Romans (Randall House Bible Commentary)
Overview
In writing this commentary, the author became impressed at Paul's burden for the Jews. He believed that the main burden of Paul in 1:18–3:20 was to get the Jew to see that he was lost. Paul gave considerably more attention to the case against the Jews in 2:1–3:8 than he did the Gentile in 1:18–32. Paul's burden in chapters 9, 10, and 11 was to get the unbelieving Jew to see that he was lost. He wanted him to see that salvation was not guaranteed to him simply because he was a Jew. He wanted the Jew to see that God was deeply interested in his salvation. As distinguished from the dispensationalist who sees a disjunctive relationship between Israel and the church, the author sees a conjunctive relationship between Israel and the church. In fact, Forlines sees the church as a continuation of Israel. The viewpoint is clearly established by Paul in chapter 11. This view is also supported by the way Paul anchors salvation both for Jews and Gentiles in the Abrahamic Covenant in chapter 4.
It is the author's policy as near as was reasonably possible, where difference of opinion exists, to present the different viewpoints and to list some of the commentators who subscribed each view.
Top Highlights
“Paul is not meaning that a person in such a condition is not responsible for what he does. Rather, he is pointing out that the power of sin is so great that he cannot control his actions: He is ‘being controlled’ rather than ‘being in control.’” (Page 184)
“It is important to remember that the choice of Jacob as the third patriarch is at the heart of what Paul has in mind. However, that choice cannot be restricted in meaning to Jacob as an individual. Jacob, as patriarch, has meaning only as it is understood that he, not Esau, is the one through whom Israel as the Covenant Seed was called. Once this is understood, there is no way to eliminate the nation of Israel from the mention by Malachi (from 1:2, 3) referred to by Paul.” (Page 260)
“The word for ‘predestine’ (Greek proorizo) never has saving faith as its object. When predestination comes into the picture, it is always presupposed that the person is already a believer. It is never said that any person was predestinated to believe. In the verse before us, it is predetermined that believers will be conformed to the image of Christ.” (Page 238)
“What would it mean if it were of him that wills and runs rather than of God who shows mercy? It would mean that a person would merit or earn salvation. It would mean that his merit would obligate God to save him.” (Page 270)
“This does not mean that whatever a person decides will be right” (Pages 347–348)
Forlines has tackled the arduous task of producing a detailed commentary on one of the most difficult books of the Bible in a style that could be understood by the general Christian public. The Randall House series is intended as a serious exposition that could benefit both the lay reader as well as the academic community, being neither highly technical nor merely devotional. Forlines takes the reader through problem after problem with clarity of thought and writing. He lists and discusses each view with precision and insight. . . . Forlines' work makes a positive contribution to the literature on Paul's epistle to the Romans, especially in understanding the theological stance of the Free Will Baptists within the Arminian camp and in cataloging the various interpretative views of problem passages.
—Richard A. Young, Tennessee Temple University, Chattanooga, TN
- Title: Romans
- Author: F. Leroy Forlines
- Series: Randall House Bible Commentary
- Publisher: F. Leroy Forlines
- Publication Date: 1987
- Pages: 381
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