Discovering Romans: Spiritual Revival for the Soul
272
Discovering Romans: Spiritual Revival for the Soul
272Paperback
-
PICK UP IN STORECheck Availability at Nearby Stores
Available within 2 business hours
Related collections and offers
Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780310515425 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Zondervan Academic |
| Publication date: | 11/25/2014 |
| Pages: | 272 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d) |
| Age Range: | 18 Years |
About the Author
Dr. Mike Abendroth is pastor of Bethlehem Bible Church, West Boylston, Massachusetts, and adjunct instructor at Southern Seminary and European Bible Training Seminar. He earned a DMin from Southern Seminary and a MDiv from Master’s Seminary. He is host of the daily talk radio program No Compromise Radio. His books include Jesus Christ the Prince of Preachers, The Supremacy and Sovereignty of King Jesus, and Things that Go Bump in the Church.
Read an Excerpt
Discovering Romans
Spiritual Revival for the Soul
By S. Lewis Johnson Jr.
ZONDERVAN
Copyright © 2014 S. Lewis Johnson Jr. Family Trust and Mike AbendrothAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-310-51542-5
CHAPTER 1
THE CHRIST PAUL PREACHED
ROMANS 1:1–17
In countless instances, Romans has been the means of arousing individuals and churches out of spiritual lethargy. Augustine, the learned municipal teacher of rhetoric in the city of Milan, was vexed over the condition of his soul. With a "mightyrainoftears"pouringfromhiseyes,hethrewhimselfonthegroundunder a fig tree. He kept crying out, "And Thou, O Lord, how long? How long, O Lord, wilt Thou be angry unto the end? Remember not our former iniquities." There he heard from a neighboring residence the voice of a child chanting repetitiously, Tolle, lege! Tolle, lege! What "Take it, read it! Take it, read it!" meant to the child, Augustine does not say. To him, however, it meant that he should open a book and read the first passage he found. He took up a copy of Romans he had left there. Snatching it up, he opened it and read the first passage on which his eyes fell: "Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature." With the end of this sentence from Romans 13:13–14 the darkness was dispelled, and his heart was flooded with light. The epistle to the Romans has warmed the heart of countless others who have pondered its message, for in it is the sum and substance of the voice of God to humans.
"The Epistle to the Romans," C. H. Dodd said in the opening sentence of his commentary on the book, "is the first great work of Christian theology." It is the only part of Scripture in which there is found a detailed and systematic presentation of the main features of Christian doctrine. Since the apostle's thought is founded on and drawn from the Old Testament primarily, Romans is also an excellent introduction to the theology of the Old Testament. The epistle is calculated to provide its reader with an incisive insight into the riches of the Old Testament and with a sterling handbook to the theology by which Christian believers are to live. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Paul's letter to the Romans is one of the most influential letters ever written.
THE INTRODUCTION
The introduction to Romans is no ordinary salutation. Embedded within it is one of the apostle's classic statements of the person and work of the Redeemer he preached. He calls Jesus the Son of God, and it is evident that Paul knows no distinction in dignity between his Lord and his God.
THE AUTHOR
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—
It was winter of the years AD 54–55 in the city of Corinth, the vanity fair of the ancient world. Two quiet and dignified men, guests in the house of Gaius, a Christian businessman of Corinth, sat down to engage in the work of correspondence. Paul, a man who appeared to be in his late fifties, prepared to dictate a letter to a man named Tertius (cf. Rom. 16:22). That papyrus scroll that flowed from the hand of Tertius would be sufficient to change the course of the history of the Western world.
The letter began insignificantly enough, being composed in accordance with the common formula of salutation, which was in the form of, "A to B, greeting." But once that is acknowledged, everything changes, and Christian expansions enter. The author expands the description of himself, the description of the addressees, and the greeting. Further, in the midst of the salutation there appears a lengthy aside on the nature of the Christian message, resulting in an almost unique epistolary introduction.
The author in his opening words relates himself to three things: his Master, his spiritual gift, and his work. With regard to his Master, Paul describes himself as "a servant of Christ Jesus." The word "servant," used here for the first time in Romans, is a familiar term from the Old Testament. It is used of the relationship of the Old Testament believers to Yahweh, such as Abraham (cf. Ps. 105:6, 42), Moses (cf. Num. 12:7–8), and David (2 Sam. 7:5, 8). The prophets too were accorded this dignity (cf. Amos 3:7; Zech. 1:6). Although a Jew and steeped in the thought of the Old Testament, Paul is proud to call himself a slave of Christ Jesus. To him it is evident that to be the servant of Yahweh and the servant of Jesus Christ is one and the same thing. In his opening words, then, we are given a hint of the lofty majesty of the Jesus whom Paul preached.
