Paul’s letter to the church in Rome:
An outline
The importance
of the gospel was definitely in Paul’s mind when he wrote the letter. He began
and ended the letter referring to the gospel. He declared what the gospel was
all about, and he expressed he was not ashamed about it and wanted to preach
it. He demonstrated how the ultimate will of God was revealed by the gospel. He
shaded light on how the gospel has reinterpreted and redefined everything about
the Jews and the Gentiles pertaining to their spiritual condition and
salvation. In the same context, the gospel assigned a well defined spiritual
function to the Law in the saving plan of God. Naturally, the gospel of Christ
Jesus would be an obvious entry point to understand the message in the letter.
Greetings
(1.1-12)
1.
From Paul, the apostle of Jesus Christ, who was set
aside for the gospel (1.1-6)
2. Greetings
to the church in Rome (7)
3. Paul’s
thanksgiving because of the church (8)
4.
Paul prayed for the church and made request that he
might e able to visit the church (9-12)
The gospel
revealed the righteousness and the wrath of God (1.13-18)
1.
Paul expressed that he was indebted to the Gentiles
and he was ready to preach the gospel to them.
2. Paul expressed
that he was not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God to save
everyone who believes (16).
3. Paul
testified that the gospel revealed the righteousness of God to those who
believe (17).
4.
Paul declared that the wrath of God was revealed from
heaven against man’s unrighteousness and ungodliness (18a)
The
gospel demonstrated the certainty of God’s judgment on mankind (1.18b-2.5)
1.
Because man suppress the truth (what may be known of
God is manifest in them) in unrighteousness and God gave them up to uncleanness
(18b-24)
2. Because
man exchanged the truth of God for the lie and God gave them up to vile
passions (1.25-27)
3. Because
they did not like to retain God in their knowledge and God gave them to a
debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting (28-31)
·
They know who practice such things are deserving of
death and yet not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them
(32)
·
They know God’s judgment is against those who practice
such things, and yet they practice the same while making judgment on others (2.1-4)
·
But they are treasuring up for themselves wrath in the
day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God (5)
The
gospel asserted that God would be impartial in His judgment
(2.6-29)
1.
God “will render to each one according to his deeds”
(6-11)
·
Eternal life to those who by patient continuance in
doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality. But to those who are self
seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and
wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew
first and also the Greek. But glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works
what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
2.
For as many as have sinned without Law[i] will also perish without Law,
and as many as have sinned in the Law will be judged by the Law.(12-29)
The
gospel declared that man can only be justified by faith
(3.1-31)
1.
The Jew might have an advantage over the Gentiles with
the oracles of God, but they are not better than the Gentiles because they are also
sinful like the Gentiles. This is confirmed by the word of God (1-18).
2. Since
the Law[ii] merely
provides knowledge of sin and it definitely cannot justify anyone (the Jews) based
on the deeds of the Law (19-20).
3. But now
the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ is revealed by the
gospel, without the help of the Law, to all and on all who believe (21-22b).
4. For
there is no difference; since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of
God and all have to be justified freely by His grace through redemption that is
in Christ Jesus (22c-26).
5. {The
heart of justification: God had set forth Christ Jesus as a propitiation by his
blood, through faith,
·
To demonstrate His righteousness, because in His
forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,
·
To demonstrate at the present time His righteousness,
that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.}
6. Man can
only boast on the ground of faith since man can only be justified by faith
without the help from the deeds of the Law (27-28).
7. Since
God is the God of both the Jews and the Gentiles, He will justify the
circumcised and the uncircumcised by faith. He cannot justify the Jews by deeds
of the Law and then justifies the Gentiles by faith (29-30).
8.
The principle of faith will not make void the Law but
instead will establish it[iii]. (31)
The
gospel demonstrated how Abraham attained God’s righteousness by his faith (4.1-25)
1.
The scripture says that “Abraham believed God, and it
was accounted to him for righteousness” (1-5)
2. David
also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness
apart from work (6-8).
