Romans by F. D. Starr

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Dec 20, 1905

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 51.

Romans

By F. D. Starr

BY F. D. STARR.

Romans.

IN the world’s metropolis was found a company of believers in the Gospel message; to these the apostle Paul addressed the epistle now under consideration, tho he had never seen their faces in the flesh. A member of the church at Corinth, from which place he wrote this letter having some business to transact at Rome, Paul took occasion to send a letter by this devoted sister, Phebe, deaconess (Greek) of the church at Corinth, to the brethren at Rome. (See Rom. 16:1, 2, also the close of the book.) This occurred about twenty-nine years after the introduction of the new dispensation.

The church at Rome seems to have been made up of converts from among the Jews as well as from various Gentile nations. The motive that prompted the apostle to write is stated in Rom. 1:14. Tho he had no business intercourse in any way with the people dwelling at Rome, yet he considered himself in debt to them. What was the origin of the debt? The obligation resting upon every believer in consequence of the talents entrusted to us by which the riches of the Gospel may be communicated to a needy world now lying in darkness. One of the leading features of the book of Romans is the lucid manner in which it sets before us the true relationship between the law and the Gospel. The sum of the whole matter is found in Rom. 3:31. "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law."

Repeatedly Paul uses this strong expression of disavowal, or of negation, in referring to propositions concerning the law. Let us notice instances of this kind. In Rom. 6:1 we find this question: "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?" He had just made the statement that "where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." Correctly anticipating that some would rush to the conclusion that it would be well to do anything that would cause an abundance of grace, he propounded the above question. But what is the emphatic reply? "God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?"

But what is sin? "Sin is the transgression of the law." 1 John 3:4; Rom. 3:20; 4:15; 7:7. The question then is simply this: Shall we continue to transgress the law that sin may abound? And to this suggestion he utters a most emphatic denial. Again: "Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"

We are not under the law when we live in harmony with it, and thus are not brought under its condemnation. But to sin and thus bring ourselves again under the condemnation of the law, would be the most inconsistent thing we could possibly do; hence his most emphatic "God forbid" to this proposition.

Listen yet again. "What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law; for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet." Rom. 7:7. The law of God is the very opposite of sin. No worse mistake could possibly be made than to say that the law is sin. As well might we say that the snow falling from heaven is black. Observe here how indispensable to true conversion is the existence and presence of the law. The penitent must see and acknowledge his sin. But how may he know what sin is?—Only by God’s holy law, the Decalogue. But, Paul, would you not have known sin by the Gospel? "I had not known sin but by the law," is the unyielding reply. Who can fail to see the truth of this point?

But this is not enough in this line. He states repeatedly that "the law is good," then asks this significant question: "Was then that which is good made death unto me?" Rom. 7:13. Shocked at even such a suggestion, he repeats his chosen emphatic disavowal, and says: "God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful." Without the law of God sin does not appear exceeding sinful; it is passed over as quite a light matter, hence the law must do its part in showing how hateful is this monster sin.

From these numerous statements and many others of like import in this book, how can one fail to see the danger of the antinomian heresy and delusion? It is true that the expression "God forbid" is not a literal translation from the original Greek, but the expression is so emphatic and forcible that no other words in the English language would seem to express the full significance. We surely will appear without excuse in the great judgment day if we turn away our ears from hearing the law. Prov. 28:9.

We have only noticed a very few of the deeply interesting and important points in this book. What more emphatic admonition could possibly be given to study the Scriptures, than that found in Rom. 15:4? "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." For our learning. This shows that the ancient Scriptures, the Old Testament, were written for us, and should be studied and learned, so also should this book be treated. How much, dear reader, have you learned of the book of Romans? A good time for all to begin.