This week we are going to focus on verse 4, which tells us that Jesus “was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord”. This verse is a continuation of what Paul began to describe last week in verse three regarding the identity of Jesus Christ.

1Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among the nations, 6including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, 7To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

What has become obvious in our study of these first seven verses of Romans chapter one, is that Paul is describing his own identity, as well as the identity of Jesus Christ, along with the identity of his listeners. If you step back and look at these verses as a whole, you will see what some commentators call a chiasm. A chiasm is meant to reveal the central most important point.

In this case, the center of the chiasm is the identity of Jesus in verses 3 – 5. Paul’s identity in verses 1 – 2, and the identity of his listeners in verses 6 – 7, act like two characters looking at each other through the bright mirror of the person and work of Jesus who stands between them. Paul focuses on these three descriptions so that he can expound the deep truths of the gospel, which is meant, not only to save sinners, but to transform believers into all that we were meant to be – namely as verse 5 indicates that we are to be brought into “the obedience of the faith”.

It is no secret in the Christian faith, that God designed us to be a reflection of himself on this earth. Hence the importance of the chiasm I just described. It is also no secret that from the beginning, there was an enemy who wanted to steal that reflection so that he could get the attention that belongs to God.

From the very beginning, in Genesis Chapter Three, the enemy has always worked overtime to instill seeds of doubt regarding the character and the identity of God so that he could diminish God’s reflection in each of us as he diminishes the reflection of Christ between us.

The main way the enemy works to accomplish his mission of stealing God’s glory, is to simply sow seeds of doubt into the hearts and minds of God’s people, regarding not only their true identity in Christ, but also regarding the true identity of Jesus himself. This is why Paul’s words in these opening verses to the book of Romans are so critical.

I really do believe that this is why Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote what he wrote about the identity of Jesus in verses 3 – 4 where he says that Jesus “was descended from David according to the flesh 4and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord”. The main point of what Paul writes about Jesus in these two verses is that Jesus is the Godman; the only one who was 100% human and 100% divine – born in the flesh and declared to be not only the Son of God but also our Lord (Lord being a title that could only be used to describe the divine living God).

I admit that there is probably nothing more difficult to explain than the truth of Jesus as the Godman as well as the truth of the Trinitarian Godhead – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. And while it is difficult to comprehend, and difficult to explain, it is nonetheless true, and these doctrines are also vital to understanding the truth of our own identity in Christ Jesus.

If the enemy can cause doubt and confusion regarding the identity of Christ Jesus as the fully human and fully divine Godman, then he will use that same confusion and doubt to sow lies into our hearts and minds regarding our own identity. Whenever God says, “This is who I am as your God, and this is who you are in Christ Jesus” the enemy will prowl around the corner, waiting to pounce on you, to steal, to kill, and to destroy the image of God in the deep invisible places of your soul as he asks the age-old Garden of Eden question, “Did God really say…”.

Why does the enemy do this? The enemy does this to steal, kill, and destroy the image of God that is being restored in you as you follow Jesus, because he knows exactly how powerful you would be if you lived out of the identity of Jesus Christ, that has been given to you by grace, through faith.

Satan hates Jesus therefore he hates you, because the Spirit of God is working to form the image of Christ in you. This is why Paul’s description of Jesus, as both born fully human and fully divine is so important for us today. It is Christ, and Christ alone who gets to dictate who you belong to and, who you actually are. That little kid in the basement of your soul, the one you despise, the one you do not want to look at, God is working to restore the image of that little kid into the image of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

#1: THE GODMAN IN ROMANS

With that said, we are going to spend some time fishing for how Paul continues to describe the divinity of Jesus throughout the book of Romans before we spread the circle out even more to include the rest of Paul’s letters, and then we will conclude with some passages from the rest of the Bible.

The main way that Paul describes the divinity of Jesus in the book of Romans is by using the title Lord. We see this first in Romans 1:4, where refers to Jesus as “Jesus Christ our Lord” and then he does it again in verse 7 where he says, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”. Again, this title – “ Lord” – is reserved for God himself throughout the Scriptures, and it simply means that Jesus has complete authority over all things because he is the Lord. Do not miss this, Jesus has complete dominion over everything because he is the Lord God over the heavens and the earth and everything in it – including the image of that little kid in the basement of your soul (Matt. 11:25; Lk. 10:21; Acts 17:24).

In Romans 8:33 – 34, Paul says, “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died – more than that, who was raised – who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us”. When we read these words, we are reminded that only God can remove our condemnation and declare us justified (fully right before him). God alone has the authority and the power and the dominion to remove condemnation and declare justification over that little kid in the basement of your soul.

No one can level a criminal charge against you because Jesus – the Godman – is the one who gave his life at the cross for you and then he left the tomb empty, signifying his complete and authoritative defeat of Satan, Sin, and Death, and he now sits at the right hand of God as the resurrected Godman who took your condemnation and gave you your justification. The question is: Who are you going to listen to? The voice of the enemy condemning you or the voice of God justifying you?

