Rom 1:1-17, Faith leads to obedience; prayer, planning, and prudence to right decisions; and service to energy

• Review: Historical review of Paul's ministry.  Argument for writing of letter from Corinth (after the two letters) in the winter of AD 56-57.
• Author is Paul.
• Relationship to the church: Does he or dose he not know the church?
• Roman church was kicked out of Rome (with the Jews) by Claudius, and then returned
•  An early church father wrote that it was not founded by an Apostle.  Church is well known.  Possible that Jewish Christians as far back as Pentecost started the church
• Purpose:
• Since does not know them, it appears to be a more general letter, dealing with things that any church might experience
• He does talk about visiting the church and then preceding to Spain
• This is also a transition point in his ministry.  He knew he was going to Jerusalem and that danger awaited him there.  It could be he wanted to make sure certain things were written down before he left
• Characteristics:
• Romans is the longest of Paul's letters
• It is one of the very best arguments for the gospel and Jew/Gentile need for salvation


Rom 1:1-7 (ESV) Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,


7 To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:


Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.


• In the salutation, Paul makes a number of important points up front, what are they?
• Paul is an apostle. This establishes Paul's authority
• Paul is called to be an apostle.  That is, he is designated or set apart by God.  He did not aspire to the honor, it was from God
• The gospel was promised beforehand in the scriptures (it is not a new thing)
• Jesus is both man, a descendant of David, and God, through the Holy Spirit
• His position as Son of God is verified by the power of God through his resurrection from the dead
• As a result of his work, Paul's calling was to bring the gospel to the Gentiles
• The gospel seems to be the key word for the letter.  He will spend most of the letter discussing the gospel and its implication on Gentile (and Jew)
• How does Paul describe his mission?
• To call people (Gentiles) to obedience of faith
• Very difficult Greek phrasing
• Holman bible footnote suggest "the obedience of faith or the obedience that is faith or the faithful obedience, or the obedience that comes from faith"
• Acts 6:7 (ESV) And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.
• James 2:21 (ESV) For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
• John 6:29 (ESV) Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."
• Obedience comes from faith and is the result of faith
• The result of the gospel is "belonging" to Jesus Christ
• This is an important distinction. Our belonging is not the result of our obedience.  And our obedience is not the result of our human effort
• Obedience comes from faith.  Therefore as our faith grows, our obedience will also grow
• Our obedience identifies us with Jesus, and so we can know that we belong to God.  But it is are faith that saves us
• APPLICATION: A lack of obedience is an indication of a lack of faith, not a need for more works.  Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.  If our life lacks obedience, what are we doing to help our faith to grow?


Rom 1:8-13 (ESV) First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. 9  For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you 10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine. 13 I want you to know, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles.


• The first thing to note is that their church is known all over the Roman world -- what does that tell us?
• Argues for their establishment for some time
• Argues that doctrinally they are doing well since the report is good
• Paul is praying for them as he does for all the churches he knows and ministers to currently
• Paul remembers them in prayer
• Paul Is praying that, by God's will, a way will be opened to come to them
• What does Paul say more specifically about his coming to Rome?
• He has desired to do it
• He wants to impart some spiritual gift (see vs 12 for meaning)
• He has planned many times to come (but events and circumstances have prevented it)
• We learn a few principles here.  When a person has a desire on their heart, is it from God or not from God?
• We really can't tell
• His reason was spiritual
• Paul does not assume that the desire equates to God's will
• Is there a spiritual reason or purpose for the desire?
• Yes, to impart a spiritual gift (teaching)
• Yes, to be mutually encouraged (verse 12 explains vs 11)
• Yes, to have a spiritual harvest (to see people grow and come to the Lord)
• Does a spiritual reason to fulfill a desire guarantee that it will happen?
• Not at all.  A desire and a spiritual reason for the desire does not mean it is the will of God
• Does that mean one cannot make plans based on a desire and a spiritual reason?
• No, but the plans suggest reasoned thought and not foolish decisions
• Paul's plans were curtailed many times (reasons not given)
• Paul never made a foolish decision because of a desire on his heart (and a spiritual purpose)
• At the point Paul is writing the letter, he is in Corinth, a short trip over land and sea to Rome (a month at the most).  When will he actually get to Rome?
• About three to four years later
• He does fulfill his desire, but many years and many false starts later
• APPLICATION:
• A desire of the heart does not indicate the will of God nor is it assumed not to be the will of God
• Having a spiritual purpose does not validate it as a "must do now thing" 
• We are not to make foolish decisions on the basis of a heart desire and a spiritual reason
• We are to pray (as Paul does), we are to plan (as Paul does), and we are to prudently act (as Paul does when circumstances prevent his fulfillment)
• SOVEREIGNTY: Paul planned, Paul desired, and Paul was prevented (but not by God or else he would have stopped trying). Life is not pre-determined. We make choices, others make choices, sin happens, etc, … We need to pray but we need to be careful about assuming that God controls every event for his purpose. Later on Rom 8:28 will tell us differently


