Home

 Services

 Location

 Ministries

 Beliefs

 Studies

 Calendar

 Missions

 Pastor

 Contact

 Search

 

 

 

Grace Bible Church

4000 E. Collins Rd.   P.O. Box #3762   Gillette, WY  82717   (307) 686-1516

 

- Preaching the Living WORD through the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4:2 -

 

 

 

 

Paul’s Salutation To The Romans

(Rom 1:2-7)

Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming

Pastor Daryl Hilbert

 

I.        PAUL’S THEME (1-4)

 

A.      The Gospel of God Is The Theme of Romans (1)

 

1.       Paul was “set apart” to preach and defend the “gospel of God.” This gospel was given to Paul by direct revelation (Gal 1:11-12).

2.       Therefore, because it was not man’s gospel but God’s, Paul would preach and defend this gospel at all costs to every church that was established, especially the church in Rome.

 

B.      The Gospel Was Promised In The Scriptures (2)

 

1.       God’s gospel was not something novel but had been divinely “promised beforehand” (proepaggello - announce or promise before).

2.       The gospel was given through the agency (dia) of God’s prophets to God’s people.

3.       As God’s spokesmen, prophets proclaimed the divine truth of the gospel as well as recorded it by inspiration through the Holy Spirit (2Pe 1:20-21; 2Ti 3:16-17) into “holy scripture.” The litmus test for God’s prophet was 100% accuracy (Deu 18:22).

 

C.      The Gospel Reveals the Person and Work Of  Christ (3-4)

 

1.       Son of David

a)       The gospel revolves around the person and work of God’s Son. Christ is said to be a descendant of David which was a main criteria for being the Messiah (2Sa 7:12-16 cp. Luk 1:31-33).

b)       The Messiah took on “flesh” in his Incarnation so that he could be the substitutionary atonement for sin (Isa 53:5-6; Heb 2:9, 17).

2.       Son of God

a)       The “son of God” is a title that means Christ is the eternal son of God, i.e. the second person of the Godhead (Jn 19:7 cp. Jn 5:18; Jn 10:30-33; 36-38; Heb 1:8).

b)       Christ’s deity was publicly proven and “declared” (horizo - mark a boundary; distinguish) when he was resurrected from the dead.

c)       The Holy Spirit (“Spirit of holiness”) is credited with the resurrection of Christ along with the other members of the Godhead (Father - Rom 10:9; Son - Jn 10:17-18; Spirit - Rom 8:11). The Holy Spirit empowered the Messiah’s ministry (Isa 61:1; Acts 1:2).

3.       The Person and Work of Christ declared in the Scriptures

a)       The Gospel (1Co 15:3-4).

b)       The Death of Christ (Isa 53:5-9; Ps 22:1, 14-18)

c)       The Resurrection of Christ (Ps 16:10-11 cp. Acts 13:32-35; Isa 53:10-12)

d)       The Church’s Foundation (Mt 16:16-18 cp. Mt 26:63 cp. Jn 20:31).

 

II.      PAUL’S MINISTRY (5)

 

A.      Apostleship Through Christ

 

1.       It was through Christ that Paul received the grace of salvation as well as apostleship. The office of apostle (fr apostolos - messenger or sent one) includes the spiritual gift of apostleship (Eph 4:8, 11).

2.       Paul received his apostleship through Christ (Gal 1:1) which included the spiritual gift of signs and wonders (Heb 2:4; Acts 15:12).

3.       Furthermore, apostleship, like the prophets, guarantees the infallibility of declaring God’s truth.

 

B.      Ministry To The Gentiles

 

1.       Paul’s ministry was to the Gentiles (Acts 22:21), such as the Romans, while Peter’s ministry was to the Jews (Gal 2:9).

2.       Paul did minister to the Jews (Acts 18:6) and write about them (Rom 2:17-3:8; Rom 9, 10, 11), but he was specifically called to the Gentiles to articulate salvation, which had been granted to them (Rom 1:16; Acts 11:18).

3.       The Gentiles were being brought to “obedience of faith” in the sense that they were obedient to the gospel by believing it (Jn 6:29; Rom 16:26; 1Jo 3:23). In addition, true saving faith always leads to obedience to the Lordship of Christ (Rom 16:19; Jam 2:17-20), i.e. the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

III.   PAUL’S RECIPIENTS (6-7)

 

A.      Church in Rome

 

1.       In normal fashion, Paul identifies the church in Rome as the recipients in his epistle.

2.       He also identifies that they are among the Gentiles in which he is ministering.

3.       Paul also encourages the church in Rome by referring to their position in Christ.

 

B.      Position in Christ:

 

1.       “Called of Jesus Christ”

a)       Believers are “called” (kletoi - called ones cp. “church” ekklesia - called out ones) and sovereignly drawn to Christ by God (Rom 8:30; 1Co 1:23-24; Jude 1; Rev 17:14).

2.       “Beloved of God”

a)       Believers are loved by God not because of their own merits, but because of our position in Christ (Rom 8:35-39; Eph 5:1; 1Th 1:4; 1Jo 3:1; Jude 1).

3.       “Called as saints”

a)       “Saints” (hagioi) means holy and set apart ones, which takes place at the moment of faith in Christ (Rom 12:13; 1Co 1:2; Eph 1:1).

 

C.      Grace Through Christ

 

1.       Paul gives his typical greeting which focuses on “grace” (charis - kindness, favor) as undeserved favor through Christ (Rom 3:24; Eph 1:6; Eph 2:8-9).

2.       Those who have received grace also have received reconciliation and peace with God (Rom 5:1).

3.       In addition, “grace” is the normal Greek greeting and “peace” is the normal Jewish greeting.

4.       This grace and peace not only come from God the Father, but also from God the Son.

 

IV.    PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS

 

A.      The Theme Of The Bible Is Christ

 

1.       The Scriptures testify about Christ (Jn 5:39).

2.       The Scriptures teach and are written about Christ (Luk 24:27; Luk 24:44).

3.       The Law contains the shadow of Christ (Heb 10:1 cp. Col 2:17).

4.       The O.T. portrays many "types" of Christ (Rom 5:14; Heb 11:19)

 

B.      The Deity of Christ is Paramount

 

1.       At the Council of Nicea in a.d. 325, the church, in opposition to the Arian heresy, declared that Jesus is begotten, not made, and that His divine nature is of the same essence (homo ousios) with the Father. This affirmation declared that the Second Person of the Trinity is one in essence with God the Father. That is, the “being” of Christ is the being of God. He is not merely similar to Deity, but He is Deity. (ETCF)

 

 

Return to Romans Menu