In Romans 9:5, we have the clearest description of Christ as the Godman, when Paul says, “To them [the Israelites] belong the Patriarchs [Abraham, Issac, and Jacob], and from their race [their bloodline], according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.” The point is obvious here, right? Jesus is the Godman; the one who is the fulfillment of the promise given to Israel throughout the centuries – he is the one and only God who is able to save because he has full dominion over Satan, Sin, and Death; Jesus took their crowns and buried them in the resurrection!

All of Satan’s condemning words, all of Sin’s filthy stains, and all of Death’s intimidation over you has been destroyed by Jesus. In his divine nature, Jesus has full dominion over our enemies. Our enemies like to parade around like the kings they think they are. The enemy wants you to believe that you are beyond the reach of Jesus and that Jesus is not able to save you because he is not God. And if Jesus is not God, then everything the enemy says about you and to you is true.

But the Bible teaches us that Jesus is God. The Bible teaches us that Jesus is the King of kings. Those enemies may prance around like the kings that they think are, but he King of kings and the Lord of lords stole their crowns at a bloody cross and an empty tomb. Let that sink in.

This is why Romans 10:13 says that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord [Jesus] will be saved” just as Romans 11:26 – 27 confirms that Jesus is “The Deliverer… from Zion” who came to “take away [our] sins” as Romans 14:9 states that “to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living” (Isaiah 49:18; 45:23). Once again, I am reminded here that it is at the name of Jesus Christ our Lord that every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that he is the Lord God over all.

Whenever we listen to the voice of the enemy, or whenever we accept the image of that filthy or unlovable little kid in the basement of our souls, whenever we buy into the enemy’s claims when he tries to define who we are and who we belong to, we are effectively allowing the enemy to remove Jesus from his rightful seat as the Crucified, Risen, and Returning, Lord and King of the throne of our lives.

#2: THE GODMAN IN PAUL’S OTHER LETTERS

I personally feel like we could stop right here and soak in what we have just learned about the divinity of Jesus and how his identity as the Godman directly affects our own identity. But I still think it is important to widen the circle out to the rest of Paul’s letters to see what we can add to this image of Jesus as the Godman.

Philippians 2:5 – 11 is the passage I just referenced moments ago where Paul says that Jesus humbled himself to come to this sin-soaked earth in the flesh and according to verses 9 – 11 “God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”. Again, this is complete dominion, authority, and sovereignty!

This is the image of complete domination fully infused into the humble condescension of Jesus the Godman as he came to this earth and was exalted to the highest throne in heaven. There is nothing that escapes the authority of Jesus. There is no sin you have committed, no evil thing done against you, and no demonic foothold over your life that Jesus does not have the full ability to remove and reform. Everything bows in submission to Him who is seated on the throne of Heaven!

This is why Paul says in Colossians 1:15 – 20, that “He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether throne or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross”. Need I say more? Need I even comment on this grand description of Jesus the Godman who is “preeminent”and in whom “all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell”?

You know what I want to say to that filthy little boy in the basement of my identity? Come meet Jesus my friend, he is preeminent and the fullness of God is in him, and he rules supreme over everything you have deceived me into believing ever since before I could even describe what you were doing to me!

Come meet Jesus my little friend, the One who before the foundations of the earth were laid – long before you got your hooks into me – come meet him because when you do, you will bow in submission to him and you will no longer mess around inside my heart and mind!

Come meet Jesus, the Godman of Colossians 2:9 – 10 which says that “in him [in Christ] the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you [and I] have been filled with him, who is the head of all rule and authority”. That broken little kid inside each and every one of us has no authority over us except that which we give to it.

The Spirit of Christ the Godman is alive and well inside each and every one of us – if you belong to Jesus – and he is fully capable, and ready and waiting for the permission to destroy that nasty image of ourselves that we carry around inside the walls of our hearts and minds.

#3: THE GODMAN IN THE REST OF THE BIBLE

Once again, I feel like we could stop right here and simmer in what we have just learned. But we have one last circle of context to go. 2 Timothy 3:16 – 17 says that “All Scripture is breathed out by God and [is] profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work”.

Do you ever feel like you are incomplete, inadequate, not good enough, too broken, too filthy, or unwanted? The passage I just read tells us that it is the very Word of God that will make us complete, whole, healed, restored, put back together so that you and I are fully equipped to do what God has called us to do. This is the very reason that we will spread the circle out as we continue to examine what the rest of the Bible says about Jesus the Godman.

Isaiah 9:6 – 7 teaches us that a child would be born, that he would carry the weight of the world on his shoulders, that his name would be “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (these are titles for Jesus that can only belong to God) and we also learn that his dominion and the peace that comes with it will increase to the ends of the earth from the throne of David throughout eternity.

