Paul systematically places everyone on a level playing field…. removes all excuses and recourses…
Romans
Though Paul never named the city, it is obvious that he wrote this letter from Corinth, with Cenchrea (16:1) being its eastern harbor.
The letter was written at the close of Paul’s third missionary journey during the “three months” he was in Greece (Acts 20:3) just before his return to Jerusalem with the offering from the churches of Macedonia and Achaia for the poor believers there (Romans 15:26).
• After leaving Corinth, Paul was in Philippi during the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Acts 20:6) and desired to reach Jerusalem by Pentecost (Acts 20:16). – The letter was written, therefore, in the late winter or early spring of A.D. 57 or 58.
The Style
• The style of this book is highly literate.
– This epistle was not written by an unlettered fisherman: this is the most profound writing that exists anywhere.
– It has an international outlook; Paul was a Roman citizen with a Hebrew and Greek cultural background.
– This is a book which will delight the greatest logician; and will hold the attention of the wisest of men;
– Yet it will bring the humblest soul to tears of repentance at the feet of the Savior.
A God small enough for our mind would not be big enough for our need.
The Epistle to the Romans:
• It is the Most Comprehensive Book in the New Testament.
• It’s impact on world history is unequaled by any other book.
– This book dramatically changed the course of history in the world.
• Grace gradually erodes into various forms of legalism.....
– One of the toughest things to really get a grasp of, is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
– We tend to think in rules and boundaries and so forth.
• When grace becomes obscured;
– Throughout history, it leads to the Dark Ages.
– From 590-1517 (the 6th through the 16th centuries) was the time of the Dark Ages.
• When grace is rediscovered the light shines and brings change;
– (See: The Kingdom of Blood a history of the Church)
Paul
• Paul is the new name for Saul.
– Paul’s name means,“the least; or the little one.”
– He really understood the grace of God.
– Paul said, “I am the chief of sinners”
1 Timothy 1:12-15 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
– Yet, he is the most devoutly religious man who ever lived!
Philippians 3:5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
• Paul was diligently a professional law keeper!
– We need to understand what really lies beneath this statement, that Jesus Christ was the most anti-religious person who ever lived.
– Religion started when Adam and Eve tried to cover themselves with their own righteousness and God had to show them that it is only by the death of innocent blood that they would be “covered” until the Redeemer comes.
– Only the innocent blood of Jesus can take “away” sins, He being God in the flesh!
– So God has already saved one who is far worse than you or me!
– Who loved Him most? The one that was forgiven the most!
Luke 7:39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that touched him: for she is a sinner......47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.
To Whom Written?
Written to believers: Paul is not preaching to the unsaved; the unsaved are
never named God’s “beloved.”
• The book was designed for teaching the saints! Teaching those that are saved.
What is a saint?
A saint is a group of displaced persons, uprooted from their natural home,
and on their way to an extraterrestrial destination; not of this planet,
neither in its roots nor in its ideals.
—Donald Grey Barnhouse
In other words we are pilgrims, just passing through.
Outline of Romans:
The Gospel According to Paul
There are three main sections to the book of Romans.
– The first eight are the doctrinal sections.
• Doctrinal: Faith Romans 1 - 8
– Sin: (the most complete diagnosis) Romans 1-3
– Salvation Romans 4-5
– Sanctification Romans 6-8
• Israel:
The next three chapters deals with Israel.
• Dispensational: Hope Romans 9-11
– Israel - Past Romans 9
– Israel - Present Romans 10
– Israel - Future Romans 11
• The last four chapters deals with the practical application of love: How should we live?
Love Romans 12-16
“The Gospel”
• Not a code of ethics or morals;
• Not a creed to be accepted;
• Not a system of religion to be adhered to;
• Not a good advice to follow;
• The gospel is a message concerning a divine Person.
– He solved a problem for you and I, but not just for you and I but also, for God Himself.
The Book of Romans is about grace.
GRACE = “God’s Righteousness At Christ’s Expense”:
• How can God love us without violating His righteousness?
– His righteousness would demand that a penalty was to be paid, and His incredible gift to us is the gift of Himself as payment of that expense.
• The book of Romans has the most complete and penetrating statement of God’s Divine Plan for the redemption that God has given us.
– Christ did not come to make bad men good; but to give dead men life!
Prodigal Son:
Luke 15
In the story of the prodigal son, his father did not say; “My son has become good” ? No!
He said, “For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and now is found!”
– Yet, the son never lost his sonship.
