“Introduction to Romans,” Sermon Notes Pastor Marc Wragg Saving Grace Bible Church February 21, 2021 Morning Worship Service

We now embark on what I hope is an amazing journey through Paul’s letter to the Church in Rome We will take our time to discover the riches of this marvelous book for ourselves. I have no idea how the Lord will use this book in our ministry life, but I pray there is significant fruit from our study in Paul’s letter to the Romans I am thrilled at jumping into this study at this time here at SGBC

• Paul’s message to the Romans is important and clarifying • We will be enriched by this study and I trust we will have an enriched appreciation for the Gospel and the work of God in our midst o We will learn from the Apostle Paul the Gospel o What does the gospel produce? o What is our relationship to the gospel as a Jew or Gentile? As we look at our ministry, we started by looking at the life of Christ, then we moved to the practices of believers in 1 John then we looked at the makeup of the Church in Ephesians and we just finished the Gospel of Jesus Christ from the writings of Matthew. We now look at foundation of the Gospel of God from the Apostle Paul While all preachers believe the book they are in at that moment is the most important and amazing book, it is clear many keep going back to Romans

• After the Gospel’s, and the Acts of the Apostles, Romans is the first Epistle in our cannon. Not because it came first chronologically but likely because of the significance of its message This book has impacted the Church universally for generations It has had a large impact on Church history

• Augustine was transformed by the book of Romans: Augustine’s conversion

Sometime in the year 386, Augustine was in Milan. While outdoors, Augustine heard the voice of a child singing a song,(Tolle lege, tolle lege, tolle lege) the words of which were, "Pick it up and read it. Pick it up and read it." He thought at first that the song was related to some kind of children's game, but could not remember ever having heard such a song before.

Then, realizing that this song might be a command from God to open and read the Scriptures, he located a Bible, picked it up, opened it and read the first passage he saw. It was from the Letter of Paul to the Romans. Augustine read:

1

Not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual excess and lust, not in quarreling and jealousy. Rather, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh. --Romans 13:13-14 https://www.midwestaugustinians.org/conversion-of-st-augustine In Augustine’s own words he said: “I wanted to read no further, nor did I need to. For instantly, as the sentence ended, there was infused in my heart something like the light of full certainty and all the gloom of doubt vanished away,” he testifies. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevin-wax/augustines-conversion/ Augustine,

• Before his conversion he was a brilliant teacher of literature and rhetoric • But he lived a licentious life • Yet even this rebellious sinner proved to be no match for a praying mother and the book of Romans • Augustine’s mother, Monica, prayed fervently for her son before his conversion. She never saw his conversion but God answered her prayers • Augustine would be used by God to protect the Church from a monk named Pelagius Augustine went on to be a great father of the early Church Later in the reformation period another man was radically transformed by the book of Romans. Having already dedicated himself to the Lord and His work, Martin Luther was radically transformed by the book of Romans: Luther’s Comments on his transformation: I greatly longed to understand Paul's Epistle to the Romans and nothing stood in the way but that one expression "the justice of God" because I took it to mean that justice whereby God is just and deals justly in punishing the unjust. My situation was that, although an impeccable monk, I stood before God as a sinner troubled in conscience and I had no confidence that my merit would assuage Him. Therefore, I did not love a just and angry God, but rather hated and murmured against him. Yet I clung to the dear Paul and had a great yearning to know what he meant.

Night and day I pondered until I saw the connection between the justice of God and the statement that "the just shall live by his faith." Then I grasped that the justice of God is that righteousness by which through grace and sincere mercy God justifies us through faith. Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into Paradise. The whole of Scripture took on a new meaning. Whereas before "the justice of God" had filled me with hate, now it became inexpressibly sweet in greater love. This passage of Paul became to me a gate to heaven. (Roland Bainton, Here I Stand, 49-50)

Most certainly we will come back to Luther again in our study as the book of Romans transformed his entire ministry. Luther would later go on to write a commentary on Romans which would lead to the transformation of another great minister, John Wesley. Wesley’s Conversion

