Romans 1:8-12 -Thanking God for you

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world.
9 For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you,
10 always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you.
11 For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established;
12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other's faith, both yours and mine.

***

Paul’s Prayer List

Paul had a tremendously large prayer list - every one of Paul’s thirteen letters includes names of people for whom he is praying. When Paul thinks of the church in Rome, there at least five (5) things he wants them to know about his prayers for them:

• Their faith is known everywhere - ( v. 8)
• God knows how earnestly Paul prays - ( v. 9)
• Paul asks to come to Rome - ( v. 10)
• He wants to teach and encourage the church - ( v. 11)
• He wants to support the church, and have the church support him. - ( v. 12)

Vs. 8 - First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world.

“First...” - Before he gets into the meat of the letter, he has a couple of things he wants them to know. He is praying for them. He has never met the members of the church in Rome. Yet, they are in his prayers.

“ your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world ” - Many of Paul’s letters were to churches he had started, or people who were his friends or co-workers. The church in Rome was probably not a ‘mega-church’, with an immense building, rather it may have been a collection of ‘home churches’ (See Rom. 16:5, 10, 11, 14, 15).
Considering that Rome was the power center of western civilization - from the British Isles in the north down to Egypt, Ethiopia and Northern Africa; from the Iberian peninsula in the west to the Middle East - the churches in Rome were big news. The churches were known for their faith in a risen Christ, and their love for other believers and the community around them. Non-Christians knew of this church!

Vs. 9 - For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you,

“ God... is my witness ” - Paul is swearing an oath that he is not lying about praying for them.

“unceasingly I make mention of you .” - He is not exaggerating. These are not prayer telegrams - “prayer tweets” - 140 words or less to God. Looking at Paul’s letters, we see Paul did two things - preach the gospel and pray - everywhere and all the time.

Vs. 10 - always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you.

“ by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you ” - Paul has been on missionary journeys for about 20 years, but has never been to Rome. He’s been to Greece and Macedonia a couple of times.

Vs. 11 - For I long to see you in order that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established;

“ I long to see you ” - It would be a thrill for Paul to meet these believers whose faith is so well-known throughout the nations. To talk to them, to hear their testimonies. To share with each other what the Lord has been doing through them.

“ I may impart some spiritual gift to you ” - I am not sure Paul is referring to ‘spiritual gifts’ as are described in other letters (See: 1 Cor. 12:1-12); but perhaps more along the idea of edification, exhortation, teaching and preaching. (See: 1 Cor. 12:28-29; 14:1-3; Eph. 4:11)

“ that you may be established ” - Although their reputation as Christians is well known “throughout the whole world”, Paul desires to see them strengthened in the faith through proper instruction and information. He will be able to determine first-hand their faith is based on nothing less than Jesus Christ and His righteousness (from the hymn Christ the Solid Rock)

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand. When He shall come with trumpet sound, Oh, may I then in Him be found, Clothed in His righteousness alone, Faultless to stand before the throne! On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand.

Anything else is false gospel, and cannot strengthen the believers.

Vs. 12 - that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other's faith, both yours and mine.

“each of us by the other's faith, both yours and mine” - He expects to be encouraged by their faith, and in turn encourage them. In this way, both are built up, established and strengthened.

***

Romans 1:18-21 - God Can be Known

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

***

God Has Been Revealed to Us

In the next section of verses, Rom. 1:18-32, Paul shows that mankind has spiraled down and away from a relationship with the Lord. Salvation is for the righteous, which comes by faith in Christ. There will be people who think they are sufficiently righteous as they are. Paul is telling us to look around us, look at mankind. You don’t even need to look carefully to see we are not righteous; we revel in our unrighteousness!
Campus Crusade for Christ had a definition of sin: Active rebellion or passive indifference to God and His commands.

