Introduction

In the first message, we considered the overall nature of the book of Romans and the fact that it was a fund-raising letter. In this letter, Paul set out his gospel in a systematic fashion so that the Roman Christians would know the nature of the gospel that he desired to preach in his mission to Spain. If we want to understand the gospel in Paul’s terms, as Paul sets it forth here, we have to take in the background of one other thing—the life of Saul or Paul himself.

The Text

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 1:1-7)

The Background to Romans

This letter is from Saul of Tarsus, commonly known as Paul. He identifies himself in the first place as a servant or slave of Jesus Christ (v. 1). He had been called to be an apostle, which means “one commissioned and sent out,” and the nature of the commission is made evident in that Paul was consecrated or set apart for the gospel of God (v. 1). This gospel was not a new idea that had been cooked up between the testaments, but rather was promised in the Scripture by the prophets (v. 2). Specifically, the gospel concerned God’s Son, Jesus Christ our Lord—a Davidson in his human line (v. 3) and declared to be the Son of God by His resurrection (v. 4). It is important to add that this declaration was done with power, and in accordance with the spirit of holiness. This same God is the one through whom the apostles had received grace and apostleship in order to glorify the name of this God, by seeing obedience to the faith among all nations (v. 5). This process was ongoing, and the Roman Christians were included in that ingathering, being called of Jesus Christ (v. 6). The letter is addressed to all in Rome who were beloved of God and called to be saints (v. 7). Paul blesses them with grace and peace from the Father and the Son in his initial benediction.

Wicked Nations

In our overview of the entire book of Romans, we noted that chapter one shows the Gentiles were under sin, chapter two showed the Jews under sin, and chapter sin showed them both up to their necks in the same kind of sin. This is important for us to note at the beginning of this book because the gospel set forth here is a gospel that liberates the nations from wickedness, evil, sin, immortality, and so forth. This will be important for us to understand when we get to chapter seven, and Paul’s description of himself there as a representative Jew, but it is also important for us to see the nature of Saul’s conversion to Christ rightly. Otherwise, we will get everything confused. For now, we need to see that the gospel directly addresses what preachers in another era used to call sin. Paul is grappling with all ungodliness and unrighteousness (1:18), vain imaginations (v. 21), vile affections (v. 26), a reprobate mind (v. 28), along with envy, murder, and deceit (vv. 29-31). There is much more than this. Among the Jews, Paul was concerned about hypocritical double standards (2:1), hard and impenitent hearts (v. 5), thievery (v. 21), adultery (v. 22), and much more. Put them both together, and no one does good (3:12), they have throats that are open sepulchres (v. 13), cursing and bitterness (v. 14), and no fear of God at all (v. 18). Nothing is plainer than that Paul sets his gospel over against all the doings of the carnal man, and not against the expectant but faithful Jew.

Saul’s Conversion

One of the more serious errors found in what is called the New Perspective on Paul is that it tries to put these moral issues on the back burner, and make the central thing a question about the boundary markers of Torah— circumcision, and other marks of Jewishness. In this view, when Luke tells us that Zacharias and Elizabeth were blameless according to the law (Luke 1:6), and when Paul says something that sound similar (Phil. 3:6), they must be referring to the same thing. But this is plainly false. Zacharias and Elizabeth were conscientious and faithful old covenant members, looking forward to the Messiah as did also all the prophets, Simeon, Anna, and our Lord’s mother. Luke is praising them in Luke 1:6.

But Paul is referring to his previous “blamelessness” as so much dung (Phil. 3:8), and wants us to know that those who were still holding to what he used to hold to are dogs, evil workers, and flesh mutilators (Phil. 3:2). Before his conversion, Saul of Tarsus held himself to have been an awful man. He describes himself as a chief among sinners (1 Tim. 1:15), as a blasphemer (v. 13), and insolent (v. 13, NKJV). When Christ appeared to him on the Damascus road, He was showing great kindness to a vile man. Christ delivered him from much more than an overly sentimental attachment to the boundary markers of the old covenant. Unless this is understood, the book of Romans will never be.

Not Healing the Wound Lightly

The prophet Jeremiah describes those who would say peace when there is no such thing. He talks about those who heal the wound of the people lightly (Jer. 6:14; 8:11). We naturally flinch from any treatments of the wound that really get down to business. A great deal of contemporary scholarship on Paul is dabbing around the edges of humanity’s gangrenous wound with a damp washcloth, not really wanting to admit the obvious. To change the metaphor, the solution will be to take the book of Romans like whiskey—straight. Let the gospel make you cough and catch your breath.

The Gospel Itsel

Christ Jesus was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead. The fact of death reveals that we are dealing with no minor problem. The measures that God took to save us indicate the greatness of our dilemma. God Himself took flesh and dwelt among us, born into the line of David. This was not to help us figure out how to dispose of our phylacteries.

