Rom 2:1-3:20, Jews and Gentiles are all guilty in God's eyes

Review:
• History
• Paul in Corinth in winter
• Paul near end of third missionary journey, prior to imprisonment
• Purpose
• The gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes
• In the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith
• Judgment (basis for just cause)
• 1:18 For suppressing God's truth
• 1:19-20 For ignoring God's revelation
• 1:21-23 For perverting God's glory
• God gave them up
• They ignored what they knew || … to impurity and dishonor of bodies
• They exchanged truth for a lie || … to dishonorable passions (homosexual)
• The did not acknowledge God || … to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done


Constable (2010) Outline
1. Introduction 1:1-17 (includes purpose, 8-15; and theme, 16-17)
2. The Need for God's Righteousness 1:18-3:20
1. The Need for All People 1:18-32
2. The Need of Good People 2:1-3:8
1. God's principles of judgment 2:1-16
2. The guilt of the Jews 2:17-29
3. Answers to objections 3:1-8
3. The Guilt of All Humanity 3:9-20


The Need of Good People: God's Principles of Judgment
Rom 1:18 (ESV) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.


Rom 1:32 (ESV) Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.


Rom 2:1-4 (ESV) Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who do such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?


• Interestingly, what we do we recognized about others?
• We know others should pay for their sins--Hitler, Stalin, murderers, thieves, adulterers (Rom 1:32)-- but we don't see ourselves in the same boat
• Reminds me of the gospel illustration that asks questions of a person regarding the ten commandments (and sermon on the mount) and then by the person's own words shows him that he is a thieving, lying, murdering, adulterous person not worthy of heaven
• We think of ourselves as "good people" basically
• Verse 4 is actually the "God is good" argument turned on its head, what is he saying?
• God is good and will not judge me
• The same argument that says God cannot exist because there is evil in the world [WE WILL ADDRESS THIS ARGUMENT LATER]
• But how does God judge?
• God judges on truth
• We judge others on a scale we rarely use on ourselves


Rom 2:5-11 (ESV) But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.


6  He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.


• What is Paul's argument?
• The good person is storing up wrath for their self
• Because we are guilty of the very same things that we judge others
• Does Paul then argue for works salvation?
• This is a theoretical argument
• It is absolutely true in every sense
• If you do evil, there is wrath and fury
• If you do good, there is glory and honor and peace
• God shows no partiality in regard to race regarding salvation
• Which is an important point since Jews are the elect people of God
• But what is the problem?
• No one does good
• This will be confirmed at the end of this section


Rom 2:12-16 (ESV) For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16  on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.


• What is the argument here and how does it follow the previous discussion?
• If you sin apart from the law, you will be judged by that and you will perish
• If you under the law, you will be judged by the law
• If under the law, it is not good enough to hear the law, you must obey the law
• Being under the law does not justify you or make you right in God's eyes
• Gentiles who do things required by the law are a law for themselves, showing that some requirements of the law are written on our hearts and enforced by our conscience
• God says all men will be judged by their secrets
• Where does morality come from and how is it known?
• We all know right and wrong.  Right and wrong may differ by culture but in every culture there is the sense of right and wrong.  Every culture will be judged by that sense
• Epistemological: One does not need to believe in God to the difference between good and evil
• Ontological: Good by definition would be defined by the greatest good. Since God is the greatest good, good would proceed from him and hence be objective
• What is best for society is a poor definition and does not really define where good comes from. The Germans as a people felt it was good to eradicate Jews and Gypsies. If Germany had won, it would still be wrong
• Summary (Constable): To convict any self-righteous person, God will use three principles
• Verse 2: He will judge righteously, not on appearance
• Verse 6: He will judge people by their deeds (covertly and overtly)
• Verse 11: He will judge impartially, not on the basis of privilege but how they respond to the truth they had


The Need of Good People: The Guilt of Jews
Rom 2:17-27 (ESV) But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God 18 and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; 19 and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21  you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. 24 For, as it is written, "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."


25 For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. 26 So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law.


