An Introduction to Romans

• Author: God ( 2 Tim. 3:16)
• Writer: Paul (Rom. 1:1)
• Recipients: Church in Rome (Rom. 1:7, 15)
  • Origin unknown; perhaps some from the Jerusalem church (Acts 2:10) scattered by persecution (8:4).
  • Worldwide reputation of faith (Rom. 1:8; 16:19).
  • Consisted of both Jews (Rom. 4:1; 7:1-6; 16:7, 11) and Gentiles (Rom. 1:5, 13; 11:13-24; 14:1-15; 15:14-16; 16:3-27), including friends and family of Paul (Rom. 16).
• Place and Time of Writing: From Corinth (Rom. 16:1, 23; 1 Cor. 1:14; 2 Tim. 4:20), after Paul’s collection for Judea had been gathered in Macedonia and Achaia but before his journey to Jerusalem (Rom. 15:22-32), sometime before Pentecost about 58 A.D. (Acts 20:16).
• Purpose for Writing: To safeguard the church in Rome from the errors of Judaism (9:30-33), providing a comprehensive treatment of salvation by faith (1:16-17; 3:21-31).

An Outline of Romans
Introduction 1:1-15

• Paul’s Greeting 1:1-7
• Paul’s Desire to Visit 1:8-15

Message 1:16-11:36

• Theme: The Gospel of Salvation for All by Faith through Jesus Christ 1:16-17
• Needed by Gentiles 1:18-32
• Needed by Israel 2:1-3:20
• Not by (works of) Law (i.e. it cannot be earned) but by (obedience of) Faith (i.e. it is a gift) 3:21-31
• Illustrated in Abraham 4:1-25
• Comes to All through One, Jesus Christ 5:1-21
• Frees from Sin to Live in Righteousness 6:1-8:39
• Rejected by Physical Israel (i.e. the Jewish nation) but Received by Spiritual Israel (i.e. Jews and Gentiles of faith) 9:1-11:36

Application 12:1-15:13

• Present Your Bodies a Living Sacrifice to God 12:1-2
• Use Your Gifts for God 12:3-8
• Be a Genuine Christian 12:9-21
• Be Subject to Government 13:1-7
• Love One Another 13:8-10
• Prepare for the Day of Judgment 13:11-14
• Receive One Another Without Judging 14:1-15:13

Conclusion 15:14-16:27

• Paul’s Confidence 15:14-21
• Paul’s Plans to Visit 15:22-33
• Paul’s Commendation of Phoebe 16:1-2
• Paul’s Greetings to Named Persons 16:3-16
• Paul’s Warning to Avoid Divisive Persons 16:17-20
• Greetings from Others 16:21-24
• Paul’s Final Blessing 16:25-27

A Discussion of Romans
Introduction: Romans 1:1-15

• Paul’s Greeting 1:1-7
  1. How does Paul describe himself?
  2. What does he say about the gospel?
  3. What does he say about the Son of God?
  4. What is Paul’s relationship to Christ?
  5. How are the Christians in Rome described?
• Paul’s Desire to Visit 1:8-15
  1. For what is Paul thankful?
  2. What did he swear before God?
  3. What was his prayer?
  4. Why did he want to see the Christians in Rome?
  5. To whom was Paul in debt?
  6. What was he ready to do for them?

Message: Romans 1:16-11:36

• Theme: The Gospel of Salvation for All by Faith through Jesus Christ 1:16-17
  1. What is God’s power to save?
  2. Whom does it save?
  3. What is revealed in the gospel?
• Needed by Gentiles 1:18-32
  1. Why was God so angry?
  2. What happened to men when they did not glorify God?
  3. How did they know that what they were doing was deserving of death?
• Needed by Jews 2:1-3:20
  1. Why were those who judged the Gentiles also condemned?
  2. Upon what basis will all be judged?
  3. What is the reward for those who do good?
  4. What is the punishment for those who do evil?
  5. By what are the Gentiles judged?
  6. By what are the Jews judged?
  7. By whom will all be judged?
  8. Who are the true Jews?
  9. Are the Jews better than the Gentiles?
• Not by (works of) Law (i.e. it cannot be earned) but by (obedience of) Faith (i.e. it is a gift) 3:21-31
  1. How may all be made right with God?
  2. What is the relationship of law, works and faith in regard to our justification?
• Illustrated in Abraham 4:1-25
  1. How was Abraham made right with God?
  2. Of whom is Abraham a father?
  3. What promise of God did Abraham believe?
• Comes to All through One, Jesus Christ 5:1-21
  1. What are some of the results of our justification through Jesus Christ?
  2. How did God demonstrate His love toward us?
  3. What are the implications of Adam’s disobedience?
  4. What are the implications of Christ’s obedience?
• Frees from Sin to Live in Righteousness 6:1-8:39
  1. Does God’s grace give us a license to sin?
  2. How does Paul describe our baptism into Christ?
  3. How does Paul contrast the slavery of sin with the slavery of righteousness?
  4. How were we delivered from the law?
  5. Is the law sin? Or, is it we who sin?
  6. What encouragement do we have in Christ?
• Rejected by Physical Israel (i.e. the Jewish nation) but Received by Spiritual Israel (i.e. Jews and Gentiles of faith) 9:1-11:36
  1. Who is “all Israel”?
  2. Is God righteous concerning whom He chooses to show mercy?
  3. Why is it that the Gentiles attained to righteousness but Israel did not?
  4. How did the remnant obtain righteousness?
  5. How will “all Israel” be saved?

Application: Romans 12:1-15:13

• Present your bodies a living sacrifice to God 12:1-2
  1. Upon what basis does Paul make this plea?
• Use Your Gifts for God 12:3-8
  1. What attitude does Paul warn against?
  2. What figure does Paul use to describe the church?
  3. What lessons do we learn from this figure of the church?
• Be a Genuine Christian 12:9-21
  1. How does Paul characterize the Christian?
• Be Subject to Government 13:1-7
  1. Where does the government gets its authority?
  2. How is the government God’s minister?
  3. What is a Christian’s responsibility to government?
• Love One Another 13:8-10
  1. How is love the fulfillment of the law?
• Prepare for the Day of Judgment 13:11-14
  1. How should the nearing of our salvation effect our lives?
• Receive One Another Without Judging 14:1-15:13
  1. Who is our judge?
  2. What should we pursue?

Conclusion: Romans 15:14-16:27

• Paul’s Confidence 15:14-21
• Paul’s Plans to Visit 15:22-33
• Paul’s Commendation of Phoebe 16:1-2
• Paul’s Greetings to Named Persons 16:3-16
• Paul’s Warning to Avoid Divisive Persons 16:17-20
• Greetings from Others 16:21-24
• Paul’s Final Blessing 16:25-27

Written by Robert Dodson