In the following we will see that:

• We have ignored God (v. 19)
• We have refused to acknowledge Him (v. 21)
• We proceed on this path to sinful activities (v. 24ff)
• And finally, encourage others to join in (v. 32)

The path of destruction starts internally and privately and transitions to public, corporate evil doing. Rebellion is not thrust upon you from external forces, but begins within your heart and mind. “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires.’“ (James 1:13-14)
The rebellious acts of sin are a symptom of where your heart, mind, and belief system are taking you.

Vs. 18 - For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

“For” - Paul expands on why he is eager to preach the gospel. He preaches because he is not ashamed to be a Christian (vss. 1:15-17), and he knows the wrath of God to come. He has “entered the sanctuary of God, and perceived their end” (Psa. 73:34). Paul doesn’t want anyone to perish.

“wrath of God is revealed” - The wrath of God is not lashing out in anger. It is not a righteous temper tantrum. God is simply executing the justice required for the penalty of sin. The wrath of God is the action taken to eliminate the sin against Him.

“men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” - He is not talking about being misinformed, or ignorant of the truth. People are operating in “ungodliness and unrighteousness”. God is noting those people who purposefully lead others away from the truth. Pilate is famous (at least in part) for asking, “What is truth?” The truth is in the gospel. The gospel is freedom from sin, and eternal life with Jesus when you believe in Him.

Vs. 19 - because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.

“that which is known about God is evident within them ” - We don’t need to go on a ‘vision quest’ in search of God. He has placed within our hearts and minds a desire to know Him. C. S. Lewis, in “Mere Christianity”, covers and discusses this much more fully than I can. (I cannot top the greatest Christian apologist of the 20th century.) The concept of right-and-wrong is deeply imbedded within us. It is not a social construct. It is God-given conscience. Without the power of the Holy Spirit, this God-given conscience gets pummeled and modified into selfishness. Instead of being about what is right, it becomes what I want is-right-for-me. If what-I-want does not conform with God’s will for us, then we are committing sin.
These things we can know about God, not “maybe could have guessed”.

“ God made it evident to them ” - A famous quote from Blaise Pascal, “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of each man which cannot be satisfied by any created thing but only by God the Creator, made know through Jesus Christ.” This statement is the next step beyond what Paul is saying here: We all know of God because a desire to have a relationship with Him is placed within each of us. “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:34) He does not overpower us, even though He is in us.

Vs. 20 - For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

“ being understood through what has been made ” - To be sure, the evidence of God is within us, but He has not left it at that. In addition to the internal evidence there is all of creation showing the magnificence of God. (See: Acts 14:17; 17:24-27) If you are willing (that is a key) you can be bowled over with amazement at the the world around you, the universe beyond. Look at the sunlight striking a snow capped mountain, or a sunset at the beach. Watch a grey whale breach the surface, or a pod of dolphins race along side your ship. See a delicate spider web covered with morning dew. Consider the hoar frost around a gopher hole in early February, created by their breath as they hibernate. Be amazed at the fall colors, or at salmon migrating upstream to spawn. Some of the photos taken by the Hubble telescope of galaxies are astounding in beauty and variety. Hold a new baby in your arms, or a new puppy. How can you not be astounded at what God has created?

“ so that they are without excuse .” - ‘They’ are those people who refuse to acknowledge God’s power and majesty all around them. You cannot say, “I had no idea! I never knew!” Evidence all around you, evidence within you - it is there should you choose to not ignore it. If you ignore, or reject the evidence of God, the problem is you, not God. He will not force you to believe.

Vs. 21 - For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. “

they knew... did not honor Him... or give thanks ” - Active resistance and rejection of the truth dishonors God. If you meet the president of the United States, and you do not address him as “Mr. President”, you are showing disrespect. You may dislike the man occupying the office, that doesn’t matter. You show respect because of the office, the power of the office and all it represents. Anything else shows dishonor.
Likewise, not saying, “Thank you” to someone who has benefitted you does not show respect for what has been done for you. Selfishness or arrogance has replaced appreciation.

