My Redeemer > Bible > Romans > Introduction ROMANS by Wayne A. Grudem, Masters in Divinity, Doctorate in Philosophy Research Professor of Theology and Bible Phoenix Seminary The most formal and systematic of Paul's epistles. The main theme of Romans is that righteousness comes as a free gift of GOD and is receivable by faith alone. Romans stands at the head of the Pauline epistles because it is the longest of his letters, but it is also Paul's most important epistle. Repeatedly in its history, the church has found in this epistle a catalyst for reform and new life. In the fourth century a troubled young man, sensing a divine command to open the Bible and read the first passage he came to, read these words: "Not in revelry and drunkenness, not in licentiousness and lewdness, not in strife and envy. But put on the LORD Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts" (13:13-14). "In an instant," says St. Augustine, "the light of confidence flooded into my heart and all the darkness of doubt was dispelled". In the 16th century a young monk found release from his struggles with GOD by claiming salvation by grace through faith (Rom. 1:17; 3:24). This truth caused Martin Luther to launch the greatest reform the church has ever known. Romans, perhaps more than any single book of the Bible, has exerted a powerful influence on the history of Christianity. (This introduction to Romans is taken from "Illustrated Dictionary of the Bible" pub. by Thomas Nelson Publishers) AUTHOR: Paul DATE: 56 A.D. KEY WORDS: Righteousness, faith, justification, Law, grace THEMEThe righteousness of GOD in the gospel of Christ. BACKGROUND: When Paul wrote Romans, around 56 A.D., he hadn't yet been to Rome, although he preached the gospel since his conversion in 35 A.D. During the previous ten years he had founded churches throughout the Mediterranean world. Now he was near the end of his third missionary trip. This epistle is, therefore, a mature affirmation of his understanding of the gospel. The church of Rome had been founded by other Christians (unknown to us, but already visible in Acts 2:10); and Paul, in his travels, knew many believers in that city (16:3-15). OCCASION AND DATE: The most probable is that Paul had written Romans in 56 A.D., while he was in Corinth gathering money to help the needy Christians in Jerusalem (15:25-28,31; II Cor. 8:9). He planned to go to Jerusalem with the collection and then visit the church in Rome (1:10,11; 15:22-24). After receiving encouragement and help from the Roman Christians, he planned to make his way to Spain to preach the gospel (15:24). He wrote to tell the Romans of his imminent visit. It's probable that the letter had been delivered by Phebe (16:1,2). PURPOSE: In view of his plans, Paul wrote a letter to present himself to a church that he had never visited. At the same time, he drafted a completely orderly exposition of the great principles of the gospel which he preached. CHARACTERISTICS: Romans is commonly considered the greatest exposition of Christian doctrine in all the Scriptures. It logically and orderly develops profound theological truths. It is filled with the great themes of redemption: the guilt of all mankind, our inability to win GOD's favor, Christ's redemptive death and the free gift of salvation that is only received through faith. As Paul hadn't visited Rome, the epistle doesn't deal with specific local problems, but contains general teachings applicable to all Christians of all times. Throughout the history of the Church, the message of the epistle to the Romans provoked many revivals, as the people discovered the magnificence of GOD and his grace toward us. CONTENTS: The doctrinal theme that interested Paul the most shows that GOD is just. In spite of all that happens in this world - in spite of the fact that all human beings are sinners (1:18-3:20); in spite of the fact that GOD doesn't punish, but pardons sinners (3:21-5:21); in spite of the fact that believers can't completely live according to GOD's righteousness (6:1-8:17); in spite of the fact that believers suffer and await the final redemption (8:18-39); in spite of the fact that many Jews don't believe (9:1-11:36), even then GOD is perfectly just, and has forgiven us by his grace. By the great mercy of a GOD or perfect righteousness, we should live in keeping with it (12:1-16:27). PERSONAL APPLICATION: Romans teaches us that we shouldn't trust in ourselves for salvation, but in Christ (chapters 1-5); that we should imitate the faith of Abraham (chapter 4); that we should be patient in difficult times (5:1-11); that we should rejoice that Christ represents us (5:12-21); that we should grow in the continual death to sin (6:1-7:25); that we should walk every moment with the Spirit (8:1-17); that we should expect future glory and trust that GOD will convert our present