First Works:

Chapter 2: The Works

Let’s get an understanding of what Paul is saying here in Romans. We will review the whole chapter but to get a understanding we must first break it down. To start let us review what the gospel says about works. What is works that is being referred here?  Let’s look at Paul’s letter to the Galatians.

We see here in verse two a question.  How do you receive the Spirit? Is it by works of the law or by the hearing of faith? It is important to note the mention of Abraham. Paul finds that Abraham’s relationship with God is a foundation. God established unto Abraham a promise and to his “seed”. This is also important to note seed was purposefully made singular. We will discuss this further down. Looking at verse ten we see that anyone that were under the works of the law are under the curse. To be clear the book of the law is referenced in the bible as the first 5 books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) which are accounted to the writings of Moses.  To some this may be controversial, but the Gospel in itself does not lie. Anytime the word scripture is used in the New Testament it refers to the Old Testament and often pointing back to the Book of the law referring to the law of Moses. Let’s analyze that even further. The New Testament was written around the time of Paul’s Crusades between 50 AD and 100 AD. These writings are made up of the Gospels and letters written by various apostles. It wasn’t until sometime around 200 AD that it was considered scriptures by scholars. For simplicity of understanding when the gospels were written and when the letters were being written and sent to the churches. The authors themselves referred to the scripture as the Old Testament writings. Not their own writings. Today we can include their writings as scripture.  However, to understand the word we have to understand what is being referenced when written by the apostles. With that clarification, let’s get a clearer understanding of the books of the law. Verse ten explains that anyone not following to the “T” the book of the law they are cursed, for that reason alone we were under sin because of the law.

 It was at that time almost impossible to be saved.  This was not because the law was hard, but because as humans in the flesh we sometime choose the wrong path or wrong choice to satisfy a desire of the flesh. Even if it was just for a minute.  When that happens, you are now guilty of the whole law and the atonement for sins is a process needed to be completed to be forgiven of your sins. Lastly, lets look at verse 4.

Here we see in verse 4 the word “grace”. Now, that we have an understanding of what works are, the following of the law without faith and the denial of the Son of God in the flesh (we will discuss this further later on). We can now understand how the working of the law could not be of grace, but of debt. When a man works and finishes his work, he is due a wage. So, if we were to work in the law and follow the law as written without fail. We gain a reward not of grace, but of debt. The scriptures also spoke about the coming of Christ and the promise of Abraham was that he would be a father to many nations.