Romans 1:16-1:17 - Theme: Unity of Salvation By Faith

Matthew Henry

1:16: Paul declares himself unashamed of a message that had much to it that he might find cause for such shame. It concerned a hanged man, was a plainspoken message with little to commend itself among scholars, was despised and spoken against everywhere; and yet, Paul was pleased to call it his own. In fact, he moves to declare the excellencies of that very gospel, pointing out that it is the very revelation of God's saving power (Ac 16:17 - Its message is the proclamation of the way of salvation). It has this power through the power of God, without which it is another dead letter (Isa 53:1 - It is the revealing of the arm of the LORD). God's power accompanies the gospel message to confirm it. This power comes only to those that believe, for 'the medicine prepared will not cure the patient if it be not taken.' This power of salvation came first to the Jews (Ac 3:26 - God sent His Servant first to Israel to turn them from their wicked ways), being turned later to the Gentiles (Ac 13:46 - Since Israel judged itself unworthy of God's offer of eternal life, it is offered to the Gentiles). Now, both Jew and Gentile are 'equally miserable without a Savior, and both equally welcome to the Savior' (Col 3:11 - There is no distinction between Greek and Jew, slave and free, but Christ is all, and in all). This was a surprising doctrine for the Jews, who had always been His peculiar people, but it stands in accord with the prophets.
1:17: Given the consequences of our sinfulness, our salvation required that we be shown a means of justification, and that means is shown to us in the righteousness of God revealed in the gospel. That righteousness is brought by Messiah (Dan 9:24 - Seventy weeks are decreed for the holy city to finish transgression, make an end of sin, atone for iniquity, and bring in everlasting righteousness). This righteousness is declared as God's righteousness to make clear that it has no basis in our own merits, but rather rests in Christ, who is God, and in His satisfaction offered on the cross. It is revealed by the faithfulness of God to the faithful man who receives it. It is revealed from the faith of direct dependence upon God, as before the fall, to the faith of dependence upon the Mediator. It is revealed from the first faith by which we are justified, to the growing faith by which we live and continue, that first faith being our accepting of Christ as our Savior. Thus, it is revealed from the faith that engrafted us into Christ, to the faith that we derive from Him as our root. We are just by faith, and we live by faith. It is not begun in faith, and grown in works, but remains a matter of faith throughout. (2Co 3:18 - We are being transformed by the Lord from glory to glory). The quoting of Habakkuk 2:4 stands to confirm this gospel as being no new thing, but a continuation of what had always been Scripture. So, we can also see that righteousness is from the Old Testament faith that Christ was to come to the New Testament faith in Christ already come.

