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The Gospel Reveals God’s Righteousness (Romans 1) | John Peter Lange · Reformed Thinking

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Hello and welcome to Reformed Thinking.
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We are so glad you were joining us.
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Yes, it is great to be here with you all.
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Today we have a very specific mission for this deep dive.
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We are doing a rigorous theological examination of the
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1st chapter of Paul's epistle to the Romans.
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Which is quite an undertaking. It really is, and we are relying
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heavily on the comprehensive commentary by John Peter Long
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alongside the insights of Philip Schaff and other noted scholars
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included in that volume, Right. Those are fantastic sources for
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this. Our goal is to walk you through
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Paul's greeting, his core thesis regarding justification by
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faith, and his devastating analysis of human corruption.
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And God's righteous wrath. Yes, absolutely.
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We want you to see how these ancient words speak directly to
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the core of the Christian faith. O let's unack this text verse by
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verse, looking closely at the language, the history, and the
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theology. It is an absolute rivilege to be
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here. If you look at the overarching
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theme of the source material we are covering today, it is the
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stark contrast between the saving grace of God and the
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absolute depravity of man. It sets up a pretty intense
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divine antithesis right out of the gate.
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It does. You cannot comprehend the
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heights of God's grace until you have looked into the depths of
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human sin. And the reality of God's holy
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wrath. Precisely.
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We will see how Paul systematically strips away every
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human boast, whether from the cultured Greek or the moralizing
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Jew, leaving all of humanity inexcusable before the Creator.
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Which makes the revelation of God's imputed righteousness not
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just a theological concept, but the desperate, singular hope for
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the world. That is the heart of it, yes.
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Let's start right at the beginning, looking at the
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messenger, the message in the majesty of Christ in Romans
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chapter 1 verses one through 7. Good place to start.
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Paul introduces himself in verse one as a bondsman of Jesus
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Christ, called to be an apostle separated unto the Gospel of
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God. There's so much packed into that
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single line. There really is just starting
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with his name, right? He is Paul Launch points out the
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significance of this name, which means small in Latin.
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Yes, and he was formerly Saul. Which is a name associated with
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the tall, proud king of Israel's history and the most
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distinguished name in his own tribe of Benjamin.
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It is quite a shift. There is a beautiful suggestion
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here that Paul chose this name, the Small One, after his victory
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over Elimus the Sorcerer on the island of Cyprus.
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I. Love that detail.
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It acts as a symbol of the small man of God defeating the mighty
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magic of the devil. What stands out to you is how he
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identifies himself immediately as a bondsman, a doulos of Jesus
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Christ. That word, doulos, carries
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immense weight. What does it imply in that
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culture? Well, it indicates total,
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absolute submission to Christ's will.
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A bondsman has no autonomous agenda.
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His entire existence is bound up in the will of his master.
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Like a slave. Yes, in the ancient Roman world,
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a slave was property stripped of individual rights.
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Yet in the Old Testament economy, the title Servant of
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Jehovah was a badge of the highest honor.
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Applied to figures like Moses and Joshua, right?
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And the prophets. So Paul glories in this
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position, understanding that perfect subjection to Jesus
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Christ is perfect freedom. He places himself entirely at
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the disposal of his Lord. But he pairs this humility with
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immense authority by adding called to be an apostle.
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Exactly. He is not a self appointed
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missionary. The word apostolos indicates
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supreme divine authority over the church.
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He was a chosen delegate. Personally instructed and
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commissioned by the Risen Christ.
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Yes, this separation, this being set apart, was a divine
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determination of his historical career.
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It did not just happen spontaneously on the road to
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Damascus. It was planned.
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It was a providential singling out from birth, actualized in
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time to bring the message of salvation to the Gentile world.
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And he immediately grounds this message, this gospel of God in
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history. In verse 2 he says it is the
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gospel which he had promised before by his prophets in the
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Holy Scriptures. Which is a crucial detail for
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his audience. Because he is writing to a
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church in the center of the Roman Empire, a place obsessed
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with novelty and new philosophies, right?
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They love the latest intellectual trends.
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Yet he tells them that this message is no abrupt innovation.
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It is the fulfillment of ancient promises.
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It is not an afterthought, but the forethought of God.
