ROMANS:
Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, ...
And declared to be the Son of God with power, ...,
by the resurrection from the dead:
Romans 1:3,4
* A WARNING from Peter about Paul: ....as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. 2Peter 3:15,16
Chapter 1
(Atheism, Green Religion & Sodomy swept the world)
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:
v.16
---Atheism {No Excuse for}---
For the invisible things of him
from the creation of the world
are clearly seen,
being understood by the things that are made,
...so that they are without excuse:
v.20
---GREEN Religion---
Who changed the truth of God into a lie,
and worshipped and served the creature
more than the Creator,
v.25
---Sodomy---
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections:
for even their women did change the natural use
into that which is against nature:
And likewise also the men,
leaving the natural use of the woman,
burned in their lust one toward another;
men with men working that which is unseemly,
v.26,27
---List of WICKEDNESS---
Being filled with all unrighteousness,
fornication,
wickedness,
covetousness,
maliciousness;
full of envy,
murder,
debate,
deceit,
malignity;
whisperers,
Backbiters,
haters of God,
despiteful,
proud,
boasters,
inventors of evil things,
disobedient to parents,
Without understanding,
covenant breakers,
without natural affection,
implacable,
unmerciful:
v.29-31
---They know better---
Who knowing the judgment of God,
that they which commit such things are worthy of death,
not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
v.32
---FOOLS---
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
v.22
Chapter 2
(Hypocrisy)
For there is no partiality with God.
v. 11 NKJV
Don't be a HYPOCRITE
Therefore thou art inexcusable,
for wherein thou judgest another,
thou condemnest thyself;
for thou that judgest doest the same things.
And thinkest thou this,
O man, that judgest them which do such things,
and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
Thou therefore which teachest another,
teachest thou not thyself?
thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery,
dost thou commit adultery?
thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
v.1,3,21,22
The Law of the Conscience
For when the Gentiles,
which have not the law,
do by nature the things contained in the law,
these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts,
their conscience also bearing witness,
and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;
v.14,15
Sanctification of the heart
But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly;
and circumcision is that of the heart,
in the spirit, and not in the letter;
v.29
Chapter 3
(All are Unrighteous)
There is none righteous, no, not one:
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
v.10,23
Unbelief
For what if some did not believe?
shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?
God forbid:
yea, let God be true, but every man a liar;
v.3,4
Unbelievers
Their throat is an open sepulchre;
with their tongues they have used deceit;
the poison of asps is under their lips:
There is no fear of God before their eyes.
v.13,18
Purpose of the LAW
Obviously,
the law applies to those to whom it was given,
for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses,
and to show that the entire world is guilty before God.
v.19 NLT
Works won't Save YOU
Therefore by the deeds of the law
there shall no flesh be justified in his sight:
for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified
by faith without the deeds of the law.
v.20,28
GRACE of JUSTIFICATION
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Whom God hath set forth to be
1- a propitiation through faith in his blood,
2- to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past,
3- through the forbearance of God;
v.24,25
Is the LAW VOID?
Do we then make void the law through faith?
God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
v.31
Chapter 4
(Abrahamic Case Study)
Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
v.3
Q&A on Abraham's (circumcision) works=a sign of his FAITH
Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only,
or upon the uncircumcision also?
for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
Q: How was it then reckoned?
when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision?
A: Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
And he received the sign of circumcision,
a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised:
that he might be the father of all them that believe,
though they be not circumcised;
that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only,
but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham,
which he had being yet uncircumcised.
v.9-12
The Promise fulfilled by FAITH
For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world,
was not to Abraham, or to his seed,
through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
For if they which are of the law be heirs,
faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
v.13,14
Purpose of the Resurrection
But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed,
if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
Who was delivered for our offences,
and was raised again for our justification.
v.24,25
Chapter 5
(Our Champion)
Therefore being justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
v.1
Access through HIM
By whom also we have access by faith
into this grace wherein we stand,
v.2
Behold: What He did for YOU
For when we were yet without strength,
in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
For scarcely for a righteous man will one die:
yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die
But God commendeth his love toward us,
in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.
v.6-8.
The Blood Shield
Much more then, being now justified by his blood,
we shall be saved from wrath through him.
v.9
Chain-of-Events
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world,
and death by sin;
and so death passed upon all men,
for that all have sinned:
v.12
Inverse Relationship: Adam's sin=death/Christ's death=Life
For if through the offence of one many be dead,
much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace,
which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners,
so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
v.15,19
3 Steps of Faith building via Tribulations
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also:
knowing that tribulation worketh 1-patience;
And patience, 2- experience;
and experience, 3- hope:
v.3,4
Chapter 6
(Sanctification Requires a Free Will)
What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace?
