Through The Bible
Session #42 – Romans,
part 2
October 20, 2004
Remember what Romans is about (from last time)
- Paul’s
letter of introduction to the Romans.
- Paul
was writing to both Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians.
- Paul
wants the Roman Christians to pray for him as he goes to Jerusalem
(15:30).
- Paul
wants to strengthen the Roman Christians by giving them some spiritual
gift (1:11-12; 15:15-16).
- Central
theological claim of Romans: There is one God, who in the person of Jesus
Christ, has offered redemption for all people and for all of creation
(see Romans 3:29-30).
- Paul
wants the Roman Christians to help him get to Spain as quickly as
possible.
Major Theological
Themes
Romans 1:16-3:20
- Emphasis
in this section is the theme of Gospel (good news)…and primarily why we
need to be saved – because of sin.
Remember none of the four “Gospels” that we know of had been
written when Tertius penned this letter for Paul.
- Look
at Romans 1:16-17. Paul was
pointing out that the Christian message is one of salvation for people who
believe in Jesus Christ…no matter what group they belong to. Both Jews and Gentiles addressed in
this section.
- Justification:
a key word Paul used to describe the concept of salvation. Paul used other words too, but the
picture Paul paints in Romans for salvation is of a judge who declares an
accused person ‘righteous’ even though there’s obvious guilt. This first section emphasizes the guilt
we have because of our sin.
- There’s
a hard core condemnation of sin in 1:16-3:20. Paul hammers the Gentiles with sins typical of Greco-Roman
society (1:26-32). Paul also hammers
the Jews with their own shortcomings (2:17-3:8).
- Paul
address to the Jewish Law points out that the Law’s primary function is to
reveal a person’s own sinfulness.
- Application:
- Do
you see yourself as a sinner in need of forgiveness?
- Why
do you think Paul begins Romans speaking about such a harsh and negative
theme?
Romans 3:21-5:21
- From
an emphasis on sin in the first section, Paul moves to grace in this
section. This section begins with
grace (3:24) and ends with grace (5:21).
- What
is grace?
- One
definition: God’s dealing with humanity in undeserved ways; it is simply
an outflow of God’s goodness and generosity.
- God’s
grace (gift not deserved) makes possible the justification of sinners.
- Paul
asserts in Romans that the only way a person can be justified (made right
with God) is through faith in Christ.
Our faith results in God’s gracious favor.
- Last
time, there was a question raised about Romans 5:20.
- If
sin were ever to be defeated, then sin must be known as sin.
- The
law helped identify sin as sin.
- If
the law identifies something as sin, then continuing to sin once one
knows what sin is increases it.
- Eugene
Peterson’s translation of this verse: “All that passing laws against sin
did was produce more lawbreakers.
But sin didn’t, and doesn’t, have a chance in competition with the
aggressive forgiveness we call grace.
When it’s sin verses grace, grace wins hands down.”
Romans 7:1-8:39
- The
most obvious theme in chapter 7 is law.
Paul uses it as a principle (7:21) but primarily used the word
(Greek: nomos) to refer to the
Torah or Jewish Law.
- Remember
many Jewish Christians believed the law was binding on all Christians.
- Another
powerful theme: sin. See 7:14-25
where Paul suggests that even the strongest of Christians will never fully
escape the battle with sin.
- Thirdly,
the theme of the Holy Spirit is powerfully present in chapter 8. The Holy Spirit is referenced more than
20 times. The Spirit brings a new
life and a new focus on God, despite our struggles with sin.
Romans 9:1-13:14
- God’s
faithfulness is the primary theme in Romans 9-13. God is sovereign over all people and
over history. God has a plan and
will carry out that plan.
- Is
there some flexibility in how this plan plays itself out?
- What
Paul doesn’t address:
- Does
God know or plan in advance every detail of human life? (A Predestination
position).
- Does
God allow human beings to have choices and take actions that determine
outcomes? (A free will position).
- God’s
faithfulness calls us to be faithful to one another in how we treat one
another (Romans 12) and how we live in relationship to our civil
authorities (Romans 13).
Romans 14:1-15:13
- Dominating
theme of this section: ethics. How
can Christians decide which actions are moral and which are not?
- Many
Jewish Christians argued that the best guide for ethical living was the
Jewish law. Paul, by emphasizing
justification by faith, seems to take that out of the equation. How then does a believer know what is
ethical?
- Since
the Gospels were not yet written, Paul couldn’t say, “Study the life of
Christ and use Jesus’ ethics as a model for living.” So, Paul gives us some of his ethics in
this section.
- Do
not judge one another (14:1-12); Do not be a stumbling block for someone
else (14:13-23); and be others centered (15:1-6).
The Roman Road
Romans 3:23 – Sin comes to all.
Romans 6:23 – The result of sin is death.
Romans 5:8 – God decided to do something about the result of
our sin (death) because of God’s love for us.
Jesus died for us.
Romans 10:9-10 – Entering into a saved relationship with God
happens through: (a) confession and (b) believing. We confess with our mouth what we believe in our hearts.
Romans 5:20