Intentional Discipleship

  Paul begins with a vehement rejection of the notion that God’s grace gives us a license to sin. What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning, so that grace may increase? (1). By no means! (2a). But on what grounds can he be so categorical? At first sight, logic seems to be on the side of the antinomians, since the more we sin, the more opportunity God will have to display his grace. What counter-logic does the apostle propose? Because the first half of Romans 6 is such a tightly packed argument, it may be helpful to outline it in eight steps or stages. 1. We died to sin. This is the foundation fact of Paul’s thesis. How can we live in what we have died to (2)? 2. The way in which we have died to sin is that our baptism united us with Christ in his death (3). 3. Having shared in Christ’s death, God wants us also to share in his resurrection life (4–5). 4. Our former self was crucified with Christ in order that we might be freed from sin’s slavery (6–7). 5. Both the de...

  SECTION OUTLINE SIX (ROMANS 6) Paul introduces God’s threefold method leading to sanctification. I. Step 1—Know (6:1–10): Believers must be aware of three facts. A. They have been crucified with Christ (6:1–3). B. They have been resurrected with Christ (6:4–5). C. They are now both dead and alive (6:6–10). 1. Dead to their sin (6:6–7): We should no longer be slaves to sin, for we have been crucified with Christ. 2. Alive in the Savior (6:8–10): We are now to live in the resurrection power of the one who rose from the dead and is forever alive. II. Step 2—Reckon (6:11): We are to count our crucifixion and resurrection as accomplished events. III. Step 3—Yield (6:12–23): Paul describes two kinds of yielding. A. The wrong kind (6:12–13a): We are not to yield the members of our body as tools of wickedness. B. The right kind (6:13b–23) 1. The confusion (6:15a): “Since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does this mean we can go on sinning?” 2. The corre...

  SECTION OUTLINE FIVE (ROMANS 5) Paul talks about the joy that comes from faith. He contrasts the sinful Adam with the sinless Christ. I. A Summary of Justification (5:1–11): Paul lists five results of divine justification. A. The believer has peace with God (5:1): This is accomplished through the work done by Jesus Christ. B. The believer has access to God (5:2): This high privilege brings about great confidence and joy concerning the future. C. The believer has assurance from God (5:3–4). 1. The fact of this assurance (5:3): It helps us in time of suffering. 2. The fruit of the assurance (5:4): Suffering produces perseverance, which produces character, which produces hope. D. The believer is indwelt by God (5:5): The Holy Spirit lives in the hearts of believers. E. The believer is preserved in God (5:6–11): A believer’s salvation is secure, guaranteed by: 1. Christ’s past work on Calvary’s cross (5:6–8) a. What he did (5:6): He died on the cross for us. b...

  SECTION OUTLINE FOUR (ROMANS 4) Paul employs two of the most famous Old Testament men to illustrate the doctrine of justification by faith. I. The Illustration from the Life of Abraham, Israel’s Racial Father (4:1–5, 9–25) A. Abraham and his salvation (4:1–5, 9–15) 1. What Abraham received (4:1–5): God himself canceled Abraham’s sins and declared him righteous. 2. How Abraham received it (4:1–5) a. It did not come about by his works (4:1–2, 4). b. It did come about by his faith (4:3, 5). 3. When Abraham received it (4:9–15) a. He received it before he was circumcised (4:9–12). b. He received it before the giving of the law (4:13–15). B. Abraham and his seed (4:16–25): Paul shows the results of Abraham’s faith following his salvation. 1. Abraham’s physical seed (4:18–22) a. The promise (4:18): God told Abraham he would bear a son through Sarah. b. The problem (4:19): Abraham and his barren wife were too old for this. c. The perseverance (4:20–22): Abr...