Adam Clarke

1:16: The Jews, in expecting another Messiah, have shown themselves to be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and have so cut themselves off from the promises of God. Believers, unashamed of that gospel, have life through His name, and know the power of God unto salvation. (Is 28:16 - He who believes in the Cornerstone will not be ashamed. Is 49:23 - Those who wait in hope for Him will not be put to shame. Ro 10:11 - Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed). Clarke believes Paul is writing to the Jews in this letter. The power of God, accompanying the preaching of the gospel, saves those that hear and believe, being the only power that can save a fallen soul. The Jews are first to receive the gospel, and those in greatest need thereof, for their sin is the greater, having had the light of revelation where the Gentiles had lived in darkness. But the gospel shows God has opened the doors of salvation to all, where it used to be confined to His chosen people. He has removed the difference between them. (Heb 2:9 - Christ tasted death for everyone).
1:17: The gospel of Christ is God's chosen method for saving sinners. This righteousness, this method unto salvation, is understood and acquired by faith alone, as is shown by Abraham's record. For he came unto righteousness before there was a Law to be obeyed. That righteousness indicates saving faith in this passage can be seen by looking at the usage of righteousness in Ro 9:30-32 - The Gentiles who didn't pursue righteousness attained it by faith. But Israel pursued a righteousness of the law, of works, and so failed to attain even to that law, because they did not pursue it in faith, but in works. (Ro 10:4 - Christ is the end - the object - of the law, being the righteousness of every believer). They became enamored of the observances, and failed to come to understanding of the saving Christ to whom those observances intended to lead them. (Ro 10:3 - Not understanding God's righteous plan of salvation, they attempted to establish their own methods, and failed to subject themselves to God's plan). Righteousness, in its original English translation combined the ideas of justice and wisdom in the word "rightwiseness". The concept was that the righteous man was 'a person who was allowed to understand the claims of justice and right, and who, knowing them, acted according to their dictates.' This shows righteousness to be the ultimate wisdom, giving man to form the best plans, and execute them by the best means. The Hebrew term carries in it the familiar notion of the balanced scale, which has always been a symbol of justice. The Greek term speaks also of division, as the righteous or just man will divide each his due. Thus we see that righteousness always carries this idea of acting according to the dictates of justice and right. Some other examples of the meanings of righteousness: 1 - Ac 17:31 - He will judge the earth in righteousness - giving each his due. Rev 19:2 - His judgements are true and righteous, for He has judged the corrupting harlot, and avenged himself upon her. 2 - Lk 1:75 - The prayer is that we might serve Him in holiness and righteousness. The holy life proceeds from piety toward God. 3 - Liberality and almsgiving are the actions required by righteousness as stewards of God's bounty. Mt 6:1 - Be careful as to practicing your righteousness before others so as to be noticed. Ro 3:5 - Does our unrighteousness serve to make God's righteousness clear? 2Co 9:10 - He will increase the harvest of your righteousness, multiplying your seed to make it available for sowing). 4 - God's method of salvation, that which agrees with His righteousness and liberality. 5 - The reward of liberality. 2Co 9:9 - He gave to the poor, his righteousness remains forever. Ps 112:9 - Freely he gave to the poor, his righteousness will last forever. 