I’ve thoroughly enjoyed our January Bible Study thus far! I know that I’ve printed out some copies of the notes from the first week when Wayne took us through Romans 1-4. Well, I want to post them here in case you didn’t get them.
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INTRODUCTION:
Author: The introduction of the letter identifies Paul as its author (1:1). The vast majority of scholars agree that the content of the letter as well as evidence from early church history confirms this. Paul is first mentioned in Scripture in the book of Acts as Saul. Acts 7:57-8:1 tells us that Saul was a persecutor of the church. After a dramatic conversion experience Saul’s became a preacher of the gospel and a missionary and latter recognized as Paul the apostle (Acts 9:1-31, 13:4-12). At the end of his third missionary journey and before his arrest Paul wrote the letter to the Romans.
The Occasion and Purpose of the Letter: Having heard of the faith of those in the church at Rome, Paul had long planned to make a journey to see them (Rom. 1:8-11a, 13). First however, Paul was obligated to visit Jerusalem and deliver to those in need the offerings that he had received on their behalf (15:25-26, I Cor. 16:1-4). His intentions upon arriving at Rome are found in chapter 1. His long range goal was to use Rome as a springboard to launch him into his next missionary journey to Spain (15:24). This would never happen. Paul was arrested by the Romans upon his return to Jerusalem. Eventually he did reach Rome as a prisoner where we find him at the conclusion of the book of Acts. Paul wanted to come to Rome and preach the gospel himself to any who had not heard it. He also wanted to strengthen the church and receive encouragement from them. Until this could take place, Paul intended the letter he had written to suffice. The letter encourages the church, contributes their spiritual health, and affirms the gospel that both Paul and the church are proclaiming.
The Theme and Content of the Letter: Without question the theme of Paul’s letter is the gospel of God. The letter to the Romans details how that because of God’s amazing grace, we can through faith in Christ be saved from or sins. Some see Rom. 3:21-26 as the key passage of the letter.
“But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” - Romans 3:21-26 (NKJV)
The letter breaks down into five divisions;
1:1-17 – Introduction
1:18-8:39 – The gospel as God’s provision for salvation by faith
9:1-11:36 – The gospel and Israel
12:1-15:13 – The gospel and how it transforms your life
15:14-16:27 – Conclusion
Introduction: Jesus is the Gospel – Romans 1:1-4 v. 1 – Paul described himself as a servant or slave of Jesus Christ. His audience was well aware of what it meant to a slave. They knew well that masters often times assigned to their servants a task that must be performed. Paul described his task as that of proclaiming the gospel, assigned to him by his Lord, Jesus Christ. The term good news was often employed in the Paul’s day to describe many positive announcements. These could be special holidays, a ruler’s birthday, exemption from taxation, etc.
However, Paul goes on to declare that the good news he is speaking of is the person of Jesus who is the Christ.
I. vv. 2-4 – Jesus is the Gospel
A. v. 2 – he is the revealed one
John 5:39 – “”You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.”
Luke 24:27 – “And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.”
B. v. 3 – He is the reigning one
2 avenues:
1. earthly throne – seed of David – the gospel writers Matthew and Luke both trace out this lineage
2. heavenly throne – Son of God Jesus is the gospel because it is He who fulfilled the Messianic prophecies as being in line to rule upon David’s throne and establishing it forever.
Also he is the Gospel because as the God-Man he was the one who was able to offer the better sacrifice (Heb.).
C. v. 4 – He is the resurrected One -
he had power over sin in his life – “spirit of holiness” God required a sacrifice that was perfect in everyway. From the very beginning in Genesis with Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, and then in Exodus in the tabernacle and later the temple God called for a lamb that was without spot and blemish.
- he had victory over the penalty of sin – “resurrected from the dead”
Believe in God: Understand the Gospel: Rom. 1:11-17
I. The Goals of the Gospel: vs. 11-13 “that I may/might”
a. it is our Foundation – vs. 11
Message(paraphrase) – “I so want to be there to deliver God’s gift in person and watch you grow stronger right before my eyes!”
Every aspect of our life is to be founded upon the Gospel.
The Gospel is the building block for all areas of our lives.
“On Christ the Solid Rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand”
b. it is our Fellowship – vs. 12
the gospel is the thread that runs through the hearts of all believers, to tie us together
It is the gospel that one-day will draw all men, of every nation, tribe, and tongue together in perfect fellowship forever
One of Paul’s motives in writing the gospel to the Christians at Rome was to solidify them in their support of it, so that he could use them to launch the Gospel into Spain – Rom. 15:24
Don’t throw rocks at other Christians, throw them at the Devil
Why is Unity/Fellowship so important? –> John 17:23 – “that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me”
c. it is to be Fruitful – vs. 13
the main objective of the gospel is to win others to Christ.
God is pleased with our faithfulness (Heb. 11:6); however, he is glorified with our fruitfulness (John 15:8)
THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THE CHURCH AND EVERY CHRISTAIN SHOULD BE: TO GET TO HEAVEN AND TAKE AS MANY PEOPLE WITH YOU AS YOU CAN!
