Lord Jesus Christ in Romans

Verses within this Study.

1:1, 3, 3-Son, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16; 2:16; 3:22, 24, 3:26; 4:8, 4:24; 5:1, 6, 8, 10, 11, 15, 17, 21; 6:3, 4, 8, 9, 11, 23; 7:4, 25; 8:1, 2, 3, 9, 10, 11, 11-J, 11-C, 14, 17, 19, 29, 32, 34, 35, 39; 9:1, 3, 5, 9, 28, 29; 10:4, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13, 16; 11:3, 34; 12:5, 11, 19; 13:14; 14:6, 8, 9, 9-L, 9-C, 10, 11, 14, 15, 18; 15:3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 29, 30; 16:2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 25, 27.

Click on the following links to jump to a section within the study of this Bible Book: Lord only, Jesus only, Christ only, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus, Lord Jesus, Lord Christ, Lord Jesus Christ, Son.

In addition, to the normal sections in this study, the Book Study on Romans has the following links: God, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15, Chapter 16.

This Study was originally written as part of the Lord Jesus Christ Study, which is the first thing that I published on the web. At that time I also included related context information for each verse studied. Since then I have completed the Book Study on Romans. It provides a high-level analysis and a detailed analysis for each sentence. In most cases, the contextual analysis has been moved from here to there with this web page concentrating upon the use of the names / roles of the Son of God within the verses of the epistle to the Romans. However, at times there are two different perspectives of the same sentence / verse. In some of those cases I chose to leave one perspective in this Study rather than moving it to the Book Study on Romans. In addition, when the sentence / verse is really concentrating upon the meaning of a particular role of the Son of God, the analysis was retained here.

At the start of each verse note, within this web page, is a link that will take the reader to the related note within the Book Study on Romans. That note has a link to the verse within he Bible, a breakdown of the sentence according to punctuation, and a complete analysis of all important parts of the sentence.

In addition, to the detailed analysis that is reachable from each verse note, there is a very complete overall analysis and summary of the entire epistle at this link. Many people write all kinds of commentaries on this epistle of doctrine and ignore the context as they try to justify their doctrine. This study relies very much upon context for determining what we are told by this epistle. In the start of the summary I include evidence from the epistle itself which shows that this epistle is built one chapter upon another and one sentence upon another. The result is that ignoring context can be as dangerous as removing all of the support walls of the 8th floor in a 16 story building. Hopefully, the people who dig out the bodies of the fools who did that will learn to not follow their example. Hopefully, the reader of this Study will learn to not ignore context within the Bible and especially within Romans.

Many people forget that the word of God contains the Law of God. Many forget that salvation is a covenant (spiritual contract) agreement with God whereby we agree to accept Him as our personal Lord. Many forget that we will personally meet Him and give and answer for every word (Matthew 4:4; 18:16; Luke 4:4; 2Corinthians 13:1). Many forget that God promised to make them ashamed if they are not continuously rightly dividing the word of truth and that shame will last at least until the Great White Throne judgment (Revelation 20:11) if not for eternity. God said what he meant and meant what he said and we will each be sorry if we claim that our opinion is God's Word.

The epistle to the Romans is well-known for teaching doctrine. It is organized in an orderly fashion. Christ occurs most often in Romans at 68 times. Lord occurs 39times and Jesus occurs 38 times. Son occurs 8 times. King does not occur while the kingdom of God is in 14:17. Saviour and Lamb do not occur in Romans.

Lord Only

Romans 4:8; 9:28, 29; 10:12, 13, 16; 11:3, 34; 12:11, 19; 14:6, 8, 9, 11; 15:11; 16:2, 8, 11, 12, 13, 22.

The first uses of Lord are references to God the Father and are quotes of Old Testament verses. Then in Romans 14:6, Paul plays with the word Lord and switches between references to God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. From there on, Paul is relating God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Click here for all of the Verses that use Lord and here for the Summary on the name / role of Lord.

Romans 4:8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

In Romans 4 God is used 6 times in 5verses. Lord is used in this verse and Jesus our Lord is used at the end of the chapter in 4:24. Basically, Romans 4 is telling us how God the Father saved Abraham and the legal considerations of what God did. Very little of this chapter is dealing with the Son of God until the end of the chapter where we are told that God the Father made Jesus our Lord. Where chapter 3 talked about legal concepts chapter 4 shows us how God implemented those concepts by using Abraham as our example.

This verse is a quote of Psalms 32:1-2 where David is talking about God the Father. That, of course, fits with the rest of this chapter which is talking about God the Father for almost all of it. This verse uses impute which means 'to account'. Within the Bible, all permutations of impute (Leviticus 7:18; 17:4; 1Samuel 22:15; 2Samuel 19:19; Psalms 32:2; Habakkuk 1:11; Romans 4:6, 8, 11, 22-24; 5:13; 2Corinthians 5:19; Galatians 3:6; James 2:23) are used to mean a legal accounting for sin with a major number of the uses in this chapter of Romans. This chapter should be read in its entirety and the note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans read to get a better understanding what Paul is talking about here. In the simplest of terms, God did not hold Abraham accountable for his sins because Abraham came to God by faith and not by claiming some legal righteousness. The chapter concludes that we need to do the same. We do that by believing on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead as said in the conclusion of this chapter, which is in 4:23-25. Please see the note for 4:24 under Lord Jesus for more details.

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Romans 9:28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.

The note for this sentence in the Book Study on Romans has this sentence divided by punctuation. Please see that note for those details and for the context of this verse.

We see this sentence has three Equivalent Sections which tell us how the Lord will bring judgment. We also see the majority of people will refuse to take the warning and live in righteousness. They receive sudden destruction and only a remnant will not be destroyed. Those people who survive will all be people who do righteousness and anyone who does not do righteousness will perish.

This sentence is a reference to Isaiah 10:22-23 which says For though your people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the destruction decreed shall overflow with righteousness. For the Lord GOD of hosts shall make the destruction decreed, in the midst of all the land. Romans 9:29 is added to this verse, by Paul, in order to provide the message that he is delivering. Then Romans 9:30-33 give us the conclusion based upon the two quotes provided by Paul. (Please also see the note below about Romans 9:29.)

The note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans deals with the conclusion in 9:30-33 and should also be read as it also shows that The Lord will judge 'religious righteousness' ('positional righteousness') and will preserve actual righteousness. As with 9:29, the reference in this verse to Lord can be argued to be God the Father, because it is a quote of Isaiah, or it can be argued to be God the Son who will lead the hosts when He returns bring judgment upon all that refuse to do righteousness. That is, if we consider this verse to be talking about the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

However, He also brings judgment upon individuals. Saved people have a personal relationship with our Lord. When they continue to refuse to listen to warring and corrections, the Lord brings personal judgment. The majority of prayer requests in our churches are for help with sickness and other concerns of the flesh. The suggestion that this might be a judgment for sin brings a quick rejection of that with the claim that 'Not all sickness is a judgment of sin'. Thus, God's people reject the possibility that their personal problem is a judgment of sin. Instead of returning to righteousness, God's people lead lives that convince people that they can continue in sin and that the 'bad things which just happen' have nothing to do with their personal sin. Thus God has to bring greater judgment and all of this leads up to sudden destruction coming upon a region or a society. The only protection is for God's people to truly return to righteousness.

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Romans 9:29 And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.

This is a quote of Isaiah 1:9 which says Unless the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah. We see an important concept here. The original in Isaiah was (supposedly) translated from Hebrew to English. The quote in Romans was (supposedly) translated from Greek to English. We see some differences in spelling and minor word changes, but the content of the message has not been changed. Thus, we can say that Lord of Sabaoth and LORD of hosts mean the same thing. There are several commentators who tell us the same thing by going through an explanation of Greek and Hebrew words and their roots and all of this analysis that makes them look scholarly. Meanwhile, we just need faith in our God to preserve His Word to arrive at the same conclusion without going into languages that most readers really don't understand enough the translate properly. (Proper translation requires a considerable amount more than swapping words. Otherwise, we would have had computer programs doing proper translation a long time ago.)

We can also see that a very small remnant in Isaiah is translated to a seed in Romans. We also see that Isaiah 1 goes into detail about how God will bring judgment until all that is left are those who are doing righteousness and Romans 9:28 (which our current verse is added to), says that God will cut it short in righteousness. We also see the conclusion that is in Romans 9:30-33 is that God rewards true righteousness which is of faith and destroys righteousness based upon religion. (Please see the note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans for details.) We also see the same message in Isaiah 1.

The reference in this verse (Lord of Sabaoth) can be argued to be God the Father, because it is a quote of Isaiah, or it can be argued to be God the Son who will lead the hosts when He returns to set up His kingdom. Regardless of which one this is referring to, both act the same and only those who do righteousness will survive but they will then 'bloom' into a great increase of God's righteousness once God removes all of the sources of evil from around them.

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Romans 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

The note for this sentence, in the Book Study on Romans, has many links to verses related to this one including verses which tell us that God is no respecter of persons, and that the gospel is presented to Jews and Greeks alike and that there is no difference between men before God and that He is Lord of all (or same Lord) and other related verses. In addition, the Verses document in the Lord Jesus Christ Study has links to every verse in the New Testament that uses Lord. Thus all through the Bible we find that God is Lord to all men. What's more, God does not change (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). For Him to act one way as Lord when He was with one man (or group of men) and act differently with others would require Him to change. He was Lord to Adam and Eve and their children, and we are all the children of Adam and Eve. He was Lord to Noah and his children, and we are all the children of Noah. So whether we are talking between different men or over time or any other measure we want, God is the same Lord to all men.

As the Overview document explains, God acts differently through His roles as Lord and as King and as Jesus and as Christ and as Saviour. He offers us a personal relationship with Him as Jesus and as Christ. However, as Lord there is nothing personal in the relationship. As Lord, He deals with laws, judgment, groups of men and other things where He can not make a difference from one man to another and still remain righteous. That is why He has these different roles and acts differently within each role. That is also why we can refuse to deal with Him as Jesus and as Christ (the personal relationship roles) but no one will refuse to deal with Him as Lord. Yes, they may think that they can ignore Him in this life, but judgment day is coming. In addition, every knee shall bow and acknowledge God as Lord, whether they want to or not (Isaiah 45:23; Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10).

So, when our sentence tells us that He is the same Lord, and in the Equivalent Section (separated by a colon) it tells us that there is no difference between (groups of men), we see that the Bible literally says what I just claimed. That is, there is no difference between (groups of men) when we are dealing with God within His role as Lord.

In many cultures there is what is called the 'Rule of law'. This means that the judge is supposed to obey the law even while he doesn't want to. In other cultures, the judge is the law and changes the law on his whim. In those cultures bribery and favoritism is normal. Where the 'Rule of law' is used, it is a crime to try to bribe the judge. The 'Rule of law' comes from the Bible and we see several places where God tells men to not use bribes and to follow the 'Rule of law'. This is because that is what God does. When our never-changing God makes a Law, even He obeys the Law. His consistent following of His own laws is how we find His laws such as the 'Law of Gravity'. Thus we see how our Lord is consistent with Law and other things which He deals with within His role as Lord.

Thus we see that the religious claim that the Lord treats one group of men differently than He treats another group goes against the basic nature of the role of Lord. We also see that as Lord, God is consistent (as shown by all of the verses that are provided in the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Romans and how those verses are throughout the Bible). We also see that the religious claim goes against the consistency of God's laws such as the 'Law of Gravity'. Therefore, the only way that religious groups get away with making a claim that goes against all of this evidence is because men stop using the brains that God gave them and act like Biblical fools. They also do not study their Bible enough to know that God acts differently within different roles. This level of ignorance is shown by how often we hear someone preach from the pulpit about God acting in one role and referencing a verse (for their basis) which uses another role. We also see it most often when the Bible says Jesus and they read Christ, or the other way around.

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Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

This verse is a quote of Joel 2:32 and in this quote, Lord is reference is to God the Father. This part of Joel was also quoted by Peter in his message of Pentecost that is recorded in Acts 2:21. Please also see the note for Acts 2:21 in the Lord Jesus Christ Study. In addition, the note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans has links to many verses where we find that men called upon the name of the Lord. In all of those verses we see the same lesson repeated many times and many different ways. When we call upon the Lord, or claim to be called by His name, we had better be obedient. However, if we do either of those things and refuse to obey then we bring a curse upon ourselves that is worse than if we did nothing.

As we have seen in many other notes for similar verses, call upon the name of the Lord is NOT the same as 'say a prayer to Jesus'. Since this is using Lord, we know that it is dealing with a legal matter. As has been shown many places, 1John 3:4 says ..sin is the transgression of the law. God will only 'blot out' the legal record of our sin if we accept God the Son as our personal Lord (1John 5:13; John 1:12-13; Romans 8:14; Ephesians 2:10) and become one of the sons of God who are led by His Holy Spirit and agree to His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10) in our lives. As also shown for other verses in this chapter, we are legally and formally changes allegiance in the spiritual war from serving sin to serving God (Romans 6:16). As we saw at Pentecost in Acts 2 and the changed ongoing behaviour of saved people in Acts, this is not just some 'positional salvation' that allows the person to go on living like they did before they called upon the name of the Lord but this very definitely causes a lifestyle change that is noticed by all people who knows the person who claims true Biblical salvation. Look at the next few verses which draw a conclusion upon this verse and the few before it. As explained in the note below, the conclusion is that every saved person is to become a preacher and believed our report in a way that causes a change in behaviour.

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Romans 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?

This verse is a quote of Isaiah 53:1 and in this quote, Lord is reference is to God the Father. In the prior chapter of Isaiah, he prophesies about the 1,000 years reign of Christ and ends the chapter with a couple of verses about the price that Christ will pay for our salvation and that 'the kings shall shut their mouths at him. When He comes in judgment, He will end all arguments. However, between now and then Isaiah admonishes Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD. For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward (Isaiah 52:11-12). So Isaiah is saying to stop our sinning based upon God's promise that He is our rereward. Then we come to Isaiah 53:1 which tells us Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? Further, Isaiah uses the entire chapter to tell us about the suffering of Christ and the reward He received for accepting this suffering in order to bring God glory and to save us. So the context of Isaiah 53:1 that Paul is referencing here is that Isaiah reported how Christ would suffer and die for us and that God would reward Him and all that follow Him and that God will shut the mouths of all that argue against Him. Yet in spite of this message in God's word, people did not stop their sinning but continued to insist that just doing religious ceremonies and being outwardly religious was sufficient. As we know from Bible history, God brought destruction upon the nation of Israel after the people refused to stop sinning is spite of the warning from Isaiah.

Now we return to Romans 10 where Paul uses this historical fact to emphasize his point which we see him state in the first part of this verse. Paul says But they have not all obeyed the gospel. We see Paul very strongly link believed our report to obeyed the gospel. This verse starts with a But which means it has the same subject as the prior sentence while going in a different direction. There we read How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? That verse is popularly preached to say that we need to support missionaries and send missionaries to places that the gospel isn't preached. This is true. However, that preaching is always limited to some man who is called to be a full time preacher and his family. However, our verse says But they have not all obeyed the gospel. Those who are called into full time ministry are not all and in fact constitute a very small percentage of all. Mark 16:15 has a direct command to each and every saved person (ye) and says And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. While I could go on with many more references the truth of this verse is very plain and simple. Those people who claim to be saved and are not soul winners have not all obeyed the gospel because they have not believed our report. In Acts, the church at Antioch was started by non-preachers while the preachers stayed in Jerusalem. The truth of all of the people listen in chapter 16 of this epistle is that the church at Rome was started by non-preachers and there was already a church there before the apostle Paul could get there. The missionary who carried this epistle to Rome (Phebe) was a apparently a single business woman. The first churches in America were started by non-preachers with only an assistant pastor as a leader. Today we hear preached from many pulpits that God wants the full time preachers to go everywhere with the gospel but God wants the non-preachers to NEVER leave the church they were saved in. That is not what this verse and this chapter and this epistle and the New Testament actually teach. We are all to obey the gospel which means that we are all to Go ye (each and every one of you personally) into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

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Romans 11:3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

This verse is a quote of 1Kings 19:10 and it uses Lord to reference God the Father. Paul uses this quote as part of his introduction to the subject of election (9:11; 11:5, 7, 28). In this chapter, Paul explains that what God's people have 'positionally' is due to election. However, the Jews made the mistake of believing that because of election they had a guarantee on all of the blessings from God, even those which were conditional, and they turned to sin. Since they had assured themselves that they could not loose God's blessing no matter how much sin they did, they ignored the true teachings of the Bible. The truth is that God elects a way for people to have a relationship with Him. Those who come His way receive the relationship and those who try to come another way don't receive the relationship. However, election only opens the door to the relationship. It is not the whole relationship. It's like taking a trip on a airplane. Some people never go to the airport. Some go to the airport but never get a ticket or go to the gate. Some go to the airport, get their ticket, go up to the gate and through the ramp to the door of the airplane but never get on. Their ticket is still good but until they get onto the airplane, it doesn't really do them any good. There are people who go to the airport (Bible), get their ticket (get saved), and go up to the edge of an ongoing personal relationship, but never get on. Their life is as useless as the person living in the airport with a valid airplane ticket.

Isaiah lived in a time that most of the Jews were religious but not righteous (much like the church is today) and Isaiah got so tired of their attacking him that he called for God to judge the Jews as a way of seeking self preservation. (See the note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans which explains this reaction of the ungodly religious people.) In the answer from God which is quoted in Romans 11:4, God says I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even today we find people coming out of the most liberal sinful 'Christian churches'. While the majority of people in these churches 'play' at religion, they also provide Bibles to their children and converts. Some of those children and converts get disgusted at the hypocrisy and actually start reading the Bible for themselves or start seeking some church that actually preaches the truth and end up actually getting saved and actually serving God. While most of the doctrine of these liberal sinful 'Christian churches' is wrong, they do present a kernel of truth that God can use to reach a few. Just as God preserves the Jewish people so that He can save the remnant, so also does God preserve the liberal sinful 'Christian churches'. This verse is part of the introduction of a chapter where we are warned what God did to the Jews and are warned to not be like them so that we don't receive the same judgment. This chapter is foundational to Romans 12 where we are told how to act. Many people treat Romans 12 as 'great sounding advice that we should follow but that God doesn't demand that we follow'. This chapter is here to tell us what will happen to those with that attitude.

As already mentioned, this verse uses Lord for God the Father because it is quoting the Old Testament. Within the original verse, Isaiah called upon the Lord because the Bible always uses Lord for the role of God that deals with judgment and Isaiah was calling upon God to bring a judgment. The Bible also uses Lord to deal with groups of people, such as the country of Israel. Isaiah called for the Lord to judge everyone in Israel. God responded that He would not do that because He had people serving Him in Israel and the role of Lord does not consider individuals but deals with everyone in the country the same. That was the basis for Abraham's prayer for Sodom and Gomorrah.

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Romans 11:34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?

This verse is a quote of Isaiah 40:13 and it uses Lord to reference God the Father. Isaiah 40:1-2 starts the chapter with which says Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins. The chapter ends with But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint (Isaiah 40:31). Right after the opening (in Isaiah 40:3) we have a prophecy about John the Baptist who came preaching repent. Then the rest of Isaiah 40 tells us the difference in the judgment that the Lord will give to those who truly repent of their self-righteous religious works and those who insist that the Lord accept what they think is right.

In the middle of Isaiah 40 we are told about His power as creator and asked how we think our might or our thoughts can compare to His. Those who truly repent receive God's message of Comfort ye and they also receive the power to mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. But this is because they...wait upon the LORD. This means they wait until their LORD decides to reward them but they also wait upon the LORD in that they serve Him any way that He wants.

Now we return to Romans 11 where Paul is warning us that God cut the Jews out of His vine because they refused to repent and wait upon the LORD. Paul also warns us that while we have been grafted into His vine, He will do the same to us if we also refuse to repent and wait upon the LORD. This also leads directly into Romans 12:1 where we are told I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 12:1 is based directly upon Romans 11 and especially upon this closing in Romans 11:33-36. 11:33 warns us that this entire chapter is about the judgments of the Lord. Our verse warns us that we can't known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his counsellor. We need to repent from what we think is right and trust and obey what our Lord tells us, which is what this quote is all about. If we truly repent we will wait upon the LORD (trust and obey His orders), and, as a result, we shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. However, if we insist upon trusting out religious self-righteousness doing what our religion says to do, we will be cut out of God's vine just like the Jews were. This verse uses Lord for the role that God uses when He provides judgments.

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Romans 12:11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

This is the first verse in Romans that uses Lord by itself and is not a quote of an Old Testament verse. However, before this we have seen Jesus Christ our Lord in 1:3; 5:21; 6:11, 23; 7:25 and Lord Jesus Christ in 1:7; 5:1, 11; 13:14; 15:6, 30; 16:18, 20, 24 and Jesus our Lord in 4:24; 8:39 and Lord Jesus in 10:9; 14:14. That is just the references within this epistle and not counting the many references elsewhere in the Bible. Thus, we have also seen many verses (within this epistle) that tell us that the Son of God is also Lord. And, as we have seen many other places in the Bible, while God the Father and God the Son are different people in the Trinity, there is no difference in the laws that They give to us. In addition, since God the Father has made the Son of God our Lord, He has also made it so that we can only come to Him through God the Son (John 14:6). Therefore, saying that this verse uses Lord for the Son of God is a technical truth that has no real practical difference from how we relate to God the Father as Lord.

12:10-13 is a single single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Romans. This sentence is part of the instructions to us as individual saints as to how we are to personally grow through our personal relationship with Christ and be prepared for the judgment that we will face when we meet our Lord at the judgment seat of Christ. As has been explained several other places, the judgment seat of Christ is called that because only those who are supposed to belong to Christ will go there as opposed to the lost who will go to the Great White Throne judgment. Both judgments are done by the Son of God in His role as Lord because God is always righteous and legal events can only be righteously done within the role of Lord. In addition, The Son of God has a personal relationship with the believer through His role as Christ but there can be no personal considerations if judgment is to be righteous. Therefore, the Son of God does all judgments in His role as Lord, which is no respecter of persons (We find the phrase no respecter of persons in: Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:25 and 2:1. Also explained in the notes for Romans 14:10-LJC; Romans C7S3 and Romans C10S13. Please also see Romans C10S13 about the phrase no difference in people).

Within this chapter, 12:1-3 tells us that we are all to serve with the same attitude. Then 12:4-8 tells us that we have different areas of service and we are to do our own area of service righteously. Then 12:9 tells us the righteous general attitude to have as we do things in the world. 12:10-13 (this sentence) is more specific about our attitude as we deal with the people of God. 12:14-15 tells us the righteous attitude to have with individuals who are not apparently children of God. 12:16-21 tells us how to control our mind and thinking on many matters. Notice that this chapter started with the renewing of your mind in 12:2 and ends with how to control our mind by the laws of our Lord. The main battle is for our mind and if we can keep that in line with what our Lord wants, we will have done a considerable amount of what is required to win this spiritual war.

Within the context of this chapter, which has considerable emphasis on our mind, we need to consider this sentence which tells us how to serve the Lord. While we consider this sentence, we need to remember that the foundation of chapter 11 where Paul ended with a quote from Isaiah 40 which promised rewards to those who serve the Lord with a godly attitude.

The first thing that we are told to do is Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love. A true saying is that we pick our friends and inherit our relatives. They might embarrass us and make us mad and do other things to us that would cause us to walk away if they weren't relatives, but we learn how to get along with them because we can't walk away from relatives and be righteous. That's the way that newly saved people need to act towards older Christians and that older Christians need to act towards the newly saved because they come from different lifestyle s and it takes this attitude to survive the initial 'rough waters' of the new relationship.

Next we are told in honour preferring one another. That means I need to not publicly embarrass you and need to let you have greater honor. In Acts 18:24-28 we read about a much honored speaker named Appllos whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. Apollos was the speaker with greater honor that needs to be corrected. While Aquila and Priscilla were 'just church members', we read about them several places in the Bible. While they did not have the 'honor', God did recognize their service.

Next we are told to be Not slothful in business. We need to avoid being lazy (slothful) and expecting everyone else to provide for us. Many (most?) people come to church looking for a hand-out. Many resent this but we need to not resent (remember the first step?) but help those people to spiritually mature to the point that they are providing for themselves and for the newcomers who come in looking for a hand-out.

Next we are told to be fervent in spirit. Obviously, we need to learn to listen to God's Holy Spirit, and the Spirit of Christ (8:9) before we become fervent in spirit. Many people come into the church wanting to become leaders before they become followers and the church needs to be sure that new people follow God's Holy Spirit, and the Spirit of Christ before letting them become leaders in the church.

Next we are told serving the Lord. Notice that we have had a progression of spiritually maturing steps to go through before we reach the level of service. Every one of the prior steps was necessary. We can do the right thing the right way or the wrong way. The wrong way is always easier but learning to act with brotherly love will help us to choose the right way. Further, it is natural to seek honor but the truly godly leader must in honour preferring one another. Then the true servant of the Lord can not be slothful because quite often that service must be done without anyone but the Lord watching. Finally, as mentioned, if we are not fervent in spirit we will fall prey to using methods that Christ does not want us to use because they are 'quicker and easier'. Further, it is Christ dealing with us through our spirit that keeps us aware that the day is coming when we will face judgment by our Lord and we had better keep in mind what he rewards and what he will punish.

Continuing on, we are told that we are to be Rejoicing in hope. As has been shown many places, hope is an action word like faith except where faith is based upon a promise of God, hope is based upon the character of God. However, we can't be Rejoicing in hope until we learn the character of God and the promised rewards of serving the Lord and actually do the actions of hope as directed by Christ dealing with us through our spirit. So, again, we see another step in spiritual maturity that comes after serving the Lord.

Notice that each of these are steps and as we have often seen before, steps are shown in the sentence structure by divisions created by semi-colons.

Our next step is to be patient in tribulation and 2Timothy 3:12 promises Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Peter and other also instruct us about tribulation. Since it is coming, we need to get ready but notice that God gives us reasons to be Rejoicing in hope before we hit tribulation.

Our next step in spiritual maturity is continuing instant in prayer. If you don't believe me, you will believe when you hit tribulation. There is nothing better to develop a prayer life than tribulation.

After prayer comes Distributing to the necessity of saints. Prayer teaches us how we need to depend upon others in God's family and that teaches us to help others so that they will be able to help even more people and at the time of our need, God will have someone able to help us.It isn't my helping those who can help me but my helping all of God's family with the knowledge that God often uses someone that I've never met before to meet my need or to meet the need of my loved one.

Finally, we are told to be given to hospitality. There is no better way to find out how God is working in the lives of other saints and there is no better way to rejoice in the Spirit than to see God bless other saints. However, it takes quite a lot of spiritual maturity for this to become real and while I can see it is more real in the lives of people far more spiritually mature than me, I am starting to get a glimpse of this truth.

Each of these things are things that we will have to answer for when we face our Lord at the judgment seat of Christ (Romans 14:10; 2Corinthians 5:10-11).

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Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

Please see the note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans for how this sentence is divided by punctuation and for all of the links in the Bible where we see forms of vengeance used. This reference is to God the Father and He does not tolerate men taking what He specifically says belongs to Him. There are times when people hurt us at God's command. This happens when we are out of God's will and refuse to listen to anything short of a spanking by God. For us to take vengeance in such a case would be wrong. Also, as one preacher said, we always do too much or too little and even if we did what was just right, we are acting out of the wrong motive. This is part of an entire section of commandments by the Lord that occurs in 12:17-21 which tell God's people how to act that is completely different from how the world acts. God is going to condemn the world for doing these things and the Lord can not be righteous if He condemns the world for doing these things and does not also judge His own children for doing the same things. In 12:20-21 we are told to therefore act in a way which is obviously totally and completely different from how the world acts. Such actions will prove that becoming one of the sons of God changes a person's life and give a clear testimony of what the God of the Bible is really like.

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Romans 14:6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

Please see all the notes (14:6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 18) related to this section which goes from 14:3 through 14:18. This chapter is talking about saved people calling others lost over religious differences which should not cause a dispute. Please also see the note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans which explains much about this section.

The regardeth the day in this verse is referring to Exodus 12:14 and 16:25 and to other references in the Mosaic Law regarding various sabbaths (there were more than just Saturday and the total makes an average of almost twice a week). The eateth not is also referring to Mosaic Law and to Acts 15:29 and 1Timothy 4:3 and 1Corinthians 8. These references are to God the Father. The regardeth not the day and eateth is referring to is referring to Mark 2:28 where Jesus claimed to be Lord also of the sabbath. Paul is playing with the title of Lord which rightly belongs to God the Father and also to the Son of God. In context, Paul is showing us that God is more concerned with our attitude of submission than He is about which particular law we submit to. At the time that Romans was written, there were saved Jews trying to keep the Mosaic Law. They still had the Temple, sacrifices and other things. There were also saved Gentiles who were not keeping the Mosaic Law. The Temple and sacrifices are now gone. Therefore, this particular disagreement is gone, but others have replaced it and therefore, the principals of the lesson still apply. Consideration of our brothers' consciences and their spirit of submission is more important than the particular religious deed that we do. Having said that, I suppose more details are required to support that claim.

God gave the Jews the Mosaic Law. In Galatians we are told that the Law was added onto the promises given to Abraham because of his faith and that neither the adding nor the removal of the Law could change the promises that provided salvation by faith. Hebrews teaches that the Mosaic law was replaced by the New Testament and the only one of the '10 commandments' that is not repeated in the New Testament is to keep the sabbath. Sunday is not the sabbath but is a celebration of the resurrection. Many places in the New Testament deal with the Mosaic Law and how it was our schoolmaster (Galatians 3:24-25) and many places in this epistle teach about it (2:12-15, 17, 18, 20, 23, 25, 26, 27; 3:19-21, 27, 28, 31; 4:13-16; 5:13, 20; 6:14-15; 7:1-9, 12, 14, 16, 21-23, 25; 8:2-4, 7; 9:4, 31-32; 10:4, 5; 13:8, 10). Indeed, 7:14 tells us For we know that the law is spiritual and this epistle teaches that it is properly understood only from a spiritual perspective. However, spiritual children can't really understand things from a spiritual perspective and need religious rules, which was the function that the Mosaic Law served when it was our schoolmaster and the laws of our religious doctrine serve the same purpose. So, for example, we publicly teach spiritual children that they need to be in church every time that the church doors are open but privately recognize that there are exceptions, especially when a person is elsewhere to serve the Lord in a way that he is personally led by the Lord to serve such as an evangelist preaching at another church.

Having explained the principal involved here, we can return to the specific examples used in this verse. The first sentence of this verse says He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. Many people who consider themselves to be 'Christians' of various religious persuasions feel that it is a 'mortal sin' to miss church on Sunday / sabbath. In a a more general sense, they believe that they have to keep the '10 commandments', even though very few of those people can state what the '10 commandments' are. In general these are spiritually immature people (if they are even saved) and they need rules and laws to help them act righteously. More spiritually mature people don't need these rules because they do act righteously without the laws. The true measure isn't if everyone must obey some law but everyone must act righteously and the law is there to help those who need the help. Those who don't need the law are wrong to remove it from those who do need it and those who need it are wrong to impose it upon those who don't need it. For example, one of the girls that I helped to raise was given to us because the schools and doctors insisted that she needed drugs to control her 'ADHD'. I gave her a rule that when she started getting hyper she had to sit still and on her hands without speaking for a certain length of time. At first, that rule was very hard for her to keep but over time it became easier for her. Then as she started getting older, she started recognizing when she was becoming hyper and started making herself sit without my imposing the law. When she became even more mature, she learned other methods of calming herself. While the specific 'calming exercises' that she used changed over time, she continued to need 'calming exercises' that others didn't need. It would have been wrong for someone else to convince her that she didn't need these 'calming exercises', even as an adult and it also would have been wrong of her to insist that everyone do these 'calming exercises' with her. Some people need specific times to meet their Lord and consider His laws and worship Him. Others do that several times a day regardless of what anyone else does. One needs to regardeth the day and the other doesn't. It isn't if we regardeth the day or not but that we worship and consider the commandments unto the Lord.

The second sentence which says He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks was dealing with another controversy of the day which is not much of a controversy today. The reader can find several passages in the new Testament which deal with this controversy if they are really interested. The point of the whole thing is that we are to take the spiritual perspective on these things and not the physical religious perspective. The spiritual perspective is stated in 14:21 which says It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Instead of meats people today argue about drinking wine. Some present the argument from medicine that some wine is good for you and from 1Timothy 5:23. However, these benefits can be achieved today by other means that were not available to Timothy. Therefore, there is no physical necessity and Romans 14:21 clearly says to not drink wine because it will make thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. We each not only will answer to the Lord for what we do but also for how we influence others and this chapter definitely teaches that we will be punished if we make thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

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Romans 14:8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

Please see the note Romans 14:6 above which explains the principal involved in this section which goes from 14:3 through 14:18 (and the related notes in 14:6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 18). This chapter is talking about saved people calling others lost over religious differences which should not cause a dispute. Please also see the note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans which explains much about this section.

1 and 2Thessalonians teach that we need to personally respond to God's leading because we will be rewarded or punished by our Lord. Most other New Testament epistles teach the same concept but relate it to the spiritual maturity that the Son of God provides through His role as Christ. In the end, we have two different methods and reasons which provide the same results. God does this because some people respond to one method and motivation better and some people respond to the other method and motivation better. While much of Paul's writing presents that we need to respond to the Love that the Son of God provides through His role as Christ, here he is saying the same thing because of how the Son of God will treat us through His role as Lord. As Lord He punishes the disobedient and rewards the obedient. Yes, righteous people are allowed to suffer so that God can give them greater rewards and so that God can receive greater glory by the testimony created when they still are faithful even through suffering. This is the only way that will attract some lost people to salvation.

However, some people use this truth to gloss over another truth. Many times saved people suffer because of their own sin and the Bible clearly says that there is a sin unto death (Romans 5:21; 6:16; 7:13; 1John 5:16-17). We also find many places in the Bible where God promises to reward the righteous. Yes, popular preaching would have us all going to a communists' utopia where all of us have mansions and we are all in eternal bliss and the only difference made between a martyr and the unjust is whether or not they get to participate in a ceremony when the martyrs throw their crowns at the feet of Jesus. However, the Bible clearly attaches the terror of the Lord to the judgment seat of Christ as a result (2Corinthians 5:10-11) of people living their life as an unjust person.

The Bible also clearly teaches that God does not wipe away all tears from their eyes until after the saved have been in Heaven for more than 1,000 yearss. At least some saved must have tears at that time in order for God to wipe away all tears from their eyes. In addition, Jesus deliberately excluded over 99% of His church from the Last Supper where He promised mansions to people who all went out and became martyrs. We also have the parables of the pounds and talents and other places which teach variable rewards based upon results produced for God and we have the explicate teaching in Revelation (2:2, 5, 9, 13, 19, 23, 26; 3:1, 2, 8, 15; 9:20; 14:13; 15:3; 18:6; 20:12, 13) and other places which teach judgment based upon works.

So what we find that the Bible really teaches is that we go to Heaven or the Lake of Fire based upon our relationship to the Son of God (which is received by faith) but our rewards and punishments in both places are determined by the Lord based upon our works. This verse is teaching that we belong to the Lord and He is going to judge us here and after we die according to His standard and not according to some religious doctrine. His standard includes what influence we have upon our brother. We can expect either reward or punishment both here in this life and for eternity based upon how the Lord judges our treatment of our brother. We also see this stated clearly in the next sentence which starts with For and gives us the reason for the judgment in this sentence. Please see the note for 14:9 under Lord and Christ. We also see in 14:9 that He is the Lord both of the dead and living, which matches exactly my explanation here that we face judgment while we are living and after be join the dead. My explanation can also be seen if the reader honestly considers the next few verses and associated notes.

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Romans 14:9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

Please see the note for this verse under Lord and Christ.

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Romans 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

This verse quotes Isaiah 45:23 and Philippians 2:10 does the same. Isaiah 45 can be summed up in verses 45:21-22 which says 'there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. In Isaiah 45 God points out His power in creation and the foolishness of man to question God with questions like Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou?. The meaning of this verse was covered pretty much in the note for 14:10 under Lord and Christ.

God allows us to do whatever we want because no one is going to claim that He judges unrighteously when He judges us. That is, we do what we want and our life-long actions reveal what our heart is really like. When our Lord judges us there will be no denying haw we acted over a lifetime. Therefore, God allows people to do evil so that there is no question about His being righteous when He condemns them.

The day will come when all, including Satan, will be forced to acknowledge the power of God and of the Son of God and will acknowledge that the Son of God is the Lord and will worship Him as such. However, those whom He has to force to acknowledge His position He will put into the Lake of Fire for all eternity because they refused to acknowledge what was obvious while He allowed them to chose to recognize His true position, or refuse to do so. Those who acknowledge, and worship, the Son of God as Lord before they die will be allowed to spend eternity with Him in His personal home called Heaven. However, those people who are and are forced to acknowledge the truth will spend eternity in the lake of fire with Satan and all of the devils. We can confess to God here in this life and seek forgiveness for our sin or we can wait for the Great White Throne judgment and confess to God before we are put into the Lake of Fire for all eternity. It is not a question of if we confess to God but when we do so and what are the consequences.

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Romans 15:11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.

This is a quote of Psalms 117:1 and is a reference is to God the Father. Please see the note for 15:8 under Jesus Christ for the details on this verse.

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Romans 16:2 That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.

16:1-2 is a single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Romans. This sentence uses Lord because they do not know Phebe but she is on the same side in this spiritual warfare and is a citizen of the Lord's kingdom. Paul is telling the Romans that Phebe isn't just saved but is serving the same Lord as they recognize and that how they treat her is a direct reflection of their Lord. According to history, at the time of this letter it was rare for women to own and run their own businesses. While their culture would teach them to take advantage of her and to treat her worst than they would a man, Paul is using Lord here to remind them that they will face judgment for their treatment of her. That judgment will be according to the Lord's standards and not according to their cultural prejudices.

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Romans 16:8 Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord.

