Notes from a message preached by Dr J Stewart Gillespie on: Romans Chp 2 Vs 17 to 29: 'The Religious Sinner' A section that deals with the failings of the Jewish people At last a section that I can fall asleep during! Of no relevance to me! I can see the relevance of Chps 1 + 2: The Power of the Gospel to change lives (Rom1:1) The Proof of the Gospel in personal experience (Rom1:1), in the Promise of the Gospel (1:2) in the Person in the Gospel (1:3) in the Power of His resurrection (1:4) in the Product of the Gospel in changed lives (1:5) That section on doubts and deliverance (1:1-7) The Result of the Gospel (1:8-17) in changed lives The descent of man (1:18-32) rejecting the Worship of God, the Ways of God, the Wisdom of God and the Works of God But here is a section that I can switch off on – there is no relevance to me, it is about where the Jewish people of old went wrong! Before you dismiss it altogether, a word of caution, where the Jew of yesterday went wrong the professing Church of today goes wrong! I can see many parallels between the condition of the Jew of Romans 3 and the professing believer of Revelation 3:20 at Laodicea – the Church of the last days of the Church age; Christ is on the outside: “I stand at the door and knock...” a condition so very similar to the nation of Israel at the 1st coming of Christ: “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” (Joh 1:11) the condition of Israel at His 1st coming is the same as the condition of the Church as His 2nd Coming approaches; He is on the outside! We have outward formality but no inward reality We have religion but no relationship We have a church but no Christ v1 – there is one obvious problem with the conclusion Paul has so far drawn from his examination of all peoples at all times, all concluded under sin (3:23) Paul has concluded all under sin: The Rotten Sinner of Rom1 The Self Righteous Sinner of Rom2 The Religious Sinner of Rom 2 In Johns Gospel we find: Things we don't know (John 21:21-22) Things we will know (Jo13:7) Things we ought to know (Jo3:10) Things we know but we didn't know that we knew them (Jo14:5,6,9) All of the above represents a journey of learning into the infinity of Gods ways and purposes. All of the above represent encounters between Christ and those seeking for the truth. In Johns gospel there is also another group, another attitude and a different spirit. People who think they know it all! They thought they knew the prophets (John 7:40-44,52) They thought they knew the law (Jo8:4-9) They thought they knew the scriptures (Jo5:39) They thought they knew God (Jo8:54-55) They thought they knew Christ (Jo7:12,20) They thought they knew the Father (Jo8:33,39,44) There are few things in our life so dangerous as a conviction drawn from inadequate information, not just in Johns gospel: Matt22:23ff. It might be the best conclusion we can draw but if we don't have the right information we draw the wrong conclusion. It seems that confidence is no guarantee of certainty! It seems that you can be wrong! When it comes to salvation, be very careful about getting it wrong! It will certainly come out in the wash but by then it will be too late; “depart from me I never knew you.” In Romans 2:17-29 we are dealing with the same people as in Johns gospel! In this section there are those who think they have salvation sussed! “Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,” (Rom 2:17) They have a 3 X confidence and a '3 fold cord is not easily broken!' There 3 Fold Confidence / 3 Fold Boast:

1. Jew - Racial Claims – Race
2. Law - Righteous Claims – Rules
3. God - Religious Claims – Religion

We may well ask: 'so what is wrong with all of that?'

Law - Righteous Claims – Rules

They had learned the desires of God They had gained knowledge (v18) and understanding, they knew the “will” of God, they had an understanding of what was pleasing to God in any given situation, a great advantage, they understood the desires of God. What do you do if someone says: 'I've a great new god come and worship it with me'? The men of chapter 1 would have jumped on the band wagon but not the Jew they had the commands of God: “Thou shalt worship no other God except Me”

What do you do if society begins to say that life is expendable, that human life is not valuable simply because it is human life, that some lifes can be destroyed for purposes of convenience? The Jew knew the desires of God; “thou shalt not kill.”

What do you do when the government of the land loses its discernment into a pit of deep rooted moral corruption, when politicians are easily swayed by men and woman pursuing their own lusts, and laws begin to change permitting the union of men with men and women with women. The Jew knew the desires of God on this: “male and female created He them.” How quickly and easily and clearly the Word of God deals with moral errors of their day and of ours too!

Paul will give a few simple and clear examples of these (2:21,22), not hard to understand. They had learned the discernment of God Even beyond that they had learned discernment: “approvest the things that are more excellent” - a sensitivity not only to outright evil but an ability to choose the best. Not only what was right but what was best! There can be a subtlety and a sensitivity to that! The Jew had gone beyond the expectations of some Christians with: 'what is the harm in it?' Many an excuse can be used for sin when God given discernment is lost:

Lot (Gen19:20): “this city is near to flee unto...it is a little one.”. Its a smaller sin than the last one! Its just ½ the size! I've cut down, not so much, not so often. It's a little one! Maybe it is but its still a sin!

Achan (Joshua 7:20ff): “a goodly Babylonish garment...” Its a good one. Shame to let it go to waste!

Saul (1Sam15:9ff): He kept the “best of the sheep”. Its the best one!

How we need the Word of God to keep us from compromise! Times might change, the world might change but as God looks down on our tiny sinful, little planet He does not feel compelled to keep up with latest fashions upon earth. Our God does not change and His Word does not change!

His Word keeps us from compromise:

Shammah (2Sam23:11) defends a field of lentils against the Philistines, doesn't matter the value, they belong to the king! No compromise.

David (1Sam17:34) rescues a lamb from the mouth of the lion, he's the shepherd and it is his lamb, no compromise!

They had learned direction from God In a dark world they were able to “guide” the heathen, they had direction (2:19) They considered themselves doctors of Gods Law They considered themselves to be “instructors” and “teachers” the word for doctors of the law (cf. Luke 2:46) It didn't bring them any closer to Him! What's the problem? The difference between knowing and doing! Rules can tell us what's right but they can't make you righteous! “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” (Rom 3:20)

God - Religious Claims – Religion (v23-24)

Made their “boast of God” (v17) Actually they caused others to “blaspheme” God (v24) They had : Broken His Laws (v23) Blasphemed His name (v24) There religion did not bring them into a relationship Do you bring honour to God (v23) or Glory to His name (v24)?