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This is a core pillar of the Reformed perspective.
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There was 1 continuous covenant of grace.
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The entire Old Testament is an organic system of prophecies
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anticipating Christ. Agustin had a great quote about
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that didn't. He he did.
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He noted that the New Testament is concealed in the Old and the
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Old Testament is revealed in the New.
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So by connecting the gospel to the prophets, Paul proves to the
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Jewish mind that Jesus is the promised.
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Messiah, and simultaneously He proves to the Gentile mind the
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divine origin of this faith. Only God can prearrange the
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future across centuries. So Christianity is actually the
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oldest religion. Going back to the first promise
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in paradise after the fall, it is the realization of the desire
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of all nations. Moving to verses 3 and 4, Paul
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sets up a fascinating contrast regarding the dual nature of
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Jesus. He writes that Jesus was made of
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the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be
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the Son of God with might according to the Spirit of
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holiness by the resurrection from the dead.
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He is placing the human ancestry right alongside the divine
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majesty. The theological depth there is
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staggering. We need to break it down
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carefully to avoid ancient errors regarding the nature of
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Christ. Let's do it when Paul says
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Christ was born of the seed of David according to the flesh.
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What does flesh mean there? The Greek word for flesh,
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Sark's, refers to his true, complete human constitution.
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It does not mean sinfulness, which is sometimes how Paul uses
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the word elsewhere. It means the frail, mortal human
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nature possessing a true body and a reasonable soul.
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Sin only accepted. It links him historically to the
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royal line of Israel fulfilling the Davidic covenant.
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But then we have the antithesis according to the spirit of
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holiness. Now, this is not a reference to
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the third person of the Trinity of the Holy Spirit.
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No, it refers to Christ's own divine nature, which is
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intrinsically holy and eternal. The resurrection did not make
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him the Son of God. He was the eternal Son of God
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from before time began. So what did the resurrection do?
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The resurrection was the public historical installation or
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manifestation of His divine Majesty.
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The Greek word Horaceaeus means he was established or instituted
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as the Son of God in regal authority.
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So it vindicated his deity, yes. Think of it like a king who has
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been living in exile or disguise.
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He is always the king, but coronation day is when his
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kingship is publicly declared and recognized by all.
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That makes perfect sense. We have this majestic picture of
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the risen Christ, the Lord of all, and it leads directly into
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Paul's Apostolic greeting in verse 7.
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To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be Saints,
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grace to you, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
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Christ. Look.
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Closely at that phrase, grace and peace.
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It seems like a standard letter opening.
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But it is actually a total alteration of the way people
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greeted each other in the ancient world.
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It is an inspired synthesis. How so?
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The standard Greek epistolary greeting was cherain, wishing
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health or prosperity. The traditional Hebrew greeting
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was Shalom, meaning peace. Paul takes the Greek greeting
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and elevates it to charis, which means grace, the unmerited
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redeeming favor of God. Then he combines it with the
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Hebrew Shalom, elevating it to mean the deep spiritual peace of
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the soul reconciled to God. Notice the cause and effect
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relationship there. Yes, grace is the objective
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'cause it is the fountain of God's love poured out on the
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undeserving. Peace is the subjective effect
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in the believer soul. You cannot have the peace of God
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until you've received the grace of God.
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Absolutely. And by coordinating God our
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Father with the Lord Jesus Christ as the joint source of
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this grace and peace, Paul is making a massive theological
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statement about the deity of Christ.
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A strict Hebrew monotheist couldn't associate a mere man
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with Jehovah like that. Not without committing blatant
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blasphemy. It is a clear declaration of
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equality of essence. We see a beautiful display of a
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pastor's heart combined with a global mission.
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In verses 8 through 15, Paul begins by expressing his
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thankfulness for this famous church.
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He says in verse 8, 1st I thank my God through Jesus Christ for
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you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole
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world. I love his enthusiasm over the
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fact that their faith is renowned globally.
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We have to remember the context. Rome was the absolute center of
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the ancient world. It was massive.
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The population was huge, drawing people from every corner of the
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globe. It was the hub of politics,
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commerce and culture. A thriving Christian Church.
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There was a strategic foothold for the gospel.
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The commentary quotes an old Latin adage, doesn't.
