Opening up Paul's letter today

I wanted to get an overview of Paul’s letter to the Romans. Here’s what I came up with. It’s extraordinary how familiar are so many passages. But it’s wonderful to get them in context by reading the whole letter in one sitting, just as we would if it had arrived in our letter box today!  

Romans 1

Introduction: I am Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ (the Son of God)
I write to “all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints”
First: thank God for your faith!
Second: I really long to come and visit and to preach in Rome.
Third: I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ because it is the power of God.
Fourth: Invisible things are clearly seen (understood) but some have gone off course.

Romans 2

Don’t judge others.
2: 11 “…there is no respect of persons with God.”
We must be true to ourselves.
2: 28, 29 “..he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly…But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly…”

Romans 3

3:3 “For what if some did not believe?”
The law of faith
No boasting!
3:29 “Is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles?”
Does this negate “the law”? No way: “we establish the law.”

Romans 4

More about faith
What about Abraham?
Law vs promise/faith/grace
4: 16 “Abraham…the father of us all”
4:20 “He staggered not at the promise of God …but was strong in faith, giving glory to God”

Romans 5

Trials, faith and grace – the gift
5: 1, 2 “justified by faith…peace with God…access by faith into…grace”
5:3, 4 “glory in tribulations” because of their outcome, one thing building on another e.g. tribulation brings patience; patience brings experience; experience, hope.  
5:5 “…the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
(Eugene Petersen’s The Message: “…we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit! Christ arrives right on time to make this happen.”)
5: 15 - 18 “the gift” – by grace; the free gift; the gift of righteousness

Romans 6

“Shall we continue in sin…?” or “walk in newness of life”?
6: 12, 13 “Let not sin therefore reign…but yield…unto God”
6: 16 Who’s the boss anyway?
6: 23 more about “the gift”

Romans 7

7: 6 “…serve in newness of spirit…not in the oldness of the letter”
Conflict 7: 19 “the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do”

Romans 8

No condemnation
Not in the flesh
8:16, 21 “children of God”; “glorious liberty”
Intercession.
There’s something at work in us!
8: 28 “and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
8:31 “If God be for us, who can be against us?”
The Message: Romans 8: 26 “Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along.”
8: 35 – 39 Nothing can separate us from God’s love!!!!!!!

Romans 9

Sorrow and heaviness
9: 8 “the children of the promise”
9:26 “children of the living God”
Remnant

Romans 10

10: 1-3 Prayer for Israel: “...ignorant of God’s righteousness…have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God”
10: 12 “…no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.”
10:14 “…how shall they hear without a preacher”

Romans 11

Paul speaks about Elijah’s experience of thinking himself alone when in fact there were seven thousand (v. 3,4).
Remnant
11: 20 the olive tree example and “be not highminded”!!!
11: 34 “who hath known the mind of the Lord?”

Romans 12

12:1,2 “present your bodies a living sacrifice…and be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed…”
Watch your thoughts about others; we are all members of the one body in Christ.
LOVE each other!
12: 21 “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Romans 13

God’s power the only power but obey the laws of the land.
Keep the commandments.
v. 10 Love is the fulfilling of the law.
Wake up!

Romans 14

It’s best not to judge another in matters of food, for “the kingdom of God is not meant and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (v. 17).
v. 12 “..everyone of us shall give account of himself to God.”

Romans 15

We are all members of the same choir.
Paul admits that his writing is rather bold but acknowledges that his is a Christly mission which has taken him from Jerusalem to the north of Greece.
Now he wants to visit Rome en-route to Spain, after he delivers a substantial sum of money to those in Jerusalem due to their extreme need at that time.

Romans 16

Final salutations and a who’s who of the early church workers including
Phebe
Priscilla
Aquila
Epaenetus
Mary
Andronicus
Junia
Amplias
Urbane
Stachys
Apelles
Aristobulus
Herodion
Narcissus
Tryphena
Tryphosa
Persis
Rufus and his mother
Asyncritus
Phlegon
Hermas
Patrobas
Hermes
Philologus
Julia
Nereus and his sister
Olympas
Timotheus
Lucius
Jason
Sosipater
Tertius (scribe of this letter)
Gaius (Paul’s host)
Erastus
Quartus
[put your name in here!]

How enriched we are to have this wonderful letter. How much ground Paul covers in it. How useful it is to us today.

 

Julie Swannell