Please see the general note for the chapter in the note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans. Amplias is not mentioned elsewhere in the Bible and even the commentators that I searched couldn't tell us anything about this person. However, we can be sure that God knew him and why he was included in the Bible. What's more, since Paul uses the phrase in the Lord, we know that this was a person who was obeying the laws of God and producing results which made him beloved by Paul. However, since Paul said in the Lord, and not in Christ, as he did for others in this chapter, we know that he was not beloved on a personal level. (That's the difference between being in the Lord and being in Christ. in the Lord is used for someone who obeys all of the rules and produces godly results within the formalized structure that God has created. Meanwhile, in Christ is used for someone who produces the same results in a personal manner.)

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Romans 16:11 Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord.

Please see the general note for the chapter in the note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans. Herodion is not mentioned elsewhere in the Bible and even the commentators that I searched couldn't tell us anything about this person. However, we can be sure that God knew him and why he was included in the Bible.

When we get to the second sentence of this verse, we see that Paul uses the phrase in the Lord, for the household of Narcissus. We know that these people were obeying the laws of God and producing results which made their testimony noteworthy. However, since Paul said in the Lord, and not in Christ, as he did for others in this chapter, we know that they were not beloved on a personal level. (That's the difference between being in the Lord and being in Christ. in the Lord is used for someone who obeys all of the rules and produces godly results within the formalized structure that God has created. Meanwhile, in Christ is used for someone who produces the same results in a personal manner.) The best that commentators have is that this name occurs in some historical texts, but there is no indication that the historical figure is the same as mentioned here. The name of Narcissus is supposed to mean 'astonishment; stupidity '. This is also the name of a plant.

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Romans 16:12 Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord.

Please see the general note for the chapter in the note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans. Tryphena and Tryphosa and Persis are not mentioned elsewhere in the Bible and even the commentators that I searched couldn't tell us anything about these people other than saying that they were women. However, we can be sure that God knew them and why they were included in the Bible. What's more, since Paul uses the phrase in the Lord, we know that these people were obeying the laws of God and producing results which made them noteworthy by God. However, since Paul said in the Lord, and not in Christ, as he did for others in this chapter, we know that they were not beloved on a personal level. (That's the difference between being in the Lord and being in Christ. in the Lord is used for someone who obeys all of the rules and produces godly results within the formalized structure that God has created. Meanwhile, in Christ is used for someone who produces the same results in a personal manner.) Many people today believe that a 'missionary' must be a man called to preach but these 'missionary women' are outside of that religious restriction while remaining within the use of our Lord. In the end, we must accept what our Lord says and not what some religious doctrine says.

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Romans 16:13 Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.

Please see the general note for the chapter in the note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans. Rufus is not mentioned elsewhere in the Bible and even the commentators that I searched couldn't tell us anything about this person. However, we can be sure that God knew him and why he was included in the Bible. What's more, since Paul uses the phrase in the Lord, we know that this was a person who was obeying the laws of God and producing results which made him beloved by Paul. However, since Paul said in the Lord, and not in Christ, as he did for others in this chapter, we know that he was not beloved on a personal level. (That's the difference between being in the Lord and being in Christ. in the Lord is used for someone who obeys all of the rules and produces godly results within the formalized structure that God has created. Meanwhile, in Christ is used for someone who produces the same results in a personal manner.)

This Rufus has the same name as a Rufus whose father bore the cross for Jesus Christ. While it is possible, it is not known if both Bible references deal with the same man. The name of Rufus means 'red'. This was a common name for slaves who burned easily. In addition, some commentator claim that the phrase his mother and mine mean that the mother of Rufus treated Paul like a son and Paul adopted her as a mother. While this is all interesting and possible speculation, it is still only speculation. As with these other people in this chapter, the main message is that God records the accomplishments of people that are not highly regarded by other men.

Our sentence says that Rufus was chosen in the Lord, but does not say what he was chosen for. It is possible that he was chosen to be the first pastor of these people because he is the last person at Rome who is named as being in the Lord and often the person with the highest position is named last. However, that is more speculation. What we can say is the Jesus said For many are called, but few are chosen. (Matthew 20:16; Matthew 22:14). We also know that Revelation 17:14 says These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. Thus we can know that Rufus was special, was faithful and met God's requirements to be chosen.

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Romans 16:22 I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord.

This verse names the person who wrote this epistle and sends a salute...in the Lord. Since Lord is not personal, I assume that this person did not personally know anyone at Rome but still sent a salute because of their testimony.

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Jesus

Romans 3:26; 8:11.

The term Jesus is used by itself only twice in this book. This first reference to Jesus is specifying the access that believers have through a personal relationship that exists outside of Law and God's legal system. The second reference is directly referring to the physical body of 'God in human flesh'. Click here for all of the Verses that use Jesus and here for the Summary on the name / role of Jesus.

Romans 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Please see notes for 3:22 under Jesus Christ and for 3:24 under Christ Jesus. 3:21-26 is a single complex sentence which is divided by punctuation in the note for this sentence in the Book Study on Romans. It not only provides the division by punctuation for this sentence but it is a significantly sized note which explains what is probably the most important sentence in this chapter about law in the book of Romans. It deals with several important legal terms and has literally several hundred verses linked to it and to the sentences which precede it and provide the context for understanding this sentence. It also explain the relationship between the different names used in this sentence, based upon context, and why each name was used where it was used.

There are 5Equivalent Sections to this sentence and 3:25-26 is two of those parts. Therefore, this verse can not be properly interpreted unless at least 3:25 is included and the combination is kept to what is equivalent with the other 4 parts of this sentence. The general note for the entire sentence, and how each part is equivalent, is also in the note for 3:22 under Jesus Christ. Please see that note as the information is critical to proper interpretation but will not be repeated here.

One thing that has been consistently shown throughout this study is that the Bible makes an absolute division between the roles of the Son of God. Yes it is the same person in each of those roles but the rights and responsibilities of Lord are completely different from the rights and responsibilities Christ and both are completely different from the rights and responsibilities Jesus. This has been covered several times in several notes within this study. Without going into the details provided elsewhere, we have all heard of some criminal getting out of their punishment because of a 'legal technicality'. This is correct and when someone uses the rights of a role while they are not in that role, or while they are not meeting all of the requirements of that role, then their action is not righteous and the courts must undo what was done regardless of any other consequences. God is always righteous (does the right thing the right way) and if God did not always keep this distinction between roles then He would not always be righteous. If God is not always righteous then Satan and the other devils can claim that He is not righteous when He puts them into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 19:20; 20:10, 14-15). Satan wants us to believe that God is not righteous and that God is wrong for giving Satan the punishment that he deserves. But God is always righteous and as such, God will not use the rights of any of His roles when He is not in that role. Further, God always makes sure that He does everything correctly and meets all of the requirements of each role when He is acting in that role. As much as 'good godly preachers' might confuse the various roles of God, neither God nor the Bible do. 2Timothy 2:15 warns us that if we are not rightly dividing the word of truth (dividing is an ongoing action) then God will make us ashamed. If I run a pile of song books through a saw and put to tops in one pile and the bottoms in another then I am not rightly dividing the pile. Also, if I refuse to separate the pile I am not rightly dividing it. However, if I separate the pile according to preexisting divisions (whole books) then I am rightly dividing the pile. When God and the Bible create preexisting divisions between the various roles of the Son of God, I am not rightly dividing the word of truth to refuse to divide it. I am not rightly dividing the word of truth if I divide it some way other than according to preexisting divisions. This study has covered far more verses than any other study that I know of that is not a survey of the Bible and is dealing with a single subject (the major roles of the Son of God in the New Testament). This study has shown that there is a consistent division within the word of truth between the various roles of the Son of God. While much of what it covered in this note is also covered in more detail elsewhere, this note is referenced as a source of doctrine several other places in this study. Therefore, certain things will be repeated at a high level and the reader can use Word or some other way to search for the greater detail, if they want it.

This verse is part of a larger sentence which also uses Jesus Christ and Christ Jesus. The entire sentence must be considered together according to the rules of Grammar (which the Bible ALWAYS follows) and the entire sentence is talking about a single subject. It talks about some of the legal aspects of our salvation and the analysis of the whole sentence is in the note for 3:22 under Jesus Christ. It has been shown in the related notes that certain aspects of our salvation come through Jesus Christ and different ones come through Christ Jesus and now this note will deal with the aspects that come through Jesus. Please read the rest of this note before you decide that I am wrong. If you do make that decision, please show me my error, according to the Bible and not your religion or opinion, for each of the following points. What I will show is that:

There is a division between God the Son's roles as Jesus and as Christ.
This division is necessary for God to do what was necessary for our salvation.
This division is necessary for God to remain righteous and still do what He must do legally.
This division forces a different relationship between the believer and the Son of God depending upon which role of the Son of God is involved.

The division between God the Son's roles as Jesus and as Christ.

Virtually every place that we see the Bible use the name of Jesus, it is talking about a literal physical man. When the Bible uses the name of Christ it is talking about a role that is sometimes fulfilled by a literal physical man and sometimes fulfilled by a Spirit.
What has been shown consistently is that Jesus is the role that the Son of God used to provide us with salvation initially and Christ is the role that the Son of God used to maintain our ongoing personal relationship that the Bible calls salvation.
Another division that has been shown is that Jesus shows us how to live in the flesh by the power of the Holy Ghost and shows us how to deal with other men (by His example as recorded in the Gospels). (Please see the study called Jesus used the power of Holy Spirit.) Christ is the role that the Son of God uses to teach us how to deal with God properly and is the role that is used to give us spiritual maturity and is the role that the Son of God uses to produce good works through our life in the flesh (Ephesians 2:10, etc).

This division is necessary for God to do what was necessary for our salvation.

God can not die. The Son of God had to become a literal weak physical man in order to die for our sins. Romans 5:12-19 and other scriptures tell us that He had to physically die and shed His blood (Hebrews 9:22). That means that He had to die as a literal physical man.
The phrase son of man is used 197 times in the Bible to emphasize our human weakness. The phrase Son of man (with capitalization) is used 150 times in the Bible and each is a type or a direct reference to the Son of God in His human form. This phrase is used 85times in the Gospels by Jesus to emphasize His weak physical human attributes. Besides dying as a human, His weak physical human attributes allow Him to be righteous when He judges us and says that a sin was not due to weak physical human attributes but was a deliberate violation of God's Law.
As the Son of man He literally went to Hell to pay for our sins (Matthew 12:40; Luke 11:29-30).
Once He had died and was in Hell, He rose by the power of God (2Corinthians 13:3-4). Christ uses all of the power of God and is not weak like Jesus is.
It took a literal 'God-man' to provide our salvation and there is only one. That is why He is the way, the truth, and the life and no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (John 14:6). He had to die as a physical man and rise by the power of God. No other human has ever rose from the dead without God working through another physical human to raise them.

This division is necessary for God to remain righteous and still do what He must do legally.

I am not a lawyer yet more than one lawyer has told me that I understand legal concepts better than most lawyers coming out of Law School. There is a definite difference between a legal concept and the implementation of that concept within a given jurisdiction. Legal concepts from the Bible are used as the basis for many laws. While mans' laws might not remain pure, the Biblical legal concepts do remain pure. The following is dealing with concepts only. Any qualified person is welcome to provide their qualifications and then provide corrections. The consideration of corrections will be weighed by the qualifications provided.

There is a legal distinction between a role and the person fulfilling that role. Thus, an officer of a corporation can waste all of the assets off the corporation and his personal assets are not attachable for any loss because of this legal division.
There are certain rights and responsibilities that go with a role which are exercised by the person fulfilling that role. If the person fulfilling the role changes, the rights and responsibilities transfer to the new person as they are really attached to the role and not to the person.
A person fulfilling a role can act one way within the role and another way outside of the role (as an individual) and so long as the two actions are not in conflict with the other role, the two actions remain separate from each other. (This is a simplified general statement of something that becomes very complicated in the details.)
Even though there is only one person who ever has, or will, occupy the role of Christ, that fact does not prevent Christ from being a role.
Acts 2:36 says Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Since God hath made it must be true that Jesus was not occupying the roles of Lord and Christ before God hath made (gave Him all of the rights and responsibilities of those roles). Before the time that God hath made, Jesus was given the titles of Lord and Christ but did not exercise the rights and responsibilities of those roles. Please see the note for Acts 2:36 for more details on this point.
Since Jesus and Christ are two separate legal entities, the actions of each can (and must be) legally separated.
There is a legal concept used in trusts whereby one legal entity can give a legal asset to another legal entity. The giving can be with control retained by the grantor or with all rights of the grantor severed. These two different types of granting can not be mixed.
As legal separate entities, the Son of God can, and did, grant certain legal assets to the saved both ways. As Jesus He granted us the parts of salvation that are everlasting. As Christ He granted to us the parts of salvation that that He retains control over. When we believeth in Jesus, God gives to us the 'positional' parts of salvation including starting our relationship with Christ. Christ can not legally have a relationship with us until after it is granted (unconditionally) by Jesus but once the relationship is legally created, Christ can use that relationship to give us more while retaining control over what is given, how it is to be used and taking it back if we abuse what is given to us.
When we believeth in Jesus, God changes our legal status from being a child of the devil (Acts 13:10) to being one of the sons of God (John 1:12; Romans 8:14, 19; Philippians 2:15; 1John 3:1-2) because of adoption (Romans 8:15, 23; Galatians 4:5; Ephesians 1:5).
God has two different judgment thrones: the judgment seat of Christ (Romans 14:10; 2Corinthians 5:10-11) and the Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11-15). There are two different judgments and consequences for violating God's laws at each. The sons of God go to the judgment seat of Christ which does not include eternal damnation. Therefore, the parts of salvation they received from Jesus can not be lost. However, how much reward or punishment that they receive is dependent upon their personal relationship to Christ. At the same time, all lost will go to the Great White Throne and from there to the lake of Fire (Revelation 19:20; 20:10, 14-15). Since these are different judgment thrones the punishment of one can not be given by the other. No one going to the judgment seat of Christ can go to the lake of fire, although other punishment can be given.
Because we are one of the sons of God, when we sin (1John 1) God deals with us as His sons and not a Law breaker (1John 3:1-10. Please see the note for 1John 3:2 under Son.) When 1John 3:9 says he cannot sin it specifically links that statement to because he is born of God. Once we are born of God we can not do anything that will force God to move us from the judgment seat of Christ to the Great White Throne. The Bible warns us that there is a sin unto death (Romans 5:21; 6:16; 7:13; 1John 5:16-17), but that is not the same as going to the lake of fire.
The death of Jesus is used to give us legal justification (Romans 4:23-25) which was necessary before God could have a relationship with us. (The legal concept of 'recluse' is involved.) The legal record of our sin was altered and can not be put back once it is legally changed.
The death of Christ is used to pay for all of the sins that we do after becoming sons of God. Any consequence for sins done as sons of God is not payment for the sin but is meant to teach us to stop our sinning. Thus, two saved people can do the same sin, pray the same prayer asking for forgiveness and receive two different consequences because one learns to stop their sinning quicker than the other learns (Romans 6:4).

This division forces a different relationship between the believer and the Son of God depending upon which role of the Son of God is involved.

Ask a lawyer to explain the difference between the two types of trusts that I described above and the resulting difference in rights, responsibilities and relationships. I can not explain those differences even though I can say that they exist.

Jesus is currently physically in Heaven acting as the priest of the saved. He is bring understanding of our physical human weakness too the throne of God whenever decisions are made about us.
Christ is currently maintaining a relationship with the saved person through the avenue of the Holy Ghost.
Everything that Jesus gave us personally is 'positional' and permanent. He died for my personal sins.
Everything that Christ gave us personally is conditional and can be lost (at least in part). The blessings from Christ are dependent upon my personal relationship with Him. If I decide to sever my relationship He will let me. (This is different from trying to sever the relationship with Jesus which can not be done.) However, if I sever my relationship with Christ I also loose the blessings that come from Him and face potential punishment from God for being a covenant breaker (adulterer [James 4:4]).

There is much that we get when we believeth in Jesus but part of that is the start of an ongoing relationship with Christ. Some of the additional things are explained in the related notes for 3:22 and 3:24. Salvation is 'God's life in us' and is pictured in the Bible with birth and marriage. The life that becomes a child in the seed that a man plants in a woman but the relationship between that man and that life changes at birth. The parts of life that are in the seed is called DNA and is never lost while the parts of life that are added by the father after birth are conditional based upon the relationship. Likewise, a man pays the cost for a marriage that he will never get back. He pays is in anticipation of the ongoing relationship that will result from the marriage. God gave us life and paid the price for our sin in anticipation of the ongoing relationship that is called salvation. When we believeth in Jesus we get all of the permanent parts of this relationship along with the promise of far greater if we only maintain the relationship that is only started when we believeth in Jesus.

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Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Please see the note on this verse under Jesus Christ.

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Christ

Romans 1:16; 5:6, 8; 6:4, 8, 9; 7:4; 8:9, 10, 11, 17, 34, 35; 9:1, 3, 5; 10:4, 6, 7; 12:5; 14:9, 10, 15, 18; 15:3, 7, 18, 19, 20, 29; 16:5, 7, 9, 10, 16.

The book of Romans is the basic book of doctrine in the New Testament. Christ is the most often used name for the Son of God in Romans. Paul tells us about things that are available to those people who go beyond salvation to become true Christians or saints. Many saved people claim the promises that are to those who are in Christ, without meeting God's requirements to be in Christ, then they feel that God somehow lied to them when they don't receive the expected blessing. They need to understand that God did not lie. Just being saved is not sufficient to 'claim' those blessings that God reserves for saved people who take the additional steps to be in Christ. See note on 1:16 for this limit. See notes in chapter 6 for the basis of expected differences in our lives; chapter 7 for Law of Liberty; chapter 8 for Spirit of Christ; chapter 9 for promises to Abraham's Seed; chapter 10 for righteousness, chapter 12 for gifts; chapter 14 for judgment; chapter 15 for dealing with other Christians; and chapter 16 for God's recognition of true Christians who went beyond salvation. Click here for all of the Verses that use Christ and here for the Summary on the name / role of Christ.

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

The verses before this are Paul's opening of this epistle and his explanation of why he was writing instead of coming in person. In the verse before this one (1:15), Paul starts the body of this letter with I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. Paul already recognized that his audience was beloved of God, called to be saints and that ye (each and every one of them personally) are also the called of Jesus Christ. People who meet this description do not need a Gospel of Your Salvationyet Paul said that they needed the gospel of Christ, which was the gospel about which Paul said I am ready to preach...to you that are at Rome also. Therefore, there is (obviously) a gospel that is preached to people who have already made their initial profession and it is called the gospel of Christ.

Notice that this sentence has a colon in it which makes the gospel of Christ equivalent to the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. We also see for it is after the colon which says the same thing as the colon and makes this two witnesses or the basis for doctrine to all believers. Now I realize that lots of people say 'Wait a minute. Salvation is preached to the lost'. However, that is based upon a non-Biblical definition of 'salvation'. Biblical salvation is 'God's life in you'. Please see the general note under Son for more details. Simply put, Biblical salvation is not a 'one time' experience but it is an ongoing personal relationship that starts with a one-time event. However, anyone who is not willing to have the ongoing relationship receive a NO!!!!!!! from God to their 'prayer of salvation'. In John 10:10 Jesus said I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. Those who say they want God's life so that they can go to Heaven but refuse to have life... more abundantly (the changes due to an ongoing personal relationship) so that they can mock God and live for Hell while expecting to go to Heaven are fools who believe a lie of the devil. Since Biblical salvation is 'God's life in you', and 'God's life' includes life... more abundantly, the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek definitely includes the power of God unto life... more abundantly, which is part of true Biblical salvation. The gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation because it is dealing with the part of salvation that causes life... more abundantly. Also, notice that the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth includes to every one that believeth. Look at 1John 5:13 which tells us These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. Notice the and which separates have eternal life from that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. As I explain in more than one note, the second part (after the and) is part of our salvation and means an ongoing, ever increasing belief on the name of the Son of God. That is the same thing as we read in this verse which says the gospel of Christ is to every one that believeth for the purpose of causing an ongoing, ever increasing belief on the name of the Son of God.

Look at the next few verses which are built upon this sentence and actually give us more information about this gospel of Christ. Also remember that it was pointed out that the Son of God is not mentioned again after 1:16 through the end of chapter 1 but God the Father is mentioned several times. Part of the gospel of Christ is to teach us about God the Father and how to properly deal with Him.

The next verse tells us For (Here's why the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto [an ongoing] salvation) therein (inside of the gospel of Christ) is the righteousness of God revealed (all of the righteousness of God is not revealed when someone is first led to salvation but it is revealed in an ongoing basis as the person matures spiritually) from faith to faith (this can not possibly be a one-time faith) : (here is the Equivalent Section of 1:17) as it is written (in Habakkuk 2:4) The just shall The just shall live by faith (also quoted in Galatians 2:20; 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38). There is absolutely no way that anyone can reasonable claim that The just shall live by faith is a one-time event. The gospel of Christ is given to us (according to this verse) to revealthe righteousness of God and to tell us how to live by faith and to prove that God was just to give us salvation and declare us to be The just and to cause our faith to increase (faith to faith).

Continuing to the next verse, we find Paul tell us that the gospel of Christ was also given (For) to save us from the wrath of God which is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.We are supposed to stop doing and unrighteousness of men but that takes an ongoing relationship and the gospel of Christ which is not a one-time event. Also, only a fool would claim that saved people don't need to stop doing the unrighteousness of men. Contact RU if you need abundant proof of this truth. Also, find any honest pastor and he will admit that saved people do a lot of ungodliness and that some saved people suffer the wrath of God. Yes, these things apply to the lost but only a fool or liar would say that they never apply to the saved. This becomes especially evident when we consider the rest of this sentence. It continues with Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. Yes this verse and all of the following are truly interpreted and applied to lost men. However, there are many who claim to be saved that think and do the things described in the rest of this chapter. In addition, 1Corinthians 6:11 tells us And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. It takes time and spiritual growth for the Spirit of our God to make changes in our life after our initial profession. The gospel of Christ is preached to saved people so that the Spirit of our God can make changes in our life. Again, Romans 6:17 says But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. The truth is that many saved people can not claim that being servants of sin is all in the past. In fact, newly saved people can not make that claim and it takes spiritual maturity that comes from saved people hearing and believing the gospel of Christ for this change to take place. A major part of the gospel of Christ is pointing out what the last part of Chapter 1 reveals as God's reaction to sinful men and telling saved 'don't do that or you will reap the same result even if you are saved'. Unfortunately, too many people believe and preach the doctrinal error that saved people can do these sins and make a mockery of God because God won't make the saved reap what they sow. Romans 6 was written specifically to correct that error and Romans 6 is part of the gospel of Christ. In fact (almost) this entire epistle is part of the gospel of Christ. Look at the very next chapter which tells us how God will judge the saved. When people who claim to be saved continue in sin then it is because they have not been taught the gospel of Christ or (for whatever reason) they are not obeying it.

The epistle to the Romans is our book of doctrine in the New Testament. While the prior verses can definitely be used to teach doctrine, verse 1:15 is the first verse that Paul wrote intending it to be used as doctrine.As the start of his doctrinal teaching, Paul states that the gospel that he is ready to preach is the gospel of Christ. There are other gospels in the Bible, that aren't dealt with here, but the gospel of Christ is directed to the readers of the book of Romans. In verse 1:6-7, Paul identifies the intended reader to be the called of Jesus Christ:...called to be saints. The gospel of Christ is written to increase our faith after our initial profession.

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Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Since all of chapter 5 is a single logical argument, please see the Note for the first sentence and the Note for the second sentence in the Book Study on Romans. They are extensive and provide the context for the third sentence in Romans 5, which is this verse. Since this sentence starts with For, it is giving the reason for what was said in the first two sentences and we need to understand why a reason is given in order to properly understand the reason. In addition, the note for 5:1, in this Study, also provides context leading into this sentence. In that sentence, we were told what we have through our Lord Jesus Christ, and this sentence continues with what Christ did for us. This change in the roles of the Son of God, which are used, is deliberately done by God and we need to pay attention to this change in order to get our doctrine correct.

Please also see the note for this sentence in the Book Study on Romans. That note is extensive and includes links to places in the New Testament where we see strength used. While this strength actually comes through the ministry of Christ, and putting those details here could be justified, they were put in the Basic Study to be consistent with putting Word Studies in the Base Studies. Therefore, that note should be accessed for information which is important to understanding what is said in this verse about Christ.

In this verse we see God deliberately switched to Christ, from Lord Jesus Christ, which He used in prior verses of this chapter. The different usages of the roles of the Son of God are deliberate and doctrinally significant. Please note that this chapter returns to using Lord Jesus Christ in 5:11. Thus, what is said between the start of this verse and the end of 5:9is about Christ with God (through Paul) switching to Son in 5:10 before returning to Lord Jesus Christ in 5:11. Please also see those notes to understand the doctrinal significance of these changes. Please see the note for Romans 4:5 to find links to every place where the Bible uses forms of the word ungodly.

In our verse (5:6) we are also told that Christ died for the ungodly in due time. This means that Christ died for the ungodly in the time that God planned it (Isaiah 53:12; etc) as foretold in prophecy. While many would claim that prophecy is what is meant by in due time in this verse, I would point the reader to the parallel verses of 5:7-8 which tells us God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners. The time referenced by Paul in this section, and the time that is most important to us personally, is while we were yet sinners. The Son of God died only once. As explained for 3:26 and other notes, He died as Jesus to blot out the legal record of our sin so that we could become sons of God (John 1:12-13; etc). However, as 1John tells us, we continue to sin after we become sons of God and while God will not bring a charge against us in His legal-criminal system, He still has to deal with our sins as sons of God. If you took a relative's car out and totaled it, they may forgive you but someone still has to pay to replace the car. When the Son of God died, He died as Christ in addition to dying as Jesus. His death as Christ paid the debt for sins we do as sons of God. So now, we don't have to deal with that debt, but we still have the problem of the stain and control of sin. As people in RU can testify, there is still a very real addiction to sin for the sons of God. That's why we need the strength [of] Christ. It is the strength [of] Christ that allows us to stop our sinning. Two saved people can do the same sin together and pray for forgiveness together and one will have greater consequences than the other has from that joint sin. That's because it takes different things for each of us to stop our sinning. The main reason is our pride. Some will struggle longer but others will stop trying to do it on their own and ask God for the strength [of] Christ so that He will remove the stain and control of sin. The consequences of sin after we make our initial profession aren't due to how terrible or costly the sin is. They are due to what it takes for God to get us to stop our sinning h means getting rid of our pride and relying upon the strength [of] Christ.

Notice that back in 5:3-5 we were told we glory in tribulations also and that sentence goes on to tell us what we know which allows us to glory in tribulations. The things that we know is that we will receive the results of spiritual maturing (patience and experience and hope and knowing that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts). As we have seen consistently, spiritual maturity (and these things in 5:3-5) come through the ministry of Christ. In addition, to receiving the strength [of] Christ God also gives us patience and experience and hope and knowing that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts.

The strength [of] Christ and these other spiritual gifts are available to all saved because of the promise of God. However, they are not promised unconditional to all saved. If we are not maintaining our ongoing personal relationship with the Son of God through His role as Christ, we can't receive this grace. The grace to glory in tribulations is available only after someone gets saved and does not come automatically with salvation. Further, it was not available before Christ died for the ungodly (before we personally stopped being the ungodly). This grace is a conditional promise available to the saved through God's role of Christ. Please see the note for Romans 4:5 to find links to every place where the Bible uses forms of the word ungodly.

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Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Since all of chapter 5 is a single logical argument, please see the Note for the first sentence and the Note for the second sentence in the Book Study on Romans. They are extensive and provide the context for the third sentence in Romans 5, along with providing context for this verse. 5:7-8 restates what is said in the third sentence of Romans 5, and it also starts with For. That means that our current verse provides a reason for what Paul said in the first two sentences of this chapter. This sentence says essentially the same thing as 5:6, but provides different details. The two sentences are equivalent. Please also see the note for 5:6 as it has a lot of details which will not be repeated here. In addition, since 5:6 ended with Christ died for the ungodly while our current verse ends with Christ died for us, we are reminded that we still act ungodly at times. We don't like to think of ourselves as being ungodly and we certainly should not remain ungodly, but the truly saved have to admit that they used to be ungodly.

In the first two sentences we were told what we have through our Lord Jesus Christ, and this sentence continues with what Christ did for us. This change in the roles of the Son of God, which are used, is deliberately done by God and we need to pay attention to this change in order to get our doctrine correct.

Since all of chapter 5 is a single logical argument, this verse must also support what follows it within this chapter. Please also see the notes for 11, 21 under Lord Jesus Christ and for 5:6 under Christ and for 5:10 under Son and for 5:15, 17 under Jesus Christ.

This verse is part of the section that goes from 5:7 to 5:11. Basically, in this section Paul is telling us that while we were still sinners and undeserving, God not only had Jesus die to make Heaven available to us, but he also opened the door to further graces that are available through the Son of God's role of Christ if we meet the Biblical requirements. These further graces include being saved from wrath through him (5:9) and saved by his life (5:10). That is, as we let Christ live through us, we are saved from the consequences of sin in this life. When we refuse to let Christ live through us, we are not saved from the consequences of sin in this life. Read the rest of this chapter to see this claim. In particular, Romans 5 ends with even so might grace reign through righteousness. We have to be willing to do righteousness if we want this grace to reign in our lives.

In this sentence we see the love of God contrasted with the actions of the natural mans, which were presented in the prior sentence. Here we see that true Biblical love is an action verb. Please see the note for Romans 8:35 in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for links to every place that the Bible uses some form of love.

Our verse tells us But God commendeth his love toward us, in that... The in that means while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us is proof that God commendeth his love toward us. This sentence is 180 degrees opposite the prior sentence because it starts with But. That sentence describes the typical behaviour of the 'natural man', which is described as For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. Thus, God's love is important to understanding this sentence, along with understanding the meaning of commendeth. While I will not try to define, God's love, I deal with commendeth in the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Romans. That note has a link to every place that the Bible uses some form of the word commendeth, along with a short note on each verse.

Basically, the verses that use the word commendeth, teach us the same lesson as we saw from verses which use some form of boast. (Please see the note for Romans 3:27 which provides links to all of the places where the Bible uses some form of boast, along with a short note for each.) The Biblical doctrine for commend is plainly stated in Corinthians 10:18, which says For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. In our verse we are told that God commendeth his love toward us. That means that for us to receive the spiritual growth which is necessary for God to commend us, we must constantly be in God's love, which is in Christ. When we reject what Christ is trying to do in our life, we are rejecting God's love.

Our sentence tells us that God commendeth his love toward us (God presented His love in a way that made it 'acceptable, worthy of notice, regard, or kindness; to speak in favor of') while we were yet sinners because at that time we did not know or understand it. God should not have to do that and the 'natural man' would tell others to suffer the consequence of rejecting that love, but God's love is different. God will do whatever is required to be sure that we know what is available to us. Many lost people have a hard time believing the truth because it is so foreign to the sin ruined world that they know. God had Christ die for us, (not Jesus) because it is Christ who lives through the lives of saved people (Galatians 2:20). After we finally accept God's love, and get initially saved, God lets us grow us spiritually, but then uses our life to display His love to lost people. He does this by having Christ live through us and, when necessary, allowing us to suffer in order to display His love to lost people. However, before He does that He makes sure that we understand how much more reward we will receive by allowing Him to use our life this way. Since it is Christ that will be doing this, Christ is used in our sentence.

The next sentence starts with Much more then and tells us of additional things that we receive through the ministry of Christ. Please see the note for 5:9 in the Book Study on Romans for those details. Please see the note for Romans 8:35 in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for links to every place that the Bible uses some form of love. Please see the note for Romans 5:6 in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for links to where the Bible uses a form of the word strength.

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Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

This sentence starts with Therefore which lets us know that it is based upon what was said previously. The note for the prior sentence, in the Book Study on Romans, provides links to every place in the Bible where baptism is used along with notes on those places in the Bible. That note gives the true Biblical doctrine for baptism. The note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans divides this sentence by the punctuation. Please also see it for the punctuation and considerations of context. Please also see the note for Romans 6:2 has links to sentences within Romans which deal with death. That note also provides the Webster's 1828 definition and the true Biblical doctrine. In addition, please see the note for Romans 5:1 has links to where this epistle talks about glory.

Romans 6 tells us that we should have a changed life due to salvation and it uses baptism as the outward sign on an inward change. In particular, this sentence says we are buried with him by baptism into death and goes on to explain that the him is Christ. The death of Jesus is doctrinally different from the death of Christ. Therefore, there is doctrinally significant difference between baptism associated with Jesus and baptism associated with Christ. Since the baptism of this sentence links it to death of Christ, it is important for us to understand that doctrinal difference.

We see the death of Jesus Christ in several sentences in this epistle and others, but that is doctrinally different from the death of Jesus and doctrinally different from the death of Christ. That combination of roles (Jesus Christ) combines the doctrine of the death of Jesus and the doctrine of the death of Christ.

We find baptism associated with Jesus (not Jesus Christ) Matthew 20:22; Mark 10:38 and Mark 10:39. In these instances we find Jesus talking to James and John about the physical death that he would suffer.

We see the death of Jesus in Matthew 26:59; Matthew 27:1; Mark 14:55; John 4:47; John 11:4; John 11:13; John 18:32; 2Coringhians 4:11 and Hebrews 2:9. In the Gospels we see that Jesus died as a literal physical man. There is a lot of doctrinal significance to the fact that the name of Jesus, in the Bible, is always talking about a literal physical man and is providing doctrinal emphasis on His humanity. (Please see the Summary on the name of Jesus in the Overview document.)

In addition, to the Gospels, we see the death of Jesus used in two more verses. 2Coringhians 4:11 starts with For and gives the reason why Paul said, in the previous sentence, Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. There is a lot of doctrinal truth the saying 'What Did Jesus Do', if we look in the Bible to find out 'What Did Jesus Do' and not listen to some liar. Our verses in 2Corinthians literally link the death of Jesus to that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. (Please see the Study called Jesus used power of Holy Spirit and the note for 2Coringhians 4:10 for more details.) So, 2Corinthians is telling us that we are to follow the example of the physical Jesus as we live in this flesh using the power of the Holy Ghost to bring glory to God.

In Hebrews 2:9 we read But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. This entire chapter in Hebrews is telling us that one of the reasons why the Son of God became a literal physical man is so that He could experience the weakness and temptations of the flesh and be a proper high priest for physical man. Thus, in every instance where we find the death of Jesus, we find a doctrinal emphasis upon the physical and how we are to act in this flesh.

We find baptism associated with Christ (not Jesus Christ) only in this verse. We find death associated with Christ (not Jesus Christ) in Luke 2:26; Romans 6:3; this verse; Romans 6:9; 2Corinthians 11:23; Philippians 1:20; Philippians 2:30; 1Peter 3:18 and Revelation 20:6. As explained in each of the notes associate with each of these verses (by following the links), the context and the verse is telling us that our actions in the flesh are to be led by Christ working through the Holy Spirit. (Please see the Summary on the name of Christ in the Overview document.)

Getting spiritual guidance for our decisions in life is more abstract than following a physical example. Sometimes the physical example is in the same circumstances as we are in and we can literally follow the example. However, sometimes the physical example is not close enough to our current circumstances. When that happens, we need to see the spiritual rule that the physical example followed and how they applied the spiritual rule to life in the flesh. Then we must use the applicable spiritual rule and follow the example of how to apply the spiritual rule to our life in this flesh. Christ gives us the spiritual rules by working through the Holy Spirit and the Bible. Jesus provides the example of how to apply those rules in this flesh.

Look at the rest of this chapter in Romans. You will see that it is dealing with abstract spiritual concepts and very little (nothing?) that is literally telling us how to apply these rules in our physical lives in this flesh. We find that later in this epistle (Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not, Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep, etc.) Right now Paul is still dealing with the abstract and with the spiritual. That is why this verse uses Christ and not Jesus Christ or Christ Jesus. When this verse says even so we also should walk in newness of life, it is talking about our walk being directed by spiritual concerns and not by physical limits or concerns.

After His resurrection, Jesus Christ acted different than He did before His death. Before His death, Jesus would walk up steps and through doors. After the resurrection, He just appeared in the room with them and ignored physical limits. After His resurrection He told His disciples things that He did not teach before His death, or that He taught only in parables. Before His death He did not demand that people acknowledge Him as Lord and God. After His resurrection He met Thomas in front of all of the believers and demanded that Thomas stick his hand in the wound. In these and many more ways we see a difference in His behaviour when we look at His actions before His death compared to after His resurrection.

People talk about someone being 'so spiritually minded that they do no Earthly good'. If the 'spiritually minded' is led by Christ then this claim is impossible because Christ is definitely concerned with 'Earthly good'. No, I believe that this saying was made up by people who are 'so Earthly minded that they do no spiritual good'. One of the ways that people hide their own sin is to accuse others of doing their sin or of doing the opposite of their sin and making that opposite appear to be sin. After His resurrection, Christ was not concerned with physical limits but was concerned with His believers understanding spiritual things. When we are not concerned with physical limits but are concerned with letting people see God's spiritual control of this physical world, we are following the rules of faith. That is what this verse and chapter is about. We are to get our eyes off physical limits and follow the spiritual leading of Christ so that He can do some 'spiritual good' through our physical life.

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Romans 6:8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:

6:8-9 is a single sentence which is divided by the punctuation in the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Romans.

Notice that this verse starts with Now which means 'after doing what came before'. Please see the note for 6:4 above which explains what came before. As noted there, this Now means 'after we have been buried with him by baptism into death and have been freed from sin'. Not all saved people meet this condition and not all receive these blessings. That is why this section uses Christ and not Jesus Christ or Christ Jesus. Again (like for 6:5 and other sentences in this epistle), this verse says if which means that the promises of it are conditional and dependent upon us meeting God's additional requirements.

