All Scripture text will be presented in normal cased lettering, and all notes within the text will be in TRUE TYPE FONT, as shown. This (I hope) will allow you to avoid confusion between God's Word and my notes. As I update this web site, I will continue to embellish the text so that anyone using NETSCAPE 3.0 or MICROSOFT 3.0 will be able to read the document easier. Greek tenses are abbreviated as follows:
5:1-2
Romans 5:1-2 "Therefore being justified by faith, we have (ECHOMEN = let us have {peace})
peace (EIRENE = peace. From the verb EIRO, meaning "to bind together that which has been separated)
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: [2] By whom also we have access (PROSAGOGE = the act of bringing to, moving to. The word is composed of AGO (to bring) and PROS (facing), thus the word is often used of one person bringing another person into the presence of a third person)
by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."
Note: Romans 1.18-3.20, Paul proves man's need for God's righteousness; 3.21-30, he shows how that righteousness comes or is appropriated; 3.31-4.25, Abraham and David proved that salvation came by faith in God. In Chapter 5 Paul enlarges on the felicity of the justified, on their assurance of God's love and future blessing.
Ephesians 2:14-16 "For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:"
Though we were once the enemies of God as Law breakers, we're now at a state of peace with God if we have accepted that Grace available through the Cross. The word peace is the Greek EIRENE, which means To bind together that which was previously separated. The word doesn't refer to a temporary fix or a truce between warring enemies, but rather a permanent state of tranquility. The word with is the Greek PROS, which literally means Face to face with. Wuess notes "A justified sinner has peace facing God. He stands in the presence of God, guiltless and uncondemned and righteous in a righteousness which God accepts, the Lord Jesus Christ." This relationship of peace is beautifully expressed in:
Colossians 1:20-23 "And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;"
Through Christ's acceptable sacrifice we can stand in the very presence of God, literally face to face with Him, in peace and harmony. Christ healed all rifts, all alienation between us and our Maker. Jesus reconciled (us) In the body of his flesh through death so that we are now holy and unblameable and unreproveable in God's sight.
5:3-5
Romans 5:3-5 "And not only so, but we glory (KAUCHOEMAI = to glory on account of a thing)
in tribulations (THLIPSIS = a pressing together, pressure, oppression, affliction, distress)
also: knowing that tribulation worketh (KATERGAZOMAI = accomplish, achieve, to do that from which something results)
patience; (HUPOMONE = steadfastness, constancy, endurance)
[4] And patience, experience; (DOKIMEN = the process of trial, proving - see 2 Cor 8.2 - or the result of trial - see Phil 2.22, tried integrity)
and experience, hope: [5] And hope maketh not ashamed; (AKATAISCHUNO = does not disappoint)
because the love of God is shed abroad (EKCHEO, perfect tense = has poured out)
in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."
Paul previously proved that the Salvation we have came not of our works, but of faith in Christ's completed work only. In this section Paul begins to examine the eternal assurance of our salvation and how it should effect our outlook on life. If we have assurance of salvation then why do we allow tribulation to overwhelm our minds? All tribulation, regardless as to it's severity, is no more than a temporary state. We should be dwelling on the fact that our eternal destiny is sure, not that our temporal destinies are uncertain.
Matthew 10:28-31 "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows."
If God our Father did the most for us at the Cross, then can't we be certain that He'll d the least for us in this temporal life. It cost God everything to give us salvation, do you honestly believe that He'll forsake us in providing our meager needs while we walk this earth? Tribulation, anguish, and pain are only temporary my friends. Our concern shouldn't be over the temporal, but over how we can best serve the Eternal One while in this life.
Paul says that we should glory or rejoice in our tribulations. Tribulations is the Greek THLIPSIS, literally meaning that which presses together, places under pressure, or causes oppression. The Christian who focuses on tribulations rather than on the hope of eternity narrows his focus to the moment. In so doing he discourages himself, literally robs himself of the peace of God. As believers we should expect tribulation. So many believers in Christ try to look at the world through rose colored glasses, thinking that their quality of life will always be superior to that of the unbeliever. Christians, we are not children of this world! The children of the world seek riches and power, seek material goods above spiritual love. What did Jesus say the Christian could expect? Internally, within ourselves (if we remain focused on the love of God) we have peace. Yet externally, within the world, we are misunderstood, maligned, and often despised even by family. Jesus said:
Matthew 10:34-37 "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."
