Paul's Letter to the Roman Christians: Part 2- Overview and Final Introduction

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PAUL'S LETTER TO THE ROMAN CHRISTIANS [2]

Overview

Copyright © BRI 2016 All Rights Reserved Worldwide by Les Aron Gosling,
Messianic Lecturer (BRI/IMCF)

The Audio MP3 of this lecture is available via this link: http://www.bripodcasts.com/Romans/Lecture2.MP3

CAUTION: BRI Yeshiva notes are not generally available to the general public. They are not for distribution. They are not for reproduction. The notes may also bear little or no resemblance to the actual audio or video recorded BRI Yeshiva lecture.

"The great Rabbi Gamaliel had among his disciples one who, according to a passage in the Talmud, gave his master a good deal of trouble, manifesting 'impudence in matters of learning.' But his name is not given; he is remembered simply as 'that pupil'" (F.F. Bruce, The Spreading Flame, 1958, 81. See also J. Klausner, From Jesus to Paul, 1944, 310f; Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 30b).


"To misunderstand the descriptive narrative concerning Rav Shaul in the Lukan Acts is to misunderstand the personality and psychological profile of the Rabbi who penned 'The Letter of Paul to the Roman Christians.' Misunderstand the Rabbi and we will misunderstand Romans" , Rebbe


"Then he [Yeshua] appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the most remain until now, but some also have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James; then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to an abortion, he appeared to me also" (1 Corinthians 15.6-8 Darby translation cf Moffatt).



THE LITERARY FRAMEWORK OF ROMANS
(1) Are You A Saint?

Coming from Tarsus, the capitol of the Roman Province of Cilicia (Acts 22.3) and educated in its university (only one of three university centres of culture and learning , the others being Alexandria and Athens) Paul was acquainted with Greek philosophy but also Jewish studies as he was also a Jew. Not only is this the case, he was a free born Roman citizen. Thus in one man we find an embodiment of Greek, Jewish and Roman culture.

Romans was penned by Rav Shaul and the letter is addressed to "All that be in Rome, beloved of God, called saints" (Romans 1.7).

Paul is not writing, as some would suggest, to the Romans. The "all that be in Rome" is qualified in the same text as Messianic believers. In other words he is writing to the Christians, both Jews and Gentiles who believe in Yeshua as the Messiah. These are people who are not called "to be" saints as that phrase also does not appear in the Greek text. Some versions have "to be" in italics showing that these words are additional to the original text, placed there by the translators to make the sense easier to comprehend. In their attempts to make a translation easier to understand translators often confuse the meaning of the original text by carrying across, and imposing into, that text their own peculiar religious baggage of denominational bias. Paul simply writes that the Christians in Rome ARE saints. The word "saint" means holy, or sanctified, set apart by God for God.

The apostle Paul called the Christians dwelling at Rome , "SAINTS." They were not dead. They were very much alive and living in the shadow of the jolly theatrical comic emperor Nero (as he was at that time, prior to becoming a narcissistic "beast" and completely mad). This reference to living "saints" made by Paul was not due to official letters from the leaders of the universal church pressuring the pope in Rome to examine the holy life and extraordinary claims of a particular Christian via a bunch of cardinals and bishops and archbishops representing the masses in a specific location urging canonisation. Not so! Every converted believer is a saint, by biblical definition.

Now let me venture a step further. The sanctity of a saint does not consist of "pious gestures, artificial tones of voice, beatific expressions, or the sprinkling of conversation with texts from Sacred Scripture... Some motion picture actresses portraying saints believe that holiness has something to do with the open mouth gasping for breath" notes Bishop Fulton Sheen. He quickly adds, "this is a confusion of holiness with adenoids" (Fulton J. Sheen, The Electronic Christian: 105 Readings, 1979, 225, 226).

We know Peter did not establish or found the ekklesia at Rome. Paul noted flatly that the aim of his life , his ambition of martyrdom as grasped by the original disciples of the Lord Yeshua (See Acts 1.8 where Yeshua gives the disciples a commission to be "witnesses" worldwide, the Greek being the term for martyrdom) , was to preach the Gospel where it had not been previously exposed in the form of evangelism: "lest I should build on another man's foundation" (Romans 15.20). Arguments back and forth as to whether Peter at that time or prior to it had been in Rome, and had or had not founded the Roman Church, become a bag of wind when Paul's own words are read correctly in this matter. Again, if Peter had been in Rome, or was in Rome at the time Paul penned this letter from Corinth (circa 56/57 CE) then he otherwise ignores him. This in Paul's nature would be a very peculiar thing for the rabbi to have done and certainly not in character with him as he did not fail to remind Christians everywhere of Peter's weak-kneed political behaviour when he forsook table fellowship with Gentiles in favour of sitting and fellowshipping with Jews when representatives from the powerful James (Yaakov) , Qumran's alternative High priest and brother of the Lord , surfaced in the vicinity.

