Untitled

Cause and Introduction


It turns out that Paul was going to go to Rome and recruit some missionaries to go to Spain. He had been wanting to do this for such a long time. However, before he went to Rome, Paul had to drop of a collection of funds to the poor Christian believers there. Unfortunately, as we find out in Acts, Paul gets arrested in Jerusalem and is brought to Rome in chains. After is this prison ordeal, he ended up writing his letter. At the time, in about AD 49, Emperor Claudius ordered the removal of all Jews from Rome because of their connection to Chist. Amoung those expelled were Aquila and Priscilla of Corinth. During this event is when Paul started. He is believed to have written the epistle in Achaia or Corinth. Fortunately for Paul, he had quite a bit of information on Rome's condition by the people he knew. On top of that, the problems he had in Rome were simiilar to those in Corinth. In Conclusion, in the time of despair for a lot of Jews, Paul brings the Word of God to Rome.

Salvation and Transformation


Towards the beginning of Romans, Paul assures his audience of their hope for salvation. Through faith, they could be joined with Jesus and saved from sin. Additionally, Paul said that this was open to everyone because everyone sins. To back up the promise of God, Paul reminds the Romans of the faithfulness of God to Israel, for Paul himself was an Israelite.

Paul also talks about how the Gospel transforms believers. He says that believers should not live under the law but under the grace of God. If are obedient to God, read and study scripture, and love others, sin will not be necessary. However tre love is only attainable through Christ. Ultimately, transformation was needed for Paul's audience

Summary Points


-Paul introduces himself
-Flattering greeting to the Roman Church
-“The Gospel . . . is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith” (1:16–17).
-Discussion of the state of the Gentiles and Jews before the possibility of salvation through faith in Jesus.
-Salvation from sin is only possible through faith
-Live according to the Holy Spirit, not the flesh
-Backing the doctrine of salvation through faith in Christ with the Old Testament promise of the salvation of the Jewish people
-Incitement to the Romans, advising them on the proper way to live as a Christian. Harmony, humility, and love were his key points.
-Paul mandates tolerance and freedom of religious conscience within the church.


Principle Divisions


1. Address (Romans 1:1-15)
2. Humanity Lost without the Gospel (Romans 1:16-3:20)
3. Justification through Faith in Christ (Romans 3:21-5:21)
4. Justification and the Christian Life (Romans 6:1-8:39)
5. Jews and Gentiles in God's Plan (Romans 9:1-11:36)
6. The Duties of Christians (Romans 12:1-15:13) 7. Conclusion (Romans 15:14-16:27)

In Romans 15:15-16, Paul makes his only explicit statement about why he wrote his letter:
But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you of them again, because of the grace that was given me from God, to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, in order that my offering of the gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Here is a page from Paul's letter to the Romans from the Chester Beatty museum:



1