The noble phrase "servant of Christ Jesus" is undoubtedly intended to refer to a position Paul holds in the Lord's service. He calls himself a servant simply to indicate his official status.
Paul refers to himself as an apostle by calling (kletos, "called to be"). He is an apostle by a divinely initiated calling, not by human seeking. Paul, therefore, has not gained his position by arrogant, ambitious, and presumptuous self-efforts. His call, as Abraham's, was an invitation that came from heaven.
The word "apostle" is a word that comes into importance in Christian circles. Among the spiritual gifts of the New Testament church apostleship stands first (cf. 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11). An apostle had seen the risen Messiah and had been appointed by him to plant the flag of faith in every community to which his Master led him. He was his emissary and spoke with his authority. Thus, in Paul's words there is the implicit claim that he is the authoritative representative of Jesus Christ, divinely called to his task.
Finally, Paul relates himself to his work. He has been "set apart for the gospel of God," a statement that must have been written out of the context of his experience on the road to Damascus. That left an indelible impression on Paul; he was forever and fully dedicated to the ministry of God's gospel.
THE SUBJECT
2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. 6 And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
The mention of the good news of the gospel leads Paul into an illustration of a peculiarity of his style, the tendency to take off into an expansion of one or more of the essential elements of his address to his readers. This one consumes five verses. Often these asides provide the reader with a key to the theme of the epistle, as is the case in the opening sentences of 1 Corinthians (cf. 1:2). The theme of Romans is simply "the gospel of God" (cf. vv. 1, 16–17).
The Roots of the Gospel (1:2)
The first thing said of God's gospel is that, while it is good news, it is not new news. Its roots lie firmly embedded in the Old Testament. It is not without reason that this epistle has been called a theology of the Old Testament, because Paul's words "promised beforehand" are ultimately written out of the background of Isaiah 40–66 (cf. 40:9; 52:7; 61:1) and Habakkuk 2:4 (cf. Rom. 1:17; 3:21; 4:3, 6–8; et al.). "The gospel represents," Franz Leenhardt says, "not a break with the past, but a consummation of it." It is, therefore, exegetical suicide to attempt to interpret the New Testament apart from the voice of its predecessor, the Old Testament. Gerhard von Rad is right: "Christ is given to us only through the double witness of the choir of those who await and those who remember."
The fact that Paul uses the words "promised beforehand" points also to the element of divine foreordination in the gospel. As Martin Luther in his characteristically rugged way said, "Christianity did not originate by accident or in the fate of the stars (as many empty-headed people presume)," but "it became what it was to be by the certain counsel and premeditated ordination of God."
The Content of the Gospel (1:3–4)
Otto Kuss has said that verses 2–4 contain a concise but full paraphrase of the gospel preached by Paul. The apostle adds the claim that it concerns God's Son, referring to the theanthropic person, the Son clothed with man's nature. He is the Son of God because he is consubstantial with the Father, equal with him in power and glory. "The term," Charles Hodge adds, "expresses the relation of the second to the first person in the Trinity, as it exists from eternity.... He was and is the Eternal Son." Thus, Paul's theology is theocentric in that God is the ultimate source of salvation, but it is Christocentric in that its executive is the unique Son of God, who cut the covenant with his blood on the cross. This sonship, then, is the foundation of all that follows.
At this point, the reader is brought face-to-face with a passage that surely would rank with Paul's greatest christological passages, were it not for its difficulty of interpretation. Students of verses 3 and 4, and the description of the Son they contain, are agreed on one thing: the clauses are arranged in an obvious antithesis to one another.
First, then, what does Paul mean by the verb "declared"? A search of a concordance and a consideration of New Testament usage of "declared" leads to the conviction that the Greek word means to appoint. The first antithesis, then, between the words "who as to his human nature" and "appointed" suggests that the Son entered the human stage of his existence by birth, and that this was followed by an appointment to a further status. The details of these two facets of his life and ministry are developed in the second of the antitheses.