Jew - Racial Claims – Race (v25-29)

If their religion lacked relationship then then racial claims lacked reality They had the token and the sign of circumcision but the reality of it Circumcision had been given to Abraham as a token of Gods covenant (Gen 17). The promises passed to the next generation by Gods election and not by natura; generation: they passed onto Isaac the son of promise and not to Ishmael! Circumsion was a sign of Gods promise to Abraham, a covenant. Did Abraham have a side to keep in this promise? That covenant did begin with a command to Abraham: “... the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.” (Gen 17:1) This covenant was a sovereign act of God in grace but it was also set in the context of Abraham's spiritual and moral conditions!

God had chosen Abraham, a man who God had marked out by:

1. Separation by Faith (Gen12:1)
2. Justification by Faith (Gen15:6)
3. Sanctification by Faith (Gen14:23)
4. Consecration by Faith (Gen17:1)

Abraham had one thing to do as part of this covenant “thou shalt keep my covenant” (17:9) – to circumcise his male offspring! What did that circumcision on the 8th day mean? If it meant anything it meant separation and consecration from the world around. Abraham was different and his seed had to be different No point in claiming the token (Gen17:11) and denying the reality!

https://graceinchrist.org/romans

"The judgement of God is according to truth" (2:2)
cf. Joshua 24:14
cf. John 4:23
cf. John 14:6
All "truth" comes from God
Therefore the rejection of TRUTH is the rejection of God!
Embracing that which is false is a rejection of that which is true.
Whilst the believer is captivated by He who is the TRUTH the world is fascinated by fallacy and fiction
Our appreciation of the sum total body of truth will be different
No man knows all of the truth
All have a different grasp of, a different appreciation or assimilation of the truth
We are not judged as to how much of the truth we know - not ATTAINMENT
Not judged as to how deeply we understand the TRUTH
But we are judged as to our ATTITUDE to the truth
"But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath." (2:8)
This attitude to the truth reveals our attitude of heart, wither it be the rejection of:

1. Gods Glory in Creation – CREATION
2. Gods Goodness in Conscience – CONSCIENCE
3. Gods Grace in Covenant promise – COVENANT
4. Gods Gospel in Christ - CHRIST

At different points in time and in different dispensations God has been rejected by man at these different levels
Irrespective as to what point man rejected the truth the end result is the same man rejected the truth from God and the truth of God.
That testimony of truth (Romans 2:2) which is rejected by man (Romans 2:8) is in fact different aspects of the truth concerning Christ (2:16) - judgement according to truth is judgement "by Jesus Christ"

1. Creation - is the revelation of the Creatorial Glory of Christ (John1:1;Col1)
2. Conscience - is the moral light from Christ (John1:9)
3. Gospel is the revelation of the Redemptive Glory of Christ

It matters not which one of these spheres of Divine truth we reject - in rejecting 1 we reject Christ.
God has revealed His truth and man has rejected His truth
God is not morally obliged to present Gods truth in Christ so I can reject that too!
All men will be judged as to their attitude to the TRUTH
Some will be judged as having rejected the revelation of:

1. Gods TRUTH in CREATION
2. Gods TRUTH in CONSCIENCE
3. Gods TRUTH in COVENANT
4. Gods TRUTH in CHRIST

The common point is the same
All have rejected Gods truth
If I have an illness, eg a life threatening infection there are various ways I can avoid being cured:

1. I can refuse to believe that I am ill, its not real, don't believe in illness, its all in the mind and therefore never seek medical help at all! - denial of Gods testimony in creation
2. I can refuse to believe the doctors diagnosis - he's a bit dramatic that doctor, terrible for exaggerating, the bleak diagnosis troubles my conscience and so I reject it - refuse conscience!
3. I can refuse to take the medicine, I don't like banana flavoured antibiotics - refuse salvation!

It doesn't matter at which point I reject the truth: in this case I have a life threatening infection and need urgent treatment, the outcome is the same!

Notes from a message preached on the Epistle of the Romans:

Romans Chp2 Vs1: 'Conscience an Echo out of Eden' - JS Gillespie (11/11/2008

1. The Corruption and the Condemnation of Conscience (v1)
2. The Source and the Standard of Conscience (v2)
3. The Problem and the Purpose of Conscience (v3-4)
4. The Response to and the Results of Conscience (v5-12)
5. The Evidence and Experience of Conscience (v13-16)

The Corruption and the Condemnation of Conscience (v1) Anyone who can appreciate that there is a problem with the list of 23 moral evils in Romans 1:29-32 has a major problem on their hands – they are fit for hell! Gen39:6-21 – can we perceive that there is a problem, an injustice in the events of Genesis chp 39? Can we discern in this story of Joseph that there is injustice, unfairness and sin? Can we see:

• “unrighteousness” in the dealings of Potiphars wife with Joseph? He did only good (Gen39:6,8,9) and she rewarded it with evil.
• “fornication,”
• “wickedness,”
• “covetousness” - she desired what was not hers – Joseph
• “maliciousness” - acted with revenge and spite when she failed to get what she wanted (39:17ff), she didn't just accept that things were not going to go her way!
• “envy” - wanted to take away from Joseph what she could not have!
• “murder” - her actions could easily have resulted in the death of Joseph as per the baker of Genesis 40.
• “deceit” - she deceived her husband
• “malignity”
• “whisperers” - Constructing and concocting a story before her husband returns (Gen39:14)
• “Backbiters” - with vengeful hatred on Joseph

Anyone who can appreciate that there is a problem with the list of 23 moral evils in Romans 1:29-32 has a major problem on their hands – they have a conscience. Sometimes it is easier to see the significance of these sins in the context of human actions rather than simply in a list of events. We know that certain things are right and some things are wrong If they are wrong for others they are wrong for us too! The first time we read of conscience coming into action in Genesis 3:7; by verse 12 it is corrupted – instead of being used to convict Adam of his own sin he is using it to criticise and condemn his wife!

