Into the Heart of Romans
A Deep Dive into Paul’s Greatest Letter
The Spirit and the Messiah’s Death (2|3)
Pages 51-57
Romans 5:9-10 (NIV) Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
Romans 5:20 (NIV) The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 7:13 (NIV) Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good to bring about my death, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.
Galatians 2:20 (NIV) I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Paul suggests that God gave the Torah so that Sin would be drawn out into the open, reaching its full and terrible extent within Israel, so that it could finally be defeated in the Messiah. Can you think of times when God has brought hidden or subtle forms of brokenness into the light to confront and heal them? How does that experience help you understand Paul’s theology here?
Paul connects the giving of the Spirit at Pentecost with the giving of the Torah after Israel’s victory over Egypt, showing that God’s salvation plan unfolds through real historical events, fulfilled in the Messiah and extended to His Spirit-filled people. How does seeing the gospel as a concrete, unfolding story (rather than an abstract set of ideas) shape the way you understand your place within God’s ongoing work in the world?
Paul presents a sweeping vision of God’s plan: humans created as God’s image-bearing stewards, Israel called to rescue humanity, and the Messiah embodying Israel’s destiny to bring God’s rescuing love to the whole world. In what ways do you sense God inviting you to participate in His ongoing work of stewardship, restoration, and love within your relationships, community, or creation itself?
Paul describes Jesus as God’s unique “Son,” uniting His messianic calling with a profound shared identity with the Father, so that Jesus’ death is not merely done for God, but is God personally acting in love. How does recognizing that Jesus was already the “Son of God” in His life and death (not only in the resurrection) affect the way you relate to Him in your own faith?
Paul weaves together multiple images of atonement, God condemning Sin as the ultimate enemy, the Messiah representing His people, and the sacrificial system cleansing the place where God will dwell. How does holding these themes together (rather than choosing one over another) deepen your understanding of what happened at the cross and of God’s victory over evil?
How would you describe “Penal Substitution Theory” to someone using your own language?