Introduction
Romans is probably the greatest work ever written. Samuel Taylor Coleridge said, "I think that the Epistle to the Romans is the most profound work in existence."1 This evaluation is made not only for the content of the Epistle, but also because of it's effect on people throughout history.
In Romans, Paul systematically sets forth the great doctrines of Christianity: sin and it impact on the human race, the righteousness of God, faith and how we can have righteousness as a result of Christ's death and resurrection, the equality of Jews and Gentiles in Christ, the distinct ways in which God has dealt with Jews and Gentiles in history, the indwelling power and gift of the Holy Spirit, the sovereignty of God, the role of the Old Testament Law, the relationship between faith and works, and the role and future of national Israel in light of it's present rejection of the Messiah.
Romans is both gospel-centered and God-centered. We can never hear the gospel enough. Because of sin, we are inclined to distort it. We need to be constantly reminded of the truth and what we believe. The gospel is not only the truth by which we are saved, it is the standard by which we are to live. Paul tells us, "As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him (Colossians 2:6)." The gospel is "the power of God unto salvation," and it "reveals the righteousness of God" (Romans 1:16-17). For these reasons it is so prominent in Romans.
Through Romans we learn that the universe is God-centered, not man-centered. God is righteous. A righteous God is an arresting concept. It is is both comforting and disturbing.
James I. Packer of England states:
"there is one book in the New Testament which links up with almost everything that the Bible contains: that is the Epistle to the Romans, . . . In Romans, Paul brings together and sets out in systematic relation all the great themes of the Bible--sin, law, judgment, faith, works, grace, justification, sanctification, election, the plan of salvation, the work of Christ, the work of the Spirit, the Christian hope, the nature and life of the Church, the place of Jew and Gentile in the purpose of God, the philosophy of the Church and of world history, the meaning and message of the Old Testament, the duties of Christian citizenship, the principles of personal piety and ethics. From the vantage-point given by Romans, the whole landscape of the Bible is open to view, and the broad relation of the parts to the whole becomes plain. The study of Romans is the fittest starting-point for biblical interpretation and theology.’2
Encountering Romans has proven itself to be a life-changing experience for many. The reality of the Scripture, "The word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow, and is a judge of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Heb. 4.12)" has been manifested by this body of Scripture perhaps more than any other. When the principles of "sola scriptura" (the Scriptures alone are our source of authority) and "justification by faith" were rediscovered in the Book of Romans, the world was infused with a truth and righteousness that had been largely lost for a millennium.
Martin Luther, an Augustinian monk and professor at the University of Wittenburg, began in 1515 to lecture on Romans. The more he studied it, the more he realized that the way of achieving righteousness before God was by faith in Christ alone. Luther wrote,
"I greatly longed to understand Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, and nothing stood in the way but that one expression, 'the righteousness of God,' because I took it to mean that righteousness whereby God is righteous and deals righteously in punishing the unrighteous. . . . Night and day I pondered until . . . I grasped the truth that the righteousness of God is that righteousness whereby, through grace and sheer mercy, he justifies us by faith. Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise. The whole of Scripture took on a new meaning, and whereas before 'the righteousness of God' had filled me with hate, now it became to me inexpressibly sweet in greater love. This passage of Paul became to me a gateway to heaven."3
Two hundred years later, John Wesley was transformed by the Epistle. Wesley wrote of how he found Christ when he,
". . . went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s Preface to the Epistle to the Romans . . . About a quarter before nine while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for my salvation; and an assurance was given me that he had taken my sins away, even mine; and saved me from the law of sin and death." 4
Luther, in his preface to Romans, wrote:
This Epistle is the chief book of the New Testament, the purest gospel. It deserves not only to be known word for word by every Christian, but to be the subject of his meditation day by day, the daily bread of his soul. . . . The more time one spends in it, the more precious it becomes and the better it appears.’ He spoke of it as ‘a light and way into the whole Scriptures, . . . 5
Calvin said of it,
"When any one understands this Epistle, he has a passage opened to him to the understanding of the whole Scriptures." 6
Authorship, Date, and Place
Paul's authorship has never been seriously challenged. It is all Paul, his most brilliant work. Paul’s comments in Romans 1:8-15 and 15:22-29, when compared to the events of Acts 18:1-2 and 20:3, 6, 18, point to a time of writing late in 57 or early 58 A.D. This was at the close of Paul's third missionary journey during the three months he was in Greece (Acts 20.3). It was just before his return to Jerusalem with the offering from the churches of Macedonia and Achaia for the poor believers there (Rom. 15.26). The place of writing seems quite clearly to be Corinth. His recipients were "all who are beloved of God in Rome, called saints" (1.7). In Romans 15.18-33 Paul tells us why he wrote it. Paul was interesting in spreading the gospel. He felt he had done what was necessary to establish it in the east. It was now time to turn west--to Rome, and then to Spain.
Theme
The predominant theme of the Book of Romans is the righteousness of God. Paul explains God's plan to redeem mankind so that we can know God and have fellowship with him. It is by God's grace through faith in Christ's death and resurrection that we are able to obtain the righteousness of God.
Outline
| Introduction | 1.1-1.17 |
| The problem: Sin | 1.18-3.20 |
| The solution: Righteousness by faith--salvation--sanctification | 3.21-8.37 |
| The problem of Israel | 9-11 |
| Righteous living: practical matters | 12-15.13 |
| Conclusion | 15.14-16.25 |
Personal Application
In our study and in your own private study, pray to God expecting him to open your understanding and speak to your heart. The Word of God has the power, as nothing else, to enlighten and enliven soul and spirit. It is through the Scriptures, that we know God. Jesus prayed to his Father, shortly before he was going to the cross, for those who would believe in him, "Sanctify them in the truth, Thy word is truth" (John 17.17). The Psalmist said,
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light upon my path" (Ps. 119.105)
and the author of Hebrews wrote,
"For the word of God is alive and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword and piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Heb. 4.12)".
