ROMANS 1:4b

Sunday Morning:  September 12, 2004

Read: Romans 1:1-7

CHRIST, OR EXAMPLE

1 Corinthians 11:1  "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."

1 Peter 2:21  "For even hereunto (suffering) were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:"

SPIRIT OF HIS SON

Galatians 4:6  ". . . God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father."

HE CRIED

Mark 14:36  "And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt."

WE CRY

Romans 8:15  "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption [to place as a son], whereby we cry, Abba, Father."

Text: Romans 1:4b 

"And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:"

"ACCORDING":  "according to" = kata<, preposition in relationship, "with reference to”: Being declared the Son.

"SPIRIT":  The article "the" is not found in the Greek text.

Romans 1:3  "Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;" (His humanity in the context)

The phrase "Jesus Christ our Lord" which is in verse 3 is not in Nestles text until the last part of v. 4.

The text has His earthly name first. Word order in names provide us with insight into where the emphasis it to be placed. Because his earthly name is used first,  the emphasis is on his humanity and not His deity.

Because of this, the spirit of holiness is not a reference to the Holy Spirit, but to His human spirit.

"OF HOLINESS":  The phrase is describing His spirit that would cause him to live in a clean and pious life. As the spirit of fear will causes us to live a certain way, the spirit of holiness will cause us to live pure lives.

"holiness" found here and two other places.

THE NEXT OCCURRENCE

2 Corinthians 7:1  "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

1 Peter 1:15-16  "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16. Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."

THE THIRD OCCURRENCE

1 Thessalonians 3:13  "To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints [holy ones]."

Romans 6:22  "But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto [leading to] holiness (not the same word, but of the same root), and the end everlasting [agelasting] life."

Hebrews 12:14  "Follow [pursue] peace with all men, and holiness (not the same word, but of the same root), without which no man shall see the Lord:"

Hebrews 12:2  "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him (the same joy set before us) endured the cross, despising the shame (of being disapproved), and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Revelation 3:21  "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne."

Revelation 21:7  "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."

Romans 8:11  "But if the (Abba) Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you."