The Purpose:
Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God
unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the
Greek.
• The power of God to salvation, not unto reformation, education, progress, nor development.
• It is for the lost man and no other. Men are either in salvation or in its opposite, perdition.
Philippians 1:28 And in nothing (be not) terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. 29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
The Trilogy;
That changed the course of history;
• Martin Luther was a devout religious practitioner who was really obsessed with his sinfulness.
– And he went through all of the self-inflicting procedures of the medieval church.
– He was left still unsatisfied, still overwhelmed by his own sinfulness.
– He decided to go to Rome, and on the way there he encountered a monk who suggested that his answer lies in the book of Habakkuk.
– And when he went through the book of Habakkuk, he read a verse that leaped out at Martin Luther “The Just Shall Live by Faith”.
• And that’s when Martin Luther shed, all of the things that he had been doing and rediscovered the grace of God.
• Habakkuk 2:4 “The Just Shall Live by Faith”, became the watchword for the Reformation.
– And that of course changed the history of the world.
The Trilogy:
“The Just Shall Live by Faith” Habakkuk 2:4
The Just...
(Who are the just?)
The book of Romans Romans 1:17
The just shall live how?)
The book of Galatians Galatians 3:11
The just shall live by Faith
The book of Hebrews Hebrews 10:39
These trilogy of books quote Habakkuk 2:4 as a cornerstone of their epistles.
So these books are designed as a trilogy.
That’s one of the many reasons why I believe that the book of Hebrews, even though it is unsigned was written by the apostle Paul.
Romans Section 1: Doctrinal
• Introduction
– The Plight of Pagan Man Romans chapter 1:1-32
– The Moral Man Romans chapter 2:1-16
– The Religious Man Romans chapter 2:17-29
• God’s Greatest Problem Romans chapter 3
How can God reconcile these three problems?
• God reconciled these problems by God’s Greatest Gift Romans chapter 4
• The Peace of God Romans chapter 5
• The Death of Defeat Romans chapter 6
– Sin ain’t going to reign no more.
• Law School Romans chapter 7
• The Security We Have in Christ Romans chapter 8
The Ultimate Challenge
• What is the greatest thought that ever entered the mind of Man?
– “My responsibility to my Maker!” —Daniel Webster
• God created man “in His own image.”
– Since we are persons, so is God.
– Since we have personal feelings, so does God.
– If God be God, He must be the judge of all.
• You must meet God, and as He is, not as you might wish Him to be.
– We need to understand how He sees things...
Judgment of Pagan Humanity:
• For Suppressing God’s truth Romans 1:18
• For Ignoring God’s revelation Romans 1:19-20
• For Perverting God’s glory Romans 1:21-23
We were born into this lost race.
We are astonished to learn of His judgment.
All Held Accountable
Romans 1:20
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly
seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power
and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.
Psalm 19:1-6: A cosmic code which nobody can erase! Also, Psalm 8:1-4.
“The heavens declare the glory of God.”
“The firmament shows His handiwork.”
No one can escape that.
His Judgment
Romans 1:26, 27
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their
[females] did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And
likewise also the [males], leaving the natural use of the [females], burned
in their lust one toward another; [males] with [males] working that which
is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error
which was meet.
• In the Greek it’s females, not “women”;
• In the Greek it’s, males, not “men.”
– I never realized that homosexuality is a judgment of God!
– I knew that it was a sin, but I didn’t know that it was a judgement.
The Result of that judgement:
God abandonment them to a Depraved Lifestyle
Romans 1:28
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave
them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
The Great Leveler
• We all are equally accountable:
– The Plight of the Pagan Man Romans chapter 1:1-32
– The Moral Man Romans chapter 2:1-16
– The Religious Man Romans chapter 2:17-29
• God’s Greatest Problem: Romans chapter 3
– To justify unrighteous man without violating His own nature, His holiness, & His justice
• God’s Greatest Gift: Romans chapter 4
The Fundamental Dilemma:
It may be that the Deity can forgive sins, but I do not see how.
— Socrates, to Plato, 500 B.C.
Why did God Give us the Law?
Romans 5:20
Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin
abounded, grace did much more abound:
• “For sin to abound?”
– This is the opposite of man’s thinking!
– This is to eliminate any ability of man to rationalize away his sin nature.
– This is explained in Romans 7.
• The Law is there to show us our sin, we cannot keep the law, there are 613 laws, we cannot break even one, knowingly or unknowingly.
