The Weak and the Strong (Romans 14:1–15:13): Part 4 of 7

The Loftier Realm of God’s Kingdom

“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17, ESV).

“For” [γάρ] introduces an extension of the explanation of why Christian love shown toward one another is so crucial. Elevating the discussion to a higher realm, “the real concerns are not externals such as diet but the spiritual realities motivating life and shaping conduct.”¹ While this is the lone reference in Romans to “the kingdom of God” [ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ], it is an integral part of the gospel message Paul has been propagating.² As a matter of fact, in Rome itself (cf. 1:13-15) he goes on to preach “the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus,” spending two whole years “proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ …” (Acts 28:23, 31). For Paul, God’s kingdom is a present reality (as affirmed here) with future expectations.³

The sovereign reign of God in the lives of his people through the lordship of Jesus Christ is characterized by “righteousness,” “peace,” and “joy in the Holy Spirit.” The basic concept of “righteousness” [δικαιοσύνη]⁴ begins with “the righteousness of God” (1:17; 3:5, 21, 22, 25, 26; 10:3),⁵ i.e., his personal righteousness that justifies sinners (through Christ) and places them in right standing before his eyes (cf. 1:17), calling for and enabling righteous living (cf. 6:11-19; 8:12-13). The experience of “peace” [εἰρήνη]⁶ begins with God (cf. 5:1) and extends to relationships within the body of Christ and beyond (cf. v. 19). Although the term “joy” [χαρά] (cf. 15:13, 32) appears comparatively less in Paul’s writings, his more common use of the verbal “rejoice” [χαίρω] (cf. 12:12, 15; 16:19) and cognate “grace” [χάρις] shows that for Paul, “Christianity was the religion of joy as much as the religion of grace.”⁷

To appreciate the concept of “joy in the Holy Spirit,” it is helpful to observe not only Paul’s pneumatology (particularly in Romans),⁸ but how he consistently employs the locative sense of the preposition “in” [ἐν] and recognizes the interworking of the triune Godhead. As he has already established: 

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace [εἰρήνη] with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace [χάρις] in [ἐν] which we stand, and we rejoice [καυχάομαι]⁹ in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice [καυχάομαι] in [ἐν] our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into [ἐν] our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us ….. we also rejoice [καυχάομαι] in [ἐν] God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation (5:1-5, 11). 

The unbreakable interconnectivity of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit is understood, none of whom is isolated or absent. Paul later prays, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy [χαρά] and peace [εἰρήνη] in believing, so that by [ἐν, ‘in’] the power [δύναμις] of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (15:13). Yet the instrumentality of the Spirit-inspired revelation of God is not excluded, as Paul goes on to describe his ministry “in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by [ἐν, ‘in’] the Holy Spirit” (15:16). 

From the beginning of the letter Paul has maintained the centrality of the gospel message and its proclamation and acceptance. “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in [ἐν] the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son …” (1:1-3a); “For God is my witness, whom I serve with [ἐν, ‘in’] my spirit [πνεῦμα] in [ἐν] the gospel of his Son …” (1:9); “So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power [δύναμις] of God for salvation …. For in [ἐν] it the righteousness [δικαιοσύνη] of God is revealed …” (1:15-17a).¹⁰

The divine plan works only if we are “in” [ἐν] Christ the Lord (3:24; 6:3, 11, 23; 8:1-2, 39; 12:5; 15:17; 16:2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 22), synonymous with “in” [ἐν] the Spirit (7:6; 8:9; 9:1; 14:17). We are sanctified (set apart) as we venture along this loftier spiritual plane,¹¹ and dwelling within our “spirit” [πνεῦμα] or “heart” [καρδία] is Christ (8:9b-10), the Spirit of God (5:5; 8:9a, 11), and the word of God (10:8, 9), not functioning independently but in perfect harmony.¹² Collectively “in” [ἐν] one body (12:4) we move forward “in” [ἐν] newness of life (6:4) and serve (as slaves) “in” [ἐν] newness of spirit (7:6), the only way true joy can be realized.¹³ In fact, for those of us who are “in Christ” and “of Christ,” joy is an accompanying fruit of the S/spirit as we obey the truth, free from restrictive ordinances of the past, and serve (as slaves) one another (Gal. 5:6, 7, 10, 13, 22, 24). 