6 - The whole of that which is the Christian character. Mt 5:6 - Those who hunger for righteousness will be satisfied. Mt 5:10 - Those who are persecuted for righteousness will gain the kingdom of heaven, Mt 5:20 - But such righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees. Mt 6:33 - If we seek His kingdom and His righteousness, all other needful things will be given to us. 7 - The result of faith and submission to God. Heb 11:7 - In reverent faith, Noah built the ark, and so became heir of the righteousness that is of faith. 8 - An exact observance of religious ordinances. Php 3:6 - Paul was blameless in maintaining the righteousness of the Law. Mt 3:15 - John needed to baptize Jesus to fulfill righteousness by obedience. 9 - The pardoning mercy of God. Ro 4:6 - David understood the blessing that come to a man that God considered righteous without regard for his works. 10 - God's own righteousness. 2Co 5:21 - He made Christ to be sin for us, that we might become His righteousness in Christ. And onward to definitions of 'to justify,' which is a related word. 1 - To pronounce one just or righteous. 1Ti 3:16 - He who was revealed in the flesh was justified in the Spirit which testified to His truth. 2 - A proper esteem. Mt 11:19 - Wisdom is justified by her deeds, it is properly valued by those who are wise. 3 - To praise or commend. Lk 7:29 - All acknowledged God's justice in declaring those of God's kingdom to be greater than John. Lk 16:15 - You are such as justify yourselves in the sight of men, praising and commending yourself. 4 - Cleared from all sin. 1Co 4:4 - That I am not aware of any sin in myself does not justify me, rather I am justified by the Lord's examination. 5 - To be found innocent. Mt 12:37 - Your innocence or guilt shall be determined by your own words. Ro 3:4 - God is justified in His words, He is true though every man may lie. 6 - to escape from. Ac 13:39 - Through Him we are freed from all those things the Law couldn't free us from. Ro 6:7 - The dead are freed from sin. 7 - To receive into favor as one pardoned. Ro 8:30 - We are predestined, called, justified, and glorified. Lk 18:14 - The one who prayed from his heart went home justified. Ro 3:20 - Nobody is justified by the works of the Law. Ro 4:2 - Had Abraham been justified by his works, he might be able to boast, yet not before God. 1Co 6:11 - We were as vile as the next man before we were washed, sanctified, and justified in Christ Jesus. Jas 2:21-25 - Abraham's works were accompanied by faith, and showed his faith to be perfected. Even so, a man is not justified by faith alone, but that faith must show itself alive in works of righteousness. Ro 3:24 - Our justification is a gift of God's grace, Ro 3:28 - that justification coming by faith apart from works, Ro 5:1 - and bringing us to peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Ro 5:9 - Knowing we have been so justified by the blood of Christ, we know all the more that we are saved from God's wrath through Him. Gal 2:16-17 - Even they who are Jews by nature need to come to the justification that is by faith in Christ, for the Law can justify nobody, since none can fulfill it in their own strength. Gal 3:11 - That the Law cannot justify anybody is seen in the fact that Scripture says the righteous live by faith. Gal 3:24 - The Law was to be a tutor to lead to Christ, for only in faith in Christ can we be justified. Gal 5:4 - If we seek justification in the Law, we have fallen from grace, and separated ourselves from Christ. Ti 3:7 - We are justified by His grace, and made heirs unto eternal life. None of these verses suggest that we have been made righteous or just, but only that we are treated as if we were so, having been forgiven our sins. The righteous man cannot live a holy life without continual faith in Jesus, for He who saved us is the only One who can preserve us in that salvation. It is equally true that only those who have been justified by faith shall live, for only the justification that is by faith has power to save. (Heb 2:4 - They were saved who heard God's message, saw the confirming signs, and aligned themselves with His will).