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It yes, Orbis in herb container the world is contained in the
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city. Because Rome was so conspicuous,
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a strong faith there would radiate out across the empire
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along the massive network of Roman roads.
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Paul definitely recognizes that strategic placement, but his
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thankfulness is also intensely personal.
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He thanks my God, showing a sense of personal obligation and
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relationship. And he does it through Jesus
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Christ. In the Reformed view, all our
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prayers and praises must come before God, sanctified by our
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spiritual communion with Christ the soul Mediator.
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Paul doesn't just thank God for them, he prays for them
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constantly. He makes a solemn oath in verse
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Mil. Calling God as his witness.
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For God is my witness, whom I worship in my spirit, in the
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gospel of his sin, that without ceasing I make mention of you.
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It's striking how He describes his worship.
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Whom I worship in my spirit. The Greek word for worship here,
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Latro, is highly specific. What does it mean?
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In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, it is used for
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the ministration of the Jewish priesthood in the Temple.
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Paul is saying that his priestly function is not an external
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ritualistic act at a physical altar with animal sacrifices.
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It is a living internal reality. His spirit is the temple, and
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the preaching of the gospel is the substance of his
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ministration. His appeal to God as a witness
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is a devout recognition of God's omniscience.
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He is saying I don't have human witnesses to how often I pray
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for you in secret, so I call upon the searcher of hearts.
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It shows the immense spiritual striving of the man.
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His mind is constantly fixed on Rome, asking that by the will of
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God he might finally have a prosperous journey to see them.
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When he talks about wanting to see them, there is a beautiful
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moment of humility in verse 12. He says in verse 11 that he
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wants to impart some spiritual gift to strengthen them, but
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then he immediately adds, that is, that I may be comforted
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together with you by the mutual faith, both of you and me.
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He wants to give, but he fully expects to receive.
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It is a striking admission he does not elevate himself above
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the need for Christian fellowship.
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Even an inspired apostle needed the comfort of ordinary
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believers. This highlights the objective
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reality of the Communion of Saints.
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He expects that their common faith will be a reciprocal
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encouragement. Think of a veteran CEO who still
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needs to sit down with colleagues and just talk shop to
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be encouraged by their shared goals.
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He wants to strengthen them for their specific calling in the
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metropolis. And in return, he expects to be
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refreshed and supported by them for his further mission to the
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West, specifically his planned trip to Spain.
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He wants to gather fruit among them, just as he has among the
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rest of the Gentiles. That leads to his famous
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declaration in verse 14 where he views himself as a debtor.
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I am debtor both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians, both to
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the wise and to the unwise. He feels an immense obligation
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to grasp the cultural context here.
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We have to understand the ancient mindset regarding Greeks
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and Barbarians. It represent the great divide of
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culture and nationality. The Greeks considered anyone
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outside their linguistic and cultural sphere to be a
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barbarian. Because foreign languages just
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sounded like bar bar bar to them.
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Exactly. And the wise and unwise
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represented the divide. Pride of intellect and
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education. Paul recognizes his divine
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obligation to bring the gospel to every single class of
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humanity. He owes them the gospel because
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Christ has commissioned him to deliver it.
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Imagine holding the cure for a devastating global disease.
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You would be a debtor to every sick person until you deliver
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that cure. That indebtedness is what fuels
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his readiness to preach, even in the intimidating imperial
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capital of Rome. A city that was the pinnacle of
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both civilization and depravity. This brings us to the very
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thesis of the Epistle to the Romans, Justification by faith.
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It starts in verse 16 with a bold claim.
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For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.
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Picture this against the backdrop of Rome.
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It's a city defined by pride, worldly strength, military
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conquest, and intellectual elitism.
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The Ancient. World considered the concept of
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a crucified savior to be absolute foolishness and
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weakness to the Roman mind. Strength was found in the
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legions, in the Emperor, in philosophy.
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The concept of virtus, or manliness and martial valor was
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everything. So to worship a Jewish teacher
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executed by the state on a cross, the most degrading,
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agonizing and humiliating form of punishment reserved for
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rebellious slaves, was utterly shameful.
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The Roman order, Cicero even said the very word cross should
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be far removed not only from the bodies of Roman citizens, but
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from their thoughts, their eyes and their ears.
