Romans 5:12-6:23 Part A — Bruce Rodgers

The Righteousness of God Revealed in Romans

So we're going to be looking today in Romans chapter 5 through chapter 8 for the Bible readings of the conference, particularly from verse 12 of Romans 5 through to the end of chapter 8. And it's always a little difficult jumping in the middle of something, and so there's some necessity for correlating the section that we're looking at with the previous section.

So I'm going to read a few verses and then make some introductory comments. Romans chapter 1 verse 3 mentions concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power according to a spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead.

Verse 16, for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written the just shall live by faith.

When we come close to the end of that first section, the end of chapter 4, again we have reference to the imputing of righteousness and following on the reference to Abraham it says of us in verse 23, 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 who was delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification.

Justification, Reconciliation, and Salvation by Christ's Life

Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Now noticing verse 9 and 10 because they are important connectors, much more than being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him for if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life.

Now when we start in verse 12 and I think maybe I will read the last part of chapter 5 and then we will give the introductory material and then we'll try to look a little bit at that last part of chapter 5 and then I will read the rest of chapter 6 and then we will try to cover that as well Lord willing.

So Romans chapter 5 in verse 12 this is where we will be beginning in our discussion. Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned for until the law sin was in the world but sin is not imputed when there is no law nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression who is the figure of him that was to come but not as the offense so also is the free gift for if through the offense of one many be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many and not as it was by one that sinned so is the gift for the judgment was by one to condemnation but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification.

For if by one man's offense death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ. Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound but where sin abounded grace did much more abound.

But as sin has reigned unto death even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Now in making up this outline the first page of the outline is really my introduction.

I thought that might save some time but it's kind of hard to save time by reading it again. However I want to just make a couple of brief comments about the epistle as a whole Romans has been divided up in different ways but either generally we say chapters 1 to 8 doctrinal chapters 9 to 11 dispensational chapters 12 to 16 practical or you can think of the first eight chapters and divide it up as we have sort of already today and see the first movement as being the righteousness of God imputed and in the second section the righteousness of God imparted.

And then when you come to that dispensational section chapters 9 to 11 we see the righteousness of God defended in relation to God's dealings in the world with Israel and their unbelief. And then in chapters 12 on the righteousness of God demonstrated in the lives of the Saints.

It's interesting that the theme of righteousness is it is really a dominant theme in the book God's righteousness being revealed. And I'm going to give you something that I was given many many years ago by someone else who did the legwork you can often gain a sense of the character of a book and the message of it just by some key words that are repeated over and over and over again.

So I'll run some of these by you. Law is mentioned 78 times sin 60 times death 42 times the word all 71 times righteousness 66 times faith 62 times in Christ 33 times the flesh 20 times the words impute or reckon which is the same word 19 times and then an exclamation God forbid 10 times.

So you get some inkling of the character of the book just from those kind of emphasis in terms that are used over and over again. So looking at the introduction as I put it down on the outline it's really the problem of sin and the power of God to save righteously.

We have to understand that emphasis that if God is going to deliver us it must be righteously it must be lawfully. And so I put as the theme versus 16 and 17 of the first chapter I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation.

Christ as the Unique Son and the Pattern of Redeemed Humanity

Two glimpses of Christ I think draw this highlight chapter 1 the verses. I read verses 3 and 4 in the dark background of universal departure abject depravity of mankind the Lord Jesus is presented. He has become of the seed of David according to the flesh so he's a real man but he's marked out as the Son of God with power according to a spirit of holiness by the resurrection of the dead.

So the Lord Jesus in chapter 1 stands alone unique in contrast to a fallen humanity. But by the time we come to chapter 8 we find the Lord Jesus standing among his redeemed brethren as the firstborn among many brethren redeemed and glorified and we will be manifested with Christ in his glory.

And if you can fathom any kind of gospel any kind of message that can change the picture from chapter 1 to chapter 8 that's a gospel not to be ashamed of God's power to save to deliver righteously so that we are capable of being associated with the wonderful Son of God in the character as sons of God we've been given such such a gospel.