Pursuing Peace and Edification

“Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding” (Romans 14:18-19).

“For” [γάρ] (untranslated in the ESV), as further explanation, “the one” [ὁ] consistently “serving (as a slave)” [δουλεύων]¹⁴ the Christ “thus” (ESV)—“in this way” [ἐν τούτῳ] (NASB, NIV) or “in these things” [ἐν τούτοις] (N/KJV)—is “acceptable” or “well-pleasing” [εὐάρεστος] to God (cf. 12:1-2),¹⁵ and “approved” [δόκιμος] (cf. 16:10)¹⁶ by “men” (people) in general [τοῖς ἀνθρώποις], opposite of the negative reaction of v. 16.

Whether eating or abstaining, in God’s kingdom both parties can faithfully serve Christ. But this is not possible while unduly judging, despising, grieving, or destroying a fellow-servant, or failing to walk in love, or neglecting to live in righteousness, peace, and joy as expected of all who comprise the Lord’s spiritual family. Accordingly, one is in good standing, in favor with God and men (cf. 12:17),¹⁷ “who serves Christ by being righteous and conciliatory and charitable towards others …”¹⁸

We should, therefore, be actively and persistently (present tense) “pursuing” [διώκωμεν] (cf. 9:30, 31; 12:13)¹⁹ the things [τά] of “peace” [τῆς εἰρήνης], as noted in v. 17 and repeatedly highlighted throughout the letter.²⁰ Also the things [τά] of “upbuilding” [οἰκοδομῆς] (cf. 15:2) “unto one another” [εἰς ἀλλήλους], a building-construction metaphor descriptive of God’s purpose for the mutual edification and strengthening of his church.²¹ Apparently this is possible even when strong opinions are not shared. “The practical rule implied here is that, when anything is morally indifferent to me, before I act on that conviction, I must ask how such action will affect the peace of the Church, and the Christian growth of others.”²²

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ E. F. Harrison, “Romans” 149.

     ² Elsewhere in Paul, see 1 Cor. 4:20; 6:9-10; 15:50; Gal. 5:21; Col. 4:11; 1 Thess. 2:12; 2 Thess. 1:5; and “the kingdom” (1 Cor. 15:24); “the kingdom of Christ and of God” (Eph. 5:5); “the kingdom of his beloved Son” (Col. 1:13); and “his [heavenly] kingdom” (2 Tim. 4:1, 18). Note also the heavenly “citizenship” (Phil. 3:20). The Galatians were warned by Paul and Barnabas of inevitable afflictions when entering “into the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22), which, in that geographical region, consisted of the churches of Galatia (Gal. 1:2). In planting the church in Thessalonica (1 Thess. 1:1), the apostle and his coworkers proclaimed Jesus as “king” (Acts 17:7). Paul consistently taught those in Ephesus about “the kingdom of God” (Acts 19:8; 20:25), and as “fellow citizens” (Eph. 2:19) they comprised the church (Eph. 1:22; 3:10, 21; 5:23). See K. L. Moore, “Where’s the Church in the Gospel Plan of Salvation?” Moore Perspective (16 Feb. 2016), <Link>. On Paul’s use of the verbal βασιλεύω (to “reign), see Rom. 5:14, 17, 21; 6:12; 1 Cor. 4:8; 15:25; 1 Tim. 6:15; appended to the prefix σύν (“with”) in 2 Tim. 2:12.

     ³ Note in particular 1 Cor. 4:20; 15:23-25; Col. 1:13-14; 1 Tim. 6:13-16; 2 Tim. 4:1, 8. Reflecting the tension between “now” and “not yet,” comparable to what Jesus himself taught (e.g., Matt. 4:17, 23; 5:3, 10; 6:10; 16:28), kingdom theology is “foundational to the whole of Paul’s thought …. a fundamental component of Paul’s eschatological perspective and underlies the whole of his teaching” (L. J. Kreitzer, “Kingdom of God/Christ” in DPL 524-26).

     ⁴ The noun δικαιοσύνη (“righteousness”) occurs 57 times in Paul’s writings, 33 in Romans; the verbal δικαιόω (to “justify”) occurs 27 times in Paul, 15 in Romans. The various forms of this word group appear in the Pauline letters over a hundred times. 