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Yet Paul stands facing the greatest empire on earth and
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says, I am not ashamed. Why?
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Because, as he says, it is the might of God unto salvation.
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The Gospel puts to shame the worldly strength of Rome is the
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highest manifestation of the compassionate love and grace of
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God. Think about the vast scope of
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this salvation reaching to everyone that believeth, to the
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Jew 1st and also to the Greek. The concept of Salvation Soteria
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is incredibly comprehensive. It is not just a vague idea
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floating on clouds in the afterlife.
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It is a complete total deliverance.
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It rescues man from the depths of hell.
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From the condemnation of his own conscience and from the
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righteous judgment of God's wrath, it elevates the believer
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to the heights of heaven, making them a participant in eternal
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blessedness. This salvation is offered to the
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Jew first because of their historical priority in the Old
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Testament revelation in the covenants.
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But it is equally for the Greek, which here represents the entire
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Gentile world. It is a universal offer, but it
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has a specific condition. It is for everyone that
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believeth faith is the receptive organ.
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What are they believing in? That brings us to verse 17, the
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heartbeat of Reformed theology. For therein is the righteousness
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of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written.
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The just shall live by faith. The phrase the righteousness of
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God is monumental. Everything hinges on this
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phrase. The Greek is the chaos and the
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go. This is not referring primarily
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to God's retributive justice, His punishing of sin.
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Nor is it referring to a human work of righteousness that man
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somehow generates and offers to God.
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No, it is the righteousness from God.
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It is a righteousness achieved completely by Christ's perfect,
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sinless life and His atoning death on the cross.
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In the Reformed view, aligned strictly with the Westminster
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Confession, this righteousness is imputed to the believer.
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That means it is legally credited to their account.
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God the Judge pronounces the Sinner righteous, not because
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the Sinner is inherently good, but because the perfect
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righteousness of Christ is placed upon them like a garment.
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Think of it like a destitute person with massive debts.
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A benefactor doesn't just pay off the debt, he transfers his
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entire fortune into the destitute person's bank account.
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The bank now views that person as well.
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God views the believer through the lens of Christ's perfect
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record. This righteousness satisfies the
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demands of the law and is applied by the act of
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justification for the sanctification of life.
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It is the self communication of the righteousness which proceeds
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from God becoming the personal property of the believer by a
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living union with Christ. And it is revealed from faith to
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faith. He brings in the quotation from
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the Old Testament prophet Habakkuk.
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The just shall live by faith. From faith to faith indicates A
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progression. Faith is the instrumental cause
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of salvation. It is not the efficient 'cause
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that is God's grace. It is not the objective ground.
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That is Christ's work. Faith is simply the empty hand
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that receives the gift. It doesn't earn the gift, it
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just takes hold of it. The phrase from faith to faith
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shows that faith must be continually renewed.
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It moves from the objective revelation of faith in the
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preaching of the Gospel to the subjective reception of it in
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the heart. Growing from 1° of living trust
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to another, as Habakkuk said, the justified man shall obtain
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and maintain his life entirely by his trust in God.
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It is a complete reliance on the righteousness that comes from
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outside of himself. Immediately after declaring this
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glorious saving righteousness, we hit a major shift in the
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text. Verse 18 starts For the wrath of
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God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
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unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness.
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Right after grace we get wrath. In Reformed thought, you cannot
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understand grace without understanding wrath.
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If there is no wrath, there is nothing to be saved from and the
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cross becomes meaningless. God's wrath, as described in the
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commentary, is not a petty human emotion.
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It is not like our unpredictable anger or a sudden loss of
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temper. No, it is God's holy, personal
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and righteous displeasure against sin.
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It is the absolute pure energy of the divine government
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reacting against rebellion. A good judge cannot simply smile
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at a murderer and let them go. His goodness requires him to
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enact justice. God's wrath is the necessary
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reaction of His Holiness against evil.
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Notice it is revealed from heaven.
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It is a message from the height of the holy supernatural world.
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It manifests itself in punitive decrees, in the terrors of
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death, and, as we will see, in the terrifying abandonment of
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sinners to their own lusts. The root cause of this wrath is
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men holding back or suppressing the truth in unrighteousness.
