Free Indeed

This commentary on the book of Romans will not only give its readers a verse by verse explanation of the book’s contents, but will show how the power of the gospel can set the captives of sin free. It will explore our state as sinners and God’s solution to our problem. In short, our freedom from the power of sin is found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the one who has set us free to walk in newness of the Spirit. The readers of this book will first be introduced to the gospel as the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes (Rom 1:16). They will then learn of God’s righteous standards and discover that because of sin they stand as guilty sinners in God’s court. Because God is righteous, He cannot be in the presence of sin. In fact, His wrath is revealed against all ungodliness and those who suppress the truth in unrighteousness (Rom 1:18). It is the gospel (the good news) that reveals mankind’s need to be delivered from God’s wrath and clothed in the righteousness of Christ. Both are accomplished at salvation. When a person receives Jesus Christ as Savior, he is forgiven of his sins and receives, as a free gift, the righteousness of Christ. God’s wrath is now averted away from the sinner and unto Christ: For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (2 Cor 5:21). This verse speaks of the exchange that took place at the cross; Jesus took our sins upon Him and, in exchange, has given to us His righteousness. It was us, not Christ, who sinned against a holy God, but it was Christ, not us, who bore the punishment for our sins. The incredible gospel message tells us how we, as ungodly sinners, can be declared righteous before a holy God. This unconditional act of love is spoken of as the gift of God (Rom 6:23), given to those who don’t deserve it. This gift is received by faith: He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God (John 3:18). It is a gift that expresses God’s love for us, a love that motivated Him to send His Son, Jesus, into the world to become our substitute. As our substitute He died on the cross in our place. 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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world: but that the world through him might be saved (Rom 3:16, 17). As we continue in the book of Romans, we discover one word to describe God’s assessment of the whole human race: guilty. We also learn that there is no amount of good works that can reverse this verdict. The only one who can change man’s verdict from guilty to not guilty is God, and it is only done as sinners throw themselves at His mercy and cry out to Him for salvation. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23). Even our righteous acts, as far as salvation is concerned, are described as filthy rags in God’s sight (Isa 64:6). The only way we could ever stand before a holy God is for us to be perfect. Since none of us meet this description, we remain in our sins until we come to Jesus, the one who has taken them away. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (John 14:6). This means that Jesus is the only way to heaven. One cannot earn his way into heaven by doing good things or by trying to live a perfect life, and he will not get there because of his status in life. It is not of works, lest any man should boast (Eph 2:9). If a man could earn his way into heaven or get there because of his status in life, he would have something to boast about. God, however, will share His glory with no man (Isa 42:8). Not only have all sinned, but the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23). Death means separation from God for all eternity. The reason why all have sinned is because we have inherited the sinful nature of Adam: Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned (Rom 5:12). Everyone born into the world has inherited the sinful nature of Adam and are reckoned as sinners in God’s sight. Sinners must become righteous through the power of the new birth before they can stand before God, and the only way we can become righteous is to have the righteousness of Christ credited to our account (Rom 4:6). The wages of sin is death (separation from God for all eternity) but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom 6:23). This verse gives individuals only two options: they can receive the wages of their sins, or they can receive the free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. If we choose to pay our own penalty for sins, we will spend eternity separated from God. If, on the other hand, we receive Christ as our only hope, we will receive his unconditional gift of eternal life. Scripture declares: 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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation…For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Rom 10:9, 10, 13). Because of man’s spiritual condition, he is in need of a new heart, something that only God can give. It’s not a reformation that he is in need of, but a total transformation. Jesus said, Verily, verily, I say unto thee; Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). It is only after God imparts new life into sinners that they will be fit for heaven: Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption (1 Cor 15:50). Paul declared: But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quicked us together with Christ (by grace are ye saved;) and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:4-6). As believers, we will never be condemned for our sins (Rom 8:1) because Christ was condemned in our place. When he took our sins at the cross He paid the penalty for all of them, past, present and future. Not only has He forgiven us of all our sins, He has given us new life: His life. He did not merely reform us; He transformed us: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Cor 5:17). Salvation involves an inner change, not an outward conformity. Without the inward work of the Spirit, the best an unbeliever can do is profess that he is a Christian. However, a profession only will not allow a sinner access into God’s heaven. Unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). When a person is born again by the power of the Holy Spirit, that person is justified—declared not guilty—and stands before God as righteous. This new standing in grace results in peace with God and the assurance of salvation: The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God (Rom 8:16).