Romans 1:18-32 God’s Wrath Against Sinful Humanity

God’s Wrath Against Sinful Humanity
Romans 1:18-32

Who in your family is a lover of the great outdoors?
What causes you to stand in awe of God? Being in the mountains? Walking along the seashore? Working in the garden?

 #God            #People     #Time         #Place        #Obedient faith  #Sin  #Key Idea 

God's Wrath on Unrighteousness

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,[g] in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

• God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
• We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
• This is probably the most descriptive passages in the Bible on the "fall of mankind." In Romans 1:18, what did mankind do when given "the truth" about God?
• How did God expect mankind to know "the truth" before Jesus Christ came into the world in Romans 1:19-20?
• Why then do people tend to worship the creation rather than the Creator in Romans 1:21-23, 25?
• How does God respond to these evil attitudes? When mankind did not follow the truth, what did God let them do according to Romans 1:24, 26, 28?
• I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
• Do you think our society has changed for the better or the worse since Paul wrote this description?
• Paul explains in the passage that the root cause for the ills in our society is a "depraved mind" or the sin nature in all of us. How does this view differ from what modern psychology teaches?
• If you could take a social psychologist on a tour of your community for a good look at the depraved mind in action, where would you take this person? What would you show the psychologist within your own life?
• You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.

https://www.youtube.com/c/edmondchurchofchrist

https://youtu.be/ZYEFYrCma_U

Document for DBS

Series: Be Different “Making Transformative Moves” Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Title: Different God

Bookmark: Click Here

Opening Thoughts: Our hearts' tendency is to be drawn to idols that promise immediate gratification. As someone has said, we often "turn good things into God things." You can be different by submitting your longings and loyalties fully to the one and only God.

v  “Track Walking” all in the same direction.

v  Romans 12:2

o   You are either conformed or being transformed

o   Scamming the Scammers

§  John 8:44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

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Text: Romans 1:18-32

God’s Wrath Against Sinful Humanity

¹⁸ The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, ¹⁹ since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. ²⁰ For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

²¹ For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²² Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools ²³ and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

²⁴ Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. ²⁵ They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

²⁶ Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. ²⁷ In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

²⁸ Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. ²⁹ They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, ³⁰ slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; ³¹ they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. ³² Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

 

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Summarize the main story: Describe the events of the story in your own words.

v  Review and retell the story.

Reflections for applications:

v  You were created to know, love & worship your Creator God

v  Many people trade the real God for a phony version of God

o   Psalm 106:20 They exchanged their glorious God for an image of a bull which eats grass.

o   Exodus 32:4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods Israel who brought you up out of Egypt.”

v  Deceit leads to distorted thinking, and distorted thinking darkens our hearts to God.

v  Idols are so deadly because they deceive us, distort our thinking, and ultimately destroy us.

o   Idol of the historic buddha.

§  Our transformative move: We need to move from idol worship to God worship.

§  Romans 12:2 (NIV) Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

§  Romans 12:2 (NLT) Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.

§   

Digging Questions:

·         How will you respond in generosity?

·         What do these biblical texts tell you about God and His nature?

·         What is God calling us to do?

Take Away Challenges

·         What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you in this passage? How will you apply it to your life this week?

·         Whom do you know who needs to hear this?

·         What is God bringing to your attention in this discussion? What beliefs, thoughts or actions need to be addressed or changed?

Hash tags #Give #Generosity

Sunday sermon link          https://youtu.be/O_-c7rF6SrY

Kevin’s Blog Link to more resources: Click here for Kevin’s Blog Notes

Comments and resources with some more resources:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+1%3A18-32&version=NIV

Salvation By Christ Alone - Part 2 from North Boulevard Church of Christ on Vimeo.



https://youtu.be/92l9EBYLseQ

 https://youtu.be/92l9EBYLseQ
https://youtu.be/nPYRXop7aPA

Other Resources:

Getting Excited About God! Romans  1

Romans 1:1-17 A Prayer of Thanks

A Prayer of Thanks
Romans 1:1-17

When you write a letter, are you more likely to write until you run out of paper, or keep it short and to the point?
What is one place you have never seen that you would like to visit?