     ⁵ Outside of Romans, this exact phrase is found in Paul’s writings only in 1 Cor. 4:20. 

     ⁶ Cf. Rom. 1:7; 2:10; 3:17; 8:6; 14:17, 19; 15:13, 33; 16:20. Paul employs this noun a total of 43 times in his letters, and the verbal εἰρηνεύω (12:18) three of its four occurrences in the NT.

     ⁷ W. G. Morrice, “Joy” in DPL 511. Paul includes the noun χαρά (“joy”) 21 times in his letters, and the verb χαίρω (“rejoice”) 29 times (not counting compound and other forms). 

     ⁸ The noun πνεῦμα occurs 35 times in Romans in a variety of senses (1:4, 9; 2:29; 5:5; 7:6; 8:1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 23, 26, 27; 9:1; 11:8; 12:11; 14:17; 15:13, 16, 19, 30). At times there seems to be a merging of allusions, as the renewed spirit of the redeemed is sealed with God’s Spirit and molded into the spirit of Christ (cf. 8:2, 9-11).

     ⁹ Rather than the sense of “boasting,” as in the Corinthian letters, the statement here is in the context of “rejoicing” [καυχάομαι] in hope, rejoicing [καυχάομαι] in sufferings, and rejoicing [καυχάομαι] in God (5:2, 3, 11).

     ¹⁰ See also Rom. 2:16; 10:15, 16; 11:28; 15:16, 19, 20; 16:25.

     ¹¹ Note Paul’s frequent use of the adj. “spiritual” [πνευματικός] (Rom. 1:11; 7:14; 15:27; cf. 1 Cor. 2:13, 15; 3:1; 9:11; 10:3-4; 12:1; 14:1, 37; 15:44, 46; Gal. 6:1; Eph. 1:3; 5:19; 6:12; Col. 1:9; 3:16). Outside of Paul, only 1 Pet. 2:5 in the NT.

     ¹² To be “led by the Spirit of God” (Rom. 8:14) is not a passive experience but requires actively walking according to the S/spirit [πνεῦμα] with intentionality and resolve (8:4-10; cf. 2:6-13; 6:4-22; 7:6, 25; 13:13). We are therefore led by the Spirit of God as we, who abide in Christ, are willfully compliant and faithfully following the Spirit-inspired teachings of God (1:16-17; 6:16-18).

     ¹³ Cf. John 3:27-30; 15:10-11; 16:20-24; Acts 5:41-42; 8:39; 13:52; 2 Cor. 1:24; 2:3; 6:10; 7:4; 8:2; 13:9, 11; Gal. 5:22; Phil 1:3-5, 25; 2:2, 17-18, 29; 3:1; 4:1, 4; Col. 1:11, 24; 2:5; 1 Thess. 1:6; 2:19-20; 3:9; 5:16; 2 Tim. 1:4; Philem. 7; Heb. 10:34; Jas. 1:2-3; 4:9; 1 Pet. 1:8; 4:13; 1 John 1:4; 2 John 4, 12; 3 John 3-4; Rev. 19:7.

     ¹⁴ Cf. Rom. 6:6; 7:6, 25; 9:12; 12:11; 16:18; note also the noun δοῦλος in 1:1; 6:16-20.

     ¹⁵ See also 2 Cor. 5:9-10; Eph. 5:10; Phil. 4:18; Col. 3:20; Heb. 13:21; cf. Tit. 2:9.

     ¹⁶ See also 1 Cor. 11:19; 2 Cor. 10:18; 13:7; 2 Tim. 2:15; Jas. 1:12.

     ¹⁷ Compare 1 Sam. 2:26; Prov. 3:4; Luke 2:52; 2 Cor. 8:21; Phil. 4:5; 2 Tim. 2:24; Tit. 3:2; Heb. 12:14.

     ¹⁸ W. Sanday and A. C. Headlam, Romans 392.

     ¹⁹ See also 1 Cor. 14:1; Phil. 3:12, 14; 1 Thess. 5:15; 1 Tim. 6:11; 2 Tim. 2:22; Heb. 12:14; 1 Pet. 3:11.

     ²⁰ Rom. 1:7; 2:10; 3:17; 5:1; 8:6; 15:13, 33; 16:20; cf. 12:18.

