Chapter 1
1-4 Apostles and the Gospel:
1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; 4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
The Doctrine of the Apostle: [1] Paul was indeed an apostle. You must be “called” to be one. Were there more than just the 12? Yes, there was Paul and also Barnabas, and possibly others. Apostles were separated unto the Gospel, “sent messengers”, chosen audibly by Jesus Christ, and had witnessed the resurrected Christ. They had special miraculous powers and could impart spiritual gifts onto others. The Greek word “apostolos” is translated “he that is sent”. They had sign gifts to authenticate their ministries (2 Cor. 12:12). There are no more today bcause they had to have been audibly called by Jesus Christ. They received their ‘apostleship’ directly from Jesus Christ (v. 5). Apostles were required for the foundation of the churches (Eph 2:20). No NT passage instructs the church to appoint apostles.
The Doctrine of the Resurrection: [4] The resurrection from the dead of Jesus Christ declared Him to be the Son of God. He was eternally the Son of God (eternal Sonship); but this resurrection ‘declared’ Him to be the Son of God.
5-8 The Roman Baptists:
5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:
6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: 7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
The calling of God: [6] “The called” are those Christians in Rome. They were called to similarly go and get the gospel out, but not in the same capacity as the apostles. We are just like these called ones (sent ones). When one becomes a child of God (saved) they are immediately ‘the called of Jesus Christ’; they are to do what Jesus Christ has called them to do. They are ‘the called according to His purpose’. All that get saved are inherently ‘called to be saints’; called to a life of separation (holiness). ‘Saint’ is defined as “one separated from the world and consecrated to God; one holy by profession and by covenant.” (Easton’s Bible Dictionary) None of these ‘callings’ are a calling to get saved, though.
9-16 Spiritual gifts and the gospel
9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; 10 Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; 12 That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. 13 Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. 14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. 15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
The Doctrine of Spiritual Gifts: [11] What does ‘impart unto you some spiritual gift’ mean here? Paul was an apostle which is mentioned as a ‘gift’ to a church (Eph 4:11). The beginning churches needed the apostles to help establish them in the faith. Thus, it may be referring to Paul as an apostle being a gift to that Roman church. However, it states ‘some gift’; thus, it might be referring to those beginning converts not yet having the Holy Spirit indwelling them and that Paul would orchestrate this… and thus they would then receive ‘some gift’.
The Doctrine of the Gospel: [15] It is important to be ‘ready to preach the gospel’ wherever you might go. This involves being right with God and also having an intense desire to tell someone the gospel. [16] Some believers seem to be ‘ashamed of the gospel of Christ’; they don’t want to tell people it; it is awkward, embarrassing. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation; there is great power released when you tell someone the gospel (Holy Spirit power). The gospel was first suppose to be preached to the Jews, and then to the Gentiles.
17-23 Creation vs Evolution
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
The Doctrine of Creationism: [18] This wrath is revealed and placed upon ‘men’…but which men? Those that ‘hold the truth in unrighteousness’. Looking at the next two verses explains that these men are those that have beheld creation and rejected a Creator and have gone on in their sinful, rebellious ways; thus it is all of the lost world. Rejection of Creationism is the key concept associated with these verses, which include quite an horrible judgement/wrath from God. The following verses are all referring to mankind as a whole and not just a certain segment, like, the most wicked or, as many believe, backsliding Christians.
[19] What is important to know about God is already showed to them (vs 20); so that they are completely without excuse. Evolutionists have all the more no excuse, for they have searched out the creation and have forced themselves not to accept the view involving a Creator. If they accept this view then they are inherantly pushed to be subject to this Superior Being. Evolutionists aren’t simply misguided individuals, but rather, blatant rebellious varmants who despise the concept of God.