 #God            #People     #Time         #Place        #Obedient faith  #Sin  #Key Idea 

Greeting

1 Paul, a servant^[a] of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, ² which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, ³ concerning his Son, who was descended from David^[b] according to the flesh ⁴ and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, ⁵ through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, ⁶ including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

⁷ To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Longing to Go to Rome

⁸ First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. ⁹ For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you ¹⁰ always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. ¹¹ For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— ¹² that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine. ¹³ I do not want you to be unaware, brothers,^[c] that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. ¹⁴ I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians,^[d] both to the wise and to the foolish. ¹⁵ So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith

¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ¹⁷ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith,^[e] as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”^[f]

• God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
• We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
• If you received a letter from Paul (a missionary) saying he wanted to visit your family or small group, how would you react? 
• What do you know about Rome in the first century? What are the circumstances that caused Paul to write this letter?
• Note all the "I" statements. What do you learn about Paul in this passage? 
• What do you learn about Jesus Christ in this passage? 
• Reading between the lines, what is the problem in the church in Rome that Paul addresses in this letter?
• I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
• When did you first feel Jesus' call in your life? How has that call changed your goals? Your sense of obligation to others? How is that reflected in your prayers? Your actions? 
• How would you compare your commitment to the Gospel to Paul's in verse 16? 
• Who was the Paul in your life who encouraged you in the rookie year of your spiritual life?
• You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.

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The Fellowship of the Unashamed 
#Discipleship
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I am a part of the fellowship of the Unashamed. I have the Holy Spirit Power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.

I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions, mundane talking, chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by presence, learn by faith, love by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power. My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my Guide is reliable, my mission is clear.

I cannot be bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back, diluted, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, back up, let up, or shut up until I've preached up, prayed up, paid up, stored up, and stayed up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until He returns, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes. And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My colors will be clear for "I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes…." (Romans 1:16)

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https://www.youtube.com/c/edmondchurchofchrist

https://youtu.be/Oe2VTsYFiL8

Salvation By Christ Alone - Part 1 from North Boulevard Church of Christ on Vimeo.

=================
Shame, Shame, Shame...
#Shame of Sin

There is probably something in each of our lives that we are ashamed of. Take a few moments now and share with some of your friends or family the things in your life that have caused you the most shame. No, wait! Just kidding, don't really do that. For most of us, the things that cause shame are things that we would prefer not to tell anyone.

Compare your feelings to those of the people talked about in the Old Testament of the Bible:

"Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush." Jeremiah 6:15 

The sin in their lives had become so commonplace that they no longer even blushed when involved in sin. They were not ashamed of the sinfulness of their lives or of their society. They were much like our world today.

Romans 1:16 - "I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes..." 

And into this world that is unashamed of their godlessness, Paul calls us to stand unashamed of the Gospel. While the world is seduced and destroyed by the power of sin, Paul reminds us that we overcome by the power of God. To a world that is lost and does not know who to trust, Paul offers Christ and Salvation to everyone who believes.

Are you ashamed today? Perhaps that's OK. Perhaps we could all do with a healthy dose of shame for some of the things we allow in our lives. But remember, Christ has a better option. Something that we never have to be ashamed of. Something that provides power and confidence and security: the Good News of Jesus Christ.

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COMPLAIN OR FISH?

A game warden noticed how a particular fellow named Sam consistently caught more fish than anyone else, whereas the other guys would only catch three or four a day. Sam would come in off the lake with a boat full.  Stringer after stringer was always packed with freshly caught trout.  The warden, curious, asked Sam his secret.  The successful fisherman invited the game warden to accompany him and observe.  So the next morning the two met at the dock and took off in Sam's boat.  When they got to the middle of the lake, Sam stopped the boat, and the warden sat back to see how it was done.

Sam's approach was simple.  He took out a stick of dynamite, lit it, and threw it in the air.  The explosion rocked the lake with such a force that dead fish immediately began to surface.  Sam took out a net and started scooping them up.

Well, you can imagine the reaction of the game warden.  When he recovered from the shock of it all, he began yelling at Sam.  "You can't do this!  I'll put you in jail, buddy!  You will be paying every fine there is in the book!"

Sam, meanwhile, set his net down and took out another stick of dynamite.  He lit it and tossed it in the lap of the game warden with these words, "Are you going to sit there all day complaining, or are you going to fish?"

Seems to me we have two similar options as Christians -- we can spend our time complaining or we can "fish".  Jesus, of course, used the concept of fishing to describe the work of evangelism ("Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." -- Matthew 4:19).  The method we use does not involve dynamite, but it does involve the word from which dynamite comes to us -- "dunamis", the Greek word for "power".