     ²¹ See also 1 Cor. 3:9-11; 14:3, 5, 12, 26; 2 Cor. 10:8; 12:19; 13:10; Eph. 2:21; 4:12, 16, 29. Besides the noun οἰκοδομή, note the comparable use of the verbal οἰκοδομέω in Rom. 15:20; 1 Cor. 8:1; 10:23; 14:4, 17; 1 Thess. 5:11; cf. also 1 Pet. 2:5, 7.

     ²² J. Denney, “Romans” 2:706.

Related Posts: The Weak and Strong: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7

 

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Christian Conduct in an Evil World (Romans 12:9-21)

“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality” (Romans 12:9-13, ESV). 

The Action of Love

Up to this point in the letter the term ἀγάπη (“love”) has been used to describe the love of God and Christ toward us (5:5, 8; 8:35, 39); now the focus is on our love for others (also 13:10; 14:15).¹ “Love is primary, but if it is not sincere, it is not real love but only pretense. When one recalls that Paul paused in his discussion of spiritual gifts to inject a chapter on love (1 Cor 13), it is altogether fitting that he should follow his presentation of spiritual gifts here in Romans with the same emphasis. The whole of the believer’s conduct, in fact, should be bathed in love.”² Hence, if love counts for anything, it is to be “genuine” [ἀνυπόκριτος], “unfeigned,” “without hypocrisy.”³

There are no finite verbs in vv. 10-13, only present tense participles employed as imperatives: “abhorring,” “clinging,” “esteeming,” “being fervent,” “serving,” “rejoicing,” “enduring,” “persevering,” “contributing,” “pursuing.”⁴ This may reflect Paul’s rabbinic training in communicating rules of conduct and perhaps “goes back to a Semitic source originating in very primitive Christian circles. These verses present a very interesting picture of early Christian life, but call for little explanation; they illustrate various aspects of the general command of love …”⁵

By abhorring “evil” and embracing “good,” true love is demonstrated because a profession of love that “does not discriminate good and bad, is both worthless and feigned. God loves us but hates all sin.”⁶ Within God’s family we are to share “brotherly affection” [φιλαδελφία].⁷ “The instinctive craving for superiority is, within the dominant sentiment, so redirected that, instead of desiring superiority for himself, a man desires his associates to excel …. Personal vanity is excluded by a high estimate of the worth of others, and a readiness to undertake the humblest service.”⁸ This leads to “esteeming” [προηγούμενοι] one another in “honor” [τιμή] (cf. 13:7), corresponding to divine honor (cf. 2:7, 10; 9:21), which is especially meaningful and impactful in an honor-shame culture like the first-century Roman world.⁹

Christians are not to be timid or lazy in “zeal” or “diligence” [σπουδή] (cf. v. 8),¹⁰ but “fervent in spirit” [τῷ πνεύματι ζέοντες] (cf. 1:9; 7:6),¹¹ and “serve” the Lord (as slaves) [δουλεύοντες] (cf. 6:6; 7:6, 25; 9:12; 14:18; 16:18).¹² “Rejoice in hope” (cf. 5:2; 8:20-24; 15:4, 13), “be patient in tribulation” (cf. 5:3-5; 8:18),¹³ “be constant in prayer” (cf. 1:10; 15:30). “Christian rejoicing, which endures through affliction, is rooted in the Christian hope of what God will do, and at all times the Christian looks beyond his immediate environment to God in prayer.”¹⁴

Still employing present tense participles, Paul’s next directive concerns the continual “sharing” or “contributing” [κοινωνοῦντες] to the needs of the saints, and continual “pursuing” [διώκοντες]¹⁵ hospitality. The word translated “hospitality” [φιλοξενία] is a compound word in Greek,¹⁶ conveying the basic sense of “friend” [φίλος] of “a stranger” [ξένος]. Due to the scarceness and poor conditions of public lodging in antiquity, providing visitors with food and shelter under one’s own roof was a virtual necessity. The practice was deeply rooted in ancient society, highly valued, and even viewed as an obligation. The large number of itinerant evangelists and other Christian travelers made this particularly relevant to the early church. NT writers consistently remind their readers of this duty,¹⁷ according to “standards much more widely recognized and lauded.”¹⁸ The prospect of receiving and serving Christ himself (Matt. 10:40; 25:31-45) was of far greater significance than the secular ideas of reciprocity or honor and shame.