Second, the antithesis between "a descendant of David" and "the Son of God" is not difficult. The former phrase is a clear reference to the Davidic descent of our Lord, and it is evident, not only from this reference but from others also, that this was an essential part of the Pauline gospel. Davidic sonship, with all its messianic meaning, is therefore to be added to divine sonship as a fundamental feature of the Jesus Paul preached.
The other side of the antithesis spells out the significance of the Son's appointment. It seems best to take the phrase "with power" with "the Son of God" and not with "declared." His sonship in power refers, then, to the authority he possesses by virtue of his exaltation. Almost imperceptibly sonship begins to merge into lordship.
The resurrection is the great event that reveals the true meaning of the saving work of the cross. It is the evidence that the redeeming work has been accomplished with the full approval of the Father (cf. Rom. 4:25).
The third antithesis is between "as to his human nature" and "through the Spirit of holiness." The first phrase clearly refers to the human nature of the Lord in its entirety (cf. 9:5; John 1:14; Eph. 2:15; 1 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 5:7). With respect to his human nature, he was born of the seed of David. What, however, does "through the Spirit of holiness" mean? Earlier commentators, due to the clear reference to the human nature in the opposite side of the antithesis, referred the phrase to his divine nature (cf. Rom. 9:5). If, as seems certain from usage, "declared" means "appointed," then in what sense could it ever be said that Jesus Christ was appointed Son of God according to his divine nature? He was eternally the divine Son by virtue of his own inherent right to the title.
We may take the phrase "through the Spirit of holiness" to characterize Christ spiritually, just as "according to the flesh" characterizes him physically. It expresses the spirit of holiness that dominated all his thoughts and actions. It was the holy obedience, the complete consecration by which he did the will of God, seen most clearly in the obedience of the cross. It is no wonder, then, that Paul added, "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name" (Phil. 2:9). The Messiah's life is characterized by two stages, the stage of humiliation and the stage of exaltation, and the former gave way to the latter. He who was Son of David according to his physical being was appointed God's powerful Son according to his spiritual consecration following the resurrection.
Paul, instead of contrasting the human and divine natures of the Son in verses 3 and 4, contrasts the two stages in the historical process of his first coming, the incarnate and the glorified stages. The clauses, then, move from messiahship to lordship, the resurrection being the point of division between the state of humiliation and weakness and the state of exaltation and power.
The final words of verse 4, "Jesus Christ our Lord," effectively summarize the points of the interpretation. The Son is, first, "Jesus Christ," the historical messianic figure who will fulfill the covenant promises to Israel. He is, second, "our Lord," the exalted sovereign who is Judge over all. Thus, the historical and the official, the humiliation and the exaltation, unite in a thrilling affirmation of his supreme glory.
The Aim of the Gospel (1:5–6)
Here is Paul's first use of the word "grace" in the letter, a word that J. H. Jowett once defined as "holy love on the move." At this place in Romans it is the particular grace of apostleship, and its aim is to win believing obedience among all the nations (cf. 11:13; 15:16, 18). The last expression of verse 5 in the Greek text, "for his name's sake," stresses that the glory of Jesus Christ is the ultimate goal of God in the proclamation of the gospel.
THE ADDRESSEES
7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
The apostle closes the monumental introduction by expressing his desire that God's favor, his "grace," and confident access after alienation, his "peace," may be the experience of the Romans. It is to come "from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ." He links his "Lord" with "God our Father," viewing the two persons together as the common source of the supernatural gifts of grace and peace. Paul could not do this if he did not believe that the two stand on the same ground, equal in power and wisdom and authority.
