions, and we say, “That’s wrong.” And as soon as we do, we admit that moral standards exist. After all, we used some standard to determine he or she was “wrong”! So anyone who judges others, and we all do, says in effect, “It’s right to judge. Standards do exist.” Of course, once judgment is introduced, our own actions become subject to examination. And when God measures our actions, He uses a more demanding standard than we possibly could: truth. You might try that on a friend who pretends, as many do these days, that morality is personal and relative. Such folks will tell you, “What I do may be wrong for you, but it’s all right for me.” Well, if you ever hear a moral relativist condemn any action, say, “Gotcha! You just condemned yourself.” And then explain. By admitting that moral standards exist, that person made himself subject to judgment. By God. “God’s kindness leads you toward repentance” Rom. 2:4–5. The next question folks are likely to ask is, if God judges sin, why doesn’t He do something about the real bad guys? Paul’s answer to this is a stunner. If He did something about the child abusers and rapists right now, He’d have to do something right now about you! God is holding back Judgment Day to give people a chance to repent. God’s failure to zap people when they sin isn’t evidence of His disinterest. It’s evidence of His kindness and love. How glad you and I can be that the Lord waited for us. Judgment Day will come. Let’s pray that before it does, many sinners will respond to the kindness of God and come to know the Lord. “Persistence in doing good” Rom. 2:6–11. Paul isn’t suggesting that doing good will get anyone to heaven. He’s just making it clear that knowing good isn’t enough. God judges what we do, without showing favoritism to the Jew or the Gentile. The philosopher Plato assumed that if a person knew the good, he would be sure to do it. It doesn’t take long to show how foolish that notion is. Just try for three days to do only what you know is good and right. And see how long before the gap between knowing and doing appears. It’s a fun challenge to pose to a person who claims he or she doesn’t need salvation. After a couple of days of trying to do only what he judges to be right and good, suggest he read Romans 2:7–8. “They are a law for themselves” Rom. 2:12–16. What if a person says, “God’s not fair. There are people all over the world who don’t even know what His standards are.” Paul’s answer was that God bends over backward to be fair. Those who don’t know God’s standards “are a law for themselves.” Every society and every individual has standards. They may not be God’s standards. But they are standards—and they fall into the same categories as do the standards expressed in Moses’ Law. There are sexual standards. There are standards governing how others should be treated. There are standards about work and payment. And so on. So, just to be fair, God is willing to judge men by their own standards, not His! It’s fair. But people still don’t have a chance. Even using the lowest of human standards, all have sinned! Every person’s conscience accuses him or her of falling short not just once, but many times. If we were completely honest with ourselves, and evaluated our own actions by truth, every one of us would confess, “I have sinned.” “You . . . brag about your relationship to God” Rom. 2:17–29. Paul knew that any Jewish reader of his letter would argue that a distinction should be made between Jews and Gentiles. What Paul said about folks being sinners might fit the Romans and the Greeks and the Scythians, and citizens of the good old U.S.A. But it doesn’t fit the chosen people! So Paul took a look at the basis of the brag. Yes, Israel knew God’s will and even approved of it. But the issue is, did the Jew do God’s will? Circumcision, that sign of membership in God’s covenant people, doesn’t help a person who breaks the Law. And uncircumcision doesn’t hurt the person who keeps it. What God cares about is the heart, and a person’s personal relationship not with the Law but with Him (see DEVOTIONAL). “God’s faithfulness” Rom. 3:1–8. God chose Israel, and generation after generation proved faithless. Did God fail? Not at all. God kept His promise and all who believed experienced His blessing. Don’t think if someone fails to respond to the Gospel that God has failed. God faithfully keeps His promise and welcomes all who come to Him by Jesus. “What shall we conclude then?” Rom. 3:9–18 Paul showed by argument that no one is righteous, and that all have sinned. Now he proved it, by quoting Scripture. Like D.L. Moody, we should be ready to say, “God said it. I believe it. That settles it.” When God has spoken, there is no more to say. “Through the Law we become conscious of sin” Rom. 3:19–20. Some folks think of the Law as a ladder to climb, so we can approach God. It’s not. The Law is a mirror to look in, so we can see ourselves, and realize how much we need God to approach us in Jesus. “God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement” Rom. 3:21–26. The NIV translation here is weak, for the Greek hilaserion means not atonement but a “sacrifice of propitiation.” The sacrifice of Jesus satisfied the just requirements of our holy God. Jesus died not just to cover our sins, but to pay for them. In that great act which satisfied the claims of justice once and for all, God Himself was shown to be righteous. He did not just “overlook” sin. He imposed the penalty sin demands. But He imposed it on His own Son instead of on you and me. At last God is displayed as just in forgiving the sins of those who lived in the past—and in forgiving our sins. Even those we will commit in the future. How great God is. And how beyond imagination His love. “We uphold the Law” Rom. 3:27–31. How wonderful this principle of faith. It excludes boasting, for we are saved by God, not by anything we do. It opens the door of salvation to Gentile as well as Jew, for any human being who hears can believe. And it puts Law in its rightful place, not as a means of salvation, but as a revelation of the righteous standards of God. We believe in Law, and in righteousness. But we do not believe that keeping God’s Law can save, or make us righteous within. For that we look to Christ, and to Him alone.

