Romans
The Gospel’s good news is that, Sinners are saved by faith in Jesus Christ alone

Summary:
Unlike the Gospels that narrate the works and works of Jesus Christ, the book of Romans details for us the significance of Christ’s sacrificial death. This book presents the most detailed and thorough explanation of the Gospel as found in the Bible. The apostle Paul is the author of this letter and at the writing of Romans had never visited the church. He is writing to the church at Rome to prepare them for his upcoming visit, to present a basic framework of the gospel (because this church had not received any teaching from an apostle before), and to explain the relationship between the Jews and Gentiles in God’s plan of salvation. The church at Rome was primarily made up of Gentiles, but there was however a group of Jews who felt the need to continue to follow the food laws and celebration of sacred days.

Some important points to understand about the book of Romans:

  • Romans is the longest of Paul’s epistles. Although it was not written first, it appears in scripture at the beginning of his other letters possibly because it is foundational regarding Christian doctrine or belief. His other letters are built off of this.
  • Key chapters (6-8): It is in these chapters that we find all that is foundational to the spiritual life. Here are the answers to the questions on how to be delivered from sin, how to live a life under grace, and how to live a victorious Christian life through the power of the Holy Spirit.
  • While reading through this letter, note the key words righteousness, faith, law, all and sin. Each of these words appears sixty times or more. Words that appear numerous times in a text are “key words” and help us to understand what the author is stressing. They unlock the meaning to the text.
  • Key verse: Romans 1: 16-17 I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” Another key verse is 3:21-25.
  • Salvation (Romans 1:16-17) means that “a believer is saved from the penalty of sin (past), the power of sin (present), and the presence of sin (future); and he is saved to a new position , a new life, and an entrance into God’s heavenly presence.