Barnes' Notes

1:16: In spite of his treatment by both Jew and Gentile, Paul remained unashamed of the gospel, seeing in it God's power to bring salvation. (1Co 4:13 - He has been treated like the scum of the earth, but he perseveres). Men will be ashamed of their mistakes and foolishness, but not of those things in which they are right and by which they know themselves to benefit. So Paul viewed the gospel. (Ro 10:11 - Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed. Ro 5:5 - Hope doesn't disappoint because of the love of God poured out in our hearts. 2Co 7:14 - I have never been put to shame by boasting to Him about you, for that boasting proved true. 2Ti 1:12 - I suffer without shame, for I know the One I believe in is able to guard until the last day. Php 1:20 - I earnestly believe I will not be put to shame in anything, since Christ will ever be exalted in my life and my death. Ro 9:33 - He who believes in the stone of Zion will not be disappointed. 2Ti 1:8 - Don't be ashamed of the Lord's testimony, but rather join in suffering for the gospel as empowered by God. Mk 8:38 - Whoever is ashamed of Christ and His words, Christ will be ashamed of before the glory of His Father. 1Pe 4:16 - Don't feel ashamed to suffer as a Christian, but rather glorify God. 1Jn 2:28 - Abide in Him now, so that you may have confidence when He appears, and not hide from Him in shame.) The gospel is good news, because it explains how sin may be pardoned and the soul saved. (Mk 1:1 - The gospel of Jesus Christ, Son of God. [Mediator, Propitiation, and Savior.]) That good news concerns the Messiah; His character, His coming, His preaching, His death, resurrection, and ascension. This sole hope for salvation Paul was prepared to preach even in the capital of the known world. It is the mighty plan by which God sends forth His power to save, overwhelming all the obstacles to man's redemption. The plan is God's, not that of any man. It is [as the plan of the all wise God] perfectly adapted to the end of overcoming all obstacles to accomplish salvation. It is powerful (2Co 10:4-5 - to the destruction of fortresses, and of every lofty thing raised against God), as is shown by its having gone against every sin and combination of sins in the world, and overcome them to save the sinner. (Jer 23:29 - God's Word is like fire, like a hammer that shatters rocks. 1Co 1:18 - The word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but is the power of God to those who are being saved.) It is the means of salvation, of complete deliverance from sin and death, leading to eternal life. It is not a temporary salvation from which one could fall away, but it is the power of eternal salvation to them that believe (1Pe 1:5 - who are then protected by the power of God through faith for salvation in the last time). The saved cannot be lost. (Mk 16:16-17 - Those who believe and have been baptized shall be saved, casting out demons in His name, and speaking with new tongues.) Salvation is given freely to every one who comes to it in faith. That faith believes God's threats toward the sinner and fears. That faith receives His promises and hopes. That faith recognizes that I am lost, and causes me to rely on Christ Jesus for mercy. That faith is so impressed by the truth of God as to cause my life and conduct to be lived as if it were true, being in accord with that truth. The gospel came to the Jews first in order of time. There is no implication here that the gospel was somehow more suited to them than to the Gentiles. (Ac 2 - The Holy Spirit came upon the Jews gathered in the upper room, and I became evident to the Gentiles outside. Ac 10 - After the gospel had spread throughout Jerusalem, it came to Cornelius, a centurion of Rome. Mt 10:5-6 - Don't go to the Gentiles, or to the Samaritans, but only to the lost of Israel. Lk 24:49 - Stay in Jerusalem until you have been equipped with Godly power. Ac 13:46 - It was required that God's Word should come first to the Jews, but since they reject it and judge themselves unworthy, it is turned over to the Gentiles. Mt 21:43 - Because of their rejection, the kingdom of God is taken from them and given to a nation that will be fruitful by it.) The gospel is not confined in its effectiveness, but is adapted to all, with no regard for class or nation.