• The law is like a mirror, it shows us who we really are, but we can’t shave with a mirror, we’re shaved (saved) by grace.
• We then need His grace, His help!
Contrast of the Two Adams: Romans
5:15-21
First Adam
15 One man’s offence many died
16 One Adam judgment, condemnation
17 Through one man’s offence death reigned
18 One man’s offence condemnation to all men
19 Disobedience of one many made sinners
21 Sin reigned in death Last Adam (Christ)
One man’s free gift righteousness to many
For many offences gift of justification
Through one man believers reign in life
The righteousness of One justification offered to all
Obedience of One many declared righteous
Grace reigns: eternal life
• These are the contrasts of the failure of the first Adam and the remedy of the Last Adam.
Chapter 5 concludes the arguments for salvation (justification).
• Why then should I live? Chapters 6, 7, and 8 will lay that out clearly!
The Sequence to Spiritual Maturity
Romans 6:12
• Tribulation leads to...
• Perseverance leads to...
• Experience leads to...
• Hope.
– Through this movement to maturity your maturity is when you live in that hope.
– Moment by moment.
Romans 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
“...do not let sin continue to reign” (present imperfect):
Meaning, let not sin continuing (as in habitual).
• And if we do sin, we have soap for that...
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
• If you are in Christ, you now have the power over sin.
– It ain’t going to reign no more.
How?
Chapters 7 and 8 will detail how.
By your insisting that what God says is true.
The dominion is now your choice. It wasn’t before [without Christ]; now by your moment-by-moment choices.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Three Tenses of “Being Saved”
• I have been saved: From the penalty of sin;
– Positional, Ephesians 2:8, 9
– Called justification salvation.
• I am being saved: From the power of sin;
– Operationally, by the Holy Spirit, moment-by-moment; Romans 6
– Called sanctification.
• I shall be saved: From the presence of sin;
– Called “the redemption of our body.” Romans 8:23
Why Was the Law Given?: Romans 7
• To expose our sin nature; Romans 7:7
• To incite the sin nature to sin more Romans 7:8-23
Sin nature cannot been reformed
• To drive us to despair of self-effort Romans 7:24, 25
• To drive us to dependence upon the Holy Spirit alone Romans 8:1-4
What is the difference between the law and the Spirit?
The Law vs. The Spirit
Depends on the flesh Romans 8:3 Depends upon God’s power Luke 23:49; Acts 1:8
Produces rebellion Romans 7:8 Produces God’s desires Philippians 2:13
Results in more sin Romans 5:20 Righteousness Romans 8:4
Brings wrath Romans 4:15 Brings joy, peace, production Galatians 5:22, 23
Not of faith Galatians 3:12 By faith Galatians 5:5; 2 Corinthians 5:7
Kills 2 Corinthians 3:4-6; Galatians 3:21 Gives life
Romans 8 the Dessert:
• Deliverance from the flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:1-11
• Realization of our Sonship by the Holy Spirit’s inner witness. Romans 8:12-17
– Don’t dismiss this sonship issue as just a theological idea.
– The word “son of God” in the Bible refers to a direct creation of God, the Benai Ha Elohim in the old Testament is a term that refers to angels, as a direct creation of God.
– Adam was a direct creation of God, you and I are not.
• We are descendants of Adam, unless we are in Christ Jesus.
John 1:11-12 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
You are a new creation in God’s eyes.
– That’s also maturity, this whole idea of adoption is when a son became entitled to the inheritance.
• Preservation in suffering by the power of the Holy Spirit Romans 8:18-30
• Hymn of Praise for Victory Romans 8:31-39
Deals with God’s logic of our security.
Chapter 8 opens: There is no possibility of condemnation.
Chapter 8 closes: There is no possibility of separation!
Now the continuing dessert...
Romans 8:1-4
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus,
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the
law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak
through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh,
and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law
might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Chapter 5 vs. Chapter 8
Chapter 5: A summation of the saving work of Jesus Christ;
Chapter 8: A summation of what Christ did to provide Victory.
Chapter 5: justification (declared righteous) by faith is forever;
Chapter 8: godly life is insured through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Chapter 5: our performance is based on the understanding of God’s love;
Chapter 8: our performance is based on the power of the Holy Spirit.
Chapter 5: it reveals our relationship to God;
Chapter 8: it reveals our relationship to the world, conflict, and the flesh.
Chapter 5: the Holy Spirit is mentioned only once (verse 5);
Chapter 8: the Holy Spirit is available to us to give us assured victory.