God forbid.
v.15
Baptism=a sign of Death {of old life} & Resurrection {to new life}
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death:
that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father,
even so we also should walk in newness of life.
v.4
Sanctification EXPECTED after Justification
Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body,
that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
v.1,2,12
FREE WILL
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey,
his servants ye are to whom ye obey;
whether of sin unto death,
or of obedience unto righteousness?
v.16
Chapter 7
(Mirror of the LAW)
For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
v.22
Marriage Example:
For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law;Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead,
v.2-4
The Law is good/I am bad
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid.
Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law:
for I had not known lust, except the law had said,
Thou shalt not covet.
But sin, taking occasion by the commandment,
wrought in me all manner of concupiscence.
For without the law sin was dead.
Wherefore the law is holy,
and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
v.7,8,12
MIRROR of the LAW
But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good;
that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
v.13
Chapter 8
(More Than Conquerors)
...in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
If God be for us, who can be against us?
v.37,31
Christ our Righteousness (This is what Paul means by free from the Law-it's condemnation)
God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh,
and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us,
who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
v.3,4
Abba Father
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear;
but ye have received the Spirit of adoption,
whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
v.15
The Spirit's Role
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities:
for we know not what we should pray for as we ought:
but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us
with groanings which cannot be uttered.
v.2
Christ's Role
Who is he that condemneth?
It is Christ that died, yea rather,
that is 1) risen again,
who is even 2) at the right hand of God,
who also 3) maketh intercession for us.
v.34
The Heart of Paul's Summa Theologica
For I am persuaded,
that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers,
nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth,
nor any other creature,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
v.38,39
Chapter 9
(A Remnant Saved out of the World)
...a remnant shall be saved: For he will finish the work,
and cut it short in righteousness:
because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.
v.27,28
Q & A on Jacob & Esau
As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
Q: What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God?
A: God forbid. For he saith to Moses,
I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
v.13-15
Q & A on Pharaoh
For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh,
Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up,
that I might shew my power in thee,
and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy,
and whom he will he hardeneth.
Thou wilt say then unto me,
Q: Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
A: Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God?
Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it,
Why hast thou made me thus?
Hath not the potter power over the clay,
of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonor?
v.17-21
Where Literal Israel Stumbled
What shall we say then?
That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness,
have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
But Israel,
which followed after the law of righteousness,
hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith,
but as it were by the works of the law.
For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
v.30-32
Spiritual Israel
For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children:
v.6,7
Chapter 10
(The Beautiful Feet of Glad Tidings)
How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace,
and bring glad tidings of good things!
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
v.15,13
Neither Jew nor Greek anymore
For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek:
for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
v.12
The Glad Tidings
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,
and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead,
thou shalt be saved.
v.9
Chapter 11
(Expository on Israel)
Have they stumbled that they should fall?
God forbid:
but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles,
v.11
As for Israel:
1) Lesson from Elijah
God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
v.2-5
2) Graft in the Jews back into the tree
For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree,
wert graffed in among them,
Boast not against the branches. B
ut if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith.
Be not highminded, but fear:
For if God spared not the natural branches,
take heed lest he also spare not thee.
v.16-21
Apostle to the Gentiles
For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles,
v.13
Chapter 12
(A Living Sacrifice)
I beseech you therefore, brethren, ... that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,
holy, acceptable unto God,
v.1
Be Kind.....
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love;
v.10
Abhor Evil....
Abhor that which is evil;
v.9
Enemies......
Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him;
if he thirst, give him drink:
v.20
Vengeance....
Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
v.19
Chapter 13
(The same Gospel Christ preached)
Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal,
Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet;
and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying,
namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
v.9
Love is the Fulfilling of the Law
Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
v.10
Chapter 14
(To This End)
For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived,
that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
v.9
We will ALL face the Judgment...
But why dost thou judge thy brother? ...for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
v.10
Chapter 15
(Glorify God)
And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy;
as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles,
and sing unto thy name.
And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.
v.9,10
In Unity
That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God,
v.6
Praise Him
And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles;
v.11
Paul's Ministry
That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles,
ministering the gospel of God,
that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable,
being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.
v.16
Chapter 16
(Closing Remarks)
....and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery,
which was kept secret since the world began,
But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets,
according to the commandment of the everlasting God,
made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
v.25,26
A WARNING...
Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ,... and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
v.17,18
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SUMMARY
For the wages of sin is death;
but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
O wretched man that I am!
who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
6:23/7:24