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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781414393858 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Tyndale House Publishers |
| Publication date: | 12/01/2015 |
| Series: | Swindoll's Living Insights New Testament Commentary , #6 |
| Pages: | 400 |
| Sales rank: | 610,619 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.20(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.10(d) |
About the Author
Charles R. Swindoll ha dedicado su vida a una diafana y practica aplicacion de la Palabra de Dios. Hoy dia es pastor de la iglesia Stonebriar Community de Frisco, Texas, y es rector honorario del Seminario Teologico de Dallas. Su famoso programa radial Insight for Living (Vision para vivir) se transmite en el mundo entero. Chuck y Cynthia, la companera de su vida y ministerio, tienen cuatro hijos mayores y diez nietos.
Read an Excerpt
Swindoll's Living Insights Romans
By Charles R. Swindoll
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Copyright © 2015 Charles R. Swindoll, Inc.All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4143-9385-8
CHAPTER 1
SALUTATION (ROMANS 1:1-17)
Imagine how you would feel if you discovered a one hundred percent natural, one hundred percent effective, completely free cure for all types of cancer. How much of your own time, energy, and money would you expend to make this wonder cure available to as many people as possible in your lifetime?
Paul was a man on a mission. His assignment? To distribute the most precious commodity the world has ever received: the gospel, a cure formulated by God to be one hundred percent effective against the terminal disease of sin. The gospel — the euangelion ("good news") in his language — became the driving force of his life. And, as he was about to take this magnificent obsession to a completely different level, the apostle enlisted the help of his brothers and sisters in Rome. Unfortunately, they had never met.
Mission: The Gospel
ROMANS 1:1-17
— 1:1 —
The first seven verses of Paul's letter form one long, complex sentence with several phrases sandwiched between "[From] Paul" (1:1) and "to all who are beloved of God in Rome" (1:7). The original audience would have had no trouble understanding this style of writing, but the jumbled phrases can be terribly confusing for us. So, for the sake of simplicity, let me break it down in two ways. First, note the chart "Paul's Greeting," which we will refer to later. Second, note that his greeting follows a simple outline:
Author: "Paul ..." (1:1)
Subject: Composed of several phrases introducing the content of his letter (1:2-6)
Recipient: "To all who are beloved of God in Rome ..." (1:7a)
Greeting: "Grace to you and peace ..." (1:7b)
The Christians in Rome knew Paul only by reputation. His ministry began a world away in Jerusalem and stretched across most of the eastern Roman Empire, but he had not yet visited the capital city. So, few there had seen the man in person. Nevertheless, his stature as a Christian leader was second to none, especially among Gentiles. So, when identifying himself, Paul could have chosen any number of different titles. He could have called himself a scholar, having been schooled by the renowned Jewish master Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). He could have called himself a Roman citizen (Acts 22:28), a title of significant influence in the capital city. He could have called attention to his personal encounter with the risen Christ (Acts 22:6-11) or his having seen firsthand the splendor of heaven (2 Cor. 12:2-5). Instead, he chose a designation he considered far loftier, far more impressive than any other: doulos Christou Iesou [1401, 5547, 2424], "bond-servant of Christ Jesus."
Greeks and Romans despised servitude above all else. They would not have objected to governmental service as long as it was voluntary, an expression of good virtue by a loyal citizen. Compulsory service, on the other hand, meant the loss of freedom, and to lose one's freedom was to lose one's dignity. In the Septuagint, the term doulos could refer to illegal or unreasonable service, such as Israel's slavery in Egypt (Exod. 13:3) and Jacob's servitude to Laban (Gen. 29:18). Sometimes, doulos referred to those who were subject to the rule of another, such as when one ruler had to pay tribute to another, more powerful king.
So no one wanted the title doulos, unless of course he or she served God. In the service of the Creator, no title could have been more prized. "Bond-slaves of God" included Abraham, Moses, David, and other noteworthy heroes of faith.