"But when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; for before important men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews played the hypocrite with him so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straight forward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, if you being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?" (Galatians 2.11-14).

Paul did not think twice about reminding his readership of this event even though it occurred 19 years previous. Paul would hardly have kept such a circumstance as Peter being in Rome from being fortuitous because he took every opportunity to belittle his fellow apostle! Not nice behaviour, and some would venture "unChristian." Again, Luke was not an ordinary man. He was an educated physician and an historian with a keen eye on initial beginnings in relation to the Messianic Movement and he failed to mention Peter in connection with Rome in his Acts.

But Paul was both headstrong and he possessed (as I have brought out on more than one occasion in my lectures) a personality disorder inasmuch as he found it almost impossible to work well within a team, and he saw himself as having an abundant intellect (and, of course, he did!) and he never failed to promote it! Note that in his letters there is very little in the way of humility demonstrated to his readership. In fact he uses the personal pronoun so many times it does make one wonder about that same humility. I will pursue this point in a moment.

THE LITERARY FRAMEWORK OF ROMANS
(2) Is Humility a Gift , or Even a Fruit , of the Spirit?

Alva McClain observes, "Romans was not the first epistle written [by Paul]. Paul wrote five others before it. Why are these books not placed in the Bible chronologically? Why is 1 Thessalonians, if it was written first, not put after the book of Acts, then 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, and finally Romans? Romans is the first epistle in the reading of the Word of God. I believe it was placed there by the Holy Spirit, because the canon of the New Testament would not be in a proper order otherwise. It stands there much as the brazen altar stood in the tabernacle: when the worshiper started to approach the holy place, the first thing he came to was the brazen altar on which the sacrifice was placed. He could not pass; he could not enter the tabernacle until he came to that. The book of Romans in the New Testament corresponds to the brazen altar. It is the place where we find Christ set forth as the propitiation which justifies us and enables us, through faith in his blood, to go on in Christian truth" (emphasis mine).

McClain continues: "Romans tells us what Christianity is; Ephesians, Colossians, and Philippians tell us about the body of Christ, the mystery which was never known in past ages; and 1 and 2 Thessalonians deal with the coming of the Lord... In the epistles to the seven churches [to whom Paul wrote] Romans comes first and Thessalonians last, because one is the introduction to Christianity and the Gospel, and the other points to the consummation of Christianity when Christ [comes in his second Advent]" (Alva McClain, Romans: The Gospel of God's Grace, 1973, 15,16).

Incidentally, and as an appropriate aside, humility is something we must provide of ourselves, yes even in "the natural." It is not provided by God's Spirit, believe it or not. I insist that it is LIFE itself , the trials and experiences of life , that grants human beings a humility, whether they are converted or unconverted. Solomon, inspired by God's Spirit, states this fact unequivocally. Notice it now:

"I see the experience that Elohim gives to the sons of humanity to humble them by it" (Ecclesiastes 3.10 Concordant Version. Emphasis mine. Cf Hebrews 2.9,10).

Scholar Young grasped the Jewish thoughtform on this matter and he translated it accordingly: "I have seen the travail that God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled by it" (Young's Literal Translation) which goes way beyond the stultified Gentile appreciation which is usually accorded as "I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race" (NIV) or something of similar nature.

Whatever may be the case with Paul, at the very least he struggled against his nature , his ego and his self-will. His confessions in Romans 7 is proof of it.

THE LITERARY FRAMEWORK OF ROMANS
(3) More Evidence of Paul's Volatile Propensities

And so, concentrating on Paul, I do not know if you have ever done this, but check a concordance and look for the personal pronoun in Paul's letters. Look also for the words "my," "me," "mine." In this Letter to the Roman Christians Paul speaks of himself a total of 103 occasions. What of his other letters? Here's a short list:

1 & 2 Corinthians Rav Shaul refers to himself in one way or the other an almost unbelievable 278 times. In Galatians, which may well be a composite document of previous letters of Paul, he refers to himself a total of 69 times. This is why I hinted in my first lecture on Romans that modern psychiatrists would have (and are having) a field day with Paul's psychological profile. Question: What would they say about us?