2

John Wesley’s heart was strangely warmed at an evening meeting on Aldersgate Street as someone read aloud from Martin Luther’s Preface to the Book of Romans. . . . That night, Wesley said that he went from the faith of a slave to the faith of a son. His thirty-five years leading up to this moment would later be described by him as the frosty and frustrated life of an “almost Christian.” https://peopleneedjesus.net/2017/10/31/what-wesley-thought-of-luther/ Wesley’s Exact Words: In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther's preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for my salvation: and an assurance was given me, that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death. - https://www.etsjets.org/files/JETS-PDFs/7/7-3/BETS_7_3_83-90_Cox.pdf Wesley had come to understand salvation was by grace through faith alone. He understood salvation was a gift of God where God covers a sinner with His righteousness. This would radically transform him and influence his ministry for the rest of his life We can only Pray that God would be favorable to us as well and use the grand themes of this marvelous book to awaken dead hearts and strengthen saints to greater usefulness in the work of God In seasons of tumult and distress the message of God in the book of Romans has brought marvelous transformation. And I am hoping for nothing less for us and this generation May we see a genuine gospel transformation today which are the signs of a genuine spiritual revival This book has not only been used by God in mighty ways throughout history, but it has also been understood by many to be an important book for the church The Importance of the book of Romans

Consider the testimony of these men regarding Romans: a. Martin Luther praised Romans: “It is the chief part of the New Testament and the perfect gospel… the absolute epitome of the gospel.” b. Luther’s successor Philip Melancthon called Romans, “The compendium of Christian doctrine.” c. John Calvin said of the Book of Romans, “When anyone understands this Epistle, he has a passage opened to him to the understanding of the whole Scripture.” d. Samuel Coleridge, English poet and literary critic said Paul’s letter to the Romans is “The most profound work in existence.” e. Frederick Godet, 19th Century Swiss theologian called the Book of Romans “The cathedral of the Christian faith.”

3 f. G. Campbell Morgan said Romans was “the most pessimistic page of literature upon which your eyes ever rested” and at the same time, “the most optimistic poem to which your ears ever listened.” g. Richard Lenski wrote that the Book of Romans is “beyond question the most dynamic of all New Testament letters even as it was written at the climax of Paul’s apostolic career.” https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/romans-1/ Tom Pennington observed: “For many years in the past, some of the finest law schools in the world used Romans as a textbook to illustrate how to construct a tight, logical argument that could not undermined. The voices of the church are unanimous in holding up the beauty and the uniqueness of the book of Romans. John Chrysostom of Constantinople was one of the greatest and the most eloquent expositors of the early church. He believed Romans was so unique and so remarkable that he had it actually read to him twice a week so that he could hear it and digest it again in a fresh way. William Tyndale, the father of the English Bible, you hold in your hand, wrote of Romans, "It is the principal and most excellent part of the New Testament. It is the light and way into the whole scripture. No man can read it too often or study too well." https://countrysidebible.org/media-archives/20140330a_c-ser_t-tp Tom Pennington . . . and Finally In his excellent summary of the profound importance of the book of Romans, John MacArthur stated: “Romans speaks to us today just as powerfully as it spoke to men of the first century. It speaks morally, about adultery, fornication, homosexuality, hating, murder, lying, and civil disobedience. It speaks intellectually, telling us that the natural man is confused because he has a reprobate mind. It speaks socially, telling us how we are to relate to one another. It speaks psychologically, telling us where true freedom comes to deliver men from the burden of guilt. It speaks nationally, telling us our responsibility to human government. It speaks internationally, telling us the ultimate destiny of the earth and especially the future of Israel. It speaks spiritually, answering man’s despair by offering hope for the future. It speaks theologically, teaching us the relationship between the flesh and the spirit, between law and grace, between works and faith. But most of all, it profoundly beings God Himself to us.” JFM Romans vol 1 pg. xii No doubt this will be a profound study and I ask you to join me in prayer that God uses this book to do a mighty work in our midst The Author of the Book Paul

• There is no reason to doubt this “Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,” (Rom. 1:1 NAS)

• The book opens with the claim that it is from the Apostle Paul himself

4

• And it continues to demonstrate this throughout “I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.” (Rom. 11:1 NAS)

• Here again Paul affirms his identity and reminds people of his heritage • These same truths were also communicated to the Church in Philippi “although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.” (Phil. 3:4-6 NAS)

• Again Paul writes and reveals himself throughout the book • He writes as a Jew • He writes as an Apostle of the Church • He also writes having deep personal connections with the Church

“Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles;” (Rom. 16:3-4 NAS)