Paul introduced himself by adding two other designations to that of "bond-servant." First, he had been called by God to be His "apostle." In secular Greek culture and in the Septuagint, "apostle" referred to someone sent to accomplish a task on behalf of the sender. An apostle was an envoy. For example, in Genesis 24:1-9, Abraham charged a servant with the mission of finding Isaac a wife so that the covenant might pass to his heir. Similarly, Paul claimed authority, not on the basis of education or personality or even special revelation — all of which he could have legitimately claimed — but on the basis of the mandate of the One who had sent him. His authority came from no one other than God Himself.
Second, Paul wrote that he had been "set apart" to teach and preach the gospel (Rom. 1:1). The Greek word is aphorizo [873], which means simply "to separate" or "to reserve." But for Paul, the term bore a deeply profound meaning, one that stemmed from his personal experience. Paul said, in effect, "For the better part of my young adult life, I lived within a circle, bounded by a horizon I could not cross. Then, the Lord confronted me on the road to Damascus, where I had intended to persecute and even kill His followers, and He transported me by faith to a world beyond my old horizon. I have been moved from one circle of existence to another." Moreover, the apostle declared that he had been "set apart" for the purpose of carrying the gospel to the world.
— 1:2-6 —
This gospel not only fueled the apostle's ministry throughout the world, it was the primary subject of his message to the Romans, which he introduced in a network of phrases between "[From] Paul" (1:1) and "to all who are beloved of God in Rome" (1:7). The chart "Paul's Greeting" shows how the phrases are linked together to establish several truths about the good news and its main character, Jesus Christ.
First, the origin of the gospel was God. Paul declared that the gospel was "promised" (1:2). How? Look beneath the word "promised" on the chart.
The gospel was promised beforehand (1:2). The message Paul carried was not new; it had been the central focus of the Old Testament and the impetus behind the Lord's interaction with humankind since Adam and Eve's tragic disobedience in the Garden of Eden.
The gospel was promised through His prophets (1:2). The message Paul carried fulfilled the hope of salvation foreshadowed by every prophet since Moses.
The gospel was promised in the holy Scriptures (1:2). The message Paul carried passed the ultimate test of truth: It was born out of God's Word. And the apostle would demonstrate the veracity of the gospel throughout his letter by quoting or paraphrasing Old Testament Scripture no less than sixty times.
Second, the content of the gospel is Jesus Christ. Note that the gospel was promised "concerning His Son" (1:3), about whom Paul declared several truths.
God's Son "was born of a descendant [literally, "a seed"] of David according to the flesh," meaning that He has a real human nature, just like you and me (1:3).
Jesus was undeniably proven by His resurrection to be the Son of God (1:4), insofar as His eternal identity is concerned. The phrase "Spirit of holiness" refers to His divine nature, for just as God is spirit, so the Son shares this nature.
God's Son is "Jesus Christ our Lord" (1:4). The "Christ" is none other than the Jewish Messiah, who is our kyrios [2962], the Greek term used throughout the Septuagint to refer to God.
Because the Roman believers did not know Paul personally, it was important for him to present an unblemished pedigree of truth, to demonstrate a theological kinship with his audience from the outset. And no issue divided true believers from apostates more definitely than the identity of Christ.
Today, we must do the same. The labels "Methodist," "Presbyterian," "Baptist," or even "evangelical" mean very little to the average person on the street. A teacher of authentic Christian truth must have a clear understanding of who Jesus is in relation to the Trinity and as the central figure of the gospel. If any person says that Jesus is anyone other than God in human flesh, then he or she cannot be trusted to teach others. This person might be Mormon or a Jehovah's Witness or some undefined strain of skeptic. This person might even choose to wear the label "Christian" and carry a Bible; nevertheless, he or she is not Christian. That's not to say we should shun or reject such a person. We must simply recognize that he or she needs to hear the gospel.
Third, the purpose of the gospel is to produce obedient faith (1:5). At one time, learning was said to have taken place when an individual's behavior changed as a result of gaining new information. God did not save us merely to deposit a set of theological principles in our heads. We are saved in order to surrender our lives to Christ (16:26). When you think of obedience, attach to it the synonym "submission." Paul submitted everything to the will of God, from the time of his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus to the very end of his life.
