Greeks, barbarians, and grace payments

David VanAcker

Grace Church

June 15^th, 2008

Romans 1:1-17

Main Points

1.      Following Jesus means rightly understanding and responding to the Gospel. 

2.      Rightly understanding the Gospel means recognizing the centrality and sovereignty of God in all things, the sinful, hopeless, helpless, condemned nature of man apart from God’s grace, and the redemptive, reconciliatory work of Jesus on the cross made efficacious by grace through faith. 

3.      Rightly responding to the Gospel means receiving the gifts of awe and wonder, brokenness and repentance, desperation and pleading, fear and trembling, thankfulness and rejoicing, love and adoration, acceptance and obedience, and faith and trust. 

4.      Upon understanding and receiving to Gospel, by grace through faith, we become grace debtors to everyone. 

5.      Our obligation to make grace payments (share the Gospel) will affect every area of our lives.

Introduction

This morning we are wrapping up our series on following Jesus.  Throughout the series Pastor Daniel has tried (and now I’m joining the mix) to make three main points:

1.      Jesus primary call on our lives is to glorify the Father by following Him (Jesus) in the power of the Holy Spirit (John 10:27-28).

2.      Following Jesus means, first, as Pastor Daniel has said, “Coming to Jesus to ‘be saved’”—to be forgiven of our sins and reconciled to the Father by grace through faith.

3.      Following Jesus is, again as Pastor Daniel has said, “also the description of the truly ‘saved’ life”.  To be helpful, we have summarized the “truly saved life” in seven characteristics:  Someone in the process of 1) rightly understanding God and His Word (2 Timothy 3:16; John 17), 2) becoming a worshiper/lover of God (Matthew 22:37-39), 3) recognizing his or her dependence on God (John 15:5), 4) living as a part of the body of Christ (Jesus is the head) (Romans 12:4-5), 5) becoming a suffering servant (Matthew 20:25-28, John 15:20), 6) growing in godliness (1 Timothy), and 7) becoming a debtor/lover of people (Matthew 22:39). 

It is on the seventh and final aspect of following Jesus that we are going to focus on today: following Jesus as a debtor/lover of people.  Specifically, I want to answer two questions this morning regarding this aspect of following Jesus:

1.      Where does following Jesus as a debtor/lover of people begin?

2.      How does a right understanding of, and response to, the Gospel influence the way we relate to others?  Or, what does the Gospel have to do with following Jesus as a debtor/lover of people?

Where does following Jesus as a debtor/lover of people begin?

Following Jesus as a debtor/lover of people begins with a biblical understanding of, and response to, the Gospel.  But, what is the Gospel?

1.    There is a God who is infinitely glorious.

“And he said, "Tomorrow." Moses said, "Be it as you say, so that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God” (Exodus 8:10).

"Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting." "Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.  You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you." (Nehemiah 9:5-6)

The God of the Bible is infinitely more beautiful and wonderful and holy and majestic and powerful and awesome than the greatest human mind can comprehend.  His power knows no end, His justice is perfect, His mercy is like a never ending tide, His holiness is whiter than the whitest snow, His knowledge is exhaustive, and His love cannot be contained by all creation.  He has existed and will continue existing in all His beauty forever.  He has no beginning and no end.  He placed every star in the sky.  He knows every atom in the universe by name.  He stands alone in honor and value and worth.  His name is above all names.  He has no equal (Exodus 15:11).

2.   We were created by God for His glory.

“Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth – everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made." (Isaiah 43:7)

The God of the universe designed the universe to display His glory (Psalm 19:1).  We exist to reflect the greatness of God.  Our whole purpose in life is to see and be satisfied by the glory of God.  Everything that we do – whether we eat or drink or drive a car – must be done to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).  How remarkable.  God, in His infinite wisdom and love, created us such that we are to spend our entire lives pursuing the most magnificent, satisfying, beautiful, and worthy being in all of existence – God!  

3.   We have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.

“There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  (Romans 3:23)

None of us have done that which we were created to do.  That is, every one of us has sinned by failing to glorify God as we should.  We have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator (Romans 1:25).  In other words, we choose constantly to glorify God’s creation (toys and money and sex and relationships) rather than God Himself.  When God sees us, He does not measure our goodness in comparison with other people.  Instead, God measures our goodness against Himself—a standard which we all fail to meet. 

4.   The cost of our sin—of failing to live for the glory of God—is death.

“For the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)

Our sin, inherited and chosen, prevents us from doing the very thing that we were created to do: glorify God.  Our sin has separated us from fellowship with God and the ability to live for his glory.  Our rebellion brings with it extremely serious consequences.  By failing to glorify God as we should, we have brought the wrath of God upon ourselves.  The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness (Romans 1:18).  Those who remain in their sin will ultimately be judged guilty by God and sentenced to spiritual death – hell. 

