Tape Talk
by Gail Bedell

TAPE REVIEW: Romans

by Norman Grubb

“Romans is a great letter that tells us what it is to be a whole human.” Norman’s simple statement in the fourth of this five-tape set belies the breadth of this magnificent study— the longest series of any of Norman’s audiotapes. Before a verse in Romans is ever cited, Norman begins by carefully and thoroughly laying his foundation. Starting in the first tape and halfway into the second, Norman describes the love-nature of God, His purpose in creating mankind, and the universal truths upon which His universe is founded. He describes God’s nature of perfection and total love that had to be expressed—first in begetting the Son and then, through the Spirit, in creating a race of people through whom He could manifest His nature of totally outpoured love.

Added to this foundation is a thorough treatment of God’s universal truths: evil as the un-manifested side of God—a potential to be selfish that was swallowed up in God’s choice to be poured out love; the necessity of opposites to reveal everything we know: sweet as notsour, love as not-hate; the origin of evil and its place in God’s purposes— to name a few. From there, Norman sweeps through human his tory from God’s perspective—beginning with Fall and illustrating through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and the Law—to prepare the human race for the manifestation of the Savior. Norman also explores freedom, choice, faith, and the need for a total disillusionment to prepare us for the way of faith—that one radical way—to receive a new life—the life of Christ.

Halfway through the second tape, Norman brings us into the text: “Romans 1-3 shows the totality of the first stage in our redemption”—the shedding of Christ’s blood for forgiveness of sins. In unforgettable detail, he describes the awful and glorious consequences of Jesus Christ’s pure life, His voluntary offer to be a physical sacrifice as the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world, His death on the cross and descent into hell— taking the full judgement for the sins of all mankind. But because of Christ’s obedience, Satan never enslaved him and hell could not hold Him. Anyone can believe in a historical crucifixion, Norman points out, but only by faith can we believe in the Resurrection— because the Resurrection transcends understanding.

Discussing Chapters 4 and 5, Norman elaborates on the difference between faith in self-righteous works and the imputed righteousness through faith in Christ, turning once again to Abraham’s remarkable faith that God could take his and Sarah’s “dead” bodies and fulfill His promise to make Abraham a father of multitudes. Norman discusses the new birth, contrasting the dramatic change from distortion and discord to a life indwelt by the Holy Spirit resulting in harmony with the God of the universe.

Thus far, Norman says, we see our new relationship with God bought by the blood of Christ, but not yet union. This first stage of revelation shows the first effects of the new life: I know I have peace with God through the blood of Christ—the forgiveness of my sins. The first Adam, representing the soul/matter/outer life has been replaced by the New Adam (Christ)—a living Spirit. At this second stage of spiritual awareness, we become stabilized in our new life as an heir of God and move from incoming love—salvation for me—to outgoing love for others. However, Norman points out that although it is not stated in Romans, most people need a crisis to move from Romans 1-5 in which I know I have peace with God, to the replaced life of Romans 8—the replaced self. Moving on to Romans 6 through 8, Norman states that from Chapter 6 on, the blood of Christ is no longer mentioned. Discussing Chapter 6, which he calls the “death chapter,” Norman describes the immense significance of the body death of Jesus Christ—not a death for our sins (that was the blood), but the body death that set us free in Him from the indwelling sin-principle. In death, the spirit is separated from the body—and since all died in Christ, the spirit of self-centeredness indwelling us was destroyed when Jesus died. In Him we were raised by the Holy Spirit when He entered and raised Jesus. Out went self-centered self, and in came the Spirit of outflowing love. We who believe in Christ are forever cut off from the false deity to whom we were enslaved and forever joined to the God of love to manifest His perfect, outpoured life.

For me the most exciting and helpful part of the entire study was the third tape because of how thoroughly Norman dwells on temptation and how to handle it. This is not the outward temptation to commit a sin, but the inner temptation that precedes it—to believe I am independently operated and must “handle” things. For example, I feel “bugged” by some negative pull—resentment, fear, inadequacy—and instead of believing that I am resentful, fearful, inadequate and “ought” not to be (bringing me under the Law), I affirm the truth—and replace the negative believing with the truth: God, You meant that situation, You’re here living in me—total love, courage, completeness— You handle it! What an answer to the constant temptation to respond to the lie that I function independently! What a hope after years of mouthing the words, but not really believing the fact!

In an abrupt change in the operation of the Spirit through us, Romans 9 through 14 moves from God meeting our personal need, “the trivial”— to fulfilling His universal purposes, the “magnificent”—with suffering. Free from the nagging questions of self, says Norman, we now have the detachment to express the effects of our union with God. We are now available, in union with Christ, to manifest His love and to suffer to bring others to Christ. We function as intercessors like Moses and Paul— with an intensity and passion for the lost. Norman reminds us that God uses humans who will lay down their lives—all that they are—to meet the needs of those around them.

Norman brilliantly treats some of the most disputed topics of Christendom: the sovereignty of God, the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart; the statement, “Jacob have I loved and Esau I have hated”; God’s creating some vessels for honor and some for dishonor. In the final chapters, Norman discusses the word of faith and other concepts by which we function on this highest level of spiritual experience. Throughout his study in Romans, Norman brings in support from other sections of the Bible, particularly James and the first letter of John, to take us to the depths of the Biblical truth and show us how we function as humans.

I found Norman’s study in Romans to be totally engrossing. His narrative is so eloquent and full of biblical wisdom that any tape, no matter what the sequence, triggers new thoughts and connections. This series would also be ideal for a group Bible study.