Paul reminded the believers in Rome that they too were "the called of Jesus Christ" (1:6). While their calling did not have the official capacity of his apostleship, they shared his mission nonetheless. Jesus Christ called them to faith and obedience and then charged them with the responsibility to bring Gentiles — that is, their fellow inhabitants of Rome and the Roman Empire at large — to the same faith and obedience.
The responsibility to "make disciples" (Matt. 28:19-20) does not rest entirely upon the shoulders of vocational, full-time ministers of the gospel. They dedicate their lives to preaching, teaching, and leading, but they aren't surrogate servants — hired hands to do work on behalf of others. All of us, every member of Christ's body, are charged with the same mission. We are to seek those who have not heard the good news and become the means by which they come to faith and obedience.
— 1:7 —
Paul concluded his greeting by identifying his audience ("all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints") and then blessing them ("grace to you and peace").
He didn't use the term "saints" to suggest that they were to labor hard in the Christian life in order to attain a lofty spiritual plane. The term "saint" is a noun related to the adjective "holy." Something is kept "holy" when it is set aside for dedicated use, as when a priest would reserve certain things in the temple for the rituals of worship. The purpose for "setting aside" something was to keep it pure, undefiled by the world.
The personal application would have been as obvious to them as it is to us. Believers have been called as "set-aside ones." God has called His own, He has set them aside, and He will do the work of purification. But Paul appears to suggest there is room for us to participate in the cleansing process. Later in his letter, he will urge believers to "be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (12:2). The imperative verb — this command — implies that while the Holy Spirit has undertaken to do this work, we bear a responsibility to join Him. We can participate in four specific ways:
• by submitting to His work of convicting, commanding, comforting, challenging, and conforming
• by devoting ourselves to knowing Jesus and cultivating our personal relationship with Him
• by investing ourselves in loving our fellow believers within the community of faith
• by obeying His command to make disciples of nonbelievers
These activities, and all the spiritual disciplines, cannot make us better people — at least not by themselves. We are powerless to reform our own sinful natures. But, when applied as a means of cultivating our personal relationship with Christ, these actions help us remain more malleable to His shaping.
Moreover, the believers were "beloved," not only by God but also by Paul. He didn't write his brothers and sisters in Rome just to give them a neatly outlined notebook of doctrinal truths. He wanted them to cultivate lives so abundantly filled with grace that obedience became as natural to them as breathing. But this requires balance. The world of fundamentalism teems with people who give very little attention to the graciousness of an obedient life. At the other extreme, many emphasize graciousness and love apart from a solid doctrinal foundation. That's worse than building a house on sand. A life submitted to the Father requires both — a genuine understanding of gospel truth that results in an ever-growing obedience.
The double blessing of grace and peace was a signature greeting for Paul. "Grace" was a common greeting in Greek culture, and its inclusion here would have been as normal to his readers as is the greeting "Dear_____" to us today. However, Paul will delve into the deep theological significance of "grace" in his letter to the Romans in ways that no Jew or Greek would have expected.
The Jews customarily greeted one another with shalom, which had the general meaning of "completion and fulfillment — of entering into a state of wholeness and unity, a restored relationship." The word embodied all the blessings of the Promised Land and the fulfillment of God's covenant with Abraham.
— 1:8-13 —
If the believers in Rome needed anything, it was encouragement, and a letter from someone of Paul's stature would help them stand a little taller. I remember my days in the Marine Corps, eight thousand miles from home, desperately lonely, and counting the minutes until mail call. (No computers or cell phones back then!) I don't know a single person stationed overseas who wouldn't skip a few meals if it meant receiving a letter from home or even a postcard from that special someone. When I received a letter from Cynthia, my heart pounded at the sight of her handwriting. I inhaled the aroma of her perfume on the envelope before opening it. I devoured each word. I read it again, and again, and again, and again. Why? Because she told me what I meant to her. She told me my value. She reminded me of how she was waiting for me and longing to be with me. Perhaps those believers in Rome felt something similar as they read Paul's words. Before teaching them anything, Paul chose four ways to lift the spirits of his Roman brothers and sisters.