The Source and the Standard of Conscience (v2) What is the source of human conscience? Conscience has its origins back in Genesis chp 3 Conscience comes to us as an echo out of Eden! Conscience is a universal pointer to an absolute standard of right and wrong Conscience at it simplest is the inner awareness in the heart of man that his actions have a significance beyond the immediate context in which they occur. Conscience involves at least 3 separate components: A knowledge of an absolute standard of righteous (Rom 2:15; 9:1) An awareness of a responsibility towards God: (1 Peter2:19; 3:21; Acts 23:1; Acts 24:16) A warning or conviction when we have fallen short of that standard / when we have broken or offended that standard (1Co8:7,10,12; 10:25,27,28; 2Co1:12;4:2; 1Tim1:19;3:9;4:2; Heb9:9,14; 10:2,22) How did that conscience come to be? Romans 2 makes it quite clear that conscience is a reflection of the standards of the creator (2:2,3,15) Man first experienced the stirrings of conscience in the garden of Eden Conscience was not the direct product of sin, conscience was not created by sin and Satan – sin and Satan are not creatorial, only Christ is creatorial: “(Joh 1:3) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (Col 1:16) For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:” Sin cannot truly give rise to light but rather to darkness It is not sin that gives us a knowledge of Gods standards but rather God Himself: “(Joh 1:9) That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” But it was in the garden of Eden that the conscience first fired up as man created in the image of God, with the knowledge of Gods character, reflecting the nature and standards of the Creator sinned against his creator. Something foreign to that creation and those to standards God had given was introduced into that creation and man perceived that this was alien to his creator – these were the first stirrings of conscience. It was not that sin created conscience but rather conscience triggered a response to sin in the heart of man! Jag yourself with a needle and you feel pain, the needle does not create pain however, the nerve cells, the prostaglandins, the prostacyclines, the electrical impulses in the nerve cells, the connections to the spinal cord and to the brain cause pain, the needle only triggers the process set up by God from creation. The conscience came from God (Rom2:2) the standards are Gods (Rom2:2,14) sin merely triggers the response.

The Problem and the Purpose of Conscience (v3-4) No sooner did Adam perceive the effects of conscience on his soul than he misused it: Gen 3:12 – to accuse another, to accuse Eve, but if Eve's behaviour was wrong then so was Adams! Conscience had a purpose, not only was conscience an echo out of Eden that tells us that we have eaten of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil but it is also an echo that reminds us that there is a tree of life! The message of this book is that there is such a tree of life! “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” (Act 5:30) “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.” Conscience is not only the emptiness that comes form eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil it is also the gnawing, painful hungering and yearning after the fruit of the tree of life! Praise God for conscience! The true purpose of conscience is not only to convict of sin but it is to convert the soul Conscience is designed to prove to our hearts that we are sinners and that salvation can never be on the basis of how good I am but rather if I am ever to be saved it must be upon the basis of what and who God is. Salvation can only be possible if God is “forbearing” - patient, forgiving of the repentant sinner (v4) Conscience has its final work not only in convicting of sin but in casting me upon the grace and mercy Conscience is not there for me to be critical of others nor to be scathing of God but rather to convict of my own sin. Believers 252: “Here conscience ends its strife and faith delights to prove, the sweetness of the Bread of Life, the fullness of thy love.”

The Response to and the Results of Conscience (v5-12) I can do 1 of 2 things: Reject conscience and harden my heart (v5) – The Barrier of Conscience. This was interestingly Adams first reaction in the garden of Eden: to hide! To hide under the fig leaves (3:7) and to hide behind the trees in the garden (3:8) and to hide behind his wife (3:12). Convicted of sin he knew that there was a problem within, his response was impulsive rather than intelligent, reactive rather than reasoned – he felt his sin exposed and so hide.

Respond to conscience (v7) - The Brokenness of Conscience

(Psa 111:3) “His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.” They seek for the 'work of God' - “Glory, honour and immortality” is the work of God. down through the generations there have been those who have responded to conscience, to the light of creation and to the light of conscience and on that basis have, even in the days before the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ have been given further light:

Abel: (Heb 11:4) “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.” - the same conscience that drove his father to cover and hide drew Able to bring of the firstlings of the flock as a sin offering to God to make reconciliation between God and man!

Job: (Job 1:8) “And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?”

Noah: (Gen 6:8) “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.”

Job, Noah and Daniel: (Eze 14:14) “Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.”

David: (1Sa 13:14) “But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.”

(Heb 11:13) “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”

(Heb 11:40) “God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.”

(Heb 12:23) “To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect”

The Brokenness of Conscience. Leads me to all sufficient grace!

The Evidence and Experience of Conscience (v13-16) In giving me conscience God has given me a terrifying gift – He has given me the ability to comprehend His basis of judgement We saw that in creation God gave me the ability to comprehend His character in that creation (Rom1:19-20), so too in conscience God has given me the ability to understand His basis for judgement and His verdict against me! No one will be in hell who does nor understand why they are there! Hell will no doubt come as a shock to many but perhaps not a surprise. Conscience is the evidence for the prosecution against me (v14-15) God has laid up in the very nature of your being, in the very foundations of your heart the ability to understand why He casts you into hell. The ability to understand what is happening and why it is happening. That ought to make us tremble if we are unsaved.