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek." (Romans 1:16).

I've known some folks in the church who use the "dunamis" of the gospel to fish for souls, and I've known other folks content to do nothing but sit back and complain about what everybody else is or isn't doing.  It's your choice -- Are you going to complain or fish?

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
Boone Church of Christ
Boone, NC
www.TFTD-online.com
===============

Other Resources:

Getting Excited About God! Romans  1

Romans Chapter 1

Paul’s Responsibility for the Gospel to Rome

Romans 1:1-32

On this page, we cover the bigger picture of the chapter. Easier-to-read Bible translations that are less formal (literal), but easier-to-read versions to get the broader picture & context.

For sections within the chapter, please click on the breakdown below. 

• BREAKDOWN OF LINKS TO PERICOPES (considering ebible, listeners' commentary & Serendipity)

Reminder: Pray to God to set your heart right as you engage His word. The text you are about to study was not written to you but is written for you. So, before applying, we must ask the following questions:

• What did it mean to the original reader or original audience?

READ THE SCRIPTURE (Multiple times & translations, and notice the words that stand out)

Biblegateway (NIV, CSB, NLT) (My choice of all-around site. It is a great app, better on computers or on a smartphone)

Biblia.com (New Century Version) (Great on a computer, especially if you have a Logos account)

Summarize the main story: Describe the events and context of the chapter in your own words.

• Review and retell the story.

Romans 1 is the opening chapter of Paul's letter to the Romans. This chapter introduces the key themes of the Gospel: righteousness, faith, and the wrath of God against sin. Paul writes to believers in Rome, expressing his longing to visit them and share in their faith.

Authorship and Date
• Writer: Paul, nearing the end of his third journey (Acts 20).
• Location: Likely Corinth; references to Phoebe of Cenchrea (16:1-2) support this.
• Time: Around AD 57, early in Nero’s reign.
Recipients and Setting
• Mixed house churches of Jews and Gentiles.
• Rome’s bustling streets held temples to Jupiter, Venus, and the imperial cult—an atmosphere matching Paul’s comments on idolatry.
• The recent return of Jews after Claudius’s expulsion (Acts 18:2) meant tensions over food laws and calendar days still simmered (see Romans 14–15).
Purpose of Chapter 1 in the Larger Letter
1. Signal that the gospel unites everyone under the same need and the same rescue.
2. Show why God is right to judge: humanity has ignored unmistakable evidence of Him.
3. Prepare the ground for the good news of chapters 3–8 by revealing the bad news first.

 

INITIAL SUMMARY OF ROMANS CHAPTER 1:

In the opening of Romans, Paul identifies himself as a servant of Christ Jesus, called to spread the gospel promised in the Scriptures. He emphasizes Jesus' lineage from David and His divine appointment as the Son of God through resurrection. Paul expresses gratitude for the faith of the Roman believers, which is known worldwide, and he longs to visit them to share spiritual gifts and mutual encouragement. He feels obligated to preach the gospel to all, including the Romans, and asserts that he is unashamed of the gospel, which reveals God's righteousness through faith.

Paul then addresses God's wrath against humanity's wickedness, highlighting that people suppress the truth about God despite His qualities being evident in creation. He notes that, although they knew God, they failed to honor Him, leading to futile thinking and darkened hearts. This rejection of God resulted in shameful desires and immoral behaviors, with both men and women engaging in unnatural relations. Paul describes the moral decline of humanity, filled with various forms of wickedness, and concludes that those who commit such acts deserve death, yet they continue and even approve of these behaviors.

OUTLINE

ROMANS 1

Paul opens his letter to the Roman church by describing God’s anger at sin. The opening chapter may be thought of as a trial, where God is the judge and sinful humans are the accused.

I. The Court Recorder (1:1–17): Here Paul, author of Romans, provides his readers with some pretrial introductory material.

A. His credentials (1:1, 5): Paul relates four facts about himself.

1. He is a servant of Jesus (1:1a).

2. He is an apostle (1:1b).

3. He has been set apart to preach the gospel (1:1c).

4. He is a missionary to the Gentiles (1:5).

B. His Christ (1:2–4)

1. The Messiah was prophesied in the Old Testament (1:2).

2. The Messiah is now proclaimed in the New Testament (1:3–4).

a. With his human nature (1:3): He is a descendant of David.

b. With his divine nature (1:4): His resurrection proves his deity.

