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Bible Greetings and Romans Review
The big question for today: how should we as modern readers deal with/apply passages like Romans 16 with a lot of personal greetings? There is a story about the great Bible scholar F.F. Bruce being asked an interesting question in class one day: “When we all meet Paul in heaven, what do you think will strike us the most about him?” He thought for a while, then answered, “How many friends he has.” I think this is a great application and understanding of Romans 16. We can often think of Paul as a guy who just churns out letters and gets in shipwrecks and stuff, but in a passage such as this we can see just a little how many friends this man had. He was driven and proclaimed the Gospel at any cost. He certainly made enemies, but he also made many friends. Second, and I think this is an important thought for reading any list of people in the Bible (ones like this, genealogies, etc.), it’s important to remember that these are real people. That had real lives, real hopes, real work for God. These words represent a living relationship, joined together in God. They are our brothers and sisters, even though we are separated by hundreds and hundreds of years.
To close, I want just one more time to summarize Romans and trace the line of thought through it. Mostly I want to provide this as a resource for all of you in the future to help you in future studies of this book. Fortunately, the Desiring God blog has been doing a series, “Tweeting through _________” (NT books). Below is “The Book of Romans in 45 Tweets”:
Romans 1
The resurrected Lord Jesus has commissioned the advance of his gospel for the sake of his name among all nations (#Romans 1:1-7).
Serving God in the gospel of his Son and obligated to all peoples, preaching the gospel is marked by eagerness (#Romans 1:8-15).
The gospel is God's power that results in salvation for everyone who believes. Everyone who believes (#Romans 1:16-17).
God's wrath is made known against man's unrighteousness — all who rebel against God to worship creaturely stuff (#Romans 1:18-32).
Romans 2
You presuming upon God's kindness and refusing to repent is you storing up wrath for yourself on the day of judgment (#Romans 2:1-11).
A true Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is really a matter of the heart, by the Spirit (#Romans 2:12-29).
Romans 3
Jewish people are advantaged, entrusted with God's oracles. Their faithlessness doesn't nullify the faithfulness of God (#Romans 3:1-8).
We're all the same, Jew and non-Jew. We're sinners. None is righteous, nobody. And we can't save ourselves (#Romans 3:9-20).
All who believe are justified by God's gift through Jesus, who bore the wrath we deserved. Our boasting is excluded (#Romans 3:21-31).
Romans 4
Abraham is faith's "Exhibit A". He trusted the one who justifies the ungodly and it was counted as righteousness (#Romans 4:1-12).
It all rests on God's grace, not works. The righteousness counted to Abraham is counted to us who believe in Jesus (#Romans 4:13-25).
Romans 5
Since we're justified by faith like Abraham was, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (#Romans 5:1-5).
God shows his love for us in that Jesus died for us, us sinners. Now enemies no more. Wrath no more. We are saved! (#Romans 5:6-11).
Jesus is the Last Adam, giving us the headship through which grace reigns. Eternal life, not death (#Romans 5:12-21).
Romans 6
We're done with sin. Now we're in Jesus, united to him in his death and resurrection, dead to sin and alive to God (#Romans 6:1-14).
The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (#Romans 6:15-23).
Romans 7
In Jesus we've died to the law and now belong to Jesus, so that we bear fruit for God (#Romans 7:1-6).
Nothing good dwells in the flesh! It's a mess. But thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! (#Romans 7:7-25).
Romans 8
There's no condemnation in Jesus. In him we're free from sin and death, and we're filled with the Spirit of life (#Romans 8:1-11).
And his Spirit testifies of our adoption. We are children of God. We call the Creator of the universe "Abba" (#Romans 8:12-17)
One day the whole world will know we're God's children. Everything is working towards this everlasting good (#Romans 8:18-30).
Really, who could be against us? Since God gave up his Son for us, he will certainly give us all things in him (#Romans 8:31-34).
Nothing can separate us from God's love in Jesus. Not tribulation or distress or whatever you can imagine. Nothing (#Romans 8:35-39).
Romans 9
Not all of ethnic Israel are children of promise. It's not about our works or privileges. It's about God's call (#Romans 9:1-13).
God has mercy on whom he wills. Who are we to answer back? He's God. And we're humbled by the riches of his glory (#Romans 9:14-33).