sufferings into blessings (8:18-39); that we should pray and preach the gospel to those who are lost, especially the Jews (9:1-11:32); that we should praise GOD for the great wisdom of his plan of salvation (11:33-36). Especially in chapters 12-15, the letter offers many specific examples of the application of Christian truths; demonstrates how to put the gospel into practice, as much in the Church as in the world. Finally, we can understand the care and personal attention Paul evidenced toward the believers (chapter 16). CHRIST REVEALED: The entire epistle is a narration of GOD's redemptive plan in Christ: the need for redemption (1:18-3:20), the detailed description of Christ's work and its implications for Christians (3:21-11:36) and the application of Christ's gospel to daily life (12:1-16:27). More specifically, Jesus Christ is our Savior, who perfectly obeyed GOD as our representative (5:18,19), and who dies in sacrifice in our place (3:25; 5:6,8). He is the only one in whom we must have faith for salvation (1:16,17; 3:22; 10:9,10). We receive many blessings through Christ: reconciliation with GOD (5:11); righteousness and eternal life (5:18-21); identification with Jesus in his death, burial and resurrection (6:3-5); we live for GOD (6:1); we are free of condemnation (8:1); eternal heirs (8:17); suffer with the LORD (8:17); we are glorified with Him (8:29); and the fact that, even today, he intercedes for us (8:34). Without doubt, all Christian life is lived through Christ: prayer (1:8), joy (5:11), exhortation (15:30), praise to GOD (16:27) and, in general we live for GOD in order to do his will (6:11; 13:14). THE HOLY SPIRIT IN ACTION: The Holy Spirit gives power to preach the gospel and work miracles (15:19), dwells in all those who belong to Christ (8:9-11), and gives us life (8:11). He also makes our holiness grow in daily life, filling us with power to obey GOD and defeat sin (2:29; 7:6; 8:2,13; 15:13,16), giving us a model of holiness to imitate *8:4), guiding us (8:14) and purifying our consciences in order to give true testimony (9:1). The Holy Spirit sheds the love of GOD in our hearts (5:5; 15:30), joins joy, peace and hope to his power (14:17; 15:13). He enables us to pray properly (8:26) and to call GOD "our Father", giving us the spiritual security that we are sons of GOD (8:16). If we wish to please GOD, we must put our minds on the things of the Spirit (8:5,6). Although Paul briefly discusses the spiritual gifts in Romans (12:3-8), there is no explicit mention of the Holy Spirit in connection with these gifts, except when they are referred to in 1:11 as "spiritual" (or "of the Spirit"). The Holy Spirit's present work in us is only an anticipation of his future heavenly work (8:23). Literary Features: (HBH) - Romans is both a systematic theological treatise on central themes and a missionary document that applies those themes to practical issues in the Roman church. The authenticity and integrity of this letter has rarely been doubted. Some have questioned whether chapters 15-16 were a part of the original letter. Four reasons have been suggested for this division. Some manuscripts ending at chapter 14 circulated in the late second and early third centuries. The letter has three doxologies that could possible serve as endings (15:33; 16:24; 16:27). Chapter 14 includes 16:25-27 in some manuscripts. The so-called inappropriateness of the personal greetings in chapter 16. The shorter version ending at chapter 14 indicates an influence from Marcion whose bias against Judaism and the Old Testament would have led him to find the discussion of the preparatory work of Judaism (15:1-29) to be offensive. As for the so-called misplaced endings, it was not uncommon for Paul to interject a doxological emphasis at any point in his writings (for example see 11:33-36). Finally, the people mentioned in chapter 16 probably were people with whom he had worked before and now were located in Rome. All sixteen chapters of this grand epistle should be viewed as a literary whole. The letter is not only a summary of the apostle's thought on salvation in Jesus Christ, but also an expression of his desire to fellowship with the Roman Christians and recruit their support for his mission work to Spain. Paul's Letters Purpose Major Doctrine(s) Key Passage Other Key Doctrines Influence of the Letter Romans To express the nature of the Gospel, its relation to the OT and Jewish law, and its transforming power. Salvation Rom. 3:21-26 GOD Humanity The Church Martin Luther (1515), through preparing lectures on Romans, felt himself "to be reborn." I Corinthians To respond to questions about marriage, idol food, public worship; to discourage factions, to instruct on resurrection The Church The Resurrection I Cor. 12:12-31 I Cor. 15:1-11 GOD Humanity The hymn on love in Chapter 13 is among the most