Notes on Romans

Romans 1:1

Paul, a servant[a] of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,

Notice how Paul calls himself first a servant - then an apostle 

Seth apart from what? This world and everything of it…if the world hates you…

3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David[b]according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead,

Here is a mystery: Whereby Jesus meets the criteria; for being both the Son of Man and the Son of God.

5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,

Because it is not by might nor power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord.

7 To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:

Original Word: ἅγιος
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: hagios
Pronunciation: HA-gee-os
Phonetic Spelling: (hag'-ee-os)
KJV: (most) holy (one, thing), saint 
NASB: Holy, saints, holy place, holy one, sanctuary, Holy of Holies
Word Origin: [from hagos "an awful thing"]

1. sacred
2. (physically) pure
3. (morally) blameless
4. (religious, ceremonially) consecrated

Romans 2

6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking[a] and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.

This us described in more detail, in the Book of Revelation 

Romans 3

20 For by works of the law no human being[c] will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. See Genesis 3:3-6 (It is the temptation to break/disobey God’s Law

20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

In other words, we cannot boast in attempting to keep the Law: the Law exists because of our lawlessness.

31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

how? By acknowledging that we have broken it, are incapable of keeping it; and putting our faith in Christ’s redemption 

Romans 4 

4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.5 And to the one who does not work but believes in[a] him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, (vs.4-9) This again demonstrates our Father’s love towards us cannot be earned: He gives it as a gift. To attempt to earn it is an insult.

10 How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.

Link this with Colossians 2:11-14

10 How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.

Again, we honor the Law when we recognize we have fallen short of it and putting our faith in the one who upheld it perfectly. (Galatians 2:19-21)

It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

15 For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.

Because Jesus fulfilled the righteous requirement of the Law, took the full punishment for all of us who couldn’t fulfill it; and now we are free: For the  to (circumcise) write his Law on our hearts 

25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Romans 5

10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

…because the life he lives, he lives to God (scripture) to make constant intercession for us (scripture)

16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

Through trusting in Jesus Christ, Grace and Life are supposed to be abounding more than sin and death

Link to 1Peter 4: 6 For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.

20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Were it not for sin - our knowledge of it - there would be no grace. What does this grace do? Produce the fruit of gratitude, humility, faith in God and mercy to others who also need it. As Jesus said: “freely you have received (therefore) freely give: This is the offense of the Gospel. It’s not about us! Link to 1/2Peter “this corresponds to baptism 

6 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

being under grace means Abiding in Christ - meaning walking in the Light (1John 1) meaning no hiding our sins - but confessing them - meaning no pride but humility - no fear, but Love.

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

wages: In other words: we are getting what he deserve…what we have earned. 

Gift: Receiving something we have not earned.

Romans 7

4 Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.

You cannot break the Law as a transgressor if you are already dead

6 But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code

This is why we must not hold on to our lives - but lay them down, on the Cross, with Christ’s body.

This is why John 3 says we must be born of the Spirit.

9 I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died.10 The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me.

Because the commandment judges us in our ability to keep God’s perfect Law; which non of us - with the free will that God has given us - are capable of doing. Free will means inevitably, that we will follow our will above God’s will: This is sin. The Lord knew this from the beginning, and through Christ’s death, he has made provision for us: Provided that we die to our sinful selves, with Christ…so that we can be born again of the Spirit. 

John 3.6-8 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.[c] 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You[d] must be born again.’ 8 The wind[e] blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Because we follow - not our will - but his.

9 I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died.10 

For even before we attained the “knowledge of good and evil”, Adam and Eve were given free will…and they were also given the Law: one command; but because of their free will, they could not even keep that! Adam and Eve show us that, even in a perfect state, we cannot handle free will. Even in perfection: God is God…and creation is still creation.

The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. 11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.

“The serpent deceived me”, Genesis 3

So between Adam and Moses there was no Law: As a result most people did what was right in their own eyes, with sin largely going unpunished - until it had reached a certain level, that the Lord could no longer ignore.(See Genesis 19)

Once the Law was given to Moses and the sacrificial system put in place, the wrath of Fid was appeased, through the vicarious atoning blood of animals. All of this is pointing to Jesus’s one perfect sacrifice on the cross.

13 Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.

A classic example of this, is the first sin, committed by Adam and Eve - which also followed the first commandment. Genesis Ch.3

the Commandment brings sin into the Light, rather than it remaining hidden in darkness - which is its natural habitat.

Sin having been brought to Light, must now be dealt with: the wages of sin is death - but: 16 “…God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

John 3:16-17

14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin.

Again, this is why, through Christ Jesus, we must be born again - of the Spirit - putting the flesh to death with Christ’s body.

5 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.

Adam and Eve, in a sinless state, could not handle free will (even before their eyes were opened to the knowledge of good and evil) How much less can we? This is why our flesh - our old self - must be crucified with Christ; so that we can be born of the Spirit, to serve in and through the Spirit.

17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.

20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

…because he has been born again.

21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 

We see this, in Genesis 4:7 - but also in Genesis 3:1-2

24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

and it will be that way until Christ returns in glory…this is why we need Grace!

This is a battle we face daily - which is why, like Paul, we must die daily.

Romans 8

8 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Because dying daily to our flesh, we are living in the life of Christ Jesus.

8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Remember Ch.4-6: We cannot by our own works, enter Heaven.

9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. 

When we are born again, we receive the Holy Spirit within us. John 20:22. This is why Paul goes on to say:

 Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 

11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus[d] from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

This is referring primarily to the first resurrection, if 1Thessalonians 4 - but can also be applied to us in this life.

13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons[f] of God.

Here again, is the fruit of being born of the Spirit.

15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 

Fear has to do with punishment (1John 5), but if our confidence is in Christ, who took our punishment, the Bible says we have confidence in God - coming boldly before his throne of grace.

16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

James 4:5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”?

Romans 9

5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen. 

Refer: Ch.1:3 “concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh”

7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. See Ch.4

12 she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

Esau he hated - for the same reason as Cain, who cared nothing for either the grace of God, nor the mercy by which it would come: Esau cared nothing for his birthright as the first born: Belonging to God. Likewise Cain, relying upon his own strength and ability, whose lackluster offering speaks for itself: In contrast, Abel’s Sacrifice of the Blood of his Firstborn Lamb, speaks to us volumes! Abel, recognizing his estranged state from his creator - and understanding that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins, shed the blood of his very best, in a direct foreshadowing of the Son of God Himself! Abraham will follow along these lines, in Genesis 22. And Jacob, although devious and dishonest, in his heart will continually wrestle with God, for the right of the firstborn: To Belong to God! This is why God loved Jacob: In his sinful state, he wanted the God of his fathers! Here is a picture of the sinner coming into Salvation.

Vs.25 “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’
    and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’”
26 Vs.26“And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’
    there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”

30 What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness[d] did not succeed in reaching that law. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33 as it is written,

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense;
    and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

This is what Jacob had to learn in his wrestling with God. (Not by might nor power)

Romans 10

6 But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). In other words: to see…to hear…to work:

8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 

Faith

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

6 But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);

Here is the whole gospel: Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. Anyone trying to add to it take away from this, has missed it entirely. 

Ch.13

9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the  living. 

And of course he would be  - having conquered Death and the grave.

Link to 1Peter 4:5-6

14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. It is therefore a matter of conscience…and choice: a part of having a personal relationship with the Lord; because we are saved by grace; and it is not what goes into a person’s mouth that makes them unclean before the Lord: It is what comes out. Matthew 16

This is again verified in vs 22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God.