DEVOTIONAL

Halfway Christians(Rom. 2:25–3:20)

In early American colonies founded by religious groups, the vote was often reserved for believers. But as new generations came along, all too often grandsons and granddaughters were not converted. How could a way be found for these folks to vote—and thus keep the wealth and power in the hands of established families? The answer was the “halfway covenant.” God, the theologians proposed, was committed to save the children of believers someday. So they were halfway in the church anyway. So if your parents were Christians in good standing, you could vote, even if you didn’t believe in Jesus yourself. People always seem to be looking for a “halfway” religion. The Jews of Paul’s time possessed the Law and circumcision. They were God’s covenant people, His chosen nation. Wasn’t that good enough? In this passage Paul said no. Not only isn’t it good enough; it doesn’t mean a thing (2:25–29). Jews had the advantage of circumcision and knowing the words of God. But that didn’t save them. Folks today too look for a halfway kind of Christianity. My parents were good Christians. Doesn’t that count? I’ve belonged to my church, the “true church,” since I was a child. Doesn’t that count? I tithe. How about counting that? Well, having Christian parents and being in church all our lives is certainly an advantage. But it doesn’t take us even halfway to salvation. Paul tells us why. Jews and Gentiles alike are all in the grip of sin (3:9). As the Scripture says, “There is no one righteous, not even one” (v. 10). The only thing that counts, the only thing that can save us, is breaking the grip of sin. And neither Mom and Dad, our racial heritage, or our church membership can do that. How glad we can be that Jesus Christ takes us all the way, not just halfway, to God. By Jesus’ death and resurrection, and through faith in Him, we become Chrstians indeed. All the way Christians. The only way.

Personal Application

Count on nothing but Jesus to save you.

Quotable

“The Gospel is Good News. But Jesus never said it was easy news. The central truth of the cross is death before life, repentance before reward. Before His Gospel can be the Good News of redemption, it must be the bad news of the conviction of sin.”—Charles Colson

Romans

SEPTEMBER 30

Reading 273

THE POWER OF GOD Romans 1

“I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile” (Rom. 1:16).The power of God is displayed in those who believe. And the need for God’s power in those who do not.

Overview

Paul greeted his Roman readers (1:1–7), and shared his longing to see them (vv. 8–13). He shared too his sense of obligation to bring to all a Gospel that revealed God’s righteousness even as it brought salvation (vv. 14–17). Paul then began his exposition: all mankind is wicked, and under God’s wrath (vv. 15–32).

