Everyone, Including Gentiles

In the March-April Tidings (pp. 107-112), Bro. George’s editorial, “The Power of God for Salvation”, and the two following articles abstracted from Bro. John Carter and Bro. Mark Vincent, address the theme of Paul’s letter to the Romans. As these brethren make plain, the theme is explicitly defined in Romans 1:16, 17. They have done an excellent job connecting the ideas in these verses to the rest of the letter.

I’d like to add to their thoughts by highlighting the importance of the word “everyone”: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Rom 1:16).

The word “all” or “every” or “whosoever” (all translations of the Greek word pas) is perhaps the most important word in the letter; it might also be the most overlooked word. Here is a sample of the phrases in Romans that involve this key word:

  • All believers (1:16; 3:22; 4:11; 9:33; 10:4, 11).
  • Abraham is the father of us all, the promise is sure to all the seed (4:16).
  • All who call upon him (10:12, 13).
  • Delivered him up for us all (8:32).
  • Concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all (11:32).
  • All men, every soul of man, all the world, all the earth, etc. (1:18; 2:1, 9, 10; 3:4, 19, 20, 23; 5:12, 18; 8:22; 9:5, 17; 10:18; 12:3, 17, 18; 13:1, 7; 14:10, 11; 16:19, 24).
  • All Gentiles, all nations (1:5; 15:11; 16:26).

The first phrase in this list, “all believers”, is one of the many interactions between “all” and the other key ideas in Romans 1:16, 17 (see the table on p. 112 of the March-April issue). As a second example, “all” is linked to the phrase “to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile/Greek” (1:16; 2:9, 10; cf. 3:9), for there is no differ­ence (3:22; 10:12).

Paul’s “not only…but also” arguments highlight the meaning behind the word “all”:

  • “Is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also” (3:29).
  • “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin (Psa 32:1, 2). Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also?” (4:7-9).
  • “That he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also; and the father of the circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised” (4:11, 12).
  • “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all” (4:16).
  • “Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him, but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead” (4:23, 24).
  • “Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles” (9:24).

Throughout the letter the emphasis is on the inclusion of Gentiles.

In this regard “the promises made unto the fathers” (Rom 15:8) are especially those concerning inclusion of Gentiles in God’s provision of salvation:

  • To Abraham (Rom 4:3, 22; 4:17; 4:18; cf. Gal 3:8).
  • To Moses (Rom 10:19; 15:10).
  • To David (Rom 4:6-8; 15:9).
  • To the prophets (Rom 1:17; 9:25; 9:26; 10:20; 15:12).

So the word “all” is the catchword of inclusion. Through Jesus Christ Gentiles are now explicitly included in the fulfillment of God’s promises. God has faithfully declared His righteousness by sending His Son to confirm His promises to the fathers, especially the promises in the law and the prophets that Gentiles would be included in the family of God. Jesus Christ, a Jew according to the flesh, was faithful to this high calling, so God delivered him up for us all, and then He raised him from the dead. In this way, God has provided salvation to all who believe, to faithful Jews, of course, but now also to faithful Gentiles. So Abraham is the father of all believers, both Jews and Gentiles.

That this would be Paul’s focus should not be surprising; after all, he was the Apostle to the Gentiles (Rom 11:13; 15:15, 16; Gal 2:7-9; Acts 9:15; 22:21), and his mission was “the faith of all the nations” (Rom 1:5; 15:5-18; 16:25-27).

“Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Where­fore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God” (Rom 15:5-7).