OUTLINE OF ROMANS

I. Opening
A. Introduction
1. Romans is one of the most important book in the Bible to establish a Christian in the faith
2. Romans is placed first in the canon of NT epistles, not because it was written first, but because of the superlative excellence of the epistle.

Martin Luther was instrumental in the Protestant Reformation because of the truths in Romans.
"The just shall live by faith"

John Wesley was saved through reading Luther's commentary on Romans

Theme of the Book: Salvation for individual souls from any stage of sin, and the ultimate salvation for the nations through the intervention of God in Christ.

II. BACKGROUND
A. HISTORICAL
1. Written by Paul to church at Rome in 58 AD from Corinth (On 3rd missionary journey - collecting offering from Gentile churches for poor Jewish saints in Jerusalem)
2. Letter written towards the end of his third missionary journey
---a. Wrote 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, & Romans
---b. Acts 20:1-3 Paul leaves Macedonia for Greece (Corinth & Athens), & stays there three months - Writes Galatians, & Romans
3. Paul has been saved approximately 22 years
4. Longest of Paul's Epistles
5. Preeminent location, first of epistles
6. Letter carried by Phoebe, who lived in Cenchreae, a suburb of Rome
---a. A widow, of some wealth, a deaconess of church at Rome
---b. Going to Rome on private business
7. Preparatory letter - Paul had never been to Rome, but knew several people
---a. Letter to remind, not primarily instruct - they already knew & were practicing the doctrines Rom 15:14,15
8. Paul's authority for letter - apostle to Gentiles

B. QUESTIONS ROMANS DEALS WITH
At the time of the writing of Romans (AD 57, 58), the gospel had been preached for 25 years around the world. The new faith had caused many questions to be asked.
1. What is the relation of the Gospel to the Law of Moses?
2. What is the relation between the Jew and Gentile?
3. What about the unconditional Abrahamic covenant between God and the Jews?
4. How can the admission of Gentiles to equal privilege w/the Jews be reconciled to Abraham's covenant?
5. What happens to Israel's covenant relationship w/God
6. Has God now cast off His people?
7. What will happen to morals if God is now going to deal w/man through grace, rather than holding them accountable to a righteous law?
8. Will not people sin more than ever, that grace may abound
9. What happens to the heathen who have never heard the Gospel? Will they go to hell for not believing in a Jesus whom they have never heard?
10. How can a sinful man be just w/a holy God?
11. How can I have victory over sin in this present life?

C. PATTERN OF ROMANS
1. Paul's standard pattern of his epistles is evident here:
---a. doctrinal portion first,
---b. then practical;
2. for the best way to understand the doctrinal, is to do the practical.
---a. Jn 7:17 "For if any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine"
---b. Behavior comes from belief - Prov 23:7 "As he thinketh in his heart, so is he". Wrong thinking leads to wrong beliefs, behavior, thoughts, actions.

"The epistle to the Romans is the true masterpiece of the New Testament and the very purest gospel, which is well worth and deserving that a Christian man should not only learn it by heart, word for word, but also that he should daily deal with it as the daily bread of men's souls. It can never be too much or too well read or studied, and the more it is handles, the more precious it becomes, and the better it tastes."
Martin Luther

"Romans is the profoundest piece of writing in existence."
Coleridge

" Unquestionably the fullest, deepest compendium of all sacred foundation truths."
C.A. Fox

III. Short Outline of Book or Romans
A. Chaps 1-8 Doctrinal - Sin, Salvation, Justification, Sanctification
B. Chaps 9-11 Dispensational - Israel
C. Chaps 12-16 Duties - Practical applications to daily life

IV. More Detailed Outline of Romans
A. SALUTATION (1:1-1:15)
B. SALVATION, SUBJECT (1:16) "The power of God unto salvation..." Vs. 16
C. STANDARD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (1:17)
1. The Righteousness of God
2. Original Righteousness of Adam
D. SIN, CONDEMNATION (1:18-3:19)
1. The sin of the Heathen, 1:17-32
2. The sin of the Hypocrite 2:1-16
3. The sin of the Hebrews 2:17-29
4. The sin of all Humanity 3:1-19
E. SALVATION, JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH (3:20-5:21)
1. Justification by faith:
--- a. Declared, v. 3:20-24,
---b. Described, v. 25-27,
---c. Concluded, v. 28-31
---d. Illustrated in Abraham, ch. 4.
---e. Explained in Adam and Christ, ch. 5.
F. SANCTIFICATION (Chap 6-8)
1. The principle of sanctification, our old man is dead with Christ. Sin's power is broken, ch. 6.
---a. "Knowing", v. 6,
---b. "Reckoning", v. 11,
---c. "Yielding", v. 13-23
2. The problems of sanctification, works cannot sanctify, ch. 7.
3. The practical application of sanctification, ch. 8.
G. SOVEREIGNTY (Chap 9-11)
(Parenthetical, ch. 9-11: the relationships between the Jew, Gentile and the Gospel, with a defense of grace and the sovereignty of God)
H. SERVICE (Chap 12 -16)

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