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Romans 1:1-15

Introduction to Romans

Romans is Paul’s fullest, grandest, most comprehensive statement of the gospel.  Its compressed declarations of vast truths are like coiled springs—once loosed, they leap through mind and heart to fill one’s horizon and shape one’s life,  John Chrysostom, the fifth century’s greatest preacher, had Romans read aloud to him once a week.  Augustine, Luther, and Wesley, three supremely significant contributors to the Christian heritage, all came to assured faith through the impact of Romans.  All the Reformers saw Romans as the God-given key to understanding all Scripture, since here Paul brings together all the Bible’s greatest themes—sin, law, judgment, human destiny, faith, works, grace, justification, sanctification, election, the plan of salvation, the work of Christ and of the Spirit, the Christian hope, the nature and life of the church, the place of Jew and non-Jew in the purposes of God, the philosophy of church and world history, the meaning and message of the Old Testament, the duties of Christian citizenship, and the principles of personal godliness and morality.  From the vantage point given by Romans, the whole landscape of the Bible is open to view, and the relation of the parts to the whole becomes plain.  The study of Romans is vitally necessary for the spiritual health and insight of the Christian.

Reformation Study Bible, Ligonier Ministries, 2005 p. 1611, emphasis added

Opening Prayer

 

ESV Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be 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 descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, 7 To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Vs.1 –“ a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle”

Servant—lowly position   (constrast with…)

Apostle—specifically and personally called by God (road to Damascus …)

Authoritative messenger—Speaking the very Word of God.

 

ESV 1 Thessalonians 2:13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.

“set apart for the gospel of God”—wholly devoted to proclaiming God’s good news.

 

Radical Claim, to be proclaiming the very Word of God Most High… to have the Truth (with a capital “T”)… claiming to address the Roman church (and us) as a representative of God.  Is the world today “tolerant” of those who claim to have the Truth (capital “T”)?

 

Vs. 2-3--“…which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures”

 

“…concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh.”

 

The gospel is rooted in the O.T. Scriptures (the Bible of the early church was the Old Testament)

 

“concerning his Son” … the gospel is about God, specifically his Son.

 

So often you ask a person, "Well what is the gospel?" The gospel is that you’re to repent and believe in Jesus Christ. Nope. You’ve started with a response to the gospel. The gospel is, though you are under the righteous condemnation of God by virtue of your sin and rebellion and your participation in Adam’s original rebellion, God in His mercy and grace has sent His Son to die on your behalf, that you might become the righteousness of God in Him. That’s where the gospel starts. Not with our response. Until you understand that the gospel is about God and His initiative, you don’t have a full view of the gospel. And so Paul begins by saying the gospel of God concerning His Son.  [ Duncan ]

 

The son is truly human (according to the flesh), also a fulfillment of the Davidic covenant (promises of a Messiah to come through the line of David).

 

Vs. 4 – “and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead”

 

This speaks of Christ’s exaltation in contrast to his humanity.

 

Vs. 5 – “…for the sake of his name among all the nations”

 

Radical claim—a culture obsessed with ethnicity, the Jews with their special status as God’s chosen people…

 

ESV Genesis 22:18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you [Abraham] have obeyed my voice."

 Vs 5b-7  Implications

  • We are part of a united body that includes Jews & Gentiles, but also transcends everything else, (slave, free, male, female …)  
  • We are called by Jesus Christ himself!  Think about yourself this way. 
  •  (You are) Loved by God, called as saints (for the pursuit of holiness)

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”  --Paul’s common greeting, and we’ll be diving deeper into grace and peace with God.

 

ESV Romans 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you 10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you.

Vs.8 –“ I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world.”

Thankfulness—a Christian essential.   (one of the big three G’s: guilt, grace, & gratitude)

  • regardless of situation, Christians know they are the recipients of mercy (have not received what they deserve)
  • thanking God for the faith of the Romans--does this make sense?  (Arminian vs.  Calvinist/Reformed views)

ESV Acts 11:18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, "Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life."

ESV Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

  • "through Jesus Christ"
    • Christ is our intercessor/mediator... much more to come on this.

ESV Hebrews 7:25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

Do you realize that when you pray as Jesus commanded you to pray, with the desire for the kingdom of God and in submission to the will of God, your prayers visit God the Father on the throne of grace as if they came from the lips of the Lord Jesus Christ, because every prayer that goes to that place from God’s people goes through the one who reigns at the right hand and who ever lives to intercede? [ Duncan ]  

  • thankful for their faith and that their faith is proclaimed throughout the earth--huge encouragement!  (capital of the world/under the nose of Caeser--even in his own household... )

ESV Philippians 4:22 All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household.

Vs.9a –“For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son”

  • "God is my witness" -- though we are warned against oaths, Paul takes one here... they are not to be taken frivolously, and if taken are to be absolutely kept/true.
  • "whom I serve with my spirit" -- not a superficial service, in his spirit/his inner man, not seeking to impress people ...

Vs.9b-10a –“without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers,”

  • faithful in prayer--assurances of love and support for a persecuted church by an Apostle they'd never met...

Vs.10b –“asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you.”

  • As Jesus taught us to pray... "thy will be done"
  • we'll see later that Paul had tried repeatedly to get to Rome (open/close doors)
  • He finally gets there... free transportation and escort!

ESV Acts 25:11 If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar." 12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, "To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go."

  • Submissive to God's providence

ESV Romans 1:11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you- 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine. 13 I want you to know, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

  • We’ll discuss Paul’s being prevented during the questions.
  • Paul again honors them by speaking of being mutually encouraged
  • Cultural norm was to speak of people in groups (Greeks/wise, barbarians/foolish)
Closing Prayer

 

Acknowledgement: Much of the material from this series is derived from J. Ligon Duncan’s series on Romans available here: http://www.fpcjackson.org/.  I thank God for the insights God has given this fine minister of the Gospel!

 

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