Romans: Basic Background

Study of Romans

Wednesday nights MFBC

Romans 1:1-17.

ETS: Paul wrote to the Roman believers to express his desire to come to them and to proclaim the Gospel to them.

ESS:

We should desire to proclaim the Gospel.

OSS: [MO: Consecrative] {SO: I want the hearers to be emboldened to share the Gospel} Cognitive: I want the hearers to know background information regarding Romans. Affective: I want the hearers to feel the eagerness of Paul regarding the Gospel. Psycho-Motor: I want the hearers to embrace a love for the Gospel and evangelism.

PQ:

What pieces of background information can be gathered from these verses?

UW: pieces

TS: Let us examine together a few pieces of background info. now:

The authorship. [vv. 1-6]

Paul is the author of Romans.

Servant of Jesus [Literally meaning belonging to Jesus]

Apostle [as called-

Set apart for the Gospel [seemingly includes three parts: at birth; at apostleship; at Antioch when called with Barnabas for mission work] (CCEP, David Brown, D.D., comments on v. 1)

The audience. [vv. 7-8]

Roman believers, likely of Gentile background are the recipients of the letter.

Notice the words: saints, your faith.

Concerning the audience and purpose, Matthew Henry wrote, “The scope or design of the apostle in writing to the Romans appears to have been, to answer the unbelieving, and to teach the believing Jew; to confirm the Christian and to convert the idolatrous Gentile; and to show the Gentile convert as equal with the Jewish, in respect of his religious condition, and his rank in the Divine favour.” (Matthew Henry and Thomas Scott, Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997), Rom. 1:1)

The purpose. [vv. 9-15]

Paul expressed desire to visit the Romans for the purpose of proclaiming the Gospel to them.

Gain support of the Romans

Proclaim Gospel to Romans

The reasoning. [vv. 16-17]

Paul was confident in the Gospel because it revealed righteousness and produced salvation.

Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel.

Power of God for salvation

Righteousness of God

Takeaways:

Do you consider yourself a servant of God?

Do you desire to visit with others entrusted to you so that you might gain support for the sake of the Gospel?

Do you consider it your purpose to share the Gospel and further the Kingdom?

Do you feel emboldened with the Gospel?