Paul affirmed them (1:8). He expressed his personal admiration and thanks for the reputation of faithfulness the Roman Christians had earned, not only in the capital but throughout the empire. Most people hear very little affirmation: sparse amounts at work, less at home, and almost none at church (to our shame). Words of appreciation or gratitude cost nothing, yet how precious they are to the discouraged. The struggling believers in Rome needed to hear someone say, "Well done! Keep doing what you're doing. It's having a lasting impact on the world."
Paul prayed for them (1:9). Paul didn't know most of these people. He had not yet visited Rome. Yet he never failed to include them in his prayers.
For many years, I have had the opportunity to interact with top-level government and military personnel through an organization called the Christian Embassy. The men and women of this community — generals, admirals, chiefs of staff, members of Congress, White House personnel, and support staff — frequently tell me how much it means to them to know that people are praying for them. Washington, DC, is a lonely place for the powerful, even more so for believers in high-ranking positions. The knowledge that others are on their knees before God allows them to feel supported and sustained.
Paul expressed his desire to be with them (1:10). Paul had been in ministry long enough to understand the value of being present with someone who needs encouragement.
We must keep in mind throughout this letter that this is no mere theological treatise. It's a love letter from God to the Romans through His special envoy, Paul. They needed to know that they were the "beloved of God," chosen to be His children, set apart as saints (1:7).
Paul promised to assist them (1:11-13). The discouraged certainly need emotional and spiritual comfort, but they also need tangible help. Paul gave a couple of reasons for his intended visit, each of which he introduced with the Greek conjunction hina [2443], "for the purpose of" or "in order that."
"[In order that] I may impart some spiritual gift to you, [with the result that] you may be established." The Greek phrase pneumatikon charisma (spiritual gift) [4152, 5486] leads some to suggest that Paul intended to empower the believers in Rome with supernatural abilities from the Holy Spirit. Sometimes he used the phrase this way (12:6; 1 Cor. 1:7; 12:4, 31), and sometimes he used charisma ("gift") to refer to the free offer of salvation (Rom. 5:15, 16; 6:23).
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Swindoll's Living Insights Romans by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 2015 Charles R. Swindoll, Inc.. Excerpted by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Table of Contents
Contents
Author's Preface, v,The Strong's Numbering System, vii,
Introduction, 3,
Salutation (Romans 1:1-17), 12,
Mission: The Gospel (Romans 1:1-17), 14,
The Wrath of God (Romans 1:18–3:20), 30,
God Is Angry (Romans 1:18-23), 32,
Forsaken, but Not Forgotten (Romans 1:24-32), 39,
The Indictment of Conscience (Romans 2:1-16), 47,
The Dark Side of Religion (Romans 2:17-29), 53,
Objection Overruled (Romans 3:1-8), 62,
An Autopsy of Depravity (Romans 3:9-20), 68,
The Grace of God (Romans 3:21–5:21), 78,
Unwrapping the Gift of Grace (Romans 3:21-31), 80,
Righteousness Is a Five-Letter Word (Romans 4:1-15), 94,
Hoping against Hope (Romans 4:16-25), 104,
Peace with God (Romans 5:1-11), 112,
Guilt vs. Grace (Romans 5:12-21), 125,
The Faithfulness of God (Romans 6:1–8:39), 134,
Dying to Live (Romans 6:1-14), 137,
Whose Slave Are You? (Romans 6:15-23), 148,
Portrait of a Struggling Christian (Romans 7:1-25), 156,
Let's Talk about Our Walk (Romans 8:1-17), 167,
Glorying and Groaning (Romans 8:18-27), 177,
We Overwhelmingly Conquer (Romans 8:28-39), 188,
The Majesty of God (Romans 9:1–11:36), 200,
Straight Talk about Predestination (Romans 9:1-33), 203,
Straight Talk about Responsibility (Romans 10:1-21), 221,
The Jews: Forgotten or Set Aside? (Romans 11:1-14), 235,