“became futile... heart was darkened.” - We have just finished reading about the confrontation with the Pharaoh of Egypt in Exodus chapters 7-12. At first, Pharaoh saw each miracle (or, plague) but decided that it was no big deal. It had no lasting effect upon him. At some point, he decides these plagues are getting bad. But when God removes the plague through Moses, Pharaoh appears to think it wasn’t as bad as he thought. So he changes his mind, and refuses to let the Israelites go. Then he tries to negotiate, going from “no-one-no-way”, to allowing the “men only” to leave; or the “men and women but not the children”; or the “adults and children but not the livestock”. The repeated phrase “Pharaoh’s heart was hardened” follows each time he changes his mind, refusing to let Israel go.
Why did I bring this up? The connection is: when there is no perceived consequence to a person’s actions, those actions will persist or get worse. We see this in our children. If we do not follow through on discipline, the naughty behavior will continue. This holds true in adult behavior also. Pro-abortion advocates have gone from “safe, legal, and rare” abortion practices to killing babies as they are being born. Pornography has changed from being in the background and shunned in society to being the biggest money-maker on the internet.
The conscience becomes dulled to the point that almost any action is acceptable. Even worse, people begin calling evil actions as “good”, and good behavior as “evil”. Just the other day, I saw an article in which some pastors were praising Planned Parenthood for doing “The Lord’s work” when killing babies. Their hearts are blinded to the evil in front of them.

***

Before I start this next section of Romans Chapter 1:21-32, I want to clarify that sometimes the conclusions reached will sound compassionless, harsh, heartless. That is neither the intent, nor my feelings on the matters. Spiritual laws are as firm and unyielding as is gravity. Trying to talk ourselves out of recognizing that the sin within us will exact a price is folly. Rationalizing is not dealing with the problem that confronts us all. The price of sin is horrific - eternal separation from God. Telling ourselves that we are really not bad people keeps us from facing consequences. I feeling sorry for someone who is an alcoholic, but that will not help them. I feel awful for the family destroyed by adultery, but that doesn’t help the adulterer. Compassion and empathy should lead us to a desire to teach the gospel of forgiveness, grace, peace, love, freedom from sin. Not sharing the gospel is akin to driving by an auto accident and thinking, “Hope no one was hurt.”
Paul is showing us in the following verses how much we need Jesus. The letter to the Romans can be summed up in a line from the movie ‘Terminator 2’, “If you want to live, come with me.” Turning away, or recoiling from the stark facts will only lead to destruction. Although the end results of sin in our lives are horrific to contemplate, facing them and turning to Jesus is the wise path to take. Why would you die when salvation is offered, freely. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.
***

Romans 1:4-7 - Introduction and Greeting (part 2)

4 who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord,
5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name's sake,
6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;
7 to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

***

Jesus is Our Model

Vs. 4: - who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord,

“ declared the Son of God” - That Jesus was from God (not just some itinerant preacher, as some erroneously claim) was made clear by His knowledge (Luk. 2:45-47), teaching (Matt. 13:5; Mark 4:1, 6:2) and miracles (Matt. 9:2-7; 11:21; Heb. 2:3-4; John 21:25).

“ with power by the resurrection from the dead ” - Jesus was powerfully shown to be the Son of God. Their (the Jewish leaders) hearts were as hard as Pharaoh’s. His teaching did not convince them He was from God. His miracles did not convince them. (See: Matt. 11:20, 21; Mk. 6:2) Jesus even warned them about their unbelief. “He replied to him, 'If they do not respond to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"(Luk. 16:31) Jesus’ power was shown by His miracles - healing people, (Matt. 8:5-13) raising others from the dead. (See: Lazarus - John 11:1-45; a ruler’s daughter - Matt. 9:18-25) Power to do those things comes from one source - God.