Understanding the Text

“Set apart for the Gospel of God” Rom. 1:1–2. Paul first of all identified himself as a “servant” of Jesus Christ. The Greek word is doulos, and means a bondslave. Paul also identified himself as an apostle, a role that placed him at the top of the early church’s hierarchy. But in Paul’s thinking, being a slave of Jesus was a far greater honor than the high office he filled. What an antidote to any jealousy that may appear among us today. What does it matter if I or someone else has a high church or secular office? The greatest honor you or I can have is to be a bondslave of Jesus Christ, and to serve Him with all our hearts. “Regarding His Son” Rom. 1:3–5. In the ancient world a slave’s status was determined not just by his position in a household, but by whose slave he was. Paul was proud to serve Jesus, because no greater master can be conceived of. Just think who Jesus is. He is the fulfillment of the prophets’ dreams, the subject of Old Testament revelation (v. 2). In His humanity He is royalty; a Descendant of David (v. 3). At the same time He is the Son of God (v. 4), and was so declared by His resurrection from the dead (v. 4). He is the ever-living source of grace, the Lord who called Paul to his apostleship (v. 5). In short, Jesus Christ is the focus of God’s eternal plan, the heart and center of the believer’s life. Compare this with some of the masters men choose to serve. Some are slaves of drink or drugs. Some are slaves of their passion for political power. Some are slaves of a passion for wealth. Some are slaves of sex. Some sell themselves for popularity. As Paul points out later, each of us is the slave of whatever we choose to serve in life. How wise then to choose to be slaves of Jesus Christ, the highest position to which we can aspire. How foolish to serve a lesser master. “Who are loved by God and called to be saints” Rom. 1:7. Paul knew that we believers have other identities besides that of being slaves of Jesus Christ. He mentioned two here. We are God’s loved ones. And we are His saints. The word “saints” (hagiois) means “holy ones.” The core meaning of “holy” is “set aside or apart for God.” In the New Testament “saints” frequently has the ordinary meaning of “Christian” or “believer.” But its significance is far from ordinary. God has set you and me apart as His precious possessions. He has chosen us, and marked us as His own. If we understand how precious we are to the Lord and how greatly we are loved, the “grace and peace” Paul wished for the Romans will surely be ours. “I thank my God . . . for all of you” Rom. 1:8–10. One of the most impressive features of Paul’s letters was his frequent affirmation that he prayed “constantly” for others. When Paul wrote this letter he had never been to Rome. He did know several individuals who were part of the Roman church (cf. Rom. 16). But most he had only heard of. Yet Paul was excited about them, and he cared enough to “remember you in my prayers at all times.” I confess that one of my own needs is for a greater involvement in prayer for others. I pray for folks when I think of them. But I don’t think of them often enough. Paul’s vision for others was worldwide. We need to maintain that worldwide vision too. “That you and I may be mutually encouraged” Rom. 1:11–13. Paul’s humble attitude is a model for modern ministry. All too often the person who is called and trained for “full-time Christian service” goes out, assuming that he or she will give out—and that others will passively receive. After all, the professional has the knowledge and the training in such esoteric skills as public speaking and counseling. Or at least that’s what many assume. The problem with this view is that God’s Holy Spirit resides in every believer. Each of us has some spiritual gift that enables us to contribute to others. Ministry is a mutual, not a professional, undertaking. No one is simply a “giver.” Each of us gives to others, and receives from others. Only the full-time minister with this attitude toward ministry will build a strong church or mission. See how sensitively Paul approached the Romans. He yearned to be with them to “impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong.” He wanted to use his spiritual gifts to help them. But the exercise of his gift would not be one-way, him to them. He expected to receive as well as give. He sought a mutual relationship which would enable each to be encouraged by the other’s faith. How we need this perspective in our own ministry to others. And in Christ’s superstar-studded church. “I am obligated” Rom. 1:14–15. I was once challenged as to why I shared the Gospel with some non-Christian friends. “Why do you try to impose your faith on us?” was the rather hostile question. I answered by asking another question. “If you were out on the highway on a stormy night, and discovered that a bridge across a deep ravine had been washed away, would you stand there with a flashlight and try to warn oncoming traffic, or not?” Paul had a deep sense of obligation that grew out of his awareness that both Jew and Greek, apart from Jesus Christ, rushed headlong toward eternal disaster. The Christian doesn’t try to “impose his faith” on others. The Christian warns others that the bridge has been washed away, in an honest effort to save them from disaster. “It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” Rom. 1:16. I’ve heard the Gospel referred to as the “dynamite” of God. But the analogy really doesn’t work, or reflect the concept of this text. A better analogy is to an appliance with an electric cord. Push your vacuum as hard as you can, and if it’s not plugged in, it won’t pick up dirt. Or stir egg whites with your electric mixer, and if it’s not plugged in, no meringue. In the same way, work at saving yourself as hard as you want. But if you are not plugged into God’s source of power for salvation, nothing will be gained. The Gospel plugs us into the one and only source of salvation power. If you and I are plugged into Jesus, the power of God will save us for sure. Martin Luther and John Wesley, two of church history’s towering figures, came to Christ through Romans 1:17. Through this verse each realized that God’s righteousness is obtained by faith, not by human effort or merit. Through their influence millions have claimed God’s righteousness, and made it their own “by faith from first to last.” “The wrath of God is being revealed” Rom. 1:18. In the ancient world the familiar phrase, the “wrath of God,” indicated God’s indignant response to human impiety or transgression. In other New Testament passages God’s wrath is His righteous and necessary response to sinners, expressed in His condemnation of their acts. Here the emphasis is on moral corruption in society as the operation of a present divine judgment on sin. We need look no farther than today’s movies and newspapers to see what Paul meant. In our area the owner of a little restaurant was beaten and killed by a neighbor who stole frozen food. Just a few days before the owner had given the killer food for his hungry baby. In St. Petersburg a federal judge was arrested for drug use and committing sex acts with teenagers. The police found videos he had made. Every day seems to bring at least one story of child sexual or physical abuse. And every day TV or the movies advertise another feature glorifying sex and violence. With no anchor of commitment to God and His laws, society becomes more and more corrupt. The media’s “right” to corrupt and show corruption leads inexorably to the further breakdown of society. And no one understands what is happening or why. What is happening is just what Paul described. A society which has turned its back on God is seeing “the wrath of God . . . being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men.” “What may be known about God is plain to them” Rom. 1:18–20. Paul’s point is that the universe is like a radio station, which from creation has sent out its message about God. What’s more, God created human beings with a built-in radio receiver! We human beings actually hear the message. Only by “suppress[ing] the truth”—turning down our built-in radio till the message is only whisper loud—can man avoid the obvious truth that God exists, and that He is greater than the things He has made. No human being ever born has been without a witness to the truth of God. The only explanation for man’s failure to turn to God is sin (see DEVOTIONAL). “God gave them over . . . to sexual impurity” Rom. 1:18–32. Commentators debate whether Paul was giving us a historical or psychological profile of our race. Yet the pattern is clear. Those who abandon God turn to false objects of worship and their society becomes more and more corrupt morally. In time, “Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them” (v. 32). It’s significant that Paul devotes two of the eight verses describing moral corruption to homosexuality. Our society’s present drive to validate homosexual behavior as an acceptable “alternate lifestyle” places modern America squarely in Romans 1:32.

