I’m dong an overview study of the book of Romans today. This was the book I was reading when the Lord saved my soul some 30 years when I was going time in jail for trafficking drugs.
I remember just as clear as if it was yesterday how God supernaturally enlighten my mind and spoke to heart some 30 years ago. God words were “Don’t try to clean up your life, come to me and I will make you clean.” — it was like a light turned on in a dark room.
A lot of water has passed under the bridge since that day and many spiritual lessons have been learned. Most of them by the school of hard knocks.
The letter of Romans in some ways can be said to hold the key to a clear understanding of a number of very important and practical truths.
That mankind, both Jews and Gentiles, are all sinners before God; The Jewish believers are freed from keeping the Mosaic law that they may be married to Christ and keep the perfect law of liberty, the New Testament law; And the Gentile and Jewish believers are obligated to living a holy life free from willful and known sin by the grace of God.
This book also contain one of the most misunderstood chapters in the whole Bible — chapter 7. This chapter is presented by many professing Christians and professing ministers of the Good News as the Christian experience instead of an example of an unconverted person under conviction trying to keep God’s law.
One of my reasons for putting together this overview of Romans is show the context of the scriptures found in chapter 5 and 7 which are used to refute the No-Sin-Nature teaching.
Romans chapter 5 and 7 provide a clear understanding of how the fall of Adam as effected the hold human race and reveals the errors of the Pelagian teaching of No-Sin-Nature.
Having firm grasp of the purpose and the layout of the whole book of Romans will help you as you drill down into difference chapters and verses of the book of Romans, to make sure you are not taking verses out of their context.
The following outline is mostly taken from Adam Clarke’s Commentary.
Chapter 1:
Rom 1:1-6: St. Paul shows the Romans his Divine call to the apostleship, and for what end he was thus called.
Rom 1:7-8: His salutation to the Church at Rome, and his commendation of their faith.
Rom 1:9-15: His earnest desire to see them, that he might impart to them some spiritual gifts
Rom 1:16-17 His description of the Gospel of Christ.
Rom 1:18-32 The crimes and profligacy of the Gentile world, which called aloud for the judgments of God.
Chapter 2:
Rom 2:1-3: The apostle shows that the Jew, who condemns the Gentiles, and considers them utterly unworthy of the blessings of the Gospel, is inexcusable, because he is guilty of the same crimes; and therefore shalt not escape the righteous judgment of God.
Rom 2:4-5 It is an awful thing to despise the goodness and long-suffering of God, which lead to repentance.
Rom 2:6-11 God, the impartial judge, will render to every man according to his works.
Rom 2:12-13 The Jews and the Gentiles will be judged according to their respective advantages and disadvantages.
Rom 2:14-16 In some cases, the Gentiles, who had no law, have shown a better disposition than the Jews.
Rom 2:17-24 The Jews, by their unfaithfulness, have been a stumbling-block to the Gentiles.
Rom 2:25 Jewish rites and ceremonies of no advantage, unless productive of change of heart and conduct.
Rom 2:26-27 The Gentiles, who attend to the small light which they have received from God, are in a better state than the unfaithful Jews, with all their superior privileges.
Rom 2:28-29 What constitutes a real Jew in the sight of God.
Chapter 3:
Rom 3:1-8 The apostle points out the peculiar privileges of the Jews.
Rom 3:9 But shows that they, also, as well as the Gentiles, had sinned, and forfeited all right and title to God’s special favor.
Rom 3:10-18 The corrupt state of all mankind.
Rom 3:19-20 All the world is guilty before God, and none can be justified by the works of the law.
Rom 3:21-26 God’s MERCY in providing redemption for a lost world, by Jesus Christ.
Rom 3:27-31 This excludes boasting on the part both of Jew and Gentile; provides salvation through faith for both; and does not set aside, but establishes the law.
Chapter 4:
Rom 4:1-5 Abraham was justified by faith, and not by the works of the law; for his faith was imputed to him for righteousness.
Rom 4:6-8 David also bears testimony to the same doctrine.
Rom 4:9-12 Abraham, the father of the Jewish race, was justified by faith, even before he was circumcised; therefore salvation must be of the Gentiles as well as the Jews.
Rom 4:13-17 And the promise that all the nations of the earth should be blessed tn him, was made to him while he was in an uncircumcised state; and, therefore, if salvation were of the Jews alone, the law, that was given after the promise, would make the promise of no effect.
Rom 4:18-22 Description of Abraham’s faith, and its effects.
Rom 4:23-25 This account is left on record for our salvation, that we might believe on Christ, who was delivered for our offenses, and raised again for our justification.
Chapter 5:
Rom 5:1 The effects of justification by faith, peace with God.
Rom 5:2 The joyous hope of eternal glory.
Rom 5:3 Glorying in tribulations.
Rom 5:4 And gaining thereby patience, experience, and hope.