Luke 12:51-53 "Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law."
Have you ever really confronted this teaching of Jesus and applied it to your life? The true Christian enters into an intimate relationship with his Creator that more often than not conflicts with the human relationships we used to have. A Christian is a stranger and a foreigner in this world, misunderstood, and if thoroughly dedicated to the Master often called a fanatic even by his family. Why is this? Prior to salvation we were all the enemies of God, by our every action bringing offense to His eternal majesty. We were at one with the world. Yet after salvation we were brought to the "other side" and are now in union with God. If we maintain that relationship then we are at variance with the world, with our families, with our friends. Many believers, far too many to be believed, try to forsake part or all of their relationship with God in order to lessen the tribulation they experience from the world. Again, though, if you do this you're just robbing yourself.
Tribulation endured causes the believer to develop patience and steadfastness in the faith, and this patience in turn brings forth the fruit of experience. This is the Greek word DOKIMEN, literally meaning a state of mind that has stood the test. Having stood the test of tribulation the Christian becomes more stable in his behavior, more sure in his actions. A good illustration of this can probably be found on your own body. When you rub your skin in the same place (be it work related, or from improperly fitting clothing) your skin builds up a thickened area we call "callous". The callous prevents the underlying skin from being damaged. In the same way trials rub the Christian in such a way as to toughen him to adversity. Christians who have stood through the trials while calling on the name of the Lord are believers reaching ever forward to maturity. Christians who quickly fold, crying "uncle" at the first hint of trouble are those who will never find nor experience the deeper things of God. The reason many of our Churches are populated with Christians who have no concept of maturity is because so many have cringed in the face of even the smallest trial. Don't duck the trials, believers. They lead to growth.
2 Corinthians 4:7-10 "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body."
What a beautiful text, and so illustrative of how the believer in maturity should be. Hounded on every side, much like the doe being chased by the wolves, but never really in distress. Why? Because you know that your Father is the Almighty One, more than able to protect you. Often confused, but never losing hope, for we know that in due season the answer to all our questions will come through that Blessed Spirit of Promise. We are persecuted by Satan's children, those still in the world system, but we do not fear. We trust in the Lord to bring reprieve and an answer. All tribulations serve to further the believer's growth, all help fill out that Divine Plan of Sanctification.
Holy Ghost which is given unto us . If we were in this great relationship with God only temporarily then He would have never given us the Holy Spirit. This Gift, above and beyond the Gift of Salvation, stands as a promise from the Father that we have assurance of eternal life.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 "Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts."
Galatians 4:6-7 "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ."
Our Heavenly Father sealed us by giving us the Holy Spirit. The word for sealed is SPHRAGIZO, which means "To mark for private use, to mark as one's property". We have assurance of salvation because of the indwelling Spirit. We are adopted sons because God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Again, that indwelling Spirit is our guarantee that we are safe from the punishment of hellfire.
Do all Christians receive the Holy Spirit at new birth, or is the reception of the Spirit a "second work of grace" as some believe? The Bible clearly teaches that, once you accept Jesus Christ as Savior, you immediately receive the Holy Spirit of promise.
Ephesians 1:12-14 "That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory."
After we trust the saving Gospel of Christ we are sealed (SPHRAGIZO) with the Holy Spirit. This sealing ministry is the earnest (ARRHABON) literally the pledge or collateral , a down payment on the promise of salvation. A good illustration of this work of God can be found in purchasing a house. When you go to purchase a house you deposit into a fund "earnest money". This money is a cash pledge saying that you will buy the house. Once you put up the earnest money the seller pulls the house from the market. BUT if you default, and go back on your promise to buy, the earnest money is forfeited to the seller as a penalty for you breaking your word. When we were saved God gave us the Holy Spirit as the "earnest money" on our salvation. God will not forfeit on His promise, this testified by the ARRHABON of the Spirit within us.