Jesus’ resurrection did not happen by the actions of another human being. God’s power is clearly shown - Jesus was dead (three days) and now He is alive! We are amazed at the power of professional football linemen, at weight lifters, at Caterpillar D9 bulldozers, locomotives pulling mile-long trains. We cannot completely comprehend the power encapsulated in the light and heat of our sun. These are mere pittances when compared to God’s power.
We fear death because it is the end of all we know. Jesus said, “Do not fear.” He warned that He would die, and where He was going we would go also. He goes to prepare a place for us in the Father’s house. (John 13:36; 14:2)

Ponder this: Jesus died and is now alive with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, Those of us who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ may die, but then we will be alive with Him, where He is. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead, also raises us up! Talk about Good News!

“ according to the Spirit of holiness” - “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth.” (John 4:34) The power of the Spirit of God resurrected Jesus from death and placed Him at the right hand of God the Father. It was not ritual, it was not offerings of priests; it was not rams, or lambs. God’s power did this. For us, God’s power will raise us to be with Him, just as Jesus is with Him.

“ Jesus Christ our Lord” - This title “Lord” is given to God, the Messiah. Don’t you hear Handel’s “Messiah” in these words? From Isaiah 9:6 -

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

Paul has focusing on Jesus as Lord, not as a teacher, nor healer and miracle worker. He is those, no doubt about it. Jesus is more, so much more.

Vs. 5: - through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name's sake,

“ through whom we have received grace” - Back in the ‘70s, when I committed my life to Jesus, there was a mnemonic, “GRACE = God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense”. Paul knew he deserved death for the persecution of the church. It was Jesus’ grace that gave him new life and new purpose. Why else would Paul say, “This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’ - and I am the worst of them! But here is why I was treated with mercy: so that in me as the worst, Christ Jesus could demonstrate his utmost patience, as an example for those who are going to believe in him for eternal life.” (1 Tim. 1:15-16)

“ to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles” - Go back and look atverse 1, above. This verse amplifies verse 1, “called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel” Paul’s calling is found in the last phrase of the Great Commission (See: Matt. 28:18-20; Mk 16:16, 16). Just before the Pentecost, Jesus sent His apostles to “the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Those who believe will be saved. It is faith that saves you, not works. Obedience to that faith - committing your life to the belief that Christ has saved you - not obedience to rules and rituals is what Paul was preaching.

Vs. 6: - among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;

“you also are the called of Jesus Christ” - Paul is telling them they are part of the number of people, Jews and Gentiles, who are saved. “Called of Jesus Christ” - you are Christ’s possession. You are His family. You are not just Gentiles. You are Christians, Gentile Christians - a tiny portion of the vast body of Gentiles.

Vs. 7: - to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

“ to all who are... called as saints” - Our culture, even our Christian culture, has changed the meaning of ‘saint’. We see a saint as someone who has done exceptional work, especially work in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. That is not the sense here. A believer has a status different than a non-believer - and that is ‘saint’.

“ Grace to you and peace” - a benediction in every letter written by Paul. This blessing is almost unknown in the Old Testament. The closest we see is : " Tell Aaron and his sons, 'This is the way you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: “The LORD bless you and protect you; The LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace."'” (Num. 6:23-26).

***

Rom. 1:1-3 - Introduction and Greetings (part 1)

1 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,
2 which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures,
3 concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh,
***

Paul’s sentences are like equipment belts: there is the root or kernel thought, with loops, hooks, and carabiners to attach phrases, descriptions and other information. Romans 1:1-7 is one of these. The kernel of the sentence is: Paul... to all... grace and peace. The rest, preposition and adjective phrases, has been clipped, snapped and Velcroed on. The added phrases and information are vitally important and set up the rest of the letter.

This sentence is a summary paragraph for the letter. For example:

• Apostle for the Gospel
• Which was promised in the scripture
• Which pointed us to the Son
• Who is a descendant of David
• Also the Son of God
• Proved by the resurrection
• By the power of the Holy Spirit
• Jesus Christ is our Lord
• Jesus Christ is the source of grace
• The grace sent Paul to the Gentiles
• Who will be called Jesus’ own people

Paul hits on all these themes in the rest of the letter. No wonder the sentence is so long!