https://graceinchrist.org/romans

3 Categories of Sinners:

1. Rotten Sinners of chp 1
2. Self-Righteous Sinners of 2:1-6
3. Religious Sinners for chp 2

Rotten Sinners of chapter 1

The pagan idolaters

Self-Righteous Sinners (2:1-6) They are able to discern sin but not to dispense with sin! Judge sin in others but not in self No repentance from their own sin Notice that the condemnation of these self-righteous sinners is NOT that they fail to live a perfect life - which cannot be expected of any man but rather they fail to repent from the sin that they have committed and continue to commit (2:4) Judgement is made against their attitude of heart rather than against their ability to lead sinless lives! God will continue on from where they left off and will bring judgement to its "righteous" conclusion (2:5) and that against them! Compare 1 John3:4 where Gods condemnation is not so much against mans inevitable inability to keep to the righteous law of God but rather Gods judgement is against the heart of man, the attitude of man to Gods righteous law: "....for sin is the transgression of the law." or literally "for sin is lawlessness" as attitude of anti-law, of anti-God and of anti-Christ that permeates through the whole of humanity and forms much of the subject of the epistle of 1 John. These men begin the spiritual journey; they feel the conviction of sin but it never becomes a personal challenge / conviction Religion but no reality The religious hypocrite, like the Pharisee of Matthew 23

It is so easy to agree with the facts of scripture Easy to learn the doctrines and the dogmas of scripture Easy to preach and teach the letter but to miss the Spirit Easy to fail to apply the truth to our own heart and life

Religious Sinners (chapter 2) The Jew with the law

3 Groups of People:

1. Pagan Idolater (chapter 1)
2. Enlightened / educated / religious gentile (2:1-16)
3. Jew (2:17ff)

3 distinct administrations / dispensations of God 3 distinct ways in which God has dealt with people 3 distinct ways in which God has given men the opportunity to find Him There is a 4th - not mentioned in the opening 2 chapters of Romans

1. The Age of Innocence
2. The Age of Conscience
3. The Age of Law
4. The Age of Grace

Why has God dealt with men in different ways? To demonstrate to all who are willing to come to Him in faith that there is only one way by which men and women can come. There is only one foundation upon which a man or woman can know God That is to come in humility and faith before God, receiving salvation as a free Gift on the Gods terms and not ours. Mans only hope lies not in himself but only in God! One by one God allows man to explore the options leading to salvation and to systematically fail. Man must come in his search for salvation to one conclusion and one alone: "Without ME ye can do nothing" "Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God that in due season He might lift the up..." "Ask and it shall be given..."

But man might say: If only we had the right ENVIRONMENT we would be alright SO Gods first administration was in a perfect environment - Eden No Sin, No Suffering, No Strife, No Poverty, No drugs, No Drink Man failed, man fell In the perfect environment man chose to trust Satan rather than the creator The problem lay in mans heart There is only one desirable feature in man that God could not create: that was willing obedience, devotion that flows from desire rather than design. God could not create, uncreated devotion God desired a Passion for God from mans Pleasure in God Man chose sin and Satan!

If only we had the right EDUCATION we would be alright Man left the garden of Eden with the knowledge of good and evil believing that, that knowledge would fit him to become: "as gods knowing both good and evil" (Gen3:5) This knowledge, this instinctive appreciation of right and wrong is picked up in Romans chapter 1 + 2 (eg 1:28; 2:1-6) and is constantly and consistently rejected by man! Man constantly acts contrary to conscience and delights in it! Perhaps then what we need is something a bit more formal:

If only we had the right ORGANISATION we would be alright! This is a very modern idea! Organise problems out of mans life: communism and socialism of the last century - organise out inequalities, greed, suffering and organise in equality and even distribution of wealth. See it even in our sphere of work, every time a problem is encountered the response is more organisation, greater administration, new protocol. If mans heart is not right we will never organise an attitude to be right before God. Gods next administration was that of LAW A perfect law and not only a law but the organisation and structure with it. God intended that the nation be led not by a king but by prophets and priestly men. They had rules governing worship, family life, contracts, health, infection, food, hygiene, war and farming. This failed, men knew more than ever before but this lead simply to an even greater condemnation than ever before (2:12)! So what does that lead us to then?

The Day / Dispensation of Grace What are the principles here? You've failed You cannot do it yourself: not by environment, education or organisation Shout for help: "He that calleth upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" There is help , there is salvation for us in Christ: "when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." One of the great truths of the book of Romans is that in every day and age there have been those who have come to the truth: You've failed You cannot do it yourself: not by environment, education or organisation Shout for help: "He that calleth upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" There is help , there is salvation for us in Christ: "when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."

Amongst them:

• Abraham (Rom4:1ff)
• David (Rom4:6ff)
• Job (Job1:1ff)
• Noah (Ezek 14:14; Gen 6:8)
• Daniel (Ezek 14:14)
• Isaac (Matt8:11)
• Jacob (Matt8:11)
• Elijah (Matt 17:3)
• Moses (Matt 17:3)
• Abel (Matt 23:35; Heb 11:4)
• and those great men and women of faith of Hebrews chapter 11!

In the gospels, Christ connects with the men and women of faith in the past:

• John 4:6 - Jacobs Well
• John 8:56 – Abraham
• Luke 18:22 – Abraham
• Matt 8:11 – Isaac
• Matt 8:11 – Abraham
• Matt 8:11 – Jacob
• Matt 8:17 – Isaiah
• Matt 17:3 – Moses
• Matt 17:3 – Elijah
• Matt 23:35 – Abel
• Matt 23:35 – Zechariah

There is continuity between the old and the new That continuity lies in 1 person - Christ (Romans 2:16) cf. Psalm 132:9ff; Gen 22:18 Of these Paul speaks in Romans 2:7. Psalm 111:2-3 - These were all saved by faith There were those who unlike the Rotten Sinners of Romans 1 responded to the "Works of the Lord" by "seeking" Him out (Psalm 111:2) and by seeking for His: 'honour' and 'Glory' and 'righteousness' and that 'forever' (Psalm 111:3) They 'humbled themselves under the mighty hand of God' They were marked by repentance towards sin: Abraham left his idols (Gen 12; Joshua 24:2) David sought forgiveness (Psalm 51) Jacob wrestled with God Rahab left the old life behind her and let down the scarlet thread Ruth turned her back on Moab

https://graceinchrist.org/romans

The Gospel was Promised in the Old Testament (Rom1:2) The Gospel is Paralleled in Gods Creation (Rom1:18-20) Principles that can be seen in creation: Godhead There is one God who is in control He is responsible for the whole of creation He is marked by "power" and 'intelligence' - "Godhead" One God and one creator evident by the unity and harmony of nature Creation is not higglety pigglety For example the orchid bee and the coryanthes flower, the coryanthes is specific for a particular species of bee, and for the male of that species in specifically, the flower is designed around the bee, and infact it contains many design features:

1. the scent to attract the bee
2. a slippery slope for it to fall into the bucket
3. nectar dripping into the bucket shaped flower
4. a step shaped part out of the bucket flower
5. the design of the stamen and the pollen packet and
6. a part of the flower shaped like a tunnel for the bee to crawl through.

Not only that but the bee collects esters from the plant and stores them in special compartments in its legs and then releases them to attract the female bee at mating season!

An addded level of complexity exists; the orchids are highly vulnerable to slugs and snails, tend to grow on ants nests, the ants protect the orchids, and produce formic acid which acidifies the soil and is an ideal growing medium for the orchid!

The God who created the orchid, created the bee! The oneness and unity of design in nature is evident. We can see His "eternal power and Godhead" Evolution says the purpose of life is to reproduce! The Coryanthes says it is not! The Coryanthes is fussy about the means of reproduction and the transfer of the pollen, picking only one creature - the bee, only one species and only the male! The Purpose of Creation is to stand as testimony to the power, wisdom and Glory of the Creator! The Principle of resurrection

God is able to Raise the Dead This principle is evident too in creation Rom6:5 - "Planted together in the likeness of His death we shall also in the likeness of His resurrection" The seed is planted in the ground, dead looking and unpromising and yet from the humble acorn can come the mighty oak tree Never ever think that it is unreasonable that God can bring life from the dead or that God can raise up our lives from the deadness of the sin they were stepped in, into the newness of His own life. The seed of a date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) was discovered during an archaeological excavation at King Herod's Palace on Mount Masada near the Dead Sea. Nicknamed "Methuselah" the palm that sprouted from this ancient seed has been Carbon-dated at about 2,000 years old

God has built in hope to His Creation (8:20)

Our expectations of life out strip our experience of life We have a hope for life and for health and happiness that is never realised in time Physical life is passing and we yearn for more

God is able to give second chances (chp 11)

He is able to take the wild branch and graft it into the cultivated stock We are not too far gone for God Death

All life ends in death (5:12-21)

There is no escaping God We are expected to ask: what next?

God is able to transform lives (12:12) 'metamorphosis' Can God transform me? The evidence is all around us: Caterpillar to the butterfly Maggot to the fly Tadpole to the frog

God has given us a conscience of sin (2:15) This conscience anticipates judgment (2:16) We possess Gods knowledge of His moral law.

https://graceinchrist.org/romans

From a Message Preached by Dr J Stewart Gillespie on: Romans Chapter 1 vs 18 to 32: 'The Descent of Man' : The whole of humanity is examined in this section, under the scrutiny of a righteous and Holy God:

1. Rotten Sinner (1:18-32)
2. Self-Righteous Sinner (2:1-16)
3. Religious Sinner (2:17-3:20)

Each group has their light, not the gospel as we know it, but light none the less for which God holds them accountable and responsible:

1. Rotten Sinner (1:18-32) - has the light of creation
2. Self-Righteous Sinner (2:1-16) - has the light of conscience
3. Religious Sinner (2:17-3:20) - has the light of law or covenant

Then the conclusion is drawn, often quoted outwith the context of Romans, in which the Spirit of God and the apostle Paul has invested much time and effort proving the truth of the statement:

"For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God" (3:23)

There is only one way of salvation and one way back to God (1:16-17) Over the years and generations God has given humanity every opportunity to try the options:

1. A perfect environment - Eden (Gen chps1-3)
2. A perfect education - Adam and Eve left Eden with the "knowledge of good and evil", now 'enlightened' with their new enlightenment would this prove the way back to God?
3. A perfect organisation - The law with legislation on human government, worship, contract, families, relationships, marriage, business, farming and even health!

All of these means have failed

There is only one way back to God: Justification by faith (1:16-17; 3:21) Perhaps very often this pattern that is true of humanity as a whole, down through many generations is worked out often times in the individual lives of men and women:

1. Start in infancy in innocence (Jer19:4; Jonah 4:11; Matt18:1)
2. Move to self confidence and knowledge and education
3. Progress to the organisation of religion / a system / a method
4. By grace finally arrive at the only means of salvation: justification by faith

In Romans chp 1 man sinks deeper and deeper into sin and degradation:

“Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts... For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:... And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;” (Rom 1:24-28)

1. "God gave them up" (1:24)
2. "God gave them up" (1:26)
3. "God gave them over" (1:28)

Man is able to fall deeper into sin and degradation There are many ways down There is only one way up and out: “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” (Eph 2:6)

Romans Chp1 vs 16 - 28 :

1. Revelation of the Righteousness of God (v16-17)
2. Reasons for the Wrath of God (v18-20)
3. Results of the Rejection of God (v21-28)

• Every refusal of God followed by a removal from God
• Every rejection of God followed by a response form God
• Every step away from God followed by a stoop further into degradation
• Every wrong decision followed by consequent disaster

The "wrath" of God is here 'revealed' in the present tense. How is His wrath presently revealed?