The conditional requirement is If we be dead with Christ. This conditional requirement is the same as what is repeated in 6:11 (Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin). That is, we must stop responding to the promptings (temptations) of sin in order to receive these blessings. Something that is dead does not respond to stimuli. In order to be dead indeed unto sin, we need to stop responding to sin's stimuli called temptation. Refer back to 6:7 which says he that is dead is freed from sin. As I said, sin is addictive and the only way to be freed from sin is for Christ to change our lives so that we no longer respond to sin's stimuli called temptation.

Our sentence says death hath no more dominion over him since Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more. Christ was the literal physical man named Jesus who literally physically died. Hebrews 5:5-10 tell us Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. Since this says though he were a Son, there can be no doubt that it is talking about the Son of God. It tells us that in the days of his flesh He had the very human emotions of he feared and learned he obedience and he suffered. These are because death [had] dominion over him before He died.

However, death hath no more dominion over him because Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more. The Equivalent Section of our sentence tells us Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. This is explained further in 6:11 which says Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. These verses tell us that we can end the dominion of death over us if we be dead with Christ. That means Christ is the one who makes us dead and that only comes through our ongoing personal relationship with the Son of God through His role as Christ. Again, not all saved people do this because there are costs such as our maturing spiritually and our stopping our sin and responding (being alive) unto God (6:11).

When this verse says we shall also live with him (Christ) it is speaking (I believe) of both types of life that comes through Christ. The first is spiritual life while we are here in the flesh. When another child of God receives a blessing that we wanted we can respond in the flesh with jealousy and/or hurt and/or anger. We can also praise God for His blessing to another and sincerely mean it because our faith in Him assures us that God has something that is better for us personally that He wants to give us but which also requires our correct response in a personal way. This type of response is only possible through the ministry of Christ and is part of being spiritually alive with him (Christ) now.

However, 1Corinthians 15:19-23 also promises a new body and physical life in Christ shall all be made alive. Now if any reader can show where the Bible literally says that those who refuse to die to sin in this life will receive a new body and physical life during the 1,000 years reign of Christ, I'd like to see it. I'm not saying that they will never receive it, but several places in the Bible, and several notes on this site, point out that there are beings in Heaver who will not be on this Earth as part of the 1,000 years reigh of Christ. I know that religious doctrine promises this, but I have not found it in the Bible. I'd also like to point out that the 'non-preachers' of early church and the church in America during the first 300 years had greater fear of the Lord and did more to serve Him than we've seen for over 100 years in America. They also turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6) while we can't get even a state wide revival and are losing our heritage. I personally believe it is a direct result of religious doctrine that tells people they can sit in the pew on Sundays and meet their obligation to God. Religious doctrine even excuses people living their entire life in sin and still promises them a mansion in Heaven. This religious doctrine produces different fruit than the early church had.

This verse is a conditional promise that we can overcome temptation if we trust that Christ will enable us to not respond to sin. Notice that this verse says death with Christ, not 'Christ's death'. We are to have Christ in us and when 'Christ is in' us, He is with us as we are tempted. As we turn to Him for direction and help, and as we follow His leading in our life, He will show us how to avoid responding to the promptings of sin. He does not do it for us but He is with us as we ourselves overcome our own fleshly desires to respond to temptation. Do you know the best way to make your foot stop hurting? Get hit in the head hard enough. The point is that a distraction often allows you to ignore something that you couldn't ignore without the distraction. We can not overcome our flesh's desire to respond to the prompting of temptations. However, if we are concentrating on building our relationship with Christ, we will be distracted from our flesh's desire to respond to the prompting of temptations. As we are concentrating on living with him, we will be dead indeed unto sin because we will not respond too the promptings of sin (we will be too distracted to respond). This verse uses Christ and not Jesus Christ or Christ Jesus because not all saved are willing meet this condition of being dead with Christ. As a direct result, not all saved live with him in this world and they are also risking not being able to live with him when He returns to rule this world for 1,000 yearss.

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Romans 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

6:8-9 is a single sentence which is divided by the punctuation in the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Romans. Since this verse and the verse above are in the same sentence, it is important that the reader also consider the note above. What is said there, and in the considerable note within the Book Study on Romans, will not be repeated here.

This verse is separated from the verse above by a : (Colon). That makes these two verses Equivalent Sections of the same sentence. They say the same thing two different ways. If we are dead with Christ (stop our responding to sin and our fear of death) then death hath no more dominion over Christ. That means that death no longer has the right to order Christ around but we only get out from the dominion of death when we are with Christ. That is what is literally said in the prior verse (Equivalent Section of the same sentence) and is the basic teaching of the entire chapter.

In the prior verse (Equivalent Section) we read Now if we be dead with Christ. Of course, the Now means 'after considering what was already said'. That consideration and the consideration of this sentence offering a conditional blessing were dealt with in the note within the Book Study on Romans. What was also dealt with was that the verse says with Christ, which means that we personally must be dead along side of Christ and this is not something the He can do for us. We must de it for ourselves. The promise is that we shall also live with him and He does not do our living for us. We do our own living along side of Him. Thus, what provides that living (be dead with Christ) must also be done by us along side of him.

That was the First Equivalent Section of our sentence with our current verse being the Second Equivalent Section of the same sentence. Since Equivalent Sections say the same thing only say it different ways, Our current verse tells us how to do the verse of the First Equivalent Section (verse above). Notice that our main verb is Knowing, which is an ongoing (repeating) action verb of know. This matches the ongoing action verbs of the First Equivalent Section. Also notice that both Equivalent Sections of our sentence use Christ and no other role of the Son of God. The resurrection of Jesus provided us with new life but it is the resurrection of Christ Who shows us how to live this life. Since, when we were lost, we were always under the dominion of sin and death, we would not know how to live differently than how they demanded that we live. Thus, Christ shows us how to live differently than what was demanded by sin and death. Our First Step tells us that we don't need to be afraid of dying so long as we are with Christ. Our Second Step tells us that we don't have to follow the rules. Thus, for example, we can go to a dangerous place to serve God and ignore the dangers if God assures us of eternal reward for doing so. Read the rest of the chapter and prayerfully consider the options for serving God when you remove all restrictions of fear from sin and death and add in eternal rewards for any service that we do for God.

Please see the note for Romans 6:2 has links to sentences within Romans which deal with death. That note also provides the Webster's 1828 definition and the true Biblical doctrine.

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Romans 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

I will say what this is talking about in a summary fashion then repeat with more details. Please see the details before dismissing the summary.

Paul starts chapter 7 with a new subject: law verses liberty but even here he is sticking to the concept of death (from the prior chapter) and showing how death even changes the outcome of the Law. He starts his teaching with the analogy of a married woman and says that she is freed from the law of her husband by death. If she marries another before her husband dies, then she is an adulteress but if she waits until after his death, she has not sinned. Then Paul comes to this verse where he says Wherefore, which means that what he will say next is based upon the example that he just gave in verses 1-3.

The first part of Paul's conclusion is that ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ. That is, Christ dying freed us from the bondage and control of the law. This Law is the religious part of the Mosaic Law. (That doctrine is taught in many other verses but there are too many details to include them here). Paul goes on to say that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. We weren't freed from the Mosaic Law to wander in darkness but to be bound to all of the the New Testament laws which are mentioned, including the Law of the Spirit. (Please see the note for 7:1 about the contextual relationship to law which applies to this verse. Please see the note for 7:2 about the contextual relationship of the law creating bounds in our life.) Our sentence tells us that God did this for a specific reason (that we should bring forth fruit unto God). That fruit is a direct result of our personal relationship to God through Christ. That is why this verse uses Christ. The note for 1:13, in the Book Study on Romans, gives links to places in Romans which use the word fruit. That note also provides the Webster's 1828 definition of the word fruit.

Again, spiritual fruit is something that comes after profession and is conditional upon our faith and obedience. That's why Paul says that we are freed by the body (death) of Christ and not the body (death) of Jesus.

I said that Paul is talking about law verses liberty in chapter 7. 7:1 tells us ..law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth. 7:2 tells us For the woman...is bound by the law...but if...she is loosed from the law. I could go on but we see right from the start that Paul is saying that the Law 'binds', and this is opposite from liberty. We also see law used 16 times in this chapter (7:1-9, 12, 14, 16, 21-23, 25). So there should be no problem with agreeing that this chapter is talking about people being bound by the law. While most of this chapter is talking about how sin and the law 'binds' us, the chapter concludes in 7:24-25 with the announcement that the person of Jesus Christ our Lord frees us through an ongoing relationship with Him. (Please see the note for 7:25 under Lord Jesus Christ.)

In this verse, we are told how the body of Christ was used to make us dead to the law; that ye should be married to another...that we should bring forth fruit unto God. Some might claim that our being married to Christ binds us to Him. This is true. However, God never takes away our free will. Therefore, our being married to Christ does not take away our freedom but protects us from being bound and enslaved by something else like sin and religious laws. So while there is a lot less said about liberty in this chapter than is said about law it does tell us the most important thing to know. If we are to have liberty we must accept that liberty comes from the person who is Jesus Christ our Lord.

In this part of the chapter, we are told that we are to be married to Christ. It should be obvious to everyone that marriage is an ongoing personal relationship. We also see this relationship mentioned in Ephesians 5:32 as well as other places in the Bible. We also see the book of Hosea tell us how God had his prophet accept a marriage specifically to illustrate the marriage relationship between God and His people. Many preachers (erroneously) claim that God is always against divorce but both Isaiah and Jeremiah tell us that God divorced His people. When He did, He remained married to them spiritually but cut them off from blessings and protection in this world. We see that Hosea did the same thing to unfaithful Gomer. When Gomer had lost everything and was being sold as a slave, Homer redeemed her but only under the condition that she remain a faithful wife. That is, she was required to do her part of the ongoing marriage relationship.

We see that God has not yet completely redeemed the Jews. In the Old Testament God had His prophets warn the Jews that they would be cut off because of their idolatry and because of their adultery. We see that after the bondage in Babylon they had stopped their idolatry but are still doing what God calls adultery. True Biblical adultery is spiritually violating a covenant agreement (James 4:4) which can be done in ways other than by fornication of a married person. (Please see the paper on Adultery for a complete Biblical analysis.) We also see the prophecy that says after God deals with the Jews about their adultery during the Great Tribulation, they will never be unfaithful to God again.

While I could go on with all of the places which warn the church that God will treat the church like He treated the Jews if the church acts like the Jews did, that should not be necessary. This verse plainly says that ye (each and every one of us personally) were married to another [Christ] that we should bring forth fruit unto God. If we have been saved for any length of time and have not brought forth fruit unto God we are not living up to our part of the marriage relationship.

The specifics of the relationship and the specifics of the fruit are definitely individual (which is one of the reasons that this verse uses Christ and not Jesus Christ or Christ Jesus), however, the requirement to produce fruit is given to all saved. Again, like we have seen elsewhere, marriage is a picture of salvation with Jesus being the Role that the Son of God used to pay the price to remove us from the great white throne legal system and Christ being the Role that the Son of God uses for the ongoing personal relationship. Further, the requirement (stated in this verse) that our marriage to Christ...should bring forth fruit unto God is not something that can be done by some one-time 'positional salvation' but requires the ongoing personal relationship which we see as a requirement most places that we see the Bible use Christ.

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Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Please see the note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans for important contextual considerations. This verse is central to a doctrinal error which is accepted by many fundamental believers. Understanding the context and paying close attention to what is actually said is critical to avoiding reading what we have been taught is here when God wants us to read what He actually had written.

In this chapter, Paul is comparing the carnal saved person to the person who walks in the Spirit. He is showing the differences in their lives and the different results that they receive from God because of that difference in how they live. Please notice that the first sentence of this verse uses the Spirit of God and the second sentence uses the Spirit of Christ. Jesus pointed out that the Bible tells us Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4). This means that God chooses every word that is in the Bible and the difference between the use of the Spirit of God and the use of the Spirit of Christ is deliberate, especially since the two usages are one after another. God wants us to see the contrast.

The note for 8:8 in the Book Study on Romans points our the difference between those people who are in the flesh (lost) and those people who walk after the flesh (saved but carnal people who act like lost people). In our first sentence Paul says But ye are not in the flesh...if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you to mean 'You're not lost so don't act like lost people'. (The note for 8:9 in the Book Study on Romans explains why most people should think of 'since' when they see an if in the Bible.)

Thus, we see the lost person deliberately eliminated from consideration when Paul says But ye are not in the flesh. He wants us to be sure to not apply his next sentence to lost people. Next we see the saved and spiritual person identified when Paul says they have the Spirit of Christ and we see the carnal saved person identified when Paul says if any man have not the Spirit of Christ. Notice that the second sentence in our verse starts with Now, which means 'After I pointed out that none of the readers of this epistle are really lost'. Therefore, the he is none of his is talking about saved people with the distinction between the spiritual and the carnal being whether they have the Spirit of Christ or not.

As pointed out in the Book Study on Romans, the if in the Bible is used like it is used in computer programming. What follows the conditional phrase is not performed unless the conditional phrase is fulfilled. However, what follows the conditional phrase is always performed when the conditional phrase is fulfilled. Therefore, the first he of he is none of his identifies all saved people who have not the Spirit of Christ. The second he of he is none of his identifies Christ.

As a result, this sentence is telling us that the saved carnal person does not have the Spirit of Christ and is not a Biblical Christian even though they are saved. Paul is going to continue this chapter and tell us what God has for saved people who walk in the Spirit, but just as the first sentence of this verse eliminated the lost people, so also does the second sentence eliminate the saved, but carnal, person. Remember that the first sentence of our chapter set the theme of the chapter when it identified them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit (see the note for 8:1). Therefore, what follows this verse is available to the people identified and not given to the people eliminated by this verse.

So we see that Paul is talking only to saved people (that the Spirit of God dwell in you) when he makes his next statement of Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. We have consistently seen that the Bible uses Now for 'after we concluded what came before'. Therefore, Paul is saying that saved people may not (if) have not the Spirit of Christ. If the reader refers to the Study called Relational Prepositions they will find many verses which tell us that being in Christ and having Christ in them. As all of those verses show us, both conditions and NOT guaranteed to saved people as everlasting but are dependant upon our maintaining our personal relationship with God.

There is a division between the 'everlasting positional' parts of salvation and the 'temporary conditional' parts of salvation but that division is NOT in Christ (1Corinthians 1:13). The division is outside of Christ with those saved people having the 'temporary conditional' parts of salvation being in Christ and separated from those saved people who are not in Christ. This study has used thousands of verses to show that the Bible consistently puts that division between Jesus and Christ. The Bible uses Jesus to identify people who have the 'everlasting positional' parts of salvation and uses Christ to identify people who also have the 'temporary conditional' parts of salvation. Please see the note for 8:11 in the Book Study on Romans for more details on this doctrine.

That is what the second sentence of this verse is saying. When it tells saved people that if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his it is saying what we have seen elsewhere. That is, that there are saved people (the Spirit of God dwell in you) who are not 'Christians' (he is none of his) because they have not the Spirit of Christ. I know that it is religious doctrine that people will break fellowship over, but that religious doctrine is WRONG. Being saved does NOT guarantee that the person is a Christian. In addition, to being saved, the person MUST have the Spirit of Christ in them to be a true Biblical Christian. Since God does not take away our free will, and since the Bible consistently makes our being in Christ and having Christ in us conditional, our being a true Biblical Christian is conditional upon our meeting these additional requirements.

The greatest part of our spiritual life happens after our initial profession. However, even as saved people God does not take away our free will. That is why we can refuse this fellowship of ongoing instructions from Christ. Which means that we can refuse this life more abundantly (John 10:10), which is part of our salvation (life of God in us). When we refuse this personal relationship with Christ (if any man have not the Spirit of Christ), the Spirit of Christ leaves us but the Spirit of God does not leave us. On the technical side, there is a difference between receiving God's Spirit in salvation and having fellowship with the Spirit of Christ. In this verse we read about the Spirit of God, which is the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit of Christ. The Spirit of Christ is the Spirit that Christ puts into the saved during fellowship of an ongoing personal relationship, and Christ is a different person than the Holy Spirit in the Trinity. Thus we see the two parts of God's life in us, which is Biblical salvation. We have the Holy Spirit which is everlasting like DNA, and we have the ongoing fellowship with Christ, which is like the parts of life that a godly father adds to his children's life after they are born. We also see this definition of Christ in the very next verse, which is added to this verse by And. Please see the note for 8:10. Also, please see the note for Galatians 4:19, which tells us the same thing.

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Romans 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

This sentence starts with And which means it is added to what was said in the prior verse and can not be properly understood without that verse. As the note above said, there are saved people who are not true Biblical 'Christians' (Christ is not in them) and there are saved people who are true Biblical 'Christians' (Christ be in you). So this verse is tells us the conditional blessing of having Christ be in you that is given to only some saved. This use of Christ (not Jesus Christ or Christ Jesus) to tell about blessings that are given to some saved and denied to others is consistent within the Bible.

This sentence tells us that if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin. In this verse body is used as a subset of the way that flesh is used in other parts of Romans. Our flesh includes the parts of our mind and will that want to sin. This verse is telling us that when Christ be in you our body is dead (is not trying to make us respond) because of sin (because the promptings from our body are controlled by sin [7:24-25]). When Christ be in you He kills the promptings from our body, which are controlled by sin, and thereby makes our body dead. So, when Christ be in you, you will not respond to prompting from our dead / sinful body.

Temptation is often sin trying to use our body to get us to ignore Christ (make Him not be in you). Temptation is not sin, our conscious responding to temptation is sin. In addition, we find that the Spirit [of Christ] is life because of [the Spirit of Christ provokes us to do] righteousness. So long as we are concentrating upon doing righteousness we will have our life from God increased (life more abundantly [John 10:10]) and our body will be dead. The opposite side of this if is also true: when we respond to the sinful promptings from our body we do not respond to the Spirit of Christ and we can not truthfully claim that Christ be in [us]. This verse uses Christ because this is a conditional blessing that not all saved have and those that have it usually do not have it continuously and all that experience it experience it in varying degrees. This is one of those verses that prove that Christ be in [us] is conditional and not guaranteed to all saved.

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Please see the note on this verse under Jesus Christ.

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Romans 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Several times in the verses before this one, within chapter 8, we have seen the word if. This whole section is talking about conditional promises from God. That's why the role of Christ is used to identify how we receive these benefits. Many know John 1:12 but ignore the meaning of power to become. Becoming sons of God really isn't guaranteed to all believers. The ability to become a sons of God is all that is guaranteed. Romans 8:14 says For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. So, being one of the sons of God starts with our initial profession of salvation but requires additional spiritual maturity which comes only when we are personally led by the Spirit of God. The note for 8:14 shows all of the verses that use sons of God and children of God and the meaning of those phrases according to Biblical usage. As shown there, there are saved people who do not meet the Biblical requirements to be called the sons of God. They also don't meet God's requirements to receive the reward of that title. I know that saying this goes against the theology of many so-called Christians, but they need to face reality. Many of these so-called Christians are 'naming and claiming' promises made to people who meet additional requirements in the Bible, which they refuse to meet, and then don't understand why God doesn't give them the Biblical promise that they 'named and claimed'.

Romans 8:19 says For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. Nature isn't waiting the manifestation of 'Heaven claiming, Hell serving so-called Christians'. This whole section and this verse in particular is conditional. Jesus definitely taught variable rewards in Heaven with the parable of the pounds (Luke 19) and the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) and other places. The rewards varied between the people in these parables based upon the works they produced for their lord. Likewise, the rewards received by saved people will vary based upon the works they produced for their Lord.

All saved will not inherit all things that are available with Christ because they do not meet all of the additional requirements. Think about it. Only pastors will receive the crown reserved for pastors. This verse says that our being glorified is conditional based upon if we suffer with him. Other promises that the sons of God will inherit are all conditional upon our service and sanctification. They are not automatically provided with salvation.

This verse and and the next form a single sentence which is broken down by the punctuation in the note for it within the Book Study on Romans. Just looking at this sentence breakdown, according to the punctuation, should show the reader that we have to be with Christ in suffering if we expect to be heirs of God. The permutations of inherit occur 310 times in 260 verses of the Bible. The words heir and heirs occur 29times in 26 verses. That's a lot of verses and it doesn't identify all of the ways that the Bible talks about an inheritance. (The note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans has all 26 of those verses along with a small note for each verse about how it uses the word heir.) Indeed, the word testament occurs 14 times and Hebrews 9 makes it clear that the Bible is talking about the legal document knows as a 'Last Will and Testament'. So this subject about heirs is quite extensive in the Bible.

The conflict (never-ending war) in the Middle East was started by a fight between Ishmael and Isaac over who would inherit from Abraham. Galatians 4 teaches important doctrine about heirs and uses the conflict between Ishmael and Isaac as an example of the conflict between religion and faith when it comes to being heirs of God. Just as God rejected Ishmael, God rejects the claims of religion upon His inheritance. Just as Isaac inherited by faith, so also does the Bible teach through all of these verses that we inherit by faith. Those with little faith will inherit little. Those with much faith will inherit much. I challenge any reader who doubts my word to do the three searches I mentioned above and study the verses found within their context. I dare anyone to show me their research and explanation of all of those verses and how they can come to any conclusion contradicting what I said. As we have seen consistently throughout this study, the Bible uses Christ by itself for promises that are not given to all saved and for promises that vary from one saved person to another. According to the Bible, the joint-heirs with Christ are going to have varying amounts of inheritance based upon their level of faith that is within their personal relationship with Christ. The God of the Bible is very definitely not a communist.

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Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

This verse starts out with Who is he that condemneth? Revelation 12:10 identifies our accuser as Satan. However, he can't get his accusations heard by God so long as Christ intercedes for us, as stated in this verse. That sounds great doesn't it? There is just the minor incident of Matthew 10:32-33 and Luke 12:8-9 which tells us Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in Heaven. Satan is going to go before God's throne and accuse all saved people of their sin. He won't lie about that because he won't have to. When Satan makes a truthful accusation, God the Father turns to Christ who also maketh intercession for us and asks Christ what He has to say. If we are in Christ then he will say that He is working with us to overcome that sin. However, if we are not in Christ then He will have to deny helping us to overcome sin. That means there is no opposition to Satan's just demand that we be punished for ongoing sin in our lives.

One of the most basic lessons from the Old Testament is that God allowed nations that were serving Satan to punish the Jews because they refused to obey. Romans 11 explains that we will be treated like God treated the Jews if we act like them. The intercession in this verse is conditional. If we keep refusing to obey, like the Jews did, Christ will stop interceding for us and allow Satan to bring his people against us. This verse is also tied into 8:35. Please see the note just below. In addition, please see the note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans and the notes for all of the surrounding verses. It is very easy to be led into doctrinal error about this verse in the context is not considered and the Book Study on Romans provides the context.

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Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

The permutations of love occur 498 times in 421 verses. Below is a division by a quick look at the verses. Many preacher has spent his whole career studying the love of God and there is no way that I can match that type of study effort. Should any reader wish to do a contextual analysis of all of these verses, and provide their reasoning for all corrections, such help would be appreciated. The reader is warned to verify data taken from the following table before using it as the accuracy is probably good but can not be guaranteed.

God Loved:	Exodus 20:6; Deuteronomy 4:37; 5:10; 6:5; 7:9, 13; 10:12, 18, 19; 11:1, 13, 22; 13:3; 19:9; 23:5; 30:6, 16, 20; 33:3; Joshua 22:5; 23:11; 2Chronicles 9:8; Nehemiah 1:5; Psalms 45:7; 47:4; 70:4; 78:68; 91:14; Ezekiel 16:8; Daniel 1:9; 9:4; Hosea 3:1; 12:7; Zephaniah 3:17; Malachi 2:11; Matthew 6:24; Mark 10:21; 12:30; Luke 10:27; 11:42; 16:13; John 3:16; 5:42; 8:42; 12:25, 43; 16:27; Romans 5:5; 5:8; 8:28, 39; 9:13; 2Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 2:4; 6:23; Colossians 2:2; 2Thessalonians 2:16; 3:5; 1Timothy 6:11; Titus 3:4; 1John 2:5; 3:1, 16, 17; 4:7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12; 16, 20, 21; 5:1, 2, 3; 2John 1:3; Jude 1:2, 21;
Son of God Loved:	Galatians 2:20; 2John 1:3;
Father Loved:	John 3:35; 5:20; 10:17; 13:1; 14:21, 23, 24, 28, 31; 15:9, 10; 17:23, 24, 26; Romans 8:37; 1John 2:15; 3:1; 2John 1:3;
Lord Loved:	Genesis 29:32; 44:20; Deuteronomy 7:7, 8; 10:15; 2 Samuel 12:24; 1 Kings 10:9; 2Chronicles 2:11; 11:21; 19:2; 122:6; Psalms 11:5, 7; 18:1; 26:8; 31:23; 33:5; 37:28; 40:16; 87:2; 97:10; 116:1; 119:159; 145:20; 146:8; Proverbs 3:12; 8:17; 15:9; Isaiah 38:17; 43:4; 48:14; 56:6; 61:8; 63:9; Jeremiah 31:3; Hosea 9:15; 10:11; 11:1, 4; 14:4; Zechariah 8:17, 19; Malachi 1:2; Matthew 22:37; John 11:3; 20:2; 21:7, 15, 16, 17, 20; 2Corinthians 9:7; 11:11; 13:11, 14; Hebrews 12:6; 1John 3:1; 2John 1:3;
Jesus Loved:	John 11:5, 36; 13:23; 19:26;
Christ Loved:	Romans 8:35; 2Corinthians 5:14; Ephesians 3:17, 19; 4:15; 5:2, 25; Philippians 2:1;
Jesus Christ Loved:	Galatians 5:6; Colossians 1:4; 2Timothy 1:13; Philemon 1:9; 1John 3:23; Revelation 1:5;
Lord Jesus Christ Loved:	Romans 8:39; Ephesians 1:4; 6:23; 2Thessalonians 2:16; 1Timothy 1:14; Jude 1:21; 2John 1:3; Revelation 3:9; 3:19;
Spirit Loved:	Romans 15:30; Galatians 5:22; Colossians 1:8;
man loved:	Genesis 22:2; 24:67; 25:28; 27:4, 9, 14; 29:18, 20, 30, 32; 34:3; 37:3-4; Exodus 21:5; Leviticus 19:18, 34; Deuteronomy 15:16; Judges 5:31; 14:16; 16:4, 15; Ruth 4:15; 1 Samuel 1:5; 16:21; 18:1, 3, 16, 20, 22, 28; 20:17; 2 Samuel 1:23, 26; 13:1, 4, 15; 19:6; 1 Kings 3:3; 11:1, 2; 2Chronicles 11:21; 26:10; Esther 2:17; Job 19:19; Psalms 4:2; 5:11; 34:12; 45; 1; 52:3, 4; 69:36; 99:4; 109:4, 5, 17; 119:47, 48, 97, 113, 119, 127, 132, 140, 163, 165, 167; Proverbs 1:22; 4:6; 5:19; 7:18; 8:21, 36; 9:8; 10:12; 12:1; 13:24; 15:12, 17; 16:13; 17:9, 17, 19; 18:21; 19:8; 20:13; 21:17; 22:1, 11; 27:5; 29:3; Ecclesiastes 3:8; 5:10; 9:1, 6, 9; Song of Solomon 1:2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 15; 2:2, 4-5, 7, 10, 13; 3:1-5, 10; 4:1, 7, 10; 5:2, 8, 16; 6:4; 7:6, 12; 8:4, 6-7; Isaiah 56:10; 57:8; 66:10; Jeremiah 2:2; 2:25, 33; 5:31; 8:2; 14:10; Ezekiel 16:37; 23:11, 17; 33:31, 32; Hosea 4:18; 9:1, 10; Amos 5:15; Micah 3:2; 6:8; Matthew 5:43, 44, 46; 6:5; 10:37; 19:19; 22:39; 23:6; 24:12; Mark 12:31, 33, 38; Luke 6:27, 32, 35; 7:5, 42, 47; 11:43; 20:46; John 3:19; 12:25; 13:34, 35; 14:15; 15:12-13, 17, 19; 20:2; Romans 12:9-10; 13:8-10; 1Corinthians 2:9; 4:21; 8:3; 16:22, 24; 2Corinthians 2:4, 8; 6:6; 8:7, 8, 24; 12:15; Galatians 5:13, 14; Ephesians 1:15; 4:2, 16; 5:28, 33; 6:24; Philippians 1:9, 17; 2:2; 4:8; Colossians 3:19; 1Thessalonians 1:3; 3:12; 4:9; 5:8, 13; 2Thessalonians 2:10; 1Timothy 6:10; 2Timothy 4:8, 10; Titus 2:4; 3:15; Philemon 1:5, 7; Hebrews 1:9; 6:10; 10:24; 13:1; James 1:12; 2:5, 8; 1Peter 1:8, 22; 2:17; 3:8, 10; 2 Peter 2:15; 1John 2:10; 3:10, 11, 14, 18; 4:17, 18, 19; 2John 1:1, 5, 6; 1:1, 9; Revelation 2:4; 12:11; 22:15;

In the table above we see the love of the Son of God only twice. Once it is linked to our salvation (Galatians 2:20) and the other time (2John 1:3) His love is equated to the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. The love of the Lord Jesus Christ is often linked to the love of God the Father and is linked to our entire salvation experience which we receive through each and every role of the Son of God. The verses which tell us that Jesus Loved all talk about Him loving literal physical people who were alive when He was on Earth. Every verse which tells us about the love of Jesus Christ is also talking about our faith. The verses which tells us about the love of Christ are below. Each of these verses has a fuller explanation in the note for that particular verse. Please see those notes for details.

Romans 8:35 tells us that no outside person and no outside circumstance shall separate us from the love of Christ. However, we can separate ourselves.
2Corinthians 5:14 tells us For the love of Christ constraineth us, which means it limits our activities. Those people who reject these limits are not staying within the love of Christ.
Ephesians 3:17-19 tell us that we need Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith in order to comprehend...and to know the love of Christ and to be filled with all the fulness of God. (Please see the note for Colossians 2:9 about the word fulness. The functional definition is: 'the things and actions which make something full'.)
Ephesians 4:15 tells us that we learn to speak the truth in love when we grow up into him in all things...even Christ.
Ephesians 5:2 tells us to walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us.
Ephesians 5:25 instructs Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.
Philippians 2:1-2 tells us that if we are in Christ we are to be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind

It should be obvious that each and every one of these verses are talking about our having responsibilities that are refused by the majority of people who call themselves 'Christians'. Further, this verse is part of the conclusion of an entire chapter which has been contrasting those who walk in the Spirit to those who are in the flesh or who walk after the flesh and the entire chapter has been saying that only those who walk in the Spirit get the blessings that come through Christ. We even saw where the love of Christ is equated to marital love and only a fool would claim that they could be constantly unfaithful to their mate and receive all of the love that mate wants to give them. Time and again we see people believing messages that claim God will treat them differently that Hosea treated Gomer while she was unfaithful. This is in spite of the fact that God had Hosea marry Gomer specifically to illustrate how God treats the unfaithful. People also ignore the many other places in the Bible where God says how he will deal with unfaithful believers. Again, we are seeing where what the Bible actually says goes against popular religious doctrine. Only those who are in Christ can really claim the protection provided here. Look at the next verse which quotes Psalm 44 and Jeremiah 12. Look at those sections and see how many people fail to meet the qualifications found there. God makes this promise to those who are in Christ and those who are not in Christ can not claim it. In addition, the more spiritually mature a person is, the more they personally experience the love of Christ in their life.

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Romans 9:1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,

Romans 9:1-2 is a single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the Book Study on Romans. That note also provides the context of this sentence.

In this simple, straight forward sentence Paul expresses a deep concern that he has. The next sentence (9:3-5) explains why he feels this way in. These two sentences introduce the subject of this chapter. Basically, God decides the purpose for our lives and makes us promises if we accept His decisions about our lives. Abraham accepted. Isaac accepted. Jacob accepted. Ishmael and Esau rejected God's plan for their lives. They refused to accept the 'lower' position in life. If they had accepted their God given position, then God may have raised them up like He did for Joshua. But even if God didn't raise them up, they would have received eternal rewards for living by faith and hope in God and God's promises. Unfortunately, the Jews started out as the descendants of the promises but stopped living by faith in the promises and the God of the promises. Instead, they also turned to fleshly religion, which is why Paul said he had great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.

Romans 8 is talking about the differences between a Spirit led life and a life of fleshly religion. Romans 9 is telling us how that historically God chose the children of faith and not the children of the flesh and now God is now including Gentiles which come by faith. The verses in this chapter that use Christ are referring to the conditional promises of God that were made to the seed, or children, of Abraham, which are those who come by faith. As said here and in Galatians 3, those promises were to Abraham and the people adopted into His family through Jesus Christ.

Paul is giving a different argument here than he gives in Galatians, but showing the same conclusion. The Jews were sure that they had the promises of God locked and ignored God's conditions upon receiving those promises, which is a Spirit led life of faith. That Spirit led life of faith is accomplished through our personal relationship with the Son of God in His role as Christ (See Romans 8 and accompanying notes). Many of the Jews missed out on the promises of God because they relied upon being the physical seed instead of understanding the spiritual nature of God's promises.

Likewise, many saved today make the same mistake, thinking that the conditional promises that are available through the role of Christ are given unconditionally because of the role of Jesus. They miss out because they don't maintain the Spirit led life that comes after initial profession. The truth that Paul found in Christ came from a Spirit led life and it was a truth that most people missed because they are not in Christ. Others who want to receive these truths must also be in Christ. Once more we see Christ used by itself to describe blessings that not all saved receive and which vary from one saved person to another and also vary over time for a given believer based upon how much his life is in Christ.

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Romans 9:3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

Romans 9:3-5 is a single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the note for this verse within the Book Study on Romans. Please see the note for 9:1 above as this sentence is giving the reason (For) for what Paul said there.

This sentence uses Christ twice, once in each Equivalent Section of the sentence. In the First Equivalent Section we are told that if it would get the Jews saved, Paul would be willing to be accursed from Christ. This is where it is important to understand what the Bible means by Christ. I've said that Christ is the role that the Son of God uses to spiritually mature the saved person through an ongoing personal relationship and Christ is also the role that the Son of God uses to fulfill prophecy. However, these are really the same because prophecy is where we find the promises and everything else mentioned in this verse as being given to the Israelites.

Included within those prophecy and those promises are the ones that God gave through Joel 2:28 and that Peter said was fulfilled at Pentecost in Acts 2:14-21. God opened the way for Gentiles to receive these promises also and that is how we have our relationship with Christ. However, this ongoing personal relationship with Christ, that comes from God giving us His Spirit, is really a fulfillment of prophecy and the promises that God gave to the Israelites. Therefore, Christ is really just the role that the Son of God uses to fulfill prophecy and these promises but I emphasize His maintaining the ongoing relationship because most people don't understand that one is contained within the other.

Within that context, Paul isn't really saying that he could wish that he would spend eternity in the Lake of Fire but he is saying he would willingly go through all that he did and give up all of the personal blessings that he received from Christ and give up all of his promises of future reward if that is what it took to get the Israelites saved.

In the second half of this sentence we are told Christ was an Israelite and He is over all. Without Christ coming in the flesh, none of us would be saved. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are the men who got us the promises and we need to give credit where credit is due. Here is an interesting fact about Paul using Israelite in this verse. In Genesis, every time that Jacob acted in the flesh, the Bible identifies him as Jacob. When he followed the Spirit, the Bible identifies him as Israel. This entire sentence can be properly interpreted only if we take the spiritual perspective from that perspective, we owe a debt of gratitude to the Israelites.

Paul goes on in the rest of this chapter explaining the promises and how the Gentiles were included by prophecy and the promises (9:24-26). Paul concludes the chapter by telling us that all of the promises are received by faith and not by Law or religion. faith, of course, requires our ongoing personal relationship with the Son of God and that relationship is maintained through His role as Christ. These first two sentences use Christ because everything talked about in this chapter are received from the Son of God through His role as Christ.

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Romans 9:5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

Please see the note above for 9:3. This verse is part of the sentence noted there.

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Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

The preceding verses (10:1-3) are about the Jews and definitely limit the use of law, in this verse, to the Mosaic Law. In addition, The council of Jerusalem (Acts 15) limited this to the religious part of the Mosaic Law. They required the Gentiles to keep the personal (Moral) part of the Mosaic Law by saying twice that the Gentiles were to abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. In addition, God has always requires us to obey the Civil authority of the country that we are in. Therefore, the Civil part of the Mosaic Law only applied to Israel and then only while they kept it as their Civil Law. Several chapters in Hebrews explain, in detail, how that Christ has taken over the Religious parts of the Mosaic Law. Thus we see how Paul says that Christ is the end of the law.

Continuing on, the next verse (10:5) states that the righteousness being discussed comes from Moses. The phrase law for righteousness limits it further to the religious part of the Mosaic Law. No one thought that keeping a Civil Law made them righteous before God. The Moral part of the Mosaic Law dealt with our personal responsibilities before God that Jesus accused the scribes and Pharisees of not doing the moral part of the Law (Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:42). They obviously weren't relying on that part of the Mosaic Law to make them righteous before God. That leaves the religious part of the Mosaic Law, which the Jews were relying on to give them righteousness before God. Put this with the rest of the verse and we have Christ is the end (caused to end) of the law of righteousness (hope of being found righteous before God due to keeping religious ceremonial acts) to everyone that believeth.

Having said that this section is talking about the Mosaic Law, the same principals also apply to any other religious laws. We now have religions that claim that their religious laws replace what God put in the Bible. However, their laws are even less sufficient than the Mosaic Law to get someone righteousness that would be accepted by God.

Obviously, those that don't believe don't accept that Christ's death ended any hope of salvation through keeping religious acts. However, for those that do believe, we see the fulfillment of Ephesians 2:10. After profession by faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), it says For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. The good works are a result of His workmanship in us. James and other places in the Bible tell us that true Biblical faith must be backed by works. But, the prior chapter (Romans 9) told us that it can't be our religious works but must be God's works. That is, we have to believe that if we trust God and obey God then He will produce righteousness through our lives.

