Reading: Romans 5-6, Psalm 135
“What is the therefore there for?”
When I was in middle school I learned one of the most important interpretive questions one can ask while reading Paul’s writing. Actually, it is pretty good while reading anyone’s writing, but it comes into play so much when reading Paul that this is where it usually comes up. Paul’s letters tend to progress from one point to another, building towards a point which might not show up for several chapters. Romans 5 contains three instances of “therefore” which really matter.
The first is the opening word of the chapter. It follows Paul’s argument that there is only one judge that matters, and only one division between people that matter- that is what it is there for. That division is the question of believing that God is faithful or not, and the judge is Jesus Christ. Because these things are true, we have hope both in spite of and through the experience of suffering. That is what is because of what came before. The single judge and single division results in our ability to find joy in all things, knowing that the righteous judge intends to bring us to righteous perfection. The natural result of obedience to the righteous judge is a righteous life.
The second therefore is a bit more confusing. Paul is building on his last point about natural results of believing or not in God’s faithfulness. But what is he saying is true because of it? I believe it is the universality of sin, and the specificity of redemption. When there is only the law as a judge, and I think he means law in the sense he spoke of in Romans 2- the invisible tape recorder that condemns people even by their own standards- then everyone is condemned. But, when there is another, superior judge- Jesus- then anyone may be brought to justification and righteousness. Before Jesus as the single judge, all sin led to death regardless of it’s format. Death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam. Humans only available judge was themselves, and they could not make the cut. Then the law of Moses came and they still could not make the cut. Finally Jesus shows up and becomes the law, the lawgiver, and the judge. On top of that, because of his act of redemption, he is shown to judge with mercy and grace. He also satisfies the penalty for all sin, whether to the standards of the law of Moses or to the standards of the invisible tape recorder. He solves all of it.
Finally, the third therefore builds on that solution. What was the one trespass of Adam? To take the knowledge of good and bad, and leave the wisdom of God to rot on the ground. Once the humans were relying on their own knowledge of good and bad, right and wrong, righteous and evil, they could never keep up. Through Adam’s act- which all people repeat- all are condemned. By the same token, those who accept the faithfulness of God as demonstrated by the righteous actions of Jesus will be justified in the eyes of the righteous judge, also Jesus. It is another choice like that of the tree in the garden. Do we take the knowledge of good and bad for ourselves, or give that judgment to Jesus? Paul obviously has the opinion that allowing Jesus the judgment beats the tar out of trying to meet our own expectations for righteous behavior.
This leads Paul into chapter 6, which is a polemic against licentiousness. There were people then, as there are now, who say that if Jesus died for all our sins then we may as well do whatever we want, since we all get to live forever in heaven anyway. Paul has some choice words for such people. But unlike some who decry such behavior now, Paul actually took the time to explain why this doesn’t work in the preceding chapter. Jesus is not only the redeemer, he is also the judge. One cannot simply have him as one or the other. He is always both. That being the case, someone who mocks the sacrifice of Jesus by then living in opposition to his rules for life is not going to get a favorable ruling from the judge. If one struggles to do right but fails, the judge is merciful. If one mocks the judge, it does not seem to stand to reason one may expect mercy.
Alternatively, Paul presents the image of dying with Jesus and living a new life in his resurrection. Rather than mocking the judge for his act of sacrifice, the correct action is to join him in his sacrifice and die to self. To be transformed into an instrument of righteousness rather than an instrument of sin. To live as a slave of Jesus, rather than a slave to the sin that causes you to be unable to live up to even your own standards. Paul is, in a way, making a free market argument for behaving ourselves as followers of Jesus. Being a slave of Christ means a gift from the master of eternal life. Working for wages from sin earns you death. You are a free agent. Make the call.