Romans Chapter 1:1-5

Background information

Paul was the writer of Romans. This goes almost undisputed. Paul ( was born Saul of Tarsus) . He was also born around the time of Christ. Paul was a Hebrew of Hebrews. He was also a Pharisee. The Pharisees were one of the strictess sects within Judiasm.

Paul was not seeking Christ. Paul was actively seeking to murder Christians. He was on his way to harm more christians when Christ intervened. Christ saved Paul on the road to Damascus. HIs new birth constituted a new name. Saul was then called St. Paul. God used Paul so mightly that he wrote majority of the New Testament. As Paul traveled, he wrote the letters to the churches. Read to book of Acts and you will see his journeys. He established churches. He built men and churches along the way. Paul poured his soul into his congegations. He warned all his churches that wolves would try and enter after he left. Paul wrote Romans @ approximately 56 AD. Paul was martyred outside Rome during Nero’s reign. Nero’s nickname was “ The Beast”. He had so many similarities some actually believed he was the Beast of Revelation. (Give examples if I choose)

The book of Romans is theological in nature. It is not a poetry or history book. Paul develops the doctrine of soteriolgy ( salvation). Romans displays God’s sovereignty in salvation.

Key doctrines in Romans:

mankind is sinful

justification is by faith

sactification

reconciliation

Romans Chapter 1 starts with the Gospel. Chaper 1 also shows exactly why the gospel is needed. The condition of man and the world we live is marred with death and destruction. Sin entered the world and had a literal impact upon it.

One of the most profound questions one can ask is how can a man be found righteous before God? We have a quick answer but it is not deep. We do not understand the great chasm that is affixed between God and us. Just like the great chasm is Luke 16:19-31 between the rich man and Lazarus, we have a chasm seperating us from God. Just like the rich man, we also cannot reach across the chasm for help. On our own we are hopeless. However, Christ Jesus came in the flesh. He also stepped across that chasm we could not cross. He came not only for the Jews but also for the gentiles (heathen)( all non jewish nations) (aka the whole world).

Verse 1 Slave of Christ Jesus. A slave is someone who is owned by someone else. Paul has been bought with a price.

1 Corinthians 6:20 (NASB95) For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

We are not our own. Obey the Master.

We are born into this this world as slaves of sin. Adam and Eve were created perfectly. We were not. We came about after the fall. The fall not only impacted all humans but also nature.

Romans 8:22 (NASB95)

For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.

Even creation is under bondage awaiting the revealing of the Sons of God from Heaven. ( How do we know when the bondage ends?)

2Thessalonians 1:6-11 “For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our testimony to you was believed. To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power,”

Paul has just dropped a major truth bomb within this congregation. The Roman church would have been full of gentiles who were slaves of some sort to Rome. They would have desired their freedom. Paul lets them know he is the slave of Christ. Listen to what Francis Schaeffer said about Paul’s slavery,“Paul had [a slave’s] iron band around his neck, not because it had to be there but because he held it there by the fingers of his own will” (Schaeffer, Finished Work of Christ, p. 14). This is also very reflective of what the OT said.

Deuteronomy 15:15-17 ““You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today. “It shall come about if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he fares well with you; then you shall take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also you shall do likewise to your maidservant.”

What is the promise of verse 2? What did God promise beforehand? The gospel was contained in the Old Testament. The Old Testament prophets annouced the gospel. So many try and rid Christianity from the Old Testament. This would loosely be called antinomianism. Definition of antinomian: one who holds that under the gospel dispensation of grace the moral law is of no use or obligation. Does this sound even close to being true? God Forbid!! Romans 3:31 “Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law.” The 10 commandments can be broken down into 2 sections.

The first 5 commands deal with God. The second 5 deal with neighbors. Christ said,

Mark 12:29-31 “Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ “The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”” Jesus came to fulfill and uphold the Law not abolish it.

Verse 3 the Messiah was promised to come from the lineage of King David. If Chrsit is not from this lineage He could not be the Messiah. The New Testament opens within definitive proof that Christ came from the lineage of King David. Matthew’s gospel(the first gospel) opens with Christ’s direct connection to King David. Chapter 1. It starts with Abraham and ends with Joseph. Christ will bring Abraham’s blessing to the ends of the end. That is being accomplished through the gospel. Through the cross. Christ shed blood is gathering all ( the elect) into the kingdom.

verse 4 Jesus’ resurrection made it known that He was the Son of God. He conquered death by His own power. This act showed all humanity that he is the Logos in

John 1:1–5 NASB95

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Notice the phrase, “ all things came into being through Him”. Christ is the source of all life.

John 10:17-18 ““For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. “No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.””

Christ layed His life down willingly. He layed it down and took it up again by His own authority as The son of God.

verse 5 We receive grace from Him because Jesus is our High Priest. Jesus is Prophet, Priest, and King. Grace was administered by the Old Testament high priest. That Old Testament high priest was only a type and shadow of the greater high priest to come. Christ was that priest.

Hebrews 7:17-28 “For it is attested of Him, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. And inasmuch as it was not without an oath (for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him, “The Lord has sworn And will not change His mind, ‘You are a priest forever’ ”); so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For it was fit…”

The end of verse 5 should be humbling. He is doing all this for the sake of His name. Our salvation is about His glory. Not our own glory. We are to cast our crowns before Him just like they do in Revelation 4:10 “the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne,

We have crowns because He crowned us. We became the King’s subjects because of the cross. Christ died for His Kingdom. He died to secure the elect. Now there is nothing that can snatch us out of His hand.

John 10:28-30 “and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. “I and the Father are one.””

Closing prayer: Father we are eteranlly grateful for our salvation. You created the heavens and the earth. You also created our salvation. You created our way of escape. Your Son paid the penalty for a criminal. We are those criminals. Thank you Holy Spirit for making me part of the new creation. Thank you for your conviction and guidance.