The Fellowship Residency Program has introduced me to the idea of reading commentaries alongside scripture. By August of 2019, I will have read through the entire Bible as well as The King in His Beauty, our selected commentary. As I am reading, I am writing a little bit about each of the books of the Bible so you and I can have a more thorough understanding of the scriptures. I invite you to follow along with me as we learn the Bible in its entirety from Genesis to Revelation. This summary does NOT encompass the entire book, but it is a good place to start. I encourage you to read for yourself and begin your own Biblical journal along the way. To read any of my other Residency related posts, click here.
The Theology of Paul includes Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon.
Introduction – In terms of books, half of the NT books are Paul’s writings. Paul’s consistent message is that God’s saving promises have been brought to like, but are not yet complete. There is immense eschatological tension in Paul’s work.
The New David – Jesus is identified as the Christ 375 times in Paul’s writings. Paul introduces the Gospel in Romans by referencing Jesus’s Davidic heritage. Paul makes it clear that Jesus as the Messiah is now reigning in heaven as the exalted king, but His enemies are still to be destroyed. Therefore, we are to await the final destruction of death and demons as the fulfillment of God’s promises to us. The initial Adam brought evil to the world through sin and death, but Jesus, as the last Adam, has conquered sin and death.
Jesus is not only linked to Adam and David but is also an offspring of Abraham. However, Paul emphasizes that the only way to belong to Abraham now is to be united with Christ. Paul describes Jesus often as the Son of God. He emphasizes the Son’s obedience when fulfilling the will of God to be sacrificed. It was through being humbled and made human that God would ultimately exalt Him above all.
Paul often described the gifts that Jesus Christ transcends on us including grace, peace, mercy, understanding, deliverance, strength to resist temptation, repayer of justice, sovereign over us, and apportions accordingly. In Paul’s writings we are reminded that Jesus is to be prayed to, trusted, loved, worshiped, and rejoiced in for He is coming again. Those who submit to God also submit to the Son as Lord and vice versa. “Jesus is the king of all, and all the promises of the kingdom find their fulfillment in Him.”
New Creation and Old Creation – Adam brought in the old and fallen creation through his sin, but the new creation has arrived in Christ. It is through His resurrection that the age to come has officially arrived with the new creation. Sin and death characterize the old creation. “Since sin refuses to trust in God or Christ, boasting or pride is the mark of idolatry. Human beings especially take pride in their observance of the law and try to establish their own righteousness and so they place their confidence in the flesh rather than the Spirit.” Because of this, Paul was passionate about unification between Jews and Gentiles as people of God. Humans has a desire and nature that seeks to secure a right standing before God that is founded on the basis of their own good works. However, it is God’s grace, not human performance, that is our ground of salvation. Paul will often contrast the flesh and the Spirit to remind us who brings the saving faith.
Since there is a tension between old and new, we must cautiously avoid allowing our thoughts or actions to be shaped by the old age. We no longer function under the Sinai law, but under the law of Christ. The righteousness is not found in being Jewish, but rather because they have become united with Christ in faith. We are granted God’s righteousness as a gift to believers. This gift is passed to those who believe not those who desire to earn the gifts. “Justification is closely aligned with grace.”
Though we are already righteous in Christ, the judgment has not been spread throughout the world just yet.The new exodus becomes a reality through the forgiveness of our sins. Before judgment can take place, the gospel must spread to the nations. The language of redemption closely aligns with the idea of a new exodus. Redemption demands forgiveness of sins. Total redemption will be held until Christ returns to redeem us all.
The new creation cannot be separated from the gift of the Holy Spirit to us. Paul’s theology on the Spirit is that it the Spirit is the mark of conversion. The regeneration and renewal of believers are the works of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a reminder that God will fulfill His promises and finish what was started. The Spirit is our up close reminder of God’s righteous power to heal, convict, redeem, and transform.