John 14:16-20"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you."
The Holy Spirit abides with (indwells) every believer at the point of salvation. This was a promise from our Lord, and that promise wasn't conditioned on whether we asked for the Spirit or not. This indwelling is for ever. And if for ever, then how can we believe that it would be possible to lose our salvation? If it were possible to lose our salvation, then would this not make our Lord a liar? I say, NO, let all creation be a liar and yet God be true. The indwelling eternal Spirit guarantees our salvation, guarantees that we who have believed shall see God in Heaven. God will not cast His Spirit into the lake of Fire, and this He would have to do if what many teach, that salvation is finite, is true. There is no such thing as casting away your inheritance. Once you believe you are saved, and that salvation is secured by the evidence of the indwelling Spirit.
5:6-9
Romans 5:6-9 "For when we were yet without strength, in due time (KAIROS = a strategic time, a time determined by a set of circumstances)
Christ died for (HUPER = for the sake of, on behalf of. See John 11.50, Gal 3.13)
the ungodly. (ASEBES = impious, ungodly, irreverent)
[7] For scarcely for a righteous (DIKAIOS, right or just, one who does all that the Law requires)
man will one die: yet peradventure for a good (AGATHOS = benevolent, kind, generous)
man some would even dare to die. [8] But God commendeth (SUNISTEMI = to put together by combining or comparing, to show, prove, establish, exhibit. The word is Present Tense, thus showing repeated or habitual action)
his (Reflexive pronoun = his own)
love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. [9] Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath (HO, the Definite Article, should appear before ORGE, Wrath, meaning "the wrath", a reference to the Lake of Fire)
through him."
So few realize the scope of the substitutionary death of Christ on the Cross. Christ died for the ungodly. A contemporary Christian music group, 4Him, has a song that illustrates this principle. They sing "I'm just a fallen man living in the land of mercy" (4Him, The Message, "Land of Mercy"). As believers we often forget that we are still sinners, still fallible, and still prone to "miss the mark" of what God has called us to do. If you believe that you are a "good person" then salvation is not for you, Christ did not die for the good. If you believe you are a good person you deceive yourself, for we are all bad, born with a desire to sin. When you understand your inherent badness, understand that you're just a fallen man living in the land of mercy, then you begin to understand how great that salvation offered is.
1 Peter 3:18 "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:"
Christ also hath once suffered for sins. Christ didn't go to the Cross twice, nor did He suffer and die twice for our sins. He went, suffered, died, and rose again once. What He did was sufficient for all, and this blood atonement (because of it's sufficiency) needs to be applied once only to the life of the believer. I'm seeing a rising trend in the Church of people going back to the altar to be "re-saved" because they feel that they aren't good enough the way they are now to go to Heaven. Believers, you can never be good enough within yourselves to go to Heaven. Get over it, you are all sinners, just as am I. In the past two months in my Church I've seen four people go forward to be saved because they felt the first salvation didn't take. Now, don't get me wrong. Perhaps some of these, or maybe all of these, just came to the realization that they were deluding themselves all these years. Perhaps they joined the Church and never really accepted Christ as Savior. I have no way of knowing, and neither do you. I do know that all four were extremely active in the Church, and their fruits were seemingly the fruits of righteousness, fruits that should have come from believers. But it is possible that they were never really saved, never really believed. However, if they went back to be "re-saved" because they felt that they weren't good enough to be Christians, then this is heresy. We're all sinners. The difference between a believer and a non-believer is that the believer's sins have the blood atonement of Christ applied, the unbeliever is on his own.
when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. We were spiritually dead prior to our salvation, totally without strength to do righteousness before God. Salvation is a thing totally borne of Grace, and has nothing to do with us other than the fact that we say "I believe".