And so in connecting what we are going to be looking at with the first section then we see that the problem of sin is twofold in chapter 3 and 9 all under sin 3 and 19 all guilty literally all under judgment to God.

So there are two key terms that I want to emphasize and that is that sin corrupts and sin condemns. And what God has done in the gospel is that he has gone to the end point and he has dealt with our condemnation to the final doom that belongs to us.

And as it were Christ has run ahead and intervened between us and our doom and he interposed himself at the cross so that redemption from condemnation could be experienced. And so the great term is justification cleared from judgment no legal accountability for our sins hanging over us or threatening our future.

And so we are justified. So in chapter 5 then we come into the realm of the joyful experience of reconciliation of enjoyment of God as he is. And so as we look at that God's provision for the judicial consequences of our sins righteousness imputed justification is found in chapter 3 21 to 4 and 25.

And then reconciliation the new relationship established and enjoyed. And then I have jotted down. This has already been referred to in ministry last night and I really appreciated that development of it the much more if we can recognize this as the all-important connecting idea between the foundation of justification of how far God has gone already to secure us to establish us in our relationship to himself we are justified.

So how much more is the accomplishment of his deliverance from sin in its corrupting influence sin in its very presence the glorification of the Saints everything else to follow because by the death of his son he has accomplished our justification.

And I want to just draw attention to that expression in verse 10 if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his son much more we shall be saved by his life. Now if you've ever heard anyone preach the gospel from that you'll probably you'd probably be scratching your head saved by his life.

What is that referring to. Well I think it's leading into the second aspect of dealing with sin and that is my deliverance from sins affect an influence in my life is by my union with Christ in his life.

And so that's where we're going to be aiming for but again in dealing with that and that's where we come to God's provision for the moral corruption by sin the righteousness imparted again. God must work righteously he must work lawfully.

And so the first thing that we learn is now where we're at where the legal issues are. The moral issues are between ourselves and sin. And that's why we have verse 12 sin entering into the world. I would have been happy to have closed the gospel at verse 11 of chapter 5 and think well everything's solved my problems are solved I'm saved.

I'm heading for heaven the glory is before me. But that has left untouched the issue of sin as it operates as it works and influences. And all of us who are believers we've all had our struggles and we need to know to understand how God intends to deliver us from the influence the power of sin in our lives.

So again I put it as a twofold aspect. The judicial aspect is deliverance from sins authority and I've had the impression for a long time that most of us go round and round in circles when we come into Romans chapter 6 especially.

And so hopefully we won't just go around in circles but we will actually make progress to follow the line of development of truth through Romans 6 because it seems again like Romans 6 brings us to an accomplished climax.

Everything's subtle fine. And then you hit chapter 7 and it's like we're starting all over again. And so in chapter 5 into 6 it is freedom from sins authority. Chapter 7 raises the issue of sins power operating power and that is answered in chapter 8 with the law of the spirit of the spirits operating power.

So again the deliverance is by life. So we're going to be looking at the judicial aspect primarily in this Bible reading and it is by the death of Christ and in a little bit of information I put down it emphasizes that it is through Adam's transgression as head that sin and death have gained their dominion over man and God has counteracted that by a death of another man who is then exalted as head to be a new head over a new creation.

And the effects of the two men are what are presented to us in chapter 5. And then that identification with Christ is what leads into chapter 6 and the potential of living a new kind of life. Now you'll see that in chapter 7 I look at that as in my experience deliverance of sins power.

And I've already touched on that briefly. So let us just try to look then at the contrast. This is starting into part 1 of the major part of the outline that we have on page 2. And so Romans chapter 5 verse 12 to 6 of 23 deliverance from sins authority by his redemptive death.

Adam and Christ: Federal Headship and the Dominion of Sin

And we have Adams rebellion contrasted parallels with Christ's redemption. So the emphasis is by one man by one man placed in contrast. And I've had a little bit of an outline put there in chapter 5 sin entered death reigned one offense many dead condemned.