1:17: Paul moves to explain why he is not ashamed of the gospel, and in so doing sums up the entire content of this letter. Some see the righteousness of God, as noted here, as indicating that His attributes of righteousness and justice are displayed and made known in the gospel. While this is true (Ro 3:26 - He demonstrates His righteousness in justly justifying the one whose faith is in Jesus), it does not fit the sense of this particular passage. The primary design of the gospel is to show the love of God, not His justness (Jn 3:16 - God loved the world so much that He gave his only Son to save it. Eph 2:4-5 - God's love for us was so great that He reached out to us while we were still in our sins, and made us alive with Christ. 2Th 2:16 - He has loved us and given us eternal comfort and hope by grace. 1Jn 4:8 - God is love.) God's mercy is also more at the fore in the message of the gospel than is His justice, thus we see that the revelation of His righteousness is not the primary focus of the gospel. Neither is the righteousness of God to be equated with His goodness and benevolence in this passage, for that is not what the letter speaks about, nor does it have to do with the meaning of 'justice' or 'righteousness'. If goodness and mercy were the intent of Paul's letter, would he not use those words to express it? Rather, what is referred to here is God's plan for the justification of man, and this in opposition to man's plans for justification. Man seeks to justify himself by his good deeds, but God declares that impossible, and offers faith as the only effective means. The whole of this letter addresses the question of how man can be just with God, and the answer it offers is 'by faith.' When one is 'justified', he is pardoned and forgiven, treated and regarded as innocent. This is so whether or not there be an offence committed for which one could be held culpable, yet such a one will then be treated as though the event had not happened. The how of this justification rests with the One in authority, and must occur according to His methods. These methods, Paul will declare in the course of this letter, but in this place he merely affirms that they are revealed in the gospel. So, justification, meaning innocence and purity, equates to righteousness as in this passage. (Mt 3:15 - Jesus told John to permit His baptism so as to fulfill righteousness. Mt 5:6 - Those who hunger for righteousness will be satisfied. Mt 10:20 - Your righteousness must surpass that of the Pharisees. Mt 21:32 - John came in righteousness, but the self-righteous didn't believe him; only the self-declared sinners. Lk 1:75 - Serve Him in holiness and righteousness all our days. Ac 10:35 - Those who fear Him do what is right. Ac 13:10 - Paul saw the magician as an enemy of righteousness, perverting the way of the Lord. Ro 2:26 - If an uncircumcised man were to keep all the Law, he would be considered as circumcised. Ro 8:3-4 - The Son was sent as an offering for sin, so that the Law's requirements would be fulfilled. Ro 3:24 - We are justified as a gift of grace through Jesus. Ro 3:26 - He is the just justifier of those who have faith in Christ. Ro 3:28 - Man is justified by faith apart from works. Ro 3:30 - The justifier of both the circumcised and uncircumcised is One God, and he declares His justification through faith. Ro 4:5 - Faith is accounted to the believer as righteousness without regard for lack of works. Ro 5:1 - Justified by faith, we have peace with God through Jesus. Ro 8:30 - Predestined, called, justified, glorified. Gal 2:16 - Man is not justified by works but by faith in Christ. Ro 3:21-22 - God's righteousness has been made manifest apart from the Law, coming through faith to those who believe. Ro 3:25 - God demonstrated His righteousness in giving His Son as propitiation, so justifying the believer. Ro 4:3 - Abraham believed, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. Ro 4:6 - David also recognized the blessing given one who was declared righteous apart from works. Ro 4:13 - The promise to Abraham was not through the Law but through the righteousness of faith. Ro 9:30 - The Gentiles attained righteousness by faith, even though they weren't pursuing righteousness.) It is God's righteousness, for it has Him as its author and so differs from every other plan devised by man. This plan was foretold in many places. (Is 56:1 - My salvation is about to come, and My righteousness to be revealed. Dan 9:24 - 70 weeks, and then an end of sin, an atonement for iniquity, and the coming of everlasting righteousness.) The righteousness of God is also seen as that which Christ accomplished in His total obedience to God. This righteousness was devised, procured, and accepted by God, and is therefore completely His. It is imputed to believers, and so they are considered as righteous before God. That righteousness includes the idea of conformance to the Law, and when it