Romans 8 - Introduction and Context
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Good afternoon brothers and sisters! Today I am going to start something new. Together, we will be going through Romans, chapter 8. This will take about 4 sessions. I pray that as we go through what has been described as one of the most important chapters in the Bible, you will be encouraged and strengthened in your faith! May it help us to grow in our understanding of the Gospel and how it works in our lives!
Romans 8 start like this:
Romans 8:1 “1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 8:1 “1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
When you see that “therefore” in scripture, you have to ask yourself what is it “there” “for”! Paul is making a conclusion from what he has written earlier in his letter to the Romans. So, we need the context not only of the text preceding this verse, but we should also look at what Paul has written up to this point.
For our first session in looking at Romans 8, we will look at the context the of the letter to the Romans by Paul.
Paul’s Letter to the Romans
Paul’s Letter to the Romans
Paul is in Corinth when he writes his letter to the Romans. Paul is about to make his journey to Jerusalem to deliver the contributions he has collected from the churches in Asia. He believes he has finished his work for the churches in Asia and Greece and is now ready to strengthen the believers in Rome before heading to Spain. Paul writes:
Romans 1:9–15 “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.
Romans 1:9–15 “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.
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 do not want you to be unaware, 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.
13 I do not want you to be unaware, 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.
14 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.”
14 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.”
Paul again concludes his letter:
Romans 15:23–29 “23 But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, 24 I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while.
Romans 15:23–29 “23 But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, 24 I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while.
25 At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem.
25 At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem.
27 For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. 28 When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will leave for Spain by way of you.
27 For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. 28 When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will leave for Spain by way of you.
29 I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.”
29 I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.”
The Gospel in Romans
The Gospel in Romans
With the depth of writing of Paul’s letter to the Romans, we need to understand the overall purpose of the letter. It would be a short letter, if Paul is just sending a greetings and introduction of himself before he heads to Rome! But the letter is so much more than that!
Paul’s purpose can be found in the first chapter, verses 16 and 17:
Romans 1:16–17 “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.””
Romans 1:16–17 “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 is saying: “...that the power of God is revealed through the gospel for all who have faith.” Paul spends the rest of the letter explaining and defending this statement.
Paul’s Purpose:
Paul’s Purpose:
“Paul’s primary purpose in writing Romans was to …”
1. Minister to the believers in Rome
1. Minister to the believers in Rome
“… minister to the believers in Rome for whom he had an apostolic responsibility. “
2. Ensure the believers understand the Gospel
2. Ensure the believers understand the Gospel
“He wanted to ensure that their understanding of the gospel was such that …”
3. Believers would be an acceptable, consecrated, sacrifice to God
3. Believers would be an acceptable, consecrated, sacrifice to God
“… they would constitute an acceptable sacrifice to God, consecrated by the Holy Spirit.”
What is the Gospel? The whole letter of Romans explains the Gospel. That is why one of the most famous and used methods of sharing the Gospel with people is what has been called the “Romans Road.”
The Gospel is the Good News! But if there is good news, there is also bad news. We miss the Gospel if we do not first understand the need for the Gospel. So, what is the bad news?
Just as we should, Paul starts with the bad news.
Romans 1:18 “18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.”
Romans 1:18 “18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.”
Paul explains that no one is righteous. Not only the Gentiles who are thought to be ungodly by nature, but also the Jews who have the Law!
Romans 2:1–3 “1 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 practice such things.
Romans 2:1–3 “1 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 practice such things.
3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?”
3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?”
Romans 2:12 “12 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.”
Romans 2:12 “12 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.”
And finally, Paul concludes and summarizes this with the first step of the Romans Road:
Romans 3:23 “23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
Romans 3:23 “23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
If all have sinned, and the Law is not what saves, where do we find salvation? Paul continues in his explanation of the Gospel with the answer: Jesus Christ! Jesus is not only the answer, but we receive Him as a gift and not through any merit of our own. This is summarized in the next two steps of the Romans Road:
Romans 6:23 “23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 6:23 “23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Jesus is the answer for our sin and the provision God gives to us.
Romans 5:8 “8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8 “8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
We should be able to continue on from here, but in Paul’s day, adherence to the Law was an issue. Paul spends a lot of time making sure we understand the nature of the Law and the Gospel. That leads us to the chapter 7.
Released From the Law
Released From the Law
Romans 7:4–5 “4 Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. 5 For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.”
Romans 7:4–5 “4 Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. 5 For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.”
Through Jesus Christ and His death on the cross, we are released from the Law: we are now not captives to it. We are dead to the Law and belong now to another: Jesus Christ! And so, we are freed from the Law’s condemnation!
Ephesians 2:13–15 “13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility
Ephesians 2:13–15 “13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility
15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,”
15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,”
What is the result of belonging to Christ? To bear fruit for God.
Romans 7:6 “6 But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.”
Romans 7:6 “6 But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.”
The point is for God’s glory, not our own. We benefit because we are to be with God forever: no longer condemned. But, this is all for God’s glory! All fruit before Christ is fruit unto death: worthless rags.
Isaiah 64:6 “6 We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.”
Isaiah 64:6 “6 We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.”
That fruit is works which do not make us righteous. That is what the Law is, apart from Christ: works unto death.
We serve in the Spirit: the new way of freedom! Our service under the Law was as being captives to the Law. Now we serve in the freedom of the Holy Spirit.
The Law and Sin
The Law and Sin
What is the relationship between the Law and our sin?
Romans 7:7 “7 What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.””
Romans 7:7 “7 What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.””
Romans 7:10–12 “10 The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. 11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. 12 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.”
Romans 7:10–12 “10 The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. 11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. 12 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.”
The Law made us captives, but the Law is not bad. It shows us that we are bad! We are sinners, and it shows us our sins. It does not have the power to save nor does it have the power to give us freedom.
Romans 7:13 “13 Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.”
Romans 7:13 “13 Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.”
As the law came from God, it is holy. Before Christ, sin controls our lives. We know what is good and what to do that is good. But sin’s power is absolute over us. We do not have the ability to do good before Christ.
We see, then, that it is the Law that condemns us in our sin. But in Christ, as we war with our flesh and our renewed Spirit, we can exclaim as Paul does in our struggles:
Romans 7:25 “25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! ...”
Romans 7:25 “25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! ...”
Finally, as we are freed from the Law and are now in Christ, we come back to the beginning of Romans 8, and start seeing what it means to live life in the Spirit:
Romans 8:1 “1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 8:1 “1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
We will begin to see what that is next time.
The Rest of the Journey
The Rest of the Journey
So, although we will go in detail into the beginning of Romans 8 next time I am up here, I want to end by finishing our journey on the Romans Road. We have two more steps on that journey. We first saw our need for salvation because of sin:
Romans 3:23 “23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
Romans 3:23 “23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
Then, we saw the consequence of our sin:
Romans 6:23 “23 For the wages of sin is death,”
Romans 6:23 “23 For the wages of sin is death,”
Next we see God’s love and provision for us because of the result of sin:
“but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
“but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
and
Romans 5:8 “8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8 “8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Next, we have to receive God’s gift. His salvation is not forced upon us.
Romans 10:9–10 “9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”
Romans 10:9–10 “9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”
And finally, we have the sure promise from God if we receive His gift:
Romans 10:13 “13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.””
Romans 10:13 “13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.””
If any of you have not called on the name of the Lord, I beg you to do so! I or one of us here visiting today can help on you journey to salvation today! Thank You!
