Romans 1

 

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 this church (1:6–7): It is the congregation in Rome.

2. The intercession for this church (1:8–10)

a. His praise of them (1:8): Paul praises them for their universally known faith.

b. His prayers for them (1:9–10): He prays for the church and asks God that he  be allowed to visit them.

3. The interest in this church (1:11–13)

a. Paul desires to see them (1:11–12).

b. Paul desires to serve them (1:13): He desires to sow seed among them.

4. The indebtedness to the church (1:14–15): Paul feels an obligation to minister to them.

 

D. His confidence (1:16–17): Paul expresses his full assurance in the power of the gospel to accomplish two things.

1. To bring about saving faith for sinners (1:16): Through faith a sinner may be saved.

2. To bring about sanctifying faith for saints (1:17): Through faith a righteous person may have life.

II. The Court Record (1:18–32): Paul records the evidence presented at this trial.

A. The general charge (1:18–19): “God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who push the truth away from themselves. For the truth about God is known to them instinctively.”

B. The specific charges (1:20–32)

1. First indictment—inexcusable ignorance (1:20): God has always revealed his existence and power to mankind.

2. Second indictment—ingratitude (1:21): People are thankless, refusing to worship their Creator.

3. Third indictment—insolence (1:22): Claiming themselves to be wise without God, they become fools instead.

4. Fourth indictment—idolatry (1:23): They exchange God’s glory for idols resembling mere people, birds, animals, and snakes.

5. Fifth indictment—immorality (1:24–27): They are guilty of lesbianism and homosexuality.

6. Sixth indictment—incorrigibility (1:28–32)

a. They embrace their wicked deeds (1:28–31).

b. They endorse their wicked deeds (1:32).