Thus, if we study our Bible to know what God says (as opposed to what our religion says) and we obediently pray for God's guidance and go out expecting Him to lead us to someone to witness to, then when he leads us to the right person He will also guide us as to what to say to that person. When we deliver God's Word to others, then God's Holy Spirit can use God's Word to do a spiritual work in that person's life. We get credit for what God's Holy Spirit did. It is counted as our righteousness, even though He did the actual spiritual work, because we trusted and obeyed what God's Word tells us to do. When we truly believeth as this verse means, we believe that Christ will actually work through us if we trust and obey. As John 1:12-13 says, we can become the sons of God, which means we can become like the Son of God if we let Him change us. We just have to trust and obey His Word as His Spirit reveals it to us.

Again, the extent that we see His workmanship in us is directly related to the extent that we submit to the the personal commands that Christ gives to us through the Holy Spirit. As with other verses, the role of Christ is used because this blessing is conditional. The more that we submit to the Spirit of Christ, the more that we see the end of any hope for righteousness due to our religious acts. The more that we submit to the Spirit of Christ, the more that we see that our works could never match the requirement of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). How much we realize this end of the law for righteousness in our personal lives is completely dependent upon how much we submit to the Spirit of Christ and let His workmanship show in our lives.

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Romans 10:6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into Heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)

Romans 10:6-13 gives us the righteousness which is of faith in a summary fashion. 10:6-7 say what it is not. 10:8-13 says what it is and 10:10-13 says why it is what it is.

Paul compares the righteousness which is of faith to the the righteousness which is of the law which he told us in 10:5 that Moses describes. In Deuteronomy 30:11-14 we read For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in Heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to Heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. So 10:5 is a reference to a part of the law where God said they had no excuse for not obeying it. The Law wasn't hid from them and they didn't have to go find it but God said the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. Now Paul is giving us a parallel only using Christ in place of the word. (Compare Romans 10:6-8 to Deuteronomy 30:11-14.)

Back in Romans 8 he told us that the only reason that a saved person doesn't have the Spirit of Christ (is not a true Biblical Christian) is because they refused to walk after the Spirit. Here, Paul is saying that we can't claim that we don't know the righteousness which is of faith because we can have Christ...very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. The saved person will have no more excuse for not following a personal relationship with Christ than the Jew does for not obeying the Law. All saved will meet Christ at the judgment seat of Christ (Romans 14:10; 2Corinthians 5:10-11). In addition, the Word Study on Gospel shows us that the the Gospel of Christ and the the Gospel of the Kingdom are both applications of the the Gospel of God. The difference is that under one gospel people prove their faith by keeping the Mosaic law and under the other gospel people prove their faith by obeying Christ in an ongoing personal relationship.

So if we go back to my initial statement, in Romans 10:6-7 Paul is saying that the righteousness which is of faith is not hid from us we can have Christ...very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. Then in 10:8-13 he tells us how we receive the righteousness which is of faith just in case we missed his analogy. In 10:8 when Paul says But what says it? he's asking But what says the righteousness which is of faith? Just as the Law said, The word is near you, even in your mouth, and in your heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach. The word is also called the seed in Matthew 13 and Luke 8 and 1Peter 1:23. The seed is a small bit of life (a man has to plant living seed to get a living child and God has to plant spiritually alive seed to get spiritual life).

Back in Romans 9:27-33 (the summary of the chapter just before this) Paul talked about the remnant of the Jews, which is also a small bit of life and, therefore, we see the parallel Paul is making. Just as God will take that small bit of Jews and make a great nation that is righteous, so God will now take the small bit of life (which is The word is near you, even in your mouth, and in your heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach) that we receive at our initial profession and grow it into a life that shows the righteousness which is of faith through the ministry of Christ. Then Paul brings us back to the Jew and the example that God provided with the Jew when (in 10:12) he tells us For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. Yes, the Lord is rich unto all that call upon him but He is also a fierce judge of all who live a life mocking Him.

These verses (10:6-7) use Christ because that is the role used by the Son of God too fulfill prophecy and Acts 2 told us that our having the indwelling Holy Spirit is a fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel. In addition, all through Romans Paul has been building up to here where he tells us that if we are saved we have no excuse for not having a personal relationship with Christ which demonstrates the righteousness which is of faith. Having a life which demonstrates the righteousness which is of faith requires spiritual maturity after our initial profession, which is also accomplished by the Son of God through His role as Christ.

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Romans 10:7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)

This is a further continuation of the Paul's argument which is discussed in the note for Romans 10:6. Please see the note above.

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Romans 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

12:4-5 is a single sentence divided into two Equivalent Sections by the colon separating the two verses. This sentence is divided by punctuation in the Book Study on Romans. In the First Equivalent Section we are told that there are differences between different body parts but all work together as a single body.. In the Second Equivalent Section we are told that there are different people in the body of Christ but all are supposed to work together as directed by Christ.

This sentence starts with For and gives us a reason that no person should think of himself more highly than he ought to think. In the first part of this sentence, Paul first says as we have many members in one body. This is a parallel to His teaching in 1Corinthians12 where he likened the spiritual gifts that people have to our differences senses and parts of the body. There he taught that just like sight and hearing are both important (even though they work differently from each other), so also is every member of the church important and there is no big me and little you. Paul also says in this part of the sentence that all members have not the same office. An office is an ongoing job with certain rights and responsibilities.

This sentence is the second sentence to start with For, in this chapter, and gives us the second reason why Paul said what he did in the joined first two sentences. (Please see the note for the second sentence in the Book Study on Romans for the contextual considerations.) These first several verses are the foundation for the rest of the chapter. The sentence-by-sentence has a good overview of each of these verses but below takes a different perspective in that it shows how they all fit into this concept of being the body in Christ. As we have seen everywhere else that the phrase of in Christ occurs, not all saved people are in Christ all of the time. Therefore, if we are not personally following the leading of Christ in our personal lives and if we are not working for the good of the whole body in Christ then we are not in Christ even though we are saved and might be church members.

Romans 12:1 starts with I beseech you therefore which means it is based upon the prior chapter where Paul explained that the Jews were cut off by God because they were religious but refused to live by faith. Paul used a vine and grafting as an illustration and also explained that just as God cut out the Jews for unbelief, God can also cut us out for unbelief. Plain in simple: if you don't want to be cut out of God's blessings, stay living by faith. Since faith is an action word (Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works [James 2:18]), Paul is begging us to back our mouths with our actions in Romans 12:1-5. In addition, the faith that Paul tells us to have in Romans 12:1-5 requires spiritual maturity that only comes through a personal relationship with Christ that only occurs after our initial profession. The office (12:4) and gifts (12:6-8) and brotherly love (12:9-10) and other things talked about in Romans 12 all require the spiritual maturity that only comes through a personal relationship with Christ. Romans 12 makes it clear that All of these things are only available in Christ (12:5) and not available to those who are not in Christ (12:5).

In addition, 12:3 says according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith, which makes it clear that there is variableness in these blessings among saints. Not only are there different offices and gifts but the measure of faith also varies. This variableness is why these blessings are through the role of Christ. Further, the verse says we...are one body in Christ. There are saved who have not joined the church and are not part of this body. But even after joining the church, it takes spiritual maturity before people know what their personal gift is and how to use it for the good of the church. One of the most basic areas of spiritual growth is learning to give to others in the church instead of going to church for what you can get out of it, like we all did right after our initial profession.

1Corinthian 12:28 and 14:12 make it clear that these gifts are given to people and the people are given to the church and for the edifying of the entire church. The use of these gifts are conditional, through the role of Christ, based upon our meeting the requirement of being in the body (church) and using them for the good of the church, which means that we can loose their use if we stop being in Christ. Yes, Romans 11:29 says For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, but having a gift and being able to use it are two different things. Think about a pastor that ends up divorced. He can still preach but he is no longer qualified for the office of pastor.

Remember that Romans 12:5 says So we, being many, are one body in Christ and this is based upon Romans 11 where we are warned that God might cut us out if we don't live in faith, which means staying in Christ. Notice that the next sentence starts with Having then gifts. The then means after becoming one body in Christ. The rest of the next sentence deals with specific gifts and starting after that we read instructions for all saved regardless of their position or gift in the body in Christ. Please notice that part of these general instructions we have 12:16 which says Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. One preacher said 'If you have 500 preachers you also have 500 opinions and interpretations of the Bible'. That is quite often true, but shouldn't be as it does not show Be of the same mind.

Before scientists started using the Scientific Method they had this type of division and many of them fought against the Scientific Method because they believed it took away their control. What it really took away was the ability to claim to be right while teaching error. It took away the ability of political powers to force true scientists like Galileo to agree with error like claiming the world was flat. Yes, we still have error such as we can find self-proclaimed 'experts' claiming the exact opposites of medical opinions. However, we can also look at how they ran their so-called studies and see which one stuck to the proper procedure according to the Scientific Method and which one cheated.

Returning to the main lesson of our verse, we see that this concept applies to what our verse says. Wisdom and understanding are two different spiritual gifts which operate differently. This difference affects what is claimed to be interpretation of the Bible. The gift of wisdom, which is supposed to be the main spiritual gift to preachers, is used to apply the principals of the Bible to the problems of our every-day life. The gift of understanding is what is actually used to interpret the Bible. As I have said, it operates by the rules of 'pure logic' as has been seen used in this study. (Please see the paper called Prove for more details.) About 95% of error, that is taught as being 'Biblical truth', can be eliminated if people look at the context and sentence structure of what a preacher calls his 'proof text'. Although it will upset many preachers, the truth is that wisdom is no more used to interpret the Bible than the eye is used to process sound. Once a preacher has proper interpretation, which comes through the spiritual gift of understanding, then he can use his gift of wisdom to help people apply that properly understood Bible truth to their life's problems. However, these are two different gifts which are often given to different people in the body in Christ.

What I have been saying is just one application of the truth found in our verse that we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Even the preachers have to accept that Christ sometimes chooses to provide for their needs through another member of the body in Christ. We are not less because Christ gives another saved person the gift that is used to fulfil our need. We are not better than another saved member of the body of Christ just because God uses us to fulfill their need. God designed it so that we each need all other members of the body of Christ. None can stand alone or claim to have all spiritual gifts. None of us is better or worse just because our particular gift is different. We each need to use our God given gift to the best of our ability to lift up the entire body of Christ and to bring glory and honor to God. That is what this verse and chapter are teaching.

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Romans 14:9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

Please see the note for this verse under Lord and Christ.

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Romans 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Please see the note for Romans 14:6 under Lord which explains the principal involved in this section that goes from 14:3 through 14:18 (and the related notes in 14:6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 18). That is, this chapter is talking about saved people calling others lost over religious differences which should not cause a dispute. Please also see the notes for three sentences in this verse in the Book Study on Romans which explain the majority of the meaning of this verse, and provide the contextual considerations.

This verse lets us know the reason why we do not want to judge...or...set at nought (our) brother. We are going to personally stand before our God and give an answer for what we do in the flesh, especially for how we treat our brother. In addition, this verse is tied to the prior verse (see note for 14:9 under Lord and Christ). That verse was what Christ did to become our Lord. This verse is warning us about the consequences of disobeying the will of that Lord in reference to how we treat our brother. And when God (through Paul) references our brother, He also uses the personal pronoun of thy. Many times people will use brother to reference another person who is part of a group that they feel a particular closeness to. However, by using thy brother God is emphasizing that we are both in the family of God and this isn't just a close group but that God expects a family relationship.

The note for the third sentence, of our verse, in the Book Study on Romans explains what is said about judging. This note is more concerned with the differences in the roles of Christ and of Lord and how those differences affect the interpretation of this verse.

When we judge thy brother we are stepping into an area that God has reserved for Himself. God handles all legal matters, especially judgment, through His role as Lord. While the Bible clearly says that God the Father is our Lord, it also says that He made Jesus our Lord (Acts 2:36) because of the payment that Jesus made for our sins which no other man has paid for us. If the reader looks at the Verses - Lord section, he will find many verses which tell us that Jesus is our Lord and that He will judge us as Lord. So when we judge thy brother we are taking a privilege that we have not paid the price for and such action will definitely bring God's judgment upon us.

Another doctrinal error that people make, about this verse, is to say that the Son of God will judge us as Christ. This is due to ignorance on their part or to their being taught error. This is explained in more detail in the note for the third sentence, of our verse, in the Book Study on Romans. Basically, in human court systems, we have 'Kiddie Court' and 'Adult Court' wihch both have a full judge but are used to seperate the people who go there to be judged. Likewise, in the Bible, we are told that only those who are supposed to belong to Christ (are saved) go to the judgment seat of Christ while the rest go to the Great White Throne judgment (Revelation 20:11).

The context of this verse includes 14:9 which tells us For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. Thus, we know that Christ is also Lord. Further, the only other place that we find the phrase of the judgment seat of Christ is 2Corinthians 5:10-11 which also tells us that the terror of the Lord is a direct result (Knowing therefore) of the judgment seat of Christ. Therefore, in both places that we find the judgment seat of Christ we find Him acting within His role as Lord. However, what is far more important is the legal principal that no righteous judge, especially God, would violate. A righteous judge CAN NOT allow personal feeling too interfere with his judgment. If he has a personal relationship with someone that will be judged in his court, he must recluse himself (remove himself from judgment). God does this by keeping all personal relationships with saved people limited to His roles as Jesus and as Christ. In addition, what God does, which no man can do, is completely separate His roles and how He acts within those roles. Therefore, while He has a personal role with people as Jesus and as Christ, He remains completely impersonal within His role as Lord.

Within His role as Lord He is no respecter of persons (Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 1:17; Deuteronomy 10:17; Deuteronomy 16:19; 2Chronicles 19:7; Proverbs 24:23; Proverbs 28:21; Jeremiah 9:25; Lamentations 4:16; Acts 10:34-35; Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:5; Colossians 3:25; 1Peter 1:17; James 2:1) and this non-personal role is what is required for God to judge righteously. Indeed, this study has shown that the Bible consistently links judgment to God's role as Lord and has consistently shown that while God is always personal in His roles as Jesus and as Christ, he is NEVER personal in His role as Lord. Even when He gives us personal laws as Christ, He judges our keeping of that rule in a non-personal way. Thus, if you and I have the same rule about not drinking wine, but someone in different circumstances doesn't have that rule, that other person will not be judged for drinking wine while you and I will be judged for doing so.

In addition, when we get saved God gives each of us spiritual gifts (Romans 12:3-8; 1Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4:8-13). Those gifts differ from one person to another person. Further, the proportion of faith involved in each gift also varies from person to person (Romans 12:6). Therefore our Lord must consider all of these differences when doing judgment. As a result, you and I might do the same thing using the same spiritual gift. However, if I have double the proportion of faith that you have, you might be rewarded for doing what you could while I might suffer loss because I did less than I was capable of. Thus our judgment is not based upon what we do in comparison to others but what we do in comparison to what Christ made us capable of doing.

Continuing on in this theme we see in the next verse that God says For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. The details are in the note for 14:11 under Lord but there is a very simple concept here that applies to what has been said. No one is going to bow to your or me. We do not have the power to enforce our judgments. By the same token, this verse says every tongue shall confess to God. When we confess we are making a legally binding statement of our wrong doing that we did not want to make before and which caries a penalty. When we judge thy brother we are going to have to admit that we were wrong to do that when we confess to God at the judgment seat of Christ.

Moving on, when we judge thy brother we are opposed to our Lord's command to love one another (John 13:35) because we aren't loving when we judge. Paul gives further clarification in Romans 14:13 where he says that instead of judging we should be sure that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. Our Lord's last command before leaving Earth (most important) is to take the gospel to every creature. (Mark 16:15). One of the things that interferes the most often to people listening to the gospel is the fact that they know there are many different Christian religions, bibles, beliefs, etc. Since they don't know which is correct, they don't want to hear from any or will demand an explanation for doctrinal differences before they hear the gospel. This type of demand only confuses the simple message of the gospel, which is Satan's intent. We also have a lot of 'Christians' spending so much time 'correcting' the doctrine of other 'Christians' that they don't have time to take the gospel to the lost. They not only are judging their Christian brother, but they are putting a stumblingblock in front of their lost human brother. This verse warns us that if we're busy judging with other Christians instead of doing our Lord's commandments we will have to answer for the consequences of our actions some day at the judgment seat of Christ.

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Romans 14:15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

Please see the note for Romans 14:6 under Lord which explains the principal involved in this section that goes from 14:3 through 14:18 (and the related notes in 14:6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 18). This chapter is talking about saved people calling others lost over religious differences which should not cause a dispute. Please also see the note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans which explains much about the context of this section. Please also see the note for 14:14 under Lord Jesus which this note continues from.

The term Christ in this verse lets us know that Paul is specifically talking about saved (and not all men) when he uses the term brother. We have consistently seen that the Son of God died as Jesus to get us out of Hell and into Heaven and that he also died as Christ to pay for the sins that we commit after our initial profession. As we have seen in this epistle, and more specifically in this chapter, God has two legal systems. The lost go to the Great White Throne judgment and the saved go to the Judgment Seat of Christ. When we make our initial profession, God uses the death of Jesus to pay for the sins recorded against us in the Great White Throne judgment, thereby legally clearing the way for Him to adopt us and move us into His 'family' legal system of the Judgment Seat of Christ. However, we still sin, as 1John 1 tells us, and even after we make our initial profession all of sins addictions don't magically disappear. Effectively, Jesus may have 'cleaned us up' but it takes the ongoing personal relationship with Christ to remove the deep stains and to help us to stop doing repeat sins. As we build our personal relationship with Christ, God counts the death of the Son (as Christ) for payment of sins done after our initial profession so that we aren't spending our time paying for sins but can spend it learning how to be as son of God and follow (be led by) the Spirit of God (Romans 8:14).

Of course, if we refuse to be led by the Spirit of God and refuse to build our personal relationship with Christ, and are never willing to let God have what he saves us for, then God has no reason to blot out the record of our sins and initially save us. However, if we start out doing right, and are saved, but after that refuse to 'Stop our Sinning', then God stops blotting out the record of our sins which we must still give an account for at the Judgment Seat of Christ. But for those who are trying to be led by the Spirit of God need clear directions from God and don't need the confusions of 'busybodies' interfering with how God is trying to spiritually mature this other person. God has people that He has appointed to the position of pastor and other leadership positions. God chooses to work through them to mature His children. But, people who aren't in one of these leadership positions shouldn't destroy Him that is weak in the faith with thy meat. We may know that we don't need religious rules to avoid certain temptations, but others may still need those rules. As the first verse of this chapter told us, we should not get into doubtful disputations. Look at 14:22 which tells us Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. If God restricts our liberty in some area, it is for our good and going beyond God's restrictions will cause us problems that other Christians might not have even though they do the same thing. Life ain't 'fair'. Don't grieve over less liberty and don't bring God's judgment upon yourself by aggravating a brother over God giving him less liberty in some area. That is basically what this verse is teaching.

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Romans 14:18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

Please see the note for Romans 14:6 under Lord which explains the principal involved in this section that goes from 14:3 through 14:18 (and the related notes in 14:6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 18). This chapter is talking about saved people calling others lost over religious differences which should not cause a dispute. Please also see the note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans which explains much about the context of this section.

Our verse starts with For, which means it is given the reason why we are to obey the command of the prior sentence. Thus, the details of the prior sentence directly affect the proper interpretation of this verse. Within our current verse we see the phrase in these things, which is referring to the things listed in the prior verse (meat and drink...righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost). This verse is the summary of the sub-section that goes from 14:3 through 14:18. That is: these things are the motivations behind all that Paul has been talking about in this section. Our sentence tells us that if we keep our religious motivations (meat and drink...righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost) centered upon serving Christ then we will be acceptable to God, and approved of men.

Our prior sentence told us that motivations based upon religion in this world (meat and drink) were not correct while motivations based upon spiritual things (righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost) were correct. We were also told that the way we knew this was based upon if they were part of the kingdom of God or not part of it. Since righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost are the only motivations mentioned which are part of the kingdom of God, and therefore correct motivations to use, the rest of this note will concentrate on them.

Every one of these items (righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost) are things that many saved people don't have. Every one of them is conditional and based upon requirements that go beyond salvation (provided by Jesus). These additional requirements are provided by our ongoing personal relationship with the Son of God through His roles as Christ. So each saved person who does not have these things lacks them because they have not personally matured spiritually through maintaining their relationship with Christ. We get righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost only as a byproduct of serving Christ, which is beyond the basics that are required for initial salvation. Serve is an action verb that shows the fact that we have to do things after profession. Paul really does the best job of explaining this if we read the entire chapter. If we are really serving Christ, our actions will be acceptable to God, and approved of men.

To be acceptable to God, our actions have to match what the Bible really teaches and not what religion teaches. That is also what is required for our actions to be approved of men. However, if we are fighting with Christian brothers over 'doctrinal issues' about liberty, we will not be acceptable to God nor be approved of men. As explained in prior notes, God's Laws do not go against what the Bible literally says in at least 2 places. However, God's laws have to be applied in different circumstances. This is where Christ comes in and gives us personal liberty and the 'rules' that never go against God's Laws. However, the problem comes in when people take what Christ gives as personal 'rules' and try to say that those personal 'rules' are the law of God. We can tell the difference by if there are, or are not, at lease two places where the Bible literally says what this person is calling a law of God.

There are circumstances where the laws of God do not tell us what to do. In those circumstances, Christ gives some people liberty to use their internal standards and imposes external 'rules' on people who do not have sufficient internal standards to control their actions. A part of these sufficient internal standards is the requirement to avoid destroying our brother. In order to do that we must serve Christ in these things (in righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost). If we are truly serving Christ in these areas then our actions will always be centered upon bringing people into obedience to God's laws and into a closer personal relationship with God.

For example, if what we claim to be righteousness gives people an excuse to sin then it does not serve Christ. Righteousness is part of God's character which is explained by the Bible and applied to our personal life by Christ. Therefore, true righteousness makes us like the character of God. That means it makes us hate sin and love the sinner enough to sacrifice anything personal that is required in order to get our the lost saved and get our brother to live like Christ.

If our peace lets God tell us that we are going to suffer and die a martyr death, like He did to each of the apostles, then our peace is from God. But if our peace requires us to hold onto anything of this world, including health or happiness or life, then it is not from God.

True Biblical joy is spiritual and not emotional. True Biblical joy comes when our worst enemy gets saved instead of receiving the punishment he deserves. Many people and religions fall into the doctrinal error of equating joy to our emotions. However, true Biblical joy lets us praise God in the worst storm and when we are under the worst attack. Romans 8:35-39 includes an I am persuaded because those verses were based upon Paul's personal experience in the storms of life and his personal experience in the joy in the Holy Ghost. Emotions will not carry you through those times. The only thing that works, and that Paul reported as the true source of joy in the Holy Ghost, is the love of Christ. The only way that our joy can serve Christ is if we allow Him to put us in situations that we can not handle and then let Him work through those situations to let others see an undeniable working of Christ. When that happens we get true Biblical joy from seeing Christ work.

Returning to an earlier subject, we see that the liberty and the 'rules' which we get from Christ are based upon our personal needs for what it takes for us to personally live righteously. Thus, as this chapter teaches, the true Christ provided liberty and 'rules' are personal just as our service of Christ is personal and not just doing some religious ceremony. As the conclusion says, Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another....Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. God allows differences in the practice of our faith so long as we are following the personal leading of the Son of God that he gives us through His role as Christ.

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Romans 15:3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

This sentence starts out with For which means it gives the reason for what came earlier. 15:1 provides a transition from chapter 14 which taught us about the weaker brother and how the stronger isn't to argue with the weaker brother but also isn't to let the weaker brother judge him. What the spiritually stronger person is to do is live a victorious life in front of the weaker brother. When the weaker brother starts asking God why he doesn't have what the stronger brother has then God can show him the truth. However, this revelation of truth has to come from God or the weaker brother will not hold onto it like God wants him to do. If you can talk me into it, the devil can talk me out of it. It is only when God reveals a truth that the believer holds onto it no matter what the world, the devil or their flesh throw at them.

15:1 then tells us that the strong need to put up with the needs of the weak. 15:2 then adds to that with Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification but many people take that out of context with the rest of the Bible. Jesus made a whip and drove the money lenders out of the Temple and that certainly wasn't an act that did what most people believe please his neighbour is supposed to mean. Jesus called the religious leaders devils and other things which not only did not please his neighbour but drove them to seek His death. Now many people will say 'Yes but that was the Son of God and we can't act like Him' but one of the main lesson that we learned studying the verses that use Jesus is that he was our example of how to live in the flesh by the power of the Holy Ghost. Therefore, that objection is the exact opposite of what God expects of us.

The note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans explains the limitation of the phrase good to edification. Every time that Jesus did something that did not please his neighbour, that act was to correct someone living for the devil. In those cases, anything that would please his neighbour, in the flesh, would not be good to edification because such people refused to be pleased by anything Godly. Also, we need the personal leading of Christ to know when to please our neighbour and when to go on to someone else to do the job and when to correct the error being taught by that other person. This verse starts with For even Christ which means we are to please our neighbour because that is what Christ would do and we are to do it the exact same way (even) as Christ did. Therefore, since the word even in the phrase of For even Christ means we are to do it exactly as Christ would handle the problem, we must conclude that we need to ask Christ for personal direction in these matters and follow His leading and not just what some person or religion tells us to do.

Please notice that this verse quotes Psalms 69:6 which says For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me. Therefore, this verse is directly linking this instruction to the verse which prophesied (For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up) that Jesus would cleanse the Temple. I have already referred to this fact in this note and to the fact that this meant that for his good to edification is more important than please his neighbour in the prior sentence of this chapter. Not only that but the next verse offers further reason when it says For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Notice that this verse says that our learning is through patience and 5:3-5 told us And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Our current verse says that our learning is through patience that we might have hope and 5:3-5 told us that the entire process starts with tribulations and requires us to glory in tribulations based upon the knowledge that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. We don't really experience the love of God until we are in the middle of tribulation and know that God expects us to glory in. That is only possible through letting Christ work through our life and such experience is what truly gives us the hope in God's character. Even while the world (and the devil driven people within it) are trying to make us ashamed our hope in God's character makes us continue to let Christ work through our life based upon the hope of eternal reward. That hope of eternal reward is based upon whatsoever things were written aforetime as our current verse tells us. Our verse also tells us that the scriptures give us comfort during the time that we need patience. More than any other time, when our pride is getting stomped on and the reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me, and God expects us to respond with Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification, we definitely need Christ to help us to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. This verse uses Christ because the circumstances where we need this personal help, guidance and comfort definitely vary from person to person and from time to time.

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Romans 15:7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

Our sentence starts with Wherefore because of everything said in 15:1-6. Read this verse and think about how many times since we have been saved have we each have come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)? Yes, Christ still receives us and helps us to get back on our feet and start serving God again. Remember that the Bible uses Christ for things that are only given to saved people and then not to all saved people. Jesus and Lord deal with lost people but Christ does not. That's why I wrote 'since you were saved' at the start of this note.

Romans 5:8 says But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. As explained elsewhere, Jesus dies to get us out of Hell, out of the jurisdiction of the great white throne judgment and get us adopted as children of God and put under the jurisdiction of the judgment seat of Christ (Romans 14:10; 2Corinthians 5:10-11). Once there, we find that Christ died for the sins we do after our initial profession. Since we are under the jurisdiction of another court system, there has to be a different payment applied. Christ died so that we can spend our time learning to be like Him instead of paying for ongoing sins. However, in this court system He deals with each sin separately and requires us to forsake the sin and learn to 'Stop our Sinning'. That's what is involved with cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1John 1:9). However, as we saw in places like Galatians 6:16, there is a sin unto death for people who refuse to submit to Christ. These people Christ does not receive. Therefore, our sentence does not require us to receive them since we are told to receive ye one another, as Christ also received us. In addition, since Christ also received us to the glory of God and these sinners do not bring God glory, we do not have to receive them.

This fits exactly with Galatians 6:1 which says Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness. Of course, the person has to be willing to be restored before we can restore them. This type of receiving is to the glory of God. However, the type of 'receiving' that says we have to accept someone who continues to live in sin and tell them 'God understands' is NOT the type of receiving that Christ does. As I have mentioned, and as other mature Christians can testify, there are times when I can do the same thing as another person and they get away with it while I suffer consequences. Christ definitely received us on an individual personal basis that varies from person to person and each and every one of us personally (ye) are to receive one another, as Christ also received us. The as Christ lets is know that this is in the exact same way as Christ did. That is, accept any reproach that is required in order increase the glory of God in that person's life.

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Romans 15:18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,

15:18-19 is a single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Romans. In addition, the notes for this sentence within the Word Study on Spirit and within the Word Study on Gospel should also be considered.

This sentence is to be understood in the context of 15:13-22 which starts out with Paul telling mature Christians that he can add to their growth and service to Jesus Christ because God gave him the position of the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles. This sub-section ends with For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you.

Satan was doing all that he could to stop these saved missionaries at Rome from service to Jesus Christ. One of the main ways that he hindered their service was to keep them separated from their God given authority. Satan was doing all he could to hinder their spiritual growth. (Please also see the notes on Romans 15:16 and 15:17 under Jesus Christ.) The things that Christ wrought through Paul's life were signs that only a few Christians have ever had. These are obviously not given unconditionally to all Christians. Thus, Christ was used and not Jesus, within our current verse.

In addition, Paul didn't claim things that Christ did through other men as a basis for his own authority. Some men will say 'our church is doing these things', while the things are actually done by certain people within the church. They then claim that they represent the church and that the blessings from God, for those works by other men, show God's approval of their doctrine. That way, some people will claim personal authority based upon the blessings of God which result from the work done by other people. Some missionaries will even claim credit for the work of God done through people they had nothing to do with, figuring that no one will go to the mission field and verify their word. However, Paul only claimed the things that Christ did through him and used those works as the basis for the gospel of Christ that he preached. The gospel of Christ is the 'good news' that Christ can change your life after your profession through your personal relationship with Him. This includes all that the Bible says about the blessings given to those saved people who are in Christ and have Christ in them.

There were lots of people preaching doctrinal error in Paul's life, just like there are people today. In Paul's day people preached that the blessings which only came from obeying the gospel of Christ actually came from keeping the Mosaic Law for sanctification. Today, people preach that sanctification comes when we 'Say a prayer to Jesus', and that nothing more needs to be done.

God gave signs through the life of Paul to show His approval of the gospel of Christ, which Paul preached, while refusing to give those same signs to the people who preached doctrinal error. God used these blessings to show His approval of obedience to the truth and His disapproval of doctrinal error. The people who taught doctrinal error claimed that the blessings came because of the church, and not because Paul taught the truth, and then claimed that they represented the Mother Church. That way, they could claim approval from God for their doctrinal error. Paul didn't do that. He didn't use what God did through other men as a basis of his personal authority and we need to still be careful of people who make similar claims today.

While these signs that were worked through Paul's life were seen by the lost and allowed God to use Paul to reach the lost with the message of salvation, the signs were actually better understood by the saved that also had the Holy Spirit to witness directly to their spirit. The saved would know that very few people had as many signs and witnesses from God that Paul had. They would have known of the others who argued with Paul about doctrine but did not have the witness from the Holy Ghost that Paul had. Where these others preached keeping the Law for sanctification after salvation, Paul preached the gospel of Christ which called for developing our personal relationship with the Son of God and following His direct leadership in our lives as opposed to following a bunch of religious rules. One of the ways that we can know that someone is traching doctrinal error is that they substitute religious works for our personal relationship with Christ. (Please see the Subject Study called God's Method of Teaching Doctrine.

While the gospel of Christ will not lead us to oppose the clear written word of God at any time, it will call for us to accept additional personal sacrifices for our brother in the Lord. Thus, Acts 16:1-3 tells us Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek. Circumcision was not necessary to be saved but was necessary to get saved Jews to listen. Thus, Paul required Timothy to go through a very painful operation (as an adult man) simply so that he could provide good to his brother in the Lord. That is the sort of thing that the gospel of Christ teaches saved people and that's why the next (attached) sentence tells us that Paul strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation. Other preachers tried to steal Paul's authority in churches that he started instead of starting their own, but Paul didn't do that. Paul was a living example of the gospel of Christ that he preached.

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Romans 15:19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

Please see the note on 15:18 above. This verse is part off the sentence which is explained in that note.

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Romans 15:20 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:

This sentence continues the subject from the sentence (and the note) that preceded it by starting with an agreement (Yea) and then goes further than the prior sentence went on the same subject. Please see the note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans for the contextual considerations and for how this verse is divided by punctuation.

In Acts 19 we see that when Paul came to Ephesus, he found certain disciples that were baptized unto John's baptism. They had heard that the Messiah was coming, but they said unto him (Paul), We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. As we know, Paul stayed there and built a church. Paul was willing to preach where Jesus was named but not where Christ was named. The difference being in whether the believer knew of the Holy Ghost and His ongoing work in the life of the believer. This difference is presented in the Bible with the difference in the use of Jesus verses the use of Christ (excluding verses with Jesus Christ or Christ Jesus). What this basically comes down to is that Paul refused to proselyte.

We should not be trying to get believers from other Christian churches, even when we disagree with their doctrines, unless we know for a fact that the doctrine which that church teaches goes against what the Bible literally says in at least two places and they have been shown their error and they refuse to submit to the literal word of God. Recall the teaching on meats in Romans 14. We should strive to present the gospel to people who don't know of a life-changing personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and let our Lord move His disciples where He knows that they belong.

In addition, to that consideration, we need to remember that the Bible uses Christ for the role of the Son of God which He uses to bring spiritual maturity. In context, Paul was just talking about the gospel of Christ. So here Paul is talking about teaching people how to get spiritual maturity and this type of work is hard enough without all of the extra problems and arguments which are involved in trying to correct doctrinal error that was taught by someone else.

The rest of this sentence (next verse) goes on to say But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand. This reference is explained in the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Romans. Basically, when Paul went to people who knew about Christ, he ended up with resistance which sometimes resulted in people following him from city to city to try and get him killed because what Paul preached disproved the doctrinal error that they believed. Paul could show the truth to people who didn't have their mind closed by a lie.

Paul continues in the next verse with For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you. If we are getting hindrances from other Christians then we are not pursuing converts correctly. However, if we are upsetting Satan enough for him to fight against us then we are doing right. In addition, Paul was so busy doing the job that Christ had given him that he didn't have time to go manage the people who were at Rome because they were doing the job fine without him. This letter sufficed for the people who are named in the next chapter.

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Romans 15:29 And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

The critical words of this verse are I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. Paul was anticipating on providing the fulness of blessing but he also expected the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ to meet his needs so that he could continue to present the gospel to new people. Salvation, through Jesus, is just the start of blessings from God. fulness requires additional blessings that only come through God's role as Christ. Paul was writing to saved Romans and fully expected to impart a blessing to them as we saw in the verses and associated note for 15:13-16. Those additional blessings are a result of people trusting and obeying what they are taught with the gospel of Christ. It is the good news of blessings that are received after our initial profession.

This is the major distinction between a pastor and an evangelist. Where an evangelists is concerned with getting people saved. The pastor's job is to concentrate upon the spiritual maturing of saved people. However, in order for people to receive the additional blessings, they have to obey the gospel of Christ. Part of what it teaches we find in 15:27 which says It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. Saved people were partakers of their spiritual things when Paul preached the gospel of Christ to them. That same gospel of Christ taught these people that they were to minister unto Paul in carnal things so that Paul could also take the gospel to others. They were to do this because their debtors they are.

In addition, all of the people in Romans 16 were debtors to Paul because Paul had preached the gospel of Christ unto them. However, these people at Rome were spiritually mature enough the realize that paying their debt to Paul and helping him to take the gospel of Christ to other people actually increased their own blessings from God. So even if they hadn't been debtors, they would have helped Paul out of gratitude to God and for the additional blessings from God. So when Paul said I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ, he included the meaning that the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ would provide for his carnal needs. In addition, when Paul says Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company (15:24) and That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed (15:32). Paul not only expected to be refreshed but he also expected these mature Christian (non-preacher) missionaries to also be refreshed because they understood how God really provided blessings.

In addition, to all of this, there is an additional consideration. Paul planned on going to Spain, but couldn't do so because he was arrested and eventually beheaded. However, that didn't happen for a couple of years after he got to Rome. During that time he ministered the gospel of Christ to them and wrote a major portion of the New Testament. Thus, he was in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ, it is just that those blessings were for all people throughout all time instead of just being for a few people in Spain for a little time. Thank God that Christ knew the best way to provide blessings through Paul. In addition, when it seems that God is doing the wrong thing in your life, remember what Paul mush have wondered and look at the results. Remember, Paul probably did not know that he was writing Scripture when he wrote. Even so, we can not know the full extent of how God is using our life.

Please see the note for Colossians 2:9 about the word fulness. The functional definition is: 'the things and actions which make something full'.

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Romans 16:5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.

With the exception of a few verses, Romans 16 is about greetings to or from church members. Lots of commentators have varying opinions as to the meaning of Achaia since it was used to name an area of Greece, all of Greece and a section of Asia that was larger than Greece but included it. That isn't the important thing. What was important to God was here was someone who went beyond salvation into the ministry that required spiritual maturity in Christ. This person, apparently, was a non-preaching traveling business person who was using their business travels to spread the gospel. Epaenetus is mentioned among several others including several women, who we know were not preachers. Yet, they each matured in the gifts of God that come through the ministry of Christ to the point that God wanted to brag on them for all time by putting their names into the Bible. One or two commentators say that he was one of the seventy that the Lord appointed but such speculation is contradictory with Paul's statement that he was the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ in our verse in Romans. This is just one example of why we need to be careful of what we find commentators saying.

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Romans 16:7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

The Bible does not mention these people anywhere else but look at what else Paul says about them and consider the notes for others mentioned in Romans 16 who aren't mentioned elsewhere. We see that they are listed among Christians who were noted for their spiritual maturity that was demonstrated by their lives. This is our example of being in Christ. Based upon what we have seen everywhere that the Bible uses Christ without including Lord or Jesus, we can assume that these saints had a testimony that not all saved had and their testimony showed a personal relationship with the Son of God.

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Romans 16:9 Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.