Paul is calling upon his readers to “put into practice the love and concern for one another that he has mentioned earlier (v. 10) …. to have fellowship with, to participate in, the ‘needs’ of the saints. These ‘needs’ are material ones: food, clothing, and shelter … sharing of our material goods …. to go out of our way to welcome and provide for travelers.”¹⁹

Selfless Empathy and Humility

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight” (Romans 12:14-16).

The Greek term rendered “persecute” [διώκοντες] is the same word used in v. 13 for “pursuing,” although it is hard for English translation to make this connection. There is an apparent echo of the Lord’s directive, “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt. 5:44), with added emphasis in the negative form.²⁰ From a Christian perspective the apostle is reminding his readers, “Even under persecution one should not allow himself to be so preoccupied with his own troubles that he becomes insensitive to the needs of others…. To share with others is never more meaningful than when one is hard pressed to find a sufficient supply for himself.”²¹

Particularly for the Roman saints these were fitting reminders considering what they would experience within the next seven-and-a-half years. On the night of 18th July 64 a fire will break out in Rome, and five days later at least three of the city’s fourteen divisions will be destroyed. Nero will then blame Christians for the disaster and instigate brutal hostilities against them that will last until his suicide 9th June 68 (cf. Tacitus, Annals 15.38-44; Suetonius, Life of Nero16.2).²²

Love shares both joy and suffering, requiring a humble disposition that exchanges prideful envy for genuine empathy (cf. 11:20; 1 Cor. 13:4-5). As everyone in the community puts the needs and interests of others before self, the inevitable result is “harmony with one another” (cf. 15:5).²³

Strive for Peace

“Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:17-21).

With negative admonitions reinforced by their positive counterparts, further demonstrations of genuine love are listed.²⁴ It is implied here that living “peaceably²⁵ with all” (whether within or without the Christian community) is not always possible, nor does it always depend “on you.” But when it is possible and can be achieved with Christlike attitudes, words, and behavior, peaceable relations with everyone are to be pursued (cf. 1:7; 2:10; 3:17; 8:6; 14:17, 19). The theme of “revenge” and “retribution” is the connecting link to the next chapter, where “Paul continues to expound the meaning of this Christian love (agapē) in terms of what is ‘due’ to all men …”²⁶ 

Paul is discussing how a Christian is to react when wrongfully treated, overcoming evil with good, and in v. 20 he quotes Proverbs 25:21-22. If heaping coals of fire on someone’s head is a metaphoric description of vengeance or punishment (cf. Psa. 11:6; 140:10), this is to be left to God (v. 19; cf. 2 Thess. 1:8). In the meantime, we follow the teachings and example of Jesus in how we treat others and respond to their maltreatment (cf. Matt. 5:43-45; 7:12).27 In so doing we not only demonstrate the stark contrast between the ways of the world and the ways of Christ, we can more effectively trigger burning shame and remorse in the conscience of evildoers (cf. Prov. 15:1).

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ R. Mohrlang, Romans 187. Later Paul alludes to “the love of the Spirit” (15:30).

     ² E. F. Harrison, “Romans” 132.

     ³ Cf. 2 Cor. 6:6; 1 Tim. 1:5; 2 Tim. 1:5; Jas. 3:17; 1 Pet. 1:22.

     ⁴ “Such are the marks of conduct which is not dictated by mere obedience to precept, but produced by the re-direction of instinctive energy within a dominant sentiment” (C. H. Dodd, Romans 198-99).

     ⁵ C. K. Barrett, Romans 239-40. 

     ⁶ J. A. Beet, Romans 338. 

     ⁷ In its metaphorical sense, this compound word does not appear to have been used prior to the NT era (C. K. Barrett, Romans 240). See also 1 Thess. 4:9; Heb. 13:1; 1 Pet. 1:22; 2 Pet. 1:7.

     ⁸ C. H. Dodd, Romans 198-99. 

     ⁹ See K. L. Moore, “Honor and Shame,” Moore Perspective (3 July 2019), <https://kmooreperspective.blogspot.com/2019/07/the-sociocultural-context-of-new_3.html>. 