Rom 5:5 And having the love of God shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Spirit.
Rom 5:6-10 The state of the world when Christ died for it.
Rom 5:11 Jesus Christ is an atonement.
Rom 5:12-14 Sin and death entered into the world by Adam’s transgression, and all became guilty before God.
Rom 5:15-19 God’s grace in sending Christ into the world to save fallen man.
Rom 5:20 The law is brought in to show the exceeding sinfulness of sin.
Rom 5:21 The grace of Christ is to be as extensive in its influences and reign, as sin has been in its enslaving and destructive nature.
Chapter 6:
Rom 6:1 We must not abuse the boundless goodness of God by continuing in sin, under the wicked persuasion that the more we sin the more the grace of God will abound.
Rom 6:2-4 For, having been baptized into Christ, we have professed thereby to be dead to sin.
Rom 6:5 And to be planted in the likeness of his resurrection.
Rom 6:6-11 For we profess to be crucified with him, to die and rise again from the dead.
Rom 6:12-14 We should not, therefore, let sin reign in our bodies, but live to the glory of God.
Rom 6:15-19 The Gospel makes no provision for living in sin, any more than the law did; and those who commit sin are the slaves of sin.
Rom 5:20-23 The degrading and afflictive service of sin, and its wages eternal death; the blessed effects of the grace of God in the heart, of which eternal life is the fruit.
Chapter 7:
Rom 7:1 The law has power over a man as long as he lives.
Rom 7:2-3 And a wife is bound to her husband only as long as he lives.
Rom 7:5-7 Christian believers are delivered from the Mosaic law by Christ Jesus, and united to God.
Rom 7:8 By the law is the knowledge of sin.
Rom 7:9-11 But it gives no power over it.
Rom 7:12 Yet it is holy, just, and good.
Rom 7:13-24 How it convinces of sin, and brings into bondage.
Rom 7:25 No deliverance from its curse but by Jesus Christ.
Chapter 8:
Rom 8:1-2 The happy state of those who believe in Christ, and walk under the influence of his Spirit.
Rom 8:3-4 The design of God in sending his Son into the world was to redeem men from sin.
Rom 8:6-8 The miserable state of the carnally minded.
Rom 8:9-17 How Christ lives and works in his followers; their blessedness here, and their happiness hereafter.
Rom 8:18-23 Sufferings are the common lot of all men; and from which Gentiles and Jews have the hope of being finally delivered.
Rom 8:24-25 The use and importance of hope.
Rom 8:26-27 The Spirit makes intercession for the followers of Christ.
Rom 8:28 All things work together for good to them that love God, and who act according to his gracious purpose in calling them.
Rom 8:29-30 The means used to bring men to eternal glory.
Rom 8:31-39 The great blessedness, confidence, and security of all genuine Christians, whom, while they hold fast faith and a good conscience, nothing can separate from the love of God.
Chapter 9:
Rom 9:1-3 Paul expresses his great sorrow for the unbelief and obstinacy of the Jews.
Rom 9:4-5 Whose high privileges he enumerates.
Rom 9:6-17 Points out the manner in which God has chosen to communicate the knowledge of his name to both Jews and Gentiles; and how he deals, whether in judgment or mercy, with individuals; and produces the cases of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Esau, and Pharaoh.
Rom 9:18-20 God shows mercy and judgment as he thinks proper, and none have a right to find fault with his proceedings.
Rom 9:21-23 He has the same power over the human race as the potter has over the clay.
Rom 9:24-29 The prophets predicted the calling of the Gentiles, and the rejection of the Jews.
Rom 9:30-31 The Gentiles have attained to the knowledge of God’s method of saving sinners; while the Jews have not attained this knowledge.
Rom 9:32-33 The reason why the Jews have not attained the salvation provided for them in the Gospel.
Chapter 10:
Rom 10:1 The apostle expresses his earnest desire for the salvation of the Jews.
Rom 10:2-4 Having a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge, they sought salvation by works, and not by faith in Christ.
Rom 10:5 The righteousness which is of the law described.
Rom 10:6-10 That which is by faith described also.
Rom 10:11-13 He that believes and calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Rom 10:14-16 What is necessary to salvation, believing, hearing, preaching, a Divine mission, the Gospel, and obedience to its precepts.
Rom 10:17 Faith comes by hearing.
Rom 10:18-20 The universal spread of the Gospel predicted by the prophets.
Rom 10:21 The ingratitude and disobedience of the Israelites.
Chapter 11:
Rom 11:1-5 God has not universally nor finally rejected Israel; nor are they all at present rejecters of the Gospel, for there is a remnant of true believers now, as there was in the days of the Prophet Elijah.
Rom 11:6 These have embraced the Gospel, and are saved by grace, and not by the works of the law.
Rom 11:7-10 The body of the Israelites, having rejected this, are blinded, according to the prophetic declaration of David.
