Romans - August 26, 2007

The Book of Romans
Romans — Background

1. The Author
a. Paul, the Apostle...
i. There is no controversy of note on authorship.

2. Time And Place Of Writing
a. Spring of 58 during Paul’s three month stay in Corinth (winter/spring of 57/58 A.D.) during third missionary journey.
b. Support for this view...
i. (Rom 15:25-26) Paul taking contribution of churches of Macedonia and Achaia to saints at Jerusalem.
ii. According to Acts Paul was in Corinth on his third missionary journey and on his way to Jerusalem with a collection. (see Acts 19:21; 20:3,16,23 & 24:17-18)...
(1) NOTE! Corinth was in Achaia; Macedonia and Achaia made up the whole of Greece — which was part of the Roman empire.
iii. (Rom 16:23) From the names mentioned must have been written in Corinth...
(1) Gaius was baptized by Paul (cf. 1Co 1:14).
(2) Erastus identified with Corinth (cf. Act 19:22; 2Ti 4:20)

3. Persons Addressed In The Letter
a. Rome was founded about 1000 B.C.; political capitol of the New Testament world; population thought to be more than one million.
b. The local church was apparently well established, however, origin is unknown....
i. Jewish Romans in Jerusalem on Pentecost may have taken the gospel back to Rome.
ii. Christians who fled Jerusalem after Stephen was stoned.
iii. By business men who were Christians journeying to Rome.
iv. Shall discuss their understanding of the gospel at Rom 1:5
c. The church had not been established by an Apostle of Christ
i. (Rom 1:11) The church did not have “spiritual gifts”, therefore, an Apostle had not established the congregation (cf. Act 8:14-17).
ii. (Rom 15:20) Paul did not build on another’s foundation, i.e. he plowed new fields.
iii. Peter would not have establish a local church for Gentiles for Peter’s “apostleship” was to the Jews and Paul’s was to the Gentiles (cf. Gal 2:7-9)

4. Purpose And Design Of Letter
a. (Rom 1:11-13) To take the place of an intended visit.
b. To solve two problems....
i. Salvation by faith, apart from works of the Law, did not cause men to live in sin...
(1) To stop and correct the Jewish tendencies (adding the Law of Moses) which had developed in the churches in Corinth and Galatia.
ii. Inform the Jews God had not broken His promise and rejected the Jewish nation.
c. Romans is a closely knit argument solving these two problems by defending the righteousness of God...
i. Paul’s arguments are summarized in the verses containing the word “therefore”; of which there are around twenty-five.
ii. By solving these two problems Romans becomes an outline of basic “Christianity” for all men for all time.
d. Design — Power of the Gospel is Justification by Grace...
i. Paul’s other “doctrinal” letters are 1 & 2 Corinthians and Galatians.
ii. Romans is the most “argumentative” and “penetrating” of the four.

