Riches in Romans #1

DIG DEEP Bible Study, Pastor David Cooper, Riches In Romans #1

ROMANS IN REVIEW

The letter of Romans was written by Paul the Apostle to Christians Rome, the capital of the Roman Empire that ruled the world. It was written while he was in Corinth in the spring of A.D. 57 during his third missionary journey while on his way to Jerusalem with financial assistance for the church (Rom 15:25-27).

Let’s read Paul’s opening statement of purpose:

1:1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. 6 And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. 7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Rome was the center of the world empire. Rome was an industrial city and the center of commerce. Roman was an idolatrous city filled with temples and statues of false gods. Rome was an influential city as it ruled with over the world. Rome was an immoral city with no moral boundaries. Seneca the philosopher called Rome, “a cesspool of iniquity.” Rome was a totalitarian government with no free speech or no free elections. Rome persecuted the church. Rome was much like our times and Paul writes as inspired by the Spirit to show us how to live our faith in a world like Rome. You’ve heard the saying, “When in Rome, do as the Romans would do.” Nothing could be further from the truth. The truth is when in Rome do what Jesus would do. Paul wrote Romans to explain God's plan of salvation and how true righteousness is through faith in Jesus. The Book of Romans asks and answers two

crucial questions: How does a person become righteous and how does a righteous person live? The answer is, “The righteous will live by faith” (Rom 1:17).

Paul has three main reasons for writing Romans: 1. To prepare for his visit to the Roman church and his planned visit to Spain (Rom 1:10-15; 22-29). Since he could not personally visit Rome, due to his planned visit to the Jerusalem church with financial aid, he sent this letter to prepare them for a later visit. 2. To present a complete explanation of the gospel of Christ. 3. To explain how the gospel unites Jews and Gentiles as one in Christ. He says, “Christ is the end of the law (so that there might be righteousness for all who believe” (Rom 10:4). As a result of Jesus’ fulfilling the Old Testament, Jewish customs are not required (Matt 5:17). Christ is all! (Col 3:11).

Romans is the most systematic of Paul's letters with an emphasis on Christian truth. Romans inspires us and informs us by explaining great spiritual truths of: sin and salvation grace and righteousness, justification and sanctification, mercy and judgment, divine election and human choice, God’s sovereignty and the human will, The Christian and civil government.

The letter of Romans can be divided into four categories: 1. Eternal Life (Romans 1-5). 2. Spiritual maturity (Romans 6-8). 3. God’s Eternal Purpose (Romans 9-11). 4. Church Life (Romans 12-16).

The central truth of Romans, the hub of the wheel, is Romans 1:16-17: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “’The righteous will live by faith.’”