[20] The truth of God has been shown to all mankind by creation. Creation makes it ‘very clear’ so that they are all completely without excuse for not believing in the Creator. They can’t say that they didn’t understand. Even those in remote jungles are without excuse. Creation shows a Designer, a Creator, a far superior Being. It is obvious that this Creator is loving when we see all the good things that are made. Evil shows itself throughout mankind. Judgement is understood via natural disasters, illness, and ultimately death. It is easily formulated that this loving Creator judges evil; and death shows not an end but the beginning of a new existance. Furthermore, if one chooses to reject this benevolent, all powerful Creator, then they theorize that judgement will come upon them…after death. Also, the heavens declare the salvation story (Dragon, Virgin, the Son).
His “eternal power” is understood in that the vastness of the universe is seen via astronomy and it speaks of ‘eternity’, and also speaks of incredible ‘power’, especially when we understand the massive size of the universe and of the energy contained therewith.
The Creator deniers say “we can’t see God, therefore we will not believe”; signs of His existance are all around them!
[21] Thus, all of mankind comes to a point in their life where they ‘know God’ by understanding this truth of Him as the Creator of all that we see around us; the question is will they accept it or reject it? If they accept it then they will want to find out more about it. But, most will reject it…mainly due to selfish pride: they don’t want a God to answer to and definitely will not give glory to Him; they are not thankful for the good He has bestowed on them; and because of this, their understanding of the truth is further darkened. People believing in evolution will have their ability to understand creation further darkened to where it is ‘almost’ impossible for them to change and believe. Our kids are being brainwashed about evolution at school, on tv, in books, toys, video games, etc.. If they believe it as a young adult, they will be further darkened to the truth. God help us!
[22] The world seeks their wisdom not from religion but from science; evolution is the horrible outcome of man’s wisdom. Oh how wise those holding to evolution believe they are. But oh how foolish they are! Don’t get fooled into thinking that all this evolutionary information is right. They have rejected a Creator so now they have to ‘prove’ anything but that…try as they may, it is full of holes.
[23] They were wiser than those evolutionists of today; they at least practiced some form of god worship. They chose the creatures to worship instead of the Creator (vs. 25). There was a religious ideology to there life. Today they totally reject the concept of God. They worship creation in a less formalistic way; they treat the Earth and all the ‘life’ on it as ‘sacred’. They won’t bow down to it, but they hold it as equal to human life (and some even more special than humans; like animal rights activists or those in GreenPeace).
24-27 Homosexuality and Evolution
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 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: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
The Doctrine of Homosexuality: Because of the world’s rejection of Him and their pursuit to worship everything and anything but Him, God ‘gave them up’ to pursue their wicked ways. God holds the wicked back from all the available wickedness. It seems that one of the ultimate forms of lustful wickedness is homosexuality. It appears that no-one goes into this heinous sin unless God ‘gives you up’ to it! Here it refers to the sin of homosexuality as “to dishonour their own bodies between themselves”; “vile affections”; “against nature” (or what is natural); “burned in their lust”; “working that which is unseemly”. It is really getting bad when ‘even their women’ get involved in it, lesbianism. The men (initially) then, and definitely now, received an appropriate disease in their bodies for this sin; i.e. AIDs.
28-32 Reprobation:
28 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; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
The Doctrine of Reprobation: [28] Since their ‘mind’ is a source of their problem, God will judge it. Not only is their physical body judged, but also their mind. The evolutionist’s mind becomes ‘reprobate’: i.e. “abandoned to error”. Thus, their actual ‘mind’ becomes abandoned to error, to following all types of sin. It is extremely ‘inconvenient’ to be practicing all this wickedness (29-31). These reprobate minds are all around us. Many of those instructing your children day after day have this type of mind. Many leading our country have this type of mind. God help us!
[29-31] This covers just about every wicked category imaginable. Those that believe evolution will be given over to a mind that follows these wicked sins. Thus those that believe (strongly) in evolution will reach a point of no return where their mind (way of thinking) changes; their mind changes to gladly believe in error…that is, anything that is against God.
[32] Reprobation doesn’t mean that you do not know what you are doing anymore; no, you are very aware of the fact that it is sin, and that there is God’s judgment on all this… but you just don’t flat care. You have pleasure in disobeying ‘God’. They jump for joy when another homosexual couple is married…