The law entered. The offense would abound and sin reigned in death. And the counterpoints of that is that grace has entered and the gift of righteousness many offenses swallowed up by justification through one grace overflowing grace reigning to eternal life.

So we see that God has a complete provision for the need of man as it is given. So let's try to start then in chapter 5 and verse 12 and I recognize that the time is going to be very precious as we try to cover these these parts so what you have been bringing.

Before us in brother is that in the first part of the book of Romans is dealing with sins doesn't. It begins after the flood when idolatry came in at the end of chapter 1 but now you're going back to creation because the.

Subject is sin what we are and to deal with that subject again just as you have mentioned to deal with that subject it deals with the fact that every one of us has the same problem that is not my individual sins now but the very fact that by nature I have this matter of sin to deal with and God has a provision for that.

Brother Bruce the fact of sin coming into the world and bringing death. Do you limit that to physical death or do you think it goes beyond physical death. No I think it goes beyond physical death. In fact that's going to be one of the challenges in looking at this whole section is that the word death is used with a variety of connotations and so I don't think we can limit it although that might be kind of the prominent impact as we read it but it clearly is is the full consequence of sin.

So it takes it to ultimately to the to the second death as we know. That separation although Adam are is primarily links us with that first death at physical. The last enemy that shall be destroyed for 15 is death.

It is the ultimate embodiment of everything that went before. I I I'm anticipating here hope I'm not disagreeing with you that the condemnation of chapter 5 is a condemnation that the whole world is under the subject of death that is our link with Adam.

We are therefore linked with death. So in chapter 5 it's the legal accountability that has been established and I don't know I know to a lot of people it doesn't seem to make sense that one man's sin could cause the death sentence to descend upon a whole race.

And so that's what we need to kind of establish. Is what it what is the basis for that legal designation of under death under sin and under death. So death passed upon all men sentence of death passed upon all men.

For that all sin. Is that personal performance of sin sins. Or is that the fact that when Adam sinned all sinned in Adam in the argument of the chapter it's really referring to Adam sin. And that's why I think in many of these verses you probably need to read the next two or three afterwards to catch where he's going in that particular verse and this that would certainly explain it.

Verse 13.

And 14 wouldn't it. So when he brings in death again we we need to move down the chapter he's speaking to Jew and Gentile isn't it. And the Jew had a definite commandment as Adam did but that didn't absolve others from sin because death was a proof that sin was upon all.

So he goes away beyond the giving of the law.

It's possible and I'm not sure which it is personally but it is possible to think of that as personal sin in verse 12 in this aspect only that the fact that I have sinned is evidence that I'm connected with Adam and therefore death has passed upon all.

So whether you think of it as the fact that I sinned the word the word is an heiress so you can put it wherever you want to in terms of time at when Adam sinned there was a result of that. We want to be clear that none of us are accountable to God for Adam sin.

And therefore that may be my reason for backing up a little bit from all I have sinned and Adam. But the fact of the matter is that I sin as an evidence that I am under Adams headship. I'm under he represented me and therefore death has come to all of us.

So it's not that I am personally guilty for Adam sin. We can't allow that but I am affected by it absolutely. I think it would bring us wouldn't brother Bruce to Isaiah all we like sheep have gone astray.

That's my link with Adam. But I did something I can't blame Adam. I've turned everyone to his own way so it brings it back to me good I think what again getting to the idea of headship and authority. Because really this is what we're wrestling with right through to the end of chapter 6 the issue of the idea that there was a yielding in the Garden of Eden to a contrary authority.

And yet they did not realize they were actually doing that. They thought they were acting in their own interest in their own behalf. And this is actually the genius of sin. And I have sometimes wondered why Satan's name isn't attached to this whole thing.

Because Satan is the true originator of sin and and it was really to an authority of the rebel the rival of God to which they actually handed over their dominion. Adam handed over his dominion. And so this is something that every human being needs to grasp.

There is no free independent act that is not in some way a service to some higher authority. And originally Adam was given dominion authority in a tremendous way over the physical creation. When he yielded to that temptation in his disobedience to God he was making a choice to serve an already existing rival to God.

