Part 1 - Romans Chaps. 1-3 Begins the Christian’s Magna Carta

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called Romans Road of Core Dispensational Truth.

The Magna Carta is considered the greatest constitutional document of all times – the foundation of the (civil) freedom of the individual against the arbitrary authority of the despot.” So said Lord Denning, a leading English judge of the 20th century. The charter establishes the principle that no one, not even the king, is above the law. We celebrated 800 years since it was agreed in 1215. Over that period, it has been used to protect life, liberty and property, and as the basis for constitutional rights and liberties around the world. That is something for which Christians can thank God.

The original Magna Carta, founded in England, was Christian inspired and it led to the first time such liberties were to come upon men in the world. Paul’s Book of Romans is sometimes referred to as the Christian’s real Magna Carta. Paul writes in it of the believer’s liberty from Sin’s Penalty, Sin’s Power, and in 1Corinthians 15:50-54 and 1Thessalonians 4:13-18, he writes of the believer’s eventual deliverance from Sin’s very Presence with their resurrection, having received their eternal, glorious, spirit-bodies.

In Romans 1:1-7 Paul establishes his unique Apostleship, “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,” (Romans 1:1). He declared “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Gentile). (Romans 1:16). Then in Chapter 2 he reveals how lost mankind isinexcusable” (v1, 14-16), and yet the truth of God is known to them by their own “conscience” (v15). Chapter 3 begins Paul’s logical gospel thesis that carries through Roman’s 8.

1) Fallen man is hopelessly lost.

2) God’s answer for lost mankind is forgiveness, justification, redemption, and righteousness that is acquired Only by a man’s Faith in God’s provision of Christ’s cross… to pay for mankind’s sins and guilt.

3) And, in Chapter 8 we see “the SPIRIT of life in Christ Jesus is simultaneously given with one’s salvation… to INDWELL and be one with the Human Spirit every believer (cf. Rom 8:9-11, 1Cor 6:17).

Christ resurrection Life now is the believer’s new life, providing for victory over Sin in the believer’s practical daily living… while looking to that day of the full redemption of our bodies (Rom 8:23).

Thus Romans outlines the basis a total victory program that God has provided believers… “in Christ.”

In Chapter 2 Paul writes of the meaning of ‘circumcision.’ Circumcision was the external mark in the flesh of a n Israelite by race, but not necessarily one who is a spiritual Israelite.

Romans 2:25-29 25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the (whole) law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. 26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keeps the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? 27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? 28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter (of the Law); whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Paul then begins Chapter 3 asking, “What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of (the Jewish) circumcision (ritual) today?” (Rom 3:1).

Answering, There is None righteous, no, Not One (not a Jew or a Gentile) and in verse 12  “They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” (Rom. 3:10, 12).

Paul in Rom 10:12-13 declares the one simple answer for the lostness of all men during this age of grace.

12there is No Difference between the Jew and the Greek (non-Jew): for the same Lord over All is rich unto All that call upon him. 13whosoever Shall Call Upon The Name Of The Lord Shall Be Saved.’

This is so BECAUSE WE NOW KNOW THE FOLLOWING:

“what things soever the law saith, it saith (only) to them who are Under the Law (so) that EVERY mouth may be stopped, and All the world (mankind) may become GUILTY before God (since nobody can keep the whole law). 20by the deeds (works) of the law there shall No Flesh (no humans) be JUSTIFIED in his sight: for by the law is the ‘knowledge (Gk. epignosis, fully defined awareness) of Sin.” (Rom. 3:19-20).

Thankfully, Paul declares in Rom 6:14 this truth for today in this age of the pure “Grace of God,” when “the (external) Law” is set aside; “ye are NOT under the Law BUT under Grace

Today we are counted righteous because;

Rom. 3:21-28 NOW the righteousness of GodWITHOUT The Law is manifested… 22 Even (that is) the righteousness of God which isby Faith’ (the faithfulness) of Jesus Christ unto ALL and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23For ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24Being ‘JUSTIFIED FREELY By His GRACE’ through the REDEMPTION that is in Christ Jesus:

25 (Jesus) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (payment) through Faith In His Blood, to declare his (Christ’s) righteousness for the Remission of Sins that are PAST (before the cross, see next page), through the forbearance of God (when God had only ‘covered’ sins); 26To declare… At This Time his righteousness: (so) that he might be ‘just,’ and ‘the justifierof him which BELIEVETH (trust) in Jesus.

27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but byTHE LAW of FAITH.’ 28… we conclude that A Man Is Justified By Faith WITHOUT The Deeds (works) of The Law.

