(1) The Grace of Christ (2:1-10)

1-1 Our sin and God's wrath (2:1-3) - a condensation into three verses of the first three chapters of Romans, in which Paul argues his case for the sin and guilt first of pagans, then of Jews, and so of all mankind. (16)

Paul suggests three truths about unredeemed human beings: they are spiritually dead, in spiritual bondage, and are under divine condemnation. The two words 'trespasses' (paraptoma) and 'sins' (hamartia) 'cover the positive and negative, or active and passive aspects of human wrongdoing .. our sins of commission and omission. Before God we are both rebels and failures'. (17)

Before our redemption by Christ, we were held captive by the world, the flesh and the devil. However, we had a part in it, as 'God's rebel subjects' (NEB). 'We had rebelled, knowingly and voluntarily, against the loving authority of God and so had fallen under the dominion of Satan'. (18)

Further, we were not only dead and enslaved, but 'children of wrath'. C.H.Dodd argues that this "wrath" is an impersonal 'inevitable process of cause and effect in a moral universe'. (19) Stott counters

by affirming that this wrath is 'God's personal, righteous, constant hostility to evil, his settled refusal to compromise with it, and his resolve instead to condemn it. Further, his wrath is not incompatible with his love'. (20)

1-2 Our salvation through God's grace (2:4,5,8-10)

Our salvation depends on the pure, unmerited goodness of God. The idea of grace is at the heart of all genuine Christian theology and experience. God's gracious gifts of sustenance (Hebrews 1:2-3, John 1:1-4, Matthew 5:45) social and civil order (Romans 13) and a conscience discerning right and wrong (Romans 1) are enjoyed by all his creatures ('common grace'). However here Paul is writing about "prevenient" grace, where God takes a loving initiative when creatures are 'dead' in their sins, and do not deserve the favour of God. Not that Paul denies the value of good works: 2:10 affirms that they are an outcome rather than the cause of our salvation.

1-3 Our hope and God's heaven (2:6,7)

Here as in Colossians 2:12, 3:1-4, the use of the past tense shows the resurrection and triumph of Christians in heaven is considered as actually existing, whereas the future tense in Romans 6:3-11, 8:11,17 seq. treats it as something that has still to take place. Treating the eschatological reality as already existing is a characteristic of the captivity epistles. (21)

(2) New Life in Christ (4:17-5:20)

The old life (4:17-22) practised by the Gentiles was one of spiritual futility, worthlessness, 'vanity' emptiness. Being 'in Christ' sets us free from purposeless living (1 Peter 2:9). We move from the darkness of ignorance to the light of knowledge, from alienation to belonging, from impurity to goodness, from greediness - 'the desire to have more' - to responsible living and a concern for others.

The new life (4:23-5:20) is all about 'newness' - a new heart and mind, a new self, a new commitment to what is good, holy, true, honest, helpful in our speech, kind, tender, forgiving. Paul ranges over a large part of our lifestyle - work, sex, language, anger, consumption of alcohol, singing - and says a Christian should be different: not lying, but truthful, not robbing but hard-working, not making the Holy Spirit sad (4:30) but being filled with the Spirit (5:18), not given to immorality but rather 'living in the light', not being foolish but trying to find out what the Lord wants us to do. And in everything, he concludes, 'giving thanks' (5:20).

(3) Strength from Christ (6:10-20)

If a church experiences spiritual renewal, it is certain that it will also receive attention from the evil one. Receiving a fresh influx of spiritual life and power does not mean the church's problems are solved, but that satanic attacks will begin in earnest.

The New Testament assumes the reality of Satan. Orthodox Christianity similarly underlines the probability that we will be attacked spiritually, or even emotionally and physically, by Satan and his demons. Paul says we battle against evil supernatural forces, and must be well-equipped for that battle. Indeed, the testimony of countless missionaries all over the world led one evangelical scholar to affirm that even Christians can be demon-possessed, a possibility he had denied earlier in his many writings on the subject. (22)

3-1 The Armour of God (6:10-17)

David Watson says of this passage: 'Some equipment is worn all the time, in readiness, while some is used particularly in the thick of the fight. Concerning the first three pieces mentioned, Paul uses a perfect participle, indicating a past action with continuing effects: "having girded your loins ... having put on the breastplate ... having shod your feet". These comprise the basic uniform of the Christian soldier. For the remaining three, Paul uses the present tense: "taking the shield .... take the helmet ... and the sword." These are special battle gear'. (23) The girdle ties the Easterners' flowing garments together to allow easier movement: our girdle is truth, sincerity, honesty. The breastplate protects the heart and vital organs: our righteousness, just actions. Our feet are to be properly covered for travelling as we take the gospel of peace to others. Faith is our shield against the deadly arrows fired by the evil one. Our head (mind) is protected by the helmet of salvation: God's gift of life. And, as our Lord used the word of God to defend himself when tempted (Matthew 4:4,7,10) so we use the 'sword of the Spirit' to keep our way pure (Psalm 119:9).

3-2 Prayer in the Spirit (6:18-20)

Jesus has set us an example of fervent prayer in spiritual warfare in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:38). As the old maxim put it: Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees. The little word 'all' or its equivalent is used four times in 6:18: we are to pray at all times, with all kinds of spiritual prayer, with 'all perseverance' for all Christ's people. An unrenewed church is a prayerless church. 'Most Christians pray sometimes, with some prayers and some degree of perseverance, for some of God's people'. (24)