C. His congregation (1:6–15): Paul writes this epistle to a local church assembly.

1. The identity of this church (1:6–7): It is the congregation in Rome.

2. The intercession for this church (1:8–10)

a. His praise of them (1:8): Paul praises them for their universally known faith.

b. His prayers for them (1:9–10): He prays for the church and asks God that he be allowed to visit them.

3. The interest in this church (1:11–13)

a. Paul desires to see them (1:11–12).

b. Paul desires to serve them (1:13): He desires to sow seed among them.

4. The indebtedness to the church (1:14–15): Paul feels an obligation to minister to them.

D. His confidence (1:16–17): Paul expresses his full assurance in the power of the gospel to accomplish two things.

1. To bring about saving faith for sinners (1:16): Through faith a sinner may be saved.

2. To bring about sanctifying faith for saints (1:17): Through faith a righteous person may have life.

II. The Court Record (1:18–32): Paul records the evidence presented at this trial.

A. The general charge (1:18–19): “God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who push the truth away from themselves. For the truth about God is known to them instinctively.”

B. The specific charges (1:20–32)

1. First indictment—inexcusable ignorance (1:20): God has always revealed his existence and power to mankind.

2. Second indictment—ingratitude (1:21): People are ungrateful, refusing to worship their Creator.

3. Third indictment—insolence (1:22): Claiming themselves to be wise without God, they become fools instead.

4. Fourth indictment—idolatry (1:23): They exchange God’s glory for idols resembling mere people, birds, animals, and snakes.

5. Fifth indictment—immorality (1:24–27): They are guilty of lesbianism and homosexuality.

6. Sixth indictment—incorrigibility (1:28–32)

a. They embrace their wicked deeds (1:28–31).

b. They endorse their wicked deeds (1:32).

Themes

Topics

Hashtags:

#Hashtags

Topical Bible Search Tool

Kevin's Teaching Blog About Romans 1

Potential Sermon Titles: ??

Intro Questions to get us thinking:

OBSERVATIONS (Reflect on the topic and build the concept the writer is trying to communicate to the original audience)

Pericopes and links to deeper study

• 
  

People	Places	Points of Teaching	Practical Application

 

ebible (NLT) (Best for having Bible sections divided by "pericope" or sections by thought)

Bible Project (NLT) (Helpful videos and instructions for the bigger picture)

Thematic Bible (Books and Chapters Structure)

Bible Hub = Outline, Themes, Topics, People, Locations, and Questions

Perplexiy

Chatgpt

CoPilot

Aria

Gemini

STUDY RESOURCES (This takes some work. These resources are in the section study of the chapter. The research and commentaries there will take you deeper into the words, phrases, and context.

Going Deeper: Go to the "Pericope" for a more specific and in-depth Bible study.

Repeat the above links

Here are the 2 best general questions to ask about this chapter.

• God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
• We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
• 
  

APPLICATION (God wants us all to arrive at action, life-changing faith)

ESV (English Standard Version) Good translation with some helpful resources.

Biblegateway (CSB, NLT, The Message, ERV, CEV) has some application resources.

Virtual Bible Study

Heartlight (Great for practical application of scripture)

Scripture Graphics

https://www.openbible.info

• 
  
• I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
• What transformative move needs to be made?
• You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.

Take Away Challenges

• What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you in this passage? How will you apply it to your life this week?

• Whom do you know who needs to hear this?

• What is God bringing to your attention in this discussion? What beliefs, thoughts, or actions need to be addressed or changed?

PRAYER:  In the Name of Jesus.

https://www.youtube.com/c/edmondchurchofchrist

Other Resources:

• My YouTube Channel
• Links to Edmond Videos

• Other YouTube Videos

SearchTV

• Audio Recordings
  
Through the Word = Audio
Romans 1 - https://app.throughtheword.org/

• Links 

Thomas Theology Hub

Please let me know if you find any broken links or need any corrections. Thank you for helping to make this useful. -- Kevin Rayner

Romans - Introduction

Introduction to Romans

Book of Romans Summary: A Complete Animated Overview (Part 1)

https://youtu.be/ej_6dVdJSIU

Watch our overview video on Romans 1-4, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. In Romans, Paul shows how Jesus created the new covenant family of Abraham through his death and resurrection and the sending of the Spirit.