The Bible does not mention Urbane anywhere else but look at what else Paul says about him and consider the notes for others mentioned in Romans 16 who aren't mentioned elsewhere. We see that they are listed among Christians who were noted for their spiritual maturity that was demonstrated by their lives even though they did not receive any recognition by anyone but God. This is our example of being in Christ. Commentators tell us that the name of Urbane means 'courteous'. Based upon what we have seen everywhere that the Bible uses Christ without including Lord or Jesus, we can assume that these saints had a testimony that not all saved had and their testimony showed a personal relationship with the Son of God.

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Romans 16:10 Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus' household.

Apelles is another unknown whom some commentators speculate about based upon historical documents. This is supposed to be a Jewish name that means 'exclusion; separation'. Given how often God had Bible characters named for a significant life trait that they would have, we can assume that he was an example of true Biblical Christian separation which only comes from an ongoing personal relationship that is truly in Christ. Given all that the Bible says about the mutual exclusion of being in Christ and following the Mosaic Religious Law, we can assume that, while he obeyed the Law as a Jew, he relied upon personal separation for true spirituality and sanctification. Based upon what we have seen everywhere that the Bible uses Christ without including Lord or Jesus, we can assume that these saints had a testimony that not all saved had and their testimony showed a personal relationship with the Son of God.

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Romans 16:16 Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.

There are certainly churches today that take the name of Christ and act nothing like Him. There are people who consider themselves to be Christians who only know what their religious leader tells them about Christ and being a Christian. Several have all but called me a heretic when I tell them that there were saved people in the New Testament who were not Biblical Christians. Many get very angry when I tell them there is more to being a Biblical Christian than just making an initial profession. That is certainly true about the saved preachers who were going around and preaching the religious traditions of keeping the Mosaic Religious Law, as opposed to a personal relationship that is in Christ. Today we have saved preachers who have substituted the Mosaic Religious law with their own church's religious traditions and laws, but the basic message is the same. They preach sanctification through keeping religious traditions as opposed to a personal relationship with God which is through Christ.

Paul uses The churches of Christ in this verse to identify churches which preached and lived a doctrine of a changed life due to an ongoing personal relationship with Christ after our initial profession.

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Jesus Christ

Romans 1:1, 6, 8; 2:16; 3:22; 5:15, 17; 6:3; 8:11; 15:5, 8, 16, 17; 16:25, 27.

Jesus Christ is used when Paul wants to talk of something that we have through both ministries. That is the ministry of Jesus and the ministry of Christ. These are blessings that are given to all saved once they trust in Jesus (Romans 3:26) but which increase as the person personally matures spiritually through the ministry of Christ. The use of Jesus Christ is more common than Christ Jesus. The main ministry of Jesus provides those things that we have 'positionally'. They can never be lost and are given when we make our initial profession of salvation. The ministry of Jesus also gives us the start of things that are expected to grow through the ministry of Christ. Finally, Jesus showed us how to live in this flesh by the power of the Holy Ghost (by His example as recorded in the Gospels).

The ministry of Christ starts after our initial profession and is mainly concerned with our spiritual relationship to God while we complete our life in this world. All of the benefits from God's role of Christ have additional requirements such as obedience and being spiritually clean. (If we don't meet the additional requirements then we don't receive these additional blessings.) In addition, these blessings from the ministry of Christ vary from person to person and over time. Finally, we can loose the blessings that come through Christ if we stop meeting the additional requirements. Click here for all of the Verses that use Jesus Christ and here for the Summary on the name / role of Jesus Christ.

Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

Romans 1:1-7 is a single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Romans. (Please use the link to access it.) In addition, to that basic note, please also see the note for 1:6 (below), the notes for 1:3 and 1:4 under Son and the notes for 1:3 and 1:7 under Lord Jesus Christ. They all provide additional information about this opening (and foundational) sentence for the epistle to the Romans and the use of the various names for the Son of God that are used within it. Please consider all of them together along with related notes referenced within these notes.

In this Equivalent Section of this sentence we see Paul use Jesus Christ when he is describing himself as a servant of Jesus Christ. Paul was a personal servant of Jesus in that he went around telling lost people how to get saved, as we see later in this epistle. However, Paul was also a personal servant of Christ in that he preached the gospel of Christ as we see in 1:16 and 15:19 and 15:29. (Please see the notes associated with those verses under Christ.) That, of course, is a different ministry and a totally different gospel than the Gospel of Your Salvationof Jesus. It is also what eliminates the claim that this epistle promises us things because we are 'positionally saved'.

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Romans 1:6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:

Please see the note for this sentence in the Book Study on Romans as it gives the context and structure of this sentence. This note assumes that the reader has read that note. Please also see the notes for 1:3 and 1:4 under Son and the notes for 1:3 and 1:7 under Lord Jesus Christ as they are part of this same sentence.

This Equivalent Section of this sentence (which is equivalent to every other Section) tells us that each and every one of us personally (ye) are the called of Jesus Christ. That means that the calling belongs to Jesus Christ and it is a calling that is extended to every saved person. The expected result of this calling is an increase to our spiritual growth. This Equivalent Section of the sentence starts out with Among whom which is a reference to the prior Equivalent Section of the sentence where we read that we were called among all nations (not just the Jews) for obedience to the faith (NOT some 'positional salvation') for his name (to bring glory to the name of Jesus Christ). This epistle was written to tell us what we have to do to fulfill this calling. As we have also seen in many other epistles, God expects us to stop our sinning and to let Him work through our lives (Ephesians 2:10). If we are not willing (from our heart) to have Him make these changes in our life then he considers our 'prayer of salvation' to be a lie and does not answer it. The calling that we find here is only an expectation of us keeping our covenant agreement that is called salvation.

As we saw for the verse above, which is also an Equivalent Section of the same sentence, Paul was called to be an apostle, which he qualified as including being a servant of Jesus Christ and to be separated unto the gospel of God. While there is a difference in the degree of service and separation between an apostle and other saints, the type of service is the same since both are called. Please see the note for this sentence in the Book Study on Romans as it gives all of the other places where we see called used in this epistle. The notes associated with those other places will show what I claim here about our being called.

As we have seen every place that Jesus Christ is used, we are told about something that applies to all saved people but which requires spiritual maturing after our initial profession and whereby the blessings increase in proportion to our spiritual growth.

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Romans 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

Finally, Paul gave his thanks through Jesus Christ. Lost people don't praise God for the missionary work of others and newly saved people don't either. Only saved people who have spiritually matured after their initial profession give God this type of thanks. And, the more spiritually mature a person is, the more they really mean such thanks. It was through Jesus Christ that Paul learned to give this praise and it was through Jesus Christ that these missionaries saw their need to do the job. But more than anything else, it is only through Jesus Christ that any of us have access to God the Father.

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Romans 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

Please see the note for this sentence in the Book Study on Romans. Romans 2:12-16 is a complex single sentence and it is easy to get wrong doctrine from this sentence if the proper methods of interpretation are not used. Those methods include considering the context and the sentence structure.

As pointed out in the note for this sentence in the Book Study on Romans, we will each be judged by the same basic standard and it does not matter if we are under the Mosaic Law or not. That basic standard is the concience that God put into each of us. Those liars who are hearers of the law and not doers of the law will be condemned while the doers of the law shall be justified. Lies do not justify. Actions do. This verse uses by Jesus Christ to mean the person named Jesus Christ will judge according to the standard set by Jesus Christ. The standard set by Jesus in the Gospels was to condemn the religious and any who trusted in anything other than the salvation which is a free gift from God. However, for those that did accept God's free gift, we see Jesus telling them to go and sin no more and Jesus is our example of how to live in the flesh, by the power of the Holy Ghost, without sinning. (Please see the study called Jesus used the power of Holy Spirit.)

In addition, the standard set by Jesus, God also gives us gifts through Christ and when we submit to Christ. Because of these spiritual gifts, we can do godly works that the lost can't do. As Ephesians 2:10 tells us, it is God Who actually does the good works through us. God wants to do the good works and the only reason that the good works aren't done is because we do not allow God to work through our life after agreeing to let Him do so when He saved us. Therefore, when this verse tells us that God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, it is telling us that God will show, and judge, those things that we did in secret. He is going to compare them to what He wanted to do through our life using the power of Christ. That comparison will show if we were acting on our own or letting Christ live through us. God will also compare those things that we did 'in secret' to how Jesus acted to show us how we were not living by the power of the Holy Ghost as Jesus showed us to do. This sentence uses Jesus Christ for each of these ministries of the Son of God.

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Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

Please also see the significant notes for 3:24 under Christ Jesus and for 3:26 under Jesus as they are also part of this sentence. Please also see the note for this sentence in the Book Study on Romans. It not only provides the division by punctuation for this sentence but it is a significantly sized note which explains what is probably the most important sentence in this chapter about law in the book of Romans. It deals with several important legal terms and has literally several hundred verses linked to it and to the sentences which precede it and provide the context for understanding this sentence. It also explain the relationship between the different names used in this sentence, based upon context, and why each name was used where it was used.

This sentence is basically the last argument that Paul gives in the chapter with the remaining sentences being statements of conclusions based upon what has been said. In this chapter Paul proves that we are not justified by deeds of the Law but by faith and that faith, as this verse tells us, is the faith of Jesus Christ.

This sentence starts out with But, which connects it to the prior sentence while going in a different direction. The prior sentence started out with Therefore and is a summary of all of Paul's arguments from the beginning of the chapter up to that sentence. This summary is by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his (God's) sight. That sentence was only stating what can be found many places within the Bible.

Now this sentence, and our current verse, is still dealing with our justification, but tells us something different. The prior sentence, combined with this sentence, tell us that there is no redemption by the Law but there is redemption in Christ Jesus.

What is seen all throughout the gospels is that Jesus lived a life that showed the righteousness of God. In the Gospels we see the Son of God live as a weak human being and not using His own power as God (with a couple of rare exceptions) but using the power of the Holy Ghost. (Please see the study called Jesus used the power of Holy Spirit.) That is so that He could be our example of how to live in this life, by faith, using the power of the Holy Ghost. He clearly told His disciples to follow His example and expected them to do so. The only place that we find the phrase the faith of Jesus (NOT the faith of Jesus Christ) is in Revelation 14:12 where it says that the Jews, during the time of the Great Tribulation, will have to live like Jesus lived only without the help of the indwelling Holy Spirit. (Please see that verse and related note in this Study.) This is a different than the faith of Jesus Christ, which is found in this verse, Galatians 2:16 and Galatians 3:22. (Please see those verses in Galatians and the related notes.)

The faith of Jesus Christ is a combination of the faith of Jesus and of the faith of Christ. We find the faith of Christ in Galatians 2:15-16 and Philippians 3:8-11. (Please see those verses and the related notes.) Galatians 2:15-16 is followed by Galatians 2:20 which explains the faith of Christ with I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. This section of Galatians says that we are justified by Christ when we let Christ liveth in me. This is what I have said that every Equivalent Section of this sentence says. God declares us to be legally justified when we believeth in Jesus with the expectation that we will keep our vow and let Christ liveth in me which thereby makes us justified by Christ. If we are not going to let Christ liveth in me then we have not truly believeth in Jesus and God does not save us. We see the same thing in Philippians 3:8-11 which contains things like being made conformable unto his death.

This sentence says that we receive the righteousness of God...by faith of Jesus Christ. It is not our faith. We receive salvation, justification and all of these other legal terms when we agree (from our heart) to let the righteousness of God be manifested (made 'Plain, open, clearly visible to the eye or obvious to the understanding') to a lost world by allowing the faith of Jesus Christ to show in our life. As I have explained for each Equivalent Section of this sentence, this is not some 'positional salvation' but is an ongoing everlasting personal relationship with the Son of God that is clearly visible to a lost world.

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Romans 5:15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

Romans 5:13-17 contains 6 sentences but they are included inside the sentence which goes from 5:12-18. The entire sentence (outer sentence and included 6 inner sentences) is broken down by punctuation in the note for this sentence in the Book Study on Romans. Please see it for details.

Since all of chapter 5 is a single logical argument, please see the Note for the first sentence and the Note for the second sentence in the Book Study on Romans. They are extensive and provide the basis of this chapter. It is very easy to misunderstand what is said in this chapter if the entire context is not kept in mind. The chapter starts out telling us what we have through our Lord Jesus Christ, then proceeds to tell us what God provided through the death of Christ. (That is different from the death of Jesus.) Then God (through Paul) is used Son, to tell us something different than He told us about the other roles of thew Son of God. Then God (through Paul) tells us about Jesus Christ, in this sentence, before ending the chapter with Jesus Christ our Lord. All of these changes in the role used is deliberate and is showing us that we ger different things from different roles of the Son of God.

In addition, since all of chapter 5 is a single logical argument, this verse not only depends upon what was already said, but it also must also support what follows it within this chapter. Please also see the notes for 5:6 and 5:8 under Christ, and 10 under Son, and for 11 and 21 under Lord Jesus Christ. In particular, please see the note for 17 (below) since it is in the same Included Section of the same sentence ase this verse.

The sentence which includes this verse within it is a very complex sentence. (5:13-17 are 6 sentences which are included within the outer sentence through the use of parenthesis.) The Outer Sentence starts with Wherefore and is telling us what we have as a result of what was said in the first two sentences (5:1-5) along with the supporting reasons provided in the sentences which follow the first two sentences and precede our current sentence. That is, just as one layer of bricks in a wall is built upon the prior layer, so also do the sentences of this chapter build one upon another. Our current verse hold two sentences of the six within the Included Section, which is equivalent to two other Sections of the outer sentence. Thus, this verse is only part of what is said in this Outer Sentence. For example, our verse talks about grace and about God's gift. The note for this verse within the Book Study on Romans tells us about how the Bible uses the word gift. The Note for the first sentence in the Book Study on Romans tells us much about how the Bible uses the word grace and provides links to other notes which tell us much more. Thus, it is easy to see that there is far more doctrine within this verse than can be covered within this note. Therefore, this note is limited to the use of Jesus Christ within this sentence. (The note for 5:17 within this Study is also part of the same sentence.)

Basically, this chapter is telling us about how God got the legal stuff out of the way so that he could deal with us in a non-legal personal way which allowed Him to give us grace through the Son of God's roles as Jesus Christ. (That is where our current verse is.) As explained in notes within the Book Study on Romans, God brought in the Law so that He could use the legal principal of imputation. God then had His Son live a righteous life so that he could impute the righteousness of Jesus Christ unto men. That is what our verse is talking about when it says much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

Biblical righteousness is not just something that we claim but it is something that we live. In addition, as pointed out in the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Romans, the righteousness within our life is unto justification. That is, after our initial profession and salvation there must be a future justification which comes into our life as a result of the righteousness that is added to our life. That righteousness is not just doing the right thing but it is also doing it the right way with the right attitude. This is only possible if we allow Christ to live through our life and change us inside. That truth is dealt with in the note for 5:17 (below). However, we need to know this in order to understand what our current verse is telling us that God is giving to us.

Notice that our current verse says that the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. The sentence structure makes it clear that the grace of God and the gift by grace are two different things. God gives us the gift by grace to change our life. However, God gives the grace of God to other men through our life. If we don't allow the grace of God to go to other nasty people when God brings them into our life, then we aren't doing our part in this personal relationship with God. However, we can't do that in our own sinful flesh. We can only do it by letting Jesus Christ control our life.

That is why we see both Jesus and Christ used in this verse. In addition, since the verse uses Jesus Christ, and not Christ Jesus, This is supposed to be to all saved people starting at their initial profession and increasing in proportion to our spiritual maturity which is the result of our ongoing personal relationship with Christ. If we had to get spiritual maturity before people were supposed to see the grace of God in our life, then this verse would have used Christ Jesus.

Both the grace of God and the gift by grace are made available (abounded unto many) to all men, but not all men are willing to receive these things from God. Likewise, the increase of both are made available (abounded unto many) to all saved men, but not all saved men are willing to receive an increase of these things from God. This verse uses Jesus Christ (not just Jesus and not just Christ), because our receiving the grace of God and the gift by grace after our initial profession is dependent upon our receiving them at our initial profession. However, our receiving them after our initial profession is several separate events which require our free will decision to receive them each time that Christ offers them to us.

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Romans 5:17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

Since all of chapter 5 is a single logical argument, please see the Note for the first sentence and the Note for the second sentence in the Book Study on Romans. They are extensive and provide the basis of this chapter. It is very easy to misunderstand what is said in this chapter if the entire context is not kept in mind. The chapter starts out telling us what we have through our Lord Jesus Christ, then proceeds to tell us what God provided through the death of Christ. (That is different from the death of Jesus.) Then God (through Paul) is used Son, to tell us something different than He told us about the other roles of the Son of God. Then God (through Paul) tells us about Jesus Christ, in this sentence, before ending the chapter with Jesus Christ our Lord. All of these changes in the role used is deliberate and is showing us that we get different things from different roles of the Son of God.

In addition, since all of chapter 5 is a single logical argument, this verse not only depends upon what was already said, but it also must also support what follows it within this chapter. Please also see the notes for 5:6 and 5:8 under Christ, and 10 under Son, and for 11 and 21 under Lord Jesus Christ. In particular, please see the note for 15 (above) since it is in the same Included Section of the same sentence as this verse.

Most of what is involved in proper interpretation of this verse has already been covered by the note for this sentence in the Lord Jesus Christ Study and the note for 5:15 (above). What is left for this note is the fact that the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. As already pointed out, this reign is a shall. It is not optional. God will not take away our free will. But, as has also been pointed out in so many different notes so many different ways, that if someone is not willing to obey and let God's life make a difference in their life because of the reign in life by righteousness then God does not force His gift upon that person. However, without the gift, that person is still under the reign of death (5:14) and death is going to take them to the lake of Fire (Revelation 19:20; 20:10, 14-15) if they are still lost or it will bring a sin unto death (Acts 5; 1Corinthians 11:34; 5:12, which is the same sentence as this verse; 5:21; 6:16; 6:23; James 1:15; 1John 5:15-17) for the saved person. According to this verse, anyone without that abundance of grace and the reign in life of righteousness is still under the reign of death (5:14). Paul shows us this truth in more detail in Romans 6. However, everyone can see that I am not making this us and that the Bible literally says that the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.

As mentioned in the paragraph above, there are two different results from someone not having the gift of righteousness..reign in (their) life. We avoid the lake of fire when we initially get saved and receive the righteousness that is through Jesus. A saved person avoid sickness and death, that is from God's judgment upon sin, when they allow the righteousness that is through Christ to rule their life after salvation. For example, sickness and death from improper sex is avoided that way. a 'living death', which is what many marriages turn into, is avoided that way. In some ways, what is more important is that the death of a child can be avoided by letting the righteousness that is through Christ to rule our life. God killed 4 of king David's sons and 10 generations of the descendants of Lot. Many parent has seen the 'little sin' that they kept in their own life, and excused, taken to an extreme by their child and the child suffered disaster and/or death. There are many more applications of this truth but it comes down to one simple thing. When Christ tells the saved person something they are to do, He expects them to do the right thing (obey) and do it the right way with the right attitude. When we don't understand, obedience proves our claim of faith. When the world tells us that God's way is wrong, then there is more reward for obedience and more punishment for disobedience.

In order for God to use the principal of imputation to give the free gift...by grace and have it abound unto many, one man had to live a life of righteousness. Our verse tells us that this gift of righteousness is by...Jesus Christ. He lived as a man and fulfilled prophecy in order to make the gift available but He is also maintaining our gift of righteousness (in spite of our ongoing sin) through His role as Christ. This is one of the reasons that He didn't just give us the gift and walk away but gave us what we really needed, an ongoing personal relationship.

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Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

This sentence starts with Know ye not (Don't you know) and is part of the God forbid of 6:2, which is in response to the questions found in 6:1. Therefore, we need to start with 6:1 to have our context correct.

6:1-2 has three questions and a God forbid that were dealt with in the notes for these verses in the Book Study on Romans. As mentioned in that note, Paul spent all of Romans 5 telling us how that sin had an ongoing reign of sin in our lives because we were in Adam and how grace is to have an ongoing reign in our lives since we are supposed to be in Christ. God brought in the Law so that He could use the legal principal of imputation. That allowed Him to impute the righteousness of Jesus Christ our Lord to us. He did this so that the righteousness of Jesus Christ our Lord would abound and reign unto eternal life (starting in our physical lives and continuing through our death) much more than sin ever did because where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. Now in this chapter Paul is dealing with the doctrinal error that claims that since God imputed righteousness to our account, we don't need to have any righteousness in our own physical life. That in fact, we can live for sin and expect the grace of God to overcome all of the consequences of our personal sin.

In chapter 6, Paul is telling us that isn't how imputation works and he is telling us how our life is supposed to be changed due to God imputing the righteousness of Jesus Christ our Lord to our spiritual account. Paul uses baptized as another way of showing the truth that was taught in chapter 5. (The note for this sentence in the Book Study on Romans provides links to every place in the Bible where baptism is used along with notes on those places in the Bible. That note gives the true Biblical doctrine for baptism.) Since imputation has no physical sign attached to it, but baptism does have a physical sign, Paul teaches the same truth another way so that those people who need a physical example to understand can also understand what he taught another way in chapter 5.

Paul uses baptized for the true Biblical meaning of 'identified with'. He starts this chapter telling us that we have been identified with Jesus Christ. He then goes on to show how the Son of God, as Christ, made it possible for us to overcome sin. Paul finishes the chapter with how we are to take the provision of Christ and apply it to our personal lives in order to overcome the sin in our personal lives.

Specifically, since we have been identified with Christ by the principal of imputation, we can serve God like Christ did if we live through Jesus Christ our Lord (6:11). If we are concentrating on serving God, we will stop our sinning. If we aren't concentrating on serving God, sin will rule us through our mortal bodies (6:12). From 6:11 through the end of this chapter Paul explains how serving God lets us overcome sin in our lives, but it is all based upon our being identified with Jesus Christ by baptism as we are told in this verse.

In tying this back to chapter 5, we saw that God imputed Adam's sin to our account because we were already acting like Adam and every man sinned even if he didn't personally do the exact same sin as Adam. chapter 5 also taught that because of grace that imputes greater righteousness, we should act like Jesus Christ our Lord even more than we ever acted like sinful Adam. We are imputed the righteousness of Jesus Christ our Lord upon the expectation that we will be identified with Him by our life. Biblical baptism is our public declaration of our personal intention of living a life that will cause a lost world to identify us with Jesus Christ our Lord.

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This verse is definitely contrasting the roles of Jesus and Christ. This chapter of Romans is comparing and contrasting walking in the flesh to walking in the Spirit. In addition, as pointed out in the note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans, this verse is one of the places which doctrinally shows that the Bible uses Jesus and Christ for different doctrinal points. That note is extensive and shows a lot of context in addition to explaining how the structure of this sentence eliminates any possibility that Jesus and Christ are used the same way or that they provide the same blessings from God. Therefore, Jesus and Christ cannot be used interchangably and the speaker be doctrinally correct.

In this subsection, of Chapter 8, we see Paul comparing the carnal saved person to a Biblically true Christian. This verse is saying that those who truly have Christ in them (8:1, 8:2, 8:9, 8:10, 8:11, 8:39) are promised that the Holy Spirit will quicken your mortal bodies. That means that revival will be added after our initial profession, if we are truly in Christ. That is: the Holy Spirit will make our mortal bodies responsive to the promptings of the Spirit, which in turn will make our mortal bodies less responsive to sin. In addition, the more that we have Christ in us, the less problem we will have with physical sin. This is promising the removal of physical addiction to sin but that promise is limited to those who are in Christ.

This verse, is saying that the physical body of the physical man named Jesus was raised from the dead by the power of God, and not by any physical activity such as doing some religious act. Now if God's Spirit can raise the dead after 3 days (4 days for Lazarus) and keep that body animated without blood in it (Luke 24:39) and allow that body to change appearances (Luke 24:16; John 20:14) and allow that body to instantly appear in a closed and locked room (Luke 24:36; John 20:19), what does your body need that is beyond the power of that Spirit?

As the note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans pointed out, all of those things were the result of the Spirit...raised up Christ and not the result of the Spirit...raised up Jesus. The Bible uses Jesus to emphasize the Son of God's physical form and the resurrection of Jesus was no different from the resurrection of the 6 other people that God raised from the dead. That is, they couldn't do any of the things mentioned and the physical man named Jesus could not either, at least not in His physical form. However, our verse also says that the Spirit...raised up Christ and the Bible uses Christ to emphasize His role that He uses to fulfill prophecy and for the power of God applied to saved peoples' personal lives. Psalm 16:10-11; 17:14-15; 49:14; 71:20; Isaiah 26:19; Hosea 13:14 all told of the resurrection of Christ. The three (1Kings 17:22; 2Kings 4:35; 2Kings 13:21) who were raised from the dead in the Old Testament were also a prophetic example of the resurrection of Jesus, but they did not have the ability that was prophesied for the resurrected Christ.

The Son of God also raised three according to the Gospels and He was the seventh. According to Acts 13:34-35, Isaiah 55:3 also prophesied of His resurrection and there are other places in scripture where the resurrection is evidenced even when it is not clearly stated. For example, many Jews say that Exodus 6:3-4 show the resurrection of Abraham and his seed because God did not fulfill His promise to them that they would have that land. So we see that the person Who fulfilled the role of Christ, not the person who was named Jesus, was prophesized to be raised from the dead. This verse uses Christ to show that the Spirit of God fulfills promises in scripture and this verse uses Jesus to show that the Spirit of God can change anything about our physical bodies. That is why this verse promises that the same Spirit of God will quicken your mortal bodies.

As already mentioned, our mortal bodies can be quickened to remove the physical aspects of the addiction of sin. However, this promise is only made to those saved people who have the Spirit of Christ in them and who allow the Spirit of Christ to dwell in you. The Spirit of Christ works through God's Holy Spirit, but it is the Spirit of Christ which provides anything beyond resurrection.

These physical changes are by the Spirit of Christ and not by some physical act such as a religious action. When talking about the physical benefit that the believer can get from God's Spirit, Paul limits it to what is available through Christ. Those people who are not in Christ can not claim this promise. When we are addicted to sinful lusts, our bodies don't respond to the promptings from the Spirit like we want them to. However, when we get in Christ, then God makes our mortal bodies responsive to the prompting of the Spirit. The Spirit, over time and through our ongoing relationship to Christ, removes the sinful promptings of lust in our bodies and, thereby, removes the addiction.

8:9 told us that all saved have the Spirit of God dwell in you and so this promise of quickening is to all saved. However, most (if not all) of us have experienced dwelling with someone who objected to things that we wanted to do. God will not take away our free will and God's Spirit will not quicken our mortal bodies without our agreement expressed by our submission to Christ. There is reason to believe that all of the saved will no longer submit to sin but that will not happen until the resurrection (see 1Corinthians 15:12-58 and associated notes). For now, we still have to deal with temptations from sin and overcoming them requires the power of the resurrected Christ. Many saved people are missing out on blessings meant for the here-and-now because they do not have the Spirit of Christ in them which is needed to stop our sinning in the here-and-now.

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Romans 15:8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:

Romans 15:8 starts a new subject with Now. It is interesting that we find then in 15:1 and we find Now in 15:5, 8, 13, 23, 25, 30 and 33 and we find when in 15:28 and 29. Paul starts this chapter telling us that what he is going to say comes after what has already been said (then) and is the basis for future plans (when) but mainly we need to deal with the Now and this verse is our second now of the chapter.

This particular Now comes after an admonition that we bear the infirmities of the weak and a command to do things as Christ also received us to the glory of God. Christ is the role that the Son of God uses to fulfill prophecy and to give us spiritual maturity after our initial profession. Therefore, this Now says that what follows is based upon our reacting in a spiritually mature way as Christ teaches us to do. What follows the Now says that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God which means that Jesus Christ was a servant (minister) of the Mosaic Law and of the Jews (circumcision) in that He fulfilled the requirements of the Mosaic Law and that he was a Jew. He did this for the truth of God.

Galatians 3 tells us that the Mosaic Law was added unto the promises of God to be (Wherefore) our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith (Galatians 3:24) and that the Mosaic Law was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made (Galatians 3:19). Jesus Christ, of course, is the seed referred to in Galatians 3:19. Therefore (as we have seen elsewhere), since Jesus Christ fulfilled it, we no longer have to keep the religious part of the Mosaic Law but we still are justified by faith in the promises. (The promises were given before the Law and remain after Jesus Christ fulfilled the law.) As to the Mosaic Law being our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, Romans 7:14 told us we know that the law is spiritual and has to be understood spiritually, which is the ministry of Christ. Therefore, Jesus Christ not only was a minister of the Mosaic Law in that He fulfilled the requirements of it but He also is in that He teaches us to spiritually understand the requirements of it and to use the spiritual understanding of it to control how we live by faith in the promises of God. That faith and spiritual understanding of the Mosaic Law, as taught by Jesus Christ is supposed to allow us to live a life which not only fulfills Romans 15:1-7 but which actually fulfills everything from Romans 1:1, which this chapter is based upon.

Having said this preliminary stuff, it needs to be recognized that 15:8-9 is a single sentence which is divided by the punctuation in the Book Study on Romans.

How Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God was already discussed. The Jews misunderstood the promises made unto the fathers that Jesus Christ would confess God among the Gentiles. Since we are Gentiles, it is important that we understand this truth and Paul not only refers to prophecy in this verse but he gives additional references in the next few verses. This verse quotes 2Samuel 22:50 and Psalms 18:49. 2Samuel 22 is a psalm of David that he wrote in the day that the LORD had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul: and Psalm 18 is another version of the same psalm. This sentence is teaching us that even as David was so thankful for deliverance that he praised God for God's mercy and was willing to do anything to serve God, so also should we react to the salvation and spiritual growth provided by Jesus Christ. Just as David gave God glory in Psalm, even so (according to this sentence) should we glorify God for his mercy because Jesus Christ not only paid the debt for our salvation but also teaches us the additional mercy that God makes available to us.

15:10 starts with And again he saith and references several places (Deuteronomy 32:43; Psalms 66:1-4; 67:3; 68:32; 97:1; 98:3; 138:4-5; Isaiah 24:14-16; 42:10-12) in the Bible which teach the same thing: Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. In each of these cases the author is talking about God's great power and how He withheld righteous judgment and extended mercy.
15:11 starts with And again and references Psalms 117:1 with Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. It should be obvious that Lord is referring to God the Father in this quote. This Psalm is actually only 2 verses which are O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD. Again we see his merciful kindness proclaimed along with the truth of the LORD which our Romans 15:8-9 is talking about.
15:12 adds a quote of (Genesis 49:10; Psalms 2:4-12; 22:27; 72:8-10, 17; Isaiah 11:1, 10; 42:1-4; 49:6; Daniel 2:44; 7:14; Micah 4:1-3; 5:4 Jeremiah 16:19; 17:5-7) to what was said in 15:8-9. Isaiah 11 foretells of His first and second coming and all of these verses talk of His setting up His kingdom and how through mercy God has made His kingdom available to us. Further, regardless on how much God's people tried to hide God's truth and no much Satan and his forces tried to destroy or keep God's truth from us, in mercy God has made it available and we owe God glory for making His mercy and truth available to us.

Please also notice that in these references which Paul quoted there are several references to the role of Lord because that is the role that the Son of God will use to set up His kingdom. A good part of the mercy and truth that God has extended to us Gentiles is that we will be able to share in His kingdom because of the work if Jesus Christ in our lives while we are here in this flesh. For that, we owe God glory along with other things like faith, trust and obedience.

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Romans 15:16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

15:15-16 is a single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Romans. More than any other man, Paul was the authority that God gave to teach us Gentiles how to receive and maintain our personal relationship with the Son of God through His roles as Jesus and as Christ. That personal relationship is what the Bible identifies as true salvation and concerning that relationship, Paul really was the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles. Within that capacity, Paul gave us this book of doctrine.

The note for this sentence in the Book Study on Romans is quite extensive and goes through each phrase and word in this sentence and shows how it fits within the context as well as giving links to related verses within the Bible. Within that note is the explanation of what God did to prepare Paul to be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles. As explained in the note for Romans 13:3-4, God gives a minister the 'power' to do the job that God gives to them as a minister. Thus, Paul had certain 'powers', related to Gentiles, that other people did not have. As the note for our sentence, in the Book Study on Romans, explains: Gentiles include all non-Jewish peoples, according to the Bible. Since Gentiles have several different cultures, and yet God is the same to all men, Paul said that he was ministering the gospel of God and not some other gospel. As the note for this verse in the Word Study on Gospel, explains, the gospel of God is the most basic gospel and is the 'good news' that God wants a personal relationship with all people regardless of their culture or any other man-made divisions.

In the Gospels we read that Jesus said: I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 10:6; Matthew 10:6). Yes, Jesus did minister to Gentiles in the Gospels, but He did not bring them the 'good news' like He brought it to the Jews and like Paul brought it to the Gentiles. As a literal physical man Jesus did not leave the land of the Jews and physically go to the land of the Gentiles. Paul was the literal physical man that Jesus worked through to bring the gospel of God to the land of the Gentiles.

In addition, Christ did not teach spiritual maturity to the Gentiles through Peter or any of the other apostles like He worked through Paul. Indeed, Galatians 2:6-9 tells us But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me: But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.. Thus we see that the gospel of the uncircumcision was given to Paul to minister while the gospel of the circumcision was given to Peter to minister. Of course, Christ did not provide any of this spiritual maturing and understanding until after He returned to Heaven and started working through His ministers.

When we look at what was called the gospel of the circumcision we see the gospel of God applied in a way that took into consideration the cultural imperatives of the Jews. When we look at what was called the gospel of the uncircumcision we see the gospel of God applied in a way that ignores the cultural imperatives of the Jews and only required the Gentiles to keep the 'Moral part of the Mosaic Law' (Acts 15). Thus, while Paul personally obeyed the gospel of the circumcision, he ministered the gospel of the uncircumcision to the Gentiles.

Therefore, we can see the Biblical evidence backing Paul's claim that he was the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles and that he was ministering the gospel of God.

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Romans 15:17 I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.

This sentence starts with have therefore, which means it is the result of what came before it. Please see the note for Romans 15:16 above for some of that context. Please see the note for this sentence in the Book Study on Romans for contextual considerations and for definitions of other words within this sentence. Please also see the note for the next verse (15:18) which is a continuation, and dependent upon, this verse.

In this verse Paul is essentially saying 'I could really brag up a storm' but (as he says in the next verse) I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me. Yes, Paul had the position and Jesus Christ worked through his life but Paul was always careful to not touch the glory of God and claim that he personally did anything. A car starter switch is a weak thing that is connected to the solenoid which really handles all of the power needed to start the car. The starter switch only gives the solenoid permission to do the work. Likewise, we don't do the work, even though the world sees it as us doing it. In truth, we only give permission for Jesus Christ to work though our lives and he does all of the actual work. The Bible tells us to boast about how God works through us. However, God had done so much through Paul that people would take is as boasting about himself and not about Jesus Christ. We might just be tools in God's hand, but one tool can claim to be preferred above other tools even while claiming to only be a tool and not the person actually doing the work. Therefore, Paul was very careful about how he personally boasted about God working through his personal life even though he did boast about how God worked through the lives of others. Please see the note for Romans 3:27 about what the Bible says about boasting and for links to verses where the Bible uses the word boast.

Please notice that our sentence tells us that anything that Paul thought to glory about was something that pertain to God. Paul also uses Jesus Christ in this sentence because similar things are possible, and expected, of all saved people (Jesus) and they increase with spiritual maturity (Christ). As noted many other places, Jesus teaches us how to live in this flesh using the power of the Holy Spirit. (Please see the study called Jesus used the power of Holy Spirit.)

In my flesh I personally worship God and I personally witness for God and I personally thank God for all that He does in and through me in this world. I have personally experienced multiple miraculous healings and have been revived from the dead twice. I tell people that that each healing is personal and different from any other healing. there is no 'slap on the head' or any other religious act which forces God to heal. While God may or may not heal and God may chose to heal in a different way than we expect, there are things that we can do to increase the probability of God healing us. That is to be personally and daily worshipping, witnessing and thanking God for what He does in and through us personally. These are not things that we do only when we need something from God but they are part of an ongoing personal relationship with God. They are also things that Paul did and teaches us to do. That is why Paul could say I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus in those things which pertain to God.

In addition, Christ teaches us how to spiritually mature after our initial profession. While Jesus teaches about the physical, Christ teaches about the spiritual and provides blessings that are only available to saved people who are in Christ. Since we learn these things from Paul's writings, and he could only know them from personal experience, we know that Paul had a lot of reasons why he could say I have therefore whereof I may glory through Christ in those things which pertain to God. Thus we see why this verse uses Jesus Christ. Once more we see that Jesus Christ is used when there is a combination of the blessings which come through Jesus and the blessings which come through Christ.

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Romans 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

Romans 16 holds Paul's closing remarks in this epistle. In it, he gives instructions and acknowledgement to people that that he knew who had gone to Rome in order to establish the gospel there. After Paul's last sentence of the epistle body, he adds this sentence as a 'postscript'. He just can't let go without one more comment to glorify God and acknowledge what God has made available to us Gentiles through Jesus Christ. That is, through the salvation that comes through Jesus and the ongoing grace and changed life that comes through Christ. As said many times in this study, God does not get glory from lost people or from saved people who are living for sin. God gets glory from people who become His children and willingly follow the leading of the Holy Spirit (John 1:12-13; Romans 8:14). Further, the first Equivalent Section of this sentence gives us a good outline of what is truly and Biblically involved in God receiving glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Those who do not accept what we are taught here are not stablished by God even if they are saved.

First of all, God would not receive glory...for ever if we could loose our salvation. There is absolutely no correct Biblical interpretation that allows for losing God's salvation. Neither is there any correct Biblical interpretation that allows for someone to claim that God's salvation has NO effect upon their life. If it is not active in this life then it is not for ever because this life is part of for ever.

Secondly, we can not claim that He stablished us if we are in and out of salvation. But even those people who claim that we have eternal salvation must accept that we must spiritually mature in order to be stablished. Think of a new born child as opposed to a mature adult. The child has no control over their life while the adult can be established in home and position in life. Think of an 'establishment'. It is fixed but it also has non-changing procedures and represents what it was 'established' to represent. God has not stablished us until we are fixed, representing Jesus Christ and have reliable procedures for revealing Him to others. But all of this takes the power of God. As Paul has shown in various ways throughout this epistle, neither religion or anything else has the power to stablish us. Only God can.

