A Study in the Book of Romans

Outline of Romans

Key verse: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that belirveth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” Romans 1:16

I.  Romans 1:1—5:21

I) Part 1 Romans 1:1-15
A. Paul the Servent
B. Paul the Apostle
C. Paul's Gospel
D. Prophetic Fullfillment
E. The Scriptures and Christ

i) Diety of Christ Son of God
ii) Humanity of Christ Son of Man

II)  Romans 1:16-32


III) Romans 2:1—Romans 5:21

A. Romans 2:1-29

B. Romans 3:1—31

a. Romans 3:1—20

b. Romans 3:21—31
C. Romans 4:1—25
D. Romans 5:1—21

IV) Romans 6:1—8:29

A)    Romans 6:1—23

B)     Romans 7:1—25

C)    Romans 8:1—39

V)   Romans 9:1—11:36

A)  Romans 9:1—33

B)  Romans 10:1—21

C) Romans 11:1—36

VI)  Romans 12:1—16:27

A) Romans 12:1—21

B) Romans 13:1—14

C) Romans 14:1—21

D) Romans 15:1—33

E) Romans 16:1—27


CONCLUSION

The Book of Romans

Romans--Justification by Faith Alone

 

Introductory Comments

"All scripture is given by inspiration" II Timothy 3:16

 



        A few years ago I had the priviliage of pastoring a church in Grass Valley, California. The first study through a book that I delivered as a pastor was the book of Romans. I can think of no New Testament book that contains such a great depth of doctrine concerning the doctrine of salvation and justification as does the book of Romans.
        Paul, though he knew the Lord by first hand experience, that is he met Jesus personally, was the human author under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that penned this book.
        It is a requirement for being an apostle was to have met the risen Christ bodily and personally.
There is something else here that is even more important then having met the savior and spent time with him. He met Jesus on that Damasican road so many centuries ago, but we can still echo these words:
Act 9:5
(5) "And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks."

However, this was not the only personal, face to face experience with the Risen Christ, that Paul was to have with His Lord, for Paul spent time in the wilderness after his conversion. After his personal experience with Christ on the road to Damascus, that we saw in Acts 9:5, for after that his personal encounter with Christ, Paul went to the wilderness of Arabia and spent time with the Lord:
Gal 1:13-17
(13) "For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:"
Pauls life before he was converted was a very zealous member of the sect of the Jews called Pharisee. He carried his beliefs to such an extent that he persecuted the church of God. He carried off Christians to their deaths for being believers in the ressurected Christ.
(14) "And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers."
(15) But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
(16) To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
(17) Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.



Rom 1:1-32
(1) "Paul, a slave of Jesus Christ, a called apostle, having been separated [or, appointed] to the Gospel of God,"
        Paul uses this term 'servant' three times in the opening salutation's of his writings, here in Romans, again in Philippians 1:1 and finally in Titus. In Romans it is Paul a servant of Jesus Christ, in Philippians it is Paul and Timothy servants of Jesus Christ and in Titus it is Paul a servant of God. The whole concept of being a servant has been lost on many of those in our churches today. We have pastors who desire to have a pr-eminent place and the last thing they want is the humility that comes with being a servant of Christ. Being a servant as opposed to being a leader is of utmost importance, but understand that Paul is not a servant of those who he is writing to, but a servant of God and of Jesus Christ.
        Paul received his marching orders as an apostle directly from Christ. This brings us to a very important consideration. Can there be Apostles today? The word 'apostle' carries with it the idea of having authority given to Paul by God himself, literally this term means a sent one having authority i.e. a message or a messenger. It was used when the emperor would choose a general or admiral to be in charge of a mission, he would send the one he had chosen with the orders (message) for their mission. No one, but the emperor and the one he has sent knew what the mission or message was. Paul was appointed by God as an apostle and as we have already seen his "marching orders", came from God. The Lord had specifically set or ordained that he was only responsiable to God for his ministry. Pastors are not really employees of a church, but servants of God. We tend to get this distinction all wrong.
        To be an Apostle there were certain requirements: The answer is that not unless they have had a personal and I do mean a personal living encounter with Christ. One of the main points that qualifies an apostle is having met Christ bodily. Paul did this, infact he had a mini seminary education with the Master Himself. Paul new the old testament, but he did not know the author until he met Christ.
        These are the requirements that God has for an apostle:
(1)He had seen Christ after the ressurrection--I Corinthians 9:1--

(2)Commissioned directly by the Lord Jesus and God the Father--Galatians 1:1--

(3)He possessed the signs of an Apostle--II Corinthians 12:12--

(4) He received the knowledge of the gospel directly from Christ--I Corinthians 15:8-10 and Galatians 1:10-12--

