This page is dedicated to gospel concepts as delivered in the book of Romans. I am not covering every verse in Romans, but only the ones that serve to illustrate a concept, especially the ones that have been misused by the prevailing doctrine. My intent is to cover them in order.

Romans 3

^{Romans 3:24}Being justified freely (δωρον, dōron) by his grace (χαριτι, chariti) through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

There is a common catchphrase that justified means just-as-if-I’d never sinned. However, justification is not the absence of sin, but the presence of righteousness. A verdict of ‘not guilty’ is not sufficient for justification. One whose account is free from sin yet without righteousness is without wedding garments and would not be allowed to attend the wedding.

In Matthew 12:37, Jesus said that we will be justified by our words (λογων, logōn, the content of our account), and we will be condemned by our words. When the content of our account includes righteousness, we are justified. On judgment day, when we give our account to the Lord, we will be justified or condemned, depending on the content of our account.

Righteous deeds performed by God apart from us are not credited to our account. ‘Good deeds’ we do apart from God are not righteous deeds and are not credited to our account as righteousness. Deeds of the law (of sin and death) are not righteous deeds. Think about it: the law says thou shalt not kill. Do I get credit for everyone I don’t kill? Of course not. The law of sin and death is set up only for condemnation. No one is justified by the works of the law (of sin and death).

The Greek word for righteousness is δικαιοσυνη (dikaiosune). The Greek word for justified is δικαιοω (dikaioō). The two words share the same root word. A person is justified when righteousness is found in their account (λογον, logon). Righteousness is grace in the context of the fulfillment of the law written upon the heart. This is the grace whereby we are justified. We are not justified when the law is written upon our heart, but only when the law has been fulfilled.

^{Psalm 112:6}Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.

The account is the mechanism whereby God remembers. Although there is a process whereby sin (evil) can be removed from the account, also called forgiveness, there is no process for removing righteousness from the account. Once justified, always justified. That is my current understanding, subject to further revelation.

Grace is both the law and the fulfillment of the law. (See The True Gospel) We are justified only when the law is fulfilled. This is also known as fruit, not to be confused with the works of the flesh. 

Recall in the parable of the talents, the servants were given talents, and the servants gained talents. When the lord returned, the servants were given as their inheritance both talents given and talents gained, therefore both are considered gifts. But a talent given was given with the expectation that the servant would gain a talent. If the expectation was not met, that talent would be forfeited upon the lord’s return. 

Both the law and the fulfillment of the law are gifts, but the first is given (δωρον, dōron), and the second is freely given (δωρεαν, dōrean). The first is given (δωρον, dōron) with strings attached, the second is given freely (δωρεαν dōrean), with no strings attached. When the Bible uses dōron, it is talking about grace, the law. When the Bible uses dorean, it is talking about grace, the fulfillment of the law. We are justified when the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us.

Romans 6

^{Romans 6:14}For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace [χαριν (charin)] .

What does it mean to be under grace? Here, it sounds like grace is being considered at the same level as the law, and that is exactly right. Under the law, sin was the metric being tracked in your account. Under grace, grace is the new metric. 

^{Matthew 12:37}For by thy words [λογων (logōn)] thou shalt be justified, and by thy words [λογων (logōn)] thou shalt be condemned.

A universal principle is that the content, logōn, of your account will determine your eternal destiny. If sin is found in your account, you will be condemned. If righteousness is found in your account, you will be justified. Under the law, if you get it wrong once, sin will be found in your account, and you will be condemned. Under grace, if you get it right once, righteousness will be found in your account, and you will be justified. In the case where neither sin nor righteousness is found in your account, you are still condemned, as was seen in the parable of the talents. The servant with no righteousness was cast into outer darkness, where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Under grace, a person is accountable to fulfill the law written on the heart. Laws that are not fulfilled are subject to loss. Consider now the parable of the unforgiving servant.