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How are they doing this? The apostle is walking us
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through the concept of natural revelation.
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Verse 19 says, Because that which may be known of God is
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manifest in them, for God have showed it unto them.
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And verse 20 continues. For the invisible things of Him
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from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being
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understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power
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and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.
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God's invisible attributes are clearly visible in the created
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order. The universe is a massive school
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displaying the general knowledge of God.
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The intricate design of the cosmos, the biology of life, the
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moral law written on the conscience, it all screams of a
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creator. Man's intellect is not lacking
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evidence. The problem is not a lack of
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data. The problem is a corrupt will.
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The human heart actively suppresses the truth because it
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loves sin. Think of holding an inflated
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beach ball underwater. The natural tendency of the ball
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is to pop up to the surface, but you have to exert constant
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willful effort to hold it down. That is what humanity does with
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the knowledge of God. This willful suppression leaves
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all of humanity entirely inexcusable before God.
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They cannot claim ignorance on Judgement Day.
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What was the original sin that led to all this darkness for the
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Gentile world? Verse 21 lays it bare.
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Because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God
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neither we're thankful, but became vain in their
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imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
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They knew him, but they didn't glorify him or give thanks.
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The gravity of the sin of omission here is terrifying.
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The genesis of all human depravity starts right here,
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failing to offer praise and gratitude to the Creator.
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It doesn't start with murder or theft.
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It starts with a lack of thankfulness.
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Imagine a spoiled child who lives in a mansion, eats the
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finest food and wears the best clothes, but completely ignores
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the parents who provide it all, refusing to even say thank you.
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Because humanity refused to honor God as God, their minds
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became idle and foolish in devising vanities.
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Their thoughts, their speculations, their philosophies
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became empty. As a result, their foolish
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heart, the very center of their moral life, was plunged Into
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Darkness. The mind is darkened as a direct
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penal consequence of the heart refusing to give thanks.
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Verse 22 points out a tragic irony.
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Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.
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The folly of human wisdom is staggering.
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The Greeks and Romans boasted of their philosophical insight.
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They had Plato, Aristotle and the great Stoic thinkers.
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Yet the more they boasted, the more foolish they became in
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their religious practices. The historical and theological
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descent into idolatry is detailed in verse 23.
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They exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for images
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made like to corruptible man and to birds and four footed beasts
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and creeping things. They took the infinite majestic
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creator and reduced him to a wooden or stone statue of a
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reptile or a cow. Mythology and idolatry grew out
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of a corrupted symbolism. They thought they could capture
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the divine in the material, and in doing so they lost the divine
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entirely. As the psalmist says, they that
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make idols are like unto them. The human mind becomes dumb and
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wooden by worshipping dumb wooden things.
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This leads to a terrifying phrase in verse 24.
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Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts
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of their own hearts. We see this phrase, God gave
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them up, repeated. This is the first abandonment.
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We need strict theological clarity here to align with
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Reformed orthodoxy. Yes, this abandonment is giving
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up is a judicial punitive act. God does not force men to sin.
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He is not the author of evil. Rather, as a righteous judge, he
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simply withdraws his restraining grace.
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He steps back and leaves them to the corrupt lusts of their own
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hearts. Think of taking the leash off a
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vicious dog. You don't have to force the dog
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to attack you, just stop restraining.
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It it is the principle of sin being punished by sin.
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By withdrawing His Spirit, the negative punitive judgement
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becomes positive, because without God's restraint, the
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human heart naturally plunges into deeper corruption.
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They are delivered over to uncleanness to dishonor their
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own bodies. The text shows how this
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abandonment progresses. Verse 25 says Who changed the
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truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the
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creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever?
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Because of this, we hit the second abandonment in verse 26
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for this 'cause God gave them up unto vile affections or shameful
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passions. Look at the specific
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consequences described in verses 26 and 27.
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Lange notes a direct correlation.
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Unnatural theology directly produces unnatural morality.
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By abandoning the natural order of worship, humanity was
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judicially given over to abandon the natural order of human
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relations. Worshipping the creature instead
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of the creator. Yes, the apostle points out the
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degradation of both women and men, burning in their lust, one
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toward another, working that which is unseemly.
