Sermon notes February 2nd, 2025

Introduction to Romans

What do a monk and the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation have to do with our church? Everything, because of Martin Luther’s leadership we have the freedom to worship and to have the ability to read the scriptures for ourselves. He was so inspired by the book of Romans; he called it to be the finest of all of Paul’s work. It was because of his reading of Romans that changed his way of thinking and his relationship with the Catholic Church. (Martin Luther was a German monk, a Catholic priest, a professor of theology)

Luther say’s that the Book of Romans is a clear and concise presentation of Christian doctrine, and that it's one of the most studied books in the New Testament. Some scholars even call it the most important book in the Bible. Some say it’s the Proverbs of the New Testament.

1. This epistle of Romans is in truth the chief part of the New Testament and the purest Gospel. It would be quite proper for a Christian, not only to know it by heart word for word, but also to study it daily, for it is the soul’s daily bread. It can never be read or meditated on, too much and too well. The more thoroughly it is treated, the more precious it becomes, and the better it tastes to the soul.

Romans is the central point of theological controversy in the sixteenth century, and became known as the “book of the Reformation” Here’s a statement from Martin Luther:

Accordingly, I, too, shall offer my service and with the ability God has granted me prepare an introduction to it by this preface in order that it may be better understood by everybody. For “heretofore it has been miserably darkened by glosses and all sorts of twaddle, (trivial or foolish speech or writing; nonsense) while in itself it is a shining light, quite sufficient to illumine the whole Scriptures”.

It’s been said for the Christian, that Romans is the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights all in one to the Christian faith.

When we start Romans, we must acquaint ourselves with matters of language and understand what Paul means by these words: law, sin, grace, faith, righteousness, flesh and Spirit, and similar terms; otherwise, we shall derive no benefit from reading this epistle.

1. We will look at each of these words as they come to us and get clear understanding as we go through Romans. 

Authorship. The letter is to be dated toward the latter part of Paul’s missionary work when he was engaged in the collection of a fund for the church in Jerusalem. When Paul wrote to the Corinthians while traveling from Ephesus to Corinth, the collection was still incomplete (2 Cor. 8:1–7). At the time he wrote to the Romans, this collection seems to have been completed (Romans 15:26–28). Therefore, it is likely that Paul wrote the epistle to the Romans from Corinth when he stayed there for 3 months in and around A.D. 56 at the end of his third missionary journey, before he traveled to Jerusalem (Romans 15:25; Acts 20:2-3).

• It is an epistle written by Paul to a church he did not plant and had not visited at this time. Most all his other letters to the churches were because of specific problems they were experiencing. This is full of praise for their faith and commitment to Christ but also, he talks about the hard truths. Truths that many churches today won’t talk about or even address their congregations; in fear someone may walk out. Some will say we don’t need to talk about these things.
• One main theme in Romans stresses that justification is by faith in Christ for Jew and Gentile alike. There is some discussion as to why Paul wrote this letter. Some say Paul was aware of a debate between converted Jews and converted Gentiles in the church and their need for some pastoral help. Others suggest the letter formed a theological basis for his missionary strategy to take the gospel to the Gentiles and that Paul hoped for support from the Roman Christians for his intended trip to Spain. Other views have also been proposed. The letter itself stresses that all people, Jew and Gentile, have sinned (Rom. 1:18; 3:10–11 etc.). However, salvation has come to all, 'without distinction', all who have faith in Jesus.

 

• Are You Ready? Remember to hear this letter as if it were written to Tuolumne Community Baptist Church, or directly to you and me.

Romans 1            Good News / Bad News

1   Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God 

1. Paul introduces himself as one who was purchased (implied in the designation a bondservant of Jesus Christ), called (on the road to Damascus he was called to be an apostle, a special ambassador of the Savior), and separated (set apart to take the gospel to the Gentiles [see Acts 9:15; 13:2]). We too have been purchased by the precious blood of Christ, called to be witnesses to His saving power, and set apart to tell the good news/bad news wherever we go.

2   which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 

1. Lest any of Paul’s Jewish readers think the gospel is completely new and unrelated to their spiritual heritage. Thats why he says the prophets of the Holy Scriptures.