THE GOSPEL PAUL PREACHED
Since the great truth of justification by faith alone is at the heart of Paul's letter to the Roman church, the epistle may come as something of a surprise to modern ecclesiastics. We might have expected the apostle to address believers at Rome, a city crammed with social problems, with a social manifesto or, at the least, a recitation of the primary truths of Christianity in their application to the social problems of the imperial city. Rome was a city of slaves, but Paul did not preach against slavery. It was a city of lust and vice, but he did not aim his mightiest guns at these evils. It was a city of gross economic injustice, but he did not thrust the sword of the Spirit into the vitals of that plague. It was a city that had been erected on and that had fed on and prospered by the violence and rapacity of war, but the apostle did not expatiate on its immorality. Apparently, if we are to judge the matter from a strictly biblical standpoint, Paul did not think that social reform in Rome was "an evangelical imperative." The proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ solved the crucial and urgent need for the society as a whole and for people in particular. It is still the imperative of the Christian church, and the Christian church will advance only to the extent that its gospel advances.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Discovering Romans by S. Lewis Johnson Jr.. Copyright © 2014 S. Lewis Johnson Jr. Family Trust and Mike Abendroth. Excerpted by permission of ZONDERVAN.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Acknowledgments, 7,Foreword by John MacArthur, 9,
Introduction, 11,
1. The Christ Paul Preached—Romans 1:1–17, 19,
2. The Revelation of God's Wrath—Romans 1:18–32, 30,
3. The Judgment of God—Romans 2:1–29, 39,
4. The Jews, the Oracles of God, and the Universality of Sin—Romans 3:1–20, 48,
5. How Should Man Be Just with God?—Romans 3:21–31, 58,
6. Abraham's Salvation—Romans 4:1–25, 68,
7. Safety, Certainty, and Enjoyment—Romans 5:1–11, 79,
8. Imputation and Two Representative Men—Romans 5:12–21, 85,
9. "Shall We Continue in Sin?"—Romans 6:1–14, 98,
10. Only Two Masters—Romans 6:15–23, 104,
11. Marital Union with Christ—Romans 7:1–12, 109,
12. The Struggle—Romans 7:13–25, 117,
13. The Delivering Power of the Indwelling Spirit—Romans 8:1–17, 123,
14. The Divine Purpose: From Groanings to Glory—Romans 8:18–30, 132,
15. God for Us—Romans 8:31–39, 142,
16. Distinguishing Grace—Romans 9:1–13, 148,
17. Vessels of Wrath and Vessels of Mercy—Romans 9:14–33, 157,
18. Christ, the Law, and Israel's Inexcusable Unbelief—Romans 10:1–21, 163,
19. Is Israel's Rejection Total?—Romans 11:1–24, 173,
20. The Salvation of Israel and God's Agenda for the Nations—Romans 11:25–36, 183,
21. The Mercies of God and Living Sacrifices—Romans 12:1–8, 193,
22. Love and Service—Romans 12:9–21, 200,
23. The Christian Citizen and the Day—Romans 13:1–14, 208,
24. The Christian's Favorite Indoor Sport—Romans 14:1–23, 214,
25. The Servant of the Nations—Romans 15:1–33, 224,
26. Paul's Friends and the Strengthening Gospel—Romans 16:1–27, 238,
Epilogue, 247,
Notes, 248,
What People are Saying About This
S. Lewis Johnson possessed a superb theological mind and exquisite teaching gifts. He loved Scripture and was committed to its truth. His preaching was always powerful and profound, yet lucid and easily accessible. Bible teachers of his caliber are exceedingly rare, and his manner of blending biblical exposition with rich theological instruction is fast becoming a lost art. Discovering Romans will have a prominent place on my bookshelves. — Phil Johnson, Executive Director, Grace To You
S. Lewis Johnson Jr., my mentor and friend, was a gracious Christian gentleman, humble scholar, and lover of God’s Word. His fondness for Romans was most evident in his teaching and preaching on the doctrine of imputation—the basis for substitutionary atonement; indeed for salvation itself! Much could be said about his sound, contextual exegesis, but I want to emphasize the clarion call he continued to trumpet for the vitally important doctrine of imputation, especially on the meaning of the final clause of Romans 5:12, “because all sinned.” As Johnson has said, that single phrase “has been one of the major battlegrounds of the systems of theology.” There are so many important truths pertaining to the representative headship of the first and last Adam and of God’s justice, love, mercy, and grace in the messages propounded in this book that I can only say, “Read it! Ponder it! And embrace the truth! It is doctrinally sound, heart-warming, and spiritually nourishing.” — Gary D. Long, Th.D, Faculty President, Providence Theological Seminary, Colorado Springs, CO
As I read the words of this commentary, I can’t help but hear in my head the voice of S. Lewis Johnson Jr. I count it as an immeasurable blessing to have sat in the presence and under his influence as he preached through Paul’s greatest epistle. His remarkable exegetical and theological insights, combined with a pastor’s heart and a love for God’s people, made that a genuinely life-changing experience. I am indescribably grateful for the efforts of Mike Abendroth in making this volume available. No one should undertake a study of Romans without Johnson at his side. Highly recommended! — Sam Storms, Pastor