Horticultural Ethics (Romans 11:15-29), 249,
Unsearchable, Unfathomable, and Unmatched! (Romans 11:30-36), 259,
The Righteousness of God (Romans 12:1–15:13), 268,
A Compelling Commitment (Romans 12:1-8), 270,
Christianity 101 (Romans 12:9-16), 283,
Doing Right When You've Been Done Wrong (Romans 12:17-21), 293,
How to Be a Godly Rebel (Romans 13:1-7), 300,
Wake Up and Get Dressed! (Romans 13:8-14), 307,
Putting Grace into Action (Romans 14:1-12), 316,
Liberty on a Tightrope (Romans 14:13-23), 326,
We Are One ... Or Are We? (Romans 15:1-13), 336,
The Community of God (Romans 15:14–16:27), 343,
Partners, Plans, and Prayer (Romans 15:14-33), 346,
Love, and a Holy Kiss (Romans 16:1-16), 358,
Boars in God's Vineyard (Romans 16:17-20), 368,
Lifting Up Friends and Glorifying God (Romans 16:21-27), 374,
Endnotes, 383,
List of Features and Images Timeline, 2,
Map of Eastern Roman Empire, 2,
The Book of Romans at a Glance, 4,
Map of Territory Covered by Paul, 6,
The Gospel of Christ and the Pax Romana, 9,
Old Testament References in Romans, 18,
The Acrocorinth, 43,
Balance Scale, 51,
No Secrets with God, 64,
As It Is Written, 71,
Excursus: Faith of Our Fathers, 75,
Bema, 85,
Circumcision: A Right or a Rite?, 100,
Excursus: Shame on Your Guilt!, 127,
Do You Really Expect an Answer?, 139,
"In Christ" in Romans, 154,
The World according to Plato, 161,
Excursus: Does God Hate?, 213,
Map of the Promised Land in Old Testament Times, 218,
The Remnant, 239,
Grafting, 253,
Spiritual Gifts Listed in Scripture, 279,
Corinth, 319,
You Are What You Eat, 331,
Romans, Religions, Rituals, and Relations, 345,
Map of Paul's Missionary Strategy, 354,
What People are Saying About This
'Chuck Swindoll has been a faithful and wise teacher of God's Word for many decades, and I am glad to see this new series that will make his captivating and heart-touching Bible teaching available to many more readers.' — Wayne Grudem, Ph D, Research Professor of Theology and Biblical Studies, Phoenix Seminary, Phoenix, Arizona
'Chuck Swindoll's warmth and empathy and love for teaching the Scriptures have blessed the church with remarkable fruitfulness, and they are present in spades in his reflections on the writings of Paul.' — John Ortberg
'As a pastor and teacher, I'm always searching for commentaries that will help me gain a more accurate grasp of the text and a clearer understanding of what it means for us today. Not many can deliver on both fronts. But in this first volume of his New Testament Insights series, Chuck Swindoll nails it. I expect that this treatise on Romans and the entire series are destined to become a trusted and well-worn addition to my library.' — Larry Osborne, pastor and author, North Coast Church, Vista, CA
'Chuck always finds a way to bring to life ancient stories and abstract thoughts. He doesn't have a boring bone in his body.' — Philip Yancey
At a time when many people think that the Bible is irrelevant and distant to them, few people have helped to make the Bible accessible to people as much as Chuck Swindoll. Here he unpacks the most doctrinal book of Paul in a way that brings doctrine to life. The combination of solid biblical scholarship, simple and understandable language, lively explanatory illustrations, and relevant contemporary application ensures that this book will serve as a health-giving resource to today's church. — Ajith Fernando, National Director, Youth for Christ, Sri Lanka
'To lay the theological foundation of Saddleback Church, I spent two years teaching through the book of Romans verse-by-verse to our congregation. During those two years, nothing encouraged me more personally as I prepared those messages than the tape-recorded messages on the book of Romans by my dear friend Chuck Swindoll. Chuck modeled how to teach profound biblical truths in clear, concise, and practical ways. I'm thrilled to see his teaching on Romans in the single published volume, Insights on Romans, and am eager to purchase the rest of the series as it comes out.' — Rick Warren, Saddleback Church