3   concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 

1. The gospel is the good news concerning God’s Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who is a descendant of David according to the flesh (that is, as far as His humanity is concerned). 
2. The expression according to the flesh implies that our Lord is more than a man. The words mean as to His humanity. If Christ were only a man, it would be unnecessary to single out this feature of His being, since there would be no other. But He is more than a man, as the next verse shows.

4   and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

1. He is so much more than a Son. You and I are sons and daughters, even angels are spoken of as sons you can see that in (Job 1:6; 2:1). But Jesus is so much more, He is with the power and the Spirit of Holiness. 

Look at John 5:18

John 5:18                                 New King James Version

18   Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God

John 10:30-31                                New King James Version

30   I and My Father are one.”

31   Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him.

1. Now the Lord Jesus added a further claim to equality with God: “I and My Father are one.” Here the thought is that Christ and the Father are one in power. Jesus had just been speaking about the power that protects Christ’s sheep. 
2. Therefore, He added the explanation that His power is the same as the power of God the Father. Of course, the same is true of all the other attributes of Deity. The Lord Jesus Christ is God in the fullest sense and is equal with the Father in every way.

Romans 1:5-10

5   Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, 

6   among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;

7   To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

8   First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. 

9   For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, 

10   making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. 

1. Coupled with Paul’s thanksgiving to God for the Roman saints was his prayer that he might visit them in the not-too-distant future. As with everything else, he wanted his journey to be according to the will of God. That’s exactly how Paul got to Rome was by the hand of God. Acts 27-28

 

11   For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established— 

1. The apostle’s impelling desire was to help the saints spiritually so that they might be further established in the faith. There is no thought here of his conferring some “second blessing” on them, nor did he intend to impart some spiritual gift by the laying on of his hands (though he did this for Timothy in 2 Tim. 1:6). I believe it was a matter of helping their spiritual growth through the ministry of the  word.

Romens 1:12-13

12   that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

13   Now I do not want you to be unaware brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles. 

1. He had often planned to visit Rome but had been hindered, perhaps by pressing needs in other areas, perhaps by the direct restraint of the Holy Spirit, perhaps by the opposition of Satan. He desired to have some fruit among the Gentiles in Rome as he had among the other Gentiles. Here he is speaking of fruit in the gospel, as the next two verses show. In verses 11 and 12 his aim was to see the Roman Christians built up in their faith. Here he desires to see souls won for Christ in the capital of the Roman Empire.

 

Romans 1:14-17

14   I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. 

1. Anyone who has Christ has the answer to the world’s deepest need. He has the cure to the disease of sin. 
2. The way to escape the eternal horrors of hell, and the guarantee of everlasting happiness with God. This puts him under solemn obligation to share the good news with people of all cultures (barbarians) and people of all degrees of learning—wise and unwise. Paul felt the obligation keenly. He said, “I am a debtor.”

15   So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.

16   For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 

17   For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

1. Since the word righteousness occurs here for the first time in the Letter, we will pause to consider its meaning. The word is used in several different ways in the NT, but we shall consider only three uses.

• First: it is used to describe that characteristic of God by which He always does what is right, just, proper, and consistent with all His other attributes. When we say that God is righteous, we mean that there is no wrong, dishonesty, or unfairness in Him.
• Second: the righteousness of God can refer to His method of justifying ungodly sinners. He can do this and still be righteous because Jesus as the sinless Substitute has satisfied all the claims of divine justice.
• Finally: the righteousness of God refers to the perfect standing which God provides for those who believe on His Son (2 Cor. 5:21). 

Those who are not in themselves righteous are treated as if they were righteous because God sees them in all the perfection of Christ. Righteousness is imputed to their account.

• Which is the meaning in verse 17? While it could be any of the three, the righteousness of God seems to refer especially to His way of justifying sinners by faith.

God’s righteousness is revealed from faith to faith. The expression from faith to faith may mean: 

1. from God’s faithfulness to our faith 

2. from one degree of faith to another 

3. by faith from start to finish 

The last is the probable meaning. God’s righteousness is not imputed on the basis of works or made available to those who seek to earn or deserve it. It is revealed on the principle of faith alone. This is in perfect agreement with the divine decree in Habakkuk 2:4, “The just shall live by faith,” which may also be understood to mean “The justified-by-faith, ones shall live.”

