Rom. 4:3 Abraham had a right standing before God by believing, not by doing (Gen. 15:6).

Rom. 4:6–8 Paul introduces David as a second example of righteousness by faith, citing Ps. 32:1–2.

Rom. 4:11 sign . . . seal. Circumcision proved the righteousness by faith that Abraham had before his circumcision.

Rom. 4:13–14 The world to come is another term for the final salvation that will be given to Abraham and all believers (see Heb. 11:10–16; Revelation 21–22). If the inheritance is gained by observing the law, then righteousness is no longer by faith but by works.

Rom. 4:15 transgression. The violation of a revealed command. The Jews, who had the written law, had even greater responsibility for their sin. Paul argues elsewhere that sin also exists where no written law is involved; see 2:12, and note on 5:13.

Rom. 4:16 Faith means trusting in another, not in one’s own efforts. It corresponds exactly to grace, which involves trusting God’s gift of unearned favor. The adherent of the law refers to the Jewish believer in Christ. father of us all. Abraham is the father of all believers, whether Jew or Gentile.

Rom. 4:17 many nations. Genesis 17:5 confirms Abraham’s universal fatherhood. calls into existence the things that do not exist. If God created the world out of nothing, he could certainly give Sarah a child.

Rom. 4:23–24 but for ours also. In God’s plan, Scriptures as far back as Gen. 15:6 apply also to Christians in the new covenant age.

Rom. 3:21–4:25 The Saving Righteousness of God. Paul now explains that people can have a right standing with God only through faith in the atoning work of Jesus on the cross.

Rom. 4:1–25 Abraham, the father of the Jewish people, is presented as a test case for the view that justification is by faith alone.

Rom. 4:25 raised for our justification. Both the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ are necessary for forgiveness of sins and justification. When God raised Christ from the dead, it showed that he accepted Christ’s suffering and death as full payment for sin. At the cross, God had directed his wrath against Christ, but now, in the resurrection, God showed his favor to Christ and to all who would believe in him. This can be true because all who believe in Christ are united with him (see 6:6, 8–11; Eph. 2:6; Col. 2:12; 3:1).

Rom. 5:1 Through faith in Christ, Christians have been justified and declared righteous by God once for all. They no longer need to live in fear of God’s wrath and judgment. Rather, they enjoy peace with God. See also note on John 14:27.

Rom. 5:2 grace in which we stand. The believers’ secure position as a result of their justification. hope of the glory of God. The promise that Christians will be glorified and perfected at the last day.

Rom. 5:5 hope does not put us to shame. Followers of Christ have no reason to fear humiliation on the judgment day, for they now belong to God.

Rom. 5:6 In this and the following verses, Paul shows how the believer’s subjective experience of God’s love (v. 5) is firmly based on the objective work of Christ on the cross. Weak here refers to lack of moral strength and is another way to describe those who are ungodly.

Rom. 5:9 Christians are justified (declared right before God) because of Christ’s blood poured out at the cross. Therefore, they can know that they will be saved from God’s wrath on the day of judgment.

Rom. 5:10 As in v. 9, Paul argues from the greater to the lesser. Since Christians are now reconciled to God through Christ’s death, they can be assured that they will be saved on the day to come. Here “saved” includes initial justification, completed sanctification, glorification, and future rewards. Salvation is based on his life, that is, Christ’s resurrection (see 4:25; 6:1–23).

Rom. 5:12 Sin came into the world through one man, namely, Adam (v. 14; see Gen. 3:17–19; 1 Cor. 15:21–22). and death through sin. Death is “the last enemy” (1 Cor. 15:26; see 15:54) and will be conquered forever at Christ’s return (Rev. 21:4). “Death” in these verses most likely includes both physical and spiritual death. Paul often connects the two. And so death spread to all men probably means “and in this way death spread to all men.” Because all sinned probably means that all people participated in Adam’s sin because he represented all who would descend from him (just as Christ’s obedience counts for all his followers; Rom. 5:15–19). Another interpretation is that all people have sinned individually as a result of being born into the world spiritually dead. The word translated “men” can mean either males or people of both sexes, depending on the context. It is translated “men” here (and in v. 18) to show the connection with “man,” referring to Christ.

Rom. 5:13 sin is not counted where there is no law. Paul does not mean that people are guiltless without the law (see 2:12). Those without the written law are still judged by God (see Genesis 6–9; 11:1–9).

Rom. 5:14 Those who did not live under the law were still judged for their sin, and therefore they died. Still, their sinning was not like the transgression of Adam: Adam violated a commandment specifically given to him by God. Adam is a type (that is, a model or pattern) of Christ. Both Adam and Christ are covenantal heads of the human race. All people are either “in Adam” or “in Christ” (see 1 Cor. 15:22). All are “in Adam” by physical birth, while only those who have placed their faith in Christ are “in” him.