(5) Finally he labored more then all the rest.--I Corinthians 15:10--
The keys to the kingdom as applied to the gentile world had been passed to him by Peter. Paul is saying that he carries the authority of God and he ties this to his being a servant of Jesus Christ. Hence we have Paul who is this willing bond slave carrying the weight of the authority of God to the gentile world. It was very humbling for Paul to know that he had willingly submitted himself to God as a slave. God has throughout human history used those who have submitted to his authority. These were always just humble servants of God. God uses servants to accomplish His will.
The word seperated means to set off by boundries by limit severed in such a fashion as to be only limited to the preaching of the cross. Paul also tells us in I Corinthians 1:18 that the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who perish.
1Co 1:18
(18) "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."
The preaching of the cross to the apostle was the whole summation of his ministry. In fact he says in that he really did not want to here any other message among the Corinthians. 1Co 2:2 "For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified."
This connection between what Paul says in Romans and the book of Corinthians is not by accident. Paul spends most of the 15th chapter of I Corinthians in defence of the ressurection. He starts off I Corinthians telling us that he did not want to here about anything, but Christ and Him crucified, with that is included the ressurection, because he links the two in I Corinthians 15.


(2) "which He promised beforehand through His prophets in [the] Holy Scriptures,"
        The promise of an eternal salvation (the gospel) had been promissed in the Old Testament, Isaiah 53:6 is probably the most obvious in the Old Testament, but Psalm 22,23 and 24 are also speaking of the gospel. It had also been promissed from one end of the Old Testament to the other. Jehovah had promissed to bring eternal salvation to Israel. Those Jewish people that were living in our Lord Jesus's day had their eyes covered and their ears plugged so that they did not recognize it.
        However, The Holy Spirit of God did reveal the truth to those who were to be the inheritors of salvation. The prophets of the Old Testament had on numerous occasions told those living in their day of the promises of the coming Messiah, including that he would give his life for the children of Israel. This is not a promise to be ignored, but one to in gulf yourself into. This precious savior of ours wants us to immerse ourselves in Him. What a priveliage we have as believers in the Lord Jesus, who is the Creator of all that is to be. We could dwell on the promises of the Old Testament for months and even years.
        Paul not only had Christ as savior he was pocessed by Christ. The man of God must be not only saved, but a servant that is pocessed by Christ. The concept is of one who has willing submitted himself to serve God. Christ needs to be in control of our lives. He demands that we hand over the reigns to Him. Just as Paul talks of in these early verses of the Book of Romans, separated unto the gospel of God.
        This is what is so wrong with so many in our church's today and its ministers, they are not servants of Jesus Christ, can't be apostles and definitely not separated unto Christ. We need to be other worldly, John says for us to "love not the world neither the things that are in the world." The love of this worldly system is to make ourselves God's enemies. This church is God's pocession and for that reason it has to be cared for His way. The gospel needs to be preached by our people and it is our responsiablity to feed them, train them and encourage them. If I preach not the gospel of Christ I put the lie to who I claim to be a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.
        The gospel had been promised in many places in the Old Testament, but I think that the verses that Paul is those found in the book of Isaiah, Malachi and the Psalms especially those that are Messianic in nature.


(3) "concerning His Son, the One having come from [the] seed of David according to the flesh,"
Our Savior is the reigning monarch of the throne of David King of Israel. He reigns among the nations whether they want him or not.

(4) "the [One] having been designated Son of God with power according to [the] Spirit of holiness, by [the] resurrection from [the] dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,"
        Among Christian proofs (appologetics) for the validity of our faith is the ressurection, the Lord Jesus Christ was of the lineage of David, but is declared to be the Son of God and that with supernatural power. I think that one of the ways that it is evidenced is in the changed lives of those who have turned to Christ.
        Next notice he says under inspiration that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of holiness. We need to have more of this spirit of holiness to take control of this Christ denying world. What is being said here is that God is working out His holiness through the lives of believers. This is linked permanently to the resurrection. Why is this so important? For the reason that Christ had crucified the old man (sin nature) to his cross. What is being said is that as far as God is concerned my old sinful nature is dead. Later in this book we shall see how that he not only gave us this fact, but made it a real practical possibility. Not that we can stop ever from sinning now and then. This is not sinless perfection, but the perfection of the believer in faith and obedience of the truth (God's Word). The believer will never reach absolute perfection in this life, but we will sin less then before.