DEVOTIONAL

Holding Hands(Rom. 1:18–32)

I must admit that I grinned Monday night as I watched my youngest son coming up the walk toward Capio’s restaurant. He was holding hands with Liz, a 3rd-grade teacher he met at his church’s youth group. Not that Tim’s all that young. The occasion was his 27th birthday. It was just nice to see him, good-looking but very shy, walking hand-in-hand with an attractive and very nice girl. Actually, holding hands is a pretty good image of the response God wants when He reveals Himself to us. When we catch a glimpse of God, we should be attracted to Him, and reach out. In Paul’s words we should automatically find ourselves glorifying Him as God and being thankful. But Romans 1 describes a totally different reaction. Instead of reaching for God’s hand, as Tim did for Liz’s, mankind reacted as if God were a hot iron. When brushing up against God, the natural man jerks away! Again in Paul’s words, they supressed the truth. And rather than turn to God, they turned away, so that “their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened” (v. 21). What followed the rejection of God was idolatry, immorality, and wickedness of every kind. Why does Paul launch his exploration of righteousness with this description of our race? For a very simple but important reason. He doesn’t want anyone to think man lacks righteousness because God has been holding out on us, or even because of the wicked deeds men do. Mankind lacks righteousness because all men are sinners by nature. And the proof is that when God revealed Himself to man, man jerked his hand away. Tim and Liz reach out naturally for each other’s hand. They feel an affinity, a warmth of affection. Man’s rejection of a loving and righteous God is unmistakable proof that human beings are lost and in sin. If they felt any affinity with God, they would respond to Him with warmth. Only the power of God flowing through the Gospel can change man’s heart, and enable us to respond to God’s great love.

Personal Application

Reach out your heart’s hand to God today.

Quotable

“By nature I was too blind to know Him, too proud to trust Him, too obstinate to serve Him, too base-minded to love Him.”—John Newton

Romans

INTRODUCTION

This letter was written by the Apostle Paul to the church in Rome about A.D. 57. The theme of the letter is righteousness. Despite man’s sin, Paul showed that God declares those who believe in Jesus both innocent and right with Him. Even more, through the Holy Spirit that Christ gives, God works within to enable believers to actually live righteous lives, individually and as a redeemed community. Romans is perhaps the most powerful Christian document ever written. Towering figures like Luther and Wesley trace their conversions to this book. Any Christian can deepen his appreciation of all God has given us in Christ by a careful study of Romans. And every Christian can discover here the source of that spiritual power man needs to live a life that glorifies the Saviour.