     ¹⁰ Cf. 2 Cor. 7:11-12; 8:7-8, 16; Heb. 6:11; 2 Pet. 1:5.

     ¹¹ Cf. Acts 18:25. Reference here to “the [Holy] Spirit” (Amp, CEV, CSB, ISV) is less likely. See comments 1:4; 2:29.

     ¹² Matt. 6:24; Luke15:29; 16:13; John 8:33; Acts 7:7; 20:19; Gal. 4:8, 9, 25; 5:13; Eph. 6:7; Phil. 2:22; Col. 3:24; 1 Thess. 1:9; 1 Tim. 6:2; Tit. 3:3. 

     ¹³ “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Cor. 13:7). 

     ¹⁴ C. K. Barrett, Romans 240; cf. W. Sanday and A. C. Headlam, Romans 362. 

     ¹⁵ This is the same word used in v. 14 but with a very different meaning. 

     ¹⁶ Cf. also Heb. 13:2, the only other occurrence of this word in the NT. The adj. φιλόξενος is found in 1 Tim. 3:2; Tit. 1:8; 1 Pet. 4:9.

     ¹⁷ Note, e.g., 1 Tim. 5:10; Heb. 13:2; 1 Pet. 4:9; 3 John 5-8; cf. also Acts 2:44-45; 4:35; 6:3; 20:34; 28:10; Eph. 4:28; Phil. 2:25; 4:16; Tit. 3:14; 1 John 3:17; Rev. 3:17. 

     ¹⁸ J. D. G. Dunn, Theology of Paul 677. Letters of recommendation helped open doors of hospitality for traveling Christians (Rom. 16:1-2; 1 Cor. 16:10-12; cf. Phil. 2:25-30; Col. 4:7-9; Eph. 6:21-22). “There are hints in the Pauline letters and elsewhere in the New Testament that ordinary Christians traveling to another city could already expect to find accommodation with ‘brothers,’ very likely following a custom established among diaspora Jews. Thus hospitality is already among the virtues of the Christian common life stressed in the traditional admonitions Paul includes in his letter to the Romans (12:13)” (W. A. Meeks, First Urban Christians 109, 230 n. 169). E. A. Judge comments further, “Security and hospitality when traveling had traditionally been the privilege of the powerful, who had relied upon a network of patronage and friendship, created by wealth. The letters of recommendation disclose the fact that these domestic advantages were now extended to the whole household of faith, who are accepted on trust, though complete strangers” (The Conversion of Rome 7).

     ¹⁹ D. J. Moo, Romans 779-80. Jesus and his immediate disciples were able to devote full attention to spiritual service because of the benevolent assistance of others (Matt. 10:9-14; 26:17-19; Mark 9:28, 33; Luke 8:3; 10:4-8; 19:5; 24:28-29; Acts 1:13). While financial contributions were still necessary (1 Cor. 9:4-14; 2 Cor. 11:7-9), there were many other ways God’s servants could be supported (cf. Rom. 12:4-13; Gal. 6:16). Paul clearly relied on the hospitality and provision of his fellow-Christians (Acts 9:19; 16:15, 34; 18:1-3; 20:11; 21:4, 7-10, 16-17; 28:13-14; 24:23; Rom. 15:24; 16:2, 23; 1 Cor. 16:6; Gal. 1:18; Philem. 22; 2 Tim. 1:16-18; cf. 2 Tim. 4:13). Leadership in the church was also predicated upon being hospitable (1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:8). On the negative side, see Luke 9:51-55; 2 John 7-11; 3 John 9-11. 

     ²⁰ H. C. G. Moule, Romans 338; W. Sanday and A. C. Headlam, Romans 363.

     ²¹ E. F. Harrison, “Romans” 133. 

     ²² The question is whether the persecution began immediately or took about a year to actuate; the excesses of these hostilities appear to have been diminishing by 67 (see J. Murphy-O’Connor, Paul: A Critical Life 368-71; J. B. Polhill, Paul and His Letters 438-40). According to tradition both Paul and Peter were executed during the Neronian persecution. See Eusebius, Eccl. Hist. 3.1.3; 2.25.1-8; I Clement 5.1-7; the Acts of Paul; the Acts of Peter; John Chrysostom, Oppugnatores Vitae Monasticae 1.3.

