THE ROMANS EPISTLE

     Many people see Romans as an epistle that has been written directly to the Gentiles. Some do not care to rightly divide this epistle into its dispensational place in the scheme of all truth.
     If Romans is placed in its proper place according to the scholars that rightly divide, it would be placed as written during the book of Acts. Some take the position that this book is direct truth for the body of Christ. It is true that it is direct truth for a body of Christ made up of Israel and chosen Gentiles who have converted to Israelism.
     Some of the early passages of Romans proves that this book has  a Jewish flavor. Romans 1:1,2 begins by saying that Paul is an apostle separated unto the gospel of God.  which He had promised afore by His prophets in the holy scriptures and another favorite is Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. In conclusion of these Roman passages Paul says at Romans 3:1,2 What advantage then hath the Jew? Or what profit is there of circumcision ? Much every way chiefly, because that unto them Israel were committed the oracles of God. One could hardly disagree that this book refers to Israel. I believe everything that Paul writes in Romans and I know to whom and why he penned this epistle. This epistle has been written to the church of Israel even containing the believing Jew and the converted Gentiles.
     Also in this book Paul lays out the gospel of the grace of God that began with Peter at Acts 10:34-37. That according to the apostle Peter, God chose Peter over Paul first to make known that the Gentiles would be allowed to convert to hear Israel’s gospel and believe Acts 15:7 “and when there had been much disputing Peter rose up , and said unto them, men and brethren ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us (chose Peter over Paul) that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel and believe.” When Peter failed to stand for the truth of the  gospel of the grace of God, the apostle Paul took the truth forth. These passages in Galatians prove that Peter had turned away from the grace of God that was brought forward from Acts 10:34,35. Galatians 2:11-14           
     At the time of writing of this epistle the word all was only inclusive to the individuals included, that being the little flock of Israel and the converted Gentiles of Israel. The barn door had not been opened to all individuals of the nations. This came later when God said “Be it known therefore unto you that the soterion of God ,the Lord Jesus Christ, is sent unto the Gentiles and that they will hear it.
     The facts are that there is no evidence that any Gentile had God’s salvation independent of Israel until this great Acts 28:28 declaration was uttered by the apostle Paul.
     Now, how should we view Paul’s first seven epistles?
     (1.)  They take their place with all the other books written to Israel.
     (2.)  They present truth of God’s grace during the book of Acts.
     (3.)  The gospel of the grace of God is only presented to all men of the church       of Israel including the converted Gentiles.
     (4.) This gospel of Grace made many changes for the Jew and converted      Gentiles . The Jew was kept under the letter of the law but the Gentiles that      converted to Israel no longer was to be circumcised and keep the letter of the      law. Romans 2:14  For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature      the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto      themselves.
     (5.) This is the whole argument made by the apostle at Romans 11 where the      Gentiles was grafted into the good olive tree with the Jew. The good olive tree      stood for national Israel. The apostle makes the argument that these Gentiles      were allowed to convert to Israelism to provoke the Jew to jealousy that some      of them might be saved. Romans 11:14

     All hold this book of Romans to be very precious and it is but a sobering fact is that if God had completed the word of God at Romans, the Gentiles including us would have been without Christ being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world. Ephesians 2:12
     God continued His work with Israel with a great work of love and truth but Israel would not repent and recognize their Messiah. That end was complete when God caused the apostle to announce what had just now happened. Acts 28:28 “Be it known therefore unto you = Israel, that the salvation=the Lord Jesus Christ, is sent unto the Gentiles and they will hear it. With this fateful announcement the apostle Paul has included all individuals out of all nations as possible recipients of this great salvation.
     With this declaration, it is revealed that our Lord died on the cross of Calvary for all mankind and not limited only to Israel. This unlimited work of the cross was kept secret within the cross and from all mankind and was not presented in prophetic scripture or otherwise until God announced that He is sending His salvation to the nations at Acts 28:28, Ephesians 3:1-9
     As for as the four gospels and the books written during the books of Acts are concerned it was never made known that Christ was to die on the cross of Calvary for all mankind. The scriptures record the fact that it was the limited work only to Israel.
The announcement of God’s bill of divorce upon Israel  became complete when Paul announced that the salvation of God  is sent to the Gentiles. At that time , Paul is standing there alone at a momentous time depending completely on God to lead him forward in truth .These fateful words from God will suspend His plan and purpose through Israel temporarily which He had already dealt with them for hundreds of years.
     For shame, Mankind has not missed a beat in proclaiming most things of Israel as belonging to the present day church.
     I’m certain after Paul received and had spoke these momentous words he wanted to hear more from God quickly so that he could get about doing the Lords work. But the Lord is not in any hurry, so he must wait upon God.
      Behind him, Paul has all the lineage of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, he penned the wonderful words of Romans and the other six Acts epistles. In front of him, he must depend on his God for instructions concerning the Gentiles receiving this salvation. Paul stands now in the sandals of Moses for they both had to trust God to show them the way forward.
     It is ironic that Paul’s declaration of Acts 28:28 caused the Jews to depart from his words given by God. For God also has departed from Israel and to this day they remain in the lo-ammi state.(not my  people) The presentation of the gospel of the grace brought forward in the epistle of Romans also remains as truth for a repentant Israel in the day that God calls them forth again.
     Our Lord gave through the apostle Paul a special administration called the administration of the grace of God. This revelation was a secret never revealed in the prophets or in any scriptures up to Acts 28:28 that God was going to send His salvation to the Gentiles independent of Israel. Always before and since Abraham, God’s salvation was to and only through Israel.
     This administration of Grace that began after Acts 28:28 is without instant judgment for it is of pure grace but on the other hand with the gospel of grace brought forth in Romans one was subject to God’s judgment instantly. All through the times of man God has shown grace so it should not seem strange that He would explain His mind in dealing with Israel and these converted Gentiles according to the gospel of Grace.
     One of the most misunderstood passages of scripture is John 1:17 where it is said “ For the law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Some quote this verse as if God never spoke or acted in grace before for He is just now bringing grace. In my opinion, this verse is saying that the Lord Jesus came bringing more grace and truth for He Himself was the ultimate truth and His death on the cross was the complete act of grace for mankind.
     Just as we could not claim the constitution of Great Britain for ourselves for we are only covered and under our own constitution . There are probably  many parallels but the British constitution is not written to us to govern us here in the United States.
     Even though there are many parallel passages revealed by our Lord in the four gospels and all the books written during the book of Acts we must not confuse truth given to the Ephesians body of Christ with truth given to a Corinthian body of Christ of Israel.
     The question we should ask is “Does the revelation of truth given to the apostle Paul present a complete picture of the administration of the grace of God? Paul makes the claim that God gave it to him by revelation, the administration of the grace of God, Ephesians 3:2,3 God’s grace in this administration is being and is made known in this revelation of the secret. Ephesians 3;4
     The apostle Paul makes no statement that we should refer to the book of Romans to understand God’s grace revealed to us by the apostle in his last seven epistles. The facts are that Paul wrote his last seven epistles as direct truth with a complete message for the church the body of Christ. All other New Testament books, including Romans ,take their place as indirect truth for the present time.
     I would like to end my writing with these passages from the post Acts gospel that exalts the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 3:17-19   {17.} That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love  {18.} may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height  {19.} and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.

Written by Thomas Worth