May these words be applicable in your own life:
My son, if you will receive my sayings, And treasure my commandments within you, Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding; for if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will discern the fear of the Lord, And discover the knowledge of God (Prov. 2.1-5).
As we seek to apply the great truths of Romans to our lives, ask yourselves the following:
- Where is your identity found?
- Upon what or who is your self-concept based?
- Where is your hope?
- In what, or in whom, do you boast?
- Are you a "son of Adam" or a "son of God"?
- Does adversity and tribulation deepen your love for and your trust in God?
- Are you finding the gospel of Jesus Christ and your riches in Him to be higher and deeper, wider and longer each day?
Romans 3.21-5.21 is Paul's brilliant explaination of the gospel. It is a clear exposition that salvation (receiving a right standing with God) is obtained by exercising faith in Christ, not by performing good works. Below is a story by a pastor that is typical regarding the misunderstanding of the gospel:
"Some years ago I was asked by a couple to baptize their son. The young man had requested baptism, and his parents seemed eager for him to do so. As is our practice, the one who wishes to be baptized must first be interviewed. This is to make certain that the one seeking baptism understands the gospel and has come to a personal faith in Jesus Christ. It is also to make certain that this individual understands the meaning of baptism.
On this occasion, I did something I almost never do--I invited the young man’s father into my study to accompany his son as I talked with him. Usually I speak to children alone so that parents will not be tempted to prompt their child and so the child will not feel any pressure to please his parents. The mother waited for us in another room. I shall never forget that interview.
As usual, I first set out to put the boy at ease by asking him a few conversational questions, eventually coming to the critical issues. I said to him, "Suppose you were to die right now, and you found yourself at the gates of heaven. Suppose also that St. Peter happened to be the gate-keeper, and he asked you why he should let you into God’s heaven. What reason would you give Peter for letting you into heaven?"
The boy stumbled. He made a few feeble attempts to answer, but he really did not seem to have any grasp of what it meant to be saved. It was a very awkward situation. His father wanted to help his son out, and so I let him give his answer, which went something like this: 'I would tell Peter that I hoped I had done enough good works and that these outnumbered my bad deeds, so that God would let me into heaven.'
At this point things became even more awkward, for I now realized that neither the boy nor his father truly understood the gospel. As simply and clearly as I could, I explained the gospel to them, much as Paul has explained it in Romans 1-3. By our works, we cannot earn God’s salvation or enter God’s heaven. Our works only condemn us; they can never save us. I told them that God has provided the way for us to get to heaven by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to the earth. Jesus died to take our punishment on Himself and to give us His righteousness. All we need to do is to admit that we are a sinner, deserving of God’s punishment, and to believe by faith that Jesus has been punished in our place and that His righteousness is now ours.
Even though they knew I could not baptize the boy at the next baptism, to my surprise and relief neither the boy nor his father seemed upset. Instead, they appeared to be almost excited. Wondering what I would say to the mother, we returned to where she was waiting. I was searching for the right words when the husband suddenly spoke up in a way I would never have expected.
'Wow,' he said to his wife, 'did we ever flunk that test,' explaining to her that neither he nor their son had been able to correctly answer the question I had asked. And then he said to his wife, 'Say, let me ask you the same question, dear. If you were to die right now and find yourself at the gates of heaven, and you were asked why God should let you in, what would you say?' Without a moment’s hesitation, she responded confidently: 'Good works!' 'Wrong,' the husband blurted out, 'You flunked, too! You’re wrong just like we were!'
This father had come to understand that no one gets to heaven by good works. Unfortunately, his thinking reflects that of all too many people who suppose that heaven can be gained if our good works only outweigh or outnumber our sins. This is precisely the point Paul has made in the first three chapters of his Epistle to the Romans. On the basis of one’s works, no one can be pronounced righteous by God. Our works show all of us to be under divine condemnation and deserving the penalty of death. The righteousness which we cannot earn, we can receive by faith, because of what Jesus Christ has done in behalf of sinners."7
If we cannot be saved by doing good works, how do good works fit with regard to being a Christian? If doing good works does not save us, does this mean that they do not matter? Can we live any way we want? Paul has a good deal to say regarding the relationship between faith and works. In summary, he teaches that justification is by faith alone, "apart from works," (Romans 4.1-6) and that our salvation is "unto good works," (Ephesians 2.10). Beginning in Romans 6 through the rest of the Epistle, Paul's entire discourse, excluding chapters 9-11 (which Paul devotes to discussing the present and future of Israel in the light of its national rejection of the Messiah), is on the matter of righteous living after salvation.
1 S. T. Coleridge, Table Talk, Oxford University Press, n.d. p. 232.
2 James I. Packer, Fundamentalism and the Word of God, p. 106f.
3Luther’s Works, Weimar edition, Vol. 54, pp. 179ff.
4 Ibid, p. 103.
5 David N. Steele and Curtis C. Thomas, Romans: An Interpretive Outline (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company), p. 1.
6 Ibid.
7 Robert Deffinbaugh, Romans: The Righteousness of God.
tw~| a)gapw~nti h(ma~j kai\ lu/santi h(ma~j e)k tw~n a(martiw~n h(mw~n e)n tw|~ a(i/mati au)tou~.
©1998 Don Samdahl. Anyone is free to reproduce this material and distribute it, but it may not be sold.
Updated Friday, November 08, 2002