Paul speaks here of an announcement, not of the timing of the event. When God raised Jesus from the dead it became clear that the claims He had made while in His earthly ministry were all true.
Isaiah’s prophecy ought to be enough for us. “Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given… and His Name shall be called “Prince” of Peace…the Mighty God…” And at his birth He was called Emmanuel, God with us. John reminds us that the Eternal Word of God Who was with the Father, became flesh. He was always God. When He came into the world through Mary, He was the Son of God. Joseph was told that the Child conceived in her womb was of the Holy Spirit. Mary herself was told that after the Spirit overshadowed her, the holy Child formed would be called the Son of God.
He was the Son of God named Jesus at birth. He was God, the eternal Word, for eternity.
Romans 1:17. What does the phrase “from faith to faith” mean?
It is faith that reveals to us the righteousness of God. We hear God’s Word and we believe it. And we keep believing it. And what does that produce? More faith. In fact, we live by faith when we have truly learned Christ. It started with faith, and faith is produced thereby. From faith, to more faith.
Romans 1:18 ff. Who is the “they” of this section?
Mankind. Ungodly unrighteous mankind. Truth-suppressing mankind. God revealed to mankind His very self from the beginning. He created a majestic world that demonstrated His very attributes. But “they” refused to honor the God Who is, and made up a God of their own creating.
Romans 1:21. In what sense did “they” know God?
God had revealed Himself by His creation, and at the beginning, by revealing Himself to the first parents of the race.
Romans 1:24, 26, 28. What does “God gave them over” mean?
Allowed them to have their own way. Allowed flesh to run its evil course. Stepped out of their pathway and set them totally free. Gave them the rope by which they hung themselves. After constant rejection of the ways of God, this is what a man will receive. And he will think he is “free” from “religion” and God, only to find he has become his own god and is bound to himself in a bondage that leads to self-destruction and eternal loss.
Romans 2:7, 10. Who are these ones who “do good”?
Eventually Paul will say that no one does good. But there are those who seek after, and find, the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Mankind, without this assistance of grace, simply cannot please God.
Romans 2:12-16. Is the law of God given only to Jews?
The written Law came by way of Moses to the Jewish people. But Paul is arguing here that there is a law of God written in the hearts of all men. The most evil of men have a knowledge somewhere inside of right and wrong. They are without excuse if they continue in the wrong.
Romans 2:17-29. What is Paul trying to do here?
These first few chapters are the masterpiece of God’s super lawyer of the first century. Slowly and carefully he builds the case against mankind, all of it. He is trying to include all under sin, trying to show to anyone who will care to listen that life without Christ is hopeless, that all have sinned, and must be forgiven or lost forever.
Romans 3:5. How can our unrighteousness demonstrate the righteousness of God?
The same way a dirty load of laundry set next to a clean stack of clothes demonstrates what clean really means. We are so evil, and everything we do just demonstrates how Holy and Good is our God.
Evil men say, well, if I am blessing God’s reputation so much by my sinning, I’ll just keep on sinning and saying, I’m just a man, He is God, I cannot help myself, etc. God forbid, says Paul! How will God ever judge the world if people are correct in assuming that their evil is actually a good thing?
Romans 3:19. How does the law “close every mouth”?
One day God will judge the world by His Law. And He will be able to point to a written code that He gave to the world through the people Israel. No excuses will be allowed on that day. God spoke, Moses wrote, and everyone knew.
Romans 3:20, James 2:24. Do Paul and James differ?
By the works of the Law no flesh will be justified, says Paul.
You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone, says James.
Problem here? Not really. The two men are talking about two different things. Two different kinds of justification.
Paul says, don’t even try to bring your works up on judgment day as a way to get into Heaven. The only work that God sees is the work of His Son, done on Calvary. It is His blood that covers all our sins, that makes us right before God. “Not by works of righteousness we have done, but according to His mercy He saves us,” he declares in another place. Saved by grace through faith in the Word of God. That’s the Good News of the Gospel. Paul fought for it everywhere he went. Don’t even hint to him that there is something we can do to earn favor with God!
On the other hand… and there is another hand… saving faith initiated by the Spirit of God changes a man from top to bottom. A truly saved man is led to do works of righteousness. And if you see one who says he is a Christian but who is not doing any of those works God has given His people to do, write it down, he is not saved!
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