• In theory, if you do not break the law at an point, you would be considered righteous
• But what is Paul trying to show in this passage regarding the Jew?
• They do break the law
• The robbing temples was not uncommon
• Jews would use the precious metals taken from idolatrous articles in pagan temples
• Also, while they abhorred idolatry, they would take part in pagan worship (OT has many examples)
• God's name is blasphemed because of them
• In theory, if you didn't have the law but kept the law, you too would be considered righteous
• Having the law (knowing truth) and being circumcised (identified with religious people) will not save you
• NOTE: Jewish leaders taught
• Abraham sits at the entrance of Gehenna to prevent any circumcised Israelite from descending into Gehanna
• The only way to invalidate circumcision was to renounce the covenant
• APPLICATION: If God's name was blasphemed because of the Jews, Christians are no better today
• How do we treat the fast-food worker who got our order wrong?
• How do we respond to the person who cuts us off in traffic?
• Do we gossip or talk down other people?


Rom 2:28-29 (ESV) For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.


• One of the key requirements of the law is circumcision, but what is important about circumcision?
• The point is not the physical act nor the written code (written refers to the law)
• The point is a spiritual circumcision of the heart
• Why was there circumcision?
• It was an identification with the God of Israel for Jews
• It set Jews apart from all other peoples
• It is not the written code that sets a person apart as part of the family of God, but it is an internal thing done by the Spirit which makes a person a part of the family of God
• This is what a person needs -- a new heart.  And this is what is missing


The Need of Good People: Answering Objections
Rom 3:1-18 (ESV) Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2 Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3  What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 By no means! Let God be true though everyone were a liar, as it is written,


 "That you may be justified in your words,
and prevail when you are judged."


5 But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? ( I speak in a human way.) 6 By no means! For then how could God judge the world? 7 But if through my lie God's truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? 8 And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.


9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written:


 "None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one."
13  "Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive."
 "The venom of asps is under their lips."
14  "Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness."
15  "Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 in their paths are ruin and misery,
17 and the way of peace they have not known."
18  "There is no fear of God before their eyes."


• What is Paul not saying (or doing)?
• Paul is not dismissing the value of being Jewish.  In fact, Jews (who are defined by the law) were given the very words of God
• This is one argument against the reformed position that suggests the church has replaced ethnic Israel as God's people
• Paul is not saying that not having the law is better either (verse 5-6: How could God judge the world if he showed partiality)
• Paul is not saying that Jews are better or worse than Gentiles (but they have received privileges -- and will continue to receive blessings from God's unconditional promises)
• NOTE (Verses 7-8): "If my lying, for example, glorifies God by showing Him to be the only perfectly truthful person, why does God punish me for lying? Paul had been stressing reality and priorities in chapter 2. This objection gets down to that level. If circumcision is of secondary importance compared to perfect obedience to God, is not sinning of secondary importance to glorifying God? // Paul's reply was that, in spite of accusations to the contrary, he had not taught that the end justifies the means. Circumcision was secondary, but it was not sinful. God will not overlook sin, though He will overlook lack of circumcision (2:26-29). If anyone thinks that God should overlook his sinning because in some imagined sense it glorifies God, that person deserves condemnation (v. 8). Paul implied that this objection is so absurd that it is not worth considering." (from Thomas Constable's Notes on the Bible. Copyright © March 4, 2014 by Thomas L. Constable. All rights reserved. Used by permission.)
• What is Paul saying?
• No one (Jew or Gentile) is righteous
• No one does good
• No one seeks God
• Conclusion: Jew and Gentile have the same problem.  Neither have obtained righteousness, either under the law or apart from the law


Rom 3:19-20 (ESV) Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.


• So what is and is not the value of the law?
• The law only speaks to those under the law
• No one will be declared righteous under the law
• The law's real value is showing you that you are a sinner.  A Jew especially, should have more reason than a Gentile to see his need for a savior

Rom 1:18-1:32, God "gave us" what we wanted and it isn't very pretty

Rom 1:17-20 (ESV) For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."


18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.