What we can't quite fit together we don't quite have. The understanding is how Satan's sin becomes our sin. It had to be reproduced. The Lord Jesus used that that connection in John chapter 8 when he said to those people you are of your father the devil and the works of your father you will do so our father goes back to Adam physically spiritually it actually goes back just a bit farther and but we're not focusing on Satan here.

We're focusing on God and man and sin because in the redemption that is going to be accomplished it is through a man. You've used the word headship and I'm we're really down to the end of verse 14 to deal with this and there's good material between.

But I think we need to my way of thinking we need to resolve this matter. He is not viewed here as the head of the body. That's Ephesian truth. He is viewed as a different kind of head. It is a federal headship that is to say Adam was a representative of the entire family.

What happened to Adam was on behalf of the entire family that are in Adam under his headship. What happened with Christ is not only the work then that affects one man but just as God established headship with Adam.

He did it because he had Christ in mind. There would be no other way to bring redemption to sinners apart from the truth of a federal head one who acts on behalf of others. And Adam therefore was the federal head.

It was not that he affected his progeny just merely because they are his children. He affected the race because he's the head the federal head of that race. And so it to me it seems to me it seems important we've got to get the idea of federal headship firmly in our mind at this point to understand what Paul is dealing with.

I don't want to stall you here brother but for the sake of young believers I think there's something that's good to make clear. We often hear them say the world uses the term that the devil made them do it.

The devil made nobody do it. The devil didn't even make Adam do it. All the devil does is suggest. So there was no link between what was really the devil and what was in Adam. All he did was take a suggestion.

But am I saying my sin is your brother been pointing out doesn't take me back to my link with a fallen race and a federal head found in Adam. There's a character of Satan that is reproduced but Adam is accountable as the federal head for what took place.

So and this character character Satan reproduced in Adam. Yes that your children of your father the devil. And it's as DG will do. So there is a the character of Satan that is rebellion against God. I think that was controversial.

Now what's the problem. I would just see something a little different there. What did you say. I would see Satan is coming otherwise. You know I guess we're going back to what you mentioned opening the origin of sin itself.

Okay. But really I hadn't thought there was as much a link between Satan and Adam as there is between Adam and me. No absolutely. But what Adam did was like what Satan did. Okay he rebelled against God and therefore that the character of what Satan did Adam actually reproduced.

But what Adam did set the mold for all of us. I'm not sure I understand totally where the problem is. But but that's but that's why God has dealt with the issue of sin and the redemption into redeemed humanity all through a man and not through Satan.

Because God has a headship directly invested in man and it will be in the divine Redeemer become man that he steps above that realm of Satan and and reestablishes it upon an eternal foundation and so he's able to bypass Satan in that aspect by the man and and so that's why I think even though man was a little lower than the angels and I and I know that there's some question of just how we relate in that way.

But I think there is a direct headship invested in man and federal headship. I know sometimes that term is used and we don't quite understand in the sense of it being a representative headship. Why is it representative headship.

Because he has authority over a jurisdiction and I illustrate that by by the President of the United States or the Prime Minister of Canada making a decision to go to war or not to go to war all the citizens of that nation are therefore under obligation and affected by it whatever their personal inclination is.

And so that's the concept that we have here. And just like you might disagree with something somebody decides in the federal parliament you're still affected by it under that jurisdiction. The problem is we've all agreed with what Adam did the fact we've expressed it that not that we had to in order to become sinners but we have expressed that that we agree with what.

Adam did tragically. We do so. The children of the devil is in contrast with children of God. They thought they were God's children but children of the devil. But here as a I think just look at these verses.

You have two heads and two families and two results. But I have a question now for you when it says verse 13 unto the law sin was in the world but it was not imputed where there is no law.

What does that mean for us. Well the word imputed there is to put to account so it is not. It is not dealt with as a transgression. And that's why the word transgression is used in verse 14. I think where it says even over them who had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression and so the the sinnership is linked back to Adam's sin and not their personal sin in this section because of that.

