Jim's Introduction to Romans

The first four books of the New Testament are referred to as the Gospels or “Good News”. Each book is written as a narrative and recounts the story of Jesus Christ of Nazareth from a different writer’s perspective.

The fifth book of the New Testament is entitled The “Acts of the Apostles” or commonly referred to as simply “Acts”. The writer, Luke the doctor, also penned the Gospel bearing his name. Acts begins where the Gospels leave off, recounting Jesus’ last days on earth before his Ascension back to The Father. It then tells the story of the church’s beginning which occurred on the day of Pentecost. As Christianity expands, an important part of Acts are the descriptions of the apostles missionary journeys. One of the most prominent figures is Paul. We are first introduced to Saul, later also called Paul in Acts 13:9, in Acts 7:58, where men were stoning Steven, the church’s first recorded martyr. Chapter 8:1 coldly states “Saul was there, giving approval of his (Steven’s) death”. In Acts chapter 9, Saul is on his way to Damascus intending to arrest both men and women in order to bring them back to Jerusalem as prisoners. Here Paul meets Jesus of Nazareth in a bright light. This encounter changes his life forever. Suddenly “Saul” who previously persecuted the church, dramatically becomes “Paul” the chief representative of Christ to the world. The Lord (speaking to Ananias about Paul) in Acts 9:14 states, “This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.” In the following chapters of Acts, Paul’s many experiences and missionary journeys are chronicled. These include his confrontations with the Jews, his persecution, his appeal to Caesar, and his eventual journey to Rome. As the book of Acts closes, we find Paul in a rented house in the city of Rome.

The story of Paul is one of the most intriguing in the New Testament. Other New Testament books reveal more background information about who this man was. He describes himself as a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin, a Pharisee, a Hebrew of Hebrews, and claimed to be faultless in legalistic righteousness (Philippians 3:5). Paul commonly referred to himself as “an apostle”, which seemed to be a continual point of contention with the early church. This appears to have been such a point of contention that Paul in 2 Corinthians devotes almost two entire chapters to the defense his apostleship (2 Corinthians 10-11). In the eleventh chapter of 2 Corinthians, we also learn many things about what Paul suffered for Jesus. Paul recounts that five times he received from the Jews 39 lashes. Three times he was beaten with rods. One time he was stoned. Three times he was shipwrecked and once spent a night and day in the open sea. He had been constantly on the move. He had been in danger from rivers, from bandits, from his own countrymen, from the Gentiles, and from false brothers. He had been in danger in the country and in the sea. He had labored, toiled and often gone without sleep. He had known hunger and thirst and had often gone without food. He had been cold and naked. Paul ends this section by stating that in addition to all this besides everything else, daily he faced the pressure of his concern for all the churches.

In addition all the great things we can learn from Paul’s writings, there is much we can learn from his life. Paul, being a Pharisee, was probably in the highest financial, social, and religious social status of his day. Having attained this, he gave it all up for Jesus Christ and obedience to Him. Paul not only gave up everything he had attained but was willing to suffer more things than I can even imagine for Christ and His Church. There is much to be learned from the study of the book of Romans and from its author, the apostle Paul.

The sixth book of the New Testament, entitled “Romans” is a letter written by Paul (Romans 1:1) to the people of Rome (Romans 1:7). It is believed that Paul wrote this letter to the Church of Rome while in Corinth on one of his missionary journeys. The church may have been comprised of both Jews and Gentiles, but probably mostly Gentiles.

The following outline of Romans is based upon the outline in the Bible Knowledge Commentary:

1. Introduction (1:1-17)

2. God’s Righteousness Revealed in condemnation (1:18-3:20)
a. Condemnation against pagan humanity (1:1-32)
b. Condemnation against unfaithful Jews (2:1-3:8)
c. Condemnation against all humanity (3:8-20)

3. God’s Righteousness Revealed in Justification (3:21-5:21)
a. Righteousness explained (3:21-31)
b. Righteousness illustrated (4:1-25)
i. By faith not works
ii. By faith not rites
iii. By faith not the Law
iv. By faith in God’s promise
c. Righteousness enjoyed (5:1-11)
d. Righteousness contrasted (5:12-21)

4. God’s Righteousness Revealed in Sanctification (6:1-8:39)
a. Grounds of sanctification (6:1-4)
b. Attitudes for sanctification (6:5-23)
c. Conflict of sanctification (7:1-25)
d. Power for sanctification (8:1-17)
e. Goal of sanctification (8:18-27)
f. Certainty of sanctification (8:28-39)

5. God’s Righteousness Revealed in Sovereign Choice (9:1-11:36)
a. God’s sovereign choice enunciated (9:1-29)
b. God’s sovereign choice applied (9:30-10:21)
c. God’s sovereign choice fulfilled (11:1-36)

6. God’s Righteousness Revealed in Transformed Living (12:1-15:13)
a. The basic consecration (12:1-2)
b. In Christian ministry (12:3-8)