5.   In order to show His love, uphold His justice, forgive sinners, and display His glory, God sent His Son, Jesus, to pay for sins with His death.

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (1 John 4:9-10)

Because of God’s great love for us and His glory, He did not leave us without hope in our state of enmity.  He provided a way for sinners to again delight in His glory and be reconciled to Himself.  God cannot ignore injustice.  Because He is just, God must punish all sin.  Therefore, God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).  That is, in order to show His love, uphold His justice, forgive sinners, and display His glory, God sent His Son, Jesus, to pay for sins with His death.  Jesus death absorbed the full wrath of God for all of our sins.

6.   The forgiveness of sins and the everlasting life bought by Jesus death belongs to all who repent, believe, and love Jesus—the mingling of which the Bible calls “faith”.

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out.” (Acts 3:19)

"Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:31)

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; …‘Do this and you will live.’”  (Luke 10:25-27)

God decides whether or not we go to heaven based solely on our response to Jesus.  In order to gain access to the forgiveness, love, and glory of God in Jesus — in order to get to heaven — we must repent, believe, and love Jesus (the mingling of which the Bible calls “faith”).  Repenting means turning from sin and towards God.  Believing means trusting and placing our faith in the promises of God rather than the promises of sin.  Loving means realigning our affections to delight in the Delightful One. 

The Gospel is the good news that we can be reconciled to (brought from a bad to a right relationship with) God through faith in (turning from our sins to, trusting in, and loving) Jesus because of the cross (Jesus death and resurrection).  A right response to the Gospel is one of awe and wonder, brokenness and repentance, desperation and pleading, fear and trembling, thankfulness and rejoicing, love and adoration, acceptance and obedience, faith and trust. 

And following Jesus as a debtor/lover of people begins with a right understanding of this Gospel and a right response to it. 

So, again, how should/will this right understanding of, and response to, the Gospel effect the way in which we look at other people?

How does a right understanding of, and response to, the Gospel influence the way we relate to others?

The Gospel teaches that nearly 2000 years ago Jesus of Nazareth died on a cross to pay for the sins of all who would repent, believe, and love Him. Since then, beginning with his closest followers, the disciples, thousands and thousands of men and women have died for telling people about this Gospel.  Please consider the fate of those who first followed Jesus: every single disciple (save Judas, who betrayed Jesus, and John, who died in exile because of his faith), and countless others, were martyred for their faith.

Indeed, hundreds and thousands have followed the example of the disciples in choosing death rather than silence concerning the Gospel.  But again, “Why would the first followers of Jesus choose death rather than silence?”, “What does this have to do with us?”, and “What does following Jesus have to do with telling others about Jesus?”

I believe that Paul, as well as anyone, understood the answers to these questions.

His answer begins with the simple truth that everything in all of creation is like trash compared to the glorious grace of God. Listen to his words in Philippians 3:8, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ…”

Paul understood that receiving the Gospel—accepting the grace of Jesus (to be forgiven and free) to heed the call of Jesus (“follow Me”)—is the most obvious choice in the universe. He understood that no matter the cost, the benefit of the Gospel is infinitely greater. 

The second part of Paul’s answer to these questions is found in Romans 1:14. In this passage Paul calls himself a “debtor”.

NKJV Romans 1:14  I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise.

ESV Romans 1:14   I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.

That is, Paul claims that he owes someone something or is obligated to someone for something.  

We find out the nature of this debt in v.5…

ESV Romans 1:1   “[Jesus] through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations.”

Paul claims that his debt is not one of money or labor, but of grace! 

Indeed, Paul teaches that when we accept God’s grace (the death of Jesus as payment to the Father for the forgiveness of our sins and the sustaining work of the Holy Spirit in our lives) we become debtors of grace. That is, Paul says that if we accept the Gospel by faith we become obligated to others.  Again, Paul is claiming that he, along with everyone under the saving grace of God (all Christians, all who accept the forgiveness of sins offered by Jesus death), owes grace.

The next aspect of Paul’s answer is, perhaps, a bit unexpected. Unlike conventional debt, where the debt is repaid to the one providing the capitol, Paul informs us that we must pay back our grace debt, not to God (from whom we received the grace), but to everyone around us (who still lack grace). Paul says, “I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.” That is, Paul understood himself to be indebted to everyone because of (v.5) “the grace he received”.

Again, when we come to realize the infinite gloriousness of God and the amazing grace that He offers (the truth of the Gospel), the choice to accept that offer is irresistible. Then, having received this grace from God, we become grace debtors, not to God, but to everyone else. We make grace payments by sharing God’s grace (the Gospel) with others. 

Practically speaking

So, following Jesus means rightly understanding and responding to the Gospel. 