Next we are told that God uses His power to stablish us according to my [Paul's] gospel. Many other so-called preachers of the Bible had other gospels such as salvation by faith coupled with sanctification by works. These other gospels do not get us connected to God's power which stablishes us. (Please see the note for this verse in the Word Study on Gospel for more details about this statement.)

Next we are told that this gospel that gets us connected to God's power which stablishes us is the preaching of Jesus Christ. As we have seen all throughout this study, the preaching of Jesus Christ is receiving God's life through the sacrifice of Jesus which is only given to those who agree to an ongoing personal relationship with the Son of God through His role as Christ. It is through this ongoing personal relationship with the Son of God through His roles as Christ which takes us from the weak unsteady new-born spiritual position of our initial profession (through Jesus) to the spiritually mature position of a truly stablished Biblical Christian.

When Paul says according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest he is talking about the gospel being according to the New Testament. We will not be stablished until we accept the truth taught by all of the New Testament including epistles like James which people like to deny or twist into an erroneous doctrine (faith without works, etc).

When Paul says and by the scriptures of the prophets he is talking about the truths of God that are according to the Old Testament. (Yes, the majority of Genesis through Malachi directly applies to us today as has been shown elsewhere in this study.) Again, we will not be stablished until we accept all of the truths taught by all of the Bible which apply directly to us and accept even those truths which do not directly apply to us are written for our admonition (1Corinthians 10:11) and, therefore, apply to us indirectly as the spiritual truths taught by those passages still do apply.

When he says according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith Paul is talking about all of the promises of God that apply to us but which also require us to do our part such as respond in true Biblical faith (which is an action verb). (Please see Galatians and all associated notes for an example.) God gets glory only when we act in true Biblical faith and not when we act in the power of our own flesh.

In the final analysis, Paul is adding a post-script which tells us that God gets glory through Jesus Christ for ever only if we let Him use His power to stablish you according to my gospel. God will not take away our free will but if we do not allow Him to get glory from our lives this way then we come short of the glory of God and that is sin, according to Romans 3:23.

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Romans 16:27 To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.

God gets glory through souls saved (Jesus) and through changed lives (Christ). Please see the note above which covers the entire sentence that this verse is only a part of.

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Christ Jesus

Romans 3:24; 8:1, 2, 39; 16:3.

Christ Jesus is used instead of Jesus Christ when the Bible wants to talk of something that we have through both ministries but where the spiritual maturity that comes through Christ is far more important than the initial profession that comes through Jesus. These things are intended for all saved but are not given until after the saved person starts showing spiritual maturity. They also increase in proportion to increases in spiritual maturity. These blessings differ from those which come only through Christ in that the things given through Christ are not given to all saved. Click here for all of the Verses that use Christ Jesus and here for the Summary on the name / role of Christ Jesus.

Romans 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Please see notes for 3:22 under Jesus Christ and for 3:26 under Jesus. 3:21-26 is a single complex sentence which is divided by punctuation in the note for this sentence in the Book Study on Romans. It not only provides the division by punctuation for this sentence but it is a significantly sized note which explains what is probably the most important sentence in this chapter about law in the book of Romans. It deals with several important legal terms and has literally several hundred verses linked to it and to the sentences which precede it and provide the context for understanding this sentence.

There are 5Equivalent Sections to this sentence and 3:23-24 is one of those parts. Therefore, this verse can not be properly interpreted unless at least 3:23 is included and the combination is kept to what is equivalent with the other 4 parts of this sentence. Please see the note for the entire sentence in the Book Study on Romans as the information is critical to proper interpretation but will not be repeated here.

The combination of 3:23and 3:24 tells us part of what God did legally when He provided salvation that is based upon an ongoing personal relationship with the Son of God. (This is what each Equivalent Section of this sentence tells us). As has already been discussed, 3:23 is not just talking about the lost but as 1John 1:6-10 tells us, we continue to sin and come short of the glory of God even after we make our initial profession. God knew this when He saved us. Because He knew that we would continue to sin, He planned to take care of that sin. Notice that 3:24 says Being justified (past tense) freely (without cost or 'works' by us) by his grace (by His unmerited favor, He didn't have to do this on an ongoing basis) through (as said before, this means an ongoing process and not a one-time event) the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. redemption is defined by Webster's 1828 as:

Repurchase of captured goods or prisoners; the act of procuring the deliverance of persons or things from the possession and power of captors by the payment of an equivalent; ransom; release; as the redemption of prisoners taken in war; the redemption of a ship and cargo.
Deliverance from bondage, distress, or from liability to any evil or forfeiture, either by money, labor or other means.
Repurchase, as of lands alienated. Lev. 25. Jer. 32.
The liberation of an estate from a mortgage; or the purchase of the right to re-enter upon it by paying the principal sum for which it was mortgaged with interest and cost; also, the right of redeeming and re-entering.
Repurchase of notes, bills or other evidence of debt by paying their value in specie to their holders.
In theology, the purchase of God's favor by the death and sufferings of Christ; the ransom or deliverance of sinners from the bondage of sin and the penalties of God's violated law by the atonement of Christ.
In whom we have redemption through his blood. Ephesians 1 and Colossians 1.

(Please also see the note for Romans 8:23 in the Book Study on Romans for all of the verses in the Bible which use the word redemption and for a small note on each verse.) Notice that the main word used in this definition is Repurchase. Since our verse says through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus we have an ongoing repurchase of us by Christ Jesus. The simple truth is that sin is addictive. Christ Jesus gets us free from sin and we go back and get addicted again and have to be repurchased again. Just ask RU how many saved people have reoccurring problems with addictive sins. Ask any honest pastor with several years of experience in the ministry. Christ redeems us with the expectation that we will mature spiritually and not need repurchasing for that same sin again, or at least that it will happen less often. If we don't mature spiritually and stop (or at least reduce) our sinning, He leaves us wallowing in our sin until we get an attitude change. If that doesn't work, then He rubs our nose in the consequence of our sin like we do to train an animal to not make messes on the floor. I realize that I am not providing the Biblical references to back these statements, but that is too much for this note. It is backed by my personal experience upon several instances and I have yet to meet the person who wanted to experience those lessons. :-)

The main point of this part of this sentence is that God realizes that we will continue to sin and come short of the glory of God even after we make our initial profession. God knew this when He saved us and He took care of it by planning our ongoing justification through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. This plan is for all saved (Christ Jesus and not just Christ) but it requires our maintaining our ongoing personal relationship with the Son of God through His role as Christ and the more we mature spiritually, the greater effect that our redemption will have.

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Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Romans 8:1 starts with There is therefore, which means that what follows 8:1 is based upon what came before if. The major theme of Romans 7 and Romans 8 is the difference between the spiritual and the carnal and the war between the two natures available to man. Please see the note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans for an explanation of the difference between these two natures of all men. Please see the Study called Relational Prepositions for other verses which use in Christ Jesus and which show the unique way that the Bible uses the word in when it comes to our personal relationship with God.

The Overview of Chapter 8 starts out with a paragraph which shows how each and every chapter before this one provides the basis for the therefore which starts this chapter. In addition, the rest of that Overview shows how the rest of Romans 8 is dependent upon 8:1-2. Please review those comments before proceeding to the detailed comments for verses within this chapter.

This verse and chapter are about our walk. Walk is also explained in the note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans. As explained there, the usage of word walk includes more physical activity that the movement of out legs and feet. In addition, a walk includes a purpose and plan such as getting from one place to another. Man often uses this word to emphasize the purpose and plan above the physical activity, such as when he talks about a 'walk way'. In Romans, the emphasis is on the purpose and plan when we see this word used. For example, in our current verse we see that God's Spirit has a different purpose and plan for our life than we see our flesh has. Our walk displays which purpose and plan we are following.

Returning to the therefore of 8:1, we see that Paul uses terms like flesh and body in Romans to show different aspects of the carnal nature. In particular, Romans 7 tells of how the Law of God plays in this warfare between the spiritual and the carnal and near the end (in Romans 7:22-23) we read For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. The no condemnation of 8:1 is based upon the the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus found in Romans 8:2. 8:2 starts with For which means it is giving the reason for the no condemnation of 8:1. The now in 8:1 means after the end of Romans 7, which is I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin (Romans 7:25). The now means after the deliverance provided through Jesus Christ our Lord. So, Romans 7 ends with telling us about two laws. The law of the carnal (flesh) is the law of sin and the law of the Spirit (the law of God after the inward man and the law of my mind) is through Jesus Christ our Lord. These are two equal legal systems with neither above the other. Therefore we can not be under in both but must be in one or the other.

Right in this first verse of Chapter 8 we run into problems with religious doctrine that wants to deny the truth of this chapter. Religion claims that there is no condemnation to them that said a prayer to Jesus and are 'positionally saved' because that removes all condemnation. This erroneous doctrine follows the example of the Devil when Satan tempted Jesus (Matthew 4; Luke 4). It leaves out the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. It also denies the basic definition of judgment in the judgment seat of Christ (Romans 14:10; 2Corinthians 5:10-11). How well we obey the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus is judged at the judgment seat of Christ. The truth is that when we are 'positionally saved' we are removed from the law of sin and death, which is judged at the Great White Throne judgment, but we are also put under the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus is judged at the judgment seat of Christ.

We are not made lawless but are moved from one legal system to another by salvation. The very next verse tells us this exact thing when it says that we are made...free from the law of sin and death (Great White Throne judgment) by being put under the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (judgment seat of Christ). Since the judgment seat of Christ is a real judgment, it includes condemnation as well as rewards. (The note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans explaines the usage of word condemn within the Bible.) For example, God does not wipe away all tears from their eyes until Revelation 21:4, which is after the church has been living in their new bodies for over 1,000 yearss, and God can't wipe away all tears if they don't exist. The real problem is that the judgment seat of Christ is a different judgment than the Great White Throne judgment and erroneous religious doctrine claims that the judgment seat of Christ is not a real judgment seat but is only a 'reward bench' that decides if we get a reward or not but does not provide any condemnation of any type.

Each judgment in the Bible has a real condemnation associated to it and the condemnation of each judgment has different results, but the difference does NOT eliminate possible condemnation from all saved. The judgment seat of Christ does not include a condemnation of spending an eternity in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 19:20; 20:10, 14-15). However, that does not mean that there is no condemnation of any type (Romans 13:2; 1Corinthians 11:29; 1Timothy 5:12; 2 Peter 2:3).

This verse clearly limits no condemnation (for those who go to judgment seat of Christ) to those people which are in Christ Jesus and who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. This chapter and verse is talking about how we will be judged at the judgment seat of Christ. There, we will be judged according to our works (Matthew 16:27; Acts 10:42; 26:20; 2Timothy 4:1; 1Peter 4:5; James 2:14-26; Revelation 2:5, 9-10, 16, 23, 26-27; 3:8, 15). Yes, there will be rewards based upon our works but there will also be condemnation if we have no works or our works are the wrong type.

When 8:1 says There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, we also know that there is condemnation to them who walk after the flesh. Since there are carnal saved people, carnal saved people will be condemned when they walk after the flesh. The no condemnation is to them which are [present tense] in Christ Jesus. Romans 3:26 told us To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. The term justifier means that people have their condemnation removed when they believeth in Jesus (not believeth in Christ Jesus). That is our initial salvation at our profession. However, we see in Romans 8:1 that we are still condemned if we walk after the flesh even as saved people. That's why Romans 8:1 doesn't say that there is no condemnation to them which are in Jesus but says say that there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. It also clarifies the difference by saying that them which are in Christ Jesus also walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. As we have consistently seen, Christ is the role that the Son of God uses for our ongoing personal relationship, which teaches us to walk after the Spirit. In Romans 8:1, both roles of the Son of God (Jesus and Christ) are involved in Paul's statements but Christ is more important because Paul is emphasizing our current walk. That is why Paul uses Christ Jesus instead of Jesus Christ. In addition, this verse gives us a unit of measure. Someone isn't in Christ Jesus just because they say so. They must walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit to be in Christ Jesus.

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Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Romans 8:2 continues the thought of Romans 8:1, and provides the reason for that statement, when it starts with For. (Please see note above.) Romans 8:2 then says the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8 describes how our current walk in this world is affected by Spirit of life in Christ Jesus and how our being made.. free from the law of sin and death should make that law stop affecting our walk (in this world). Romans 8:3 gives further explanation of these verses since it starts with For. Many of the following statements are verified by 8:3 and the verses which follow it. Please see the Overview of Chapter 8 for an overview of this chapter. Please see the note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans for the considerations of this verse due to context and for the details of what it says. Please see the note for 8:3 under Son for Paul's reason that directly supports this verse and 8:1. Please see the Study called Relational Prepositions for other verses which use in Christ Jesus and which show the unique way that the Bible uses the word in when it comes to our personal relationship with God.

As explained in the Overview note for Christ Jesus, The Bible uses Christ Jesus in a doctrinally different way that it uses Jesus Christ. (That note has a link to a more detailed Overview and a link to the Verses document which shows every verse with this name and how it is used in the Bible.) In both cases the Bible is talking about things which God gives only to saved people and telling them about what comes through the Son of God's roles as Jesus and what comes through the Son of God's roles as Christ. However, when the Bible uses Christ Jesus it is emphasizing the spiritual maturity which comes after our initial profession. An infant can walk a lot better than a newborn. A teenager can run better than an infant. A person who continues to develop their ability to run can do better as a fully developed adult than they could as a teen. The same is true with spiritual life with the exception that God does not allow the corruption of old age to affect the spiritual life of those people who stay in Christ Jesus. so long as we do our part to maintain this personal relationship, God stops the corruption that is a result of the law of sin and death.

Just as the law of sin and death produced a result of corruption, so also does the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus produce a result. As should be obvious, that result is spiritual life in us which matches the Spirit of God. (Please see the note for this verse within the Word Study of Spirit.) This spiritual life produces good works in this world through our life, as explained in the rest of this chapter and places like Ephesians 2:10. Since this is a law, God has established that we will continue to get the results of the law so long as we continue to obey it.

While I could show many more ways that this verse ties into what is taught elsewhere in the Bible, the reader should be able to see that we were not put into lawlessness but were put under the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus so that we should bring forth fruit unto God. Yes, the original change (when we made our initial profession) is a 'positional' change but it was only made to cause an 'actual' change through the ongoing personal relationship which started with the 'positional' change. If (when God judged our heart when we prayed the 'prayer of salvation') God decided that we would never produce an 'actual' change, He refused the 'positional' change. (See 2Peter 2:9 and other verses and notes related to the unjust.)

We see here that this 'positional' change is only given dependant upon our future 'actual' change. When we deal with what this verse is telling us about the 'actual' change we see that the emphasis of this verse in on the 'actual' change of current events in our personal life (them which are in...who walk in 8:1). That is why 8:1 and 8:2 both use Christ Jesus. Christ is more important than Jesus in these verses because our 'actual' change is more important than our 'positional' change for these verses. When we are told that this change hath made me free from the law of sin and death, some 'positional' change does an addict no good. They need an 'actual' change that really sets them free from the law of sin and death and the addiction that results from that law. Ask people in RU. This freedom is the result of an ongoing relationship and is not some instant 'positional' change. RU can also tell you, based upon thousands of people's experiences, that it takes the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus actively leading the person in order for them to actually overcome addiction and stay free of that addiction. There is no other way to overcome the addiction of sin.

It must also be noted here that this verse is saying that this life change is in Jesus. That means this change is not just for some saved but is required of all saved. Therefore, those people who claim that we can be saved with no change in their lives are wrong because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus is not just in Christ (not just for some saved) but is in Christ Jesus (for all saved with increased blessings in relationship to increased spiritual maturity). A person who is truly saved but is not maintaining the ongoing relationship, which is a life in Christ, will still have some changes at some time in their life, per these verses.

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Romans 15:5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:

This verse starts out with Now which means 'after accepting what is said in 15:1-4'. It then says ..you to be likeminded. This likeminded means to have the same mind as Christ Jesus as specified in 15:1-4. (Please see the notes for these verses in the Book Study on Romans and for 15:3 under Christ.) The likeminded that Paul is talking about is only available to the saved who are being spiritually matured by Christ. However, since this verse says Christ Jesus and not just Christ, it is meant for all saved even though it can only be realized through spiritual maturity. In addition, both the role of Jesus and the role of Christ are involved with the emphasis on Christ. 1Corinthians 5:9-13 tells us I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

Some people will claim that this verse is in conflict with Romans 15:1-4, but that isn't true. 1Corinthians 6:9-11 lists the same people and concludes with And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. So the way that all of these verses come together is that when we are first saved, we still act like we did before we received salvation. But the ongoing spiritual maturing that comes through our relationship with Christ causes us to change the way we live. Therefore, we need to be patient (as explained for Romans 15:1-4) while we wait for Christ to change the lives of people who just get saved. However, if someone claims salvation and never lets Christ change them even after a considerable length of time, then we are to break fellowship with them until after they do let Christ change them. That's why this verse says according to Christ Jesus. Lots of religions preach 'unity' with the leaders but if they aren't going according to Christ Jesus then we aren't to be united with them and certainly aren't united in sin (James 4:17; 1John 5:17).

The parallel part of this sentence is explained in the note for 15:6 under Lord Jesus Christ.

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Romans 16:3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:

16:3-4 is a single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Romans. In addition, this verse doesn't just use Christ Jesus but uses the phrase in Christ Jesus. Please follow this link to find at least 40 other places which use this phrase and let us know what the Bible considers to be necessary for this phrase to be applied to someone's life.

Priscilla and Aquila are named several times in the Bible. (The note for this sentence within the Book Study on Romans provides the links and details.) We see them go from being just Jews who shared a trade with Paul to people who helped to start at least 3churches, influenced all churches, proved they were willing to be martyrs, and more. They took the 'Great Commission' as a personal command from God, which it is, and literally took the gospel to all of the world. Thus we see the influence of Jesus and of Christ with the influence of Christ being the greatest. Yes, they were saved through Jesus, but the spiritual maturity that comes through Christ is far more evident within the testimony of their life.

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Lord Jesus

Romans 4:24; 10:9; 14:14.

Each of these references in Romans shows that Jesus is not just our savior but also Lord. In each verse, the use of Jesus is not savior so much as it is 'God in human flesh' and the use of Lord means His right to tell us what to do while we are still in our flesh. Click here for all of the Verses that use Lord Jesus and here for the Summary on the name / role of Lord Jesus.

Romans 4:24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

4:23-25 is a single sentence that gives us the conclusion of Romans 4. The note for this sentence in the Book Study on Romans divides it by punctuation and explains the context of the sentence.

All of Romans 4 is teaching the details of how and why God imputed righteousness to the legal account of Abraham. This sentence says that the same thing is available to us. This is a different perspective of what is also taught in Galatians.

Think about diplomatic immunity. One country agrees to not charge the diplomats of another country with any crime that they may do. The host country may tell the other country to remove the diplomat from the host country, but they will not charge the diplomat with a crime because they don't want to offend the other country. The host country leaves any punishment of the diplomat up to the other country.

Romans 4:8 told us that God the Father is Lord. In the context of this chapter (discussion of impute) that means God the Father represents the Laws of one country. In this sentence, we read about Jesus our Lord, which means He represents the Laws of another country. God the Father has agreed to not charge anyone who belongs to Jesus our Lord with a crime. That's what it means when it says that imputation was written us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. God will impute ('give a legal accounting') of righteousness to anyone who belongs to Jesus our Lord. However, those who don't belong to Jesus our Lord don't get righteousness imputed and have to stand trial for their sins ('violations of God's Law') at the Great White Throne judgment (Revelation 20:11).

This sentence also says why God will impute ('give a legal accounting') of righteousness to anyone who belongs to Jesus our Lord because He was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. As has been taught many other places, He paid the debt for our sins and we don't have to pay for them because God accounts them as paid if we belong to Jesus our Lord. However, in order to have Him as our Lord, we have to make a covenant agreement (salvation) whereby we become legally His. That means that we agree to obey His commandments and accept His judgment and punishment when we disobey. Since Jesus is 'God in human flesh', He knows of our weaknesses and takes that into account. If we are not willing to have Him as our Lord then we will face God the Father with the record of our violating His Law (sin). If we do accept Jesus as our Lord and then stop obeying Him, He will know when we are giving an excuse because He was/is human also. We will then face the punishment of God (Jesus our Lord) if we don't 'get right' and start obeying.

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Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Romans 10:8-9 has two sentences with the majority of 10:8 being in the same sentence as 10:9. These sentences are divided by punctuation as in the notes for these sentences within the Book Study on Romans. Those notes also tell us a lot about the context.

These sentences start with But which tells us that they have the same subject as the prior sentence while going in a different direction. There (10:6-7) we saw the start of Old Testament quotes which are actually finished in these sentences. We saw these quotes applied to our present day relationship with Christ. While the prior sentence talked about people who claimed to be saved but had some excuse for lacking knowledge about what the word of faith really said, these sentences tell us 'here is your source for knowledge from the word of faith'. (That's why these sentences start with But).

The first Equivalent Section of this sentence tells us that we have The word is...even in your mouth, and in your heart. This claim is true on two levels. The lost have the witness of concience that God gives to all men. The saved have Christ available in our heart to teach us. We saw this explained in the notes within the Book Study on Romans, available at the links provided. So this note really only has to deal with how the second half of this sentence (after the colon) is interpreted to be equivalent to the first half of the sentence.

The first section of this part of the sentence tells us that the word of faith is that which we preach which is also what we find written in Paul's writing of the New Testament, especially in his writing in earlier chapters of this epistle. We need to remember that the context of this chapter (as explained in the note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans) is contrasting believing religious doctrine to believing what the word of faith really says. Therefore, we need to stick with what is actually written in the New Testament as opposed to what is preached as religious doctrine. That distinction is important to remember as we deal with the rest of this sentence.

The First Step of this sentence tells us to believe the word of faith is that is in the Bible. Then we confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead. Permutations of confess are found in the Bible in Leviticus 5:5; 16:21; 26:40; Numbers 5:7; Joshua 7:19; 1Kings 8:33, 35; 2Chronicles 6:24, 26; 30:22; Ezra 10:1, 11; Nehemiah 1:6; 9:2-3; Job 40:14; Psalms 32:5; Proverbs 28:13; Daniel 9:4, 20; Matthew 3:6; 10:32; Mark 1:5; Luke 12:8; John 1:20; 9:22; 12:42; Acts 19:18; 23:8; 24:14; Romans 10:9-10; 14:11; 15:9; Philippians 2:11; 1Timothy 6:13; Hebrews 11:13; James 5:16; 1John 1:9; 4:2-3, 15; 2John 1:7; Revelation 3:5. Every one of these can be understood to be a legally binding statement that is made with an implicit or explicit oath where there probably was reluctance to make the statement in prior times.

So now we come back to our verse and read that if you shall confess with your mouth. That makes this a conditional (if) which means that you shall be saved only happens if we meet the conditions specified. The first condition you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus. Obviously a mute person can't do verbally sewar an oath but he can live a life. It is not the lies out of our mouth but the life we live that God accepts. We also see in the next verse with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Religious doctrine says that people don't have to make a public profession but that goes against what we read here. This is especially true when we consider the Biblical meaning of Lord Jesus. Religion says to believe on Jesus and accepting Him as Lord is a really good idea but not necessary. Those people who claim such are like the Jews that this chapter is talking about who have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

We saw in Acts 19 that there were Jews who tried to claim the power of Jesus but were not protected because He was not Lord Jesus to them. Many places in the Bible we saw men consider Jesus to be 'just a man' but every place that we see Lord Jesus used it clearly means 'God in human flesh' with the emphasis upon His power and judgment as Lord and God. When we recognize the truth that there is a spiritual warfare going on and that Satan is opposing our Lord Jesus and that we were on the side of Satan before getting saved, it should be obvious that getting saved is switching sides in a war. If we tried to claim that someone could change citizenship between two countries that were at war without swearing a legal, public, witnessed oath of allegiance, we would be considered fools. Yet that is exactly what religious doctrine tells people. The truth of this sentence is that true Biblical salvation is not just 'saying a prayer to Jesus' but requires accepting the Lordship of Jesus in our lives which includes a witnessed public confession that He is Lord Jesus to us personally. Those who will not confess such out loud and publicly probably are not saved and are at best the unjust that Peter warns us we don't want to die in that condition.

The second part of our conditional (if) is that we believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead. God did this to show His power and to prove the promises of the Bible. If we don't believe that God will keep His promise to His only begotten Son, we really don't believe that God will keep His promises to us. We see quite a lot on this same thing in 1John where John explains more of the consequence of believing or denying this Bible truth. This also ties back to Romans 6 where we were told For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection (6:5). If we don't believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, we won't act like the resurrected Christ which this sentence is talking about with the connection to the prior sentence in 10:6-7. While I could go on with the resurrection, this sentence is clearly saying that the truly saved have a life which is a confession that Lord Jesus rules their life.

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Romans 14:14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

Please see the note for Romans 14:6 under Lord which explains the principal involved in this section that goes from 14:3 through 14:18 (and the related notes in 14:6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 18). This chapter is talking about saved people calling others lost over religious differences which should not cause a dispute. Please also see the note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans which explains much about the context of this section.

Paul's statement here is vastly clarified when we remember that Paul was a Jew, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee (Philippians 3:5). The major controversy of Paul's day was about keeping the Mosaic Law. Where the Jews expected Paul to stand for keeping the Law, he steadfastly fought against such a stand because he was persuaded by the Lord Jesus that the religious part of the Law was no longer binding. This is a clear demonstration of submitting to the Lordship of the Lord Jesus who provided his salvation. This verse follows Romans 14:11 where we saw that Paul was using the teaching of Isaiah 43 to say we can not argue against the Lordship of our creator. (Please see the note for that verse under Lord.) Jesus was recognized as Lord Jesus for the first time after the resurrection (Luke 24:3) and the title of Lord Jesus is associated with the power of God, because that is what it took to overcome death. Since the Lord Jesus has demonstrated the power of God and since Paul has already referred to Isaiah 43 to effectively say that only a fool would argue with the demonstrated power of God, he is essentially saying that he is not a fool. If the Lord Jesus says that there is nothing unclean of itself then that is sufficient to make Paul know, and [be fully] persuaded. It should be sufficient for us also, but there are some people who are still spiritual babies. They still have, and need, religious laws that say some things are unclean because they can't handle the temptation of those things without the aid of thee law. Therefore, the Lord Jesus has made this thing unclean to the spiritually weak person but has not made it unclean to the person that it does not tempt. Jesus is the role that the Son of God uses to show us how to live in the flesh by the power of the Holy Ghost. Jesus also deals with us in a personal way. Therefore, it is Lord Jesus who gives personal laws about unclean things in order to help us to live spiritually clean in this flesh by the power of the Holy Ghost. For us to try to tell someone that something is spiritually clean after the Lord Jesus has given that person a personal law making it unclean is to fight against the power of our Lord and will bring judgment upon us. Please also see the note for Romans 14:15 under Christ which picks up where this note ends.

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Lord Christ

Romans 14:9.

Please see the note below. Click here for all of the Verses that use Lord Christ and here for the Summary on the name / role of Lord Christ.

Romans 14:9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

This is the only verse in Romans with Lord and Christ in it. This verse tells us that Christ is Lord and that He both died, and rose, and revived in order to receive this position. Acts 2:36 tells us Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Notice that Peter, under the inspiration of God, states that God hath made Jesus to be both Lord and Christ. Something that has been made did NOT exist in that condition before it was made. Please see the note for Acts 2:36 for more details on this Bible fact. For our purposes of this verse, we can see a parallel between the hath made of Acts 2:36 and the that he might be of this verse. The might be means He had to become Lord but it also means that He might not become Lord. Before the lost are put into the Lake of Fire for all eternity, they will confess Him as Lord (Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in Heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father [Philippians 2:9-11]). However, at this time we see many people who refuse to acknowledge this fact. Therefore, we see a truth that, while in this life, someone can refuse to accept Christ as Lord. However, the consequence of that decision, according to other places in the Bible, is that such people are not saved no matter what religious thing they did including saying a 'prayer of salvation'.

Salvation requires our accepting God's right to be Lord of our lives (see notes for 1John 5:13; John 1:12-13; Romans 8:14; etc). Christ refers to the role used by the Son of God to maintain a personal relationship with us after our initial profession. The relationship between a husband and wife is a picture of the relationship between Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:32). Just as a godly man does not act in the role of a husband until after he is married, so also does the Son of God refuse to act in the Role of Christ with anyone who has not received Him as their personal Lord and become saved (Genesis 4:26; Psalms 116:13, 17; Zephaniah 3:9; Romans 10:13). This verse makes it clear that He both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. Since all saved agreed to accept Him as their personal Lord in order to be saved He will judge the saved for their obedience and loyalty. Romans 14:8-12 make it very clear that the saved will face a legal judgment of their works after profession and that our Lord, who tells us what to do, will legally judge our obedience and submission after profession. This is shown to the two references to God, the two references to Christ and the five references to Lord in these verses. It is also shown in the switching between titles.

Let me give an illustration before the more detailed explanation. I've already mentioned the girls that I raised and the rules that were different between them. Even though the rules were not the same for all of the girls, their violation of the rule that was explicate to them resulted in punishment (they couldn't sit for a full day the few times I had to enforce the rule). The Son of God gives us individual and personal rules through our personal relationship with Him as Christ. While religion teaches these things as good ideas that we ought to keep, the reality is that these are personal laws that he enforces as judge and Lord. More than once I have done something that another saved person also did. While they received no punishment I received quite painful punishment. All honest mature Christians will also admit experiencing the same effect. That is what this verse is really teaching. For to this end (Here's why) Christ (the role that the Son of God uses for personal relationships with believers that provides individual spiritual maturity) both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be (Here's what He expects to get out of His payment) Lord both of the dead and living (He says what we do and rewards obedience with no argument and punishes disobedience and wrong attitudes).

This verse starts with For to this end meaning in order to accomplish this end. The end that is to be accomplished is stated in the previous verse For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. So, this verse is saying that in order to make sure that in life or death we are the Lord's, Christ both died, and rose, and revived. The basic gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1Corinthians 15:1-8). This verse is saying that the purpose of the gospel isn't just to save us from Hell and get us into Heaven but to make us the Lord's. That is, we are His purchased possession that He can do with as he wishes (1Corinthians 6:20; 7:23). When we do the true basic Biblical definition of the word repent (Luke 13:3, 5) we don't just 'turn 180 degrees' but we turn from what we think is good and evil (Genesis 2:9, 17; 3:5, 22; Deuteronomy 1:39) to obeying what our Lord says is good and evil. In addition, the thought of this verse is different than the thought of the next verse, but the reasoning supplied in the next verse applies to this verse also. Specifically, 14:10 says we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. God lowered Himself to become man, left the glory and worship of angels to come here and die to pay the debt for our personal sins in order to make us the Lord's. A Lord has the right to tell people what to do and to expect loyalty and obedience in return for what the Lord provides. That is what 14:12 tells us. These verses tell us that when we die, we are going to an accounting where the Lord will pull out His record books and see how much loyalty and obedience we returned in gratitude for what He personally suffered in order to get us into Heaven. This verse doesn't say that Jesus died, but that Christ died. The use of God's role as Christ is emphasizing God's interaction with the believer after profession. The phrase of that he might be Lord is telling us that the reason that God saved us and the reason that He does all that He does for us after profession is to become our Lord. So, when we show up at the accounting (the judgment seat of Christ), He will be looking at how much we submitted to His Lordship after profession (how much we responded to His ministry as Christ). We will be rewarded or punished in direct proportion to the return that He receives (Matthew 25 and Luke 19).

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Lord Jesus Christ

Romans 1:3, 7; 5:1, 11, 21; 6:11, 23; 7:25; 8:39; 13:14; 15:6, 30; 16:18, 20, 24.

In almost every verse of Romans where Lord and Jesus and Christ are used, Paul is telling us about something that we receive, or some responsibility that we have, that requires the blessings that The Son of God provides through each of His roles as Lord and as Jesus and as Christ. There are certain blessings that come through only one of the roles. If we require all of the blessings, then we have to deal with The Son of God in each of His roles. In addition, our responsibility to The Son of God in each of His roles is different. Your responsibilities to a Lord are different than your responsibilities to a Saviour. In order to fulfill the responsibilities of some of these verses, we must recognize all of our responsibilities to The Son of God within each of His roles and fulfill each of those responsibilities. To ignore the responsibilities of one of God's roles is to come short of the command of the verse. Click here for all of the Verses that use Lord Jesus Christ and here for the Summary on the name / role of Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 1:3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

Please see the note for 1:1 in the Book Study on Romans as it gives the context and structure of this sentence. This note assumes that the reader has read that note. In addition, the note for 1:6 under Jesus Christ, the notes for 1:3 and 1:4 under Son and the notes for 1:3 and 1:7 under Lord Jesus Christ all provide additional information about this opening (and foundational) sentence for the epistle to the Romans. Please consider all of them together along with related notes referenced within these notes.

Between this verse and 1:4 Paul clearly is declaring Jesus Christ our Lord to be equal to God the Father (Please see John 5:18-30.) This verse clearly says that Jesus Christ is our Lord, which means He has all of the rights and responsibilities of a lord, including judgment. However, we need to note that this Lord is upper case which means God and His judgment is eternal because it is the judgment of God. This part of this sentence tells us that He was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. The declaration of power is a power that only God has. Let all who disagree put up their own resurrection from the dead before they are allowed to speak. In John 5:21 (where Jesus gave proof that he had the power of God) Jesus said the Son quickeneth whom he will. Only God has power to quickeneth ('make spiritually alive and responsive to the Holy Spirit while we are in this flesh'). Jesus also linked this power to His authority to execute judgment also (John 5:27). As Lord He will judge the lost at the Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11) and He will judge the saved at the Judgment Seat of Christ (Romans 14:10; 2Corinthians 5:10-11). Back in John 5:27 we read that Jesus said He was given judgment because he is the Son of man. (Please see the note for 1:3 under Son for more details.) Jesus is currently in Heaven representing the saved to God because He understands the weaknesses of being human, since Jesus is God in human flesh. Because of this understanding, God has made Him our Lord. Men could not understand the disputes between two viruses because viruses are a different type of life than man. However, no one is going to accuse God of executing judgment when he does not understand a different type of life because God is also human in His form as Jesus. While some might claim that no one would do such, I have personally heard several lost people make that exact accusation.

I have only dealt with the judgment part of His position as Lord. However, we need to note Isaiah 9:7 which tells us Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. Thus, we see the prophecy of His ruling as Lord and the verse before this one told us (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures), which makes this sentence and, in particular, this part of this sentence a direct reference to prior prophecy such as we see in Isaiah. Also, in Jeremiah 23:5-6 which says Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Both of these are, obviously, prophecies of the 1,000 years reign of Jesus Christ our Lord.

In addition, to the Son of God bringing His human understanding to both thrones of judgment (the Great White Throne and the Judgment Seat of Christ), He also brings His rights that he earned when He paid the debt to become Christ. We have seen in this study that Christ is the role that the Son of God uses to relate to saved people while they are in this life but it is also the role used to fulfill prophecy including His death and resurrection, which are directly mentioned in this part of this sentence (made of the seed of David according to the flesh, by the resurrection from the dead, etc) as providing the proof that He has the power of God. The lost will face a Christ who suffered all that He did to pay the debt for their sin and that they treated as a foolish thing when they insisted that they would pay their own sin debt. However, Hebrews 10:29 also reminds us that we will face Christ at the Judgment Seat of Christ and tells us Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? Many saved people are going to be greatly surprised and sorry when they face Christ at the Judgment Seat of Christ and they find out what He thinks about their having trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing when they refused to let Him remove the stain and control of ongoing sin in their life after their initial profession.

This part of this sentence tells us that Jesus Christ is our Lord. It also tells us that the declaration was made according to the spirit of holiness. Jesus Christ lived according to the spirit of holiness and as our Lord He tells us to do the same and will judge us for our obedience or disobedience. Many people believe the doctrinal error that there is no judgment and no condemnation of the saved because they will not go to the Lake of Fire (Revelation 19:20; 20:10, 14-15). However, as pointed out in this note, there are two different judgment seats which deal with different classes of people and different Laws and different punishments. The existence of one seat of judgment does not eliminate the power or the condemnation of the other. Each Equivalent Section of this sentence tells us that God expects us to live according to the spirit of holiness. This part of this sentence warns us of our judgment for obedience or disobedience to this spirit of holiness and the rest of this epistle tells us how to obey this spirit. Each and every role of the Son of God (as Jesus Christ our Lord) will be involved in this judgment at both seats of judgment.

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Romans 1:7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ

This verse holds the last two Equivalent Sections of this first sentence. I said that they identify who is receiving this epistle and identify the expected result of this epistle. The second last part of this sentence (To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints) has been pretty much covered in other notes. Paul is writing To all that be in Rome which lets us know that the doctrine and commands of this epistle apply to everyone who claims to be saved. As has been covered in other notes for this sentence, saved or lost we will face judgment for our obedience or disobedience to the commands of God and no one who claims to be saved has any excuse for not reading their Bible and finding out what God expects from them. As also has been noted, all saved are beloved of God in a personal way because He saved them. God expects this beloved to increase over time because He expects us to become more Christ-like during our life in this flesh after our initial profession. Many people quote John 3:16 but don't understand, or misinterpret the verse, because they think that is a personal love from God. However, John 3:16 says For God so loved the world, not us individually. Romans 9:13 tells us As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. If God hatedEsau then we can not properly claim that God's general love of the world in John 3:16 extends to each and every person in the world because that would conflict with Romans 9:13. In addition, we find the KJV1611 deliberately uses personal pronouns (ye, thee, thine, etc) every time that the Bible addresses us personally. On the individual level, John 3:16 uses whosoever, not ye. It is when we get saved that we receive personal love from God and that personal love is reserved for those people who agree to have an ongoing personal relationship where God teaches us to stop sinning. So, the beloved of God in this verse is personal and with that personal love, we are called to be saints. And, as has been explained in other notes for this sentence, God provided the means (a personal relationship with the Son of God) for us to fulfill that calling.

