One test of whether or not you understand something is if you can explain it in your own words. It’s not only a helpful exercise to engage with the material, it’s strategic for locating the point. If we assume that what we’re reading is organized in order to reveal truth — which we can assume with the epistle of Paul to the Romans — then we expect that all the parts build into a whole.

I keep being not just surprised, but disappointed when I reach the last verse of a Bible book in a commentary and the next page is: Appendix A, or Topical Index, or Acknowledgments. What about the synthesis? What about the point? We spent all the time looking at the trees on our way through the orchard, and some of the trees had great fruit. Now that we can look back, how far did we come?

To me, not just a review but a rejoicing review is in order.

There were two phrases that stood out to me as summaries of the two main divisions of the letter. Those phrases stood out to me enough that I used them as my email signature in two different years. The first captures the doctrinal (though there’s truth for practice) in chapters 1-11, and the second captures the practical (though there’s principles of truth) in chapters 12-16.

From Faith to Faith

I get this from Romans 1:16-17, arguable Paul’s own summary of the theme of the epistle. In the gospel is revealed the righteousness of God from faith to faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’ (NASB)

• We cannot be saved without faith; the gospel is for all the believing ones.
• We cannot please God without faith; the gospel argues against our righteous works.
• We cannot resist sin without faith; the gospel forgives and the Spirit frees us from sin’s power and fulfills righteousness.
• We cannot endure suffering without faith; the gospel gives us hope, but hope that is seen is not hope.

While one day we won’t need faith any longer, when we see face to face, we cannot live as Christians without it for even one day in these bodies.

Faith is the instrument of justification, and this undid Rome twice, first the paganism of the Roman Empire and then again the popery of the Roman Catholic world. In the 16th century the dominant worldview, which came from the teaching and worldview of the dominant worship, was that men could only be righteous through a combination of faith plus: faith plus their own works, faith plus some saint’s extra good works, faith plus money that purchased a status, faith plus visiting/touching/kissing some special artifact. To be righteous by faith alone, that led to the single greatest church split ever, and we are still blessed by that proper division 500 years later.

That said, faith apart from works is not really our fight. We wear t-shirts and drink out of coffee mugs with sola fide printed on them. That doesn’t always mean we live from faith to faith.

Our fight is more faith vs sight, faith except for all the times we think we can fix it ourselves. We are people who get things done, who make things happen, who take responsibility. We are realists, pragmatists, “modern” men of math and material things. If there’s a problem, we’ll solve it. We’ve got bullet points, after all.

And then we see the second half of Romans 1 played out in front of us, and we thought cultural degradation should be done by now. More bullet points!

But consider the placement of Romans 1:18-32. We say that it shows the need for the gospel, and it does. Men do not meet God’s standard for righteousness, in unrighteousness and ungodliness they suppress the truth, so they are guilty and need the gospel. So true.

But who did Paul write the explanation for? It wasn’t an evangelistic tract for the pagans per se, it was encouragement for those who needed to live from faith to faith. He wrote about God’s wrath so that the Christians in Rome would know what to tell their sinning neighbors, but also so that the Christians in Rome would not lose heart.

Our culture is schizo. Unbelievers want more and more material things, we want physical comfort and prosperity, and we figure all that is possible if we follow the right 7 Steps to Success. But when it comes to moral things, the same unbelievers think that’s up for grabs, think and act and be whatever you want, and we figure any of it is possible, just follow your feelings.

What both those perspectives share is not not faith, certainly not saving faith, but an alternative faith, just that we don’t call it “faith” because it seems like we have some sort of control.

If there is anything that Romans teaches us, beloved, it is that men are not in control. As Christians we cannot even control our own flesh (think the last half of Romans 7); men are slaves to sin or slaves of righteousness, but they are not their own.

It is God’s will, by His eternal command, that the gospel go out, that faith would come by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ. That faith confesses that Jesus is Lord. At what point in your Christian life do you not need to live in light of that reality? We do not enter the blessings by faith and then fix the rest ourselves. It’s all by faith.

Don’t Hold Back

This is from part of a verse in Romans 12:11: Do not be slothful in zeal .

Three times Paul references zeal in Romans, and all three assume that there are ways to mess up zeal.

Paul said in Romans 10:2 about the Jews that “they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.” In Romans 12:8 he exhorted those with various gifts in the body and included, “the one who leads, with zeal,” like it’s possible to go out first halfheartedly. And it is.

Then in Romans 12:11, Do not be slothful in zeal .

I think that the first line actually sets the tone for 11-13, because “being fervent, serving, rejoicing, persevering, being devoted, contributing, and seeking” are all participles that hang on it.

To be slothful is to be reluctant, to lag behind, to hold back. Brothers, Jesus is Lord, don’t hold back.

Conclusion

We are individually offerings, having received mercy by gospel, so Romans 12:1.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

We’ve been called to altar living. You are not allowed to hold back some part of your life, some time of the day, some percent of your will. “To be freed from only one sin—that’s just our own agenda.” (—John Owen, The Mortification of Sin). The mercies of God move all our bodies up onto the altar.

We are collectively an offering, being made by the gospel: Romans 15:16. Paul was

a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

The gospel is the power of God to make an offering of offerings, one made up of many, just like the singular body of Christ has a plurality of members. How then do we believe the gospel? Like offerings to God.

We are part of the fulness of the Gentiles (Romans 11:25), so that “the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy” (Romans 15:9). God has grafted us into blessings, and His blessings make us jealousable before men and pleasing to Himself.

Because of the gospel we are to be a people of faith, believing in God and confessing Jesus as Lord and being conformed to the image of God’s Son. By His will we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. By His love we have reconciliation and peace with God. By His command the gospel has been known to us to bring about the obedience of faith among all peoples. By His mercies we present our bodies as living sacrifices.

What altar blessings! What gift. What depth of riches and wisdom and knowledge of God. To Him be glory forever!

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Charge

Christian, living from faith to faith is not a hobby or side-hustle, it is your life calling. It is your identity; you are “the ones believing.”

Keep on believing in your heart the word of faith about the Lord of all. He bestows His riches and joy and peace on all who believe in Him.

Benediction:

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

“For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?”
“Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?”

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:33–36 ESV)