^{Matthew 18:23}Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. ²⁴And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. ²⁵But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. ²⁶The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. ²⁷Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. ²⁸But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took [him] by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. ²⁹And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. ³⁰And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. ³¹So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. ³²Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: ³³Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? ³⁴And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. ³⁵So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

The question at hand: if sin is remembered no more, how is anyone held accountable? Good question.

^{1 John 1:8}If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

When we are under grace, it is not that we cease to commit sin, it is just that our sins are remembered no more. But under grace, we are still accountable. When we do commit sin against God, God, who is rich in mercy, forgives us. That forgiveness is an act of love on his part. That act of love, that forgiveness, is grace. As an aside, all forgiveness is grace, but not all grace is forgiveness.

When we receive mercy, forgiveness for our sins, we receive grace. That grace now becomes a law written upon our heart. To assure that we do not forfeit that grace on the day of the Lord, that law needs to be fulfilled. That law is fulfilled when we love one another as we have been loved. We need to forgive as we have been forgiven.

What are the things that offend God? For a comprehensive list, consider the Great Commandment, the law of sin and death. These are the things that offend God. 

^{Matthew 7:1}Judge not, that ye be not judged. ²For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

The consequence of unforgiveness is that the measure you mete will be measured to you again.

How should you respond to those who offend you? Be sure to treat them the way you would be pleased for God to treat you, had you offended him in that way. 

^{Matthew 5:43}Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. ⁴⁴But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Loving your enemy is the best strategy. If you happened to offend in God the way you had just been offended, would not love be the measure you would like God to measure again to you?

^{Matthew 18:35}So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

What does it mean to forgive from the heart? Looking at the model it is clear; it is fulfillment of the law written upon your heart. Fulfillment of the law is grace, which is divine love. Loving your enemies is to be done by the Spirit, otherwise it is merely done in the flesh which will not be recorded in the account. 

^{2 Corinthians 12:9}And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Loving your enemies may seem out of reach, and indeed, in your own strength, it is. But at your weakest point, God is strongest. His grace is sufficient. Embrace your weakness. Muster your faith; trust in him; offer to him your resources as instruments of righteousness and watch what he does. Talk to God – tell him, it’s your move. And the best part is that you will have forgiven from the heart – the righteousness of the law will have been fulfilled in you, credited to your account.

You may think that you would never offend God in a particular way. For example, you would never kill someone. But it is not always clear if you have offended God in that way. 

^{Matthew 5:21}Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: ²²But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

In the kingdom of heaven, hating someone seems to be equivalent to killing them. 

You may say, I would never cheat on my wife.

^{Matthew 5:27}Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: ²⁸But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Jesus continues to contrast the law of the Father with the law of the Spirit. Under the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, the rules are more stringent. If we think that we have not offended God in a certain way, it is easy to be mistaken. 

^{Romans 2:1}Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

The best strategy is to consider ourselves guilty of everything for which we would judge another.

Where there is no law, there can be no fulfillment of the law. You need not forgive offenses for which you are not guilty. However, this can be tricky business. It is not always clear when you offend God.

^{Matthew 25:40}And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

If you offend others, you offend God. Yikes.

Romans 8

^{Romans 8:1}[There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

This verse is in reference to those who walk after the Spirit, not those who believe a certain way.

^{Romans 8:2}For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Those who walk after the Spirit are those who are under the law of the Spirit of life; those who walk after the flesh are those who are under the law of sin and death. The law of sin and death is summarized in the Great Commandment. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus is the law of the New Covenant, the New Commandment.

^{John 15:12}This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

Jesus loves you in the power of the Spirit, just like he was loved – in the power of the Spirit.

^{Romans 8:3}For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

The Ten Commandments, along with the laws associated with the law of sin and death was weak because the flesh is weak. The Great Commandment is weak because it is dependent on all your strength. That has two aspects: it consumes all your strength, and all the strength is yours and none of it is God’s. This law is void of the strength of the Spirit.

