The Strand Study Bible

Written From Corinth During Paul’s Third Missionary Journey

ROMANS

1847

1:17 The restoration of right relations between man and God ( the righteousness of God ) can only come by faith. 1:18 This phrase “ who hold the truth in unrighteousness ” is talking about people who know the truth but do not hold to it. 1:19 According to the Bible, every human being in the world has been given some light from God ( is manifest in them ). The Creator has revealed enough of Himself in the natural world to hold all people everywhere accountable for their lack of heartfelt worship and gratefulness, for God has given man both a conscience (vs. 19) and nature (vs. 20) in order to know Him ( Heb1:2 ). The only thing God doesn’t hold people accountable for is what they don’t know to be true ( I Sam 3:13 ). 1:20 a Based on the visible world ( are clearly seen ) around us, we conclude that this world did not come into existence as the result of an “accident.” 1:20 b God is a trinity ( Godhead - Gen 1:1 c, 26 a and Deut 6:4 ), and according to the Bible, there are seven irrefutable proofs of God’s Triune nature: 1. There are three Beings within the Godhead (I Jn 5:7, Gen 1:26 & 3:22 & 11:7 and Isa 6:8) 2. Each Being within the Godhead is a person According to the Bible, the FATHER , SON , and HOLY SPIRIT are three distinct co-eternal persons. They each possess the same three essential characteristics that make up a personality (that is, distinctive individual qualities that make up a person): (1) mind (intellect - Lev 24:12 , Phil 2:5 , I Cor 2:11 and Rom 8:27 ); (2) heart (emotion - Heb 11:6 , Jn 11:35 and Eph 4:30 ); and (3) will (volition - Jn 4:23 , Mt 7:21 , Mt 26:39 , I Cor 12:11 and Heb 9:14 ). 3. Each Person within the Godhead bears the same Names ( Gen 1:1 c ) 4. Each Person within the Godhead possesses the same natural attributes According to the Bible, the natural attributes of God are those virtues or qualities, which manifest His nature and constitute His character. Note the four natural attributes of God (Psalm 139): *omnipotence (all-powerful - Gen 1:1) ( Psa 139:13-16 , Mt 28:18 , Lk 1:35 and Jn 3:5-6 ) Dr. Harold L. Willmington in Doctrine of the Trinity defines the attribute of omnipotence as follows: This means God can do anything if it can be done and if it does not contradict His own nature. To illustrate these two things: God cannot create a rock so heavy that He couldn’t lift it, because the very nature of this act would be impossible to perform. God cannot lie, or steal, for these things would contradict His own nature. 2 NOTE – His omnipotence is connected to His ability to deliver , His creation , His power, and His provision ( LUKE “MINI” SERIES – -FTTPO ). *omniscience (all-knowing - Psa 147:4, Jn 16:30 and Acts 15:18) ( Psa 139:1-6,17-18,23 , Jn 2:24-25 , Isa 11:2 and I Cor 2:10-12 ) A.W. Tozer in The Knowledge of The Holy notes: God perfectly knows Himself and, being the source and author of all things, it follows that He knows all that can be known. And this He knows instantly and with a fullness of perfection that includes every possible item of knowledge concerning everything that exists or could have existed anywhere in the universe at any time in the past or that may exist in the centuries or ages yet unborn. 3 NOTE – His omniscience is connected to His greatness 1TB A.H. Strong in Systematic Theology defines the attribute of omnipresence as follows: God, in the totality of His essence, without diffusion or expansion, multiplication or division, penetrates and fills the universe in all its parts. 4 Meaning, God is present everywhere with His whole being at the same time (I Ki 8:27). And although He is everywhere, everything is not God. That would be pantheism. NOTE – His omnipresence is connected to His majesty (I Chro 29:11 and LUKE “MINI” SERIES – -FTTPO ). Dr. Harold L. Willmington in Doctrine of the Trinity defines the attribute of immutability as follows: In a sentence, this says that God never differs from Himself. He may on occasion alter His dealings with men in a dispensational sense, but His Divine character remains constant. 2 NOTE – His eternal immutability is connected to His salvation ( Psa 9:14 , LUKE “MINI” SERIES – -FTTPO 5. Each Person within the Godhead possesses the same moral attributes According to the Bible, the moral attributes of God are those virtues or qualities, which manifest His nature and constitute His character. Note the seven moral attributes of God: righteousness/justice (Isa 63:1-6, Psa 89:14-16 , Psa 45:6-7/Heb 1:8-9, Rev 19:11 and Rom 14:17 ) – In God’s righteousness (Gen 18:25 and Psa 11:7 & 145:17) He reveals His “love for holiness.” In His justice (Isa 61:8) He reveals “His hatred for sin.” faithfulness (Isa 63:9-14/I Pet 4:19, Psa 89:1,5,33 , Rev 19:11 and Jn 15:26 & Gal 5:22 ) – God’s faithfulness (Deut 7:9 and Lam 3:23) refers to His self-loyalty and to His loyalty to His entire creation. He will not (indeed, He cannot) change His character nor fail to perform all He has promised. NOTE – His faithfulness is connected to His goodness ( LUKE “MINI” SERIES – -FTTPO ). , Job 5:8-9 and LUKE “MINI” SERIES – -FTTPO *omnipresence (ever-present) ( Psa 139:7-12, Mt 28:20 , Psa 139:7 and Jn 14:16-17 ) *eternal immutability (that is, God never changes - Jms 1:17) ( Psa 139:24 , Heb 13:8 and Heb 9:14 ).