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The text states they received in themselves the due reward of
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their error. The punishment is proportionate
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to the crime. The lie against the divine
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nature results in a lie against human nature.
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It is a fearful picture of what happens when a society
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completely severs its anchor to the truth of God.
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It is a dark reality. We see the 3rd and final stage
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of this descent in verse 28. And even as they did not like to
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retain God and their knowledge, God gave them over to a
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reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient.
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The Greek language here contains a brilliant and terrifying play
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on words. What is the word play?
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The text uses the verb docimazo, which means to test or approve,
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and the adjective A documose, which means unapproved or
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worthless. Because humanity did not think
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it worthwhile or did not see fit to retain God in their
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knowledge, God gave them over to a worthless a docomo's mind.
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The human mind did not lose its intellectual capacity.
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It did not lose its ability to reason, build aqueducts, create
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stunning art, or write brilliant poetry.
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But its moral compass became entirely corrupted.
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The perceiving and deciding intelligence became warped,
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leading them to do things that are completely unbecoming of
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human dignity. Imagine a highly sophisticated
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compass where the needle is broken.
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It might look beautiful, but it will lead you off a Cliff.
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This leads to a staggering catalog of sin sins in verses 29
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through 31. It reads like a terrifying rap
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sheet of humanity. Being filled with all
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unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness,
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maliciousness, full of envy, murder, debate, deceit,
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malignity, whisperers, backbiters, haters of God,
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despiteful, proud boasters, inventors of evil things,
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disobedient to parents without understanding, covenant Breakers
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without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful.
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It's overwhelming. The commentary helps U.S. group
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these sins logically to see the systematic breakdown of society.
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It starts with inner vices, unrighteousness, malice,
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covetousness. Then it moves to violent acts
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against society. Envy, murder, strife, deceit,
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then a details, psychological corruption, people becoming
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untrustworthy, heartless, unmerciful, without natural
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affection. Notice how disobedient to
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parents is listed right alongside murder and haters of
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God. In the biblical view, rebellion
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against God-given authority at the familial level is a severe
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symptom of a reprobate mind. It is a fountain of corruption
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that destroys the basic fabric of human society.
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When the family breaks down, the society crumbles.
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We arrive at the ultimate climax of this rebellion in the
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chilling final verse, verse 32. Who, knowing the judgement of
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God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not
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only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
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It's not just that people commit these sins in a moment of
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weakness. This is the absolute pinnacle of
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human rebellion. It is a demoniacal mindset.
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Singh is not just practiced, it is institutionalized, defended
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and celebrated as a guiding maxim.
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The text says they know the righteous decree of God.
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Their conscience remains intact enough to know that such actions
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deserve death. They understand the moral law
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written on their hearts, yet their corrupt will actively
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defies it. They applaud and endorse others
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who practice wickedness. This is the extremity of sin,
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where the intellect itself is weaponized to patronize and
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approve of evil. So what does this all mean for
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us? Let's bring this discussion full
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circle. This deep dive into Romans
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chapter 1 reveals the absolute desperate necessity of the
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gospel mentioned back in verses 16 and 17.
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The terrifying reality of God's wrath and the thoroughness of
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human depravity, from the suppression of truth to the
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celebration of evil, proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that
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no one can save themselves. Morality cannot save us.
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Philosophy cannot save us. Salvation must come entirely
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from the outside. It must come from the imputed
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righteousness of Christ received by faith alone.
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I want to leave you with a final provocative thought.
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Consider how the suppression of truth is not just an ancient
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historical event that happened in the Roman Empire.
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It is a present reality in modern culture.
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The human heart still suppresses the truth of God in
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unrighteousness. I ask you to reflect on your own
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life. We saw that the root of all this
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darkness, the genesis of depravity, began with a simple,
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quiet failure to give thanks to God.
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It began with the sin of omission.
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If that is true, how might the daily practice of radical
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gratitude act as a shield against the creeping darkness of
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a vain imagination? If ingratitude leads to a
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reprobate mind, then a heart aggressively thankful to the
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Creator is a heart anchored to reality, protected from the lies
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of idolatry. That is a challenging and
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essential thought to walk away with.
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Thank you for joining this session of Reformed Thinking.