So they weren't they weren't accounted as personally guilty for what Adam did. It doesn't go beyond that. Bruce. No no. What I'm saying is that that the argument that is being made here is it's the one man and the effect upon all.

And so even though they all sinned individually between Adam and the law they were under no direct law. Therefore sin was not imputed or put to their account. So the judgment based upon them is that death sentence still goes back to Adam.

Adam had a revealed commandment. You know. Okay. They didn't until the law was given. But did. But would Lamech. Would Lamech have the wicked Lamech. Would he have been held accountable for his sins. Will he give account of those sins to God.

Yes what we have in chapter 2. And the righteous judgment of God relates to our personal sins. Yes. And those who without law he says will perish without law. Those who sinned under the law will be judged by the law.

God does not hold. Sorry. That's the difference. God does not hold men accountable for a standard of which they're not aware. And I take that to be what is here. I take that also don't to be controversial but just to be helpful I hope I take that to be part of God's dealing with children.

God does not hold them accountable for what they do not know. Until there is a concept of sin against God. They are not accountable to God for their sin. Yes they come to an age when they understand sin is against God.

That's a boundary that they cross for personal accountability. And some would never come to an age. You know there was still enough provision is made that's cut and then. Well I'm not talking in Greek here.

That's what we call it. But people call the age of understanding what age that is. We don't know. But God does not hold persons accountable for a standard they are not aware of. That's just a principle to draw to this.

It's.

It's specific to the age before between Adam and law so I don't. Partaking of the fruit would never have been sin apart from the commandment. Yes God gave commandment and from there on partaking of the fruit was sin disobedience.

That's the principle. Think a little bit on chapter 7 as well. So the law.

Is the exceeding sinfulness of sin. So from verse 15 down we are we are being presented with the contrasted parallelism. And it's it's quite interesting. It's a tongue twister. I'm not sure how many of us would try to explain something by saying well it's not like this.

Just like it's like that. And and so it's the same. Only the opposite. It's a balanced comparison. Yes it's. It's put into one chorus. One point corresponds to the other of one man by one act brought a consequence.

And then that is put in in counterpoint to the one man by the one act. And I believe we're looking at the work on the cross and all of this when it says one act of righteousness and and obedience. The first one Bruce in verse 15.

At the end then through the offense of one many dead one acting on behalf of the many impacting too many. And that just goes to the what is set up at the beginning of that verse. The typology God didn't start out with Adam and then say oh I got to come up with something else.

God had Christ in mind. Redemption will be through Christ. All the blessings that come to a race and a world will all be through Christ in order that that will be the case. God sets up another headship not that he's fated or doomed Adam to failure but he knew that apart from Christ there could be no righteousness affected.

So God has established this one affecting many. It's seen in Adam with the offense it's seen in Christ with grace and gift. Any suggestion brother Bruce. As to why it says many and not all wouldn't. It wouldn't the thought here be all.

But it says many. Well it might be so that. I mean although they're in one of the other it does.

Say all doesn't it to. Yeah many be dead. That's all. Yeah sure yeah. And I think just maybe it's not a.

Limited atonement. No. No not a hard thing. It's just that. In contrast to the one. Yes I think it's good help. What's always helped me along this is whenever you have a comparison if you look long enough you see the contrast.

Yes. So we have a wonderful comparison. But we really have a stark contrast to. And they do it or change as you move. Yes. Yeah. But it's the many that are justified. Isn't it in the con. In the context.

Yeah. So it's the many that are under his headship. The headship of Christ it's not so much the provision for all but it's all who actually have benefited from it. In the context. Yes. Although although I think we would say that as to the bearing potentially it is towards all.

Yeah you know like like it it is as coextensive in its potential effect. Right. It's on too many at the end of verse 15 but it's not a justification at the end of 16. Because I'm going from verse 18 and looking at the all there so the righteousness of one came upon or unto all men unto justification of life.

So so we have to see that it is just as Adams had the bearing towards all. So Christ's work has the bearing towards all. It's the one to the many. I think we don't need to be so specific about the many as the concept that Paul is bringing up it's one many one many.

