T HIS month we are to get a glimpse of what, from some standpoints, is the most impor Epistle to the Romans. Those who made a study of the book covered last month (Galatians) have a good foun dation for the study of Romans. It is practically certain that Romans was written but a short time after Gala tians, embodying the same great truths, but dealing with them in a calm, dispassionate manner and en larging upon them. Manifestly, this great book cannot receive anything like adequate treatment in a brief ar ticle. The reader is urged to get a good commentary on Romans, because a study of it will greatly increase one’s knowledge and deepen one’s spiritual life if the heart responds to its truths. For this purpose, I recom mend ‘‘A Devotional Commentary on Romans,” by Dr. W. H. G r i f f i t h Thomas. As in the case of the other books we have studied, we urge the repeat ed reading of Romans entirely through at one sitting. The following outline may prove helpful in this reading. t INTRODUCTION (1:1-15). 1. The Salutation (vs. 1-7). This salutation is no mere form, for it really contains the gist of the whole epistle. The reader should note what is said about the writer, his message, and those to whom the letter was ad dressed. 2. Characteristics of a True Servant (vs. 8-15). Write down the various characteristics in the different verses, e.g., thanksgiving (v.8), service (v.9), prayer (vs.9,10). If all believers looked upon themselves as debtors to all classes (v.14) and were ready to dis charge their obligations (v.15) what progress the Gospel would make! II. THE THEME — S A L VA T I ON THROUGH THE GOSPEL (1:16,17). Paul states that he is not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God unto salvation. Salvation can
forward the Scriptural proof, vs. 10-18, and then draws the conclusion: “Every mouth may be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God” (3:19, 20). IV. SALVATION FROM THE GUILT OF SIN (3:21 to 5:21). 1. Provision is made in the aton ing death of Christ for a righteousness to meet the guilty sinner’s need (3:21-26). 2. This provision is accepted by faith (3:27 to 4:25). “God is one” (3:30 R.V.) and has but one way of justifying sinners (Jews and Gentiles) that is, by faith (3:27-31). In ch.4, the Apostle points to two great Old Testament characters. Abra ham and David, as examples of jus tification by faith. Paul first states the fact of their having been justified by faith (vs. 1-8) and then shows that Abraham was justified apart from the rite of circumcision (vs.9-12) and that the inheritance promised by God was received by faith (vs.l3-17a). In vs. 17b-25, the character of Abraham’s faith is revealed, that is, he exercised faith in the God of resurrection; this is the nature of the faith of the saved today. To such, God’s righteousness is imputed because they “believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead” (vs.23-25). Ch.5 sets before us the adequacy of this provision: the one who accepts it is eternally saved. Having given a brief retrospect (vs.l,2a) the inspired writer now looks to the future by stat ing that we “rejoice in hope of the glory of God,” that is, the justified one can look forward with full con fidence to sharing eventually in the ineffable glory of God. This hope is not destroyed, but rather strengthened by tribulations (vs.3,4) and has a sure basis in the love of God (vs.5-11). If God in His great love could do so much for us while we were yet sin ners, what will His love not do for us now that we, once enemies, are rec onciled to God? Further proof of the T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
be derived from no other source. The Gospel is the power of God because “ . . . in the Good News a righteous ness which comes from God is being revealed” (Rom. 1:17; Weymouth). The righteousness of God mentioned here does not refer to one of His at tributes; it is rather His own right eousness which He provides for and imputes to the utterly unrighteous sinner who puts his faith in Christ. III. THE NEED OF THIS SALVATION (1:18 to 3:20). 1. The Gentiles' Need (1:18-32). The Gentile world is subject to the wrath of God because, having had light from God, they repudiated it, and began the terrible d o w n w a r d course de scribed in these verses. 2. The Jews' Need (ch.2). The Jews condemn the Gentiles, but Israel has as great need as they of this salva tion provided in the Gospel. Paul deals with this subject in three sec tions: the judgment will be conducted on such principles that the Jew can no more stand than the Gentile (2:1- 16); merely having possession of the law was of no avail to the Jew be cause he had flagrantly broken that law (2:17-24); circumcision was of no avail in the matter of salvation (2:25- 29). Ch.3:l-8 may be considered a di gression from the main theme ’on the need of salvation. In ch.2, Paul shows that the Jew as an individual has no better standing before God than the Gentile, which immediately raises the question, “What advantage then hath the Jew?” In ch.2, Paul took up the matter of the guilt of the individual Jew; in this section, he is dealing with the Jew as a nation, pointing out that nationally he has real advantages. This theme, merely touched upon here, is more fully de veloped in chs. 9, 10 and 11. Resuming the discussion of the need of salvation, Paul affirms in 3:19,20 the universal guilt of man. First, there is the charge that “They are all under sin” (3:9 R.V.). He then brings
tant book in the Bible, namely the
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