Romans 1 Devotional
by Pastor Mark Hudson
Romans is the longest letter of Paul and Rome is the only city that he wrote to that Paul had not visited. This is a magnificent letter covering the heart of the gospel and our obligation to God. We think, as Reformed Protestants, of Luther and Calvin as they taught and preached from this book, but this great letter was not their favorite. Luther loved Galatians. “The Epistle to the Galatians is my own epistle. I have betrothed myself to it. It is my Katie von Bora (the name of his wife).” And Calvin loved Ephesians. But their names, and especially Luther, will always be closely associated to Romans.
Romans 1:1-17 is the first section. Romans 1:1-7 mentions almost every topic the letter covers. In verses 8-15, Paul then speaks directly to the church in Rome. Paul praises them and tells them how often he prays for them in verses 9-10, “without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may not at last succeed in coming to you.” One of the more fascinating verses of this section is Paul’s expression of obligation in verse 14. “I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.” He continues by stating in verse 15, “So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.” Paul considered himself under obligation not just to God but those who do not believe the gospel. This is a unique sense of obligation and informs our understanding of the burden he felt from Christ. Paul was extraordinarily joyful but serious as well. He lived full of joy yet conscious of His obligations to God and man.
Then vs. 16-17 is the theme of the book. Most, but not all, would agree that these verses constitute the theme. But what part is the theme? Is it the power of God? Salvation? The righteousness of God? Or the righteous shall live by faith? It could be one of these or a number of these truths.
We would not be far off if we considered `the righteousness of God’ as THE theme of Romans or even THE theme of the gospel. The righteousness of God could be considered as the wrath of God expressed against sinful humanity. Luther considered the righteousness of God as judgment, and it filled him with fear. God’s righteousness meant for God to be righteous He had to punish sin. How could that be good news or gospel?
What Luther came to realize after studying Galatians, Psalms, and Romans (as well as other theologians like Augustine) is that God’s righteousness is more complex than simply, “God must punish sin.” What Paul is teaching is good news, is that God’s righteousness is reckoned to sinful man by the cross of Christ. Paul affirms that God must punish sin to be just. But that punishment or God’s wrath, His pent-up anger against sin (which is just and right) is directed like a laser beam to the eternal, sinless Christ who willingly offered Himself to die in the place of His chosen people on the cross.
God “places” our sin on the sinless, perfect Christ, who is the true lamb of God. Christ’s death is not for Himself but for our sin. Then God counts the perfect righteousness of Christ to our account. He declares (not makes) us righteous. This is what Paul states in Romans 3:21ff. This is not a righteousness that is earned by keeping laws but a righteousness that is imputed to us. And His righteousness, earned by Christ, is freely granted to us and applied to our hearts by the Holy Spirit.
The basis of this salvation is God’s grace. This is all a gift from God and His salvation is received by faith. We are not saved by faith. We are saved by grace. We are saved by Christ’s death and the way we experience this salvation is by placing our faith in Christ’s death for us. We look away from ourselves to an ‘alien righteousness’ or a righteousness that is extra nos – outside of ourselves.
This is what the Old Testament points to in the sacrificial system. Christ, the lamb of God, takes away the sin of the world. Just like the sacrifices in the Old Testament were designed to forgive His people their many sins, so Christ’s death is the fulfillment of those sacrifices. Except those sacrifices never completely forgave people. Those sacrifices provided a temporary forgiveness until the true Lamb of God came into the world. This makes perfect sense since it is what “the law and the prophets bear witness” writes Paul in 3:21. This grace is “apart from the law” meaning we cannot receive this by obeying or keeping the law. In fact, God never saved anyone that way. The only One who did keep the law perfectly needed no saving.
The last section details the sins of humanity. Those verses look like they could be written about the U.S and China and Russia and . . . every country in the world at any time of human existence. Which is a sad commentary on humanity. But that is the part of the message of Romans and the message of the gospel.
Holy Father, we come to You in the name of Your glorious, perfect, selfless, obedient, loving Son and in the power of the Holy Spirit. You are more gracious than we could ever imagine. Your kindness is expressed in Your Son and in the gospel. The gospel affects us so little now. The weight of Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, and ascension rests lightly upon us. May You stir us up to dig harder, drink deeply, and marinate in Your grace. Tenderize our hard hearts with the wonder of the gospel. In the glorious name of the Risen Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.