  SECTION OUTLINE THREE (ROMANS 3) Paul presents six questions and answers them for his readers. I. First Question and Answer (3:1–2) A. Question (3:1): What are the advantages of being a Jew or of being circumcised? B. Answer (3:2): The most important advantage is that Israel has been entrusted with the Word of God. II. Second Question and Answer (3:3–4) A. Question (3:3): Will Israel’s unfaithfulness nullify God’s promises? B. Answer (3:4) 1. Paul’s testimony (3:4a): “Of course not! Though everyone else in the world is a liar, God is true.” 2. David’s testimony (3:4b): Paul quotes from Psalm 51:4 to prove his point. III. Third Question and Answer (3:5–8) A. Question (3:5): If our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness, isn’t he unfair to punish us? B. Answer (3:6–8) 1. The reprobation (3:8b): Paul has been falsely accused of teaching this very thing—that is, do evil that good may result. 2. The reply (3:6–8a): Paul responds, “If you follow that...

  SECTION OUTLINE TWO (ROMANS 2) Paul describes God’s dealings with three kinds of people. Each is charged with high treason against God. I. The Moral Person and God (2:1–11) A. The plea rendered (2:1a): The moral person says, “I should be acquitted on grounds that I am not as bad as some pagans are.” B. The plea refuted (2:1b–11) 1. The reason for this (2:1b–4): God says, “You do the same basic things, only in a more refined way!” 2. The results of this (2:5–11) a. To be the object of God’s terrible wrath (2:5–8) b. To experience sorrow and suffering (2:9–11) II. The Pagan Person and God (2:12–16) A. The plea rendered (2:12–13): The pagan person says, “I should be acquitted on the grounds of ignorance!” B. The plea refuted (2:14–16): God says, “You have the twin witnesses of conscience and nature (see also 1:19–20). Therefore, you will be judged by these and not by the written law.” III. The Religious Person and God (2:17–29) A. The plea rendered (2:17–2...

  SECTION OUTLINE ONE (ROMANS 1) Paul opens his letter to the Roman church by talking about God’s anger with sin. The opening chapter may be thought of as a trial, where God is the judge and sinful humans are the accused. I. The Court Recorder (1:1–17): Here Paul, author of Romans, provides his readers with some pretrial introductory material. A. His credentials (1:1, 5): Paul relates four facts about himself. 1. He is a servant of Jesus (1:1a). 2. He is an apostle (1:1b). 3. He has been set apart to preach the gospel (1:1c). 4. He is a missionary to the Gentiles (1:5). B. His Christ (1:2–4) 1. The Messiah was prophesied in the Old Testament (1:2). 2. The Messiah is now proclaimed in the New Testament (1:3–4). a. In regard to his human nature (1:3): He is a descendant of David. b. In regard to his divine nature (1:4): His resurrection proves his deity. C. His congregation (1:6–15): Paul writes this epistle to a local church assembly. 1. The identity of t...

ADAM AND CHRIST CONTRASTED / 5:12–21 Having linked Jews and Gentiles through Abraham to the promises of God, Paul now shows how the gospel applies to all humankind. Paul made important points by going back to Abraham; but by going back to Adam, he will draw conclusions that affect the fate of every person. Twice in the last paragraph Paul expressed one idea and then followed it with an equally marvelous parallel idea (from the niv): “Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath,” (5:9); and “If … we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more … shall we be saved through his life!” (5:10). Here, in verses 12–21, Paul also uses a series of parallels, only this time they express ideas moving in opposite directions : “Just as sin entered the world … and … death came to all men” (5:12) … “ how much more did God’s grace and the gift … overflow to the many” (5:15); “For if … death reigned through that one man,...

  A brief overview of Romans (John Stott) Introduction: The gospel of God and Paul’s eagerness to share it (1:1–17)             1. Paul and the gospel (1:1–6)             2. Paul and the Romans (1:7–13)             3. Paul and evangelism (1:14–17) A. The wrath of God against all humankind (1:18–3:20)             4. Depraved Gentile society (1:18–32)             5. Critical moralizers (2:1–16)             6. Self-confident Jews (2:17–3:8)             7. The whole human race (3:9–20) B. The grace of God in the gospel (3:21–8:39) 8. God’s righteousness revealed and illustrated ...