Chapter 5 is the capstone of our salvation in Christ;
Chapter 8 is the capstone of our victory in Christ.
Why Do Christians Have Trials?
1. To glorify God Daniel 3:16-18, 24-25
2. Discipline for known sin Hebrews 12:5-11; James 4:17; Romans 14:23; 1 John 1:9
3. To prevent us from falling into sin 1 Peter 4:1-2
4. To keep us from Pride, God hates pride, that’s how sin started.
5. To build faith 1 Peter 1:6-7
6. To cause growth Romans 5:3-5
7. To teach obedience and discipline Acts 9:15-16; Philippians 4:11-13
8. To equip us to comfort others 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
9. To prove the reality of Christ in us 2 Corinthians 4:7-11
10. For testimony to the angels Job 1:8; Ephesians 3:8-11; 1 Peter 1:12
—Hal Lindsey, Combat Faith
The Certainty of Sanctification: Romans 8:28-39
The most uplifting portion of Scripture!
Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,
to them who are the called according to his purpose.
• What are the three most important words?
– The first three!
We don’t hope, we don’t suspect....and we know!
Romans 8:29, 30
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the
image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he
called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
There is a four step process;
• Predestinate
• Called
• Justified
• Glorified
A Design Paradigm?
Abraham was ......Predestinated
Isaac was ............Called
Jacob was ...........Justified
Joseph was .........Glorified
The Classical Paradox:
Predestination vs. Free Will?
• Time is a physical property.
• God is outside of the constraints of time: “He alone knows the end from the beginning.”
• The paradox exists only when viewed from within the time domain.
Step outside of the space+time continuum and the problem goes away!
We did a study of this in the book of Genesis.
Romans 8:31-34
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against
us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how
shall He not, with Him also, freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing
to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that
condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is
even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
• Our defense council is the prosecutor.
– In other words, the judge is our defense council and He is making our petitions for us.
– It’s fixed.
Romans 8:35-37
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress,
or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written,
•
Romans 8:38, 39
For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for
the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through
him that loved us.
• Death will be ultimately conquered, but for now we will suffer.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor
depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love
of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
• But there is nothing in all of creation that can separate us from Christ Jesus.
Romans Section 2: The Israel Trilogy
Romans 9 - Israel Past
Romans 10 - Israel Present
Romans 11 - Israel Future
Other chapter “trilogies” include:
Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 5, 6, 7
Spiritual Gifts: 1 Corinthians 12, 13, 14
2nd Coming: Zechariah 12, 13, 14
The Historical Dilemma
• If God is so faithful to His word (as portrayed in Romans 8) that none can be condemned that He has justified; and that none in Him can be separated;
• Then why have the Israelites, who were sovereignly chosen and given unconditional promises, completely failed and then been rejected?
Whence the Jew?
• So there is also the problem of how the Gentiles are to relate to the Jews.
• If circumcision is of no value without faith, then what advantage has the Jew?
• What is the benefit of circumcision?
(This same question was underlying Acts 15; and will be answered in Romans 9, 10, and 11).
• From Genesis 12 to Acts 2: it’s all about Israel...and that God keeps His promises!
• We need a doctrinal as well as a devotional understanding of the Word of God...
The Abrahamic Covenant
Genesis 12:2-3
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy
name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless
thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the
earth be blessed.
• From this flows God’s plan for all of mankind!
– (All other covenants build on this one.)
• It is the most important as it is the key to understanding the Old Testament & the New Testament.
• In this covenant are seven (four direct, and three understood) “I Wills”:
1. And I will make you a great nation.
2. And I will bless thee.
3. And I will make thy name great.
4. And you shall be a blessing.
5. And I will bless them that bless thee.
6. And I will curse those that curse thee.
7. And in you shall all of the nations of the earth be blessed (not just the Jews).
• If you are in Christ, you were grafted in.
– Our benefits derives from the certainty of that covenant.
• (5 & 6 are the basis for the “Sheep and Goat Judgment” of the nations in Matthew 25:31-46, which closes the “times of the Gentiles”
• And 7 is alluded to by Christ in John 4:22: “Salvation is of the Jews.”
The Fundamental Promise:
• There is no other such promise to any other people!
So how do we get our benefit from this covenant?
– We rely entirely on our derivative benefit from the Root of David, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Jesus Christ.
Unconditional Covenant: Genesis 15
This was a divinely ordered ritual: barath,
“To cut a covenant” (participants would divide a sacrifice, and together, in a figure “8,” would repeat the terms of the covenant).
