Exposition by Max A Forsythe
Christ Covenant Reformed (PCA)
I
still wonder how, in my short lifetime, our culture has strayed so very very far
from the reasonable assumptions and functions of the traditional civilization
once found in our Western world?
These included punishment for crime and sin, a reasonable and responsible
authority, and a common commitment to a civilized culture based upon biblical
revelations and on the intellectual foundations of the Reformation.
From these foundations developed our capitalistic economy and democratic
principles.
One does not have to look very far to see how very short of these ideals
society has fallen.
And we have become contented with the result!
Any reminder of where we once were and what we once believed is
impolitely ignored.
Is there a lesson here that those who value and cherish that once-theominist
era ought to learn
Have
all the “passing
glories” of
Western Civilization been taken away to convince us once again that salvation is
by grace alone?
Had we erected too proudly a Western cultural edifice, by which we
assumed the Kingdom had already been brought in?
With all of that said, perhaps we are ready to appreciate Paul’s words
to the high Jewish culture of the decades when Jesus Christ first came.
Certainly, the Jewish world had fallen from its once independent state a
millennium before, but there was the grandness of the Temple, the influence of
noted teachers and the beauties of the holy city.
Even the peace of Rome protected the Jewish faith specifically from the
worst of cultural affectations, since the Jews alone were exempt from an
inclusive religious subordination to the gods, goddesses and wisdom of Rome.
The
key words in our text for today are in the middle of verse twenty-one. “Apart
from the law”
is the emphasis of the transitional verse before us.
John Murray
emphasizes the contrast between two relations,
“dependence on the law and independence on the law.”
He goes on to say that “When
Paul says ‘without the law’
the absoluteness of this negation must not be toned down.”
The implication, he argues, is “that
in justification there is no contribution, preparatory, accessory, or
subsidiary, that is given by works of law.”
Even
as we say this we must comprehend that, just as the Jewish culture was
established upon and modeled on their understanding of the revealed Law, so was
our Western Civilization equally established on the the same principles, by our
own reformers.
Ever and always the temptation faced by God’s elect is to erect a false
religion upon the true faith once given to the saints.
Very regularly we might learn from history -- and more importantly, from
theology -- that faith, not practice, is the essential commodity in our
relationship to the Father through Jesus Christ.
Even when the Law and the prophets of the Old Covenant and the apostles
and teachers of the New Covenant tell us plainly what we are to believe and in
whom we must believe, we have completely failed to maintain the purity of that
faith throughout all of recorded history.
Well
spoken is the observation of Paul in verse twenty-three, on a personal and on a
cultural level as well.
“There
is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
This falling short is deep and complex.
Murray takes the phrase here to refer to a condition, not an action.
So we might well learn that the whole of our actions, in response to
salvation, are of less value than the God-given grace of our saved condition.
English translations and the arrangements of the phrases here in verses
twenty-three and four are not wholly adequate to reflect the complexities of the
Greek.
Here in these verses is the transition of all that has gone before; Here
Paul introduces the grand theme of history: The grace of God justifying us
freely, through Christ Jesus.
This
is the Good News that follows necessarily, after Paul’s pointed references to
mankind’s fallen sinful nature, which is revealed by the law and even sinfully
amplified in our poor attempts to institutionalize the Law of God.
Thus the Good News is the positive complement to the focus of verse
twenty and the passages that have led us to the declaration of justification by
grace through redemption.
“Therefore
no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the Law,” Paul
declares in verse twenty.
He says this to prepare us for the focus of verse twenty-five, where we
see the costly price by which justification was procured.
Years
ago, as my generation became men in and went through boot camp, our Drill
Instructor
was almost killed when one of least effective recruits -- the very one
whose father had passed along complaints about the rigors of our training --
dropped a live hand grenade.
If any of us had been the DI, we would have left him with his own problem
and jumped for cover.
But as we watched, our DI pushed the man to the ground, grabbed the
grenade and dropped it over the concrete wall before falling on top of the
fumbler to protect him.
Very many people were impressed that day with our Sergeant Roy, who
risked his own life for that of the useless complainer, who showed his gratitude
and his political pull -- even in the sixties! -- by getting out of the Army.
How much more may we appreciate the awesome action of our Savior God who
provided a sacrifice of atonement in and through Jesus Christ.
All we have to do is accept the reports of what Christ was doing, that
have been recorded for our benefit.
The
day that our Sergeant risked his life, only a few of the people in our platoon
saw the whole thing.
It took some convincing for everyone to accept the fact of what we had
seen.
F.F. Bruce remarks on the biblical record here, that “this
... is the way in which God has demonstrated His righteousness - He has
vindicated His own character and at the same time He bestows a righteous status
on sinful men.” He
continues to explain the observation of Paul in verses twenty-five and
twenty-six by stating that God “was showing them mercy in prospect of the
demonstration of His righteousness.”
Because the Father knew what was going to happen, He could pass over the
sins which were committed before the coming of Christ, instead of exacting the
full penalty that was due.
Finally
we come to the concluding four verses of this important section.
Here is where my military image falls flat.
At the end of basic training, whether it be Marine, Army, Navy boot camps
or even the Air Force sandal camp, the ones who have passed muster are anything
but humble!
The purpose of the military method is to produce people who will take on
impossible tasks and accomplish them.
I don’t know of any Marine who uses the word without a little bit of
chest-thumping pride.
By
contrast, Paul tells us that there is no cause of boasting.
Our understanding of election should help us appreciate that except for
the gracious mercy of our Father in heaven, we too would be going the way of the
wicked in our day.
Why were we chosen and others allowed to go on by on their merry way to
the infernal regions?
God only knows.
We come into Christ’s Kingdom not by observing the Law, but by faith.
It does us no good to have been civilized, it does us no good to have
been part of the church, it does us no good to have been born of the right
parents.
It is by faith that we are saved and that faith is a gracious gift from
God through the Holy Spirit.
What then are we to make of the revealed law of God? What purpose has been served? Paul asks, then answers, “Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all!” While the church did go on and set aside the ceremonial laws of the Old Covenant, Calvin teaches that “the moral law is truly confirmed and established through faith in Christ, since it was given to teach man of his iniquity, and to lead him to Christ, without whom the law is not fulfilled.” Thus we may understand that even if all aspects of Western Civilization are set aside, just as the Jewish culture of the Old Covenant, there still remains a saving grace taught to us from all of Scripture. Yes, we may treasure the human traditions of the Reformation period just as the Jews treasured their Old Covenant history, but history, culture, civilization and all the rest, which have been based on the revealed Law, do not save. Only faith in Christ saves us. May we cling to Him alone as we make our way until He comes. Amen.
Resources Used: The Holy Bible, New International Version
Places Preached:Bruce, F.F. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries: Romans. Mackenzie, R. Calvin's New Testament Commentaries: Romans. Murray, John. New International Commentary: Epistle to Romans.
Christ Covenant REFORMED (Presbyterian Church in America) Post Office Box 13926 - Columbus, OH 43213-7926
Rom03c.htm 25 June 95
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