So if it were one acting on behalf of 15 it is one many. It's one is compared to the many is compared to the unique man who is that in federal headship. Had to use the word again some.

Of the sometimes maybe not so much here but it's just good to look at. Many is more than one I think.

That's the point is here. Than try to narrow it down well. The word gift in verse 15 is the idea of a bestowal something bestowed. And of course the word grace is is very similar because grace and gift are sometimes used interchangeably although it is a different term the gift by grace bestowal by grace there's at least this much.

What we got from Adam was not a welcome thing. What comes from Christ is a welcome gift. That's desirable. Okay. And some have given it a.

Gift in grace. Right. Yeah. So it's not not as the offense so also as a free gift. So it's something altogether different isn't it. The offense brought death but now the free gift brings life. And if you.

Could. And if you're tempted to say the first one wasn't fair. No well then this is more than fair. Yeah that's the point you have got to see the end that God had in view. Otherwise you can accuse God of not being fair.

God established this idea of representative headship in order that in one man there might be blessing for a universe and a race and individuals. So I wasn't here when Adam sinned also wasn't here when the Lord Jesus died in the cross.

I get I get a full benefit of one act at the cross. And I wasn't present and I didn't participate in it. I've never expressed my agreement apart from the grace of God since then. I never expressed my agreement with what Christ did in my sins.

I never did. But at the moment of conversion I came into the full benefit of all of that. So when you get this expression much more here's something that is actually more certain than death. And there's not much that we can talk about in life being more certain than death.

So it's it's emphasizing the greatness the certainty the assurance of the moving of God in love toward us to establish a new head who will never fail in whom we will be eternally secure. And in him there is the abounding of goodness of God that righteously handles every issue caused by the first man's transgression.

And.

Offense there there's a contrast isn't there between Romans and Hebrews. In Rome and Hebrews it's no more. But here it's much more in the context. We've seen sin reigning in the context. Grace will reign in the context.

Can you help us there with that expression. Righteousness shall.

Reign. Which first are you looking at. No. Oh yeah. Well I would say that in verse 17 it is really they who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life. So I see this as the restoration to the dignity the nobility and the relationship that belonged to us originally from God.

Because Adam lost he became a slave under a dominion of sin and death. And it's not merely that life reverses death here but that they who receive the gift shall reign. And so there's the there's the recovery of man to his intended nobility and glory to be the vessel through which the glory of God is to be revealed.

And actually Bruce it is much more what we have and not just we in this church age. What every man woman under Christ receives is much more than what Adam lost and Adam Adam lost innocency and what God had an Adam was wonderful.

But he has something more in us and that is that God has elevated us beyond innocent humanity redeemed humanity eventually for us to be made like Christ. Amazing. Much more. You know God lost a tremendous amount.

I just gonna say God God allowed that loss. Wasn't the author of it he allowed that loss. But through that he receives much more. That's the miracle of who God is. Sorry. Yeah much more. First 17. They which receive the abundance of grace.

Now the abundance of grace. Not only has it dealt with the problem of sin under Adam but there's the many offenses that he has referenced in first 16. So it is abundant toward us. All our many offenses have been taken care of.

You know when you think about you know one one disobedience and the catastrophe that is brought and to think that in the grace of God through the one obedience of Christ and in the in the blessing of that one act of righteousness of Christ and corresponding to the legal and moral aspects of the whole issue we are now introduced into a realm where where sin in its entirety and all its manifold effects are canceled out removed in the grace of God.

And so so it's that power of God through grace working that is being that is being emphasized here shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ. Is that anticipating chapter 8. Yes. Yes really. That's why the key I gave us the think the heading for the Bible reading was eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And and of course it goes beyond. Well I mean well everything you've got in chapter 8. So we don't know about that yet. I'm maybe down at verse 19 already and we have I don't want to muddle this section but but I think it is important to emphasize what you said now some people are gonna say David why'd you bother with this reform theology which is gaining a foothold in among Christian.