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- CO PYRIG HT BY W ILLIAM EVAN S
THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS (Continued)
I N OUR last lesson we discussed intro ductory matters relative to the epistle to the RomanS. We now begin the syn thetic study of the book. It is our purpose to consider this epistle under three main divisions : Sin, Justification, Sanctification. Looking at the epistle in the light of the question, How can- a bad man be made good? we may answer in three ways: First, by showing him that he is bad, thus dealing with the doctrine of sin; second, by showing him that he can be made good in another, thus dealing with the doctrine of justification; third, by showing him that he can be kept good, thus dealing with the doctrine of sanctification. Let us now take up these three main divisions and consider the wonderful scheme of redemption as portrayed in the epistle. t f SIN— THE WRATH OF GOD— MAN How can a bad man be made good? By convincing him that he is totally bad. The argument of this section seems to be this: that the wrath of God’ is resting upon all those who hold down the truth in un righteousness. In other words, tjie wrath of God rests upon all sinners. Deliverance from this wrath can come only by the bestowment upon the sinner of the right eousness of God. Having stated this gen-^ eral proposition, the apostle proceeds to DESTITUTE OF GOD’S RIGHT EOUSNESS— DESPAIR, 1:18-3:20
show that all men are sinners and have fallen short of their respective standards of righteousness': whether the Gentile^ who is taught by nature and conscience (1:18-32), or the Jew, who has been the favored recipient of a special revelation from God (2:17-3 :8). It is evident, therefore, as the Old Testament clearly states, that all the world, both Jew and Gentile, is guilty and under the judgment of God (3 :19) and is, therefore, in need of the righteousness of God (3:9, 20). Having declared the nature of the gospel (1 :16-18), the apostle now proceeds to show the need for such a gospel: the wrath of God is justly revealed against the wilful, persistent sin of man, both Gentile, and Jew, moral and immoral. Mankind is totally bad. 1. T he failure of th e Gentiles, 1:18-2:16. This division is discussed under two sec tions : First, the immoral, degraded Gentile (1:18-32); second, the respectable, moral . Gentile (2:1-16)' (although some think that the latter passage refers to the Jews). The awful picture of thè natural man here presented (1:18-32) is worthy of pro found reflection. It shows three' stages in man’s sin, particularly the sin of the Gen tiles or the heathen: First. God has afforded all mankind an opportunity to know Him, both innately and in creation (1:19-20). Second. Such offered knowledge has been
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