     ²³ 1 Cor. 1:10; 8:1, 13; 10:24, 33; 13:1-13; 16:14; 2 Cor. 13:11; Eph. 4:1-3; Phil. 1:27–2:8; 4:2. 

     ²⁴ Compare Matt. 5:43-44; 1 Cor. 13:5-6; 1 Thess. 5:15; 1 Pet. 3:9.

     ²⁵ On the verbal εἰρηνεύω, see also Mark 9:50; 2 Cor. 13:11; 1 Thess. 5:13. The noun form εἰρήνη is much more prolific (92 times in the NT; 43 in Paul).

     ²⁶ J. A. T. Robinson, Wrestling with Romans 135. 

     ²⁷ Jesus brings peace to and among the receptive and compliant (John 14:27; 16:33) but the opposite to those who resist his authority and teaching (Matt. 10:34-36). When we strive to live like Christ, therefore, some folks are provoked to wrath (cf. John 15:18-20).

Related Posts: Responsibility to Government (Rom 13:1-7): Part 1

 

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Justification = Peace with God, Grace, Hope, Rejoicing, and Glory

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:1-2, ESV). 

Justified by God

“Therefore” [οὖν], flowing from the last two verses of the previous chapter, this conjunction signals what is to be concluded from all that Paul has been saying about being “justified by faith” (1:16–4:25). The aorist tense of “justified” [δικαιωθέντες] “is not a once-for-all act of God. It is rather the initial acceptance by God into restored relationship. But thereafter the relationship could not be sustained without God continuing to exercise his justifying righteousness with a view to the final act of judgment and acquittal.”¹

Peace with God

As justified believers we now enjoy incredible blessings. The first two listed here (“peace” and “grace”) comprise the opening greeting of every Pauline letter and recur near the end of almost all of them. The idea of “peace [εἰρήνη]² with God” means his wrath has been appeased (cf. 1:18; 3:25) to enable reconciliation. This is “an objective state of peace, not simply a feeling of peacefulness…. enmity is exchanged for peaceful relations.”³ As such, peace with God is not the absence of external turmoil (v. 3) but is synonymous with justification, salvation, and reconciliation (vv. 9-10). It is “our duty to enjoy to the full the new state of peace with Him which we owe to our Lord Jesus Messiah.”⁴

Grace of God

There is also “grace” [χάρις].⁵ Of the 154 occurrences of χάρις in the NT, almost two-thirds are in Paul’s writings, with the heaviest concentration in Romans. The expression essentially conveys God’s “undeserved favor,” a primary motivator in the apostle’s own life and ministry.⁶ “The theology of Paul was neither born nor sustained by or as a purely cerebral exercise. It was his own experience of grace which lay at its heart.”⁷

Hope in God

Next is “hope” [ἐλπίς] (cf. vv. 4-5),⁸ introduced at 4:18-21 and inextricably linked to faith. This is not a frail expression of uncertainty but an unshakable confidence in God, an earnest expectation of something sure. There seems to be somewhat of a tension in Paul (and other NT writers) between now and not yet. Our justification grants us immediate procurement of “peace” and “grace,” while “hope” looks to the future (cf. 8:24-25). “Clearly no scope is even envisaged for a wholly ‘realized’ understanding of the process of salvation …. its wholeness belonging to the not yet.”⁹

At the same time, because of this confident hope, Paul not only speaks of salvation in terms of the future¹⁰ but also of the past,¹¹ present,¹² and both simultaneously,¹³ albeit contingent upon ongoing faithfulness.¹⁴ This is something in which we “rejoice” [καυχάομαι] (cf. vv. 3, 11; contrast 2:17, 23). Although on our own merits we fall short of God’s “glory” [δόξα] (3:23), “we rejoice in hope” of the glorious future with him in view of his grace and peace (cf. 1:23; 3:7; 4:20; 6:4; 11:36; 15:7; 16:27).

Our Faith Response

All this is possible “through our Lord Jesus Christ” (cf. v. 11). Over half of this chapter’s first eleven verses highlight the Lord’s propitiatory/expiatory work, with particular emphasis on his sacrificial death (1, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11; cf. 3:25; 4:25). The occasion of having “obtained access by faith into this grace” is clarified further in the next chapter in regard to the faith-response of baptism “into his death” (6:3-4). A penitent believer’s relation to God drastically changes when sins are forgiven by Christ’s blood at baptism,¹⁵ which Paul himself had experienced,¹⁶ appropriating the “grace in which we stand.” 

