Text: Romans 16
Title: Romans Review & Wrap-Up
I. Romans Review
a. Paul’s Purpose
i. Teach
ii. Exhort
b. The Theological House
i. Foundation- The Doctrine of Revelation
ii. Wall 1- The Doctrine of Sin
iii. Wall 2- The Doctrine of Salvation
iv. Wall 3- The doctrine of Last Things
v. Roof- The Doctrine of God
c. Key Applications
i. Submit to God
ii. Love Others
iii. Remain United
II. Romans Wrap-Up
a. Personal Greetings
b. Final Warnings
c. Closing Benediction
Whenever I run into an old elementary or Jr. high, or even high school teacher they always react with surprise at the fact that I graduated high school. And they are even more surprised to find that I went on to graduate school. I was kind of a slow learner for about the first 18 years of my life.
It wasn’t really until college that I was able to figure school out. And then it was a piece of cake from there. I learned three important lessons in my early years of college that served me well all throughout my education. Those lessons have also served me well even after school.
I am going to share these three lessons with you now. Many of you have already figured this stuff out, you high school kids should listen up, because this will come in handy.
First, I learned what I was passionate about, and it wasn’t math. Once I found how much I loved studying the Bible and writing and behavior sciences, then school was easy. I found that I really wanted to learn more and I saw my teachers as resources rather than tyrants.
Second, I learned how to read a book. I had always enjoyed reading, but reading fiction and reading text books are very different. I learned how to focus on the words in bold print, and how to read the first and last paragraphs, and how to scan a book for content. I learned to look for the main points and the big picture instead of trying to memorize everything.
And finally, I learned how to take a test. Right before a big test or a final the teacher would usually do a review of everything you learned that semester. Most of the time he would tell you exactly what you needed to know to do well on the test. If I made sure to focus on that final review I knew I would do well on the test, no matter how much I might have goofed off the rest of the year.
Today I’m going to give you a full review of the book of Romans. So even if you haven’t been able to make it every week or if you fell asleep a few times, you should still be able to do well on the final if you pay attention today.
I choose to preach through this book for a couple of reasons. First, I just love it. I have always enjoyed reading through this book. I had a desire to dig in deeper and study it more.
Second, I wanted to make sure that we were all on the same page, theologically. I wanted all of us to have a reminder of exactly what our faith is built on. You can’t come away from a study of Romans without a clear understanding of some important theological truths.
Third, Romans is a very encouraging, uplifting, motivating book. Paul has a lot to say about our abilities in Christ. My hope is that a better understanding of this book will motivate you to greater acts of service.
As we cap this book off, I want to spend a few minutes reviewing where we have been and then we will look at the closing remarks in chapter 16.
First of all, I want to remind you of Paul’s main purpose for writing this book. His basic reason was to encourage and uplift the church there. Right off the bat in chapter 1 Paul says, “11 For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established;” Paul’s desire was to help them understand how important they were to God and how meaningful their service really was.
So in a general way, Paul’s goal is to encourage, but in a more specific sense his desire was to teach them. They already knew Jesus; they already had a firm grasp on the basics. Here Paul digs in even deeper. He wanted them to have such a solid and firm foundation that nothing could ever shake them. We’ll review the details of what he wanted to teach in just a minute.
However, I don’t want us to miss the significance of solid teaching. Hopefully you all have a desire to be lifelong learners. The minute we think we have it all figured out and we don’t have anything left to learn is the minute we lose touch with reality. If you aren’t learning than you aren’t growing; and if you aren’t growing than you are dying.
The first 11 chapters of this letter are filled with teaching. It makes up the majority of the book. Sometimes pastors are accused of too much teaching and not enough preaching. I can understand that critique. Sometimes people just want you to tell them what they are supposed to do. Sometimes people just want you to make them feel good about what they are already doing.
But before Paul went into the practical application he took considerable time to teach. The reason is simple. We are far more likely to do what we are supposed to do when we know the reasons why.
I could give you a laundry list of behaviors that you should maintain, but if you don’t know why then as soon as you hit a rough patch, or as soon as it gets uncomfortable you’ll abandon it.
Those of you who have kids know that a young child’s favorite questions is- why? My kids ask it almost every day. And even though it can be tiresome at times, I do my best to give them an answer to that question that they can understand. I do my best to teach them “why” because I know that when they know why they will be more likely to obey.
So Paul spends time explaining the why of the Christian faith knowing that it will help us to be more receptive to the what of the Christian faith.
In the last few chapters of Romans Paul turns to from teaching to preaching. He moves on to exhortation. Exhortation is just a fancy word for good advice. It is where Paul tells us what we need to do now that we are in the family of God. It isn’t just random advice, but clear direction based on what we know about Jesus Christ.
I recognize the fact that I can sometimes be a little more teachy than preachy. As a guy fresh out of seminary I know that might be my tendency. But my desire is the same as Paul’s. I want you all to have a faith that is built on a sure foundation. I want you to love and serve God out of a clear knowledge of who God is. With that kind of foundation you will be able to bear up under any pressure.
For the first few months of this study I tried to spend a lot of time helping us construct a theological house. The reason is because I am a simple guy and always understand things better when they are put in a more simplified format. I don’t know if it makes it any easier for you all to understand, but that’s my hope.
I know that you all probably have this figured out by now, I hope this looks at least a little familiar. But I’m going to review it one more time just for fun. Here is our doctrinal house:
It begins with the foundation which is the doctrine of Revelation. The doctrine of revelation is our foundation because as Christians everything we believe about God comes from Him communicating to us. God has spoken to His creation and we can know Him. The compilation of the Word of God all throughout History is found in the Bible. It is a divinely inspired book that serves as our bedrock.
