ROMANS 1
Writer: Paul
Audience: The Believers in Rome
Things to Remember while reading: Paul was both Jewish and a Roman Citizen.
Purpose in writing: He is longing to visit those believers in Rome because he has heard of their faith, so until that comes about, he writes them a letter reiterating their true faith.
Analysis: Here is a quick analysis/outline of Romans. You can break it down in two ways. The first way is in two parts. Verses 1-7 are considered the salutation, while 8-32 are the introduction to the entire book of Romans. You can also break chapter 1 down in three parts: 1-7 is WHY we tell, 8-15 is WHO we tell, and 16-32 is WHAT we tell.
EXPOSITION:
V1: "Paul, a bondservant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God..."
First of all, this is Paul we are talking about here. This is the same man that approx. 25 years earlier met Jesus on the road to Damascus while he was on his way to execute genocide on followers of the way. Paul thought that he was doing what God wanted him to do, but then he came face to face with the gospel that he was trying to silence. Jesus asked him, "Paul why do you persecute me?" Paul inquired, "Who are you, Lord?" That is when the truth was revealed to Paul and from that time on, he would serve God exclusively.
Paul calls himself a bondservant of Christ Jesus. What does this mean? If he is now free in Christ how, then, is he a bondservant or slave? Apart from Christ, we are slaves to our sinful passions and desires. Christ, with his blood, bought us for a price...we are no longer our own. We are free because, thanks to God's perfect atonement, we are no longer slaves to our sin.
Called to be an apostle. Apostle simply means "one who is sent, or missionary." Paul is called to be an instrument of the gospel. He is called to be set apart for the gospel. There is some interesting undertones in this phrase set apart. There is the obvious meaning of set apart, which is also the same meaning as Holy. We are called to be set apart from the world while we are here. Furthermore, set apart also has a literal definition meaning horizon. This could mean that he was called to have an entire field of view that radiates the gospel.
V2: Christ is the focal point of prophecy, and has been since God promised it beforehand. Christ is God's plan for the restoration of His original relationship with man.
V3: This shows that Jesus was fully human since he was physically descended from David.
V4: This shows that Jesus was also fully God which is proved at the Resurrection which shows that the chief end of human life has no power over Him.
V5-6: It is Christ who has saved us and sent us for the sake of being obedient and spreading His name to the nations. (Matthew 28:19)
V7: Final Salutation to the Roman believers...
V8-10: This is a beautiful picture of how we should treat other believers. We should spend time in prayer for them, asking God to use them in a mighty way for His glory. Instead of trying to convince people to live another church to come to ours, we should be in prayer for them and that church, so that they may also further the Kingdom. Paul is longing to go to Rome.
V11-12: He is dying to visit the Romans, but he knows that it must be in God's timing. When he says, "I long to impart to you some spiritual gift...," this does not mean that he is trying to place a gift in them...in fact,he explains himself. He wants to encourage them and be mutually encouraged.
V13: He reiterates his longing to visit the Romans. He wants to reap harvest among the Gentiles, which at this time was unusual and a pretty big deal.
V14-15: The gospel is for ALL who will call on the name of Christ. So, Paul realizes the urgency of the gospel and the need for the discipleship of everyone we meet.
V16: This is the key verse of Romans in my personal opinion. This is the very definition of the gospel. It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes. Notice, it is not simply for everyone. If one does not believe, then they do not reap the results of believing in Christ.The view that God gives everyone a second chance after death is not found in scripture.
V17: God calls us to be righteous.
V18-32: This will be a quick summary of this section. Basically, God has revealed what he requires of man in order to be saved. He also has established the law for the purpose of letting us know that we sin. Man rejected it, so he let man become slaves of the flesh. Therefore, man must recognize their helplessness, and that only God can save them. This will be a theme that is running all the way through that will be added onto.
V2: Christ is the focal point of prophecy, and has been since God promised it beforehand. Christ is God's plan for the restoration of His original relationship with man.
V3: This shows that Jesus was fully human since he was physically descended from David.
V4: This shows that Jesus was also fully God which is proved at the Resurrection which shows that the chief end of human life has no power over Him.
V5-6: It is Christ who has saved us and sent us for the sake of being obedient and spreading His name to the nations. (Matthew 28:19)
V7: Final Salutation to the Roman believers...
V8-10: This is a beautiful picture of how we should treat other believers. We should spend time in prayer for them, asking God to use them in a mighty way for His glory. Instead of trying to convince people to live another church to come to ours, we should be in prayer for them and that church, so that they may also further the Kingdom. Paul is longing to go to Rome.
V11-12: He is dying to visit the Romans, but he knows that it must be in God's timing. When he says, "I long to impart to you some spiritual gift...," this does not mean that he is trying to place a gift in them...in fact,he explains himself. He wants to encourage them and be mutually encouraged.
V13: He reiterates his longing to visit the Romans. He wants to reap harvest among the Gentiles, which at this time was unusual and a pretty big deal.
V14-15: The gospel is for ALL who will call on the name of Christ. So, Paul realizes the urgency of the gospel and the need for the discipleship of everyone we meet.
V16: This is the key verse of Romans in my personal opinion. This is the very definition of the gospel. It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes. Notice, it is not simply for everyone. If one does not believe, then they do not reap the results of believing in Christ.The view that God gives everyone a second chance after death is not found in scripture.
V17: God calls us to be righteous.
V18-32: This will be a quick summary of this section. Basically, God has revealed what he requires of man in order to be saved. He also has established the law for the purpose of letting us know that we sin. Man rejected it, so he let man become slaves of the flesh. Therefore, man must recognize their helplessness, and that only God can save them. This will be a theme that is running all the way through that will be added onto.
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