Paul’s Bona Fides

Vs. 1 - Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,

“Bond-servant of Christ Jesus ” - This has been more fully discussed in the Bible Study Notes for Philippians 1:1.
A Jew, having served to pay the debt, could decide to stay with the ‘master’ - voluntary servitude. (Also called “bond-slave” or “bond-servant”.) If the person decides to be a bond-slave, they went through a ceremony in which a hole was punched in the servant’s earlobe, after which the servant served for life. The term ‘bond-servant’ refers to this voluntary service. This was a HUGE commitment - not at all like taking a job which you can leave for a better job or in a different location.

What a good picture of our relationship to the Lord Jesus. We are not forced to be saved. Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, calls us to believe and be saved. When we believe in our heart Jesus was raised from the dead, and confess Him as Lord and Savior, we will be saved. See: Rom. 10:9-10. Now, we are His. His friends. His servants. His bride. His glory. Our life is not our own, for we were bought for a price. (1 Cor. 6:20, 7:23) That price - a perfect sacrifice, is the Lamb who was slain.

The image of a bond-slave is a good picture of our Christian life. The indentured servant, after the debt is paid, volunteers to serve the master, and becomes a ‘bond-slave’, or ‘bond-servant’. We acknowledge that Christ paid our debt - one we can never pay in full. We confess that we believe He is our Lord and Savior. This confession is not forced from us, but is a vital to recognizing and declaring our intentions.
We do it by our free will. Remember, the former slave has no more obligation to the master, the debt has been paid. The former slave publicly announces the desire to serve the master permanently, for life. Our confession of faith is made before other people.
The ceremony for the bond-servant is public. All people now know the person is permanently connected to the master. Our ceremony - baptism in conjunction with confession of faith - is a public announcement we are Christ’s possession for life, both physical and spiritual, both here now and for eternity.

Set Apart

“ Called as an apostle ” - Paul is making the case for his authority as an apostle. As he grew up, his choice of career was to be a Jewish leader, a Pharisee. His education and training prepared him to eventually become the leader, or one of the leaders, of the Pharisees. He was taught by the premier teacher, Gamaliel. (See: Acts 5:34; 22:3) Then Paul was called by Jesus. ( Acts 9:1-16 ) An apostle was someone chosen by Jesus and trained by Him. The original twelve disciples qualify as apostles, as does Paul. They spent at least three years with Him. Paul was taken aside and taught by Jesus.

“ Set apart ...” - People knew Peter, James & John were disciples. (See: Luke 22:55-62) There was no question when they stepped into the roles of apostles. Many people wondered if Paul was genuine in his confession of faith - after all he had persecuted the same people to whom he was now preaching. We do not need to take Paul’s testimony alone. When people wondered if Paul was a good choice as an apostle, Jesus told them clearly Paul was chosen to serve! (Acts 9:15, 16)

“ for the gospel ” - The concept of being “set apart” for God’s plan or use is seen throughout the Bible. Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David are examples of people chosen for God’s purposes. There were artisans set apart and empowered to build the Tabernacle. ( Exo. 31:3; 35:21) The disciples were called by Jesus to become “fishers of men”. (See: Mark 1:17)

Vs. 2: - which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures,“

which He promised beforehand “ - The Good News was announced in the Old Testament.

“ Prophets and Holy Scriptures” - Whether in the Pentateuch (Torah) or other historical books, or the prophets, God has revealed that His salvation was coming. The mystery of the Scriptures was that salvation would be through God Himself paying the price.

Vs. 3: - concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh,

“ concerning His Son” - Jesus Christ is the gospel of God. Jesus was called “my Son” by God the Father. Jesus claimed the title as the “Son”. Promises and prophecies concerning salvation are about Jesus Christ.

“ descendant of David ” - See the genealogies in Matthew (Matt. 1:1-16) and Luke (Luke 3:23-38). Note the lists differ starting with David’s sons - Matthew follows Solomon’s family line, Luke follows Nathan’s family (both sons born to Bathsheba). Both of Jesus’ human parents were descendants of King David.