• Prisca and Aquila are deer friends of Paul as He states in Romans 16 • He met them in Corinth • They are likely Church planters having been a part of Church in their home in Ephesus and now they are in Rome “The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Prisca greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.” (1 Cor. 16:19 NAS) They were in Ephesus and likely traveled to Rome and Paul knows they are in Rome or about to arrive The Author speaks of his work in Jerusalem which also clearly reflects the work of the Apostle Paul

“but now, I am going to Jerusalem serving the saints. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things.” (Rom. 15:25-27 NAS)

• Turn to Acts 19 and you see the corresponding activities of Paul: “Now after these things were finished, Paul purposed in the spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome." (Acts 19:21 NAS)

• Also notice what Paul said to the Corinthian Church:

“Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. 2 On the first day of every week let each one of you put aside and save, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come. 3 And when I arrive, whomever you may approve, I shall send them with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem; 4 and if it is fitting for me to go also, they will go

5 with me. 5 But I shall come to you after I go through Macedonia, for I am going through Macedonia;” (1 Cor. 16:1-5 NAS) The Author Desires to be in Rome “always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you in order that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; 12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other's faith, both yours and mine. 13 And I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented thus far) in order that I might obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 Thus, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.” (Rom. 1:10-15 NAS) Clearly there is no doubt that this book was written by the Apostle Paul

• The Book Claims to be from him • The author shares the same heritage, work, and desires of Paul • The desires of the author expressed in Romans are the same desires evidence in Paul in the rest of the NT The Place and Writing of the book Paul writes from Corinth

• He is taking a collection from the Gentile Churches for the needs in Jerusalem • Paul writes with help The book of Romans was written while Paul was heading to Jerusalem to give a love offering to the church from Macedonia and Achaia

• Paul at this point is in Corinth and anticipating what he is going to do next after he gives a gift to the Jerusalem Church from the gentile churches • He is seeking to head to Rome • I believe this letter was written, likely in late 57 ad to early 58 ad • It was while he was in Greece for three months • Acts tells us of this event: “And when he had gone through those districts and had given them much exhortation, he came to Greece. 3 And there he spent three months, and when a plot was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia.” (Acts 20:2-3 NAS) Make a case for Corinth

• I am showing you all of this so that you see how interconnected the Word of God is • I am showing you so you better understand the context of the early Church and the context from which Paul writes • I am also showing you these things so that you have more confidence in the scriptures you hold in your hands Another proof of the writing of Romans from Corinth: “Our Sister Phoebe”

6

Phoebe who is mention in Romans 16:1-2

“I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea; 2 that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been a helper of many, and of myself as well.” (Rom. 16:1-2 NAS)

• Phoebe accompanied the delivery of the letter to the Roman Church • She is a called a servant of the Church which is at Cenchera • and if the word servant here is a reference to her title and her work in the Church she would demonstrate the work of a deacon. She carried out official administrative work to help the ministry • “Cenchrea” is a port town in Corinth • So Paul mentions a woman who is from Corinth who likely delivered the letter or accompanied the deliver of the letter and was now joining the Roman Church for service Gaius is said to be Paul’s host “Gaius, host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer greets you, and Quartus, the brother.” (Rom. 16:23 NAS)

• Gaius is said to be hosting Paul and the whole Church • The church is meeting in the home of Gaius • It is likely that this Gaius is the same Gaius that Paul Baptized. He referred to this in 1 Cor 1:14 • Gaius a convert under Paul’s ministry was also a significant supporter of the Church in Corinth • He is hosting Paul at the writing of this letter to the Romans and Gaius is in Corinth I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, (1 Cor. 1:14 NAS) But there is more. There is another man. “Gaius, host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer greets you, and Quartus, the brother.” (Rom. 16:23 NAS)

• The city treasurer sends his greetings • Which city? • When Paul finally gets to Rome and writes Timothy he tells us that Erastus is from Corinth “Erastus remained at Corinth, but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus.” (2 Tim. 4:20 NAS) So it is very obvious that this letter was written by the Apostle Paul from Corinth. There is no doubt since the internal evidence of the letter reflects the external evidence. The author who claims to write the book has the same make up and experiences of the Apostle Paul. As well we know this book was written from the context of Corinth

• Which means that Paul is very much aware of the Jew and Gentile conflict • He is very much aware of the struggles with government authorities • He is very much aware of the importance of clarity in the gospel