Rom 1:14-17 (ESV) I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.


16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."


• Paul's ministry was to Gentiles.  Here he divides Gentiles into groups
• Greeks and non-Greeks (or barbarians) divides people by language and culture
• Wise and foolish divides people intellectually
• Why mention these different groupings of Gentiles?
• I think each required a different approach
• The gospel is always the same message but how we approach people will depend on language, culture, and intellectual background (or lack)
• Paul's view on diversity is summarized in Galatians
• Gal 3:27-28 (ESV) For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
• Jew nor Greek: no distinction by race
• Slave nor free: no distinction by class
• Male nor female: no distinction by sex
• APPLICATION: race, class, and sexual wars are ongoing throughout the planet, and in the kingdom they will come to an end
• Paul shares three attitudes toward the gospel
• Obligation
• Eagerness
• Unashamed
• Paul felt obligated to preach, why?
• A natural response to salvation is an obligation to share the truth
• His own salvation, especially considering what he did prior (first execution)
• Paul was eager to share the good news.  Why?
• I think one of the things that can excite a person is seeing ministry change people's lives.  When we are involved in ministry it excites us. 
• APPLICATION: When a sponge just sits it grows rancid. When it is constantly in use, it maintains its freshness
• Paul was not ashamed.  Why say that?
• Rome was a sophisticated environment
• The gospel was powerful.  It changed lives.  It still changes lives
• While the gospel was a gift, it requires that a person believe.  Christianity is not universalism.  Only those who believe are saved
• Paul practiced Jew first, then Gentile in all his ministry travels, even though he was called to minister to Gentiles
• As a personal application, I support a ministry to Jews
• I think it is a good idea to have some ministry to Jews as well
• APPLICATION: Ministry can feed our desire to walk more closely with God.  Focusing on self leads to a dreariness in ministry
• Finally, verse 17 is the starting point and thesis statement for the rest of the letter (one could include 16 as well)
• In the Gospel (and only the Gospel)
• A righteousness from God is revealed (this is our problem, we don't have righteousness and we cannot stand before God)
• Phrase is only in Romans, and appears 8 times
• The righteousness comes from faith (first to last (NIV)) or from the old covenant to the new covenant.  Works can never save you.  Works can be useful in identifying your salvation to others and yourself, but faith alone saves
• Some commentators have suggested Hab 2:4 as the "text" of Romans
• Hab 2:4 (ESV) "Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him,
but the righteous shall live by his faith.
• 1.1-3:20: the righteous
• 3:21-4:25: by faith
• 5:1-16:26: shall live
• OUTLINES



Constable	Wiersbe	Utley
Introduction 1:1-17 (includes purpose, 8-15; and theme, 16-17) The Need for God's Righteousness 1:18-3:20 The Imputation of God's Righteousness 3:21-5:21 The impartation of God's righteousness 6:1-8:39 The vindication of God's righteousness 9:1-11:36 The practice of God's righteousness 12:1-15:13 Conclusion 15:14-16:27	Introduction (1:1-17) Sin (1:18-3:20 - Righteousness Needed) Salvation (3:21-5:21 - Righteousness Imputed) Sanctification (6-8 - Righteousness Imparted) Sovereignty (9-11 - Righteousness Rejected) Service (12:1-15:13 - Righteousness Practiced)	Introduction (1:1–17) Need for Divine Righteousness (1:18–3:20) What is Divine Righteousness (3:21–8:39) The Divine Purpose for All Humanity (9:1–11:32) The Result of the Gift of Divine Righteousness (12:1–15:13) Conclusion (15:14–33) Postscript (16:1–27)