3. This blessedness
came to Abraham while he was uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all
those who believe, and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of
the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of faith (9-12).
4. The
promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his
seed through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith, so that he
promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the Law,
but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham (13-16)
5. Abraham
believed that God could give life to the dead and call those things which do
not exist as though they did, so that he became the father of many nations
(17-18)
6. Abraham
was not disturbed by his old age and deadness of Sarah’s womb, and he did not
waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith,
giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was
able to perform. Because of this firm belief, it was accounted to him for
righteousness (19-22).
7.
This experience was not written for his sake alone
that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who
believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up
because of our offenses, and was raised up because of our justification
(23-25).
The
gospel affirmed that faith in the work of Christ Jesus justified those who
believed (4.25-5.21)
1.
Christ Jesus was delivered because of our offenses,
and was raised up because of our justification. Therefore, having been
justified by faith (4.25-5.6),
2. For when
we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly…But God
demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners,
Christ died for us. Much more then, having been justified by His blood, we
shall be saved from wrath through Him (7-9)
3. We were
reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been
reconciled; we shall be saved by His life. We rejoice in God through our Lord
Jesus Christ, through whom we have now
received the reconciliation (10-11)
4. Grace of
God came through Jesus Christ that resulted in justification, but sin and death
entered the world through Adam, death spread to all men because all men sinned
(12-21);
·
{For until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is
not imputed when there is no Law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to
Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the
transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come}
·
{The Law entered that the offense might abound. But
where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death,
even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus
Christ our Lord.}
The
gospel reminded the believers that life under grace is a life free from sin and
enslaved to serve God (6.1-7.6)
1.
Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? (6.1-14)
·
Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any
longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into
Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Those who died in Christ death are no longer
slave to sin, but are raised to newness of life in Christ.
·
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that
you should obey it in its lusts.
2. Shall we sin because we are
not under Law but under grace? (6.15-7.4)
·
Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present
yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of
sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? (An
illustration from slavery)
·
Or do you not know,
brethren, for I speak to those who know the Law, that the Law has dominion over
a man as long as he lives? (An illustration from a marriage)
3. For when we were in the
flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the Law were at work in
our members to bear fruit to death. Now we have been delivered from the Law so
that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit. (7.5-6)
The
gospel reminded the believers that it was the power of sin and not the Law that
produced death (7.7-25)
1.
Is the Law sin? (7-12)
·
No! On the contrary, the Law is spiritual, holy, and good and
with its specific function. It is sin, taking opportunity by the commandment,
produced in me all manner of evil desire.
·
It is sin; taking occasion by the commandment,
deceived me, and by it killed me.
2. Is it the good Law that brings
death to me? (13)
·
No! It is the power of sin that produced death in me
through what is good.
3.
Now if I
do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin dwells in me. (14-20)
4.
The law
of the mind wills to do good, but the law of the flesh warring against it, and
bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched
man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?(21-24)
5.
I thank
God through Jesus Christ our Lord (because He will deliver me)! (25)
The
gospel asserted that there will be no condemnation to those who are in Christ,
who walk according to the Spirit, and as children of God they would be ensured
of God’s love (8.1.39)
1. There is therefore now no condemnation
to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but
according to the Spirit.(7.25-8.1)
2.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made the
believers free from the law of sin and death. And they are not in the flesh
but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in them. (2-11)
3. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not
to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live
according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the
deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of
God, these are sons of God. (12-17)
4. For I consider that the sufferings of
this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory
which shall be revealed in us. (18-27)
5. And we know that all things work
together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according
to His
purpose. (28-30)
6. For I am persuaded that neither death
nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor
things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our
Lord.(31-39)
The
gospel provided the first reason why the Jews did not attain God’s righteousness (9.1-29)
1.