Now once more, please do not misunderstand from where I am coming in my lecture on Romans concerning its author. I do not in any way deprecate Paul. We all have our issues and our problems in life. But the trouble with Paul was that he publicly wore his inner nightmares on his arm for all to see. Because of these troublesome personality issues many confused his personality with his spirituality , and that is always a BIG mistake. What I am attempting to do at the start of this series on Romans is to help everyone realise why it is that the Jewish rabbins of the Second Temple period considered the great apostle of Mashiach a troublesome case as it is recorded in Shabbat 30b.

[Rabbi Judah used to pray] "as follows: May it be Thy will, O Lord our God, to save me this day from the impudent, and from impudence [in learning]. They asked, what is meant by impudence in learning? He answered as follows, Rabban Gamliel sat and lectured...  but that [i.e., specific] student (oto ha'talmid) scoffed at him... On another occasion Rabban Gamliel sat and lectured... but a certain [i.e., specific] student laughed at him... On another occasion Rabban Gamliel sat and lectured... but a certain [i.e., specific] student scoffed at him" (Shabbat 30b; Admittedly I have truncated the passage in the Talmud dramatically).

Some theological and biblical academics identify "that disciple" or "that student" as Paul. They point out that Gamliel was "a generous" and "most flexible" teacher. Paul was decidedly not in the same boat as his teacher. They point out that it was on the cards that he would sooner or later leave his mentor.

But this is the man whom God chose as most qualified to take the Gospel to the Gentiles. Paul in his letter rightly addresses all sorts of people and judges them all as unqualified for salvation in any sense of the word. There is nothing anyone can do, in other words, to merit God's Grace. He addresses pagans, idolaters, and religious people. And he in one fell swoop condemns everyone. The so-called "good" and "generous," the overt and covert sinners , no-one in life is left out. ALL are lost, as all fail to measure up to God's "RIGHTEOUSNESS" test! We all stand in need of God the Father's salvation (Romans 3.23).


THE LITERARY FRAMEWORK OF ROMANS
(4) Is Your Yeshua LORD?

What many do not take into account is the boldness with which Paul pens his epistle. At the very start of his letter he addresses himself as a "slave [doulos] of Yeshua the Messiah." This was a frightening public statement that Paul was making in his day and age.

Why frightening?

Simply because the expression he uses was already well in use in Rome and every Roman knew it! This particular expression designated and classified a specific group of bondslaves in Roman captivity who were the personal property of Caesar and known as "slaves of the Emperor." They happened to be the most trusted and private servants of Caesar and did his will in every utterance that proceeded forth out of his mouth. They may well have served in a trustworthy capacity, but they were slaves nevertheless. So Paul in point of fact was declaring himself to be "a slave of Yeshua the Messiah, the Emperor" (Romans 1.7 See Kenneth Wuest's comments in his Wuest's Word Studies From the Greek New Testament, Vol.1.,1973, Romans in the Greek New Testament on Romans 1.7). The Jew Yeshua was being publicly denominated by this headstrong Jewish apostle as the Emperor of the World, denigrating and excluding Nero Caesar. This was nothing less than an official PUBLIC act of treason , and that in writing with his own name proclaimed to all as the author of this startling document!

THE LITERARY FRAMEWORK OF ROMANS
(5) Paul's Document is a Letter

What most fail to understand about the "Letter from Paul to the Roman Christians" is that it is in fact a LETTER. It is not a BOOK. Read from the point of view of a letter helps the reader to avoid the pitfalls that sometimes accompany the logical sweep of a book. In a letter we are free to express ourselves other than if we were writing a novel. Indeed, if we were writing a letter today (especially one entirely penned by hand rather than on a computer or typewriter) we may get up to page 5 and recall something that we overlooked mentioning to our intended reader way back on the first page and so jot more information down at the spot where we find ourselves. Paul did this. People tend to view Romans more as a book than a letter primarily because of the way the scholars have broken it up into chapters (and verses). This is also why we often hear of "the book of Colossians" or the "book of Philippians" etc. They're decidedly not books. They are letters.

But there are also other occasional pitfalls which Gentile Christians fall into. Take for example the current lack of knowledge in respect of Jewish thoughtform, especially that related to the Second Temple period. Gentiles know nothing of this thoughtform and even Gentile scholars are having to take continual revision lectures and research to be able to update their current cognisance concerning the biblical revelation as it pertains to the New Testament writings.