The verbal ἵστημι (to “stand”), a complementary metaphor of “walk,”¹⁷ is applied to the firm steadfastness of “this grace,” as well as faith (11:20; 2 Cor. 1:24), gospel obedience (1 Cor. 15:1), and confidence in God’s will (Col. 4:12; cf. 2 Tim. 2:19).

Conclusion

All that God has accomplished through our Lord Jesus Christ is accessible by faith, trusting in him to do what he promised when we believe and do what he says. As a result we have peace with God, access to grace, rejoicing in hope of our future glory.

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ J. D. G. Dunn, Theology of Paul the Apostle 386. Cf. also D. J. Moo, Romans 298-99. 

     ² Cf. Rom. 1:7; 2:10; 3:17; 8:6; 14:17, 19; 15:13, 33; 16:20.

     ³ S. E. Porter, “Peace, Reconciliation,” in DPL 695.

     ⁴ W. Sanday and A. C. Headlam, Romans 118.

     ⁵ Cf. Rom. 1:5, 7; 3:24; 4:4, 16; 5:15, 17, 20, 21; 6:1, 14, 15, 17; 7:25; 11:5, 6; 12:3, 6; 15:15; 16:20, 24. Every letter in the Pauline corpus concludes with a “grace” benediction in which the divine source of grace is the Lord Jesus, while the peace benedictions attribute the divine source of peace to God.

     ⁶ 1 Cor. 15:10; cf. 1 Cor. 9:16-23; Gal. 1:15-16; Eph. 2:7; 3:8; 1 Tim. 1:14; Tit. 2:11-14.

     ⁷ J. D. G. Dunn, Theology of Paul the Apostle 179. “Every line of this passage breathes St. Paul's personal experience, and his intense hold upon the objective facts which are the grounds of a Christian's confidence” (W. Sanday and A. C. Headlam, Romans 119).

     ⁸ Cf. Rom. 4:18; 8:20, 24; 12:12; 15:4, 13.

     ⁹ J. D. G. Dunn, Theology of Paul the Apostle 471. 

     ¹⁰ Rom. 5:9-10; 9:27; 10:9, 13; 11:26; 1 Cor. 3:15; 5:5.

     ¹¹ Rom. 8:24; Tit. 3:5.

     ¹² Rom. 10:10; 1 Cor. 1:18; 15:2; 2 Cor. 2:15; 2 Thess. 2:13.

     ¹³ Eph. 2:5, 8; 2 Tim. 1:9.

     ¹⁴ 1 Cor. 5:1-5, 11; 8:11; 9:27; 15:1-2; 2 Cor. 2:15; 6:1; Gal. 1:6-9; 5:4; 1 Thess. 3:5; 1 Tim. 1:19; 4:1; cf. Matt. 18:12; 26:31; 24:13, 42, 44-51; John 6:66, 70-71; Heb. 2:1-3; 3:12-14; 4:1, 11; 6:4-8, 11; 10:23, 26-38; 12:1-7, 15, 25; Jas. 5:19-20; 1 Pet. 2:25; 2 Pet. 2:1-3, 18-21; Rev. 2–3. 

     ¹⁵ Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; John 3:3-5; Acts 2:37-41, 47; 8:12, 35-39; 10:33, 47-48; 16:14-15, 29-34; 18:8; 19:1-5; Rom. 6:4; 1 Cor. 1:14, 16; 12:13; Gal. 3:26-27; Eph. 4:5; 5:26; Col. 2:12; Tit. 3:5; Heb. 10:22; 1 Pet. 3:20-21; 1 John 5:6-8.

     ¹⁶ Acts 9:18b; 22:16; cf. 1 Cor. 12:13.  

     ¹⁷ Rom. 4:12; 6:4; 8:1, 4; 13:13.

Related Posts: Rejoice in Sufferings (Rom 5:3-5), Broad Reach of Justification (Rom 5:12-21): Part 1, Baptism: Death, Burial, Resurrection (Rom 6:1-4) 

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