week 12 day 4

Read Romans 1

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+1&version=NIV

The letter to the Romans was written in Corinth toward the end of Paul’s third missionary journey. Paul had collected and was about to deliver an offering for the Jerusalem church (Rom. 15:25–27; 1 Cor. 16:3–5; 2 Cor. 8). Paul had never visited Rome. After his visit there, he desired to move on to Spain (15:22–33). Paul had recently worked through severe problems with the Corinthian church (cf. 1 and 2 Corinthians). And it was from Corinth that he wrote his letter to the Romans—a letter which described the power of the gospel and the problems of human pride and the weakness of the flesh.
The city of Rome was founded in 753 b.c. on the Tiber River at a ford that was indispensable for traveling between northern and southern Italy. The ridges surrounding the Tiber River valley provided hilltop fortifications for times of attack. In Paul’s day, Rome had a population of approximately one million (the largest city in the world) and was the political hub of the vast Roman Empire.
The church at Rome was not founded by Paul. Perhaps some Jewsfrom Rome who were in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:10) became believers and carried the gospel back to their city. The church was predominately Gentile (Rom. 1:5–6, 13; 11:13; 15:15–16), yet Paul’s frequent quotations from the Old Testament and other references indicate that believing Jews would also read his letter (2:17).

1:3–6 The subject of the gospel is Jesus from two perspectives. He was the human seed of David (1:3) and the divine Son of God (1:4). As such, he is the ultimate King according to Davidic promise (2 Sam. 7)—eternal, divine, and exalted at God’s right hand (Ps. 110:1; Acts 2:33–35). But he is also the Son of God in the flesh. Christ’s identity as a human being will be foundational for the comparison between Adam and Christ in Romans 5 and the role of the Spirit in the Christian’s life (Rom. 6–8).

The instrument (“through Christ”) of Paul’s calling (1:5–6) is the risen Lord who commissioned him. That idea of mediation (“through”) is foundational to all of the letter. Every forgiven sin, every gift of the Spirit, every act of power in ministry comes mediated from God the Father, through the risen Lord, and by the enabling power of the Spirit. Notice, for example, the great stress on mediation in Romans 5:1–2, 5, 9–12, 16–19, 21.

In Romans 1:5, Paul’s solid base of identity and authority is presented. The “us” here focuses generally on the Gentiles (1:5). The readers have an equality with Paul; both are considered “called” ones (1:6).

1:7 In expressing their calling and nature (1:7), Paul broadened his address to include the Jews as well. On saints (1:7; “very own people”), see 1:4; 12:1–2. The content of Romans 12–15 was founded on the fact that Christians are to behave in accordance with their nature as God’s “own people.”


1:8–17 The purpose of this section was to clear the air for his visit. Paul was positive and gracious; he had a message of encouragement that they needed, but he never talked down to them.
Paul’s thanksgiving for the faith of the Romans (1:8) blends with the main body of the introduction. Compare what Paul wrote to the believers in Rome with Acts 28:15. Paul emphasized his interest in the Romans both in prayer and in his desire to visit them (1:9–15). He had long desired to travel to Rome (Acts 18:21; Rom. 1:13; 15:32), but his desire was ministry-oriented (1:11–12). He wanted to do them some spiritual good. Community sharing and encouragement is the vehicle of growth and stability.

As Paul affirmed his travel plans (1:13) he was not simply sharing a travelog. He was assuring them that he had not purposely been staying away from Rome. He was not embarrassed to come to the great city of Rome but had wanted to come for a long time. His visit was part of his Gentile calling and was an obligation from God (1:14–15). Paul was aware of the obligation that God had committed to him (cf. 1 Cor. 9:16–17; Acts 9:15).

The “people in our culture” (1:14) were those who spoke Greek in contrast to the “non Greeks” who did not. Note that Paul wanted to preach the gospel to the Christians (1:15) in Rome. But the “good news” (Isa. 52:7; 61:1–2) was a message for the saved as well as the unsaved.

Paul gave another reason for his desire to see them (1:16–17). The possible accusation that Paul was ashamed (1:16) to come to Rome was contrasted with his eagerness (1:15). Paul had not stayed out in the provinces because he was weak. On the contrary, he had the very power of God—the gospel (1:16). Although Paul was commissioned to witness to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15), he recognized an obligation to carry the gospel to the Jews first. That was in line with the great covenant with Abraham that promised redemption for the world through Abraham first (Gen. 12:3).

1:18–23 God made his truth evident (1:18–20), but humans suppressed and rejected it (1:18–19). Romans 1:18 is added to begin Paul’s thoughts on how all humanity is responsible for their sins. The core of the law is summed up in 1:19 (cf. 1:32). That basic knowledge about God is available by simply viewing God’s creation (1:20). People are without excuse. This statement implicates Paul’s audience—people who made excuses for why they were exempt from God’s wrath (cf. 9:19–20)—in mankind’s universal guilt. Mankind rejected the true God (1:21–23) for its own image (see Acts 14:11–13, Lystra; Acts 17, Athens; Acts 19, Ephesus). The source of this data was the Old Testament and Paul’s own experience.

1:24–32 Because man rejected God’s truth, he let them go ahead and do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. The due penalty (1:27) was to suffer the consequences of the perversion itself.

Because man forgot his knowledge about God, God abandoned them to their evil minds (1:28–32). This is a severe marring of the image of God. It involves being controlled by the fleshly mind (1:28–31). This is a list of vices that lead to the willful disobedience to the ordinances of God (1:32).
Discussion question

What are your thoughts concerning verses 18-20?

Reflection question

What decision or action in your life caused dire consequences? Did those consequences only affect you or did they affect others as well?