By: "handing sinners over to themselves" (John Stott):

1. "God gave them up" (1:24)
2. "God gave them up" (1:26)
3. "God gave them over" (1:28)

Sometimes the worst words we can hear form God is: 'that's fine, have it your way,' that's what we ant isn't it? To do it our way? To be our own boss? From this subject arises another question - is God righteous in revealing His wrath upon sinful men and women? Do men and woman really deserve it? This section begins with the revelation of the wrath of God against man (1:18) This wrath is in response to, proportionate response to and appropriate type for type response to the decisions made by man. This section presents a 4 fold rejection of Gods revelation:

Worship of God (v18) "ungodliness" : “ἀσέβεια” : literally 'unworshipfullness' So why is God angry with us? Why is His wrath revealed? Surely we haven't done anything, have we? At least many seem to be under the impression that individually whilst we may have our faults and failings, hell is most certainly for someone else and well our life is lived to a pretty high standard and we surely haven't done anything, have we? Gods first condemnation in Romans 1:18, Gods first reason for wrath is: "you haven't done anything"! "ungodliness" : “ἀσέβεια” : literally 'unworshipfullness' A failure to worship God God expects to be Central to and He expects to be Sovereign over my life Not just to be an accessory or an appendage to my life! The testimony of creation is intended to leave me awe struck before the creator and to bow my heart and my head in worship! Indulgent in life but ignorant of the life giver. Delighting in creation but despising the creator. The worship of God is righteously and reasonably expected / demanded by the creator God. In refusing to worship God man rejects the work of God. God is not looking for man to simply believe in God: consider the strange repetition of Psalm 14 and Psalm 53 - repeated almost word for word - unbelief in God is foolish: "The fool has said in his heart there is no God." "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble." James 2:19 God is not looking for us simply to believe in Him but rather God expects our 'worship' - that is a response of heart and of life whereby we are humble before Him: "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God." (Micah6:8) "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." (Isa57:15) Worship begins by living out my life subject to the God of creation who is absolute and sovereign over all things including me!

Ways of God (v18)

"unrighteousness" Man rejects not only creations testimony but also consciences testimony : “who hold the truth in unrighteousness” - the truth is held in an atmosphere of unrighteousness. The truth shines gloriously even in the darkest moments of man's rejection of God! As man attempts to live an unrighteous life, man's unrighteousness is a constant testimony to the fact that there is a standard he has fallen short of! Ravi Zacharias in his book recounts the testimony of the conversion of one atheistic philosopher to Christ. It was studying the events of the Nazi holocaust that led this prominent atheist to Christ! It was as he read the stories of the survivors of this holocaust and of how some had risked their lives to help them that he felt compassion and emotions that the old atheistic professor never knew he even had. Studying those days of great evil led that professor to see that these events were set within a moral context! A moral context that he understood and felt deep within himself, intuitively. Good and evil, right and wrong did exist, he knew it, he felt it and the moral discernment between right and wrong was built into humanity. Man's unrighteousness constantly stands testimony to the absolute fact of the Divine truth which it attempts to reject.

Man rejects Gods testimony:

Wisdom of God (v18):

"who hold the truth in unrighteousness"

Works of God (v19-21): Man rejects the testimony of creation: the works of God. Verse 19 presents 2 aspects to this testimony:

1. "In them" (v19) - The testimony of consciousness rather than of conscience which is the subject of chapter 2
2. "unto them" (v19) - The testimony of creation

• "In them" (v19) – Subjective
• "unto them" (v19) – Objective

1. "In them" (v19) - the experience
2. "unto them" (v19) - the evidence

• "In them" (v19) - the appreciation
• "unto them" (v19) - the revelation

God has not only given us the evidence of His eternal power and Godhead but He has provided the keys to interpret and to understand that evidence, the keys of intelligence, enquiry, reason and understanding, cause and logic. We desire to know why and to know the answer and to find and understand the answer CS Lewis: 'unless God created me and created the universe I can think of no reason why I should be able to understand that universe.' A car is a product of the car factory but it has no ability to understand the factory from which it came! Why is there not only a universe and creation but why do I have the desire and the ability to understand?

"Godhead" - difficult word to translate, all that is associated with God Certainly involves:

• Intelligence - God is clever; DNA, life, design, the cell
• Beauty - creation is not a purely mechanical phenomena, marked by colours and attractiveness, birds singing and children laughing and the beauty of the butterfly, fragrance of the rose

As man rejects the

1. worship of God,
2. ways of God,
3. wisdom of God and the
4. works of God,

the "wrath of God is revealed" But they haven't actually heard about Christ? They haven't actually heard the gospel as we know it, have they? They haven't had Gods final testimony: the WORD of God, written and incarnate? Lets examine what we have rejected so far:

1. In rejecting the Creator (Rom1:20) – they reject Christ (John1:3)
2. In rejecting the light of Conscience (Rom1:19) they reject Christ (John1:9)
3. In rejecting the truth (Rom1:25) – they reject Christ (John14:6)
4. In rejecting Divine illumination (Rom1:21) – they reject Christ (John1:9)

If man rejects the

1. worship of God,
2. ways of God
3. works of God and the
4. wisdom of God,

is God then morally obliged to reveal the word of God to them?

Consider the Samaritan woman at the well who was able to discuss God, worship, the temple, as well as Jacob and Moses:

“The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.” (John 4:25) – Christ is the fullness and the fulfilment of all revelation and the woman was ready to receive Him. We cannot expect to receive the fullness (Eph1:23) if we reject that which is in part (1Co13:12) We cannot expect to receive the reality if we reject the shadow (Heb8:5; 10:1) How can God speak to someone with their fingers in their ears (Zech7:8ff; Matt11:15ff; 13:9ff; Acts7:57) Surely God must take their fingers out of their ears? But God is looking for willing hearts to be given over to Him! So God moves by convicting and convincing men to take their fingers out of their own ears! What then is the result of revealing the gospel of Christ or the person of Christ to an unbelieving mind and heart? The experiment was done: “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” (John 1:10-11) “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19)

What are the consequences of this 4 fold rejection of God?