(5) "through whom we received grace and apostleship for obedience of faith among all the nations on behalf of His name,"
        We have received from God grace and everything that accompanies it. Paul is saying that these twins, "grace and apostleship" were received directly from God. These two were necessary for the spreading of the Gospel in the time between the day of pentecost and the completion of the canon of scripture. Going together this gives us our ministry to win the lost to Christ and build up believers in the faith. 2Co 5:18
(18) "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;"
        God's gift to us is this ministry of reconciliation, the winning of the lost to Christ. The Lord had done this, by imputing or charging our sins to Christ and giving unto us his righteousness. Paul again goes into this idea of being ambassadors.
Obedience of faith is simply believing that the Lord Jesus has died for your sins, was buried and rose again. 1Co 15:3-4
(3) "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;"
(4) "And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:"
        This is what is meant by reconciliation, making that which was against God into that which belongs to Him. He does make a demand of the human race and that demand is that you believe the gospel. The Philipian jailer asked the question "What must I do to be saved?". Pauls answer is found here: Act 16:30-31
(30) "And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
(31) "And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
Dear reader if you are reading this message for the first time, will you answer that question? Will you blieve on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved and your whole family?






(6) "among whom _you*_ also are called of Jesus Christ;"

(7) "to all the ones being in Rome, beloved of God, called holy ones [or, saints, and throughout epistle]: Grace to you* and peace from God our Father and [the] Lord Jesus Christ!"

(8) "First indeed I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you*, that your* faith is being proclaimed in the whole world.

(9) "For God is my witness, whom I sacredly serve in my spirit in the Gospel of His Son, how I constantly make mention of you*,"

(10) always imploring in my prayers, if in some way now at last I will succeed, by the will of God, to come to you*.
(11) For I long to see you*, so that I should impart some spiritual gift to you*, for you* to be established,
(12) now that is [for me] to be comforted [or, encouraged] together among you*, through faith in one another, both yours* and mine.
(13) But I do not want you* to be unaware, brothers [and sisters], that frequently I myself intended to come to you* (and was prevented until the present), so that I should have some fruit also among you*, just as also among the other Gentiles.
(14) I am a debtor [fig., under obligation] both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to wise and to foolish.
(15) So the [situation] concerning me [is this: I am] eager to proclaim the Gospel also to you*, the [ones] in Rome.
(16) For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is [the] power of God to salvation to every [one] believing, both to [the] Jew first and to [the] Greek.
(17) For [the] righteousness of God is revealed in it from faith to faith, just as it has been written, "But the [one] righteous by faith will live [or, the righteous will live by faith]." [Hab 2:4]
(18) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven upon all impiety [or, ungodliness] and unrighteousness of people, [upon] the ones suppressing the truth in unrighteousness.
(19) For this reason, the [thing] known of God is revealed among [or, within] them, for God revealed [it] to them.
(20) For from [the] creation of [the] world His invisible [attributes] are plainly seen, being understood by the [things] made, both His eternal power and divinity, so that they are without excuse.
(21) For this reason, having known God, they did not glorify [Him] as God nor did they give thanks, _but_ they were given over to deception in their thought processes [or, they became futile in their speculations], and their foolish heart [fig., inner self, and throughout book] was darkened.
(22) Professing to be wise, they were made fools,
(23) and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for a likeness of an image of corruptible people and of birds and of four-footed animals and of reptiles.
(24) And so God also gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity [or, immorality], to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves;
(25) who exchanged the truth of God for the lie [or, changed the truth of God into a lie], and worshipped and sacredly served the creation rather than the One having created, who is blessed into the ages [fig., forever]. So be it!
(26) For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable, lustful passions, for even their females exchanged the natural use for the [use] against nature,
(27) and likewise also the males having left the natural use of the female were inflamed in their craving for one another; males with males committing shameful behavior and receiving back in themselves the penalty which was fitting [for] their deception [or, perversion].
(28) And just as they did not think it was worthwhile to be having [or, keeping] God in [their] true knowledge [or, consciousness], God gave them over to a disapproved [fig., debased] mind to be doing the [things] not proper,
(29) having been filled with all unrighteousness, sexual sin, wickedness, covetous desire [or, greed], malice; full of envy, murder, bitter conflict, deceit [or, treachery], maliciousness; gossips,
(30) back-biters, God-haters, insolent persons, arrogant boasters, schemers of evil [things], disobedient to parents,
(31) foolish, untrustworthy, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful;
(32) who having known the righteous judgment of God, that the ones practicing such things are deserving of death, not only are doing them, _but_ they are also approving of the ones practicing [them].














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