5. Short Discussion Of Some Words As Used By Paul
a. Sin...
i. Sin is an action not a thing.
(1) Refusal to say, do, or think that which is according to God’s will.
(2) Doing or planing to do that which is contrary to God’s will.
ii. Sin is personified (given human characteristics), however, it is still an action, or lack of action, that is a deviation from God’s will.
b. Flesh...
i. “Flesh” (4561. sarx) is the root word for “carnal” (4559. sarkikos); sometimes it means “fleshy” (noun - identifies something) sometimes it means “fleshly” (adjective - describes or modifies a noun)
(1) Flesh is neutral, it is neither good or bad — i.e. “goodness” or “evil” do not have their home in flesh.
ii. Flesh, as synecdoche (part put for the whole)is used to indicate...
(1) The substance of what our body consist. (cf. Col 1:22)
(2) Our body itself. (cf. 1Co 6:16; 7:28; 2Co 10:3a)
(3) Human relationships. (cf. Rom 1:3; 2Co 11:18; 1Co 10:18)...
(a) Involved in this usage is the implication of human weakness as opposed to God’s power. (see Gal 1:16; 2:20; Phi 1:22; 1Co 15:42-54)
(b) Also involved is a contrast between human (earthly and physical) relationships and spiritual. (see Eph 6:5; Heb 12:9)
(4) The “pre-Christian” state. (cf. Rom 7:5; 8:8)
(5) The weak “Christian” state...
(a) {1Co 3:1} One can be a weak Christian because they are new converts.
(b) {1Co 3:3}One can be a weak Christian because they have not grown — are still dominated by the flesh (outward man).
(6) Mankind’s sinful aspect — the outward man. (cf. Rom 13:14; 6:6)...
(a) Man has two choices — controlled by physical desires (outward man or sinful aspect; not saying inherent sinful nature) or spiritual desires (inward man). (cf. Rom 6:6; Gal 5:17, 24)
(b) Paul did not believe flesh was inherently evil (i.e. man is born with an inherently sinful nature) for such a belief would mean Christ could not have been made of flesh [John 1:14].
c. Works
i. A deed done, something performed, energy expended...
(1) Works of the flesh. (Gal 5:19)...
(a) Deeds performed in accordance with man’s sinful character or aspect (not sinful nature) — they are evil in essence!
(2) Works of faith. (Heb 11; 1Th 1:3; 2Th 1:11; Gal 5:6)...
(a) Deed springing from a man’s commitment to God — they are essentially good!
(3) Works of (the) law. (Rom 3:28)...
(a) Deeds required by God’s will which, when spoken of as “law”, denotes “the expressed and binding will of God — these are essentially good!
(b) The term “works” is often used to stand for “works of Law”. (see Eph 2:8-9; Rom 4:2)
d. Faith/Believe/Belief (All from the same Greek root)...
i. Basically, to believe is to accept as true any given proposition (see Act 26:27; Jam 2:19), however, general Bible usage is more than this.
ii. New Testament faith includes three main elements...
(1) A fully convinced acknowledgment of the revelation of God’s plan for man’s salvation.
(2) A self-surrendering fellowship or loyalty to God.
(3) A fully assured and unswerving trust (a confident hope) in God’s plan for man’s salvation.
iii. Faith is used three ways...
(1) Subjective — The exercise and possession of an individual; is under the individual’s control to accept or reject. (Joh 3:16; Act 16:31; 2Ti 1:12)
(a) The trust one has in something or someone may or may not be valid.
(2) Objective — That which is believed; accepting or rejecting does not change what is presented. (Jud 3; Act 6:7)
(a) The faith, i.e., meaning the doctrine or teaching of Christ
(3) By Metonymy — (that which pertains to anything is put for thing itself) denotes the whole realm and arrangement wherein and whereby God justifies man in opposition to justification on the basis of law. (Gal 3:12; Rom 3:31; 10:8)
e. Law...
i. Law is basically the expressed and binding will of someone...
(1) One “under law” to someone is “bound” by the expression of that someone’s will.
ii. All law is not in all respects synonymous...
(1) Is the Christian under law?
(a) No! — Rom 6:14-15; 7:4,6; Gal 4:21; 5:18.
(b) Yes! — 1Co 9:21; Gal 6:2; Jam 2:8; Rom 3:27-28; Jam 1:25; 2:12.
(2) One is justified by the “law of faith” but unable to be justified by the “law of works”.
(a) “Law of faith” requires obedience and “law of works” requires flawless obedience!
(b) The “law of faith” is called “faith”; “law of works” is called “works”.
iii. As used by Paul, “law” without contextual modifications expresses not “law of faith” but “law of works”.
f. Righteousness...
i. Righteousness means “being in a right relationship with God”; there are only two ways to accomplish this...
(1) Law of works: One is righteous (justified) because of flawless obedience to God’s will...
(a) Can not be done. (cf. Gal 3:11)
(2) Law of faith: One is righteous (justified) because of an obedient faith in the “flawless” Jesus...
(a) Can be done. (Rom 3:24-26)
g. NOTE! Those who are of the “age of accountability” and outside of Christ are under the law of works.
i. Guide for determining the “age of accountability” — When one’s mind has developed to a point where he has the ABILITY to think or reason soundly, has a SENSE of personal responsibility for his actions (or blames others for he knows someone must be responsible and it is not him), and is CAPABLE of receiving and following instructions.

6. Brief Outline — I. 1:1-17 Introduction; II. 1:18-3:20 Condemnation; III. 3:21-5:21 Justification; IV. 6:1-8:39 Sanctification; V. 9:1-11:36 Vindication of God (Clearing of Blame); VI. 12:1-15:4 Application of Sanctification (Living as a Christian); VII. 15:5-16:27 Conclusion