Understanding the Process of Salvation in Romans (Part 8 - We shall reign in life through Jesus Christ)
Wow!!!! Part 7 was an incredible post! Paul, through inspiration, imparted to us some deep spiritual knowledge concerning two salvation experiences, and then topped it off with a few "much more" statements that lay out the blessings of God's grace and love for us through Christ. One thing remains constant though in this section of Romans, but ultimately through all Paul's epistles, and that is that EVERYTHING is in, and through, Christ. God has elevated Jesus Christ to his right hand. No other man has come close to, or could ever attain to, the righteousness of Christ, and this is gloriously seen in the way that God has resurrected him from death and raised him up, FAR, FAR above, seating him in the place of honour and highest glory, at the right hand of God, and has given him all things, and has placed all things under his feet, and has given him all power, and a name above every other, Eph.1:20-23.
Dear reader, I want you to take note at how extensively God has rewarded Jesus Christ. What caused God to honour Jesus as much as this? Is it because Jesus is God's Son? Many would think this, but the answer is no. The honour and glory that God bestowed upon Jesus is because of his faith, obedience and humility. See this scripture for confirmation:
Php.2:5-13 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (6) Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: (7) But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: (8) And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (9) Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: (10) That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; (11) And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (12) Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. (13) For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
God raises up the humble, God is pleased by faith, God blesses the obedient. Thus, God is not biased towards Jesus Christ as His Son. No. God is simply being faithful to his character and blessing Jesus because of the choices Jesus made. Likewise, are we not also called and adopted into sonship with God if we make the same choices. Yes. We will never attain to the levels demonstrated by Jesus, because of the law of sin in our flesh, but Paul is ready to instruct us how we too can reign in life through being planted in the likeness of the death of Christ and through our obedience to His word, Rom.6:5; Rom.8:14.
Let's have a look at what Paul writes in the closing statements of Romans chapter 5, reminding us again that we are saved twice, not just from death, through justification, but now also, introducing us to salvation unto life, through sanctification. Paul writes,
Rom.5:12 WHEREFORE, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: … (15) But not as the offence [Yet], so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. (16) And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. (17) For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness SHALL REIGN IN LIFE by one, Jesus Christ.)
Up till Romans 4, Paul showed you what Jesus’ blood accomplished, which for God, was a propitiation, [appeasement, satisfaction]. But there’s more to what Christ did. The gospel does not only proclaim His death. Jesus died for your sins and was buried, BUT Jesus also rose again on the third day. That resurrection is significant for the other part of your salvation!
Being saved from our sins through the blood of Christ made us a child of God. Now, the resurrection power of God through His Spirit in His Word is to transform us from babes into sons, who walk in humility to the working of the Spirit and in obedience of His word unto righteousness.
In closing this post, and Romans 5, consider the following. The issue now is that even though your soul has been redeemed from sins through the blood of Christ, your soul still dwells in a body that’s dead in sin. Justification did nothing to change sin in the flesh. This is why there is need for salvation unto life; and this is what Paul is going to start to teach us in Romans 6 to 8. Understanding this concept also helps us to interpret the meaning of scriptures like Philippians 2:12, "...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling", and Tit.2:14, "...that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."
The next post in this series will resume with the content of Romans chapter 6 and what Paul teaches concerning being dead to sin in the flesh and becoming slaves to righteousness through the obedience to the written word. As I mentioned before, this is a step up in faith. This is not just receiving a free gift through the work of Christ; this new level requires commitment, sacrifice, and work as referred to in Php.2:12.
God bless.