In the first seventeen verses of Romans, Paul introduced his subject and stated briefly some of the principal points. He now addresses the third main question it starts in v.18. 

“Why do men need the gospel?” The answer, (in brief) is because they are lost without it. But this raises four subsidiary questions: 

• 1   Are the heathen who have never heard the gospel lost? (1:18–32) (the fictional man on the island)
• 2   Are the self-righteous moralists, whether Jews or Gentiles, lost? (2:1–16) 
• 3   Are God’s ancient earthly people, the Jews, lost? Romans 2:17 Romans 3:8; 
• 4   Are all men lost?

Romans 1:18

18   For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 

1. Here we have the answer to the question “Why do men need the gospel?” The answer is that they are lost without it, and that the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against the wickedness of men who suppress the truth in an unrighteous manner and by their unrighteous lives. 
2. But how is God’s wrath revealed? One answer is given in the context. 

• God gives men over to uncleanness (1:24), to vile affections (1:26), and to a reprobate mind (1:28). 
• But it is also true that God occasionally breaks through into human history to show His extreme displeasure at man’s sin—for example, the flood (Gen. 7); the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19); and the punishment of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram (Num. 16:32). How about a New Testament example: "Ananias and Sapphira" The story refers to a couple mentioned in the Bible, specifically in Acts 5, who are known for lying to the Holy Spirit by claiming to donate all the proceeds from selling their land to the church, while secretly keeping some for themselves; their story serves as a warning against hypocrisy and deceit within the Christian community. 

It’s going to be clearly seen in the next few scriptures as well as the next few chapters what the wrath of God truly is. “Some see it as the Bad News”. Believe me, it’s not easy to preach. No one wants to deliberately talk about what Paul is going to talk about.

• But let me ask you this, how could we ever truly know the size and magnitude of God’s Grace if we never knew what His wrath looks like.

Romans 1:19-20

19   because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 

1. “Are the heathen who have never heard the gospel lost?” Paul shows that they are, not because of knowledge they don’t have, but because of the light which they do have, yet refuse! Those things which may be known of God in creation have been revealed to them. God has not left them without a revelation of Himself.

20   For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,

• Ever since the creation of the world, two invisible characteristics of God have been on display for all to see: His eternal power and His divinity or Godhead. The word Paul uses here means divinity or godhood. It suggests the character of God rather than His essential being, His glorious attributes rather than His inherent deity. His deity is assumed.
• The argument here is clear: Creation demands a Creator. Design demands a Designer. By looking up at the sun, moon, and stars, anyone can know there is a God.
• The answer to the question “What about the heathen?” is this: they are without excuse. God has revealed Himself to them in creation, but they have not responded to this revelation. So, people are not condemned for rejecting a Savior they have never heard of, but for being unfaithful to what God has already shown them through His creation.

Romans 1:21

21   because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 

• Although they knew God by His works, they did not glorify Him for who He is or thank Him for all He has done. Rather, they gave themselves over to futile philosophies and speculations because of the lust of their flesh, they offer their unwanted children to the gods of their flesh, and as a result lost the capacity to see and think clearly. “Light rejected is light denied.” Those who don’t want to see lose the capacity to see.

Romans 1:22-32

22   Professing to be wise, they became fools, 

23   and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

24   Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 

25   who exchanged the truth of God for the lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26   For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 

27   Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

28   And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 

29   being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 

30   backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 

31   undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 

32   who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

• Those who abuse sex, who pervert sex, and who practice the other sins listed have an innate knowledge not only that these things are wrong but also that they themselves are deserving of death. 
• They know this is God’s verdict, however much they seek to rationalize or legalize these sins. But this does not deter  them from indulging in these forms of ungodliness. In fact, they unite with others to promote them and feel a sense of camaraderie with their partners-in-sin.

 

• THE UNREACHED HEATHEN

 

• What then, is God’s answer to the question “Are the heathen who have never heard the gospel lost?” Not all! The condemnation of the heathen is that they did not live up to the light which God gave them in creation. Instead, some become idolaters, and as a result abandoned themselves to lives of depravity and vileness.