1:16 “I am not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.”.Mission seems to be a predominant theme as Romans gives us some of the most famous missions verses for the New Testament Church:.Chapters 9-11 discuss the election of Gentiles over Israel, and the place of both in God’s New Testament people.Paul reveals the sin of the “ungodly and unrighteous” (1:18-32) versus the Jews who “pass judgment” and “rely on the Law” (2:1-29).Unity between Jew and Gentile is an apparent desire of Paul’s as he gives specific attention to both groups.Chapters 12-15 show how gospel indicatives lead into gospel imperatives for the Christian life (12:1, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”).
5:12-8:39 emphasizes our freedom from sin and victory in the Spirit.3:21-5:11 deals with salvation by faith.
The Gospel is certainly a central motif in the book of Romans, as is evidenced by Paul’s train of though throughout the letter:.Three major themes are most commonly noted as Paul’s focus of his book: The Gospel, Unity of Jew and Gentile, and Mission. The reason there is such a divide over Paul’s main point in Romans is the variety of themes that show up throughout the book. What has helped me most in tackling this rich epistle has been a constant reminder of Paul’s main argument and flow. Over my nine years as a Student Pastor, I’ve taught Romans both in its entirety, and through selected passages.
#BEST ROMANS BIBLE STUDY SERIES#
Needless to say, the complexity of the book of Romans can be daunting, discouraging even the most biblically trained among us from embarking on a teaching series through this book.ĭespite the tall order Romans presents, I find myself coming back to its beloved passages time and time again as I teach my students. Still others will say that Paul’s main purpose is a missionary one – both to reap fruit in Rome (“I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome” 1:15), and to gain support for further mission work in Spain (“For I am not ashamed of the gospel,” 1:16a). This unity would have been crucial to a predominantly Gentile Roman church that was now welcoming back the Jewish diaspora that had been expelled from Rome at the hands of Claudius (“to the Jew first and also to the Greek,” 1:16c). Paul appeals to Jews to remember that they are equally in need of Christ, and to Gentiles to remember their Jewish roots of faith. Others argue that Paul’s purpose is to unite Jew and Gentile in the Roman church. Some hold that Paul wrote primarily to give a theological treatise of the gospel (“ is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes,” 1:16b).
#BEST ROMANS BIBLE STUDY HOW TO#
Between Paul’s discussion of sin and the Christian (Romans 7), predestination and election (Romans 9), and Israel and the Church (Romans 10-11), it is no wonder that pastors and theologians alike are often at odds over how to interpret Paul’s treatise.Įven Paul’s main purpose in writing the letter is largely up for debate. Not only is the book of Romans a favorite for many, it is also one of the most difficult books to interpret in the New Testament (perhaps Revelation aside). It is held by many as the pinnacle of Christian theology, as espoused by the Apostle Paul. The book of Romans is one of the most beloved books of the entire Bible.
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