7

If I had to guess, I suspect Paul regularly preached the themes found in Romans to those who were in Corinth. For the gospel alone could unite Jew and Gentiles together. The gospel alone was going to protect the Church Paul is the author but is Romans reliable? So let me address one more idea. Some will relent to say Paul wrote Romans but will point to the fact that Paul used an amanuenses to help him write the letter

• That is a scribe or a secretary who wrote down his words “I, Tertius, who write this letter, greet you in the Lord.” (Rom. 16:22 NAS) They would conclude that the use of this secretary to help him write is where errors are introduced into the bible

• So that the inspired Paul spoke but the uninspired Tertius may have introduced errors As they point out there are three possible ways that Tertius carried out his duties: 1. Teritus takes notes on themes and Teritus fills out later 2. Teritus takes shorthand notes and then rewrites later 3. Teritus records word for word the letter from Paul

They conclude the 3rd option could not be the case so they find hope in their theory in the first two options. Their goal is to get people to doubt the bible they hold in their hands Listen there is no need for us to get caught up in the unbelief of certain scholars. We will let them live in the darkness of their university which does not question their doctrine or teaching Remember it is the words, the writings, the book or letter which is inspired not the author “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;” (2 Tim. 3:16 NAS)

• It is the words, the writings, the books which are inspired We are not holding on to a sacred author we are holding on to a sacred text

• Therefore, if Tertius introduced a better or clearer way to say something and Paul said “that is great, write it down”, that does not change in one way the inspiration of the book of Romans • This book is claimed to be from the Apostle Paul, reflects the message of the Apostle, reflects the style of the Apostle, reflects the ministry of the Apostle, but more importantly it evidences of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and has been affirmed by the Church from the beginning to be inspired • Tertius work did nothing to hinder or confuse this work The Purpose of the Book of Romans “always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you in order that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; 12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other's faith, both yours and mine. 13 And I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that

8 often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented thus far) in order that I might obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 Thus, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.” (Rom. 1:10-15 NAS)

• Paul wants to come to Rome • He is looking preach the Gospel there

“For this reason I have often been hindered from coming to you; 23 but now, with no further place for me in these regions, and since I have had for many years a longing to come to you” (Rom. 15:22- 23 NAS) “whenever I go to Spain-- for I hope to see you in passing, and to be helped on my way there by you, when I have first enjoyed your company for a while” (Rom. 15:24 NAS) “And I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fulness of the blessing of Christ.” (Rom. 15:29 NAS) “so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company.” (Rom. 15:32 NAS) He wanted to come to Rome, so this was an introduction letter

• Imagine getting this profound letter of truth • And then finally getting to meet the author when he came into town • This was a doctrinal resume given by Paul to the Church in Rome to prepare them to receive him and help him go on to Spain • This was Paul’s introduction letter as an Apostle • A mighty work indeed Finally the Theme: “The righteousness of God”

• In Particular I would break down the letter like this: The Gospel of God: The righteousness of God which covers the sinner through faith alone

1. Introduction (Rom 1:1-17) 2. The Gospel of God’s Righteousness Explained (Rom 1:18-4:25) a. Righteousness of God revealed in universal condemnation 1:18-3:20 b. The righteousness of God given by faith 3:21-4:25 3. The Gospel of God’s Righteousness Experienced (Rom 5:1-8:29) a. The righteousness of God experienced through Christ 5:1-7:25 b. The righteousness of God revealed in sanctification in the Spirit 8:1-8:29 4. The Gospel of God’s Righteousness Defended (Rom 9:1-11:36) a. The righteousness of God in the Gospel to Gentiles b. The righteousness of God in His promises and dealings with Israel c. The righteousness of God revealed in His restoration of Israel 5. The Gospel of God’s Righteousness Applied (Rom 12:1-15:13) a. The righteousness of God revealed in the mercies of God in the Church

9

6. Conclusion (Rom 15:14-16:27)

Conclusion I trust you are preparing yourself for this marvelous study

• My encouragement to you is read each section we are in over and over • Right now be reading verses 1-17 over and over until we get to verse 18 • Then read from 1:18-4:25 until we finish that section • Be looking for the themes and ideas which come out • Grab a good commentary and follow along as we work our way through this study o We are going to cover law vs grace o Legalism vs antinomianism o Supercessionism o Original sin o Justification by Faith alone o Sanctification The more you familiarize yourself with these themes before we get to them the more you will grasp them when I am teaching through this marvelous book

Saving Grace Bible Church © 2021. All rights reserved. www.SavingGraceBibleChurch.org

10