We also have the last Equivalent Section of this foundational sentence in this verse. Here we are promised Grace...and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. The phrase God our Father is, of course, related to our status as sons of God as explained in the notes for 1:3 and 1:4 under Son. Grace...and peace come not just from God our Father, but also come from our Lord Jesus Christ. Those that refuse to recognize His rights as Lord or as Christ usually do not experience much grace nor peace from God. This Grace...and peace only comes when we recognize all of the rights and responsibilities of our God in each of His roles as Lord, Jesus and Christ. (Also see note related to 1Peter 1:3 about the Biblical doctrinal relationship between God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.) Grace...and peace come from Jesus when we first make our profession of faith. Knowing that we will not go to Hell brings the first true godly peace that people experience. That in it self is enough to get saved. However, God adds eternal life because of the Grace that is given when we accept Jesus as our personal Lord. Once saved, people only have security and ongoing peace as they develop their personal relationship with Christ. Lots of people have tried telling the unsure person lots of Bible verses for eternal security, but that is only a band aid that falls off. As we are told later in this epistle, the only way to have security is to have the witness of God's Spirit to our spirit and we only get that when we maintain our personal relationship with Christ. In addition, Christ gives us peace about many things in life as we have seen all throughout this study. We have also seen (all throughout this study) the many forms of Grace that come because of our personal relationship with the Son of God through His role as Christ. Finally, we have also seen all throughout this study how that the Grace...and peace that come from the Son of God through His role as Lord is totally different from what we receive through the roles of Jesus or Christ. 1 and 2Thessalonians are probably the best to learn about the Grace...and peace that come from the Son of God through His role as Lord. However, even if we don't understand how God provides this Grace...and peace and even if we don't understand the differences that come from the various roles, we just have to believe that He provides it and believe by faith. If we just develop our personal relationship with God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ they will take care of everything else and we don't have to understand all of it in order to receive it. This first sentence is the foundation of this epistle. If we accept the doctrine taught in it and we obey the commands within it then we will receive the Grace...and peace that is promised to come from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

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Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

5:1-2 is a single sentence which starts with Therefore and lets us know that what follows is a result of what preceded it. As seen in the note for this sentence in the Book Study on Romans, this sentence is telling us the results of all that Paul has shown us from the beginning of this epistle. That note shows us that Paul is continuing his theme that there is a difference between 'positional justification' (based upon having a religious position) and 'actual justification' (based upon a personal relationship through Jesus Christ) that leads a lot of people into error. The sentence of our current verse says that we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, and all through this Study on the names of the Son of God we have seen that an ongoing personal relationship is essential to receive the promises of God. This note will explain how that consistent Biblical requirement also applies to each of the roles mentioned in this sentence while considering what is actually said within this sentence.

The note for the first sentence, in the Book Study on Romans, also provides the analysis according to sentence structure and shows how this first sentence (of the chapter) fits within the structure of the entire epistle. For instance, it shows how this sentence is based upon all that came before it, as starting the sentence with Therefore requires. That note also shows (at the end of the note) how this sentence supports critical things said in Romans 5. Further, is shows that the second sentence of this chapter (5:3-5) is added to the first sentence by starting with an And. The note for the second sentence provides the analysis according to sentence structure and also provides links to verses which use the words found in this sentence such as tribulation and patience. Those things are added to our current sentence and are based upon the promise found in our current verse. It also explains our rewards and other God given motivations for going beyond faith into hope. After that, we get into the third sentence, which starts with For, and gives the reason why Paul claimed what he did in the first two sentences. of course, part of understanding saomething that is said in the Bible also requires understanding the Bible given reason for the original statement. That third sentence is covered in the note for 5:6 within this Study. Every sentence in Romans 5is connected to the prior in a similar manner. Thus, what is said here not only is the conclusion of what came before this sentence, but it also must support what comes after this sentence. (Hopefully that is enough structural analysis and enough links for people who want to actually examing the structure supporting the claims made here :-).

After the Therefore, this sentence continues with being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. That tells us that having peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ is dependent upon our having been being justified by faith. We dealt with the concept of peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ in the note for 1:7 under Lord Jesus Christ above. (Please see it for details.) As shown there, the ongoing personal relationship with the Son of God through His role as Christ is absolutely required in order to have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Since our peace with God demands the ongoing personal relationship with the Son of God through His role as Christ, it should be obvious that our being justified by faith also requires the same. As we have seen consistently throughout this study, true Biblical faith is not intellectually trusting is some 'positional' attribute but is an action very requiring that our walk back our 'talk'. Further, since our peace with God and our faith both require the ongoing personal relationship with the Son of God through His role as Christ, it should be obvious that our being justified also requires the same. We first saw the concept of justification used as a quote of Scripture in 1:17 which told us The just shall live by faith. That matches our current sentence which tells us being justified by faith. Then in chapter 2 we were told how to become justified (Please see note for 2:16 under Jesus Christ). This theme of justification continues through Romans and is found in Romans 1:17; 2:13; 3:4, 8, 20, 24, 26, 28, 30; 4:2, 5, 25; 5:1, 9, 16, 18; 6:7; 7:12; 8:30, 33.

Obviously this is an important doctrine in the epistle to the Romans, but I will not develop it in this note. The reader can research those verses (and related notes) for themselves. However, what is important to understand is how it fits within this sentence. As we have seen throughout this Study, Jesus refuses to provide justification to people unless they agree to an ongoing personal relationship with him through His role as Christ. This matches a man refusing to take on the responsibilities of supporting a woman unless she agrees to an ongoing personal relationship called marriage. Both are started with a single event, but continue from that event. Further, both single events must be legal, which brings in the Son of God's role as Lord. God the Father allows us to have peace with Him because God the Son takes care of any of our violations to God's Law. God the Son does it through His role as Christ, which Paul explains in the sentences following this one. However, His role as Lord is also involved since our ongoing sin (after we get saved) is still a legal matter.

This sentence is divided into two Equivalent Sections by the colon at the end of 5:1. The second Equivalent Section of this sentence says By whom (by the Son of God in each and every role of His known as Lord and Jesus and Christ) also we have access by faith. We already saw that the faith which Paul is talking about is 'actual visible faith'. He gives us what we need to live the faith that we claim. (Failure to live the faith that we claim does not lose our salvation but does prevent us from accessing this grace.) We also have access to the other things that He provides so long as we live our faith. This part of the sentence continues with into this grace wherein we stand. We stand is present time action in this world. It is 'actual visible faith' based upon this grace that Paul was talking in chapter 4 (Therefore) which allowed Abraham to have the testimony that he had. Our current sentence continues with and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Once more, rejoice is present-time and hope is an action verb just like faith except that hope is based upon the character of God while faith is based upon the promise of God.

Notice that the next sentence starts with And tells us that part of our being justified by faith and we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God is that we glory in tribulations also and willingly receive all that the rest of what that sentence includes. Any honest person would see that people who are actually relying upon a 'positional salvation' (as opposed to an actual action filled salvation) have trouble with the things that 5:3-5 add to 5:1-2. As we face tribulation, we need support from God, at that time, for the things that life throws at us which we could not have anticipated at our initial profession. For example, whatever peace someone had at their initial profession is not going to be sufficient if their child dies. They need new support from God for that situation at the time that it happens. Further, our next sentence says that we are to have patience and many times in life the only way that we can fulfill that demand is if Christ gives us the patience required at that time for that instance.

If we fail to use the grace which we are told about in this sentence, then we will sin by following our human nature and violating God's Law. (Please see the note for Romans 3:31 for all of God's Laws that apply to saved during the Church Age.) Paul deals with this consequence in 5:10-11. (Please see the notes for 5:10 under Son and for 5:11 under Lord Jesus Christ for more details about God dealing with our violations of His Law.) Paul then returns to our relationship, and the things which we have through His roles as Jesus Christ. Paul points out that these additional things also require the grace that our current sentence tells us that we have access to.

Paul concludes the chapter with But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Thus, while parts of this chapter deal with things which are available through Christ (or Jesus Christ), which tell us that those items require our maintaining our ongoing personal relationship in order to have them, much of this chapter is dealing with this grace which requires each and every role of the Son of God. We see this by both the opening and ending sentences using Lord Jesus Christ. We also see it by what is talked about and how each of those roles of the Son of God provide a different aspect of the item discussed. The grace of our current sentence required the role of Jesus to remove the debt of our sin and provide the access. The role of Christ is required for us to use this grace which we have access to. The role of Lord is required for when we should access this grace, but fail to do so and end up sinning.

Since all of chapter 5 is a single logical argument, please also see the notes for 5:11, 21 under Lord Jesus Christ and for 5:6, 8 under Christ and for 5:10 under Son and for 5:15, 17 under Jesus Christ. What we are promised in those verses are dependent upon our getting this verse right.

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Romans 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

In addition, since all of chapter 5 is a single logical argument, this verse not only depends upon what was already said, but it also must also support what follows it within this chapter. Please also see the notes for 5:6 and 5:8 under Christ, and 10 under Son, and for 5:15 and 17 under Jesus Christ and for 21 under Lord Jesus Christ.

This verse is directly linked to the previous sentence by the And which starts it. In 5:10, Paul says we shall be saved by his [God's Son] life. Notice that this shall is future tense. It also follows (in the same sentence) we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, which is past tense. Therefore, this salvation is the saving of our souls but that salvation is not just a past event but is a past event which started an ongoing personal relationship. Also, in the past we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son but that reconciled needs to be maintained because of our ongoing sin. The Son does this by his life. All of this was explained (with more detail) in the note for 5:10 under Son.

Now in this sentence Paul is explaining another part of our ongoing relationship to the Son and he switches to using Lord Jesus Christ because of the difference in perspective. When Paul was talking about what He did in love using every aspect that He has, Paul used Son. However, now that Paul is telling about our (proper / expected) response, he uses Lord Jesus Christ. These are two different perspectives (His perspective versus our perspective). Thus, we have two different roles (of the Son of God) used to describe the interaction. In particular, our current verse tells us what is the proper response to our Lord Jesus Christ because it was by [Him] we have now received the atonement. Webster's 1828 tells us that atonement is the payment of debt that allows reconciliation (5:10). (Please see the note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans for the complete definition from Websters along with links to several verses that use atonement and notes on those verses showing what is involved in the Biblical usage og this word.) As the Son He proved His love when He took care of our past, present and future needs in regards to our personal sin. Our current verse tells us what should be our response to His paying our sin debt.

The first thing that our sentence tells us is that we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. As many preachers have pointed out, joy and happiness are two different things and we can have joy even when we are not happy. This joy is through our Lord Jesus Christ and the way that it is through our Lord Jesus Christ is given in this chapter. Yes there are other ways that we have joy in God, but we will stick to what this chapter tells us. As Lord He took care of all of the legal consequences of our sin, since sin is the transgression of the law (1John 3:4). In 5:1 we were told that we were justified and we have peace. Both of these terms are legal terms and, therefore, had to be arranged using His role as Lord. Then in 5:10 we were told that we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son. We already saw that the atonement which this verse tells us about paid the debt which allowed for us being reconciled.

Since we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, it happened through His roles as Jesus and as Christ which was explained in the note for 5:10. Because of His work in these roles, we not only don't owe for our debt but we get credit for work we don't do. Since we don't have to spend our life paying the debt for our sins, we can concentrate upon receiving the strength [of] Christ so that we can put our efforts into stopping our sinning and letting Him work through our lives and give us eternal credit for His work. If we can't find joy in His ongoing atonement for our ongoing sin and for His giving us eternal credit for His work then we need to find out what's wrong with us and get it fixed. However, He not only did that but He paid in another way.

Most of us have tried learning from a book and an instructor and have found out how valuable a personal example can be in learning how to do something right. Yes we have the Book on how to live, and we have the Holy Spirit but we also have the personal example of Jesus in the Gospels. He could have just come here and paid the debt for our sins and then gone back to Heaven and let the Holy Ghost deal with us through the Bible. However, He became a weak human man and lived in the muck of this sinful world so that, as Jesus, He could leave us an example of how to live as a weak human being by the power of the Holy Spirit. That's an entirely different level of atonement and His willingness to pay that price for us should fill us with joy.

In addition, to the joy we are to have for what we were told about in prior verses, we are to have joy as a direct result of the atonement mentioned in this verse. In the Bible, there was an atonement for lifestyle sin that people are not conscious of along with additional atonement required for deliberate sin. This matches what we know about the ministry of Jesus and of Christ with Christ making ongoing atonement for sins that we do after we get saved. We also see a cleansing associated with the annual atonement, which Jesus took care of (one time) on the cross. However, there was also cleansing associated with specific atonement, which Christ takes care of. Along with that cleansing was the expectation that people 'Stop their Sinning' so that they would stay clean for a while, and we see the same expectation from having Christ clean us up. However, we also saw that God demands an atonement be made to other people when God's people sin against other people. A lot of saved people make the mistake of doing a religious act to 'get right with God' and ignore the atonement due to other people. As 2Samuel 21 shows us, God does not agree with that type of thing from His people. Finally, we saw that atonement is not guaranteed and sometimes is not possible. At that time, even God's people face judgment by our Lord. Thus we see that each of the roles of the Son of God, that are mentioned in this sentence, are involved in our atonement.

The joy in this verse only comes when we recognize all that He paid (and is paying) for our atonement through each of His roles as Lord and as Jesus and as Christ.

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Romans 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Since all of chapter 5 is a single logical argument, please see the Note for the first sentence and the Note for the second sentence in the Book Study on Romans. They are extensive and provide the basis of this chapter. It is very easy to misunderstand what is said in this chapter if the entire context is not kept in mind. The chapter starts out telling us what we have through our Lord Jesus Christ, then proceeds to tell us what God provided through the death of Christ. (That is different from the death of Jesus.) Then God (through Paul) is used Son, to tell us something different than He told us about the other roles of the Son of God. Then God (through Paul) tells us about Jesus Christ, in this sentence, before ending the chapter with Jesus Christ our Lord. All of these changes in the role used is deliberate and is showing us that we get different things from different roles of the Son of God. In addition, this chapter started out with our Lord Jesus Christ and ended with Jesus Christ our Lord because what we are told in the beginning of this chapter is directly linked to what we are told in the end of the chapter. However, since some people will think that the two are not related, Paul spent the entire chapter showing us how they are related.

Therefore, since all of chapter 5 is a single logical argument, and since this verse summarizes that argument, it depends upon what was already within this chapter. Please also see the notes for 5:6 and 5:8 under Christ, and 10 under Son, and for 11 under Lord Jesus Christ (above) and for 15 and for 17 under Jesus Christ.

5:20-21 hold two sentences, but the verse division wasn't made at the end of the sentence. Since the Second Sentence starts with But, the two sentences are speaking about the same subject while going in different directions. Since The First Sentence start with Moreover, these two connected sentences are added to what was said in the previous sentence. The combination of all three tell us the same thing as 5:12-18, but in a simpler form.

This entire chapter teashes us about the legal principal of imputation. I wrote plenty about it in the notes for 5:15 and 5:17 under Jesus Christ. Please see those notes if you have any trouble with this sentence. It is included because it is the foundational principal of this argument that is Romans 5 and it is the legal basis which allows God to impute the righteousness of Jesus Christ to the saved.

Our second sentence tells us that grace is to aboundmuch more than sin used to abound in the life of the saved so that the truly saved live a life (through) that shows righteousness unto eternal life. We already covered how the Son of God's roles as Jesus and as Christ are involved.We covered how those people who are not willing to have an ongoing personal relationship with the Son of God that allows His righteousness to reign in their current life do not receive the gift of eternal life. We also covered how our Lord Jesus Christ is in the beginning, middle and end of this chapter to show that each of these roles is involved. Also, we covered how that since imputation is a legal principal, the Son of God's role as Lord must be involved. (Please review prior notes if you have any problems with these summary sentences). We covered how reign means God's grace is in charge and we must obey with ongoing (through) righteousness from now until (unto) we reach that eternal life in Heaven. Again, obedience to Jesus Christ is required because He is our Lord. No, He will not take away our free will like the addiction of sin did, but if we are truly saved and refuse to obey then we force Him to bring judgment upon us in a way that we don't want. That is what the next chapter is all about. The main summary of Romans 5 is that His righteousness should abound and reignmuch more than sin ever did because where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.

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Romans 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

6:11 starts out with Likewise, which means we are to be just like 6:10 told us Jesus Christ was. As mentioned in the general note for this chapter, according to the most used words in this chapter, the theme of this chapter is our personal sin. Here we are told how to deal with our personal sin. In this chapter baptism is used as an external symbol to show that we were changed internally. As the end of the last chapter tells us, this internal change is done through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord (5:21). This change is to make us dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. It is not coincidence that the same titles of the Son of God are used the same way in these two verses. Neither is it coincidence that both verses link sin to death and tell us to avoid both by seeking life by/ through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Each and every one of us personally (ye) are to reckon ourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus because when we were saved by believing in Jesus (Romans 3:26) we personally received God's life (were made alive unto God) and Jesus showed us how to live in this flesh not responding (dead) to sin. We just have to follow His example found in the Gospels. (Please see the study called Jesus used the power of Holy Spirit.)

We are to also personally reckon ourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Christ because Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh to give us the same [Christ's] mind so that we can cease [be dead] from sin (1Peter 4:1-2) and we have life because of [the] righteousness [of Christ] (Romans 8:10). We, of course, only receive these blessings through the ongoing relationship with Christ because we need them every time that we deal with our flesh wanting to make us suffer for refusing sin. We overcome the suffering from our flesh only when we seek the righteousness of Christ. This verse tells us to reckon this truth and at first, such reckoning doesn't feel very real but the more that we seek the righteousness of Christ, the more real it becomes for a particular sin until we actually are dead indeed unto [that] sin. At which point, we start on the next sin that God reveals to us.

Finally, we are to also personally reckon ourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through our Lord because our Lord is the one Who covered our personal record of sin (legal record of violating God's Law (1John 3:4) with His own blood to blot it out and our Lord is the one Whom we will meet at the Judgment Seat of Christ (Romans 14:10; 2Corinthians 5:10-11). It is our Lord who will reward us for letting God live through our lives and push us for not dying to sin while we remain in this flesh. So, as explained, we are to each and every one of us personally reckon ourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through each and every role of the Son of God as Lord and as Jesus and as Christ.

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Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

This verse is used by many soul-winners for salvation and the use and interpretation of it is limited to salvation (unto a person's initial profession) in most people's mind. However, the truth is that this verse is the summary of Romans 6 which is talking about saved people living in sin. As shown in every other verse in Romans that uses Jesus Christ our Lord, this verse is actually talking about ongoing consequences of living in sin after our initial profession and how we overcome that sin. It provides such a clear and concise summary that it makes an excellent verse for presenting the gospel to the lost who need very short, clear and concise summary verses to understand the gospel and receive the Spirit of God in salvation. However, the true depth of this verse is far more than what is presented at salvation. Because if its use for salvation, that true depth is often missed. It is usually ignored beyond the use for leading someone to their initial profession. Read all of Romans 6, which this verse actually summaries and you will see the true interpretation of this verse.

The sentence-by-sentence part of the Book Study on Romans explains how each sentence in this chapter is dependent upon what came earlier in the chapter. Please see the note for this sentence in the Book Study on Romans for the considerations of context and sentence structure.

The gift of this verse requires our interaction with each role of our God: His roles as Lord, Jesus and Christ. The general note under Son and the note for 1:16 under Christ explain how the eternal life we receive is the same eternal life and yet how The Son of God uses each role differently in giving us that eternal life. As explained in those notes, we are not given this eternal life unless we agree from our heart to have and maintain an ongoing personal relationship, which is why this verse says we receive it through the Son of God using each and every one of His roles as Lord and as Jesus and as Christ.

The Son of God lived and died as a literal physical man named Jesus. God can not die but the human part of the Son of God could, and did, die. We see the difference between the roles of the Son of God in the Overview Document of this Study. We also see the truth of the doctrine 'What Did Jesus Do?' in the fact that He is our example of how to live as a physical human being using the Power of the Holy Ghost. Thus, the Gift of God (salvation) which is through Jesus is not just a 'Get out of Hell pass', but it includes our example of how to live a godly life.

Even though we are saved, we still sin. As explained elsewhere, God has two legal systems and the legal concept of jurisdiction applies. Thus, the death of the Son of God as Jesus paid the price of our sins in the great white throne judgment, but can not also be applied to the judgment seat of Christ because of jurisdiction. While man can not absolutely separate different roles that a person fulfills, God can. Therefore, as explained elsewhere in addition to this note, the Son of God died as Christ to pay the price of sins which come up in the judgment seat of Christ. However, as explained for 1John, we have to let Him cleanse (remove) those sins from our life or He will not forgive them and we will meet them at the judgment seat of Christ. Thus, the Gift of God (salvation) which is through Christ includes getting us to 'Stop our Sinning', which also provides the spiritual maturity and other blessings which are only given to those saved people who are In Christ. Those saved people who are not in Christ miss out on these conditional blessings.

The phrase of Jesus Christ our Lord only occurs 9times in the Bible, 6 of which are here in Romans. Every one of these uses tell us the same thing. Every saved person is expected to spiritually mature (Jesus Christ) through obedience to our Lord without question because the word of our Lord is our Law and we will face judgment with reward or punishment as a direct result of our obedience. Too many people who claim to be saved are heading towards the terror of the Lord because they believe doctrinal error which tells them there will be no consequences for sin past this life. I have dealt with that many places but will make only one note here. The lost will not appear at the judgment seat of Christ. The terror of the Lord, which is a result (therefore) of the judgment seat of Christ can only be applied to the people who will be there, which are the saved. The terror of the Lord will come after the judgment seat of Christ (it is a result) upon those saved people who refuse to treat Jesus Christ as our Lord. As has been explained elsewhere, the judgment seat of Christ is called that because those who belong to Christ will be there and not because we will meet the Son of God in His role as Christ. We will meet the Son of God in His role as Lord. Thus, the Gift of God (salvation) which is through our Lord includes the rewards and the punishments which will be handed out at the judgment seat of Christ.

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Romans 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

This verse is the answer of the question asked in 7:24 and is the answer to all of the problems pointed out in Romans 7.

Basically, all sin is addictive. Our soul (mind, will and emotions) have been redeemed and can now respond to God's Spirit, but our flesh has not yet been redeemed. In fact, 7:18 told us For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh, ) dwelleth no good thing. One of the conclusions of this chapter is that the flesh is still under the control of addictive sin. That's why this verse tells us So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

We, of course, do not have to serve the law of God with the mind since God will not take away our free will. Paul chose to serve the law of God with the mind, which is why he says that I myself serve the law of God. Each of us have to also make this decision of our own free will. Thus, we can see, in earlier verses of this chapter, the conflict that our verse tells us is solved by the Son of God through each of His roles as Lord and as Jesus and as Christ.

Look back at 7:5 which tells us For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. This verse starts with For and tells us why God provided the change that we were told about in the prior verse (7:4). 7:5told us the problem, 7:4 told us God's plan and our current verse tells us that Jesus Christ our Lord is the person who will make God's plan work.

Within 7:5, the phrase: when we were in the flesh is past tense, which means we are no longer supposed to be controlled by our flesh. The next verse (7:6) explains how we got out of control by our flesh when it says But now we are delivered from the law...that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. When we are serving in oldness of the letter, sin can use the Law (7:8) to deceive us (7:11). However, when we serve in newness of spirit (7:6) sin can not deceive us (7:11). That is because when we obey the personal commands that Christ sends us through God's Spirit we gain experience and understanding which lets us understand the deception from sin.

Notice that 7:14 tells us For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. God's law was meant to be understood spiritually (the law is spiritual) but when we deal with the law through our carnal flesh (in the oldness of the letter) we end up in sin because our carnal flesh is sold under sin. This leads to Paul's conclusions of 7:18 (For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing) and again in 7:22-23 (For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members). Thus we see a war between our carnal flesh (which wants to serve in oldness of the letter but ends up controlled by sin) and our spirit which wants to serve the law of God with the mind. This conflict is what Romans 7 is telling us about and this conflict is what is solved by the Son of God, as explained by our current verse. When Paul says O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (in the immediately prior verse), he is asking how we get free from serving sin through our carnal flesh. The answer that e read here is through Jesus Christ our Lord.

God is always righteous (does the right thing the right way) and, therefore, only deals with legal matters through His role as our Lord. As our Lord, He made us legally dead to the law...that ye should be married to [Christ] that we should bring forth fruit unto God. If we are not going to bring forth fruit unto God, He has no reason to free us from the law even if we are saved. This is a significant part of the message to the Galatians.

I was saved and decided to follow the law of 'good Baptist religion' for several years. I had never-ending problems with sin and the consequences of sin that almost literally physically killed me. Then I went back to building my personal relationship with the Son of God, which led to this study. Anyone who has read much of this study knows that it goes against a lot of the law of 'good Baptist religion' even while it provides multitudes of references from the Bible. While I won't say that I don't have trouble with temptation and sin and the consequences of sin, I definitely have far less. Also, when I was in an accident where lost doctors described my survival and healing as 'miraculous', I was able to watch God work through my life to witness to others instead of suffering 'the consequences of sin'.

Even as saved people we can still be trapped by following the law of 'good religion'. We need our Lord to make us free from that control but He will only do it through Jesus Christ when we follow His personal commands which are sent through God's Spirit. We follow the example of Jesus when we use the doctrine of 'What Did Jesus Do?' However, that requires our personal prayer for guidance and searching the Gospels instead of believing some religious liar who tries to lead us in a wrong way. He lived as a weak human being (as Jesus) using the power of the Holy Ghost until His resurrection and He did it specifically to be our example. (Please see the Study called Jesus used the power of Holy Spirit for more details.)

We follow Christ by obeying His personal commands, sent through the Spirit of God using the word of God, and by building our ongoing personal relationship with the Son of God through His role as Christ. As Christ, He gives us personal spiritual maturity, understanding and experiences which allow us to see the deception from sin and make the changes in our life which will free us from the addiction and control of sin. Thus, the problems of Romans 7 are solved by the Son of God using each of His roles as Jesus Christ our Lord.

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Romans 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38-39 is a single sentence that is divided by punctuation in the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Romans. In addition, that note provides more contextual information and other Bible references (links) related to this sentence and important to doing a proper interpretation of this often used sentence within Romans.

The exact phrase of Christ Jesus our Lord only occurs 5times in the Bible. It would be a worth-while exercise to look at each of these occurrences, but be sure to consider the context of each. The following links to notes within this Study should Help. The other occurrences are in: 1Corinthians 15:31; Ephesians 3;11; 1Timothy 1:12 and 2Timothy 1:2.

This is the conclusion of a chapter that compares walking in the flesh to walking after the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2-4) and describing the spiritual blessings that we first received at our initial profession but which continued to be provided as we grow spiritually by walking as directed by Christ and that our God provided as part of His legal responsibilities as our Lord. All of Romans 8, but especially this sentence (Romans 8:38-39) tells us that the love of God comes through each and every one of the roles of the Son of God. Please notice that this is not the love of the Son of God (like many people preach it) but is the love of God. We saw the division of verses that contain love in the note for 8:35.

There are definite differences between the love of God and of the Father and of the Son and of Jesus and the love from other people. Not only do people make the error of preaching this verse as the love of Jesus but we also see a lot of false doctrine preached about God's love in general. I have no idea how many times I've heard how we can't increase or decrease God's love for us and that God never hates the sinner but only hates the sin. However, Romans 9:13 says As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. Now either these people are ignorant (lack knowledge) of what the Bible truly says or they are claiming to be an antichrist because they are trying to replace (anti) what God put into writing for our spiritual maturity (the ministry of Christ). We've heard of people identified by their sin (drunk, whore, gambler, etc). They, like Esau, continued in their sin until there was no separating them from their sin.

People like to preach (and hear preaching) that 'There's always a chance of getting saved, even on the death bed' and reality is that they are straining at gnats for how often that happens. Genesis 6:3 says ...My spirit shall not always strive with man... There are people, like pharaoh, who God says are going to Hell, and that is final, even though they are still sucking air. The answer is for people to get saved and get into the love of God now and stop waiting for their death bed. The answer for God's people is to go out and live the love of God and witness that it only comes to those who are saved and serving. People who only sit in church and 'pray' do not really have the level of hope that is often preached.

In addition, John 3:16 says For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Notice that John 3:16 is a whosoever love while Romans 9:13 tells us that God loved the man named Jacob and called him by name. When we get saved, we go from a whosoever love to a named love. The point is that God so loved the world that He made a general plan of salvation that is the same to everyone and available to all. However, part of God's plan is a personal relationship. Those people who accept God's personal relationship God loves and calls by name. Those people who reject God's personal relationship, God hates and can call by name. What the Bible actually says goes against what is preached by a lot of 'good godly preachers'.

In addition, this verse tells us that the love of God is in Christ Jesus our Lord. We have seen all throughout this study that God provides blessings (results of love) to those who are in Christ that He withholds from those who refuse to be in Christ. We've seen other notes that have gone through each of the roles of the Son of God and explained the differences in these blessings as they relate to the different roles of the Son of God. For example, the notes for Romans 3:26, 8:1 and 8:2 (the start of the chapter which this sentence is concluding), explained that the Son of God, in His role as Jesus, proved His love when He died to provide us with eternal life, which is 'God's life in us'. As we have seen described all through Romans 8, Son of God, in His role as Christ, proves His love for us by the ongoing personal relationship, which increases God's life in us. As Lord He set up the laws which we are to follow (and that the notes for this chapter have dealt with) and provides blessings for the obedient while also providing cursing for the disobedient.

As we live in Christ we experience all of these things described in Romans 8:38-39 that are trying to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord and we receive experiential knowledge that none of these things can overcome Christ. Knowledge that is based upon experience is far more unshakable than knowledge received through study and faith. Thus, He has us experience these things for our increased benefit.

Finally, we have seen the Son of God loving us within His role as Lord when He justified us (8:33) and as He maketh intercession for us (8:34) and took care of all of the legal stuff which was described in Romans 7. However, as we have seen consistently throughout this study, when God says He provided something in the relationship that the saved have with His Son, God refuses to give that provision to those who walk away from their relationship with His Son. Nothing outside of us can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. However, since God never takes away our free will, we can walk away on our own. This entire chapter has been about comparing those who walk after the Spirit to those who walk after the flesh. If we do not walk after the Spirit, we have left our relationship with Christ Jesus our Lord and God will not provide the blessings of His love outside of that relationship that He said are available only within this relationship.

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Romans 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

This verse is the conclusion of a chapter that instructs us how to deal with the governments that God set up. Yes, the governments of this world are highly influenced, if not outright run by, Satan. However, the Bible teaches that Pharaoh was God's minister and even Satan is God's minister. If we do as this verse tells us to, and put on the Lord Jesus Christ, we don't need to be worried about the government.

The But which starts this sentence tells us that this summary sentence is talking about the same subject as the prior sentence while going in a different direction. It tells us that if we truly put on the Lord Jesus Christ then we will make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. People get all upset about the government because of worry about the lusts of the flesh. However, when Pilate said to Jesus knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? (John 19:10) He answered with Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. Jesus did not worry about what worldly governments could do to Him because He was concentrating upon the spiritual warfare. This chapter tells us the do the same.

Notice that each and every one of us personally (ye) are to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice that we are not to put on just one or two of the major roles of the Son of God but are to put on all three. When we put on Jesus we live in this flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit like Jesus did. When we put on Christ we spiritually mature as Christ teaches and leads us personally. We learn to see things from a spiritual perspective. When we put on the Lord we let Him worry about bring judgment to others and we concentrate upon avoiding violating His Laws and upon doing the things that he will reward.

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Romans 15:6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15:5-6 is a single sentence that we are to obey 15:1-4 so that we can receive the blessings of 15:4 and thereby we will glorify God the way that God wants us to do. The parallel part of this sentence is explained in the note for 15:5 under Christ Jesus. This note continues where that one left off.

In a war, traitors don't bring glory to their country, but heroes do. Likewise, those people who insist upon living lives that prove they are traitors to God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ are not going to glorify God. One of the main reasons that Lord is included in this verse is to remind us that hen we received salvation, it was by accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and thereby changing sides in the spiritual warfare between God and Satan. When we were on Satan's side, we glorified the things of Satan. If we do not glorify God then Satan will convince people that they can live a life of sin, so long as they throw in some religion, and that life will be sufficient. The only way to fight that lie of Satan is to glorify God and, thereby, show that no religion of man can approach what is available to those who obey our Lord Jesus Christ.

In this spiritual warfare, we are to glorify God through our Lord Jesus Christ. The first word of this verse is that, meaning this verse is the reason for doing the previous verses. The Equivalent Section off this sentence says that we are to be likeminded with Christ Jesus. In the note for 15:5 we saw that we are to accept suffering the reproaches of weaker brothers. This attitude is only possible with the spirit of God that comes through the salvation of Jesus and the ongoing maturity that comes through Christ but it also includes obedience to our Lord with the knowledge that our Lord will judge us and either reward or punish us according to our obedience in this matter. No matter how much we mature, there always seems to be some things that we accept only because our Lord ordered us to. As one preacher said, some things can't be avoided and must be endured. Those things include putting up with spiritually immature, weaker brothers. This verse says that we are to bring glory to God and that requires us using the blessings that come from each of God's roles as Lord, Jesus and Christ. Please also see the note for 1Peter 1:3 about the Biblical doctrinal relationship between God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ in this matter.

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Romans 15:30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;

15:30-32 is a single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Romans.

This verse starts out with Now, meaning, based upon all the reasons that Paul just gave. Paul is saying what each and every one of us personally (ye) needs to do as we strive together in prayers. Strive is an action verb requiring a lot of effort. Paul is pulling out all stops when he is asking for earnest prayer before going into a spiritual battle where many prophets have told him that he will suffer and die. In this context, Paul says for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake meaning 'for every blessing that you ever have received or ever expect to receive from God in any of His roles'. When we get saved and spiritually mature, we realize that we have a responsibility to help those spreading the gospel and we also realize that God blesses such efforts. But because our own flesh is against it (as explained in Romans 5) and the devil is against it, we have to strive to overcome our own sinful nature and do what we know is right.

In addition, Jesus promised For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them (Matthew 18:20). Because of this promise, we are better off to strive together in prayers than to pray alone. Further, besides praying with others, we are given two specific things to pray for is we want joy and to be refreshedby the will of God. That is, we need to pray for the protection of our spiritual leaders and that the saints will have a heart that is willing to accept what God provides especially when it steps on their pride.

A very simplistic explanation of how these things relate to each and every role of the Son of God as Lord is that He ordered us to pray together and He rewards obedience and punishes disobedience. As Jesus he showed us how to live in the flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit and He expects us to follow His example. As Christ He teaches us the increased blessings of prayer as He spiritually matures us.

Please see the note for Romans 8:35 in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for links to every place that the Bible uses some form of love. Please also see the note for Romans 8:27 in the Word Study on Spirit for how Spirit is used in this sentence.

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Romans 16:18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

This verse starts out with For which means it is giving the reason for what was said previously In the prior sentence Paul said Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. The Now of that sentence means 'after all that I have said about getting along in brotherly love' (12:10) and in submitting to the truth that is in Jesus Christ (15:8).Paul says we are to mark them...and avoid them about those who refuse to act as the gospel instructs. Paul is telling us to avoid not just the lost, but also saved people who serve not our Lord Jesus Christ. Someone who is saved through Jesus but not growing in grace through Christ or not obeying their Lord is going to cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned. Such divisions and doctrinal error will destroy the church and bring God's judgment upon the saved. Paul includes Lord because there is judgment upon God's children and we need to remember that we will each personally face that judgment. Paul includes Jesus because it is only through the ministry of Jesus that we were removed from the Great White Throne judgment and put under the judgment seat of Christ. Paul includes Christ because Christ is the role that the Son of God uses to maintain our ongoing personal relationship which will eventually result in our punishment or reward at the judgment seat of Christ. This verse is saying that those we are to fellowship with must have right relationship with God in each of His roles as Lord and as Jesus and as Christ.

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Romans 16:20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

This verse is two sentences which are effectively the last sentences of the body of this epistle. The second sentence of this verse and 16:24 (below) are identical. Following this verse we have the 'signature section' and the 'PS (Post Script)'. Thus, 16:24 (below) is an identical blessing from the other preachers that are with Paul. The signatures and identical blessings show that they are in complete agreement with what Paul wrote. In addition, this is the final blessing from God to us through Paul's writing to the Romans. More than anything else, Paul's expressed wish for all saved is that we would each experience the grace that belongs to and comes from each of the Son of God's roles as Lord and as Jesus and as Christ.

The first sentence tells us what God wants to do through our lives and what He will do if we obey all that is in this epistle. In the second sentence, Paul tells them that in order for God to provide all that has been promised in Romans, and especially if God is going to bruise Satan under your feet shortly, God must provide grace through each of His roles as Lord, Jesus and as Christ. We need to follow the example of Jesus as we live in this flesh by to power of the Holy Spirit. (Please see the Study called Jesus used the power of Holy Spirit.) We need the spiritual maturing that only comes through the ministry of Christ as we maintain our personal relationship with the Son of God. Finally, we must always remember that the true power and authority belong to our Lord and we will each personally answer to Him for what we do in the flesh including the times we stepped into the areas that He has reserved for His role as Lord.

He gives us grace as we obey Him in each of these roles. We do not receive grace, and may receive punishment if we disobey. Remember that in the prior sentences of this chapter Paul said your obedience is come abroad unto all men. Therefore, Paul could promise then this peace and grace. As Lord, the Son of God judges us in this world and after we die. As Lord He rewards obedience and punishes disobedience. As Jesus He lived in the flesh and was our model of how to get peace and grace from God and men. As Christ He gives us spiritual maturity which lets us better understand why things work like they do. This peace and grace comes from each and every role mentioned in this verse but receiving them requires our obedience to what is said in this epistle.