I have divided the first seven verses of chapter one into two sections. Otherwise, the notes for all seven verses together would seem excessively long.

***

Romans 1-4 - Background Information and Outline.

This begins a Bible Study Notes for the letter the Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans. The letter outline has been divided into four sections (arbitrarily): Chapters 1-4; 5-8; 9-12; and 13-16. An outline of the letter that section will be included.
The format for the notes generally includes the verse or verses being studied, and some phrases or sentences, prominent or important to think about. The verses usually are in italics, and Bible references will be in bold.

Background Information
Author: Apostle Paul

When written: about 57 AD. Most scholars think this letter was written while Paul was on his way back to Jerusalem. He may have been bringing an offering from other churches to help the believers in Jerusalem.

Written to: The Christian church in Rome. These believers are mostly Gentiles.

Major Theme(s): Since Paul had never been to Rome, nor started the church there, this letter addresses the problems or needs of the church broadly. He does not deal with specific problems or doctrinal issues, but covers the Good News.
If you look at 1 Corinthians 15:3-5, you will see the Good News in précis form, also in 1 Timothy 1:15-16 and 3:16.
Romans is the longest letter Paul wrote, and it covers some of the major doctrinal messages of the New Testament.

The following paragraph from a study Bible will help illuminate the importance of the letter to the Romans: “There are three passages in the NT (each one long sentence in the Greek text) that contain the most important theology of the NT: John 1:1-14 on the incarnation; Ephesians 1:3-14 about the triune purpose and glory of God; and Romans 3:21-26 on justification, redemption, and propitiation. If a Christian understands these three sentences, he has a solid foundation for faith.” (See note 1, below)

Paul takes these major themes and develops them in Romans, probably more fully than any other letter in the NT. Romans 1-5 shows that we all need salvation, because we are a fallen and broken people, both Jews and Gentiles. “In Romans 6-8 we have the most comprehensive development of our union with Christ and the Spirit’s work in us. Romans 9-11 (on the role of Israel in God’s plan) has been called the the key to understanding the Bible. Romans 13 is the classic NT passage on th Christian’s relation to and duties to the state. Romans 14-15 covers how Christians can relate to one another yet have different opinions and convictions on nonessential religious matters.” (See Note 1, below) 

Dr. David Jeremiah divides the letter to the Romans into three sections: Rom 1-8 “Principles of the Gospel”; Rom 9-11 “Problems of the Gospel; and, Rom 12-16 “Practice of the Gospel.”

***

OUTLINE - Romans chapters 1-4

Paul lays out in detail the depravity mankind. We also see the moralists and the Jews are under judgement also. The Jews have some advantages over the Gentiles, but there is not enough advantage to absolve the Jews of their sin.

CHAPTER 1
1:1-7 - Intro & Greeting
1:8-12 - Thanking God for you
1:13-15 - Obligated to Gentiles
1:17-16 - Not Ashamed
1:18-21 - Wrath - God known; revealed 7
1:22-25 - Exchanged truth for lie
1:26-27 - Unnatural
1:28-32 - Depraved mind
***

CHAPTER 2
2:1-4 - Without excuse
2:5-11 - According to Deeds
2:12-16 - Hearers vs. Doers
2:17-24 - Do not follow law
2:25-29 - Circumcision
***

CHAPTER 3
3:1-2 - The Advantage of the Jews
3:3-8 - No One is Innocent
3:9-18 - Evidence from OT
3:19-20 - Bound by Law
3:21-26 - Righteousness by Faith in Christ
3:27-31 - Justified by Faith in Christ
***

CHAPTER 4
4:1-3 - Abraham our Forefather
4:4-8 - David our Forefather
4:9-12 - Before and After
4:13-17 - Promise to Abraham
4:18-21 - Hope Against Hope
4:22-25 - Abraham Gets Credit

*** Note 1: Holman Christian Study Bible; Introduction to Romans, Contribution to the Bible; pg. 1923.
Outlines for Chapters 5-12 will be added as the Bible Study Notes arrive at those junctions.
01/21/2020.