• “The profoundest piece of writing in existence”
Samuel Coleridge
• “The chief book of the New Testament. It
deserves to be known by heart, word for word,
by every Christian” Martin Luther
• “The cathedral of Christian faith” Frederick Godet
• “This epistle is the principal and most excellent
part of the New Testaments, and most pure
evangelion…the more it is studied the easier it is;
the more it is chewed, the pleasanter it is; and
the more groundly it is searched, the preciouser
things are found in it” William Tyndale
APOSTLE PAUL
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A Jew
A Roman citizen
Tarsus – Greek education
Jerusalem – Gamaliel
Christian persecutor
Road to Damascus personal call
Greatest missionary
Human author of 13 epistles
ROMAN CHURCH
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Began by Jews after Pentecost
Gentiles added
49 AD Claudius expelled Jews from Rome
Church became 100% Gentile
Jews returned
57 AD Paul wrote the letter
PAUL’S PURPOSE
• Written in 57 AD in Corinth after 25 years of
ministry
• Secure a base for his mission to Spain
• Unify the Roman Christians
• The coming crisis in Jerusalem
• Define and defend the Gospel
• Present the Christian worldview
WORLDVIEWS
• Worldview:
– A network of your basic beliefs that you assume to
be true without proof by which you interpret and
do life.
– We all have a foundational belief system that
determines how we live
– Everyone uses their worldview consistently or
inconsistently, consciously or unconsciously
– Hypocrisy: pretending to have a worldview that
you don’t live by
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WORLDVIEWS
• Metaphysics: what is real (prime reality)?
– Supernatural only
– Natural only
– Supernatural & Natural
• Epistemology: what is true (and how do you know)?
– Absolute or Relative?
– Determined by senses, logic, experience?
– Determined by Divine revelation?
• Ethics: What is right and wrong (ought/ought not)?
– Determined by individuals, cultures, evolution, or God?
– How do you live?
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HUMANS
WHAT ARE THEY?
WHAT IS THEIR PROBLEM?
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A highly complex machine?
A naked ape?
A sleeping god?
A valuable person made in the image of God?
Why are humans like they are?
What is their relationship to God?
What is their purpose?
What happens after humans die?
How do humans decide how to live?
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ROMANS OUTLINE
• Chapters 1-8
– Doctrinal
– Theological
– Metaphysics
• Chapters 9-11
– God’s relationship to Jews
– Gentile’s relationship to Jews
– Metaphysics & Ethics
• Chapters 12-16
– Practical
– Ethics
• Chapters 1-6
– God’s righteousness imputed judicially through the
substitutionary death of Christ to those who believe Justification
• Chapter 5: “Therefore since we have been
justified by faith…”
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We have peace with God
Access by faith
Hope of glory
Rejoice in sufferings
God’s love poured into our hearts
Saved from the wrath of God
• Chapters 7-8
– God’s righteousness imparted in believers by the Holy
Spirit - Sanctification
GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE: THE JEWS
• Chapters 9-11
– Why do the Jews not believe in Christ?
– What is God’s plan for them now?
– What is God’s plan for them in the future?
– How do Gentile believers relate to them?
CHRISTIAN ETHICS
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Chapters 12-16
What is your purpose?
What are you living for?
How do you relate to believers?
How do you relate to unbelievers?
How do you relate to authorities?
KEYS TO ROMANS
• Key Verses:
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1:16-17
3:21-26
11:25-29
12:1-2
• Key Words:
– Righteousness
– Justification
– Faith
• Key Chapter: 8
• 25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you
according to my gospel and the preaching of
Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the
mystery that was kept secret for long ages
26 but has now been disclosed and through
the prophetic writings has been made known
to all nations, according to the command of
the eternal God, to bring about the obedience
of faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory
forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.