The Terms of the Covenant
• Declared eternal and unconditional.
• Re-confirmed by an oath: Genesis 22:15-18.
• Confirmed to Isaac and through Jacob (despite acts of disobedience): Genesis 26:2-5.
• The New Testament declares it immutable: Hebrews 6:13-18.
10 Blessings of the Jew: Romans 9:4,5
1. They received the Words of God Romans 3:1-2
2. They are called “Israelites” (“Princes of God”) Genesis 32:28
3. They are “adoption”as sons: Deuteronomy 7:6-9
4. “Glory”: Shekinah: Exodus 24:16-17; 29:43; 40:34-38; Numbers 7:89
5. They received the “Covenants”
6. The “Giving the Law” was through them Exodus 20
7. The Temple Services and Priesthood were given through them Leviticus
8. They received “Special Promises.” the future kingdom; and ruling the world
9. They are the fathers of the faith: Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob
10. The Messiah would come from their line Romans 9:5
How Long Will The Be Blinded?
...”until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.“...
• This implies, that when the last Gentile person excepts Jesus Christ, then the fulness of the Gentiles will be complete and quite possibly the rapture takes place.
– That will close the dispensation of the Church.
Romans 11:25
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest
ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened
to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Prerequisite to Second Coming
Hosea 5:15
I will go and return to my place, until they acknowledge their offence, and
seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me earnestly.
• This is not the rapture, but the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Three “Untils” of Israel:
• 1st condition for restoration:
“Until the Fullness of Gentiles brought in.” (Romans 11:25).
• 2nd condition for restoration:
“Until they acknowledge their offence…” (Hosea 5:15).
• 3rd condition for restoration:
“Until the Times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24).
Romans Section 3: Practical
• Responsibilities from gifts Romans chapter 12
• Civil Responsibilities Romans chapter 13
• Christian Maturity Romans chapter 14
• Unity within the Body Romans chapter 15
• Personal Greetings Romans chapter 16
Only Two World Views
• We’re an accident of random chance with no destiny.
• We’re the result of a deliberate and purposeful Creation.
The Key Questions of Life
Who am I?
Where did I come from?
Where am I going?
To whom am I accountable?
Every answer to every question in life will derive from your world view.
Divine Institutions: Genesis 1 - 11
• Personal Volition:
Free will, the freedom to choose his own destiny.
• Marriage:
Model of intimacy.
• Family:
Most important segment of society.
• Human Government: Romans 13:1-7.
Maturity:
If you squeeze a lemon, you get lemon juice. If you squeeze an orange, you get orange juice. If you squeeze a Christian, you should get Christ.
Spiritual Maturity:
Romans 14:1-3
Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth
herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him
which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
Inversion of Perspective
• “Weak”:
You will be oriented to legalistic externals: sabbath days, diet, smoking, et al.
– If a person is trying to bound himself with rules, he is weaker in the faith.
– The goal should be, to please Christ.
• “Strong”:
– You will be full of liberty in Christ.
– This is not measured by what we give up; etc.
Ceremonial Rules
Romans 14:5,6
One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day
alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth
the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to
the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth
God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth
God thanks.
Colossians 2:16,17
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an
holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow
of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
Integrated, Purposeful Design:
Romans 15:4
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our
learning, that we through patience [perseverance] and comfort [encouragement]
of the scriptures might have hope.
• Every detail and every thread of scripture is deliberately there for a purpose.
• By the Master Craftsman.
Personal Greetings:
• There are more personal greetings in the book of Romans than any other epistle:
There are over 33 by name, plus others.
And they include some from slaves to royalty.
• Tertius wrote the book of Romans, he wrote the book for Paul.
– Tertius was Paul’s amanuensis, Paul dictated it.
– An “amanuensis” is like a secretary.
– Professional secretaries were common in those days.
Professional Secretaries:
• By hand: “manuscripts” were hand written.
• Named:
Romans 16:22 was written by; Tertius.
1 Corinthians 1:1 was written by; Sosthenes.
2 Corinthians 1:1 was written by; Timothy.
Philemon 1:1 was written by; Timothy.
Colossians 1:1 was written by; Timothy.
2 Thessalonians 1:1 was written by; Silvanus.
Philemon 1:1 was written by; Timothy.
1 Peter 5:12 was written by; Silvanus.
1 Peter is polished because it was written by a secretary, 2 Peter is crudely written because it was written by Peter.
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