June
23rd Romans
1 A. Introduction Greetings and Blessing
1:
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated
unto the gospel of God, 2: (Which he had promised afore by his
prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3: Concerning his Son Jesus Christ
our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
4: And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the
spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: 5: By whom we
have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among
all nations, for his name: 6: Among whom are ye also the called of
Jesus Christ: 7: To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be
saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord
Jesus Christ.
I
want to meet you
8:
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your
faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. 9: For God is my
witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that
without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; 10:
Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a
prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. 11: For I
long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to
the end ye may be established; 12: That is, that I may be comforted
together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. 13: Now I
would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to
come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit
among you also, even as among other Gentiles. 14: I am debtor both to
the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the
unwise. 15: So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel
to you that are at Rome also. 16: For I am not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one
that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17: For
therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as
it is written, The just shall live by faith.
B.
The Condition of Mankind - Gentiles and Jews (*Condemnation) The
Wrath of God is revealed
18:
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness
and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19: Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for
God hath shewed it unto them. 20: For the invisible things of him
from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by
the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that
they are without excuse: 21: Because that, when they knew God, they
glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in
their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22:
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23: And changed
the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to
corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping
things. 24: Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through
the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between
themselves: 25: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and
worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is
blessed for ever. Amen. 26: 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: 27: 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, and receiving in
themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28: And
even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave
them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not
convenient; 29: Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication,
wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder,
debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30: Backbiters, haters of God,
despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to
parents, 31: Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural
affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32: 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.
Paul
sends his letter to Rome to introduce himself to the church before he
arrives to preach the Gospel. He establishes his apostolic authority
and his call to missionary endeavour. Then in his greeting he
describes the subject of the letter. It is going to be about the
Gospel of God concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Who according
to the flesh was a Jew but who was openly declared to be the Son of
God as a result of his resurrection from the dead. It is in Christ
that we received salvation by grace and a ministry of apostleship
among all the nations. Paul writes this letter is for you who are
loved of God and called to be holy. Then he combines the Jewish and
Christian greeting Charis Shalom. Charis – Grace is the principle
in which God deals will men in our day and Shalom – Peace is the
spiritual experience of those who come to a knowledge of his Grace.
Paul begins his letter with a number of personal remarks. First he
says l thank God for you all because your faith is talked about in
the whole world. And God will testify that l pray for you always. And
my request is that l might be able to come and see you and give you
some spiritual blessing so that you will be established in the faith.
Then he says that he would have often come to see them but was
hindered many times. But he says l am not ashamed of my message and l
have not been putting off my visit to you, l want to see you at the
first opportunity l get. No l am not ashamed because the Gospel is
the power of God to salvation to all that believe. In the Gospel is
revealed the righteousness of God and it comes by faith and is
realised by faith. Because the righteous live daily by placing their
faith in God. And the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against
all unrighteousness in men. God reveals himself to men even his power
and divinity is revealed in the creation which we can see every day.
Every man is without excuse before God because he can see Gods work
all around him. And when men do not glorify God or are thankful to
Him they think up empty ideas and their foolish minds are darkened to
the truth of God. They say that they are clever but in fact they
become foolish. They change the glory of an incorruptible God into
images made to look like birds animals and snakes etc. So God let
them get on with their uncleanness and lust filled lives. They
dishonour their bodies with sexual activity with each other. Paul
says they change the truth of God into a lie. And they worship and
serve the creatures that God has made instead of worshipping the
creator. So God let them go their own way to live in vile lusts, Even
their women gave up their natural sexual purpose to do things which
are contrary to nature. And the men also turn from natural sexual
purpose to burn in lust after each other men with men doing things
which are disgusting. And they receive in their bodies the wages of
their sin. Because they did not want to even remember God He allowed
them to go on to minds that are full of rejection of God. And to do
those things which are not honourable. Their lives become full of bad
deeds, forbidden sex, evil acts, they long after others people
possessions, They are evil in seeking the hurt of other people, They
are full of jealousy, they hate and kill, they deceive, they destroy,
they let lies and behind peoples backs, they hate God, they do
horrible things to others. They think they are cleaver, They think up
new evil things, they openly defy their parents, they have no
understanding, They break promises, they have no normal affections,
they are unmovable and without a shred of mercy, They know the
judgment of God and that God with destroy those who live like this
but they not only want to continue but they take delight in
perverting others to do the same. What an indictment on the world,
Paul brings to us here. He describes the heart of man who leaves God
behind. He describes atheism.
- How does Paul introduce himself to the Church at Rome before he is able to visit them?
- How does Paul describe the whole world outside of Grace?
- How does he describe the downward path of humanity from the natural knowledge of God into degredation and evil?
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