This is who the prophet Isaiah saw thousands of years before Jesus was born as the Godman. Long before your identity got jacked up by the enemy, the Divine identity of Jesus the Godman, who would come to set you free, was etched in stone, never to be erased!

Psalm 110:1 says, “The Lord says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool”. This is David making a prophetic claim about Jesus the Godman, who many years after this writing, would sit at the right of God as God himself, and that his enemies would become his footrest. Satan, Sin, and Death – the ones who have worked overtime on the image of that little kid in your soul that you think describes who you are and who you belong to – those enemies that have painted that image are mere footrests for God’s mid-afternoon nap.

Why pay them any attention? Why bow down to them? They are footrests for the King of kings and Lord of lords! We do not bow down to footrests. We bow down to the King who uses our enemies as his footrest!

In John 1:1, 3 – 5 we learn that Jesus, “In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” and “All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” and we also learn in verses 12 – 14 that “to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word [Jesus] became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” and also verse 18 where we read that “No one has ever seen God; God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known”.

Can you see what is happening here? Jesus the Godman, the light that came into the world to defeat darkness, he is the one who declares who you belong to and who you are: If you have trusted in Christ as your Lord and Savior, then you belong to God and you are his beloved child, once in darkness, now set free to live in the light of Christ Jesus, the One who set you free! That little kid in your soul needs to be reminded of this truth on the daily!

In John 8:58, Jesus’ own description of himself nearly gets him stoned for blasphemy when he claims to be God as he says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am”. The “I am” statement is especially reserved only for God himself because it is how he revealed himself to Abraham. In John’s gospel, Jesus uses this very phrase to describe himself no less than thirteen times. Suffice it to say, Jesus was more than a mere, good man, because even he claimed that he was the Godman!

If you look at John 10:30 Jesus says, “I and the Father are one” and then in John 20:28, doubting Thomas calls Jesus “My Lord and my God”. Doubt is not disqualifying. Doubt is the doorway that Jesus walks through to prove that he is in fact the Godman who came to be the light of the world; to set men and women free from shackles of Satan, Sin, and Death and to have that little kid in the basement of the soul completely set free.

The question is, “Will you invite Jesus to enter through the doorway of your greatest doubts and fears so that he can set you free and continue the work of restoring his image into that little kid in the basement of your doubting soul”?

CONCLUSION…

In conclusion, I want to turn your attention back to where we started in Romans 1:4 where it says that Jesus, the Godman, “was declared the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord”. Let me ask you, after everything we have studied today, who was it that declared Jesus to be the Lord, the Godman?

It was the resurrection my friends! It says that Jesus “was declared the Son of God… Jesus Christ our Lord… by the resurrection from the dead”. The very center of the chiasm that I spoke of earlier, is the resurrection of Christ Jesus our Lord because it is the resurrection that screams his divinity from the doorway of an empty tomb. While there were a few resurrections in the Scriptures up until this point in human history, no one, and I repeat, no one, has ever resurrected themselves!

This is what Jesus the Godman did! He resurrected himself in full definitive defeat over the enemies, whose crowns he stole and who immediately became his footrests as they bowed in submission to him. This is what happened in the resurrection; it is the resurrection that proclaims Christ as the victorious Godman.

This is why 1 Corinthians 15, the most important chapter in the Bible concerning the authenticity of the resurrection of Jesus, in verses 54 – 57, says, “‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ‘O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ”. Once again, it is the resurrection that proclaims Jesus as the fully human and fully divine Godman who broke the chains of our bondage and set us free to be exactly who he created us to be.

So, that little kid in the basement of my soul… the one who lurks around in the shadows of your soul… the one who is covered in the clothing of inadequacy, unwantedness, filthiness, anxiety, despair, unworthiness, unlovableness, brokenness, shame, and guilt… that little kid, also known as the flesh, needs to be introduced to the bright mirror reflection of Christ Jesus our Lord – The Godman!

That little kid needs to be introduced to the Godman who has been proclaimed as the King of kings and the Lord of lords, the one who stole the crowns of our enemies and made those enemies into his footstool… he was proclaimed as the reining Champ from the doorway of the empty tomb in the shadow of the bloody cross, in light of the promise of eternity.

That King… That reining Champ… Jesus Christ our Lord… the Godman… he is the only One whose authority matters. He is the only One who can take that ugly little kid or that filthy little kid by the hand and radically transform him or her into the bright shining light that you and I were meant to be in this darkened world!

The only question is this: Will you take that journey deep down into your soul, and will you invite Jesus to come with you to make that little kid look into that reflection of the mirror of the Godman who made our enemies into his footstools, the One who is Jesus Christ our Lord? I pray you will! – Amen!

1 Unless otherwise specified, all Bible references are to the English Standard Version Bible, The New Classic Reference Edition (ESV) (Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, 2001).