2. Test The Fruit Of The Interpretation!
(Matthew 7:15-20) Beware of false prophets who
come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they
are ravening wolves. (16) You shall know them by
their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or
figs from thistles? (17) Even so every good tree
brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth
evil fruit. (18) A good tree cannot bring forth evil
fruits, nor can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
(19) Every tree that does not bring forth good fruit is
cut down and thrown into the fire. (20) Therefore by
their fruits you shall know them.
3. Evil Fruit Indicate Wrong Interpretation
Idolatry, Superstition, Occultic Interpretations, Kabbalah
Obsessive or Compulsive Thinking and Behavior
Loss of Contact with Reality
Spiritual Deadness, Dryness, Futility, Meaningless
Religion
Fear, Guilt, Legalism, Mental and Psychological Abuse,
Rudeness: Disregard of The Full Personhood of Others
Greed, Exploitation, Financial Scams
Hatred, Enmity, Strife, Wars, Social Conflict
Lawlessness, Immorality, Sensuality,
Authoritarianism, Abuse of Spiritual Authority,
Harshness,
Cruelty, Slavery, Racism, Violence, Spouse Abuse
Cults, Militias, Lord’s Resistance Army, Genocide
4. Intellectual Pride vs Love
(1 Corinthians 8:1-3) (1) But concerning the
sacrifices to idols, we know that we all have
knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.
(2) And if any man thinks that he knows anything, he
knows nothing yet as he ought to know. (3) But if
any one loves God, he has been known of him.
5. Good Fruit From Good Interpretation
(Galatians 5:22-23) But the fruit of the Spirit is:
love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness,
faith, (23) meekness, self-control; against such
things there is no law.
Creates loving churches and fellowships
Builds tolerant, patient, and kind families
Joyous, happy people who live freely in God’s grace
Faith-filled missions outreaches
Meekness - ability to tolerate differences in unity
Goodness – it “feels good and is good”
They are self-controlled, not immoral, getting thinsg
together, mastering life under Christ in the Spirit.
6. The Wisdom of God
(James 3:17,18) But the wisdom that is from above
is first truly pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be
entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without
partiality and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of
righteousness is sown in peace by those who make
peace.
7. Wise Biblical Interpretation Is…
Pure: without darkness, superstition, impurity, no foul language
Peaceable: brings wholeness, life, peace, healing, grace to the
hearers
Gentle: kind to the hearers, the poor, the broken, to sinners
Easy To Be Entreated: not stubborn, fractious or contentious
Full of Mercy: ministering salvation not condemnation
Good Fruits: produces fine Christians and many good deeds
Without Partiality: no in-crowd, favoritism, or exclusivity
Without Hypocrisy: produces transparent Christians
Fruit of Righteousness: good Christian living in the truth
Sown In Peace: not in anger, contention, division etc
Those Who Make Peace: brings unity, harmony, reconciliation,
justice
8. Liberty
(2 Corinthians 3:6) who also has made us able
ministers of the new covenant; not of the letter, but of the
spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit makes alive.
(2 Corinthians 3:17-18) (17) And the Lord is that Spirit;
and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. (18)
But we all, with our face having been unveiled, having
beheld the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are being
changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as
by the Lord Spirit.
(Romans 8:14-15) For as many as are led by the Spirit
of God, they are the sons of God. (15) For you have not
received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have
received the Spirit of adoption by which we cry, Abba,
Father!
9. Interpretation by the Spirit Is..
Full of liberty
Not full of fear
Not full of legalism / slavery/ the Law
Has God’s DNA – the Spirit of Sonship /adoption
Transforms us from glory to glory
Causes us to be led by the Spirit
Not “by the letter” – not book-centered but Spirit
centered, it is the anointing that teaches us (1 John
2:20,27) the Spirit who imparts truth to us (1 Corinthians
2:9-16) and who leads us into all truth (John 16:13). It is
not scholarship that leads us into all truth or a church
traditionthat leads us into all truth but the Spirit that leads
us into all truth
10. Other Tests
Accords With Reality: God’s Creation and God’s Word are
from the same Author! So the Bible, properly interpreted will
not say “the earth is flat” etc.