The word commendeth (SUNISTEMI) means To continually show or evidence (love). Christ died for the sins of the whole world, not just for a chosen few. Since His sacrifice was all encompassing, God's love is all encompassing. His love is sufficient to cover all the sins of all those who believe.
1 John 2:1-2 "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."
2 Corinthians 5:18-19 "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation."
When man does something he usually leaves something lacking or outstanding. Yet when God does something, He, because He is Almighty, causes the work to be complete. It is a fact that God is perfect, another fact that sin is universal. Our perfect Father decided that the cure must be as universal as the disease was, and His answer was the Cross. The Son paid for the sins of the world. Not just for the sins that had been committed up to that point in history, but for the sins of the ages, the sins that had yet to be committed. The payment was horrendous, yet complete. So complete that, about the ninth hour of the Cross our Lord screamed out:
Mark 15:34 "And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
Such a terrible torment, such a complete payment. Is there a sin you can commit that has not already been paid for? No, it was paid at the Cross. This is the beauty of salvation in Christ.
5:9-11
Romans 5:9-11 "Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. [10] For if, (EI, if, and it is true)
when we were enemies, we were reconciled (KATALASSO = to change or exchange, reconcile those at variance)
to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Note: The reconciliation involves: (1) a movement of God toward man with a view toward breaking down man's hostilities. This is initiated in the person of Christ (Rom 5.6-8; 2 Cor 5.18-19; Eph 1.6; 1 John 4.19). (2) a corresponding movement on man's part toward God, renouncing sin and announcing faith in Christ, (3) a consequent change in man by the Holy Spirit of God, (4) a corresponding change of relation on God's part, so that God can now receive man into fellowship (1 John 1.3, 7).
Note: Salvation covers three areas: (1) Justification: The removing of sin and guilt so far as the penalty extends, and bestowal of a righteous standing in God through Christ, (2) Sanctification: The work of the Spirit in cleansing the earthly Temple (our bodies), and (3) Glorification: The final perfection of the saved when they stand before Jesus Christ in Heaven.
Note: Adam is represented in this text as the Federal Head of the human race. When he sinned, all of humanity sinned with him.
[11] And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement." (KATALLAGE, its verbal form is KATALLASSO, "to reconcile". Best translated here "reconciliation" or "oneness)
The death of Christ reconciled us to God, in effect sealed the breech that was between the Father and fallen man. The resurrection of Christ gave us continuing assurance of salvation, we shall be saved by his life.
Colossians 1:14, 20-22 "In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:...And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:"
The death of Christ washed the sin barrier away, presenting a clean slate to the Father to view. Yet what maintains us in this state of salvation, what keeps us saved as we are still fallible and prone to sin? The resurrection of Christ gives our state of Grace that sustaining power:
Hebrews 7:22-25 "By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them."
The sacrifices under the Law were imperfect, unable to bring salvation to even one person. They were imperfect for two reasons:
5:12-14
Romans 5:12-14 "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, (KOSMOS = the human race. See also John 3:16)
and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: [13] (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. [14] Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come."
It's interesting to note that though all men understand that death is a part of life, no source document other than the Scriptures have ever explained why all men must eventually die. Sin brings about natural corruption in our flesh, as sin is something that God never created but we created out of disobedience. As sinners we, with this corruption, eventually die. I don't know if Adam ever understood the ramifications of his action until his own physical death, that what he did brought both spiritual and physical death on mankind.
Genesis 2:16-17 "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."
Many have read this text and thought, "But Adam didn't really die on the day he ate of the forbidden fruit". Yet he did. He (as well as Eve) met spiritual death immediately after they disobeyed God. This spiritual death introduced corruption into the human body, such corruption which would also bring about man's physical death. In the earlier texts of Scripture (Genesis - Deuteronomy) it was not uncommon for man to live hundreds of years before meeting physical death. Yet as human history progressed and sin grew stronger, the life span of man slowly began to decrease.
