Romans: Questions and Answers

Question 1

Compare the themes in Romans 1:18 and Isaiah 1:28.

Answer

Romans 1:18 states that: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;”

Isaiah 1:28 states that “And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed.”

The above scriptures explain similar themes, namely:

Ungodly people (who do not have God as their Father or Jesus as their savior and therefore live in a way devoid of Godliness, living in a sinful way) and sinners (see description of ungodly people in brackets above) will experience the wrath of God and destruction (in hell and lake of fire).

Unrighteous people (people who refuse to accept or apply the righteousness offered by Christ) and righteous people who hold the truth in unrighteousness (people who have accepted the righteousness of Christ, yet live in a sinful manner, like the sinners) will also experience the wrath of God and be destroyed together with the sinners.

Question 2

In Romans chapter 4, what is meant by it is by faith that it might be by Grace?

Answer
Romans chapter 4, verse 16 states: “Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,”

This means that the realization by us believers of the promise made to Abraham comes to us not based on the works or things we have done (Grace), but by accepting, believing and acting on the finished work of Christ. (Faith). Therefore, our Christian blessings and positioning is an outcome of our faith, which is enabled by grace.

This is accentuated in Romans 3:24 which states: “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus”.

The grace is freely granted not based on our personal qualifications or achievements. This is stated further in Romans 4:5 that:

“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness”.

Question 3

What does it mean to be justified by faith according to Romans 5:1?

Answer

The Bible states in Romans 5:1 that: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”

Being justified or justification means to be made right in God's sight, to be declared righteous, to be made acceptable to God, having God's approval, being acquitted from sin, wrongdoing or unrighteousness through faith.

This means our faith makes us acceptable and righteous before God as if we had never sinned (Justification = Just as if it never happened).

Question 4

What does it mean to be buried by baptism into the death of Jesus?

Answer

Romans 6: 2b-5 states: “How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:’

Buried by baptism into His death means our old nature of sin and life has died when we accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We have also been raised into a new life in God, so we can walk in newness of life. This is why Romans 5:17-18 states that for those who have Jesus as Lord and Savior, old things (old nature of sin and ways of life) have passed away (become a thing of the past) and all things have become new (after the nature of the second Adam, Christ) and all things are of God.

The reference above is to spiritual baptism. The physical baptism in water does not take away sins or grant newness of life, it is only a physical representation of what has happened spiritually.

Question 5

What does it mean to be dead to sin but alive to God?

Answer

Romans 6:11 states: ”In the same way you are to think of yourselves as dead, so far as sin is concerned, but living in fellowship with God through Christ Jesus”.

A dead person does not respond to enticements to act or respond to stimulus around him or her. When the Bible states we should reckon or consider ourselves dead to sin, it means we should not respond, react to, follow sinful attractions or be led in the way of sin as to engage in or participate in sinful acts.

That is why Romans 6:6, 16-20 admonishes us not to serve sin (being obedient or subservient to sin). On the other hand, we should yield our members (hands, eyes, bodies etc.) as instruments (in service to, engaged in works) of righteousness by working for God in righteousness and obedience.

Question 6

Explain the statement: Sin will not have Dominion over you.

Answer

At conversion, when an individual accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior, the nature (seed) of sin is uprooted and God’s (seed) nature of godliness and sinlessness is planted in the believer.

This is why 1 Peter 1:23 states: “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”

Apostle John states further in 1 John 3:9 about these children of God that:

“Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”

Therefore, sin does not and cannot have dominion over the believer, since the believer no longer has the nature of sin, but would only sin deliberately or based on a conscious decision to sin.

Romans 6:14 appropriately states that:

“For sin will not have dominion over you. For you are not under law, but under grace.”

Question 7

This so called sinful habit is just my nature, I can't help it. Even Apostle Paul struggled with sin when he said there is another law warring in his members. He was not in charge of what he was doing and couldn't help himself, so why should I bother? Is this position true? Can this position be used as a license to sin? By saying this is who I am, it is my nature?

Answer

In Romans chapter 7:15-25, Apostle Paul recognized that the nature of sin, the flesh keeps pushing him to want to sin, especially when he tries to lean on fulfilling the law. However, he also recognized that he should not be sinning and he proclaimed victory over the flesh, law and sin in verses 24-25, when he stated:

“O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”

He points out that deliverance is required from sin. In some cases of besetting sins in the life of a believer who is unwilling to sin, but finds himself or herself sinning, deliverance may be required.

Paul also points out that the deliverer is Jesus, who has broken the power of sin, law and death over the life of the believer, so we can live in the freedom of Christ. He has taken us out of the bondage of sin into newness of life by translating us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God (Colossians 1:13).

Question 8

Is it true that nothing can separate us from the love of God? Even sin?

Answer

The scripture states in Romans 8:

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36 As it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

All the listed factors or entities are external factors. Yes, external factors cannot overcome us or separate us from the love of God. However, internal factors, such as sin and disobedience can and will separate people from God as shown in the scriptures below:

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).

1 Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear. 2 But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you,so that He will not hear. (Isaiah 59:1-2)

8 in blazing fire. He will inflict vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His might, (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9).