1. Religious Confusion (vs21-22) - from rejecting His Worship
2. Moral Confusion(v23-24) - from rejecting His Ways
3. Creatorial Confusion (v25-27) - from rejecting His Works
4. Intellectual Confusion (v28) - from rejecting His Wisdom

Each deliberate decision made by man is followed by a downward stoop permitted by God One of the worst words a man can ever hear from God is: 'ok have it your way.' Man desperately wants to 'do it my way' and in Romans chapter 1 God lets him! Note that the downward spiritual spiral is at man's instigation God merely confirms man's decision and withdraws restraining grace: Every refusal of God followed by a removal of grace Every rejection of God followed by a response from God Every step away from God followed by a stoop further into degradation Every wrong decision followed by consequent disaster

Religious Confusion(vs21-22) - from rejecting His Worship As a direct result of refusing Gods testimony in creation, refusing to Glorify God and refusing to be 'thankful', they became 'vain' - proud, self centred men who with no God in their life become their own gods! This directly results in "their foolish heart was darkened" Hinduism: worship a half elephant god, monkeys, cows, rats and dogs.

Moral Confusion (v23-24) - from rejecting His Ways Not only now rejecting Gods authority and His worship but making God in their own image! They decided what God would look like They corrupted their view of God, they mocked the image of God! They create their own view of God and consequently live by their own standards Such false religious systems are usually fairly easily spotted - they are created from the perspective of earth, bringing God down to mans level rather than lifting man up to Gods level! Note that Gods response is proportionate, righteous and fair Man has corrupted the image of God (v23) God gives man up to corrupt mans image "to dishonour their own bodies" (v24) 'if it feels good do it'

Creatorial Confusion (v25-27) - from rejecting His Works "worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator" (v25) "God gave them up unto vile affections" Gods response was to allow that very creatorial order to break down in their own married lives, home lives and relationships This was a fair "recompence of their error which was meet" (v27) - in other words - fairs fair In rejecting the Creator and the Creatorial Order which He instituted man forgot that his own existence depended upon this very order! Like the old cartoons of the man sitting in the tree cutting off the branch he is sitting on. Intellectual Confusion (v28) - from rejecting His Wisdom "δοκιμάζω" - 'did not like to' "ἀδόκιμος" - 'reprobate' They rejected God and therefore God gave them over to possess the mind of a God rejecter. Men poured the jelly into the mould - God allowed it to set! Is God righteous in revealing His Wrath against man? Gods wrath is revealed as a step by step response to the decisions man makes! Why does God respect the decisions man makes? Because God cannot both fulfil and not fulfil His Purpose! What is Gods purpose? 2 Fold:

1. Relationship (Eph1:5) - "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will"
2. Resemblance (1 John 3:1ff; Rom 8:29)

God cannot fulfil His Purpose of having men and women conformed to the image of His Son by having them conformed to the image of a machine. To be like Christ, to be conformed to the image of His Son, we must respond to God of our own volition: "Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart." (Psalm 40:6-8) Hence one of the oldest lessons taught in the Word of God concerning the life of the man or woman of God: “And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.” (1Sa 15:22-23) To refuse to do what God tells me to do is a very serious sin indeed – it hits at the very core of what it means to be a believer! Be ruthless in judging disobedience to the Lord and self will in your life. A person cannot be both be born again and converted to Christ and consistently disobedient and self willed – the two are diametrically opposed. To be like Christ cannot come from Divine Compulsion it must come from willing devotion, a response to the love of God in His Son! In election and predestination we see Gods great vision for the true potential of man. We cannot fulfil that vision and potential and simultaneously refuse to fulfil it!

Consider:

1. Gods view of man in creation - Psalm 8
2. Gods elevation of manhood in the incarnation - Phil 2:8; Heb2:11
3. Gods purpose for man in election and predestination - Rom8:29; 1 John 3:1ff

Could man ever fulfil that vision of humanity and simultaneously not only

1. Reject the Worship of God
2. Reject the Works of God
3. Reject the Ways of God
4. Reject the Wisdom of God

but also have an attitude / heart of rejection? Herein lies the problem! If man will not voluntarily submit to the grace of God and respond to the love of God and come under the mercy of God enjoying the salvation of God, then God has no use for, no purpose for and no place for the wilful rejection of Himself in eternity! The acceptance of Gods salvation and repentance must be voluntary, since Gods purpose for man is ultimately to be like Christ - to be conformed to the image of His Son. God created man twice: Out of the dust of the earth – this act of original creation was totally passive on the part of man, we had nothing to do with it. “in Christ” - Gods work in the new creation (2Co5:17) and the new birth (Jo3:3) represents a new and greater work of God (Eph2:10; Phil2:13). In this work however God does not start off with the dust of the ground He works on man with a consciousness and a will. This work of the new creation whilst it is all of God is not passive on man's part. God requires the willing surrender of man's will, man's desire for Christ and man's devotion to Christ (Rev3:20). To be conformed to His image cannot be by compulsion, for the essence of Christ is love and love cannot be by compulsion or it is not love at all but rather duty.

https://graceinchrist.org/romans

Notes from a Message Preached by JS Gillespie on: Romans Chapter 1 Verses 8 to 17 - The Results of the Gospel Vs 1- 7 – The Reality of the Gospel – Confidence of Paul Vs 8-17 – The Results of the Gospel – Converts at Rome Vs 17-32 – Requirement for the Gospel – Condition of Fallen Humanity Vs 1- 7 – The Reality of the Gospel – Confidence of Paul Don't need to understand everything Our faith doesn't lie in the fact that we have answers to all of the possible questions that could be asked but rather our faith is founded upon certainties, we at the moment see through a glass darkly. Vs 8-17 – The Results of the Gospel – Converts at Rome We all need encouragement to keep going especially in gospel work The results of the gospel at the heart of the Roman empire spurned Paul on. Vs 17-32 – Requirement for the Gospel – Condition of Fallen Humanity Why do we need the gospel? Because we are in a terrible state! Vs 8-17 – The Results of the Gospel – Converts at Rome Pauls Prayers (v8-10) Pauls Purpose (v11-14) Pauls Preaching (v15,16) Consider the same pattern in Colossians 4:2,3 of prayer and purpose and preaching. Consider Acts 1:14,21 – Prayer and then Acts 2 Preaching Why the priority of prayer? Consider the following scriptures: “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37) “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. “ (John 6:44) “So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.” (Rom 9:16) If we are serious about evangelism – start with prayer! One of the greatest blessing God can give us is failure, failure in our own strength that we might turn to Him for strength! Consider the pattern of failure followed by faith in:

Abraham (Gen 12) down into Egypt but once up and out of Egypt he gets back to the altar and then rescues Lot

Moses – attempts to deliver the nation in his own strength in Exodus 2 only to then fail and to return to God in Exodus 3:11,14 for His strength

Gideon (Judges 6+7) against a back drop of failure in the nation and repression under the Midianites.