Rom. 5:15 Paul contrasts the consequences of the work of Adam and of Christ five times in the next five verses. This shows their roles as covenantal heads of the people they represent. Paul clearly teaches “original sin,” the fact that all people inherit a sinful nature because of Adam’s sin. Paul probably is also teaching that all people are in fact guilty before God because of Adam’s sin. Many (that is, all human beings excluding Christ) died. Death begins with spiritual separation from God and ends in physical death.

Rom. 5:16 The one trespass of Adam resulted in the condemnation of all. But Christ overcame sin, therefore all who belong to him enjoy justification.

Rom. 5:17 Death ruled the human race due to Adam’s sin, but Christians now stand in eternal life as rulers because of Christ’s work.

Rom. 5:18 for all men. Based on these verses, some interpreters have argued that all people will be saved. But Paul makes it plain that only those who “receive” God’s gift belong to Christ (v. 17; see also 1:16–5:11). The wording “as . . . so” shows that Paul’s focus is not on how many will be saved but on the method of either sin or righteousness being passed from the representative leader to the whole group. men. See note on 5:12.

Rom. 5:19 Because of Adam’s disobedience, all people were made (caused to be) sinners. When Adam (mankind’s representative) sinned, God viewed the whole human race as guilty sinners. All are born with a sinful nature because of Adam’s sin.

Rom. 5:20 The typical Jewish view in Paul’s day was that God gave the law in order to reduce the human impulse to sin. But Paul claims that the law was given to increase the trespass. That is, once people had written laws from God, they were not just committing “sins” against God’s law as it was ingrained in their conscience (see note on 2:14–16); rather, they were willfully “trespassing” against his written word. Amid this increasing sin, however, the grace revealed through Christ abounded all the more.

Rom. 5:12–21 Adam brought sin and death into the world, but those who have believed in Christ have hope. Christ has reversed the consequences of Adam’s sin and has given his own life and righteousness to secure their eternal glory. The extended comparison between Adam and Christ shows that Paul considered Adam a historical person.

Rom. 6:1 Paul is likely responding to a question posed regularly by his Jewish opponents. They argued that his gospel led people to continue in sin.

Rom. 6:3 Christians died to sin when they were baptized into Christ. Paul is not arguing that baptism destroys the power of sin. Baptism is an outward, physical symbol of the inward, spiritual conversion of Christians.

Rom. 6:4 In the early church, baptism was probably by immersion. Baptism pictures being buried with Christ (going under the water) and being raised to new life with Christ (coming up from the water). This symbolizes union with, and incorporation into, Christ by the action of the Holy Spirit. Believers now have the power to live in newness of life.

Rom. 6:6 The power of sin has been broken in those who believe. Their old self (literally, “old man,” meaning who they were in Adam) was crucified and put to death with Christ. Body of sin refers to the ruling power of sin that people willingly accept. Paul does not argue that Christians do not sin at all, but he does say that they are no longer enslaved to sin. The normal pattern of life for Christians should be progressive growth in maturity and obedience to God’s moral law.

Rom. 6:7 One who has died means one who has died with Christ.

Rom. 6:10 died to sin. Jesus died because he took sin upon himself. His resurrection demonstrates that he has defeated both sin and death.

Rom. 6:11 dead to sin. Dead to the continual love for and ruling power of sin (see note on v. 6).

Rom. 6:12–13 Tension occurs here between what God has already accomplished and his people’s responsibility to obey. They are still tempted by desires to sin and must not let those desires gain control.

Rom. 6:14 sin will have no dominion over you. This is not a command but a promise that sin will not defeat Christians. under grace. The new covenant in Christ (see 3:24; 4:16; 5:2, 15–21).

Rom. 6:16 Giving in to sin leads to becoming obedient slaves to sin. This eventually leads to death. This does not mean that genuine believers can lose their salvation. It means that sinning leads them away from full enjoyment of life with Christ. However, people who do give themselves utterly to sin will die, that is, they will face eternal punishment (see notes on Heb. 6:4–8).

Rom. 6:20–21 Both physical and spiritual death are probably meant here.

Rom. 6:1–23 The law does not and cannot conquer sin, but the grace given to followers of Christ triumphs over sin and death.

Rom. 6:23 Wages implies that the punishment for sin is what one has earned and deserves. Free gift is the opposite of something one deserves. This fits Paul’s earlier emphasis on justification by grace alone (God’s unmerited favor; see note on 4:16), through faith alone (trusting in Christ for justification; see 1:17; 3:21–4:25).