Key Verses: Ch 11:16, Ch 5:1
Doctrinal Ch. 1 thru 8
Dispensational Ch. 9-11
Practical Ch. 12-16
Main Theme: The plan of salvation.
Ch. 1 thru 8. Justification by faith. Sanctification through the Holy Spirit.
The apostle shows that the human race is surrounded by insurmountable walls.
1. The wall of universal guilt. Chapters 1-3
2. The wall of sinful tendencies and fleshly lusts—chapter 7
In the middle of his argument showing the awful situation of the natural man, the points to the doors of mercy provided in the plan of salvation.
The Epistle was written from Corinth during the apostle’s third visit to the city.
It was not the first Epistle it actually was the fifth, to be written by Paul, but it is given first place chronologically, because it is the most complete exposition in the New Testament of the central truths of Christianity.
The theme of the Epistle is the Gospel of God. God explains His Gospel or “good news” in this letter.
Romans is the greatest and most influential of all Paul’s epistles.
It was the bulwark of the Reformation.
The great corrective against the errors of Romanism.
It points out how lost, helpless humanity can find deliverance in Christ. It focuses on Christ’s cross.
Christ’s redemption is shown to be humanity’s only hope.
The theme—the Gospel of salvation.
He expounds the Gospel in V. 1-6.
It is divine in origin—“the gospel of God.”
Promised in the O.T. Prophetic Scriptures.
Centered in the incarnation—death—resurrection of the Son. V. 3-4
Accredited and authenticated by the Son for the worldwide proclamation V.5-6.
In Paul’s statement of his theme V. 16-17 the great words of the epistle emerge—the gospel—the power of God—salvation—faith (believer)—revealed—righteousness live.
Paul was not ashamed of this divinely revealed message.
He gloried in the Gospel—he was not ashamed of it.
Its blessings and eternal benefits can be obtained by anyone in the human race by faith.
God’s love is revealed in the previous verses of the chapter. In vs. 18 thru 32 God’s wrath is revealed against man’s sin.
Vs. 18 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness.”
1. God not only has revealed His love.
2. He has also revealed His wrath.
V.18-23 Man’s guilty abandonment of God’s glory. (First)
24-32 His progressive moral declension. (Second)
Because of these things man is under God’s wrath. John 3:36
The reason.
1. Man has changed the divine glory into idolatry. The result of this is that God gave himself up to uncleanness.
2. Man changed the truth of God into a lie. Result—God abandoned him to gross immoralities. 26-27
3. Man forsook the knowledge of God. Result—God abandoned him to a base mind and perverted conduct. This presents a horrible picture of the total depravity of man.
Salvation is the great inclusive word of the Gospel, bringing into focus all the redemptive acts and processes.
Redemption—Grace—propitiation—forgiveness—justification—sanctification—glorification.
“The only hope of Christianity is in the rehabilitating of the Pauline theology. It is back, back, back, to an incarnate Christ and His atoning blood, or it is on, on, on, to atheism and despair.”
The Gospel is the good news about Christ.
The Gospel is about God’s Son.
1. Specifically that He died for our sins according to the Scriptures.
2. That He was buried.
3. That He has been raised the third day according to the Scriptures.
4. That He appeared to many witnesses.
Vs. 3-4 Quote—We have in these verses two things.
1. Christ as a man “according to the flesh” and as such fulfilling the promises as to “the seed of David.”
2. Christ as the Son of God, declared as such with power by His resurrection, an that according to the Spirit of holiness.
V. 16-17 In these verses we have the theme of the book.
1. The words “the gospel.”
2. The universal saving powers of the gospel is asserted.
3. The secret of the gospel’s power.
4. The revelation of God’s righteousness on the principle of faith.
Note the four “fors” in verse 16-18.
1. Paul was not ashamed to take the Gospel to Rome, mistress of the world. A message of a crucified Nazarene, despised by the Jews, and put to death by the Romans.
2. For it is the power of God unto salvation. This good news of Christ’s death—burial—resurrection—and coming again is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.
The preacher or teacher must keep this constantly in mind. It is not excellency of speech or wisdom, or the personal magnetism, or earnestness of the preacher that bring men to Christ.
It is the message of Christ crucified, dead, buried, and risen which, when believed, is “the power of God.”
The word of the Cross is to them that are perishing, foolishness; but unto us who are being saved it (the word of the cross) is the power of God. 1 Cor 1:18.
“Not to Thy Cross, but to Thyself,
My living Savior, would I cling!
‘Twas Thou, and not Thy Cross, that bore
My soul’s dark guilt, sin’s deadly sting.”
“A Christless Cross no refuge were for me,
A Crossless Christ my Savior could not be;
But, O CHRIST CRUCIFIED, I rest in Thee.”
V. 17-This verse gives us the third reason why Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel. In this message concerning God’s Son, that He died for our sin, was buried, was raised—there was brought to light—made manifest—a righteousness of God of which the prophets had spoken. See 2 Timothy 1.
God was now acting in righteousness on the basis of Christ’s atoning blood.
It was on the principle of faith by means of a message, those who believed the message would be reckoned righteousness.
V. 18-Paul’s fourth “for”
The world today has lost sin—consciousness—which means losing God-consciousness which means eternal doom. On many faces we see the lack of spiritual life. We see lightless, sightless eyes.
V.18-“Wrath revealed from heaven.” God revealed His wrath when He rained fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah. Gen.19, Acts 17. God has appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness.
Ungodliness is direct disregard of God. Unrighteousness has reference to wickedness of conduct. In order to live the aforementioned life one must hold down the truth.
V.19-20 The universe is a revelation of the power and Deity of God.
V.21-23 This section is the first of three stages of human unbelief. Men today are rushing back to the old pagan pit out of which the Gospel would have delivered them.
They revel in sin, they wallow in wickedness, they profess to be wise. Young people sit at the feet of the “professors” whose breath is spiritual cyanide. Men and women of all ages are wallowing in the quagmire of sin, the morals of Sodom are with us.
V.23 Idolatry is prevalent—men and women are worshiping all kinds of objects.
V.24 Because of these things God abandoned them to impurity, letting them follow the cravings of their hearts. They worshipped and dishonored their own bodies with one another.
V. 26 For the second time we read that “God gave them over to disgraceful passions. The women are the first to be indicted here. Lesbianism.
V. 27 Homosexuality. Men with men—men committing shameless acts with men. “Receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was fitting.” “And are paid in their own bodies the fitting wage of such perversion.”
This is a fearful account of a lost race plunging deeper and deeper into horrendous sin and horrific bondage.
V 28 For the third time God gave them over or abandoned them to a depraved and base mind to perform unmentionable and indecent deeds.
V.29-21 Is a picture of rebellious mankind being abandoned by God and living on the lowest plane possible.
V. 32 The human race know that such sins will bring the judgment of God upon them, despite this they even applaud those who do them.