is referred to man's salvation always signifies the righteousness which God has appointed and approved in conformance to His justice. That righteousness cannot indicate a plan is seen in looking at other passages, such as Ro 5:17-19, where righteousness is declared a gift and the work of one man, and 2Co 5:21, where we are told that Christ was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. In Php 3:9, Paul seeks not his own righteousness, but that which is through faith in Christ, clearly declaring that what he could do by works or obedience didn't count, but only that which Christ had procured by His obedience. Further, Ro 10:3 points out that the righteousness man attempted to establish didn't work. That was the righteousness of works and obedience, as opposed to the righteousness of God displayed in Christ's true and complete obedience. The plan does not declare people to be innocent and pure, but upholds the truth regarding them. It does not join the sinner or lessen his offences, but it admits those sins and makes him feel them all the more. It does not make us partakers of God's essential righteousness, His righteousness does not become ours, except in the sense that it is accounted to us such that God holds us as righteous, for He cannot treat anything as other than it is (Ro 4:3 - Abraham's faith was accounted to him as righteousness). It is, however, God's plan for pardoning our sins and treating us as though they had not been committed. "People seek to save themselves by their own works. God's plan is to save them by the merits of Jesus Christ." The gospel shows the way in which God will justify His chosen. This is something the patriarchs understood would happen, although the how of it hadn't been revealed to them. The revealed plan shows the great truth that the righteous are justified by faith, and not by deeds of the Law. That this does not indicate righteousness as being revealed from one degree of faith to another can be seen in that: 1 - It is untrue. The gospel shows no sign of being designed to strengthen a people already faithful in some degree. 2 - To say such a thing makes no sense, and becomes no more than empty words. 3 - It doesn't fit with the context, which is the stating of the letter's whole theme; that being justification by faith, not growth from one degree of faith to another. 4 - The whole thrust of the letter is justification by faith, the means of which the letter strives to show. (Ro 3:22 - The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ. Ro 3:30 - God will justify both the circumcised and uncircumcised through faith. Ro 9:30 - The Gentiles attained to the righteousness that is by faith. Ro 9:32 - The Jews failed because they did not pursue it by faith, but by works. Ro 10:6-8 - The righteousness of faith doesn't ask who will ascend and bring Christ down, nor who will cause Him to rise from the dead, but only that the word of faith is present in your mouth and your heart.) 5 - The passage Paul quotes confirms that he speaks of the means of justification, not growth by degrees. The plan is revealed to those who believe (Ro 3:22 - for all those who believe). "God's plan of justifying people is revealed in the gospel, which plan is by faith, and the benefits of which plan shall be extended to all that have faith, or that believe." The verse quoted from Habakkuk was not originally designed to show forth the concept of justification by faith, but the more general rule that those whose confidence is in God should be happy, preserved, and blessed. Paul uses it here in that sense, although speaking of justification, for the concept fits: confidence in works wouldn't do it, only confidence in God, by faith. In Habakkuk, the blessings in mind were happiness. In the gospel, this extends to eternal life. Man is by nature dead due to sin (Eph 2:1 - We were dead in trespasses and sins), but the gospel brings restoration to life (Jn 3:36 - He who believes has eternal life. Jn 5:29 - Those who did good deeds will be resurrected to life. Jn 5:40 - If we come to Him, we may have life. Jn 6:33 - The bread of God gives life to the world. Jn 6:51-53 - Christ is that bread. Ac 2:28 - God has made known the ways of life. Ro 5:18 - One act of righteousness brought justification of life to all men. Ro 8:6 - The mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.) Thus we see that the phrase indicates not that those justified by faith shall live, but that people are generally preserved, defended and made happy not by their own efforts, but by confidence in God. "Those who rely on God the Savior shall be justified, and saved."