^{Romans 8:4}That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

The righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us by the Spirit working within us. This work is righteous because it is performed by the Holy Spirit using our resources. The law being fulfilled is the law as written upon our heart. A new law is written on our heart each time he loves us. Him loving us includes being loved by one another because it is the Spirit loving us using the resources of another. The majority of God’s work is done through God’s people.

^{Romans 8:5}For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

Here is more definition concerning those who walk after the flesh and those who walk after the Spirit. Those who walk after the flesh are those who mind the things of the flesh. They are those who are trying to keep the law of sin and death. They are more concerned with getting rid of sin than obtaining righteousness through the Spirit. Those who walk after the Spirit are those whose primary concern is to allow the Spirit access to their resources. They are mindful of the laws written upon their heart and take advantage of their gifts, thew laws written upon their hearts, the will of God for them.

^{Romans 8:6}For to be carnally minded [is] death; but to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace.

The Greek word of carnal is the same Greek word as flesh in the prior verses. The result of walking after the flesh is death; the result of walking after the Spirit is life and peace, peace with God.

^{Romans 8:7}Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

Those who walk after the flesh are those who follow the law of sin and death. They are under the law of sin and death; they are not under grace, the law of the Spirit of life.

^{Romans 8:8}So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

We are not justified by the absence of sin, but by the presence of righteousness. Righteousness is imputed to us when the Spirit works within us to fulfill the righteousness of the law.

^{Romans 8:9}But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Being under grace, we are indwelled by the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit. Being under grace does not mean that we are justified. Justification requires righteousness. Even though you are indwelled by there Holy Spirit, if you have never given him the chance to fulfill the righteousness of the law in you, you are not justified. Righteousness is also referred to as the fruit of righteousness. You are justified the first time you bear fruit. That is the importance of the first fruits. See Romans 8:23.

^{Romans 7:16}If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that [it is] good. ¹⁷Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

When we were under the law, we were indwelled by sin.

^{Romans 8:10}And if Christ [be] in you, the body [is] dead because of sin; but the Spirit [is] life because of righteousness.

Righteousness results in life. It is of utmost importance to bear fruit of righteousness. In the parable of the talents, talents were given when they were loved by the Lord; talents were gained when they loved one another as they had been loved – with the strength of the Spirit. The question is: how do you know when your love for one another is by the power of the Spirit?

^{1 Corinthians 12:3}Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and [that] no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

When you say to someone that Jesus is Lord, you are doing so with the strength of the Spirit. Love one another by telling them that Jesus is Lord.

^{Romans 10:8}But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, [even] in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; ⁹That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

When you tell someone that Jesus is Lord, you are giving the Holy Spirit access to your resources, your mouth, and allowing him to fulfill the righteousness of the law in you. You were loved by the Lord when someone shared the gospel with you. You love one another the way you had been loved – by the Spirit. You have born fruit – you are now saved. You gained a talent and will be invited into his joy.

^{Romans 8:11}But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Jesus said, As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. The Father loved Jesus by raising him from the dead. Jesus will love you the same way – by raising you from the dead.

^{Romans 8:12}Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

Those who are under the law of sin and death are debtors – they are required to fulfill the law in their own strength. We are also debtors, but not to the flesh. Under the New Covenant, he remembers our sin no more. Under the New Covenant, our concern is not sin, but righteousness. When we sin, we get grace in the form of mercy. With that mercy comes another law that needs to be fulfilled. We will need to forgive others by sinning against us the way we sinned against God (as you have done it unto the least of these, my brethren, you have done it unto me.) It is not wise to sin willfully, for you shall reap what you sow.

^{Romans 8:13}For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

You clean up your life by displacing the deeds of the body by yielding your resources to the Spirit, as instruments of righteousness. Using accountability to keep you on the straight and narrow may get the job done (yea right) but it will not result in life.

^{Romans 8:14}For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

The Spirit of the prophet is subject to the prophet. Your indwelling Spirit is subject to you. You can elect to follow the Spirit, yielding your resources to him, or you can elect to retain control. Those who yield to the Spirit are the sons of God.