Perhaps man felt that this spiritual and physical death was an unfair punishment from God. Death of both types was still universal even before the Law was given under Moses. God introduced the Law under Moses in order that man could fully understand why he was under both spiritual and physical death. The Law highlighted sin:
1 John 3:4 "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law."
The Law catalogued our sin, made it easier to understand
that we were hopelessly lost without God's intervention. The Law, once
established, gave a positive and unbreakable standard by which we could
see our sin as God saw it, and it was black. Before the Law we knew by
conscience that what we were doing was wrong, but after the Law we saw
our shortcomings all listed in black and white.
The eternal justice of God required that man be given
a written revelation on which he would be judged: sin
is not imputed when there is no law. After the Law man had
no excuse for his actions, no excuse for his disbelief.
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. Paul argues that, since God did not impute sin to man's eternal record without the Law, and since man still died under physical death, then man's death was immediately traceable back to Adam's failure in the Garden. Adam was the Federal Head of the human race. When he fell, he carried all of humanity down in this fall from Grace. Adam, our substitute, died to sin and carried us all into spiritual death. Jesus, our substitute, died and carried all who believe into eternal life. What a beautiful parallel between Adam and Christ!
5:15-17
Romans 5:15-17 "But not as the offense, (PARAPTOMA = a falling alongside, a deviation from the right path)
so also is the free gift. (CHARISMA = a gift of grace, a favor received without merit on the part of the recipient)
For if through the offense of (HO = the {One}) one
many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by (HO = the {One}) one
man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. [16] And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification. [17] For if by one man's offense death reigned (Note: If death truly reigned, then there must be an equal reign of life)
by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)"
The first Adam brought death by his disobedience, the last Adam brought life by His obedience. The parallel between both Christ and Adam is that both were Federal Heads for the human race, and whatever they did reflected on all of mankind. The word offense is the Greek PARAPTOMA, which means a falling alongside, a deviation from the right path. Though Adam thought he was merely eating of a forbidden fruit, he was, in the purest sense of the word deviating from the known will of God. Paul shows where the parallel between Adam and Christ ends by stating if by one man's offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. That which was wrought in sin (Adam's disobedience) is dwarfed by the work of Christ on the Cross. The fall of Adam brought a reign of sin and evil, but the obedience of Christ brought a much greater force into human history, the force of Grace.
5:18-21
Romans 5:18-21 "Therefore as by the offense (PARAPTOMA = transgression)
of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness (DIKAIOMA = righteous act or deed)
of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification (DIKAIOSIS = to declare righteous. A judicial act committed only by God based on our faith in Christ)
of life. [19] For as by one man's disobedience (PARAKOE, a compound made up of AKOUO {to hear} and PARA {alongside}, thus "to hear alongside or hear amiss." This refers to active disobedience, hearing the truth and deciding to throw it to the side)
many were made (KATHISTEMI = to set, place, put, appoint, administer to an office, constitute)
sinners, so by the obedience (HUPOKOE, again a compound made up of AKOUO {to hear} and HUPO {under}, literally = "to hear under", or to submit oneself to the authority of another's teaching or voice)
of one shall many be made (KATHISTEMI = to set, place, put, appoint, administer to an office, constitute)
righteous. [20] Moreover the (no article here, just "law")
law entered, (PAREISELTHEN = to enter alongside {compound of ELTHON <to come> + EIS <into> + PARA <alongside>})
that the offense (PARAPTOMA = transgression)
might abound. (PLEONAZO = to increase, be augmented)
But where sin (HARMARTIA = sin, disobedience)
abounded, grace did much more abound: (HUPERPERISSEUO = to be over and above a certain number and measure, to super abound)
[21] That as sin hath reigned (BASILEUO = to reign as King)
unto death, (EN TOI THANATOI = in the sphere of death)
even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord."
The word righteousness is the Greek DIKAIOMA, which literally means a righteous or pure act or deed. Through the DIKAIOMA of Christ Grace was made possible. This free Gift of Grace led to the "justification which led to eternal life". If you have followed our discussion so far you should have a question forming in your mind. To recap:
Galatians 3:5-7 "He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham."