Romans 10
Righteousness comes from God, not ourselves. Jesus is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes (#Romans 10:1-4).
There's no distinction here among peoples. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (#Romans 10:5-13).
People believe Jesus when they hear of him. They hear when he's preached. He's preached when we're sent (#Romans 10:14-21).
Romans 11
God hasn't rejected his people. There is a remnant that remains, chosen by grace (#Romans 11:1-10).
Stand in awe that the nations are grafted in, through Jesus, as the people of God. Note his kindness and severity (#Romans 11:11-24).
A partial hardening has come over Israel until the full number of the nations believe the gospel (#Romans 11:25-32).
Oh, the depths! From God and through God and to God are all things! To him be glory forever! Amen (#Romans 11:33-36).
Romans 12
Therefore, be a living sacrifice to God, not conformed to the world, but transformed by the renewal of your mind (#Romans 12:1-2).
Think of yourself in sober judgment. Not too highly. Our gifts differ according to the grace God has given (#Romans 12:3-8).
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil. Hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection... (#Romans 12:9-21)
Romans 13
No governing authority exists unless God has instituted it. Resist them and you resist what God has appointed (#Romans 13:1-7).
Love one another. All the horizontal commands of the law are summed up: love your neighbor as yourself (#Romans 13:8-14).
Romans 14
Don't pass judgment on another's conscience. We serve the Lord. Whether we live or die, we are the his (#Romans 14:1-12).
The kingdom of God isn't a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (#Romans 14:13-23).
Romans 15
The OT is for our instruction, so that through its encouragement and endurance we might have hope (#Romans 15:1-7).
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the Spirit's power you abound in hope (#Romans 15:8-13).
It's a holy ambition to serve the nations — that is, to preach Christ where he has not been named (#Romans 15:14-21).
Paul is headed to Spain and hopes to visit the Romans in the fullness of the blessing of Christ (#Romans 15:22-33).
Romans 16
Greetings. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you (#Romans 16:1-23).
To the only wise God, the one who strengthens you according to Jesus expounded from the OT, to him be glory forever (#Romans 16:25-27). [1]
Bible Greetings and Romans Review
The big question for today: how should we as modern readers deal with/apply passages like Romans 16 with a lot of personal greetings? There is a story about the great Bible scholar F.F. Bruce being asked an interesting question in class one day: “When we all meet Paul in heaven, what do you think will strike us the most about him?” He thought for a while, then answered, “How many friends he has.” I think this is a great application and understanding of Romans 16. We can often think of Paul as a guy who just churns out letters and gets in shipwrecks and stuff, but in a passage such as this we can see just a little how many friends this man had. He was driven and proclaimed the Gospel at any cost. He certainly made enemies, but he also made many friends. Second, and I think this is an important thought for reading any list of people in the Bible (ones like this, genealogies, etc.), it’s important to remember that these are real people. That had real lives, real hopes, real work for God. These words represent a living relationship, joined together in God. They are our brothers and sisters, even though we are separated by hundreds and hundreds of years.
To close, I want just one more time to summarize Romans and trace the line of thought through it. Mostly I want to provide this as a resource for all of you in the future to help you in future studies of this book. Fortunately, the Desiring God blog has been doing a series, “Tweeting through _________” (NT books). Below is “The Book of Romans in 45 Tweets”:
Romans 1
The resurrected Lord Jesus has commissioned the advance of his gospel for the sake of his name among all nations (#Romans 1:1-7).
Serving God in the gospel of his Son and obligated to all peoples, preaching the gospel is marked by eagerness (#Romans 1:8-15).
The gospel is God's power that results in salvation for everyone who believes. Everyone who believes (#Romans 1:16-17).
God's wrath is made known against man's unrighteousness — all who rebel against God to worship creaturely stuff (#Romans 1:18-32).
Romans 2
You presuming upon God's kindness and refusing to repent is you storing up wrath for yourself on the day of judgment (#Romans 2:1-11).
A true Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is really a matter of the heart, by the Spirit (#Romans 2:12-29).
Romans 3
Jewish people are advantaged, entrusted with God's oracles. Their faithlessness doesn't nullify the faithfulness of God (#Romans 3:1-8).
We're all the same, Jew and non-Jew. We're sinners. None is righteous, nobody. And we can't save ourselves (#Romans 3:9-20).