With the New Creation, Jesus brought reconciliation and triumph over evil. Reconciliation means that our fellowship with God has been restored and renewed. This reconciliation spreads to other people for we have been united by Christ as one body. When Paul refers to the “kingdom” he is often talking of the future kingdom where God will triumph over evil once and for all. Paul warns that only the righteous will inherit the kingdom of God. He recognized that we would likely begin to hope for the best, but he warns us to avoid the deception. Those who fall into evil on earth will not be welcome in the coming kingdom.
The Spirit, Gospel, and kingdom are all ways God communicates His saving grace in the present age of sin and darkness. Our salvation is primarily an end-time reality. Paul regularly speaks of the final judgment that will gift believers their righteousness as salvation. Paul argues that God does not elect His chosen people based on the good that they are capable of performing. Instead, it is an act of mercy and grace. I will have to do more research into the idea of election after reading his perspective on election. Paul informs us that all who are called are justified. The Gospel can be preached without movement, but the call of Christ will always lead to salvation. One of Paul’s primary themes is that the Spirit is poured out over us so that we may experience “reconciliation, redemption, righteousness, salvation, and triumph over evil powers.”
New Life and New Covenant – The Spirit is not only the topic of new creation, but also the vessel of new life that allow us to walk “worthy of the calling” of God. We are to manifest the Spirit’s fruit. Paul teaches us what we as believers already are in Christ and how we are to live under the grace given to each of us. We are called to obey not to achieve but to accomplish and work out of our salvation. We cannot take credit for the obedience, because all that is good in us is of God. Romans speaks on the conflict between being called to pursue obedience to avoid death while also being promised the ability to defeat evil as we rest in the saving grace. Paul also speaks to the law. He shares that sin uses the law for its own purpose, and therefore the law was not functional as suppressing our sings. We are no longer functioning under the era of the old age law. The law reminds us what is loving and reflective of the character of God. In other words, the law is authoritative only because it is God’s will not as part of the covenant. Paul argues that there is ALWAYS room for growth to become more like Christ. Paul and I share this truth with passion. Paul recognizes that there is no “ethical rule” for every circumstance, and we will have to pray to God to discern His will for us. “Love cannot be captured exhaustively by particular directives. Love goes beyond commands, bit it never contravenes such commands.”
The New People of God – Paul establishes the church as God’s new temple and the body of Christ as the new people of God. In fact, Paul uses the word “ekklesia” which means assembly or chuch 62 times in his writings. What was formerly God’s people is not made up of believing Jews and Gentiles. Paul emphasizes the importance of church unity. The OT teachings of the temple point forward to Jesus’s dwelling within the church. Paul reminds us that each person in the church plays a crucial role with their spiritual gifts. The gifts are to be used to encourage and edify others as well as strengthen the body’s faith. “The most important requirement for teachers was their godliness.” The focus isn’t on skills, but rather alignment and discipleship like Christ. In almost every single letter, Paul rebukes false teaching. The Church will only function if it holds tight to the truths of the Gospel.
New World Coming -- A surprising find of Paul’s writing is that is does not commonly refer to the promise of land. However, the resurrection of the body is discussed often in Paul’s work. We aren’t told much about the place we will reside or the nature of our inheritance. However, we are told in detail the beauty and awe of eternal fellowship with Christ. “When Paul thinks of the final inheritance, he focuses on a person instead of a place, on fellowship with God and Christ instead of the new universe that is coming.” However, a new universe is coming where we will see “the king in His beauty.”
Conclusion -- Regardless of whether Paul is speaking of “salvation, redemption, justification, reconciliation, adoption, triumph over evil powers, or other things,” he discusses it with an already but not yet mindset. Paul doesn’t focus on the land promises, but does believe that a new world free from sin and suffering is coming. All believer, both Jew and Gentile alike, will inherit God’s promises and salvation. Ultimately, to Paul, God’s presence with His people is the greatest joy of all.
Themes: God provides us with saving promises that are still waiting to be brought to completion. Jesus is the promised Davidic king. Jews and Gentiles are now unified in Christ. Salvation cannot be obtained by works. Final separation between believers and the wicked is coming. The Spirit has been poured out to gift believers with God’s mighty power in them. Unity of the Church is crucial for its survival. Eternal fellowship with Christ is the ultimate gift to come.