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PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY
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Pastor Ronald L. Berry, SW Washington
THE BOOK OF ROMANS
Chapter 1 Verses 1 -
7
Theme of the book of romans
“The just shall live by faith”
The overriding theme of Romans is
faith in the grace of God to save us!
This books is coined as the “Epistle
Of Paul” by many scholars.
It is the most complete exposition of
the gospel in the bible.
When we look into the reason for the
book of Romans it is to counter the effects of the depravity at work in the
human soul..
The decline of the gospel from grace,
to legalism, and finally to depravity is what the book of Romans is about.
In order to reverse this progression
Paul clearly lays out the condition of the human race.
He further reveals the way of
salvation for all that will receive God’s appraisal of man.
The turning point for mankind can only
happen when man receives God’s appraisal and repents!
Turning from paganism
The gospel as originally delivered to the
apostles was pure, but as time went on it became polluted by the false doctrine
of the works of the law (legalism).
When this diseased doctrine infected
the true gospel it changes into salvation by works.
This damnable heresy moved into the
church from 590-1517.
This period of time was known as “The
Dark Ages”.
During this time the bible was not
available to the common man but reserved in a language “Latin” only the learned
clergy could read.
When the bible was read publically it
was not read in the common language so all could understand but rather in
Latin.
The organized church put in numerous
laws, indulgences, and mandates in order for the common man to gain and
maintain his salvation.
The gospel of “The just shall live by faith’ died
and the false gospel of “The Just Shall Live by Works” was universally taught.
REFORMATION
In the year 1483, a boy was born to a
poor coal miner, in Eisleben, Saxony.
This boy grew up in poverty and
determined to escape it by becoming a lawyer.
In 1501 he entered the University of
Erfurt, where he excelled in his studies.
In
1504 an event took place that changed his life.
He was
walking the campus grounds, a storm broke so violent that Martin fell on his
face in fear.
The
thunder was deafening and lightning struck all around him.
He cried out to the only patron saint
he knew “Saint Anne” saint of the coal miners.
“Save me from this lightening and I
will become a monk”.
The storm stopped and Martin being a
man of his word quite law school and enrolled in an Augustinian monastery where
he earned a Doctorate of Theology.
The more he studied, the more troubled
his heart became; for although he was becoming an expert theologian, he could
find no peace personally.
“How can a man find favor with God?”
The question he wrote in his diary
was: “How can a man find favor with God?”
Martin devoted himself to an
exceedingly religious life-style, he would fast for ten to fifteen days at a
time, he slept outside in below freezing weather without a blanket, he beat his
body until it was bruised and bleeding—hoping that somehow by punishing his
flesh, he could rid himself of the thoughts and motives that he knew were not
of God.
He went to confession so many times a
day that finally the abbot said, “Martin, either go out and commit a sin worth
confessing or stop coming here”
In 1509, Martin made a pilgrimage to
Rome to finding the peace he longed for.
As he crossed the Alps he developed a
high fever and almost died.
Healing of his body and soul?
He went to a monastery and recovered from
his illness.
While he was there, a monk approached
him and said, “You need to read the Book of Habakkuk” and so Martin did.
Habakkuk also struggled with same
questions Martin did.
If God is good, why does He allow
suffering?
If there really is a devil, why
doesn’t God just obliterate him?
Martin was captured by Hab 2:4 “The
just shall live by faith” he couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Stair way to heaven
After his recovery he continued on to
Rome and the Church of St. John’s Lateran.
There is a staircase there that is
reported to be from Pilate’s judgment hall.
The stairs are four parts: the inner
two are said to have been transported there miraculously from Jerusalem, while
the outer two are ordinary stairs.
The inner steps are not walked on but
pilgrims mount painfully on their knees, a step at a time, saying prayers as
they go.
The pope had promised an indulgence to
all who would undergo this ordeal.
As Martin repeated his prayers on the
staircase, Hab. 2:4 suddenly came into his mind: “the just shall life by faith”.
He returned to the University of
Wittenberg to study “justification by faith,”
This led to the theses of 95 and
started the reformation movement the most important event in Church history.
This man was Martin Luther.
Habakkuk 2:4 (PAUL’S Trilogy of epistles)
Habakkuk 2:4 has led to a Trilogy of
Paul’s epistles in New Testament: “The
Just Shall Live by Faith.”
• The Just... (Who are they?) Romans
Rom
1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as
it is written, The just shall live by faith.
• Shall live (How?) Galatians
Gal
3:11 11: But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is
evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
• By Faith! Hebrews
Heb
10:38 38: “Now the just shall live by
faith”
Each of these epistles use Hab 2:4 as
its cornerstone.
The book of Romans became the
cornerstone of the Reformation.
It is hard to summarize the
Reformation’s impact on Western Civilization.
Authorship of Romans
Paul is the author of this letter.
Romans is not written to the church at
Rome but rather to the saints in Rome.
The church was held in private homes.
Paul did not found these churches,
they were most likely the result of Acts 2:10 “the visitors from Rome”.
These churches were formed by the
teaching of Peter and the miracles of Pentecost.
Aquila and Priscilla are good examples
of those that set up a church in their home.
Paul chose Phoebe to deliver the
letter to those who had churches in their homes.
