An Overview of New Testament

Romans

 

Key Thought:  

Key verse:  "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.  For in the gospel, a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written:  'The righteous shall live by faith'" (Romans 1:16-17)

 

Background on the Writings of Paul

·        The form of Paul's writings was "letters".

·        Letters were written to Christians who had already become believers in Christ

·        Dealt with situations going on in early churches at the time

·        Were intended to be "read aloud" to the congregations

·        Made ample use of "rhetorical" devices or elements of logic intended to persuade.

·        For Paul, his understanding of the gospel led to specific actions.  This underlies the structure of his letters.

·        The assurance of our future in Christ, and this shapes our understanding and actions of the present.

·        Emphasis on God's grace and its outworking in our lives

 

Background to Romans

·        Often regarded as the most important treatise on the gospel.

·        Written probably before 60CE.  We don't know who started the church in Rome.

·        Written to explain that faith is foundational to salvation, and how this works itself out to integrate both Jews and Gentiles into the body of Christ.

·        The text outlines the "way the gospel works", and the fundamentals of salvation.

·        Answers the question:  How can Jewish people and Gentile (non-Jewish) people both "live together" as the one people of God?  Answer:  by faith in Christ Jesus.

·        Fully develops the meaning of "the righteous will live by faith"

·        Draws heavily on the example of the Jewish patriarchs, the psalms and the law to show how they pointed to the salvation which would come in Christ.

 

Basic Structure of Romans

·        The power of the gospel (chapters 1-11)

·        The outworking of the gospel (chapters 12-15)

·        Greetings (chapters 16)

-          possibly a second letter to the Roman church written at another time

-          gives a picture of who is in the Roman congregation:  usually in letter writing of that era, names were not mentioned unless the people played a significant part in society—in this case, the life of the church

·        Need to understand the whole flow of Romans before any individual part is "interpreted". 

 

An Overview of New Testament

Romans

 

A Simplified Structure of Romans

 

 

The need for the gospel:                                                                    Present yourselves   

All have sinned:  both Gentile and Jew                                            wholly to God

(Romans 1-3)                                                                                      (Romans 12)

 

The righteousness from God is by faith                                            Serve one another

 in Christ Jesus, not by works                          THEREFORE         in love

(Romans 4-5)                                                                                      (Romans 12)

 

Just as Christ was raised from the dead,                                          Obey the authorities

so are we raised to new life in the Spirit                                           (Romans 13)

(Romans 6-8)                                                                         

 

The gospel is for Jew and Gentile alike.                                          Agree with each

God is sovereign and wills that both                                                 other in faith

come together into peace                                                                  (Romans 14)

(Romans 9-11)

 

Notes to understanding Romans:

 

Ø      Faith is the key to salvation.  In Romans, faith is understood as putting our trust in God.  Abraham is the example of this found in Romans 4.

-          vs 3:  Abraham believed God and it (trust) was credited to him as righteousness

-          vs 5:   To the person who does not work but trusts God, who justifies the wicked, this person's faith is credited as righteousness

-          vs 8:   Blessed is the person whose sin the Lord will never count against him (David in Psalms 32:1,2)

-          vs. 18   Against all hope, Abraham believed

-          vs. 21   Abraham was fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.  This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness"

 

Ø      Romans 1-11 explains that faith in Christ Jesus is foundational to salvation (See Romans 5:1).  Our actions (outlined in Romans 12-14, flow from faith. 

 

Ø      Our new life in Christ is lived by the Spirit (Romans 8).  Even though we still live in our physical bodies, and wrestle with physical struggles, these do not define our walk with Christ.  Why?  Because we are right with God by faith. 

 

Ø      We are united as brothers and sisters because of our common faith.  This is what allows us to practice our faith differently on "disputable matters", and still maintain fellowship.