“Romans 7–16,” Scripture Helps: New Testament (2024)
Scripture Helps
Romans 7–16
As Paul continued his letter to the Saints in Rome, he wrote about the struggle between our eternal and fallen natures. He taught that through Jesus Christ, we can overcome the weakness of the flesh. He reminded the Saints that as faithful children of the covenant, they can become heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. Paul wrote about election, or foreordination. He taught that God chooses his people according to their faithfulness, not their lineage. Paul counseled Church members to live the gospel so they could create peace and Church unity. Paul closed his letter with a plea for the Saints to continue being faithful in obeying the gospel.
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Background and Context
How is marriage a metaphor for the law of Moses?
Paul used a marriage metaphor to explain that Israel was once bound to the law of Moses, as a wife is bound to her husband. But now that the husband has died (the law is fulfilled), Israel would be bound in a new covenant relationship with Jesus Christ.
How was the law of Moses insufficient?
Some devout Jews had accused Paul of speaking blasphemously against the law of Moses. In Romans 7–8, Paul clarified his position by explaining that the law of Moses was good but had limitations. Paul taught that the law of Moses was “holy” because it helped individuals understand what sin was. But the law of Moses did not have power to overcome the effects of the Fall or human weakness or to provide a way for people to be transformed by the Holy Ghost. For that, we need the grace made available through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
The Book of Mormon prophet Abinadi shared a similar testimony when he taught, “Salvation doth not come by the law alone; and were it not for the atonement, which God himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people, that they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law of Moses.”
What does it mean to become adopted sons and daughters of God?
The scriptures speak of us as children of God in two different ways. First, every human being is literally a beloved spirit child of Heavenly Father. Second, we are reborn as children of God through Jesus Christ and His Atonement.
The context of Romans 8:16 makes clear that Paul was speaking of the second meaning when he stated, “We are the children of God.” Paul taught that those who are led by the Spirit of God can become adopted children, enabling them to cry, “Abba, Father.” Because of Jesus Christ’s crucial role in the process of conversion, those who are born again can also be considered His sons and daughters, for they are spiritually reborn through Him.
President Russell M. Nelson taught: “When we embrace the gospel and are baptized, we are born again and take upon ourselves the sacred name of Jesus Christ. We are adopted as his sons and daughters and are known as brothers and sisters. He is the Father of our new life.”
Elder Neil L. Andersen stated: “Every person on earth is the ‘offspring’ [Acts 17:28] of God, but to be called the ‘children of God’ means much, much more. As we come unto Jesus Christ and make covenants with Him, we become ‘his seed’ and ‘heirs of the kingdom’ [Mosiah 15:11], ‘children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters’ [Mosiah 5:7].”
What does it mean to be “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ”?
As the Firstborn of the Father and Only Begotten Son in the flesh, Jesus Christ is Heavenly Father’s natural heir. He has “received a fulness of the glory of the Father; and he received all power, both in heaven and on earth.”
Paul taught that those who are born again as covenant children of God would become “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ.” Through the Savior, we can receive all the Father has, including the gift of eternal life.
What does it mean to be “conformed to the image of his Son”?
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, “Through the atonement of Christ and the resurrection, and obedience to the gospel, we shall again be conformed to [be made like] the image of his Son, Jesus Christ; then we shall have attained to the image, glory, and character of God.”
What is the doctrine of foreordination?
The Greek term proorizō, translated as “predestinate” in the King James Version of the Bible, means to “determine something in advance.” Paul’s use of the word proorizō in Romans 8 refers to the doctrine of foreordination. “In the premortal spirit world, God appointed certain spirits to fulfill specific missions on earth. This is called foreordination. Foreordination does not guarantee that individuals will receive certain callings or responsibilities. Such opportunities come in this life as a result of the righteous exercise of agency, just as foreordination came as a result of righteousness in the premortal existence.”
What did Paul teach the Jews about the house of Israel?
Many Jewish Christians in Paul’s day had concerns about departing from the law of Moses. Some were also reluctant to accept gentile converts into the Church. Both concerns related to their beliefs about what it meant to be part of the house of Israel. The Jews believed that God had elected Israel to be His chosen people and that obeying the law of Moses distinguished those who were chosen. Additionally, some Jews viewed the Gentiles as having a lesser role in God’s kingdom because they were not originally part of the house of Israel.