Samson (Judges 16) his greatest victory after his greatest failure

Joshua (Josh 7+8) – The nations failure at Ai followed by success.

Pauls Prayers (v8-10)

Note the 3 different kind of prayers here:

v8 – Thanksgiving v9 – Intercession – on behalf of others, perhaps others who are unable or unwilling to pray for themselves? v10 – Request / Supplication

Pauls Purpose (v11-14)

“For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;” (Rom 1:11)

Pauls Preaching (v15,16)

v8 – A Faith Worth Speaking About v9 – A God Worth Serving v9-10 – People Worth Praying For v11-12 – A Gift worth Giving

v8 – A Faith Worth Speaking About: Proven Conversion

Does our testimony talk? Not so much do we talk? We need to of course, but more importantly does our testimony talk?

Consider the testimony of Noah: “And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;”(2Pe 2:5) When did Noah preach? Did he actually preach as we would think of it? We don't know but what we do know for certain from the book of Genesis is that he lived out the reality of His relationship with the Lord. “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.”(Gen 6:8) “Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.” (Gen 6:22) Was Noah's life his sermon? Was he a living message?

Does our testimony talk? Does our Gospel get Gossiped? Does our salvation speak?

Lives changed by the power of the Spirit of God by faith in the Son of God for the Glory of God is part and parcel of the NT means of evangelism, cf. 1Thess1:8. Once a person has been truly converted and led to Christ they take on a spiritual life independent of the person who led them to the Saviour. Like a child – nurtured and fed but ultimately independent of the parents, a distinct individual with a life of his own. Christianity is not Guru based nor Imam based nor Rabbi based it is centred upon Christ! These believers were a source of praise not a source of problems! The conversion of the Romans not due to Paul nor to man: “thank my God” and “through Jesus Christ.”

v9 – A God Worth Serving: Passionate Commitment

I emphasise the word “worth” - there is much I could serve with my life but it is not “worth” serving! Why is it that when men are presented with something transient and trivial it is so often pursued with such energy and enthusiasm: sports, football teams, pop idols, hobbies and yet when presented with the God, the person of Christ and salvation they treat the things of God with mediocrity and half heartedness!

“with my spirit” Not with “eye service as men pleasers” (Eph6:6) Not to please “itching ears” (2Tim4:3) An all or nothing service! Don't mess about! God takes service personally! God takes a snub personally! God takes mediocrity personally! For the gospel is the “gospel of His Son” It's not just; 'the meeting' nor 'prayer' nor 'hearing the preacher' It is the “gospel of His Son” Today we have: 'gospel meetings' and 'gospel preachers' and 'gospel efforts' and 'gospel hymn books' and 'gospel halls' but do I have a 'gospel heart'?

v9-10 – People Worth Praying For: Prayerful Concern

If they are worth praying for then they are worth keeping praying for (v9b) Your best friends are the ones that pray for you.

A 3 fold prayer: v8 – Thanksgiving – praise and rejoicing v9 – Intercession v10 – Request

The great advancement in the gospel in the NT days was linked with a great burden in prayer, consider 1 Thess, begins with prayer, ends in prayer and in the middle there is a prayer (1Thess1:2; 3:10; 5:17).

Do we ever think at times that some don't need our prayers? Perhaps they need them most: “brethren pray for us,” (1Thess 5:25; 2Thess3:1)

v11-12 – A Gift worth Giving: Prosperous Journey

Cf. Rom12:6 – variety of gifts that he could have imparted It is easy to abuse communications and fellowship 2 Thess 3 and 1 Tim 5:13 – warns of gossiping and unprofitable visiting There is a possible profitable use of our time and communications – to build one another up. Not a gossipy nor a social thing, Paul's vision is much higher than that! To 'establish' them (v11)! Ought to make it our ambition / goal to: 'encourage,' 'help,' and to 'lift up,' someone today! We need to be spiritually in tune for this task: “mutual faith.” Visiting others when we are away from the Lord will generally not be a source of spiritual uplift to anyone! We may prove more of a hindrance! The believer ought not to be someone who: 'Gives a piece of my mind' – rather ought to be one who brings the gospel of peace (Rom10:15; Isa 52:7) 'Tear a strip off of...' - Rather build up and establish us (Rom1:11; 14:20) Not so much insisting on his rights as bearing others wrongs – Rom 15:1-3 'Sort them out...tell them a few home truths' – Not for us to be judging our brothers conscience nor his weaknesses (Rom14:12), the assembly is bound by God of course to judge His sins (Rom14:13) The Roman epistle begins with the attitude of a spiritual man and ends by examining the attitude of the unspiritual man. Examine your motives / words / attitude of heart – is it of the flesh? Of the Spirit? Never underestimate the importance of an encouraging / building up ministry (1Co12:28).

Where are we going? What are we doing? Living with a purpose?

Gods purposes are not always the same as our plans (v13). It is “by the will of God” (v10) God has a definite agenda with evangelism (Acts 8:29; Acts 10:19; 16:7) Paul hindered in his coming to Rome by the gospel work elsewhere (Rom15:22)

https://graceinchrist.org/romans