I first encountered Dr. S. Lewis Johnson Jr. in the beginning of my seminary education some twenty years back. Lost in the vast maze of my theological education, I was struggling to find the balance between scholarship and pastoral ministry—a balance that plagues so many of us who take up the task of preaching. Someone mercifully pointed me to the preaching ministry of Dr. Johnson. I recall the first moment I heard the stately southern gentlemen expound the Word of God. It was his exposition of Romans. It was at that moment that I first encountered what I did not think was possible. A deep and intensive exegesis of God’s Word was combined with an equally deep compassion and love for God’s people. I heard what it sounds like to study at the level of a scholar and communicate at the level of a friend. In my humble opinion, no modern preacher has proven to be his equal in the rare alchemy of knowledge and grace. The volume you hold in your hand was taken from the sermons that changed the course of that young preacher’s life and ministry. I am beyond grateful it has been put into print. — Byron Yawn, Pastor, Community Bible Church, Nashville, Tennessee
S. Lewis Johnson on Romans! What a delight it is to see the legacy of an exceptionally faithful Bible teacher helping us to behold the glories of Christ in Romans. Dr. Johnson’s ministry is known for clarity, warm-hearted conviction, and a Christ-centeredness that resonates with pastors, scholars, and laypeople alike. Furthermore, the theological integrity of this work makes it a superb tool for discerning the difference between authentic gospel truths and vain speculations. If you are a pastor, the resource you recommend on Romans just became much easier. If you are a teacher, Discovering Romans can be your trustworthy “go to” guide. For Bible students, this book will be helpful in discovering the unfathomable riches of the gospel in Romans. I am thrilled to recommend Discovering Romans. — Patrick Abendroth, Pastor, Omaha Bible Church
With that remarkable and admirable combination of a deeply and widely learned theological mind and an always keen exegetical eye, S. Lewis Johnson was known as a scholar of rare abilities. This was coupled with a heart warmly fervent for the gospel; he was always a treat to hear and to read, and I cherish every memory of him. He loved Paul’s letter to the Romans, and he wrote, taught, and preached from it many times, always to distinct profit and blessing. Mike Abendroth, an avid student of Johnson, has done us a great service in collating Johnson’s thoughts on this greatest of Paul’s epistles. — Fred G. Zaspel, Pastor, Reformed Baptist Church, Franconia, PA; Professor of Theology, Calvary Baptist Seminary; Editor, Books At a Glance
I am one of those privileged to have some history with Dr. S. Lewis Johnson. It began when I was a student at Dallas Seminary as well as a member of Believers Chapel, where he preached for many years. Later, I was blessed to be able to preach alongside him, under the giant shadow he cast. When we left Believers Chapel to start a new work (with the encouragement and assistance of the elders) our daughters were still young, so they never got to know Dr. Johnson. Years later, our whole family returned to Believers Chapel for the funeral of a good friend. As Dr. Johnson was delivering the message, one of my daughters leaned over and whispered in my ear, “I don’t know who this guy is, but he’s good!” I couldn’t agree more. Like my daughter, you might not have been privileged to get to know Dr. Johnson personally, but as you read his brilliant treatment of Romans, I’m certain that you will agree that he is a marvelous teacher of the Word. And even more, I’m convinced that his teaching will fix your eyes on Jesus, who is infinitely better. — Robert Deffinbaugh, Pastor-Teacher
I am grateful that the writings of Dr. S. Lewis Johnson are being preserved and passed into the next generation. Dr. Johnson was committed to the exegetical and expositional preaching and teaching of God’s inerrant Word. I am glad to recommend the project undertaken by my friend Mike Abendroth and am pleased that Dr. Johnson’s family has encouraged this pursuit. May this commentary on Romans expand minds and hearts for God through the study of his Word. — Mark Bailey, President, Dallas Theological Seminary
S. Lewis Johnson was a premiere theologian and careful expositor of God’s Word whose influence was widespread in the late twentieth century. His work on Romans is another example of the gift this man was to the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. You will find this book to be a valuable addition to your library. — Daniel L. Akin, President, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC
By the grace of God, S. Lewis Johnson played an instrumental role in the recovery of and concern for a solid biblical theology in the ranks of twentieth-century evangelicalism. I still treasure the memory of his teaching in this regard. It is a personal joy, then, to recommend Discovering Romans, which is of immense value in the ongoing struggle to maintain a truly evangelical theology that is deeply rooted in the Scriptures. — Michael A. G. Haykin, Professor of Church History and Biblical Spirituality, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
13
14
15