We considered last week how the gospel is for the nations, and not just for individuals as individuals. But let us never try to hide from the holiness and graciousness of God by taking refuge in some corporate shelter.

Introduction

The book of Romans is a first century, apostolic fund-raising letter, and the fact that it almost never strikes us this way simply demonstrates how divergent our practices are from the biblical practices. The apostle Paul was seeking to minister in Spain, and he wanted the help of the Roman church. As part of this, he determined to set before them a clear statement of the gospel as he preached it, so that they would know the nature of the ministry they were helping.

The Text

“Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company” (Rom. 15:24).

The Background to Romans

The letter to the Romans was likely written from Corinth in early A.D. 57. Although Paul was a Roman citizen (Acts 22:28), there is no record of him ever visiting Rome before this. The fact that he wanted to establish churches in Spain gave him the perfect opportunity to visit Rome, and to make the acquaintance of the Christians there. He had no desire to usurp the ministry of others, no desire to build on another man’s foundation.

The church in Rome was established in the capital city of the empire, and all the temptations you might expect came with that privilege. Paul was acutely aware of this, and he warns the Roman Christians of these temptations discretely but clearly. But he does so in a way that is woven together with his larger argument. There had been “visitors from Rome”present at Pentecost, and there had likely been a church there very early.

Priscilla and Aquila were part of this early Roman church, and Paul befriended them when the Jews were expelled from Rome under Claudius (c. A.D. 49). Suetonius (70 years later) said that it was because the Jews were constantly rioting at the instigation of a man named Chrestus, a variant Latin spelling of Christus. But if this referred to Christ, it would be odd for the Jews in Rome at the end of Acts not to know anything about this “sect” (Acts 28:22). At any rate, after the death of Claudius in A.D. 54, there was a thriving Jewish community in Rome, and when Paul wrote in 57, he could speak of the faith of the Roman church as a matter of universal knowledge. In short, Rome was a happening place.

An Overview of Romans

Most of Paul’s letters are responding to particular situations on the ground, and Paul is responding to them pastorally. Of necessity, this means that his teaching in the bulk of his letters is generally speaking ad hoc. In this letter, he does not have pastoral responsibility in Rome, and he is not responding to a crisis. Rather, he has the opportunity to go to Spain, and he is setting forth his gospel as clearly as he can. The result is that the book of Romans is far more systematic than most of his other writings.

In taking an overview of the book, we have to pass over a number of nooks and crannies, but we will address those as we proceed through the book. So take this as the broad overview, and remember that the original book did not have chapters and verses. In the first chapter, Paul shows that the nations are trapped in sin. But lest the Jews vaunt themselves, in the second chapter, he shows that they are under sin as well. In the third chapter, he summarizes by showing that Jew and Gentile are both in bondage to sin. Thus far we have a statement of the problem—the problem of universal sin that the gospel addresses.

In chapter four, he gives us an exegetical basis for justification by faith alone, found in the example of Abraham. In chapter five, we have more of a theological statement of the same truth.
Given that we are justified by faith alone, apart from works of the law, Paul turns (in a refutatio) to address a number of objections to his gospel. If we are justified by faith apart from the law, then doesn’t that mean that we get to sin up a storm? In chapter six, Paul answers no. If we are justified by faith apart from the law, then what was the law given for then? Paul answers that question in chapter seven.

In chapter eight, Paul begins his glorious discussion of the relationship of God’s sovereignty to God’s covenant promises and commitments. Chapter eight gives us a discussion of God’s commitment to the entire created order. Chapters nine through eleven describe God’s saving work within the covenant made with the Jews, and how the Gentiles were brought into that.

And then, in accord with his custom, Paul gives the Romans a series of ethical exhortations, all of which line up with the gospel that has been articulated. Chapter twelve addresses body life within the congregation. Chapter thirteen has to do with our relationship to the unbelieving civil order. Chapter fourteen concerns debates about questionable matters. Chapter fifteen addresses the subject of missions (and remember the purpose of the letter). And chapter sixteen largely consists of greetings and a few remaining exhortations.

The Gospel for All Nations

Evangelical Christians are accustomed to think of Romans as a tract outlining the way of individual salvation. This is certainly something that can (and should) be derived from this book, but it is important for us to note that Paul is proclaiming his gospel to the church at Rome, so that they would help him proclaim it to the region of Spain. The tribal nature of man is apparent throughout this entire book. It concerns individuals, of necessity, but we have to begin where Paul begins. “By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name” (Rom. 1:5).

You cannot talk about omelets without including eggs. But you can talk about eggs, and never get to the omelet. You cannot talk about nations without including men and women, boys and girls. But you can talk about men and women, boys and girls, and never get to the nations. This individualization is one of the devices that we use to keep the gospel from getting us into trouble.

As we study this book, we will discover that God’s plan of salvation is far greater than a simple plan to save Smith, if Smith believes. God loves the world, the Jews, the tribes, the cosmos, and fully intends to save all of it . . . and that includes Smith.