• Do you notice the parallelism of these verses?
• A righteousness of God is revealed -- from faith and for faith
• The wrath of God is revealed -- from heaven against …
• Ungodliness (of men)
• And unrighteousness (of men)
• Both the warning (wrath) and the solution (righteousness) are revealed
• How then does God view man's situation? Men are without excuse
• Why?
• What may be known about God is plain to man (it is obvious)
• God has shown it to man (it is purposeful -- so you can say there is no evidence for the existence of God, but God's response is that is not true)
• What is known?
• His invisible qualities, eternal power and divine nature, are clearly perceived
• Invisible … perceived -- God says that we should be able to "see" these qualities
• How are they seen?
• Understood from what has been made -- since creation -- everything that has been made
• Complexity -- watch requires a maker
• Logically -- cause and effect suggests a first cause that is eternal (uncaused)
• Morality -- we know in our hearts things are wrong
• Meaning -- we recognized the importance of meaning to life
• If one understands creation, they will see the hand of God
• This is a fascinating point.  Because some scientists have reasoned that we are the product of random chaotic forces
• Not all scientists agree
• Mathematically, the theory has some incredibly small probabilities
• But science gives us little insight into the metaphysical questions of existence and cannot prove or disprove them
• Summary: Satan and our own evil desires have blinded our understanding of what should be obvious from creation.  But God will still hold men accountable on the day of judgment


Rom 1:21-25 (ESV) For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22  Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.


24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.


• This is the first step in a downward spiral of sin.  How does is start?
• Men knew God
• Apparently, the knowledge of God was much more widespread in the days prior to Noah
• The very number of religions suggest some deep inner acceptance of something that is bigger than self
• Men did not glorify him as God.  Interesting -- they knew God but they don't glorify him -- why?
• To glorify him or to accept him requires obedience (many atheists make this very argument)
• Men did not give him thanks.  Again, why?
• Because we want to be our own gods
• Gen 3:5 "… you will be like God …"
• Gen 3:5 "… your eyes will be opened … knowing good and evil …" (Gnosticism)
• These are the conditions, knowledge of God but failure to glorify or thank.  The result then follows
1. Their thinking becomes futile
• Thinking is the use of our minds to reason and choose
• A definition for futile, is that it serves no purpose, and it is occupied with trifles
2. Their foolish hearts become darkened
• Hearts represent our passions or emotions
• Darkened means to not see clearly
3. Pride.  They claim to be wise
• The reality is they became foolish
4. They exchanged God's glory for images (we are still doing that today when we remake God into the image we want … "well, my God would not … ")
• They reduce God to something they can control
• They reduce God to something they created
• They reduce God to look like the rest of creation
• The consequence of their sins is one of the three "God gave them up"
• The first "God gave them over" to sexual impurity (which was the sinful desire of their heart)--this is what men wanted--God gave them what they wanted
• They now start to worship their lust
• They degrade their bodies with one another (perverting the goodness of sex which God had created for pleasure within set boundaries)
• The serve created things (material things consume their passion) or they served the creature (Satan)
• Ps 81:11-13 (ESV)
11 "But my people did not listen to my voice;
Israel would not submit to me.
12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,
to follow their own counsels.
13  Oh, that my people would listen to me,
that Israel would walk in my ways!
• The consequence of not listening is that you often get what you wanted …


Rom 1:26-27 (ESV) For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.


• So because they worship their lust (sexual and material), God gives them up (over-NIV, AMP, HCSB, NET)  a second time
• Homosexuality or  unnatural relations
• Consuming passion
• Shameful acts
• Bodies receive the due penalty for their perversion
• Perversion means to use something for a purpose it was not created
• Not sure what the due penalty would be.  It would seem that AIDS would be so today, but most likely there is some other spiritual effect from homosexuality that occurs to a person's spirit (since homosexuality has been around for a long time)
• There were some studies which showed brain differences in persons with homosexual behavior -- I've also seen studies that show brain changes based on behavior
• APPLICATION:
• Deliberate sin has an effect upon our bodies
• Even worse, is sometimes we get what we want and it is not good for us


Rom 1:28-32 (ESV) And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.


• Additionally to the perversion of sex, what else does mankind do?
• It does not value the knowledge of God
• It is not worthwhile
• It is a waste of a person's time
• It is one thing to replace God with images you can control, but now the knowledge of God, however poor, is disdained
• The result of their disdain of God's existence, is that God gives them up a third time.  What is the overall category here that God gives them over to?
• A depraved mind
• Definition: impairment of virtues and moral principles (thefreedictionary.com)
• Doing what ought not to be done
• The list is incredible and pretty much describes most societies today.  I want to focus on the last verse, vs. 32
• Men know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death
• Men know the result is death
• Men continue to sin
• Men approve of those who do the same things
• APPLICATION: Deep down, we all know that we sin.  We all recognize that 'certain sins' leads to death.  But where we fool ourselves is thinking that our sin does not deserve death

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)