Book of Romans Summary: A Complete Animated Overview (Part 2)

https://youtu.be/0SVTl4Xa5fY

Watch our overview video on Romans 5-16, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. In Romans, Paul shows how Jesus created the new covenant family of Abraham through his death and resurrection and the sending of the Spirit.

Writer

The apostle Paul as inspired by the Holy Spirit

When Written

57 A.D.

Theme

Paul writes to the church in Rome to present his basic statement of the gospel: God's plan of salvation for all peoples, Jew and Gentile alike.

Overview

Romans has been called “The Constitution of Christianity,” “The Christian Manifesto,” and “The Cathedral of the Christian Faith.” It is noteworthy for being the most complete compendium of Christian doctrine. The King James Study Bible says the apostle Paul had three objectives in writing this epistle: 

(1) to teach the fundamental doctrine of salvation to fortify believers against their enemies; 

(2) to explain the unbelief of Israel and vindicate the faithfulness of God in his dealings with Israel;

(3) to give practical instruction concerning Christian living in the society of his day. 

The NIV Quest Study Bible says Romans, rich in theology and teaching, communicates the details of how a person is redeemed, transformed, sealed, and sanctified for that day when we will all stand before the Lord. It explains that salvation is received by grace through trusting faith. It articulates the foundation of Christian belief, explaining how the good news of salvation has been made available through Jesus’ death on the cross and is actualized through the Holy Spirit’s work in us.

https://www.youtube.com/c/edmondchurchofchrist

Romans is one of the most famous, quoted, and dearly loved books in the whole Bible. This may be because it contains some of the clearest and strong statements of the Gospel we have in Scripture. But other parts of Romans, and how it all fits together, can be difficult to follow. That is because there is a story behind the book of Romans. It is the story of the conflict which arose between Jews and Gentiles as they began integrating in synagogues and house churches throughout Rome, and how Jesus brings them together.

https://bibleproject.com/explore/romans/

Book of Romans Summary: A Complete Animated Overview (Part 1)
https://youtu.be/ej_6dVdJSIU

Book of Romans Summary: A Complete Animated Overview (Part 2)

https://youtu.be/0SVTl4Xa5fY

Other Resources:

Getting Excited About God! Romans

Life of Paul - Paul's Letter of Romans

 Life of Paul - Paul's Letter to the Romans

Series on the Life of Paul

Possible Date: 57 (winter)

Scripture: Romans

NOTE: While Paul is visiting Corinth he writes the book of Romans. The letter is delivered by Phoebe, a leader in the church at Cenchrea, who had business to attend to in Rome (Romans 16:1-2).

#Paul

#Apostle Paul

#Rome

NIV Study Bible Intro: Romans

https://youtu.be/6X2dcLNr170

THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS

From the earliest time, no one has questioned that the author of this epistle was Paul. Paul probably wrote Romans from Corinth. Gaius, who was Paul’s host at the time of writing (Romans 16:23), had been one of the prominent converts of his ministry in Corinth (1 Corinthians 1:14). Phoebe, who delivered the epistle, was a member of the church in Cenchrea, a harbor town near Corinth (16:1, 2).

The letter is to be dated toward the latter part of Paul’s missionary work when he was engaged in the collection of a fund for the church in Jerusalem. During the short time in Corinth, somewhere around AD 56 to 58, Paul writes a letter to the saints in Rome, telling him his desire to visit them, but indicating his inability to do so. At this time, he tells them that he must first go to Jerusalem to deliver contributions being sent by the brethren in Macedonia and Achaia. When Paul wrote to the Corinthians while traveling from Ephesus to Corinth, the collection was still incomplete (2 Corinthians 8:1–7). At the time he wrote to the Romans, this collection seems to have been completed (15:26–28). Therefore, it is likely that Paul wrote the epistle to the Romans from Corinth when he stayed there for 3 months in A.D. 56 at the end of his third missionary journey before he traveled to Jerusalem (15:25; Acts 20:2, 3). Anticipating that he will eventually be able to visit Rome on his way to Spain, and perhaps feeling the need to establish his credentials before his arrival. Paul first explains his understanding of the gospel, carefully contrasting the gospel with the law of Moses. Paul then concludes with various practical teachings which necessarily flow out of the gospel message. 

