The Book of Romans If the book of Romans were only wisdom literature on man and civilizations, it should be required reading for Jews and Arabs, Romans and Gentiles. However it is a very large part of the 14 NT books written by the Apostle Paul, and as such is Word of God--divine in origin, absolute in authority, sufficent in message, alive in reading, high fidelity in communication, and self- interpretative with the help of the Holy Spirit. Preface: a. A Preliminary Outline of Romans based on Galatians. b. Romans, as with all 14 books from Paul, are self outlined within the 7 subjects outlined below, by the Old Testament quotes in Romans as in the rest of the New Testament. We must consider that the most important scriptures from the OT are chosen by Paul and the Spirit to be included in the NT, and form the prime content when they are interpreted and commented on. {This is a major way that the Bible is self-interpretative.} NOTE: Since Galatians is a miniature of Romans in the sense that it is a shorted 6 chapter coverage of the same content, the sensible place to start a study of Romans, in the nature of the hermeneutics of comparing scripture with scripture. To this end, or beginning, you are offered a free PDF download of a commentary chapter on Galatians,chapter 14 of the LIFE AND 14 LETTERS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL. This chapter on Galatians is entitled, "Galatians, Gospel of the One Baptism", and the total commentary on the life and letters of Paul is entitled "Believe and Be Baptized". So many fables of this great apostasy called the Falling Away (II Thessalonians) that we are presently in, not among the top 5 Christian fables, could have been prevented with proper attention to both how the baptized in believe and be baptized gives (1) in the believe for the believer does for himself, and (2) in the be baptized is the work of God in the human life; and going beyond that the prime baptism of the Bible is the One Baptism of the One Salvation. 1. (Romans 1:1-8) Initial and personal greetings from Paul as in everyone of his letters. 2. (Romans 1:16-4:25) “Every mouth stopped” and convinced like all the rest of the world, Jews and Gentiles, that they are sinners that “have come short of the glory of God”. Being short of the glory of God itself is sin, and God originally created man and woman in the glorified image of God. 3. Faith Counted for Righteousness (Romans 5:1 - 6:23) 4. What God does for us in Salvation (Romans 7) 5. What God does in Us (Romans 8). 6. The Status of the nation of Israel in the sight of God, and the new spiritual Israel of the new birth (Romans 8,9,10) 7. Natural applications to life and in life for those of the gospel of the kingdom of the one baptism (11-15:13). 8. Salutations (Romans 15:14-16:27) Find a "time of refreshing from the presence of the LORD" in this Bible study, not retirement from spiritual growth, launch from the shore with serious Bible study: a. During the months of online and newsletters and Google plus Bible study of Romans, a more complete and finalized OUTLINE of Romans will be developed that integrates the OT quotes and interpretations into the 7 point preliminary outline of Romans. b. "Gospel Pride" is the second best title for Romans as in Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ..."; and as in Romans 10:11 {by the way an OT quote from Isaiah 28:16}, "For the Scripture says, 'Whoever believes on Him, will not be put to shame.'" We must conclude with the implications of Romans for our Gospel Pride, and before you object to such a title as a superficial reader at Broadman Press did about the same time of the 1980 Protestant Falling away in the SBC with the exclusion of the priesthood of believers from the statement of faith, or also consider how often you express your pride in your church, denominations, children, school, or country as contrasted to how often you express the words and attitude of the Apostles Paul when he wrote and said, "God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified unto me, and I to the world." (Galatians 6: 14) Or do a check on your Gospel Pride as compared to other prides in your life, expressed and unexpressed, "What do you boast about?" NOTE: See "Progress Chart on Romans" to keep up with the progressions of Bible study sessions on the book of Romans. |