Let's look at the design of Paul's correspondence to the Roman Christians. The very fact he wrote it in this manner reveals a great deal about the mechanics of the mind of the apostle God chose to take the Gospel to the Gentile world. Certainly, Paul's own self-assessment tends to the negative (see particularly Romans 7 in which Paul himself speaks of a depressive illness, not in that 21st century terminology, but nevertheless the evidence is set forth neatly), and as I have pointed out elsewhere in my writings he most assuredly was haunted by a deep sense of his own inadequacy in measuring up to the expectations of God for him. This is largely self-evident as seen in two specifics. In the first instance and on the one hand he viewed his life (past and present) with a recognition of especial self-worth or as he initially spoke of it, in hindsight, as "blameless before the Torah" (Philippians 3.5,6) although admittedly, on the other hand and right on the heels of this admission, he seems to have come to realise that none of this was necessary as a requirement for "right standing" in the sight of God (Philippians 3.8,9). The swing here in his divided opinion , or coercive or compelling  "thought bubbles" ,  is nothing if it is not dramatic. In the second instance, to the Greeks at Corinth the rabbi grants them a glimpse of his personal self-disparagement and assessment in his election of apostle or emissary. He speaks of himself, in fact, as "an abortion" of an apostle (1 Corinthians 15.6-8 Greek).

His recognition and use of the term "Grace" (in Romans 1.5) saves his face somewhat as he writes his letter with thoughts tumbling over and out of his enormous intellect and self-knowledge. Again, there is little to suggest from his thought-provoking, challenging and altogether stimulating letter that Paul struggled with self-aggrandisement although some modern critics of the Jewish teacher cannot, it seems, differentiate his ego from his creative humility albeit we have seen a little evidence that would suggest a lack of it at times (especially when he writes). Again, most miss the point that Paul has dug through Greek terminology to speak of God's Grace, rejecting the Hebraisms chesed (loving-kindness) and rachamim (mercy) in favour of a Gentile charis to best express his own definition of what we have termed in English "Grace."

THE LITERARY FRAMEWORK OF ROMANS
(6) Romans , The Emergence of an Astonishing Pattern

I want all my students at this point (if they have not already begun to do so) to get their Bibles and to look up every single biblical reference to which I refer in this present overview.

First of all Paul opens his letter with reference to the Gospel MADE KNOWN (Justification Romans 1.1-1.6) and intriguingly he concludes his letter with the Gospel again, but this time IT IS SEALED (Conciliation: Romans 16.25-16.27). The opening reference to the Gospel is immediately followed by a few GREETINGS (Romans 1.7) but please note that prior to the final mention of the Gospel in chapter 16 there are extended GREETINGS (Romans 16.1-16.23).

And so, right now, you are possibly seeing a PATTERN emerge. If you do see this you are quite correct. But it doesn't stop here. For, after Paul's opening greetings he pens a PRAYER (Romans 1.8-1.9). Can we also expect Paul to add a prayer just before his concluding greetings? Yes, we can! See his PRAYER in Romans 15.30-15.33).

After the initial prayer, Paul speaks of his intended JOURNEY (Romans 1.10-1.13). Again, without wishing to appear vainly repetitious Paul nevertheless finishes his letter in a flourish with mention of an intended JOURNEY (Romans 15.22-15.29). That there is a consistent design here cannot be disallowed. That it is intentional is apparent to any and all who actually study this astonishing mail from the great apostle or emissary of Mashiach.

Subsequent to Paul's advice of an intended journey he refers to his previous MINISTRY (Romans 1.14-1.17). True to form, according to his contemplative design, he discusses his previous MINISTRY in his summing up (Romans 15.8,15.21). And not to be outdone through memory relapse the apostle earlier makes judgments on the immoral CONDUCT of humankind (Romans 1.18-3.20) albeit he then markedly contrasts this with the moral CONDUCT of the saints of God (Romans 12.1-15.7).

Then there is doctrine outlined in depth in this same letter. JUSTIFICATION (Romans 3.21-4.25) followed by CONCILIATION (Romans 5.1-8.30) pursued on its heels with the doctrine of God's SOVEREIGNTY (Romans 8.31-8.39). The emphasis in this section is appropriately focused on the individual before God. This is all balanced by the doctrine of God's SOVEREIGNTY (Romans 9.1-29), JUSTIFICATION (Romans 9.30-10.21) and finally CONCILIATION (Romans 11.1-11.36) where all three aspects are focused not on the individual believer before God, but on nations (particularly Israel, but in direct connection with the Gentiles).