familiar and loved chapters in Paul's writings. II Corinthians To prepare readers for Paul's third visit and to defend Paul and the gospel he taught against false teachers. The Church Jesus Christ Salvation II Cor. 5:11-6:2 GOD Called by C. K. Barrett "the fullest and most passionate account of what Paul meant by apostleship". Galatians To stress freedom in Christ against Jewish legalism while avoiding moral license Salvation Gal. 2:15-21 Christian Ethics The Church Election A sermon on the Book of Galatians brought peace of heart to John Wesley. "I felt I did trust Christ alone for salvation." Ephesians To explain GOD's eternal purpose and grace and the goals GOD has for the Church Salvation The Church Eph. 2:1-22 GOD Jesus Christ Called by Samuel Taylor Coleridge "one of the divinest of compositions." Philippians To commend Epaphroditus; to affirm generosity; to encourage unity, humility, and faithfulness even to death Christian Unity Joy in Salvation Phil. 1:3-11 Christian Ethics The Church Prayer Bengel (1850) described as "Summa epistlae, gaudes, gaudete," which means "The sum of the epistles is 'I rejoice; rejoice ye.'" Colossians To oppose false teachings related to a matter and spirit dualism and to stress the complete adequacy of Christ Jesus Christ Col. 1:15-23 The Church Prayer GOD Arius of Alex (318) used Col. 1:15, from a hymn on the supremacy of Christ, to undermine Christ's deity. Arianism pronounced heretical at Councils of Nicea (325) and Constantinople (381). I Thessalonians To encourage new converts during persecution; to instruct them in Christian living and to assure them concerning the second coming. Last Things I Thess. 4:13-18 Evangelism Prayer GOD Every chapter of I Thessalonians ends with a reference to the second coming. II Thessalonians To encourage new converts in persecution and to correct misunderstandings about the LORD's return Last Things II Thess. 1:3-12 Prayer The Church Evil and Suffering With only three chapters, the letter is one of Paul's shortest yet because of 2:3-10 one of the most extensively studied. I Timothy To encourage Timothy as minister, to refute false doctrine, and to instruct about church organization and leadership Church Leaders I Tim. 3:1-15 GOD Christian Ethics Salvation Known as a "pastoral epistle" since the early part of the eighteenth century, Thomas Aquinas (d.1274) described I Timothy as a "pastoral textbook". II Timothy To encourage Christians in the face of persecution and false doctrine Education II Tim. 2:14-19 Evil and Suffering Jesus Christ Prayer Used by Augustine (d.430) in book four on Christian Doctrine to support the importance of Christian teachers. Titus To instruct church leaders, to advise about groups in the church, and to teach Christian ethics Salvation Titus 2:11-14 GOD Christian Ethics The Church Sin Called the "Magna Charta" of Christian liberty Philemon To effect reconciliation between a runaway slave and his Christian master Christian Ethics Phlm 8-16 Prayer The Church Discipleship Called by Emil Brunner (d.1965) a classic testimony to what is meant by Christian justice.

Introduction to Romans - Ch. 1 - Ch. 2 - Ch. 3 - Ch. 4 - Ch. 5 - Ch. 6 - Ch. 7 - Ch. 8 - Ch. 9 - Ch. 10 - Ch. 11 - Ch. 12 - Ch. 13 - Ch. 14 - Ch. 15 - Ch. 16 - TRUTH in ACTION throughout Romans OLD TESTAMENT Genesis - Exodus - Leviticus - Numbers - Deuteronomy - Joshua - Judges - Ruth - I Samuel - II Samuel - I Kings - II Kings - I Chronicles - II Chronicles - Ezra - Nehemiah - Esther - Job - Psalms - Proverbs - Ecclesiastes - Song of Songs - Isaiah - Jeremiah - Lamentations - Ezekiel - Daniel - Hosea - Joel - Amos - Obadiah - Jonah - Micah - Nahum - Habakkuk - Zephaniah - Haggai - Zechariah - Malachi NEW TESTAMENT Matthew - Mark - Luke - John - Acts - Romans - I Corinthians - II Corinthians - Galatians - Ephesians - Philippians - Colossians - I Thessalonians - II Thessalonians - I Timothy - II Timothy - Titus - Philemon - Hebrews - James - I Peter - II Peter - I John - II John - III John - Jude - Revelation Ruins of the Forum in Rome THE PAULINE EPISTLES ("Exploring the New Testament" by Earle, Blaney and Hanson; published 1955) 1. Value of the Epistles Of the twenty-seven books of the New Testament the Apostle Paul wrote thirteen. One of eight writers, he yet is responsible for one-fourth of the contents. Only Luke, with his two books, wrote more - and that only slightly more. But the material in Paul's Epistles is far more concentrated than that in Luke and Acts. Probably no one would question Paul's priority in giving us the most important single contribution of any writer of the New Testament. Certainly the Church has leaned more heavily on him for its theological support than on anyone else. Not only have Paul's writings been the mainstay of theology; they have also produced sweeping revivals. Dr. George Croft Cell, of