Rom 11:11-14 But they have not stumbled, so as to be finally rejected; but through their fall, salvation is come to the Gentiles.
Rom 11:15-16 There is hope of their restoration, and that the nation shall yet become a holy people.
Rom 11:17-20 The converted Gentiles must not exult over the fallen Jews; the latter having fallen by unbelief, the former stand by faith.
Rom 11:21-22 The Jews, the natural branches, were broken off from the true olive, and the Gentiles having been grafted in, in their place, must walk uprightly, else they also shall be cut off.
Rom 11:23-27 The Jews, if they abide not in unbelief, shall be again grafted in; and when the fullness of the Gentiles is come in, the great Deliverer shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob, according to the covenant of God.
Rom 11:28-29 For the sake of their forefathers God loves them, and will again call them, and communicate His gifts to them.
Rom 11:30-32 The Gospel shall he again sent to them, as it has now been sent to the Gentiles.
Rom 11:33-36 This procedure is according to the immensity of the wisdom, knowledge, and unsearchable judgments of God, who is the Creator, Preserver, and Governor of all things, and to whom all adoration is due.
Chapter 12:
Rom 12:1-2 Such displays of God’s mercy as Jews and Gentiles have received should induce them to consecrate themselves to Him; and not be conformed to the world.
Rom 12:3 Christians are exhorted to think meanly of themselves.
Rom 12:4-8 And each to behave himself properly in the office which he has received from God.
Rom 12:9-18 Various important moral duties recommended.
Rom 12:19-21 We must not avenge ourselves, but overcome evil with good.
Chapter 13:
Rom 13:1-2 Subjection to civil governors inculcated, from the consideration that civil government is according to the ordinance of God; and that those who resist the lawfully constituted authorities shall receive condemnation.
Rom 13:3 And those who are obedient shall receive praise.
Rom 13:4 The character of a lawful civil governor.
Rom 13:5 The necessity of subjection.
Rom 13:6-7 The propriety of paying lawful tribute.
Rom 13:8-10 Christians should love one another.
Rom 13:11-12 The necessity of immediate conversion to God proved from the shortness and uncertainty of time.
Rom 13:13-14 How the Gentiles should walk so as to please God, and put on Christ Jesus in order to their salvation.
Chapter 14:
Rom 14:1 In things indifferent, Christians should not condemn each other.
Rom 14:2-4 Particularly with respect to different kinds of food.
Rom 14:5-6 And the observation of certain days.
Rom 14:7-9 None of us should live unto himself, but unto Christ, who lived and died for us.
Rom 14:10-13 We must not judge each other; for all judgment belongs to God.
Rom 14:14-16 We should not do any thing by which a weak brother may be stumbled or grieved; lest we destroy him for whom Christ died.
Rom 14:17-18 The kingdom of God does not consist in outward things.
Rom 14:19-21 Christians should endeavour to cultivate peace and brotherly affection, and rather deny themselves of certain privileges than be the means of stumbling a weak brother.
Rom 14:22-23 The necessity of doing all in the spirit of faith.
Chapter 15:
Rom 15:1-3 The strong should bear the infirmities of the weak, and each strive to please, not himself, but his neighbor, after the example of Christ.
Rom 15:4 Whatsoever was written in old times was written for our learning.
Rom 15:5-6 We should be of one mind, that we might with one mouth glorify God.
Rom 15:7 We should accept each other as Christ has accepted us.
Rom 15:8-12 Scriptural proofs that Jesus Christ was not only the minister of the circumcision, but came also for the salvation of the Gentiles.
Rom 15:13 The God of hope can fill us with all peace and joy in believing.
Rom 15:14 Character of the Church of Rome.
Rom 15:15-24 The reason why the apostle wrote so boldly to the Church in that city-what God had wrought by him, and what he purposed to do.
Rom 15:25-29 He tells them of his intended journey to Jerusalem, with a contribution to the poor saints-a sketch of this journey.
Rom 15:30-33 He commends himself to their prayers.
Chapter 16:
Rom 16:1-2 The apostle commends to the Christians at Rome Phoebe, a deaconess of the Church at Cenchrea.
Rom 16:3-5 Sends greetings to Aquila and Priscilla, of whom he gives a high character; and greets also the Church at their house.
Rom 16:6-16 Mentions several others by name, both men and women, who were members of the Church of Christ at Rome.
Rom 16:17-18 Warns them to beware of those who cause dissensions and divisions, of whom he gives an awful character.
Rom 16:19-20 Extols the obedience of the Roman Christians, and promises them a complete victory over Satan.
Rom 16:21-23 Several persons send their salutations.
Rom 16:24-27 To whose good wishes he subjoins the apostolic blessing; commends them to God; gives own abstract of the doctrines of the Gospel: and concludes with ascribing glory to the only wise God, through Christ Jesus.
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