Supporting Text: ALL Sins of ALL Men are now Fully ‘paid forby the One Offering of Jesus!

Jn 1:29 Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world (All the Sin of All mankind).

Col 2:13 you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened (made alive) together with him, having (already) forgiven you ALL trespasses (Gk. pas, All sins at All times);

1 Tim. 2:6-7: (Jesus) Who gave Himself a ransom for ALL, to be testified in due time.

Heb. 10:14 For by One Offering (for ALL sins) he (Jesus Christ) hath perfected forever them that are sanctified (those who God set apart unto Himself, read Rom. 8:29-30).

2 Tim. 1:10-11: … our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the gospel (of the grace of God):  

BEFORE FAITH: Gal 3:23-26 BEFORE faith come, we were kept Under the Law, shut up (kept under law) unto the faith which should Afterward be revealed.

Israel’s was under ‘the Law’ of Moses and the Gentile’s under ‘Moral Law’ that mankind acquired by the “Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil”).

Why these laws? 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to (convict us and) bring us unto (push us toward) Christ, (so) that we might be JustifiedBy Faith (in Christ’s cross-death for us).’

Note However: 25AFTER that ‘faith’ is come, we are No Longer Under a Schoolmaster (the Law). 26 For ye are all the Children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

In Romans Chapter 3 the Apostle Paul declares that God has set forth His Son’s shed blood and death of the cross as the ‘propitiatory sacrifice’ that is for the satisfaction of man’s Sin-debt due. “Redemption” is that is obtained by faith in “His blood,” as payment for ALL Sins, entirely apart from works, religious or otherwise (Rom. 3:21-26 AMP below).

“But now the righteousness of God has been revealed independently and altogether apart from the Law, although actually it is attested by the Law and the Prophets, 22 Namely, the righteousness of God which comes by believing with personal trust and confident reliance on Jesus Christ. [And it is meant] for all who believe. For there is no distinction,  23 Since all have sinned and are falling short of the honor and glory which God bestows and receives.  24 [All men] are justified and made upright and in right standing with God, freely and gratuitously by His grace (His unmerited favor and mercy), through the redemption which is [provided] in Christ Jesus, 25 Whom God put forward [before the eyes of all] as a Mercy Seat and Propitiation by His blood [the cleansing and life-giving sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation, to be Received] Through ‘Faith.’ This was to show God's righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over and ignored former (past) sins without punishment. 26 It was to demonstrate and prove at the present time (in the now season of grace) that He Himself is righteous and that He justifies and accepts as righteous him who has [true] faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21-26 (AMP).

In this same passage he states that this remission of sins also concerns the “sins that are past” (Ver. 25). What does Paul mean by “sins that are past? Paul looks back here at past ages and declares that we now know and proclaim that believing men like Abel, Noah and Abraham, and also like Moses, David and Daniel (living under the Law) were actually saved by the redemption wrought by Christ, although Christ’s death was still future in their day.

Some mistakenly teach that when a sinner turns to God for salvation all his sins are forgiven only up to that time and now that he is saved he is henceforth responsible for himself. But this would mean that God saves men by His grace only to turn them over again to their own weak and sinful natures. If this were the case, the converted sinner would be lost again the same day, for what Christian believer is wholly free from sin? Paul here corrects this issue in Galatia.

“O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. 5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” (Galatians 3:1-5)

In other words, Christ died, not only for the sins which we today have committed, but also for the “sins which are past.” The believers of past ages simply believed what God told them then, and God counted them righteous (Gen. 15:6) on the basis of Messiah’s coming redemptive work. Isaiah prophesied of Israel’s believers one day being clothed in Christ’s Righteousness.

“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10 (KJV)

We have the same truth set forth in Hebrews 9:15, where we are told that Christ’s death availed also for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, i.e., under “the Law” given to Israel. They were saved by their faith in God’s words of promise, not by the Law.

“And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament (covenant), that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. (Hebrews 9:15 (KJV)

Today, under God’s pure grace in Christ, we are blessed to enjoy “the Mystery” revealed, that is ‘the eternal secret plan of God’ for total salvation has been fully revealed, such that we can now look to the Lord Jesus Christ and exclaim with Paul, “(He) loved me, and gave Himself for me!” (Gal. 2:20b).

One day also Israel will look upon Him whom they “have pierced” and receive the redemption that is in Christ. “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. Zechariah 12:10 “In that day there shall be a fountain (of Messiah’s Blood) opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.” Zechariah 13:1 (KJV)