Paul deals with the issue of revelation right from the beginning of Romans. He explains that God has made Himself know in a general way through creation, but humanity can’t see it. We are blinded by sin and unable to come to faith merely through general revelation. That’s why special revelation is so important.
Romans 1:19-20 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
Jesus Christ is the ultimate revelation of God because Jesus is God in flesh. He came down to live with us and die for us. Jesus is the foundation of our salvation.
You can see why the doctrine of revelation is so important. Without it, or with a flawed view of revelation we are left with nothing to stand on.
Next is the first wall of the house, the doctrine of sin. In chapter 1 Paul describes how debilitating sin is to the human heart…
Romans 1:21-25 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
Paul paints a picture of a humanity that is completely lost to sin. He talks about the helplessness of the person who rejects God. He talks about the helplessness of the person who thinks they can please God through good works. And he talks about the helplessness of even the Jewish people who think they deserve special standing with God simply by virtue of their birth.
The point is that we are all suffering from the same big problem- sin. Romans 3:23 sums it up very simply- “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
We are all in the same boat. All of us have sinned and that sin affects our relationship with God. The problem is universal. We can’t fix the problem through being nice people, or through working really hard, or even through cleaning the church toilets every week. In fact nothing we do can solve the problem. It’s systemic. It goes down to our core.
If you remember the first three chapters of Romans was kind of depressing. It was all about sin and our helplessness as humans. But fortunately Paul didn’t just leave us with the bad news; he also gave us the good news.
The second wall of our theological house is the doctrine of salvation. Salvation doesn’t come through good works or being nice, it turns out that salvation comes simple as a free gift from God. God knew that we were helpless and enslaved by sin, so He devised a simple yet effective method for restoring our relationship with Him. He did all the hard work for us.
Paul explains that Jesus Christ was the offering of atonement, the perfect sacrifice on our behalf, the bridge between man and God. He lives the perfect life that we were unable to live, because He is God. He suffered and died a death He didn’t deserve, in our place. He took away the guilt and the penalty of sin.
And the best part is that all we as helpless human beings need to do is believe. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
In chapter 10 Paul says…
“ 9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;”
What an amazing promise. Salvation isn’t complicated, it’s simple. It is all about Jesus.
The third wall of the house was the doctrine of last things. This is simple a confidence that Paul had and that we all can share that Jesus is coming again and that God will bring the whole course of redemptive history to a close. God has a plan and it will be fulfilled.
Along those lines, the roof of our doctrinal house is the doctrine of God. He is the overarching shelter for everything else. All we believe, all we know, all we are is held together by God. Paul reinforces our understanding of God’s sovereignty and God’s love and God’s holiness, and God’s grace.
Paul is a former Pharisee, a very analytical thinker who knows how to make a case. Through the book of Romans he establishes a ground for authority- the Bible; he presents us with the core problem- sin; and then he offers the solution to that problem- salvation. That’s the condensed explanation of Christianity.
After firmly establishing these doctrinal truths, Paul then moves on to give us some key application points. His first instruction is that because of all we have learned about God we have a responsibility to submit to Him.
Look at Romans 12:1-2…
Romans 12:1-2 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Now that you all understand just how much God has done for you; in light of all of God’s mercies to you, present your bodies as a living sacrifice to God. In other words, give Him your life. Allow God to live in you and through you. No longer be identified with the kind of life you used to live, but now identify yourself with Jesus Christ.
This is one of those things that is easier to say than do. We get used to being in control and often have a hard time giving things up. But if we truly understand what God has done for us and really believe in His promises, than submitting to Him becomes a lot easier.
The next application point Paul makes is that we need to love others. In the second half of chapter 12 Paul says… Romans 12:9-10 9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;”
And then in chapter 13 he says… Romans 13:8 8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
Love God and love others. That’s the greatest commandment as given by Jesus and it is the thrust of Paul’s exhortation to the church in Rome. I think it is pretty safe to say that it should be pretty high up on our priority list as well. Love God and love others.
Finally, the last major area of instruction from the book of Romans is for us to remain united.
Romans 15:5-6 5 Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We spent about three weeks discussing the issue of the weak and strong believer. We talked about different gray areas in the Christian life. The reason that Paul spent so much time writing about that topic was because he knew the potential for division there. Paul didn’t want secondary issues to drive a wedge between believers.
Unity is important because it brings glory to God. It is important to Him.
Before we stick a fork in this book I want to just do a quick wrap-up of the last chapter. Chapter 16 of Romans is primarily Paul’s personal greetings to his friends but there are some important closing remarks.
As you read through the personal greetings one thing is obvious, the work of spreading the message of Jesus Christ is a group effort. Paul relied on these men and women in many different ways. Some people risked their lives for Paul, some are described as hard workers. Paul sends a greeting to a guy named Rufus saying that his mother was a mother to me. In verse 16 he says, give everyone a big holy kiss for me.
None of us is an island. We have to lean on each other and rely on each other.
After the personal greetings Paul offers one last warning in verses 17-19…
Romans 16:17-19 17 Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. 18 For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. 19 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil.
What a great blessing here. I want you to be knowledgeable about things that are good and noble and right, and I want you to be innocent, or ignorant about things that are evil.
So that’s the review of the whole book. If you just study those things this week you should do great on the final exam. Fortunately life is an open book test. The more you keep you book open the better you will do.
I hope you have grown through this study. My desire was for all of us to have a confidence in our faith that comes from a clear understanding of God’s word.
Paul ends the book with this beautiful benediction…
“25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, 26 but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith; 27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.”