The theme of Paul's letter is that those who are righteous through faith will be those who truly live. Paul begins by explaining the judgment of God and the righteousness of God. Under God's judgment, even the man who thinks himself "righteous" is a sinner without excuse. Under God's righteousness, even the "sinful" man is justified and reconciled to God through grace. Paul then shows how, through Christ, there is freedom from judgment, sin, the law, and even death. Next, Paul discusses the unique problem faced by certain Jews who are having difficulty believing that the God of the Jews could include the Gentiles in his promises made to Abraham. After laying a deep theological foundation, Paul concludes the letter with practical applications for transforming one's life to Christian service, and for regulation regulating one's conduct in relation to his fellow man, to civil government, and to those brothers and sisters in Christ who may be spiritually weak. The thrust of the letter is the superiority of obedient faith over futile attempts to earn salvation through strict law-keeping. Grace is not seen as a substitute for law, but rather as a higher motivation to obey God's laws. 

IN ACHAIA (GREECE)...

• Paul spent three months - Acts 20:2-3
• It included his third visit to Corinth - 2 Corinthians 12:14
• A visit he hoped would not be sorrowful - 2 Corinthians 2:1
• A visit he hoped would not be embarrassing for them - 2 Corinthians 9:3-4
• A visit he hoped would not require stern judgment - 2 Corinthians 12:20-21; 13:1-3
• Paul wrote Romans  (spring of 58 A.D.) - Romans 16:23; cf. 1 Corinthians 1:14; 2 Timothy 4:20
• Purpose: To set straight the design and nature of the gospel
• Theme: The gospel is God’s power of salvation
• Brief Outline:
• Justification by faith in Christ - Romans 1:1-11:36
• The transformed life - Romans 12:1-16:27
• Paul’s companions while in Corinth
• Phoebe, servant of the church in nearby Cenchrea - Romans 16:1-2
• Timothy, Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, Paul’s countrymen - Romans 16:21
• Tertius, writer for Paul - Romans 16:22
• Gaius, host of Paul and the church - Romans 16:23
• Erastus, treasurer of the city, and Quartus, a brother - Romans 16:23
• Paul’s plans for when he leaves Corinth
• To visit Rome and eventually Spain - Romans 1:8-13; 15:22-24
• But first, he must go to Jerusalem with the contribution for the needy saints - Romans 15:25-29

[After just three months, then, Paul prepares to leave Corinth and head straight toward Syria on his way to Jerusalem. But circumstances demand a change in the itinerary...]

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Other Resources:

2 Corinthians Quick Links - Reflections

Here Are the Quick Links to Each Chapter in 2 Corinthians with Pericopes

Introduction to 2 Corinthians

• 2 Corinthians 1
• Greeting (vv. 1-2)
• God of All Comfort (vv. 3-11)
• Paul's Change of Plans (vv. 12-23)
• 2 Corinthians 2
• Paul's Change of Plans (vv. 1-4)
• Forgive the Sinner (vv. 5-11)
• Triumph in Christ (vv. 12-17)
• 2 Corinthians 3
• Ministers of the New Covenant (vv. 1-18)
• 2 Corinthians 4
• The Light of the Gospel (vv. 1-6)
• Treasure in Jars of Clay (vv. 7-18)
• 2 Corinthians 5
• Our Heavenly Dwelling (vv. 1-10)
• The Ministry of Reconciliation (vv. 11-21)
• 2 Corinthians 6
• The Ministry of Reconciliation (vv. 1-13)
• The Temple of the Living God (vv. 14-18)
• 2 Corinthians 7
• The Temple of the Living God (vv. 1)
• Paul's Joy (vv. 2-16 )
• 2 Corinthians 8
• Encouragement to Give Generously (vv. 1-15)
• Commendation of Titus (vv. 16-24)
• 2 Corinthians 9
• The Collection for Christians in Jerusalem (vv. 1-5)
• The Cheerful Giver (vv. 6-14)
• 2 Corinthians 10
• Paul Defends His Ministry (vv. 1-18)
• 2 Corinthians 11
• Paul and the False Apostles (vv. 1-15)
• Paul's Sufferings as an Apostle (vv. 16-33)
• 2 Corinthians 12
• Paul's Visions and His Thorn (vv. 1-10)
• Concern for the Corinthian Church (vv. 11-21)
• 2 Corinthians 13
• Final Warnings (vv. 1-10)
• Final Greetings (vv. 11-14)