A.E. Knoch comments, and with which I agree, "Romans is dominated by three great doctrines: Justification, Conciliation and Sovereignty. God's own righteousness, which He shares with the sinner, His own peace, which He imparts to the believer, and His own indomitable will, which forms the immovable basis of all blessing, are the bulk and burden of this epistle... Every doctrine in this epistle is discussed twice: first from the viewpoint of the individual, and again, from the larger, national standpoint... The latter half of the ninth and tenth chapter shows how this favour [from God] finds its way to the nations while Israel fails to effect it through the law. So too, God's present attitude of peace toward all mankind and toward those who are justified is fully set forth in the fifth, sixth, seventh and part of the eighth chapters. The bearing of this on Israel and the nations is fully unfolded in the eleventh chapter. That God is for His people is shown in the end of the eighth chapter. His sovereign will with regard to Israel and the nations is shown in the succeeding chapter."

Knoch adds, again correctly but almost as an afterthought, that "It is exceedingly important to recognise the national scope of the ninth, tenth and eleventh chapters. Much confusion has resulted from applying parts of these chapters to individuals rather than to nations" (Concordant Commentary on the New Testament, 1968, 229).

The perceptive Knoch has properly evaluated Paul in these instances. It would do well for Christians (especially authentic Gentile believers) to come into a realisation that the intentions of God and the purposes of God in election cannot be cast aside like so many pages of a failed human movie script. Paul had his critics during his life in the later Second Temple period (and he mentions these opposing elements in his letters and certainly in Romans).

We find the same old arguments about free-will and God's will being dealt with by Paul scattered throughout Romans being put forth in these latter days even from Christians who dare to efface God's will in favour of their doctrine of human free will. But without timidity the emissary of Christ blasts at them with a refusal to designate God as anything but SOVEREIGN. To the contrary view of radical humanists, Paul states that God is operating ALL in accordance with the counsel of His own will (Romans 8.28 will = Greek, prothesis = intention or purpose; cf Ephesians 1.11; Proverbs 21.1). As a prime example of this gratuitous humanism, we read:

"You [you critic] will say to me, Why then does He [God] still find fault [in humans beings]? For who has resisted His will [Greek, boulema = intention]?" (Romans 9.19).

THE LITERARY FRAMEWORK OF ROMANS
(7) Romans is Saturated with Biblical Allusions Worthy of Holy Spirit Inspiration

That Paul was himself well-educated in Gentile academies is respected by all scholars of the biblical revelation. It is well appreciated within that circle of understanding to the degree that even rabbinic authorities have recognised Paul's educated approach in his writings even though they hate and despise him. That he was a gifted orator, possessed of a brilliant intellect, and a discerning teacher , who seems to have bordered on, or displayed at times, a sense of abrupt arrogance , is an unattractive but compelling view that we cannot distance from Rav Shaul. Paul was also, as we are all aware, no stranger to the Hebrew Scriptures.

61 times in Romans Paul refers to the Scriptures. The list is astonishing for a letter of its size and impact. Consider also...

Genesis 5 times; Exodus 4 times; Leviticus 2 times; Deuteronomy 5 times; 1 Kings twice; Psalms 15 times; Proverbs twice; Isaiah 19 times; Ezekiel once; Hosea twice; Joel once; Nahum once; Habakkuk once; Malachi once.

Paul also quotes extensively in Romans from the Apocrypha (the secret wisdom Jewish Scriptures) including 2 Esdras in Romans 2.9; 3.10-12; 5.12,18; 9.13; 10.6,7; 11.17, 18,33; 12.20.

Quotes from the Wisdom of Solomon are located in Romans 1.20, 21,22,23,29,30; 2.4; 6.12,13,20; 7.14,21,24; 8.1-7,18; 9.20; 11.17,33,34; 13.1 along with Ecclesiasticus in Romans 2.3,4,5,6; 3.9,23; 8.28; 9.17,21; 11.33; 12.15,19; 13.14; 14.22.

Baruch can be found in Romans 10.6,7.

Bel and the Dragon in Romans 1.23

1 Maccabees is found in Romans 4.3; 15.4.

Romans 12.19 is extracted from an Aramaic Targum.

Paul also quotes from pagan poets in the Lukan Acts which points to the fact that, for scholars who have researched the great emissary to the Gentiles, Paul was a gifted and articulate evangelist , no matter in what manner his personal "mental demons" afflicted him.

We all owe the apostle Paul a tremendous debt today, if for no other letter than Romans.