OUTLINE OF CONTENTS

I.	Introduction	Rom. 1:1–17
II.	Righteousness: Man’s Great Need	Rom. 1:18–3:20
III.	Righteousness as God’s Gift	Rom. 3:21–5:21
IV.	Righteous Living Today	Rom. 6–8
V.	Righteousness in History	Rom. 9–11
VI.	Righteousness in Community	Rom. 12–16

May 15
THINE IS THE GLORY
Edmond L. Budry, 1854–1932
Translated by Richard B. Hoyle, 1875–1939
But thanks be to God! He gives the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57)
In the ancient world, no celebration was considered more glorious than the march of triumphant returning warriors through their capital city. Many visual depictions have been made of the victorious Roman soldiers in the early centuries marching proudly through the streets and arches of Rome, leading captive slaves and hearing the boisterous approval of cheering admirers.
Christ our Savior fought the greatest battle of all time against the prince of this world and all of his legions. Our Lord returned triumphant to His Father, having conquered not only sin, death, and the grave, but Satan and hell also. Now He sits on the Father’s right hand as the ruler of His kingdom and our personal advocate before God.
But the day of our celebration is just ahead. One can picture with imagination the procession that will occur in heaven when the Captain of Our Faith, Christ Himself, leads His Bride, the Church, through the heavenly portals amidst the shouts and songs of praise and glory to the “risen, conqu’ring Son.”
“Thine Is the Glory” was originally written in 1884 in French—“A Toi la Gloire,” by Edmond Budry, a pastor in Vevey, Switzerland. Nearly 40 years later, it was translated into English by Richard Hoyle and appeared in the Cantate Domino Hymnal used by the Student Christian Federation.
Thine is the glory, risen, conqu’ring Son; endless is the vict’ry Thou o’er death hast won. Angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away, kept the folded grave clothes where Thy body lay.
Lo! Jesus meets us, risen, from the tomb; lovingly He greets us, scatters fear and gloom; let His church with gladness hymns of triumph sing, for her Lord now liveth; death hath lost its sting.
No more we doubt Thee, glorious Prince of Life! Life is naught without Thee; aid us in our strife; make us more than conqu’rors, through Thy deathless love; bring us safe through Jordan to Thy home above.
Refrain: Thine is the glory, risen, conqu’ring Son; endless is the vict’ry Thou o’er death hast won.

For Today: Romans 5:6, 10, 11; 1 Corinthians 15:50–58; Revelation 1:5, 6

Live in the triumphant promise of the joy that you will one day experience with all fullness when you share in the heavenly celebration with the saints of the ages. But for now, raise your voice in praise to our victorious Lord.

May 14
HARK! TEN THOUSAND HARPS AND VOICES
Thomas Kelly, 1769–1854
Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise.” (Revelation 5:11, 12)
As Christians we often reflect about anticipated sights of heaven—golden streets, jasper walls, crystal seas, jeweled crowns … but what about the sounds of heaven? From what we can learn from the Bible, heaven is a place of loud, inspiring sounds and much music.
The author of this hymn text, Thomas Kelly, saw with the eye of imagination the thrilling scene in heaven when the thousands upon thousands of angels give praise to Christ for His victorious mission to earth to accomplish man’s redemption. And the thrilling truth is that someday we redeemed mortals will join that heavenly chorus. Throughout the ages our main occupation will be singing and playing our “glories to the King!” Alleluia!
This is another triumphant ascension hymn from the pen of Thomas Kelly, one of Ireland’s finest evangelical preachers and spiritual poets of the 19th century. The hymn first appeared in one of Kelly’s collections of hymns published in 1806. It was originally titled “Let All the Angels of God Worship Him.”
Hark! ten thousand harps and voices sound the note of praise above; Jesus reigns and heav’n rejoices; Jesus reigns, the God of love. See, He sits on yonder throne: Jesus rules the world alone.
Sing how Jesus came from heaven, how He bore the cross below, how all pow’r to Him is given, how He reigns in glory now. ’Tis a great and endless theme—O, ’tis sweet to sing of Him.
King of glory, reign forever! Thine an everlasting crown. Nothing from Thy love shall sever those whom Thou hast made Thine own: Happy objects of Thy grace, destined to behold Thy face.
Savior, hasten Thine appearing; bring, O bring the glorious day, when, the awful summons hearing, heav’n and earth shall pass away. Then with golden harps we’ll sing, “Glory, glory to our King!”
Refrain: alleluia! alleluia! Alleluia! A-men.

For Today: Isaiah 60:19; Romans 8:35–39; Hebrews 1:6; 1 Peter 3:22; Revelation 22:3–5

Ponder anew the sights and sounds of heaven. Let your heart rejoice that you will be a part of that great eternal scene. Begin preparing now with these notes of praise—