All who believe are justified by God's gift through Jesus, who bore the wrath we deserved. Our boasting is excluded (#Romans 3:21-31).
Romans 4
Abraham is faith's "Exhibit A". He trusted the one who justifies the ungodly and it was counted as righteousness (#Romans 4:1-12).
It all rests on God's grace, not works. The righteousness counted to Abraham is counted to us who believe in Jesus (#Romans 4:13-25).
Romans 5
Since we're justified by faith like Abraham was, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (#Romans 5:1-5).
God shows his love for us in that Jesus died for us, us sinners. Now enemies no more. Wrath no more. We are saved! (#Romans 5:6-11).
Jesus is the Last Adam, giving us the headship through which grace reigns. Eternal life, not death (#Romans 5:12-21).
Romans 6
We're done with sin. Now we're in Jesus, united to him in his death and resurrection, dead to sin and alive to God (#Romans 6:1-14).
The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (#Romans 6:15-23).
Romans 7
In Jesus we've died to the law and now belong to Jesus, so that we bear fruit for God (#Romans 7:1-6).
Nothing good dwells in the flesh! It's a mess. But thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! (#Romans 7:7-25).
Romans 8
There's no condemnation in Jesus. In him we're free from sin and death, and we're filled with the Spirit of life (#Romans 8:1-11).
And his Spirit testifies of our adoption. We are children of God. We call the Creator of the universe "Abba" (#Romans 8:12-17)
One day the whole world will know we're God's children. Everything is working towards this everlasting good (#Romans 8:18-30).
Really, who could be against us? Since God gave up his Son for us, he will certainly give us all things in him (#Romans 8:31-34).
Nothing can separate us from God's love in Jesus. Not tribulation or distress or whatever you can imagine. Nothing (#Romans 8:35-39).
Romans 9
Not all of ethnic Israel are children of promise. It's not about our works or privileges. It's about God's call (#Romans 9:1-13).
God has mercy on whom he wills. Who are we to answer back? He's God. And we're humbled by the riches of his glory (#Romans 9:14-33).
Romans 10
Righteousness comes from God, not ourselves. Jesus is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes (#Romans 10:1-4).
There's no distinction here among peoples. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (#Romans 10:5-13).
People believe Jesus when they hear of him. They hear when he's preached. He's preached when we're sent (#Romans 10:14-21).
Romans 11
God hasn't rejected his people. There is a remnant that remains, chosen by grace (#Romans 11:1-10).
Stand in awe that the nations are grafted in, through Jesus, as the people of God. Note his kindness and severity (#Romans 11:11-24).
A partial hardening has come over Israel until the full number of the nations believe the gospel (#Romans 11:25-32).
Oh, the depths! From God and through God and to God are all things! To him be glory forever! Amen (#Romans 11:33-36).
Romans 12
Therefore, be a living sacrifice to God, not conformed to the world, but transformed by the renewal of your mind (#Romans 12:1-2).
Think of yourself in sober judgment. Not too highly. Our gifts differ according to the grace God has given (#Romans 12:3-8).
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil. Hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection... (#Romans 12:9-21)
Romans 13
No governing authority exists unless God has instituted it. Resist them and you resist what God has appointed (#Romans 13:1-7).
Love one another. All the horizontal commands of the law are summed up: love your neighbor as yourself (#Romans 13:8-14).
Romans 14
Don't pass judgment on another's conscience. We serve the Lord. Whether we live or die, we are the his (#Romans 14:1-12).
The kingdom of God isn't a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (#Romans 14:13-23).
Romans 15
The OT is for our instruction, so that through its encouragement and endurance we might have hope (#Romans 15:1-7).
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the Spirit's power you abound in hope (#Romans 15:8-13).
It's a holy ambition to serve the nations — that is, to preach Christ where he has not been named (#Romans 15:14-21).
Paul is headed to Spain and hopes to visit the Romans in the fullness of the blessing of Christ (#Romans 15:22-33).
Romans 16
Greetings. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you (#Romans 16:1-23).
To the only wise God, the one who strengthens you according to Jesus expounded from the OT, to him be glory forever (#Romans 16:25-27). [1]
[1] http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/the-book-of-romans-in-45-tweets. Accessed 8-27-12.
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