Wycliffe

1:16: "The good news of the Christian faith is not a system of philosophy or a code of ethics." Paul was not ashamed because the gospel is God's power, which has the purpose of bringing deliverance and salvation to such as respond to the Gospel in truth and belief. This word 'belief' goes beyond the obvious meaning to include ideas of trust and commitment, of handing one's self over to another. It is not intellectual assent, but full involvement in that which is believed. Such full involvement will show in 'a dedication and consecration apparent in every aspect of life.'
1:17: The righteousness which God produces and imputes is the subject of the remainder of this letter, but for the moment the focus is on its coming to the Christian only by faith. As the believer grows in awareness of what God's righteousness means, he must remain committed to his faith. A man cannot be just or righteous except by faith, and that faith, in bringing righteousness, brings life both now and forever.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1:16: "It required some courage to bring to 'the mistress of the world' what "to the Jews was a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness."" But the life-giving message filled Paul so, that he was unashamed of it, as was his Master. Here is the grand theme: Salvation, so necessary to dying men, embodied in a message from God, and as such, equal to hearing God Himself, is found by any who will believe it to be God's power to save him. This comes first to the Jews, because of their 'ancient standing,' but comes also to the Greek.
1:17: The righteousness of God is not His clemency, nor His essential rightness, rather it is that which God provides for men, bestowing it upon them. This combines with the idea of that righteousness in men of which God will approve and accept. (Ro 3:20 - Works of the Law will not justify any in His sight. Gal 3:11 - No one is justified before God by the Law. Ro 2:13 - It is not the hearers of the Law who are justified before God, but the doers thereof. 2Co 5:21 - He made Christ to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.) This righteousness in not implanted and inherent in us as worked by divine grace, but rather is accounted or imputed to us due solely to the work of Christ in the flesh on our behalf. The idea of implanted righteousness is in the teachings of Rome, of the semipelagians, and the Anglicans. But the heart of Protestantism recognizes that it is imputed to us because of His obedience unto the death of the cross. (Ro 2:12 - Who sins without Law dies without Law, who sins under Law is judged thereby. [This is apparently a source of some of the implant vs. impute controversy. It seems reasonably clear, though, that the thrust is that the sinner is equally condemned either way.]) 2Co 5:21 ought to make clear what is the righteousness of God, for in making Him sin for us, God did not cause Christ to sin, nor infuse sin into Him, but rather put all our sins into His account. Thus, by the same means, He puts Christ's righteousness into our account, simply reckoned to us, rather than somehow infused into us. [It strikes me that this misunderstanding accounts for large portions of the world's view of us as hypocritical.] It is a fundamental truth that our union with Christ being such that we are joined to Him as one spirit (1Co 6:17), we cannot but be personally and inherently righteous and holy, having joined in that union. But this is not the justifying righteousness of God, which remains in Him even as it is accounted to us. Ideas that 'faith to faith' indicates things such as Law to Gospel, OT to NT, of the preacher to the hearer, or of promising God to believing man can all be dismissed out of hand. The idea that Paul here speaks of a faith growing from weaker to stronger, from lower to higher seems to fail on the fact that it adds an element to the argument that Paul does not address at all in the course of this letter. The consideration that what is implied is that the righteousness of God is all of faith from beginning to end seems to join together ideas that Paul apparently strives to keep clearly separated. The meaning supported by this author is otherwise. First noted is that what is translated 'from faith' here, is elsewhere consistently translated as 'by faith' (Ro 1:17b - The righteous shall live by faith. Ro 3:30 - God will justify the circumcised by faith. Ro 4:16 - It is by faith so as to be in accord with grace. Ro 5:1 - justified by faith. Ro 9:30 - The Gentiles attained the righteousness which is by faith. Ro 9:32 - The Jews did not pursue it by faith, but by works.) This brings us to a translation of "The righteousness of God is revealed [to be] by faith, unto faith.'" 'Unto faith' may be taken to indicate that it is unto those who believe, or that it results in faith in the believer. The following verses are offered in support of so translating 'to' here: Ro 1:5 - Grace and apostleship were received in order to result in the obedience of faith amongst the Gentiles. Ro 6:16 - If we are slaves of obedience, it results in righteousness. Ro 6:19 - Present your body as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. Ro 8:15 - You have not received a spirit of slavery resulting in a return to fear. Ro 10:10 - Man believes from the heart, resulting in righteousness, and confesses from the mouth, resulting in salvation.) Furthermore the quote from Habakkuk shows that Paul is stressing the idea of being by faith, as opposed to being to faith. That passage could be taken to mean either that those justified by faith shall live, or that the just shall have life by faith. The latter seems to fit both contexts better. Furthermore, the former, to Paul, would be to state a truism, for he considered 'being justified' and living as two views of a single whole - the life of justification. It's worth noting that this verse is quoted in two other places in the New Testament, showing that the Gospel way of living by faith is a development of what was inherent in the ancient way. From the opening of this Epistle we see that Christ's ministers ought to be 'absolutely subject' to the Lord, dedicated to the Gospel, to declaring it before all classes free of shame or pride, rejoicing together with all faithful churches, and being strengthened by their fellowship. The nature of the Gospel is revealed to be a message from heaven fulfilling the Old Testament promise in Christ, Son of God and son of man; Christ resurrected and so vindicated, Christ the Dispenser of all grace to man and Church, Christ the Righteousness provided by God for justification; a Gospel which so preached has in it the 'very power of God to save' all who embrace it. Christ's divinity is in no way compromised by His being the ordained 'Channel of all grace from God to men.' To prevent the idea of salvation by faith from leading to self-righteousness, we are told that that very faith is God's own gift and none of our own. It is not possible for even the greatest of Christ's servants to impart to the least of their brothers without experiencing a great return, and their own humility and love will lead them to feel need of such fellowship, and to rejoice in it.