Paul wished that he himself be accursed from Christ for his
countrymen who were given the rich promise of God, but have not attained
righteousness. (1-5)
2. But it is not that the word of
God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are
they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; That is, those who are the children of the flesh,
these are not the children of God; but
the children of the promise are counted as the seed.
(6-13)
3.
God will save the remnant of Israel. God show His wrath and to make His power
known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for
destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the
vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called, not of the
Jews only, but also of the Gentiles. (14-29)
The
gospel provided the second reason why the Jews did not attain God’s righteousness (9.30-10.
21)
1. (An
irony): The Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have obtained the
righteousness of faith. But Israel who pursued the Law of righteousness did not
obtain it, because they did not seek it by faith. (9.30-33)
2.
Paul prayed that
the Jews might be made right with God, but they preferred to establish their
own righteousness out of their ignorance of God’s righteousness. (10.1-3)
3.
Two things
about the righteousness of faith; (10.4-13)
·
Christ is the end
of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
·
The
righteousness of the law says, “The man who does those things shall live by
them.”
But the
righteousness of faith says, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and
believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
4. God has done everything possible to
bring them in, but they refused. On the other hand, when God turned to the
Gentiles with the gospel and they obeyed. (14-21)
The
gospel provided the third reason why the Jews did not attain God’s righteousness (11.1-36)
1. God has not cast away His
people whom He foreknew. Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect
have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. (1-10)
2.
But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy,
salvation has come to the Gentiles. This is a mystery that
blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has
come in. For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have
mercy on all.(11-36)
The
gospel calls for a commitment to a body life (12.1-21)
1.
Believers should present themselves to God as a
reasonable service. (1-2)
2.
Believers should commit themselves to the ministry to one another with multiple gifts (3-21)
The
gospel demands a civil and social responsibility from the believers (13.1-14)
1.
Be subject to the governing authorities (1-7)
2.
Owe no one anything except to love one another (8-14)
The
gospel demands the strong to take care of the weak (14.1-15.7)
1.
Receive one who is weak in the faith (1-23)
2. We then
who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak (15.1-7)
3.
This attitude of the strong fending for the weak is
very much the grand achievement of the mission of Christ Jesus; “Jesus Christ
has become a servant to circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm
the promises made to the fathers and that the Gentiles might glorify God for
his mercy”. (8-14)
Paul’s
personal plan and greetings to those who were in Rome (15.15-16.27)
1.
Paul reminded the believers of the grace of God that
was upon him; (15.15-16)
·
That he might be a minister to the Gentiles.
·
That the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable,
sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
2. Paul
expressed his confidence in Christ Jesus for He had accomplished through him in
word and deed, in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to
make the Gentiles obedient, and for that reason he had fully preached the
gospel from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum. (17-19)
3. Paul shared
that he would not duplicate the gospel work of others and for that he was
prevented from coming to Rome. He was ready to visit them after he planned to
move on to Spain. (20-24)
4. But he
had to go to Jerusalem first to deliver aid to the saints and he would visit
them when he had finished the task before going to Spain (25-29)
5. Paul
requested their prayer for the task in Jerusalem (30-33)
6. Personal
greetings (16.1-24)
7.
Doxology: Now to him who is able to establish you
according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to
the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began……To God, alone
wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. (25-27)
[i] The
word “Law” with the capital letter “L” refers to the Law of Moses and the word
“law” with the small letter “l” will be interpreted differently according to
the context.
[ii] This
is the chief function of the Law defined and assigned by the gospel of Christ
Jesus, to bring the knowledge of sin to those who knew the Law (Jews and the
proselytes) by magnifying the sinfulness of sin in them.
[iii] The
word “establish” has the connotation of “confirming” in the present context. It
is more reasonable to interpret that the Jews have confirmed by their faith in Christ Jesus that
the Law was assigned to them specifically to convince them of their sins and
bringing them to Christ. In other words, it is an acknowledgment of the fact
that the Law was assigned by the gospel of Christ Jesus.
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