Rightly understanding the Gospel means recognizing the centrality and sovereignty of God in all things, the sinful, hopeless, helpless, condemned nature of man apart from God’s grace, and the redemptive, reconciliatory work of Jesus on the cross made efficacious by grace through faith. 

And rightly responding to the Gospel means receiving the gifts of awe and wonder, brokenness and repentance, desperation and pleading, fear and trembling, thankfulness and rejoicing, love and adoration, acceptance and obedience, and faith and trust. 

Upon understanding and receiving to Gospel, by grace through faith, we become grace debtors to everyone.  That is, if you and I choose to accept God’s grace we owe God’s grace. 

So what does this mean for the way that we look at others, interact with others, and plan our days?

I want to close by making mention of seven things that Paul teaches in Romans 1:1-17.

1.      Share the Gospel (make grace payments) One of Paul’s main points in this section  (vs.1-17).  is to put on display his commitment to making grace payments.  We must be people of grace.  We must share the grace of God freely and frequently. 

Tell your friends, family, neighbors, and strangers in the park about how they can be reconciled to God by faith in Jesus.  Plan to share.  Practice sharing.  Pray about sharing.  Model it for your kids and your siblings and your spouse and your pastors.  Rearrange your schedule.  Buy bibles and tracts to give out.  Find someone to go with you.  Take risks.  Get made fun of. 

And as followers of Jesus we must be indiscriminant in our payments. Our debt is infinite and therefore we must never stop making payments on it. Indeed, this means that all followers of Jesus must be grace sprinklers. No one should be able to get near us without getting sprayed with grace!

2.      Our grace payments are to be made to Christians and non-Christians (v.5-6).  “... we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.”

Please understand that God’s grace does not simply convert sinners…it saves sinners.  We need grace to believe and to keep believing.  We need grace to come to Jesus and to follow Him.  We need grace for our conversion and our perseverance.  Therefore we must make grace payments, to Christians and non-Christians.

3.      The aim of our grace payments is “the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations” (v.5).  I have found that there are three common errors here:

a.      We make grace payments (share the Gospel) as an end in itself.

b.      We share the Gospel because that’s what we are supposed to do.

c.      We share the Gospel with the aim of getting someone to pray a prayer or make a profession or ascent to a set of propositions.

The aim of sharing the Gospel (making grace payments) according to verse five is “the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations”.  That is, our aim is not simply to share the gospel, our motivation is not merely obedience, and our goal is not a primarily an outward act. 

Instead, our aim in sharing the Gospel is that the person that we share with would be granted true saving faith (which only God can grant and which leads to a life of delightful, yet difficult, obedience) for the glory of God! 

Calling someone to the obedience of faith for the glory of God among the nations is often a very different thing from calling someone to invite Jesus into their heart. 

This must effect our preparation, our prayers, our language, our demeanor, our message, and our follow-up.  There must be a sense of desperation, passion, and pleading.  There must be a spirit of clarity and honesty.  There must be a continued concern and the desire for a continued relationship.

4.      Our grace payments should be made with thankfulness and deference (v.8).  In verse 8 Paul leaves no doubt as to who the credit should go to for the conversion of a soul, “I thank God”.   And Paul leaves no room for thinking he preached the Gospel with a purely business like attitude, “I thank God”.  We must imitate the faith of Paul in these areas as we make grace payments.

5.      Our grace payments should be made in prayer (vs.9-10).  Armed with the knowledge that God alone is able to save souls, Paul leaves us the example of praying without ceasing that our Gospel sharing would bear much fruit, “For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers…”.

Our desperate and delighted dependence on God must spill over into crying out to God for the salvation of others.

6.      Our grace payments should be made with a longing to bless and encourage (v.12). 

“For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine.”

Let us, like Paul, be selfless, encouraging people.  May we understand that it is more blessed to give than to receive.  May we seek to build people up—always.  May we continually look for ways to impart grace to others.

7.      Our grace payments should be made without shame (v.16). 

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."

 (Mark 8:38) “For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."

We must fight against any feelings of embarrassment or shame in sharing the Gospel.  We must fight to see our grace payments rightly. 

We, as Christians, possess the most remarkable news in all of creation: that Jesus Christ died to save sinners.  As conduits of grace God brings the dead to live through us.  As conduits of grace God turns darkness to light through us.  As conduits of grace God allows individuals to be born again through us.  As conduits of grace God turns his enemies into his friends to us.  As conduits of grace God rescues people from the dominion of darkness and brings them into the kingdom of the Son he loves through us. 

There is no place for shame in this.  What a gift it is!

Conclusion

Let us live as we are: debtors of grace.  May we make payments liberally “to the obedience of faith for the sake of His name among all the nations”.