New Thoughts (3/9/01-3/11/01)

There are a pair of seeming conflicts here that require resolution in our thoughts.

First there's the ever present issue of faith vs. works. In so many places, we see Scripture telling us that our salvation comes by faith alone. This has been the teaching of every Protestant church throughout their history. It's the very reason for the Protestant church, and those others that have grown from that root. The walk of the Christian begins in faith, with that one being justified due solely to his faith and belief in Jesus Christ and His work on the cross. The Christian, once justified, continues to walk in belief again solely by faith in Christ. I look at the collection of verses that were brought out in one or the other of the commentaries: Our justification is a gift of God's grace (Ro 3:24), coming by faith apart from works (Ro 3:28), and bringing us to peace with God through Jesus Christ (Ro 5:1); which knowing, we know all the more clearly that we are saved from God's wrath through this same Jesus (Ro 5:9). And yet, in the same letter, we are told that the hearers of the Law are not those who are justified before God, but the doers thereof are (Ro 2:13). How does this resolve? How can Paul say that justification comes to the doer of the Law, and in almost the same breath, say that justification comes by faith apart from works? Does it not come back to the attitude of the heart? Barnes told us that "people seek to save themselves by their own works. God's plan is to save them by the merits of Jesus Christ." Clarke noted that the rejected Jews had become enamored of the observances, and failed to come to understanding of the saving Christ to whom those observances intended to lead them. Mr. Henry reminds us that we are just by faith, and we live by faith. It is not begun in faith, and grown in works, but remains a matter of faith throughout. All of these point to one fact: we come to Him by faith (and that, not of ourselves). The faith by which we came to believe certainly had nothing to do with our own prior actions. Nothing I had done in my own power had brought me to belief, and nothing in my own nature recommends itself to God as 'deserving' to be granted believing faith and salvation. I did not get here under my own power. Some have expanded on this thought, pushed it beyond the legal limit, as it were, and arrived at the idea that we no longer need to do much of anything, nor pay any great attention to God's preceding laws, since our actions don't matter anyway. As usual, the truth stretched and pulled has become a lie in that situation. Of course we are still obligated to God's commands, how could it be otherwise? Of course we are intended to do good works. We are told that such works have been placed before us so that we can do them! But why? Why do we do them? Here is the fine line. If we continue in the manner of the old covenant way, trying to earn our badge of righteousness by following all the rules, we do so in spite of our knowing the truth to which those things pointed - we fall into the very same trap by which the Jews showed that they rejected Messiah. We get so caught up in the observances that we forget their point. This can happen in our services of worship just as easily as in our efforts to obey the Law, and to do good works, so Daddy will be pleased with us. When we do this, we have rejected Messiah no less than the Jews before us. We have shown that we never understood the things that would lead to peace with God, and we sever ourselves from His grace. This is the lesson of Scripture. This is the word of the Lord to us! And yet, there's that verse: the doers are justified. What we need to understand is that the doers are not justified because they do, rather they do because they have been justified, because they have been saved, and the love of God that has been shed abroad in their hearts has so overflowed, has so transformed them and brought them into love for God, that their greatest desire is to obey Him, to show their thankfulness by some small token, to share that love with others by their acts of kindness. The truly saved could no more help doing the works of the Law, than the living can help breathing. Perhaps Wycliffe's notes regarding belief will best sum up the relationship between our faith and our works. He points out that this word 'belief' goes beyond the obvious meaning to include ideas of trust and commitment, of handing one's self over to another. It is not intellectual assent, but full involvement in that which is believed. Such full involvement will show in 'a dedication and consecration apparent in every aspect of life.'

This rather cleanly walks into the second controversy that comes up in this regard. Are we saved once for all, or can we somehow lose that salvation? This is something that deserves a great deal of exploration, and that exploration needs to be most careful to find what Scripture says and not what man thinks. As such, I'm thinking I shall have to put this off to a side study. Amongst other things, I need to be reminded which verse Pastor was looking at that seemed to indicate the possibility of failing. I know there are several, including one I used to offer myself, but it's been a while. But then there are things like this bit from JF & B:

It is the means of salvation, of complete deliverance from sin and death, leading to eternal life. It is not a temporary salvation from which one could fall away, but it is the power of eternal salvation to them that believe (1Pe 1:5 - who are then protected by the power of God through faith for salvation in the last time). The saved cannot be lost. (Mk 16:16-17 - Those who believe and have been baptized shall be saved, casting out demons in His name, and speaking with new tongues.)

And there are any number of other verses that seem to support a view of permanence. There's the factor that we were predestined, called, justified, and sanctified by our Lord. There's the factor that we were so chosen before birth (so that we couldn't boast of our actions deserving). All points to the fact that our salvation is by God. He has chosen to turn us over to the care of His Son, and His Son declares that He lost none of those His Father put in His hands. Is God not all powerful? Is He somehow unable to keep us until that day? As I said, I want to chase this out more thoroughly, but I did want to put a few thoughts here for safe keeping.

We have walked through any number of views of what is meant by 'the righteousness of God,' and what is meant by 'from faith to faith.' All of these views hold to a facet of the whole, and all of them combined seem likely to fail to fully describe the complete picture. J,F & B seemed inclined to reject any number of these views out of hand, and yet, I think each offers us a perspective from which to view the full wonder of God's grace in salvation. Each offers us a part of understanding just how much we are dependent on the faith of God for our being who we are. Perhaps there is danger in misunderstanding the righteousness of God. The issue of infused vs. imputed was raised, but I confess I don't fully see the problem there. Perhaps I need to look more closely. But at least in the realm of 'faith to faith,' I find all the views just make me more appreciate the full power of this faith God has given me. To Him be the glory!

Calvin