THE LITERARY FRAMEWORK OF ROMANS
[8] A Chart to Make Things Easier

So, at the conclusion of this second lecture we need a chart of sorts to elucidate the Letter from Paul to the Roman Christians. I have chosen for this exercise to follow the simplified format created by Alva McClain (whom I have mentioned earlier) but have varied it appropriately.

OUTLINE OF THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMAN CHRISTIANS

TEXT , "The just shall live by faith"
THEME , "The Gospel of God"


INTRODUCTION (1.-17)

1. Salutation (vv. 1-7)
2. Personal Communication (vv. 8-15)
3. Transition to the main theme (vv. 16,17)

1. CONDEMNATION , THE ANGER OF GOD REVEALED (1.18-3.20)

QUESTION , Is the World Lost?
ANSWER , "All the world... guilty before God" (3.19)

1. The heathen condemned (1.18-32)
2. The moralist condemned (2.1-16)
3. The Jew condemned (2.17-3.8]
4. The world condemned (3.9-20)

11. SALVATION , THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD REVEALED (3.21-8.39)

QUESTION , How does God save sinners?
ANSWER ,  "In Messiah Yeshua" (8.1)

1. Justification , declared righteous in Mashiach (3.21-5.21)
2. Sanctification , made holy in Mashiach (chpt. 6 and 7)
3. Preservation , kept securely in Mashiach (chpt. 8]

III. VINDICATION , THE WISDOM OF GOD REVEALED (9.1-11.36)

QUESTION , Why has Israel been set aside?
ANSWER , "That He might have mercy upon all" (11.32)

1. Divine Sovereignty (chpt. 9)
2. Human responsibility (chpt. 10)
3. Merciful purpose (chpt. 11)

IV. EXHORTATION , THE WILL OF GOD REVEALED (12.1-15.33)

QUESTION , How should a saved human being walk?
ANSWER , "Be you transformed" (12.2)

1. In relation to God, self and others (chpt. 12)
2. In relation to "higher powers" (chpt. 13)
3. In relation to weak brethren (chpt. 14)
4. In relation to ministry (chpt. 15)

CONCLUSION (chpt. 16)

1. Recommendation (vv.1,2)
2. Salutations (vv. 3-16, 21-24)
3. Warning (vv. 17-20)
4. Doxology (vv. 25-27)

As we progress through this letter of Rav Shaul, we shall be compelled by the Spirit of God to recognize four primary facts about the GRACE of God. We shall discover that...

GRACE promotes our salvation.

GRACE strengthens our assurance.

GRACE enlarges our hope.

GRACE compels our obedience.

The brilliance of the apostle Paul can be assessed 2000 years after he penned his Letter to the Roman Christians. His letter is really an in-depth psychological as well as theological treatise and anyone who has really studied it cannot but help to recognize in its contents that they speak to each of us individually today , and this feat is most remarkable! From this point of view Romans is timeless! Dr Des Ford has written, concerning this very fact about Paul"™s thoughts expressed in this letter:

"Only when we know that God accepts us can we accept ourselves, and only as we accept ourselves can we accept others. The power of sin can never be broken until the guilt of sin is taken away by our acceptance of the gospel.

"We are free, indeed, when, as a result of the glad tidings and the moving of the Spirit upon our hearts, we now want to do what we ought to do. No one can ever love God until he or she believes that God loves them" (Des Ford, Right With God Right Now, 1999, xi.)

Never a truer word was spoken. We shall see as we progress through the Letter to the Roman Christians from the perspective of Jewish thoughtform just how pertinent are these words penned two millennia ago. But be prepared to undergo a monumental change in our thinking and spiritual direction in growth as a consequence of our study. We cannot prayerfully read and study this letter without a strange thing happening to us inwardly. We will see that from a Jewish point of view such a task will usher in "a spiritually Salvific activation" extremely personal in nature. So much so, that through the instrumentality of Romans Yeshua is "knocking at the doors" to our perception and imagination desiring them to OPEN to ALL he has to offer us and he says in Revelation 3.19b,20, "Shake off your complacency and repent. See! I am standing at the door and knocking. If anyone listens to my voice, and opens the door, I will enter into his house, and dine with him and he with me..."

Scholar F.F. Bruce has warned, "Be prepared , to conscientiously study Romans is to invite cataclysmic change"¦ but a change that is marvelously for the better."

We would all be cautioned to indeed be prepared for a personal, dramatic and world-shattering change as we travel with Paul through The Letter to the Roman Christians!

THIS CONCLUDES LECTURE TWO

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