The book of Romans

Main theme

The gospel reveals the righteousness of God: all people, Jews and Gentiles, are guilty, but God declares them righteous freely through faith in Jesus Christ, then transforms them by his Spirit.

Outline

1. Romans 1-4 — The righteousness of God revealed

   All are guilty, Gentiles and Jews alike (1:18–3:20), but God justifies freely by faith, as he justified Abraham (3:21–4:25).

2. Romans 5-8 — The new life of the justified

   Peace with God, Christ the new Adam, death to sin, freedom from the law and life by the Spirit.

3. Romans 9-11 — Israel in God’s plan

   God’s faithfulness to Israel: sovereign election, partial hardening, a believing remnant and final salvation.

4. Romans 12-15 — Righteousness lived out day by day

   A reasonable service: gifts in the church, love, authorities, welcome of the weak, and Paul’s plans.

5. Romans 16 — Commendations and greetings

   Phoebe commended, a long list of greetings, a warning and a closing doxology.

Key points

• The theme: the gospel is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes, for it reveals a righteousness received by faith (1:16-17).
• Idolatrous Gentiles and Jews instructed in the law are all guilty: “There is none righteous, no, not one” (3:10, 23).
• God justifies freely by his grace, through the blood of Christ, the propitiation (3:24-25).
• Abraham was declared righteous by faith before his circumcision: he is the father of all who believe (4:3, 10-11).
• Adam dragged all people into sin and death; Christ, by his obedience, brings righteousness and life (5:12-19).
• Grace does not encourage sin: united to Christ by baptism, the believer is dead to sin and lives for God (6:1-11).
• There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ, and nothing can separate them from the love of God (8:1, 38-39).
• Doctrine leads to life: presenting one’s body as a living sacrifice and being transformed by the renewing of the mind (12:1-2).

Jesus in Romans

Romans presents Jesus as the Son of David declared to be the Son of God by his resurrection (1:3-4), and as the propitiation whose blood allows God to be just while justifying the believer (3:25-26). He is the second Adam, whose obedience makes many righteous (5:19), the end of the law for everyone who believes (10:4), and the risen Lord whom one need only confess with faith in order to be saved (10:9).

Did you know?

• Paul’s secretary slips his own greeting into the middle of the letter: “I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord” (16:22).
• Although he has never been to Rome, Paul greets more than twenty people there by name (16:3-15), no doubt people he met on his travels.
• Romans has left its mark on church history: according to his Confessions, Augustine was converted in 386 by reading 13:13-14, and Luther rediscovered in 1:17 the righteousness received by faith.