Paul addressed these concerns in Romans 9–11. He emphasized that it is not lineage that qualifies one to be part of God’s covenant people; it is faithfulness to Jesus Christ and His commandments. He taught that God had chosen Israel to be His covenant people in ancient times, but they had hardened their hearts against Him. Paul also promised that Israel’s rejection of the covenant would not be permanent. He testified that the Lord would remember His covenant and that Israel—including the Gentiles who accepted the gospel—would be saved.
What is election?
Election refers to “God’s choice of the house of Israel to be the covenant people with privileges and responsibilities, that they might become a means of blessing to the whole world. …
“The elect are chosen even ‘before the foundation of the world,’ yet no one is unconditionally elected to eternal life. Each must, for himself, hearken to the gospel and receive its ordinances and covenants from the hands of the servants of the Lord in order to obtain salvation. If one is elected but does not serve, his election could be said to have been in vain.”
What is required to be saved?
Without context, Paul’s words in Romans 10:9 could be misunderstood to mean that all a person must do to be saved is to verbally confess a belief in Jesus Christ. However, as recorded in other passages, Paul taught that repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost, and striving to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ are also essential.
In Romans 10:4–13, Paul’s purpose was not to give a full description of the process of salvation. Instead, Paul was supporting what he stated in verse 4: “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” Paul referenced Deuteronomy 30:12–14 to make the point that one need not “ascend into heaven” or “descend into the deep” to find Christ. Instead, all people—whether Jew or Greek—can find the Savior within their own hearts as they confess that He is the Savior and have faith in Him.
What does it mean to present our bodies as a living sacrifice?
When Paul spoke of presenting our bodies as “a living sacrifice,” he was making a comparison to the Old Testament practice of sacrificing animals. President Russell M. Nelson taught: “We are still commanded to sacrifice, but not by shedding blood of animals. Our highest sense of sacrifice is achieved as we make ourselves more sacred or holy.
“This we do by our obedience to the commandments of God. Thus, the laws of obedience and sacrifice are indelibly intertwined. … As we comply with these and other commandments, something wonderful happens to us. We become disciplined! We become disciples! We become more sacred and holy—like our Lord!”
What did Paul teach about disagreements over diets, customs, and holidays?
As the Church grew during Paul’s time, differences in lifestyle between Jewish and gentile converts became apparent. Paul noted differences in dietary preferences, customs, practices, and holidays. These different lifestyles led to divisions among Saints in Rome and other locations.
Paul taught the Saints that their motivation for choices concerning diet and other practices should be to serve and please the Lord. He also taught that they should not pass judgment on those who lived differently. He added that the Saints should be willing to forgo some actions if they might cause another to stumble spiritually. Promoting peace and edification in the Church is a higher priority than maintaining personal preferences.
Who was Phebe?
At the close of his epistle, Paul highly commended a Church member named Phebe, who carried Paul’s epistle to the Saints in Rome. From Paul’s description of Phebe, we learn that she served in the Church and had supported many of the Saints, including Paul. Paul’s written approval of Phebe is an example of the early Christian practice of carrying letters of recommendation when traveling to another Christian congregation.
Did Paul write his own epistles?
At the end of the Epistle to the Romans, the scribe who had written the epistle under Paul’s direction inserted his own greeting to the Saints in Rome. Paul may have used scribes to compose many or all of his epistles. Ancient scribes had varying degrees of influence in what they wrote.
Some New Testament scholars have debated whether some of the epistles bearing Paul’s name were actually written by Paul. Much of this debate deals with subtle differences in style and wording among the epistles. However, some of these differences can be explained by Paul using different scribes on different occasions with varying degrees of personal input.
Learn More
Overcoming the Desires of the Flesh
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M. Russell Ballard, “Giving Our Spirits Control over Our Bodies,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2019, 106–9
“All Things Work Together for Good to Them That Love God”
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James B. Martino, “All Things Work Together for Good,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2010, 101–3
Phebe’s Example of Devotion
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Camille Fronk Olsen, “Phebe,” Ensign, Aug. 2019, 38–39
Media
Paul dictating a letter from prison
Men tending to an olive tree
Here Bring Your Wounded Hearts, by Elspeth Young. Phebe comforting another woman