Herein lies the dilemma: What of those who came before the Law? What, for that matter, became of those who lived prior to the time of Christ? Paul has more than adequately explained why it is impossible for man to be justified via the Law: the Law never existed to secure salvation anyway. The Bible teaches that the narrow road to salvation is through Christ only!
Acts 4:10-12 "Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
Yet Jesus did not walk the earth until around 30 AD, and was crucified for our sins around 33 AD. We cannot state that all before the time of Christ were condemned to hell, for we know that Abraham was justified by faith. Nor can we state that God gave a "mass pardon" to all prior to Christ's atonement, for wherein would be the justice?
The answer to this puzzle is revealed in Scripture, though
it is one of the deeper things that many will not seek. No one,
prior to Christ's atonement, could have direct access to Heaven for the
following reasons:
Galatians 4:4-7 "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ."
So those who lived prior to the atonement could not enter into Heaven proper, nor into the presence of God. If this is true then where did they go? I believe that the Scripture teaches they went to a temporary holding area that the Jews called Abraham's bosom to wait for the promise of the Messiah. In the Old Testament we see no instance where anyone went to "Heaven" after death, as the Old Testament regarded Heaven as the abode of God. In the Old Testament (Genesis - Malachi) the doctrine of Heaven was never fully developed because, I believe, it was impossible for man to enter this sphere until after the work of Christ. When Christ walked the earth prior to His crucifixion (which was really a part of the Old Testament era, not the Church Age as of yet) He began to develop the Doctrine of Heaven. Jesus taught of two temporary holding places, one for the righteous dead and the other for the lost:
Luke 16:20-31 "And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."
In all parables that Jesus spoke the text always introduces it by "And He spoke a parable..". In the story of the rich man and Lazarus there was no such introduction, leading us to believe that this story was a little more than a teaching illustration. Both Lazarus and the rich man are in temporary holding areas: Lazarus in comfort (Abraham's bosom), and the rich man in chains of fire. Both were found immediately in their respective places, one immediately after death in comfort while the other immediately in torment. The rich man was not in his final place of suffering as he had yet to enter the judgment of the Great White Throne (Revelations 20.10-15): he was merely being held for future judgment. Lazarus also was being held, waiting for the Savior (along with Father Abraham) to purchase his redemption. The Bible alludes to the fact that while Christ's body was in the tomb His spirit went to this temporary abode, witnessed of who He was, and led the waiting Saints out and into Heaven proper.
1 Peter 3:18-19 "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;"
Ephesians 4:8-10 "Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)"
The same Spirit that resurrected Christ from the dead also empowered Him to preach to the spirits in prison, that is, the Old Testament saints who were waiting for the promise of the Messiah. Before our Lord ascended He first descended into the lower parts of the earth, gathered those who were waiting for Him (led captivity captive) and carried them to their permanent place in the Heavens with the Father. That Christ was the first among humanity to enter the presence of God is also illustrated in:
Hebrews 6:19-20 "Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec."
Christ was our forerunner (PRODROMOS, the one who enters ahead, the first to enter) who entered within the veil. In Judaism the veil was that heavy cloth that covered the Holy of Holies, a place on earth that God symbolically dwelled. The Holy of Holies was entered only once a year by the High Priest to make atonement for the people. The High Priest only could enter through the veil. The people, who were in sin, had to remain outside. When the High Priest of Israel entered the veil he acted as a type or foreshadowing of Christ. The writer of Hebrews makes it plain that Jesus had to enter the Heavenly Holy of Holies prior to all mankind, make atonement, and then and only then could the rest of humanity (the Old Testament Patriarchs first, then the Church Age believers) enter the presence of God. The Patriarchs, justified by faith in the One who was to come, had to wait until He entered the veil with the acceptable sacrifice. The temporary holding place, Abraham's bosom, is no more in the Church Age. Upon death we all go immediately into Heaven because our Lord has already entered the veil, made permanent atonement, and sat down on the right hand of God the Father.
We will continue after a short break. See you in the next study. God Bless!
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