Salvation: "Crucified with Him"

Abraham

Abraham believed in God's word, so Abraham was counted as righteous. It was not anything he did that justified him. When someone works, that person's pay is not considered a gift but rather what is owed for the work done. However, God's way is different. It is not works that are of the most importance. The one who does not work but believes in the Savior who justifies the sinner is righteous. Abraham was counted as righteous before he was circumcised. He was given circumcision as a sign of faith. This made Abraham and his descendants heirs of a world that did not come through the law but through faith. The law brings punishment, but where there is no law, there is no sin. Even though he was an old man and his wife was barren, Abraham still believed. He only grew stronger in his faith and gave God the glory. He had faith that God could and would do what He promised. That is why he was righteous. It was because of his faith. Paul wrote that this was the reason for having faith in Jesus' death and resurrection.

Peace through Faith

We have been justified and given peace through our faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ has given us access to faith through His grace. Because of what Christ did, we can rejoice in the hope He has given us of the glory of God. We can find joy in our suffering because suffering makes us endure. Endurance produces character, and character brings about hope. Hope does not cause shame because the love of God has been given to us through the Holy Spirit. Christ died for sinners because there was no need to die for the righteous. God showed love to us while we were sinners. His blood justified us and saved us from the anger of God.

Adam Brought Death, Jesus Brought Life

Sin came into the world through Adam. Death came from sin, and death spread to every person because everyone sinned. Sin was in the world before the law. Specific sins only counted once the law was given to Moses. Mankind still sinned, but it was in general terms. The law just named the sins, and death was the price paid for the sins. Many men died because of Adam's sin, but the grace of Jesus Christ brought life to many more.

Does this mean that we should continue to be sinful? Paul said that it was impossible to die to sin and still live in it. Anyone baptized in the name of Jesus Christ is baptized into Jesus' death. Jesus was raised from the dead so that we could walk in a new life. If we were united in His death, we are also united in His resurrection. Death can never rule over Christ. We must think of ourselves as dead to sin and alive in Christ. Paul pointed out that we should not allow sin to rule over our bodies. Sin cannot reign over us because we are not under the law but under the grace of Jesus Christ.

Does being under grace instead of the law make it permissible to sin? It does not. If we make ourselves slaves to someone, that person rules our lives. Giving oneself to sin will lead to death, but obedience will lead to righteousness. Once we have been saved and set free from sin, we will become slaves to righteousness. "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23, ESV®).

Released from the Law

As believers in Christ, we were released from the law when He died and was resurrected. We have died in sin and have risen like Christ from death. We serve Christ in a new way, unlike the old way of the law. Paul explained that a person might then conclude that the law was sin, but it was not. Without the law, people would not know when they were doing wrong. The law, therefore, is holy, right, and good.

That being said, the condemnation seen in the law is gone, and the salvation of Christ saves the believer from that condemnation. "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:1-2, ESV®). This only applies to those saved by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. If one lives by the flesh, he or she will die by the flesh. If the Holy Spirit leads us, then we are sons and daughters of God. If we are children of God and suffer with Christ, we will be rewarded.

Future Glory

Paul discussed how the suffering the believers were going through then was nothing compared to the glory that would eventually be given to them. All of creation had been struggling together until the sacrifice of Jesus. Now, we wait for the redemption of our bodies. This hope is the reason we are saved. When we hope for something that cannot be seen, we must patiently wait for it. The Holy Spirit helps us in our time of weakness and intercedes for us with a calling too deep for words. "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).

God's Love

If God is for us, no one can be against us. God will graciously give us everything because He already gave up His Son for us. No one can blame God's chosen people because God justifies them. Jesus sits at the right hand of God the Father and intercedes for us with God. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Through Jesus, we are more than conquerors.

"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39).

God's Choice

Paul assured his readers that he was not lying and had great sorrow in his heart for his brothers (the Israelites) because so many would not be saved. God had promised that He would have mercy and compassion on those He chose. God had also said that He would destroy Israel, leaving only a remnant (a small part). Not all of those who descended from Israel belonged to Israel. It was not the children of the flesh that were counted but the children of the promise that were considered the children of God. This was referring to the promise made to Abraham in having Isaac. (Malachi had shared God's words about how He loved Jacob but hated Esau. Esau's descendants served the descendants of Jacob.) This was not an injustice because God has the sovereign right to choose whomever He wishes to fulfill His purposes. God had even chosen Pharaoh for the purpose of displaying His divine power.

Paul Desires Israel to Be Saved

Gentiles had not sought righteousness but had attained it by faith. Israel followed the law to seek righteousness but failed because its people had not pursued righteousness by faith but by works. Paul desired that God would save Israel. He had ministered to the Israelites, but they would not submit to God's righteousness. Instead, they sought their own. The resurrection of Christ brought an end to the law for all that believe.

A Message of Salvation

Paul mentioned that Moses had written about righteousness based on the law. When people follow the commandments, they must live by them. Righteousness based on faith in Jesus Christ does not ask who will go to heaven or hell. Faith requires a person to confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in their heart in His resurrection. This is how people are saved. It does not matter if the person is a Greek or a Jew because God is the God of all. He will give riches to all who call on Him; everyone that calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. The feet that bring this good news to others are beautiful. Faith comes from hearing the gospel.

Summary

As Paul emphasized, Abraham was righteous through his faith in God. He did not have the law, but when God told him that he would have a child, Abraham had faith, and through this faith, Abraham was made righteous. Jesus Christ has given us access to faith under His grace. Adam's sin brought death to the world, but Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection brought grace through faith, and that brought life. The condemnation seen in the law is gone, and the salvation of Christ saves the believer from that condemnation.

The Holy Spirit is revealed to us through the grace of Christ, through His death and resurrection. God loved us so much that He sacrificed His Son for us. It is God's choice as to how He implements His plan. Paul desired Israel to be saved by Christ, and the thought of Israel's refusal to accept the gospel caused Paul great pain. Everyone that calls on the name of God will be saved.

Application and Reflection

Application

Paul warned that if a person allows themselves to give in to sin, that person will become a slave to sin. If a person follows God and is righteous, that person will become a slave to righteousness. The choice is ours. We must choose what will be our master: sin or righteousness.

Reflection

Paul desired that the grace of Christ would save his fellow Israelites. It is hard to see people we love doing something that will destroy them. There is a temptation to go along with them in their sinful ways, but we must remain faithful to Christ and do our best to guide those we love and everyone else to His salvation.