Boston University, said one day in class: "The Epistles of Paul have been the ferment of every great revival in the Christian church." D.A. Hayes writes: "It would be safe to say that no great church revival anywhere down the centuries or on any of the continents has failed to base itself on the teaching of Paul as recorded in his epistles." Three of the leading characters in the history of the Church are Augustine, Luther, and Wesley. Each of these men owed his conversion to Paul more than to anyone else. In his Confessions, Augustine tells us how he was struggling with the chains of sin that bound him tightly. One day he went into the garden behind his lodgings in Milan. There he heard a voice say, "Take and read". He picked up the New Testament, and his eyes fell on Romans 13:13-14. Suddenly GOD's power and peace swept through his soul, transforming him from a sensualist to a saint. In his study of and lecturing on Romans at the University of Wittenberg, Martin Luther, still a monk, discovered the great truth that "the just shall live by faith". That became the keynote of the Protestant Reformation. John Wesley likewise sought salvation through his own strivings and struggles. But one memorable night everything was changed. In his Journal he tells us what happened. "In the evening I 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 salvation; and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death." 2. Form of the Epistles The Epistles of Paul follow a rather similar pattern as to form. First there is the salutation, which includes: (1) his name, with the addition often of one or more of his colleagues; (2) the name of the individual or church to which the letter is sent; (3) the greeting - usually "grace and peace". Then there is the thanksgiving. Next comes the doctrinal section, usually the longest portion of the Epistle. Fourth comes the practical portion, often fairly lengthy. The Epistle usually ends with personal greetings and a benediction. 3. The Greetings In Paul's day, as we now know from the many papyrus letters of that period, it was the custom for a letter writer to put his own name at the beginning. So Paul begins all thirteen of his Epistles with his name. Then he usually adds his title "apostle". The only exceptions are the two Thessalonian letters, Philemon, and Philippians. It is obvious that in the case of these four he felt no need of asserting his apostolic authority. But in writing to such places as Corinth and Galatia it was very important to do so. The ordinary Greek greeting in the papyrus letters was "joy". The Hebrew salutation then, as now, was "peace" (shalom). Paul combines these two in the greetings of all his Epistles. Christianity fulfilled the highest hopes of both Jews and Greeks. It is the one universal religion. 4. Classification of the Epistles The letters of Paul fall rather naturally into four groups: Those of his second missionary journey, written in A.D. 50 and 51. These include I and II Thessalonians. The main topic of this group is eschatology, or the doctrine of future things. Those of the third missionary journey, written about A.D. 55 or 56. These include I and II Corinthians, Galatians - which may have been written earlier - and Romans. The main topic here is soteriology, or the doctrine of salvations. The Prison Epistles, written during Paul's first imprisonment at Rome, A.D. 59-61. These include Philemon, Colossians, Ephesians, and Philippians - probably in that order. The main theme of this group is Christology, the doctrine of the person of Christ. The Pastoral Epistles, written between Paul's release from his first Roman imprisonment and his death, and so between 61 and 67. This group includes I Timothy, Titus, and II Timothy. The main topic is ecclesiology, or the Church. 5. The General Character of the Epistles With the exception of Romans and Ephesians, the Epistles of Paul are not theological treatises but occasional letters. By "occasional" letters we mean that they were written spontaneously because of some occasion that arose. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians to correct some misconceptions they held about the Second Coming; to the Corinthians to correct some sad conditions existing among them; to the Galatians to combat the Judaizing influences threatening to undo his work in that province; to Philemon about his runaway slave, Onesimus; to the Colossians to combat the Gnostic tendencies there; to the Philippians to thank them for their love gifts; to Timothy and Titus to advise them in church administration. Romans and Ephesians were probably intended for more general use. One very striking fact about Paul's Epistles is that they were missionary letters, written to meet the needs arising on the mission fields. It was the missionary movement which caused the New Testament to be written.