Paul desired to communicate with the
saints in Rome and planned on visiting them later.
It is obvious that Peter was not in
Rome for his name is not mentioned in the greeting.
Peter was not the apostle of Rome,
Paul was!
Paul’s training
Paul wrote the most exhaustive book in
the new testament.
He was writing to believers, not
preaching for them to be converted.
Paul was teaching these believers what
salvation was all about.
Paul wrote the letter in 57 58 I late
winter or early spring.
Paul was highly schooled.
Paul was Roman a citizen, a Greek, and
a Hebrew.
He had experienced all these cultures.
He was taught under the famous teacher
of his day Gamaliel
He was also a Hebrew of Hebrews, born
in Tarsus of Cilicia.
A God small enough for our minds to understand
would not be big enough to meet our need.
Chapter 1:1-7 Salutation
Called by god
Romans
1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto
the gospel of God,
“Paul” himself is a churches based on the idea
that Peter was the apostle to Rome.
Paul’s name means, the least, the
little one.
“Paul”
understood the grace
of God when he wrote, “I am
the chief of sinners”.
1st
Tim 1:15 “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief”
I believe Paul was the most devout and
religious man who ever lived!
1Cor:15:9:
For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle,
because I persecuted the church of God.
The good news Paul is conveying is if
God can save him then God can save anybody!
“Servant”
means a slave, a person owned by another, a bondslave.
Ex
21:6 “his master shall bring him unto the judges” “his master shall bore his
ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever.
“An
Apostle” “a called apostle.” means
one sent with delegated authority
1Cor:9:1:
Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are
not ye my work in the Lord?
The original apostles all were eye
witness of the Lord Jesus Christ.
“Separated”
means a called out one or to be separated apart for God’s work.
Acts
9:15: “he (Paul) is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the
Gentiles”
(Acts
13:2) “Separate me” “Saul” “I have called them”
What “had
been promised afore?”
Jn:1:29
“Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”
The Gospel! The Good News! (Is about a
person, who paid the price of sins!)
Jn
1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory,
the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
The promise
Roman
1:2 “Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures”
“Which
he had promised afore”
New testaments confirmation of Jesus’
deity.
Acts:2:22:
“Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and
signs, which God did by him”
The hidden promise in Genesis.
Gen
3:15: And I will put enmity between thee (Satan) and the woman, and between thy
seed (son of perdition) and her seed; it (Jesus) shall bruise thy head, and
thou shalt bruise his (Jesus’) heel.
The prophets promise of redemption.
Jer
23:6: All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own
way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
God in human flesh
Roman
1:3 “Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of
David according to the flesh;
The previous verse described Jesus’
incarnate existence while this verse deals with Jesus’ physical origins.
The old testament prophets foretold of
a coming Messiah that would be both Savior and King.
Isa
53:12: Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall
divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto
death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
God took on flesh trough the family of
king David.
Jn:7:42:
Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out
of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?
THE
RESURRECTION
Roman
1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of
holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
The resurrection proves Jesus is
accepted by God as holy, demonstrates His power over physical death, and
validates His claim to be the Son of God.
If Jesus was not raised from the dead
then He was not who He said He was.
1Cor:15:14:
And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also
vain.
Most of the eye witnesses of Jesus’
resurrection chose death rather then denying it.
There were 500 witnesses of Jesus’
resurrection!
1Cor:15:5:
And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6:
After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the
greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7:
After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8:
And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
Grace and apostleship
Romans
1:5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith
among all nations, for his name:
Jesus commissioned Paul to go to the
nations.
Paul was commissioned by the grace of
God to be an apostle to the nations.
Rom
15:15 :because of the grace that is given to me of God”
16:
“That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles”
What
is the “Obedience to the Faith”?
True faith in God leads to action.
Obedience to Jesus is the action that
true faith produces.
Jn:4:34:
Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to
finish his work.
This should be the goal of every born
again believer!
The Christian walk is a walk of
obedience to God!
Called to be saints
Romans
1:6 Among whom are ye also the called of
Jesus Christ:
Paul was a “called” to be an apostle
to the nations.
1Cor:1:1
“Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God”
Christians are called of God also.
1Cor:1:2:
“them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints”
At our first birth we were born
sinners, at our second birth we are born saints.
The modern idea of a saint is one that
is perfect but this is not what a bible saint is like.
Saints are born to do God’s works on
earth.
That does not mean they are perfect or
without sin.
1st
John 1:8: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is
not in us.
Salvation is a process!
My spirit is born again a saint.
Heb:12:23:
“to the spirits of just men made perfect”
My mind is renewed to be like Christ’.
Phil:2:5:
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
My born again spirit and my renewed
mind are to bring my body under their control.
1Cor:9:27
“I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection”
Grace and peace
Romans
1:7 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.
It is by grace we are saved not by the
works we do!
Eph:2:8:
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the
gift of God:
Understanding that our salvation is
unmerited is the first step to coming to peace with God!
Rom:5:1:
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord
Jesus Christ:
Even though you may be the greatest of
sinners, through the grace of God you can be saved and have peace with God!
Phil:4:7:
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts
and minds through Christ Jesus.
Grace and peace be unto you!
Have a God-day!
Pastor Ron