Sound Reasoning: Not irrational, foolish, bogus, or flaky
Christo-Centric: Does not deny central truths about Jesus
such as the Incarnation, Cross, Resurrection etc. and leads us
always back to Christ as the center of Scripture
Builds Faith: Creates boldness, faith, hope, energy, vitality,
zeal, holiness, anointing, spiritual get-up and go! Does not
create paranoia, dread, fear, despair, guilt, hopelessness,
spiritual paralysis, fatalism, secrecy or hypocrisy.
Does Not Quench the Spirit: God never interprets the Word
in such a way that He restricts His activity or kills off His
Church!
11. Introduction To Romans
Written by the apostle Paul using koine Greek
Around 55-57 A.D on his third missionary journey
Written in Corinth in the house of Gaius, using
Tertius as his amanuensis (scribe), Phoebe was a
deacon at Corinth and Erastus was a city official
there and they are also mentioned in Romans
Written to a mixture of Jews and Gentiles
In legal language (Rome was a city of laws)
Very rational and logical and systematic in approach
Outlines Paul’s understanding of salvation,
justification and the Spirit-filled life
12. Tensions Being Addressed
Jews vs. Gentiles: both are heirs of salvation
Circumcision is of the heart not the flesh
Faith makes us sons of Abraham
Salvation by faith vs. salvation by works / religion
The nature of grace vs. grace as lawlessness
What the Cross did for the believer
The struggle with sin in the members
The Spirit-filled life and the love of God
The fate of Israel and the Jews
Christian holiness and living by love not law
Eating food sacrificed to idols, matters of food and drink
13. Rom 1:1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called
[to be] an apostle, separated to the gospel of God
Bondservant (doulos) abject slave, one in bondage,
inescapably constrained to this status
Jesus = Savior Christ = Messiah, anointed One
Called (kletos) – God’s divine initiative and appointing
Apostle: 5 kinds of apostles –
The 12 – founders of the faith;
Paul etc: founders of the churches
Titus etc: itinerant followers of the founders
Andronicus etc – city-wide apostles, over large areas
False apostles
Separated: set apart To the gospel: the full teaching
about Jesus
14. Rom 1:2 which He promised before through His
prophets in the Holy Scriptures,
The gospel is about the promised Messiah and
promised Holy Spirit
The promise comes through the prophets
The prophets are recorded in Scripture
Scripture is holy = sacred words
Scripture and prophecy is fulfilled in Christ
15. Rom 1:3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who
was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,
Son: Jesus Christ as son of God, unique and only
begotten Son, Trinity, image of the Father, heir of all
things
Lord – kurios, one we owe absolute allegiance to,
God
Seed of David: Messianic line
According to the flesh: was of course pre-existent;
Christ’s intervention in history was as part of the
Davidic dynasty but Christ was David’s Lord!
Physical birth vs. Spiritual birth
16. Rom 1:4 [and] declared [to be] the Son of God with power
according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from
the dead.
Declared to be the Son of God: resurrection leads to
enthronement and co-regency with God
With power: en dunamei – explosive power, energy
Spirit of holiness; God’s unique, holy, loving all-wise Spirit
who moves with great power
Resurrection: literally “out from among the dead ones”
The resurrection legitimates the Cross and Jesus’ claims
about Himself as God’s Son.
17. Rom 1:5 Through Him we have received grace and
apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for
His name,
Through Him: Jesus the mediator, the one who
pours out blessings
Grace: God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense
Apostleship: the full office of apostle is a divine
blessing and gift conferred by God and not by man.
Obedience to the faith: We are instructed to obey
that which we believe.