Paul now turns his attention from what the gospel expects to achieve in our lives, to what he expects to achieve with the gospel:
II. Our Role in the Gospel: vs. 14-16a “I am”
What we are to achieve with the Gospel
a. our Position – vs. 14 “debtor” “debtor “ – one who is obligated to do something, to owe out of essential necessity because we have believed the gospel, we are know indebted to carry it to those who have not heard it
John Phillips – “It made little difference to Paul whether a man was cultured or crude, an intellectual or an ignoramus. He would proclaim Christ with equal passion to a runaway slave like Onesimus or to a proud monarch like King Aggripa. Those who know the truth are debtors to all mankind”
b. our Participation – vs. 15 “ready to preach” Paul was pumped to preach at Rome “The gospel has never been where man hasn’t taken it”
c. our Privilege – vs. 16 “not ashamed” God chose nature to declare his glory – Ps. 119, Angels his birth, but us to declare his love!
I John 3:1 – “Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God”
III. The Soul of the Gospel – vs. 16b-17
It cost God nothing to declare the greatness of his Glory; he spoke and the heavens appeared. Yet, it cost him his own son to declare the Gospel of his Grace!
a. its Authority – “it is the power of God” power – inherent power – without the gospel there would be no way that God himself could save lost man (not dynamite)
b. its Availability – “to everyone that believeth”
c. its Access – “from faith to faith”- it is through the avenue of faith in the gospel that we access the righteousness of God.
Believe in God: He has revealed His Wrath – Rom. 1:18, 21-27
v. 18 – God’s wrath is revealed to mankind because of three reasons: -
human ungodliness- human unrighteousness- human unbelief
God has set the standard for righteousness and man has fallen short of that standard. Although at times we may try to set the standard by culture, we fail to realize that God has set the standard.
Believe in God: He has Revealed His Attributes – Rom. 1:19-20 -
v. 19 – it is undeniable-
v. 20 – it is universal all men are exposed to it all men are exposed by it
vv. 21-27 – all the world is guilty before God!!! Man’s belief and his behavior provide the evidence to show that his righteousness cannot meet the standard that God has set. What’s more is that they did this in light of knowing that God existed and what he called for.
v. 21 – man’s own imagination deserves God’s wrath - all human knowledge of God is partial, yet that does not exempt anyone from the responsibility to respond
vv. 22-27 – man’s idolatry deserves God’s wrath -
idolatry is still prevalent today, and not necessarily in the form of statues, such as is the case here.
Believe in God: His Expectation is Known – Rom. 2:1-16
Here it becomes clear that Paul has been addressing the Gentiles in the previous verses, but now he turns his attention to the Jews.
vv. 6-10 – God will judge according to our works
vv. 11-16 – God will judge according to His worth the law of God must be written on the heart of the individual. It is not simply an external thing, but an internal one.
Part 2: God Accepts our Faith – A Better Way, Rom. 3:21-31
Paul now begins his great journey of explanation on how God can rightfully save lost sinners.
Recap:
I. An Undeniable Problem
a. Heathen – Rom. 1:18-2:16 Paul here in these verses displays the facts that God cannot accept the Gentile man. He has a problem.
Rom. 1:19-22 – “Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21. Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,”
Rom. 1:32 – “Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”
b. Hebrew – Rom. 3:1-8 Here Paul now details the fact the even God’s chosen people have a problem.
Rom. 2:17-19, 24 – “Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, 18. And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; 19. And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness… For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.”
Rom. 2:28-29 – “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29. But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.”
c. Human-kind – Rom. 3:9-20
Paul plainly declares that the entire human race is short of God’s matchless glory. The Jew and the Gentile each needed God’s grace. In fact he places guilt on the entire world – vs. 19
II. An Unbelievable Plan – “But now”
Paul here begins to give the enlightenment on how God can save a doomed man from the despair that he is living in. It is as if Paul turns the switch on and begins a new argument.
a. Its Approach – vs. 21 It is initiated by God – it is God who took the first steps in redeeming lost man kind. Vs. 25 – “Whom God set forth” The intention of God – righteousness by Christ Jesus
b. The appeal – vs. 22 God himself made this plan available to all Because all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
c. The application – vs. 24-26 -
paying of the price – redemption – vs. 24-
pleasing of the penalty – propitiation – vs. 25-
proclamation of the position – vs. 26- the cross was the public demonstration that God is righteous in the way that he handled the sin question.
III. Universal Product – vs. 27-31
a. It’s a God thing – vs. 27
b. It’s a Faith thing – vs. 28 c
c. It’s a Sure thing – vs. 31
God Accepts our Faith:
Our Example – Rom. 4:1-5 Abraham was justified not by works, but by faith alone
God Accepts our faith: Our Inclusion through Faith – Rom. 4:22-25
As it was for Abraham so it is for us:
1. for the same purpose
2. by the same process
3. on the same principle
Abraham was saved the same way as we are. He looked forward by faith to the finished work of Christ (John 8:56). We look back by faith to the finished work of Christ and enjoy the same salvation Abraham enjoyed. Thus the two ways are compared and contrasted – salvation by trying and trusting. What Abraham found, what David found, what Paul found, we must also find. Salvation is by faith and by faith alone.
