Introduction To Romans Series

Introduction to Romans The Glorious Gospel of Grace #1 Rom. 1:1

Richard Tow 12.02.18

Today we begin a study in the book of Romans! Romans is perhaps the most profound piece of literature ever penned. In it we have a clear, concise declaration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I. In 1:1 through 3:20 the need for the gospel is explained. There the problem of sin is introduced.

II. In 3:21 to the end of chapter 5 Paul shares God’s provision for forgiveness of sin and justification by faith. The focus in those verses is our salvation from the penalty of sin.

III. In chapters 6 through 8 Paul declares God’s grace for overcoming the power of sin in our daily lives. In theological terms that is sometimes called sanctification.

IV. Chapters 9 through 11 deal with God’s redemptive plan for the nation of Israel.

v. Finally, in chapters 12 through 16 Paul gives practical exhortations based on his doctrinal teaching in the earlier chapters. Romans 12:1 begins with the Greek phrase parkaleo humas oun, translated “I beseech [exhort] you therefore.”i The word of God always elicits a response on our part. We don’t just study it for intellectual satisfaction, we search its message for instruction on how we should live. The ultimate value of Bible study is found in our everyday response to its truths.

We know that Paul was inspired to write this letter by the Holy Spirit. The early church recognized that and included it in the canon. Peter wrote in his second epistle, “knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit (1:20-21). Our attitude toward Scripture is of paramount importance. The person who approaches the Bible as simply a collection of human writings, is not going to benefit much by reading it. He is not operating in faith, and without faith it is impossible to please God.ii Hebrews 4:2 talks about people who were exposed to the truth, but were not benefited by it because of their unbelief: “For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.”

The carnal mind cannot receive the things of God. God has to grant the capacity to understand it. 1 Cor 2:14 says, “. . . the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” We want to approach the book of Romans with an attitude of faith that humble looks to God for understanding—a faith that expects Him to speak to us from this inspired document. 2 Tim 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

The authority of God’s word is under attack with a variety of strategies by the enemy. One strategy is to deny its inspiration as the word of God. The devil has even put people in seminaries and Bible colleges who have a low regard for Scripture. Young adults go to their schools to be equipped for ministering the gospel of Jesus Christ. Instead of building up their student’s faith, these false teachers tear their faith down brick by brick. Higher criticism taught by some Bible scholars begins with the presupposition that nothing miraculous can happen. Out of their commitment to naturalism, they explain faith-building events in the Bible. They rationalize the parting of the Red Sea. They explain away the miracles Jesus worked. They deny His resurrection. Rather than allowing the Scripture to stand in judgement over their lives, they set themselves up to stand in judgement over God’s word and dismiss it as impossible. They deal with it as if it were a legend, rather than a revelation. After talking about the inspiration of Scripture, Peter warned, “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed” (2 Peter 2:1-3). This attitude toward the Bible has gotten into many pulpits and is leading many astray.iii

A subtler strategy is to deny the importance of Scripture. The idea is to simply marginalize it and emphasize social interaction: “Make church fun and entertaining. Don’t bog people down in studying the Bible. By all means, don’t teach doctrine that might alienate someone.” The goal is often to simply gather a large group of people. But Jesus did not commission His church to gather large crowds in buildings. He commanded us to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you (emphasis mine, Matt 28:19-20). There are varying degrees of what I am describing, but the current trend is away from teaching the word of God with authority and conviction. Paul told Timothy to preach the word. That is the minister’s assignment. Then he adds in 2 Tim 4:3–4, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.”