^{Romans 8:26}Likewise the Spirit also helpeth (συναντιλαμβαομαι, sunantilambanomai) our infirmities (ασθενειαις, astheneiais): for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. ²⁷And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what [is] the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to [the will of] God. ²⁸And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose. ²⁹For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. ³⁰Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

It is the Spirit that indwells us who ‘helps’ our ‘infirmities’.

How does the Spirit help? The Greek word for help begins with sun, which means together. We see that prefix used in verse 28 where it is translated as work together, and it is that word from which we get our English word, synergy. According to Abarim, sunantilambanomai, the Greek word for help, means to team up with someone to achieve a corrective effect. It is the Spirit of holiness who teams up with us to achieve the righteous outcome.

What is our infirmity? The Greek word for infirmity means without strength, not sickness. Notice that the Greek word begins with alpha, a negative particle. Stenos, the word being negated, means strength. Infirmity means without strength. In and of ourselves, we are weak. It is the Spirit who strengthens us. 

What does it mean, that we do not know what we should pray for? We do not know what laws are written upon our hearts, even though we should, but the Sprit does know because he is the one who searches the heart where the laws are written. When we pray the Lord’s prayer, we ask that his will be done. His will is what has been written upon our hearts. Even though we do not know what is written therein, we are asking him to do whatever is written there.

Making intercession involves more than just making a request to God on our behalf. It can also mean to intervene, or to act on one’s behalf. It is the Spirit who acts on our behalf, in that the righteous act that he performs will be logged into our account as righteousness. His actions involve our resources yielded to him as instruments of righteousness.

What are the groanings which cannot be uttered? The Greek word for groanings is stenos, which means confined, or constrained. The things that cannot be uttered are the things that are not lawful, things that are outside the scope of what is written upon the heart. The Spirit of holiness is constrained to act within the bounds of what is written upon the heart. Righteousness is the fulfillment of the law. Without a law there can be no fulfillment of the law. The Spirit of holiness takes no action that is independent of the law written upon our hearts.

The Greek word for uttered is αλαλητοις, alaletois. The negative particle, alpha, reverses the remainder of the word, laleō, which means to speak. This word is often used to describe entries into the account which is on the tables of the heart. The Spirit is constrained by the things he cannot do, those things he cannot “utter.”

Verse 27: he that searches the heart is the Spirit. He searches the heart, looking at the account to see the laws written therein. 

The Greek word for mind is phronema, which is the effect of an action. The Spirit knows what the effect of his action should be because he acts according to the will of God, the law written upon the heart. 

The intercession, as mentioned before, is the action taken on our behalf. The Spirit is not making a request to the Father on our behalf, but rather he is taking the action according to the will of God, according to the law already written upon the heart. 

In verse 26 we saw how the Spirit teams up with us to enact a righteous outcome. In verse 28, we know that everything we do together with God, together with the Spirit of holiness, is righteousness. All things include everything we do together with God, the Spirit of holiness. 

^{John 15:10}If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

The ones who love God are the ones who abide in his love by keeping his commandments, to love one another as I have loved you. These are the ones who fulfill the laws written upon their heart. Those laws are according to the purpose of God. God calls us when he loves us. Our calling is based on the laws written upon our heart.

In verse 29, predestination is according to his foreknowledge. Our calling begins with his foreknowledge. In the parable of the talents, the lord distributed to his servants according to their several abilities. Before he distributed his goods, he was aware of their capabilities. These capabilities concern the capacity to work with the Spirit to accomplish his will, not our capacity to perform the work within our own strength. 

We conform to the image of the Son as we follow the pattern he established for us, loving one another as he has loved us. 

Those he has called he also justifies. His calling is him loving us through the Spirit. His justification is him loving one another through us as we have been loved. In the Greek, justification is literally “with righteousness.” When he fulfills the law written upon the heart, righteousness is added to our account, thereby justifying us. He can only do that as we allow him to do that, which requires faith on our part.

^{Romans 8:18}For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time [are] not worthy [to be compared] with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Glorification comes later. That glory shall be revealed in us.