Nations: ethnicities
His Name: the glory and authority and honor of God
18. Rom 1:6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus
Christ;
Among whom: among the nations/ gentiles
You also are called: both Jew, Gentiles, Barbarian
etc
All Christians have a divine calling on their lives
Of Jesus Christ: we belong to Him, we are hosen by
Him to be His brothers and sisters for eternity
19. Rom 1:7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called [to
be] saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
This verse deals with the various levels of our identity
Roman citizen: highest earthly identity at that time
Beloved of God: higher still, the Creator’s choice!
Called to be saints: holiness is our identity and our
destiny
Grace to you: kindness to you, no condemnation,
covenant
Peace: wholeness, the Jewish greeting, Shalom
God our Father: originator of life and Creation, authority
Lord Jesus Christ: co-regent, the one we serve
20. Rom 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you
all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
Thanks: Paul’s attitude of gratitude, not a fault-finder
Faith – trust in God and His Word
Spoken of: people were astonished that
sophisticated Romans would become Christians and
“follow a carpenter from Galilee”
Whole world: known world, also the second-heaven
spiritual kosmos
21. Rom 1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my
spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make
mention of you always in my prayers,
Witness: The God who sees in secret testifies..
Serve” latreuo – serves as a priest serves a deity
With my spirit – in prayer, supplication, human spirit, the
deepest and eternal part of one’s being.
Gospel: good news about Jesus
Constant prayer of a true missionary / apostle, praying
about the matters of the Kingdom of God
Prayer: deomai – insistent prayer, beseech
22. Rom 1:10 making request if, by some means, now at last I
may find a way in the will of God to come to you.
Making request, if by some means at last: a deep
longing pent-up for quite some years.
In the will of God: without jumping ahead of God in this
Will : desire, thing pleasing, a very broad word
23. Rom 1:11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you
some spiritual gift, so that you may be established--
See you / impart: some ministry requires personal
impartation at close quarters, laying on of hands etc
Spiritual gift: over 30 are mentioned in the NT –
tongues, healing, leadership, prophecy, discernment
of spirits etc.
Established – strengthened, made stable, have the
gaps in their service filled up.
24. Rom 1:12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with
you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
Mutual faith: Paul is vulnerable to his hearers, is not
lording it over them
Together with you; in Christian community and
felowship
Encouraged: built up as a body
25. Rom 1:13 Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren,
that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until
now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as
among the other Gentiles.
Often planned; man proposes God disposes, Paul
was a planner but God could over-rule
Hindered: Firstly by the intensity of work in the far
regions that had not heard (Rom 15;22) also Satan
is the Hinderer of the work of the gospel (2 Thess
2:18)
Fruit: harvest of good things, esp. spiritual things,
godly results, more than just production….
Other Gentiles – indicate the Romans were mainly
Gentiles
26. Rom 1:14 I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians,
both to wise and to unwise.
Debtor: “obliged to” their lost-ness obliged Paul to
preach to them driven by the urgency of the issues
of salvation.
Greek / wise – educated, philosophical
Barbarians – unwisee, unlearned, ignorant clumsy
speech
In missionary terms to both the sophisticated who
are without Christ (e.g. Japanese, Koreans) and the
unsophisticated (tribal people sin the Amazon)
A universal gospel
27. Rom 1:15 So, as much as is in me, [I am] ready to preach
the gospel to you who are in Rome also.
So much as is in me: to the extent I am able, with
the knowledge I have etc. the gospel was “in” Paul
as was the desire to preach and the ability to preach,
his ministry was deeply internalized and central to
who Paul was.
Ready to preach / proclaim: not just pulpit preaching
but all kinds of communication of the gospel
You who are in Rome: at the center of the Empire,
Paul’s movement from the edges to the center. The
gospel now finds its way to the heart of that society.
28. Contact
John Edmiston
310-783-1510 (Office)
digitalopportunities@gmail.com
Facebook.com/johnedmiston
Course website: globalchristians.org/romans2/
Will have website up later this week.