Romans 1:4

‘Who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead; even Jesus Christ our Lord,'

For His greater manifestation came in that He was powerfully declared (or, more strongly, ‘appointed' - see the use in Acts 10:42; Acts 17:31) to be the Son of God, in an act of power which revealed His own power. He was declared to be ‘the Son of God with power', the Son of God powerful enough to bring about the resurrection. And His true divine Sonship was therefore made known by His immensely powerful resurrection from the dead, a resurrection in which He proclaimed the death of death, having triumphed over it once for all (1 Corinthians 15:20). Through it He also declared the defeat of the spiritual powers of darkness (Colossians 2:15). Satan would be bruised under their feet shortly (Romans 16:20). All that could prevent the salvation of His people was dealt with through His resurrection, and what had preceded it, something which demonstrated Who He really was, the Saviour of the world (1 John 4:14).

‘According to the spirit of holiness.' This stands in apposition to ‘according to the flesh.' In His flesh He was revealed as the son of David. In His spirit, a ‘spirit of holiness', He was revealed as the only Son of God. (Compare how Paul describes himself as acting in a spirit of servitude - Romans 1:9). That being so, as the former refers to His essential humanity we must surely see the latter as referring to the divine element in His make-up. It was ‘the spirit of holiness', that unique spirit which was manifested in Him, totally pure and totally righteous and totally powerful over death (‘death could not keep its prey, He tore the bars away'), that revealed Him to be the Son of God. For in Himself He had the power to lay down His life, and He had the power to take it again (John 10:18). He was in other words the Lord of life (John 11:25). This was what revealed Him to be the only, unique Son of God. This was what revealed Him to be ‘our LORD', a title that constantly parallels ‘God' in the New Testament and indicates the same thing. There is One God and one LORD. It is, equally with ‘God', the title of deity (e.g. 1 Corinthians 8:8. And note also Philippians 2:11 where it is announced of Him in His manhood by the resurrection). He is the Lord of glory (1 Corinthians 2:8; James 2:1).

We do not necessarily by this have to exclude from our reckoning the power and working of the Holy Spirit, indeed we must not. ‘The Spirit of holiness' could have been seen as a Hebraism for ‘the Holy Spirit' (and is so seen by many), although the distinction of expression maintained by Paul (he never uses the term ‘Spirit of holiness' elsewhere) confirms that we are to view it uniquely. Thus we may certainly see the Holy Spirit as acting alongside Christ's Spirit (and with the Father) in the resurrection of Christ (see Romans 8:9 where Christ and Spirit inter-react). But that it is Christ's Spirit which is primary comes out in the contrast with His flesh. The association of Jesus' ‘spirit of holiness' with the Holy Spirit would not be a blurring of distinctions, but a bringing out of the mystery of the Godhead, for where One acts, all act (e.g. Romans 8:8). The Spirit of Christ and the Holy Spirit (and the Father - John 5:17; John 5:19) act as One, and their working cannot be differentiated. It is we who, in our technical way, sometimes unwisely seek to over-emphasise the distinctions (although to make the distinction is necessary). But it is because of His ‘Spirit of holiness' that Jesus can drench men with ‘the Holy Spirit' (Matthew 3:11), while Himself coming to dwell within them (John 14:15; John 14:23).

‘By the resurrection from/of the dead ones.' (For so it can be more literally translated). Acts 26:23 uses this phrase in such a way as to demonstrate that it refers primarily to the resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:23). He was the firstfruits of the resurrection, the One Who arose from among the dead. But it is also a reminder that when Jesus rose it was not only Him Who was to be seen as rising. Intrinsically it guaranteed the resurrection of all who would become His, of all who truly believed in Him, who then partook in His resurrection spiritually (John 5:24; Ephesians 2:1), awaiting the day of physical resurrection (Romans 6:4). All who would belong to Him in essence rose with Him (Romans 8:1; 1 Corinthians 15:23). Thus every spiritually resurrected saint (see Romans 6:4; Romans 6:11, and compare Ephesians 2:1) reveals the Lordship of Christ. His resurrection encompassed them all. In other words His deity is equally revealed by His own resurrection and by the resurrection of those whom He came to save.

So the resurrection of Christ is seen as having introduced a new era. By it He has been manifested as, and declared to be, God's only Son, and by it He has broken the powers of death and Hell, those elements which stood in the way of our enjoyment of an eternal inheritance. Because He lives we can live also (John 14:19). Indeed, as we shall see, this is what the letter is all about, for whilst our acceptability with God (our ‘justification') is undoubtedly something which is at the heart of the letter, it is the final result of that justification in our transformation and glorification which is its final goal (chapter 8).

And Who is this unique and powerful Son of God? He is ‘Jesus Christ our Lord.' Firstly He is ‘Jesus', Who will save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). He is true man and true Saviour. Secondly He is ‘the Christ', promised and prepared for by God's word and by the prophets, and now manifested to the world. And above all He is ‘our LORD', Lord of the Universe, co-equal with God the Father (John 5:19; John 14:7; Colossians 1:19; Colossians 2:9), Creator of all things (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2), and of us, and the One Who has bought us with a price (1 Corinthians 6:19).