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Romans 16:24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

This verse and the second sentence of 16:20 (above) are identical. This verse follows the 'signature section' and precedes the 'PS (Post Script)'. Thus, 16:20 (above) is an identical blessing from Paul and this verse shows that the other preachers are in complete agreement with what Paul wrote. This is the final blessing from God to us through what is written to the Romans. More than anything else, God expressed His wish for all saved is that we would each experience the grace that belongs to and comes from each of the Son of God's roles as Lord and as Jesus and as Christ.

Please see the note above for further details.

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Son

Romans 1:3, 4, 9; 5:10; 8:3, 14, 19, 29, 32; 9:9.

Son is used to identify the unique relationship that our Lord Jesus Christ has to God the Father and it is used in the Bible to describe the personal relationship that we also are to also have with God the Father. In particular, I use Romans 8:14 to show this relationship.

When I witness to the lost people I often start with 1John 5:13 and point out that all of the promises are based upon what God has written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God. I then point out the and in this sentence and tell them that they can't have God's purpose for writing the Bible (the conclusion of this sentence) if they reject either part of this and. (1 and 1 equals 2. You can't have the conclusion of '2' if you reject either side of the and.) The first part of 1John 5:13 promises us eternal life but the second part requires us to increase our belief on the name of the Son of God through an ongoing personal relationship with Him. I then take them toJohn 1:12-13 and point out the word even in 1:12. When a balancing scale is even then the two sides are equal. Even so, John 1:12 tells us that believe on his name (same as 1John 5:13) equals received him and John 1:12 tells us that this received gives us the power to become the sons of God. This applies sons of God to us and not just the Son of God. Then John 1:12 tells us that we are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. This takes us back to our initial verse which tells us that God wrote what we are to believe and that this whole thing is spiritual because it is of God. I then take them to Romans 8:14 which tells us For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. I point out that when they believeth unto righteousness it has to be with the heart (Romans 10:10) which means that from their heart (not just by mouth) they are agreeing to be led by the Spirit of God when they ask God to save them and make them one of the sons of God. I also tell them that if they are not willing to follow the Spirit of God from their heart then they are trusting in a lie if they pray the 'prayer of salvation'. Many soul winners have told me that I can't tell people this because many won't make a profession. As of this date, over 120 people have made professions after I witnessed to them. Yes, many 'soul winners' have far more professions, but I honestly believe that I will answer for less false 'professions' that create spiritual bastards (Hebrews 12:8).

The point is that the Son of God didn't come in human flesh just to pay the debt for our sins but to make us into the sons of God (8:14). One of the main lessons from the gospels is that Jesus was 'God in human flesh' and He used the power of the Holy Ghost (as opposed to His own power as the Son of God) to show us how to live in this flesh by the power of the Holy Ghost. (Please see the study called Jesus used the power of Holy Spirit.) That is also why He referred to Himself as the Son of man so often. This epistle uses Son to tell us about many of the aspects of God's Son that He expects us to show in our lives because we are to be the sons of God. Click here for all of the Verses that use Son and here for the Summary on the name / role of Son.

Romans 1:3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

Please see the general note under Son above as it applies to every use of Son in Romans. Please see the note for 1:1 in the Book Study on Romans as it gives the context and structure of this sentence. This note assumes that the reader has read that note. In addition, the note for 1:6 under Jesus Christ, the note for 1:4 (below) and the notes for 1:3 and 1:7 under Lord Jesus Christ all provide additional information about this opening (and foundational) sentence for the epistle to the Romans. Please consider all of them together along with related notes referenced within these notes.

This verse explicitly equates Son to Jesus Christ our Lord. The other note for 1:3 deals with that combination of names (Jesus Christ our Lord) and should be read in order to understand the equation. The general note for 1:1 told us that we see Paul use Son (by itself) in this part of this sentence because Paul is telling us that Jesus Christ our Lord is both Son of God and Son of man. In the next Equivalent Section of this sentence (1:4) He is declared to be the Son of God, and there are differences between what we are told there as opposed to what we are told here where Son used by itself. Those differences will be dealt with, but first we need to see how Paul uses Son by itself.

In this part of the sentence, Paul makes Son (used by itself) equal to Jesus Christ our Lord. Paul also uses Jesus Christ our Lord because lots of people claim to be saved by Jesus Christ but want to argue with His commandments. So the very first thing that Paul wants us to understand is that He is also our Lord and there is no arguing with His commandments and that we will be judged by our Lord. The implication of His judging us as Lord is further developed in the other note for this verse under Lord Jesus Christ. Please see it as those comments are not repeated here. While the Son of God will judge us using His role as Lord, the power to enforce that judgment comes because He is the Son of God as we saw with John 5:18-30. The Equivalent Section of this sentence (1:4) also tells us that the Son of God has power. That is, as the Son of God He has as much power as God the Father. However, He is not just the Son of God but He is also the Son of man. As the Son of man He went to Hell for us. (Please see Matthew 12:40; 16:4 and Luke 11:29-32 and related notes.) This epistle tells us much about salvation that the Son of man provided and how that salvation is related to His roles as Jesus and as Christ. This epistle not only has the gospel that leads lost people to make their initial profession upon receiving salvation, but it also has the gospel of Christ that then tells those saved people how to spiritually mature after their initial profession. Thus, this verse uses Son by itself to equate Son to Jesus Christ our Lord. Son of God is equated to our Lord and Son of man is equated to Jesus Christ. This verse uses Son by itself to mean the Son of God and also the Son of man.

Notice that the next Equivalent Section of this sentence (1:4) tells us that He is declared to be the Son of God with power. The Son of man is not equated to power and, therefore, 1:4 does not use Son by itself but uses the Son of God. Likewise, 1:4 tells us that He was declared to be the Son of God...by the resurrection from the dead. While He died as the Son of man, He rose from the dead through His power as the Son of God. Thus, we have two reasons for the difference in the names used in these two different parts of the same sentence.

Another thing that has been noted repeatedly for this sentence is that it is the foundation for the entire epistle and Paul is going to cover various roles and our relationships due to these roles within this epistle. We see Son used throughout this epistle and each use is built upon the foundation established by this sentence. I will let the reader read the following notes for Son in Romans for more detainls.

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Romans 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

Please see the general note under Son above as it applies to every use of Son in Romans. Please see the note for 1:1 in the Book Study on Romans as it gives the context and structure of this sentence. This note assumes that the reader has read that note. In addition, the note for 1:6 under Jesus Christ, the note for 1:3 (above) and the notes for 1:3 and 1:7 under Lord Jesus Christ all provide additional information about this opening (and foundational) sentence for the epistle to the Romans. Please consider all of them together along with related notes referenced within these notes.

Between Romans 1:3 and this verse Paul is clearly making a difference between his use of Son by itself and his use of the Son of God. That difference is explained in the note above. Also, Paul's use of with power and of according to the spirit of holiness and of by the resurrection from the dead within this part of the sentence is pretty well covered in other notes for this sentence. The only additional thing that I will note here is that Paul tells us that the spirit of holiness which was demonstrated to be in the life of Jesus is what declared [Him] to be the Son of God. It is this same the spirit of holiness which must be demonstrated to be in our lives in order for us to prove that we are the sons of God as 8:14 tells us. We also see this in Galatians 4:4 which tells us But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. That chapter in Galatians is all about what it means for us to become the sons of God (John 1:12). Basically, we need to have the same spirit of holiness demonstrated in our life. That spirit of holiness requires the power which comes through the Holy Spirit into the lives of all the sons of God to enable us to follow the example of Jesus while we live in this flesh. (Please see the study called Jesus used the power of Holy Spirit.) There is a lot of doctrinal truth in the saying 'What Did Jesus Do? However, we need to stop listening to what liars tell us and study the Gospels for ourselves to find God's answer to that question when we have a decision to make in this life.

Please see the note for Colossians 2:9 about the word fulness. The functional definition is: 'the things and actions which make something full'.

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Romans 1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;

Please see the general note under Son above as it applies to every use of Son in Romans. Please also see the note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans as it divides this sentence by punctuation, provides the interpretation by context and provides links to other notes related to this sentence.

Paul uses Son in this verse for each and every role that the Son of God uses to bless us. As pointed out in the Word Study on Gospel, Mark 1:1 is the only other place in the Bible where we find the gospel of his Son. As a Son, Jesus shows us the character of God the Father and is our example of how to become a son of God (John 1:12). Mark's gospel presents Jesus as a 'Servant' and our verse tells us that Paul served with [his] spirit in the gospel of his (God's) Son. Paul is our example and we are to serve God in our spirit so that we can become a son of God. Just as the Son of God showed God's character in everything that He did, so also are we to show the character of God in all that we do. This verse is part of the third sentence of this epistle and is foundational to the entire epistle. This epistle gives us the details of how we are to live so that our life proves that we are a son of God. This verse tells us that we are to do this service and, in a general way, tells us how to do it.

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Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Please see the general note under Son above as it applies to every use of Son in Romans.

Since all of chapter 5 is a single logical argument, this verse not only depends upon what was already said, but it also must also support what follows it within this chapter. Please also see the notes for 11, 21 under Lord Jesus Christ and for 5:6 and 5:8 under Christ and for 5:15, 17 under Jesus Christ.

This verse is part of the section that goes from 5:7 to 5:11. Basically, in this section Paul is telling us that while we were still sinners and undeserving, God had His Son die to provide things through His role of Christ that are different from the things He provided through His role of Jesus. It is the combination of what is provided through both of these roles which makes us reconciled to God. If we reject what comes through either of the Son of God's roles, we will not be reconciled to God

Son is used in this verse for Son of God and for Son of man. In the gospels, Jesus referred to Himself with each title/role and He used each title to emphasize an attribute related to that specific role. (Please see the notes for each role associated with each of the gospels.) We have also seen that when Son is used by itself both roles are included and the same is true here. In this verse we read that we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son. In Matthew 12:39-40 and Luke 11:29-30 we read that the Jews were given the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Notice that He went to Hell (the heart of the earth) as the Son of man. So, in the past the Son did what was required to make us reconciled to God as the Son of man. According to Webster's 1828, reconciled means Brought into friendship from a state of disagreement or enmity; made consistent; adjusted.' (Please see the note for this sentence in the Book Study on Romans which has the full definition along with links to every verse in the Bible which uses this word, and a note on each verse.)

While we were reconciled to God in the past, our ongoing sin would destroy that relationship without the ongoing work of the the Son of God in our current life to maintain that reconciliation. Notice that our sentence explains this when it says much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Shall be is future tense, which means that there is more to come. Also, our verse says that it is by his life which is the ongoing activity of His (what is your life if not the things that you continue to do?). Our sentence says much more because He doesn't just reconcile our current sin, He then works in our life to stop our sin, as explained in the notes for 5:6 and 5:8. Those verses are the most immediate basis of this verse. In the immediately prior verse we read ..we shall be saved from wrath through him [Christ]. Notice that the phrase shall be saved is in that verse and then repeated in this verse which lets us know that we are saved from wrath by his life and through him means by his life (as I have been saying in many notes).

The very next verse (5:11, please see the note associated with it) uses Lord Jesus Christ and we have seen all throughout this study that these changes in names are deliberate to provide doctrine and let us know the differences in roles and how we are to relate to our God in order to receive His blessings. The prior verses used Christ to tell us of His current ongoing work in the lives of some saved (only those who did not refuse His work). Then this verse switched to Son in order to emphasize His past work as the Son of man and His current work as the Son of God. The next verse uses Lord Jesus Christ. When Son is used everything that is included in Lord Jesus Christ is also included with Son reminding us of additional attributes such as His love. For example, Lord is used to emphasize His power and judgment. As the Son He has just as much power and judgment but in love He takes uses His love to take care of the judgment for us while as Lord He brings the judgment upon us.

This verse uses Son to let us know that not only were we reconciled to God in the past (by the Son of man) but we continue to be reconciled to God in the present and in the future (by the Son of God) and that he does this in His great love for us.

We also see His future work of salvation in both of His roles as Jesus and as Christ. We know that Christ is one role of the Son and that Christ brings us spiritual maturity. Even in our physical life we can see where maturity made it easier to overcome temptations that we found hard to resist when we were younger. For example, few 13year-olds are tempted to run around naked in front of family like they tried when they were 1. Thus, we can see how the life of the Son helps us through His role as Christ. However, the life of the Son also helps us through His role as Jesus. As Jesus He lived as a weak human being using the power of the Holy Spirit, and not His own power as the Son of God. He is our example and there is a lot of doctrinal truth in the saying 'What Did Jesus Do?' However, we need to search the Gospels to find the true answer to that question and not listen to lies from people who twist God's truth for their own advantage. Please see the Study called Jesus used the Holy Spirit for more details.

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Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

Please see the general note under Son above as it applies to every use of Son in Romans. 8:3-4 is a single sentence which can be divided by punctuation in the note for this verse within the Book Study on Romans.

This sentence starts with For which means it is giving the reason for what was said in 8:1-2. Please see the notes for 8:1 and for 8:2 under Christ Jesus, along with the main notes for those sentences in the Book Study on Romans, in order to understand what this verse is providing the reason for. Further, since all of Romans 8 is a single logical argument, the Chapter Overview provides the general context that these verses are in, which helps to understand what these verse have to support.

8:1 told us There is therefore now no condemnation and condemnation is a legal term. Then 8:2 told us that we were moved from one legal system to another legal system. Now this verse is telling us why (For) why God changed the legal system we are under. That is, God wanted the righteousness of the law to be fulfilled in us. However, as this verse tells us, the [Mosaic] law could not do that. Therefore, God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin and He condemned sin in the flesh.

We've already seen in many notes under Son that the Bible uses Son by itself when the Son of God and the Son of man are both included. Of course, the phrase in the likeness of sinful flesh is referring to His being the Son of man while and for sin is referring to the Son of God because it takes the power of God to overcome sin. Further, it says He condemned sin in the flesh as the Son because it took the combination of the Son of God and the Son of man to do that. By living a life in the flesh, but not sinning, the Son achieved the righteousness of the law that no one else could do. He now makes His righteousness available to those people who do what He says while refusing it to those people who refuse to obey.

By fulfilling the law, the Son achieved the righteousness of the law, which can be contrasted with the condemnation that comes from how sin uses the law. Both are done in the flesh. Any wise person will look at the two results and reject what sin offers while accepting what the Son offers. That is how the Son...condemned sin in the flesh.

The other notes under Son have already explained how it took the unique God-man to provide our salvation because it took a man to die and the power of God to rise from the dead. While that could be dealt with in this note, we are going to look at the next couple of verses which start with For and Because.

Romans 8:5 tells us For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. All throughout the Gospels we see that the Son of God had His mind on the things of the Spirit. So much that we are told that Jesus said and did only makes sense from a spiritual sense and that would not have been possible if He was concentrating upon the flesh instead of concentrating upon the Spirit. We also see that that all men, especially His greatest detractors did mind the things of the flesh and could not understand Him. The few times that His disciples did mind the things of the Spirit (such as when Peter declared that Jesus was the Christ), they actually understood Him. Unfortunately, they could slip back to mind the things of the flesh in an instant. Thus we see that the Son did what no other man could/can do in the flesh.

We also read in 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. There is no question that death had no control on Him and that He had life and peace no matter what the circumstances were. Further, the disciples were full of fear and controlled by death until after they received the Holy Spirit and became spiritually minded. Thus, The Son not only had life and peace but we see that He also provided it to others.

Then 8:7 tells us the carnal mind is...not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be and 7:14 told us 'the law is spiritual. God's Son understood the law because He was spiritually minded and did not have a carnal mind. That allowed Him to fulfill the law and condemn sin in the flesh. His achievement allowed God to provide His alternative plan which frees us from the law and put us under the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. In this alternative plan, we become spiritually minded as we obey the personal commands from Christ. As spiritually minded people, it is possible for us to also understand the law spiritually (7:14). Thereby, it is possible That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us. However, as our sentence says, we must walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit in order for the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us. God's Spirit is Who delivers the personal commands and directions from Christ.

In this sentence God used Son instead of Christ Jesus like He used in the other sentences of this section which tells us that there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. One reason is that this particular sentence tells us God's alternative plan for the law. All valid laws are deliberately non-personal and God's alternative plan also had to be non-personal. Every place that we see the Bible use Jesus or Christ, in relationship to us, it is talking about a personal relationship. Therefore, those roles are not appropriate for a non-personal plan. This alternative plan also involved the law, which the Son of God deals with in His role as Lord, but in this alternative plan He is not applying the law to us. As Son He applies the law to Himself and provides His righteousness to those people who follow His alternative plan. Thus He did this, but He did it outside of the roles of Lord Jesus Christ and our sentence uses Son instead of one of those roles.

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Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Please see the general note under Son above as it applies to every use of Son in Romans. This sentence is part of sub-section in 8:12-15. 8:12 starts with Therefore and 8:13 and 8:14 and 8:15 all start with For, which means each is giving another reason for the conclusion of 8:12. That conclusion is based upon what was said earlier and it is important to understand all of the verses and associated notes since 8:1 in order to properly understand the context of these verses. Further, 8:16 starts another sub-section which is based upon the conclusions drawn here, which means these verses must support what is said next.

This verse is talking about the sons of God and the next sub-section switches to children of God. The phrase: sons of God is found in Genesis 6:2, 4; Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7; John 1:12; Romans 8:14, 19; Philippians 2:15; 1John 3:1-2. In all of these references we find that the sons of God have God's nature. In the book of Job, this phrase speaks about spiritual beings, who are usually called angels. While saved men can also be said to be spiritual beings, mose people think of them as physical beings. Man, of course, has a spirit and when he is saved, his spirit is legally declared to be a child of God by adoption (Romans 8:15). According to John 1:12-13, the saved children of God are given the power to become the sons of God, but God does not force that change and there are many children of God who do not meet the Biblical definition for God to claim them as sons of God. The sons of God must receive the nature of God through the ongoing personal ministry of Christ. The children of God who refuse to do this do not receive the blessings from God which are reserved for true sons of God.

As already mentioned, in the book of Job, this phrase speaks about spiritual beings, who are usually called angels. Notice that two of the references within Job say: and Satan came also among them. The and is the Mathematical function of addition, which means that Satan was different from the sons of God. Since Satan was created the same way as these other sons of God, this phrase can not be applied to the 'method of conception' used by God. Further, when Paul called three men son, he was not their physical father. Since there is an absolute rule that each word in the Bible has only one meaning (interpretation), and that meaning must be true for every usage of that word within the Bible, the phrase: sons of God can not be talking about the 'method of conception'. What is actually true in every place where we see this phrase is that it means: the 'the son receives the character of the father'. Satan, obviously, does not have 'the character of God the Father', which is why the book of Job lists Satan as separate from the sons of God.

This brings us the reference in Genesis, where many people argue that the phrase: sons of God, refers to Heavenly beings while others claim that it refers to the sons of Seth who had called upon the name of the LORD Genesis 4:26. The argument that this phrase refers to Heavenly beings is based upon the usage found in the book of Job and the erroneous doctrine that God changed the meaning of words between the Old T3estament and New Testament. However, God does not change (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). This phrase does not refer to the type of life (spiritual versus physical) but, as shown, to people who have 'received the character of their father', which the sons of Seth did. In addition, the phrase daughters of men is referring to women who had the sinful nature of their lost parents. The Bible gives us an absolute rule that different types of life can NOT procreate and that any form of life involved in cross-type procreation is to be destroyed. Our Bible does not say that God destroyed them but God's response was: My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. What we actually have here is the basis of Abraham insisting that his servant find a godly saved wife for his son. It is also the basis for God telling the Jews to not marry lost women and the New Testament telling the saved to only marry other saved people. With that said, I will not get any further into that doctrinal argument but will stick to the New Testament where the verses that use sons of God are definitely referring the saved people who have (or are receiving) the nature of God. We can see this easily by reviewing these verses:

John 1:12-13 says we are born...of God and are given power to become the sons of God when we received him [the Son of God]. Please notice that received him is past tense while to become the sons of God is future tense. This means that becoming the sons of God is something done after our initial profession.
Romans 8:14 tells us that the sons of God are led by the Spirit of God.
Romans 8:19 tells us that all of nature is waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God at the return of Christ because that is when the curse of sin will be lifted from the Earth and nature.
Philippians 2:15 tells us that the sons of Godmay be blameless and harmless, without rebuke...ye shine as lights in the world, Holding forth the word of life.
1John 3:1 tells us that the sons of God have the love the Father and therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
1John 3:2 tells us about the sons of God that it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

It should be obvious from these verses that the sons of God should be easily distinguishable from people of the world. It should be easy to see that if the world can't see a difference then the person is either deceived or is lying to claim that they are one of the sons of God who are led by the Spirit of God. In addition, the phrase children of God is found in:

Matthew 5:9; Luke 20:36; John 11:52; Romans 8:16, 21; 9:8; Galatians 3:26; 1John 3:10; 5:2. The Biblical attributes of the children of God also makes it easy to see the difference between them and the children of this world. We can see this easily by reviewing these verses:
Matthew 5:9 tells us Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. How many lost people are true peacemakers?
Luke 20:36 tells us that the children of God are the children of the resurrection. There is a lot of Biblical evidence that those people who claim to be saved but refuse to act like the children of God in this life might not be part of the children of the resurrection.
John 11:52 tells us Jesus would die for all of the children of God including Gentiles. All throughout this study we have seen that Jesus died to make us different after receiving His life at salvation.
Romans 8:16-17 tells us that The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God and all of the verses in the Bible can't give someone assurance of their salvation if The Spirit refuses to beareth witness with their spirit.
Romans 8:21 tells us the same thing as Philippians 2:15 says about the sons of God. This is definitely different behaviour than we see from lost people.
Romans 9:8 tells us That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. In context, the children of the promise live by faith in that promise.
Galatians 3:26 says For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Please see the note associated with that verse as this is obviously more that a one-time prayer.
1John 3:10 is part of the message of 1John 3 which tells us that the children of Godpurifieth himself and sinneth not and doeth righteousness and loveth his brother.
1John 5:2 tells us By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

It should be obvious from these various verses that the sons of God and the children of God are a whole lot more spiritual than most people in our churches. Definitely, most people who consider themselves to be 'Christians' do not live up to these verses. However, it is one thing to see a goal and be striving to reach it and it is another to strive for the opposite of the goal while claiming that some 'positional salvation' cancels out a lifestyle that mocks God.

When we truly consider what these verses tell us about the sons of God and the children of God, we can get a new appreciation of 8:15which tells us For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear. Each and every one of us personally (ye) can go into the hard circumstances of life refusing fear and the addiction of sin (spirit of bondage) because we personally have the witness from the Spirit itself within our spirit, that we are the children of God. Therefore, when these hard circumstances of life come we can cry, Abba, Father and expect our plea for help and strength to be answered because we are trying to do His will and be His light in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation. However, those people who claim to be saved and are not striving to live up to the verses above have no right to claim to be one of the sons of God. They also have no right to expect to receive the reward promised to the sons of God during the 1,000 years reign of Christ. While all of us only receive any promise from God by grace, the unjust do not even have the promise.

In addition, to those considerations, we need to consider the other verses of this sub-section. Back in 8:12 we were told Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. If we honestly consider all that we've seen about the sons of God and the children of God it should be obvious that they strive to suppress the flesh and to do all they can to avoid living after the flesh. In addition, 8:13 told us For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. We've seen that mortify the deeds of the body means make ourselves totally unresponsive to the deeds of the body. The colon followed by but makes mortify the deeds of the body the opposite of live after the flesh. In addition, we have noted that when the Bible says ye shall die it means that each and every one of us personally will receive the physical and spiritual corruption that leads to physical and spiritual death. Some sins outright physically kill us. Some seem to have no effect and people believe they 'got away with it' only to find out years later that they have something like diabetes which rots the whole body and is basically the result of a lifestyle . Those who honestly try to control the effects of diabetes and similar diseases find that they must literally mortify the deeds of the body and stop giving into cravings for carbohydrates (or cigarettes or whatever). (This is explained with more detail in the note for this verse in the Book Study on Romans.) When we really look at sinful lifestyle s from a long term perspective, these verses make more sense. Unfortunately, youth and other things tend to blind us to the truth until it is till late. Then others won't listen to our warning any more than we listened to the warning of others. However, those who are truly led by the Spirit of God receive the long term blessings promised to the sons of God and the children of God.

This verse is also referenced in notes for 1:4 and 8:17 and general note on Son. Please see those notes for further considerations on this verse.

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Romans 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Every sentence from 8:16 through 8:30 are part of a single unit of thought which needs to be considered together. Every sentence, after 8:16, starts with a connecting word, which means that God, through Paul, wanted us to consider all of these things together and not take them out of context. Our first sentence tells us the difference between the children of God and the sons of God. Then the sentences after that give us details about the additional things that God gives to the children of God in order to make them into the sons of God. In addition, please see the general note under Son above as it applies to every use of Son in Romans. Please also see the note above (for 8:14) as it gives many details about the sons of God.

This verse basically tells us that all of the creatures on this earth are waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God when Christ returns to rule this Earth because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. When Adam sinned God cursed all of creation for thy sake (Genesis 3:17-19). We are told in Isaiah 11 and Isaiah 65 that there will come a time when the lion will lay down and eat with the lamb (and the lamb won't be dinner). These prophecies are about the 1,000 years reign of Christ. In 1Corinthians 15:19-23 we are told about the resurrection of the sons of God that they that are Christ's at his coming. (Please see those verses and associated notes.) Those will have resurrected perfect bodies, like Christ has, and will not sin any longer. Without man's sin to re-introduce corruption into nature, God will be able to remove the curse from nature. That is why this sentence says the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. While there may be some other direct connection between the curse on all of nature and God changing the character of all men on the earth, I can not positively identify it. Even without being able to identify all that God will do and how God will do it, we can be assured that God will restore the earth, and remove the curse from nature, when our Lord Jesus Christ returns to rule and reign with the sons of God. Their changed character will assure that things will not be cursed again.

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Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Every sentence from 8:16 through 8:30 is part of a single unit of thought which God, through Paul, wanted us to consider together. 8:16 told us the difference between the children of God and the sons of God. Then the sentences after that give us details about the additional things that God gives to the children of God in order to make them into the sons of God. Now, starting with 8:31, Paul is addressing the sons of God who are letting God change their life to make them like the Son of God. In this section we read It is God that justifieth and we just saw (in the note for 8:30) that that this justification is added after our initial profession, which means it is due to people letting God change their life. That is part of what changes people from being children of God into the sons of God. We also see Son used in our current verse, Christ used twice before the end of the chapter, and Christ Jesus our Lord used to end the chapter. Christ is the role used by the Son of God to bring spiritual maturity (changes people from being children of God into the sons of God).

Leading up to this this verse we read about how the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities here in this life. Our current verse tells us why (For) God promissed what He did in this group of verses. The Likewise (used earlier in this chapter) means that the explanation of how God works in our personal life is like how He worked in creation. God cursed creation so that it would serve Him in hope and give us an example of how to live in hope. Since we are saved by hope (8:24), God did this for our salvation. Likewise God created a plan, which we learn about in this sention of verses, to increase the effects of that salvation within His children. The result of that increase is that we will be conformed to the image of his Son.

In 8:26-30 we are told that there will be a dramatic change in the sons of God (8:19) and the whole creation (8:22) when Christ comes to rule this world for 1,000 yearss and restores everything to the way that God made it before man's sin corrupted everything. In 8:26-30 we are told that Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities so that right now we can (spiritually) be the type of sons of God that God planned. That is what this verse is telling us. Here we are told that God did predestinate the sons of Godto be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

As we have seen continuously throughout this study, predestinate means 'set the destination before the trip begins'. Before God saved us, He set our destiny be changed into the image of his Son. As has been shown many times in this study, we may have varying success in being conformed to the image of his Son, but those people who 'say a prayer of salvation', while their heart is set upon rejecting all change by God, are not saved. All who are saved did agree to this change and we have also seen that the more we allow God to make us conformed to the image of his Son, the greater reward we receive in Heaven.

Part of the image of his Son is revealed in the Gospels where the Son of God showed us how to live in this flesh by the power of the Holy Ghost. (Please see the study called Jesus used the power of Holy Spirit.) Part of the image of his Son is revealed in the epistles where we are shown how the Son of God uses His role as Christ to tell us how to act and mature spiritually. (John 1:1 and John 1:14 tells us that the Bible is our living image of his Son). Basically, 8:26-30 says that all saved are called to be conformed to the image of his Son. Those who accept this call and allow God to conform them can also believe the promises that:

the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities
the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us
he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God
all things work together for good
he also justified
he also glorified

However, while religious doctrine says that these things apply to all saved, I do not find that these verses make these promises to those saved people who refuse to let God make them conformed to the image of his Son. In addition, 8:28 qualifies these promises as going to them that love God.

The context of this section limits these promises to those people who keep the commandments of God. We see this limitation also stated in other places of the Bible such as: Exodus 20:6; Deuteronomy 5:10; 7:9; 11:1, 13, 22; 19:9; 30:16; Joshua 22:5; Nehemiah 1:5; Psalms 119:127; Daniel 9:4;John 14:15, 21; 15:10; 1John 5:2-3 and 2John 1:6. Those people who keep God's commandments are letting God make them conformed to the image of his Son.

8:28 also limited these promises to them who are the called according to his purpose. The note for Romans 1:6 dealt with the several verses within this epistle which describe who are the called. Those verses definitely exclude many who claim to be saved. So we see three different ways that these verses say that these promises are made to people who let God make them conformed to the image of his Son and appear to exclude those who are not allowing God to work in their lives this way. Not only that, those who are not allowing God to work in their lives this way keep needing constant reassurance that these promises apply to them because the witness from their own spirit is otherwise. However, those who really are allowing God to make them conformed to the image of his Son rarely need these reassurances.

God did predestinate us to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Those who refuse to be conformed have a very difficult time claiming that God accepts them as part of the brethren according to this verse and they are risking loss of many blessings by refusing to let God make them conformed to the image of his Son

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Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Please see the general note under Son above as it applies to every use of Son in Romans. Please see the note Romans 8:29 above. There have been several messages preached that were based upon this verse. I will not try to match them. God loved us so much that He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all. Many people understand this and many understand and preach many wonderful messages on how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?. People like to shout Amen. Meanwhile, several people in the congregation keep their mouths shut so that others won't know that they are missing out on everything that others are shouting about. They wonder why they're missing out but are afraid to ask. There may be more reasons, but I know of two reasons that often are not preached. The first was dealt with back in 8:29. People who are not letting God make them conformed to the image of his Son miss out on a whole lot of blessings that others receive. I've heard people claim that we have positional blessings that will be received in some never-never land that are based upon some 'positional salvation'. Since there is no evidence of either in this life, they can not be disproved and get really upset when someone accuses them of offering an empty hope. If that's what you want, go for it. I want something tangible in this world and am, therefore, letting God make me conformed to the image of his Son.

Now people might ask 'Why wouldn't someone want to be conformed to the image of his Son and be with him?' Lets start with the first phrase of this sentence which tells us that God spared not his own Son. So if we are going to be with him we have to be willing to be a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). We also have to be willing to suffer like He did, become a man of sorrows (Isaiah 53:3) and experience lots more that our flesh objects to. Then our second phrase says that God delivered him up for us all and look at how God treated Paul and the other apostles. So, very definitely there are reasons why the world, our flesh and the devil actively discourage us from being with him.

The second reason that people don't experience God giving them all things is explained in James 4 where we are told that we ask for the wrong reason. It isn't that God won't give us something for the right reason but he won't give it for a reason that will hurt us spiritually.

However, the main reason that people don't experience God giving them all things is they ignore the qualifier within this sentence. See, this giving is with him. God will not take away our free will and will not force us to keep company with him but if we are not with him, we miss out on the things that are only given out so long as we are with him. True salvation isn't a religion based upon a one-time prayer or some other religious act. True Biblical salvation is God's life in us that is developed through an ongoing relationship with the Son of God. Most people understand how foolish it is to expect to receive things from someone that they refuse to be with. Yet they expect God to act in this foolish manner because some man or religion told them that God had to do so. That is true foolishness. We only receive all things when we are with him.

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Romans 9:9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.

Please see the general note under Son above as it applies to every use of Son in Romans. This is the only lower case Son in Romans. It is referring to Isaac, not to Jesus, even though Isaac is a type of Jesus. Since this sentence starts with For, it is giving the reason for what was said previously. Therefore, we need to start with the prior sentences in order to properly understand this sentence.

9:6-7 hold two sentences with the first half of the second sentence being in 9:6. The first sentence is a double-negative that essentially says that the word of God hath [some] effect. True: it had little or no effect for most Jews but it had good effect with some Jews. 9:27 reminds us of a prophecy that a remnant shall be saved. The second sentence starts with For and gives us the reason why Paul says that the word of God hath [some] effect. This second sentence has two colons which break it into three Equivalent Sections. In the first part we are told that not everyone who is a physical descendent of Israel is counted as Israel by God. In the Old Testament the same man was called Jacob and Israel. When he was acting in the flesh, the Bible called him Jacob. But when he acted like a prince [that] hast...power with God (Genesis 32:28) then the Bible called him Israel. So we see that the fleshly descendants of Jacob who acted in the flesh were accounted descendants of Jacob and not descendants of Israel. The descendants who acted like descendants of a prince [that] hast...power with God were counted as Israel. We also see this stated in the second Equivalent Section which tells us that the descendants of Esau and of Isaac and of Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah (Genesis 25:2) were the seed of Abraham but were not counted as children. Again, we see God making a distinction between the physical descendants and the spiritual descendents. In the third Equivalent Section we have a partial quote of Genesis 21:12 where God chose Isaac and rejected Ishmael. So in all three Equivalent Sections we see God choosing the spiritual seed and rejecting the physical seed.

When we look at the character of Ishmael and of Isaac we see two different characters. Ishmael got himself and his mother kicked out and sent to die in the desert because of his mocking. This was not just a one-time kids play. Sarah was not that kind of woman. When we look at Isaac we see him submitting to his father when he was physically stronger and Abraham was going to sacrifice him. We see him accepting the woman chosen to be his wife, even though she was a stranger to him. Thus, we see major differences in the character with the chosen son having a submissive character, when it comes to the things of God, that was like Abraham's own character.

9:8 states what was said in 9:6-7 (That is) another way. This sentence also has two Equivalent Sections with the first part saying They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God. You can not get any clearer than that. Everyone who is relying upon anything of the flesh, including religious works ..are not the children of God. This includes such religious works as saying a prayer or being sprinkled or being dunked or rolling on the floor in a 'holy fit' or joining a church or anything else that religion claims that you have to do in your flesh in order to force God to take you into His personal home called Heaven. The second Equivalent Section of this sentence is just as strong if not as easily understood. In it Paul says but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. Of course, we again see opposites separated by a colon and but with the first part saying who is not the children and the second part saying who is. When this second part uses the children of the promise it is referring to Paul's argument in Galatians 3. His conclusion in Galatians, that we are not sanctified by works of religion, also applies here. While we are saying that religious works don't save or sanctify we also need to remember that this sentence is a restatement of the prior sentence. There we saw that those who did receive the promise responded to a personal relationship with God. In Hebrews 11 we are told how Abraham responded to the promise and that response is referred to in the next sentence which gives the reason for what is said here.

Since, as we just noted, the true children of promise accept a personal relationship with God, then God changes His true children to be like Him and change them into sons of God. That is what all of Romans 8 was about. Please see the notes for Romans 8 in the Book Study on Romans. While God changes those who come to Him by promise, those who come by the flesh reject God's changes. Therefore, God rejects them and we see that they do not fulfill the Biblical definition for son.

9:9 starts with For and gives us the reason for what Paul said in the prior sentences. There Paul; said that not all of the children of the flesh were accepted by God but only the children of the promise. In his reason provided in this sentence, Paul says At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son. The son of Sara was the child of the promise that God accepted and Abraham's other sons were the children of the flesh that God rejected.

9:10-12 is a single complex sentence. All of the verses through 9:13 are continuations of what Paul says in 9:6-7. In this sentence we have three steps with an included part that explains one of the steps. In the first step we read And not only this. That means that Paul is going to add onto what he told us in the prior sentence where he said that God accepted Isaac as the child of the promise while God rejected Abraham's other sons who were the children of the flesh. In the second step we read Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac and we know that Isaac had to pray and also receive a promise before Rebecca conceived (Genesis 25:21). In the third step God answered the prayer and gave a promise which is recorded in the next two verses. This promise is often misunderstood and preached wrong. This error is shown by the included part. The first section of the included part tells us For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil. Many preach that God decided to make Esau serve Jacob because he was hated by God, but this section shows that is not true. God decided that The elder shall serve the younger while children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil. Esau refused to accept his God given position and caused God to hate him but that came later in time and had nothing to do with why God said The elder shall serve the younger. The second step of this included part tells us that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth. God elects each of us for a role in life and blesses us for how we fulfill that role, not for what the role is. An obedient slave will be more blessed than a proud ruler. God wanted to show election and called Esau to be a servant. When Esau refused the position that God gave him, he caused God to hate him.

Once more we see God accept the one who eventually submitted to God and accepted God's changes to his character. Jacob became Israel (a prince with God). However, Esau rejected God's plan for his life and God rejected him. Thus, in these sentences we see repeatedly how God chooses some people as His children and rejects others. It all comes down to a willingness to let God change our character.

In this entire chapter we keep seeing that God accepts the children of the promise while He rejects the children of the flesh. Here we see son used for men whose lives showed that they acted like the Son of God. John 1:12-13 says that those who are saved have the power to become the sons of God and Romans 8:14 tells us that as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. The Spirit of God will lead the sons of God to find the promises and live a live that shows they have faith in God keeping His promises, just like Abraham and all of his children of the promise did. Thos verse uses a lower-case son to show us the type of son we are supposed to be.

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Verses within this Study.

The division between God the Son's roles as Jesus and as Christ.

This division is necessary for God to do what was necessary for our salvation.

This division is necessary for God to remain righteous and still do what He must do legally.

This division forces a different relationship between the believer and the Son of God depending upon which role of the Son of God is involved.

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