In Romans 3.21 Paul introduces a new factor in his train of thought. It is the 'righteousness of God' but the hope of all creation rests upon His mercy. God need not grant benefits to a world which His justice had condemned because of sin but He has no pleasure in human death. In His mercy He waits for them to turn from their wickedness and live because He can intervene even when His law condemns. The righteousness of God is shown apart from the law and yet (as we expect to find in this letter) is attested by the Law and the Prophets. Mercy has provided the way of escape. He has declared His own righteousness in mercy without circumventing His own law, by regarding the sinner as justified who has faith in Christ Jesus. Having faith is not a ground for claiming justification. It is simply that it pleases Him to justify those who believe. This displays the righteousness of God; His own eternal righteousness and goodness in providing grace for believers; and that righteousness provides our justification. Paul says we find this in the Law and the Prophets. Is justification to be found in the Old Testament? It most certainly is and was not first revealed by Paul! In the chapter that follows, Paul refers to two great men of the past, Abraham and David; dissimilar but both men of faith. Before the enactment of the Mosaic Law, it was said that Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness (Gen. 15. 6). It might be said that Abraham lived a pastoral life miles apart from the turmoil of town life and was always near to God. He is therefore not a suitable example of those of active life living among men of the world. Paul gives another example of justification in David whose life was fraught with all the dangers and snares of life. Many times had David fallen; just as many had he risen again with regrets for his failings. Thus he knew the gracious gift of God in a different way from that of Abraham. We should hardly expect Abraham to say, "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin" but it rings of David (Rom. 4. 7, cited from Psalm 32). Not all Christians will readily follow Paul's reasoning in the fourth chapter of Romans, but they will note that though the early chapters speak of condemnation this letter holds out a prospect of release through the righteousness of God.. All may know the blessedness of sins forgiven, for so is the grace of God; and that blessed knowledge will prompt hope within. Thus Paul is working towards one of the objects of his letter to those he had not met. Already he anticipates questions that he might be asked when at last he reaches Rome. These are discussed in the succeeding chapters

The next four chapters contain but few quotations from the Old Testament, but are the steps forward in pursuing the Apostle's argument towards full hope in Christ. In the fifth chapter is the fundamental truth that all descendants of Adam were condemned in him and all are covered by the death of Christ. When we were without strength and unable to help ourselves, God commended His love towards us in that Christ died for us. And from this gift will be seen that the love of God encompasses all, and so we who have obtained hope for ourselves following justification, will note with gratitude that there is hope also for all mankind in that Divine provision.

Much of the sixth chapter is in the form of question and answer; just the sort of questions the Roman church will ask among themselves when they read the early chapters. The freedom from condemnation that we Christians enjoy does not give liberty to live unrestrained lives. Paul finds great cause for thankfulness that free from condemnation in Adam, we became servants of righteousness; thus concluding within ourselves that because God has graciously justified us, the least we can do is to become His servants. Still further reasons for hope and joy are found, in that becoming servants of righteousness we find that it leads to holiness, and that the outcome of righteousness is everlasting life. Thus the righteousness imputed to us, is not only a starting point but also a goal; and all due to the grace of God, This gives hope indeed. What else can result from such a cogent reason of the great apostle! The Jewish Christians in Rome will make another query and Paul must dispose of that. How could they be free from the condemnation of the Mosaic law by which they were bound as Jews? Paul himself had been, as touching the law, a Pharisee; and he answers the question by narrating his own struggles to keep the law and his failure in spite of all. He proves the Law to be good, but himself, and therefore others, to be sold (just like a slave) under sin. If there were no conclusive answers to his question in ch.7. 24 there would be no hope even for the best of men but the answer of v.25 completely disposes of the question and leads to further hope and exultation in the eighth chapter. This chapter although giving less testimony from the Old Testament is full of hope; the new hope, the complete hope of the gospel church. In previous chapters Paul has said very little about the work of the Holy Spirit within the church, but having answered problems of law and sin, and established the righteousness of God, he can write of other doctrines. When at long last he meets the church at Rome he will declare to them their standing in Christ as sons, their election and their hope. This chapter is a foretaste of what he will proclaim more fully in person. What discussion this chapter will have among them! What hope and joy and confidence will be theirs in the meantime, and what points he will have to amplify when he arrives! Many Christians are well acquainted with the closing verses of chapter eight, but do we comprehend the fullness of the unanswered questions "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? Who is he that condemns? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" Is it not possible till we understand the earlier verses concerning being the sons of God. This transcendent chapter ended, Paul reverts to thoughts of his own nation—he has great heaviness of heart because they do not appreciate these glorious hopes. Much of the chapter is in question and answer form: just the sort of questions a critical Jew would ask about election and the entry of the Gentiles into the special purpose of God. Paul answers by reference to Hebrew scriptures, and he knows no Jew can gainsay them. Israel's faltering is still before him in chapters ten and eleven, and again he quotes from their own writings. Israel's backwardness is well expressed in the words of Rom. 10. 3, and is related to the righteousness of God which Paul had mentioned earlier. They were ignorant of the righteousness of God, and were occupied in the hopeless task of establishing their own righteousness. Had they but received the truth of Rom.10.4 that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes, their useless struggles would have ended and they would have fully enjoyed the hopes and promises of chapter eight. Paul revealed to them the greatest of hopes, but they seem unable to yield their old standing in Jacob, their legal standing in Moses and the belief (true in time past) that they were the only chosen people of God. Paul ends his appeal to his own nation in the eleventh chapter by an ascription of praise to that God who in wisdom and love had devised all this wonderful purpose embracing all Jews and all others. Then he further appeals to all to surrender (Rom. 12. 1,2). It was far easier for the Gentile to yield to this appeal, for he had so little in which he could glory. The Jew was in a great predicament, for he was called upon to surrender his hold on the favours of God in Jacob and Moses, for the favour of God in Christ. The apostle, having almost finished his doctrinal teaching, in the closing chapters adds various exhortations by which all may know how to live within and without the church.

None of these commandments will be found to be grievous: many of them seem to be rules of conduct restated from the Mosaic law and therefore will be approved by the Jewish members of the church. It is noticeable in the fourteenth chapter the care with which the Christian must consider the weakness of fellow-members even in small things and even when he knows that his own position is correct and theirs weak. Thus the new relationship in one body is emphasized by the members having the same care one for the other. All have the one great hope in Christ. God has received the weak as well as the strong. The strong cannot forge ahead without the weak. In fact the strong must bear the infirmities of the weak, not pleasing themselves, (Rom. 15. l) thus proving themselves to be joint holders of the hope. Then follows the one example of Him who pleased not himself, which introduces us to the words with which we began. Then on to further quotations from the Old Testament to repeat that all Gentiles, though they may not be embraced in the special purpose of God, will nevertheless join in praise to God under the reign of the root of Jesse and return to peace with God in the earthly kingdom. So within this message to the Roman brethren Paul has completely revealed the plans of God that cover all mankind. There was ample proof of this in the old writings that the Jew had treasured. Thus does he commend the new Christian message to all in Rome whom as yet he had not seen. And until he reaches Rome he urges that the God of hope will fill them with all joy and peace in believing, that they abound in hope. (Rom. 15.13). This epistle, complete in itself, gave to the Roman friends a grand foretaste of what they will hear, when he writes (v.29) "when I come to you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ"

BJD