Introduction To Romans
I. The importance of keeping the whole epistle in view as we study each of its parts
A) The common error of the Jews as well as the dispensational method
1) Matt 22:41-46- You cannot separate the humanity of Christ from the deity,
and it was and is exactly this misunderstanding of Messiah that caused the
Jews rejection of Him and the dispensationalists compartmentalizing of
Him
2) What the Roman epistle is not, an identifying of Jesus as Christ
i. Acts 17:1-3- Paul’s method of proving a suffering Messiah first, then a
resurrected Messiah, and finally that Jesus is that Messiah
a) Luke 24:24-27- Same method employed by the Lord
b) Luke 24:44-47- Again
c) Acts 2:22-36- Peter does the same with the unbelieving Jews
d) Acts 3:14-18- Again
ii. Rom 1:7-8- The Romans had already believed on Jesus as the Christ
II. Who these Romans were that Paul writes to
A) Acts 2:5-11- Strangers of Rome, both Jews and Proselytes
B) This epistle is not written to the “Church OF Rome,” but to the church(es) IN
Rome
C) Rom 15:18-21- Paul had not been to Rome, nor had any other apostle
III.In the Introduction, Paul lays out his plan
A) Rom 1:11-12- Paul’s purpose
B) Rom 1:16-18- Paul’s subject
C) Rom 1:1-4- Paul’s method
IV.Conditions of Rome and the churches there
A) Rom 15:4-16- Being a mixture of believing Jews and Gentiles, yet without
proper understanding of the Law, the danger of legalism is prevalent
B) Rom 1:18-32- Being the capital of the empire as well as the center of
paganism, reigning sin and uncleanness are also a danger
V. Common Dispensational outline of the Roman epistle leads to
compartmentalizing Christ’s work as well as misunderstanding of Paul’s method
throughout
A) Ch 1-3- Sin
B) Ch 4-5- Salvation
C) Ch 6-8- Sanctification
D) Ch 9-11- Jewish parenthesis
E) Ch 12-16- Practice
1) We must remember to view this epistle in its whole, as the “letter” it is