“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’” Romans 1:16-17 (NKJV)
1. What jumps out to you in this passage?
The late great preacher Martyn Lloyd-Jones called the book of Romans “of first importance” in the New Testament epistles. He demonstrated this by preaching verse by verse, through the book every Friday night for 12 years! He preached a total of 366 sermons and only made it to Chapter 14 before he died. Those sermons were eventually compiled and edited into books and his Romans commentary set came in at 14 volumes with over 5000 pages!
2. Does this surprise you? What verses or themes do you know about in Romans?
Lloyd-Jones is not alone, nor was he first in his estimation of this book’s importance. Romans is famously known for being the spark that began the Protestant Reformation. The great German Christian theologian, Martin Luther, was once a Roman Catholic monk. He was so impacted by reading the book of Romans that he went to spiritual war with the Catholic Church and its excesses in defense of the true Gospel. What he said about Romans reveals its impact on his life. He said, “This epistle [Romans] is really the chief part of the New Testament, and is truly the purest gospel. It is worthy not only that every Christian should know it word for word, by heart, but also that he should occupy himself with it every day, as the daily bread of the soul. We can never read it or ponder over it too much; for the more we deal with it, the more precious it becomes and the better it tastes.” It is true.
3. Are you familiar with the Gospel presentation Romans Road? What is it?
It was not just Luther who was transformed by the powerful words of this great epistle. John Wesley merely heard someone reading Luther’s preface to the book of Romans and said that his heart was “strangely warmed.” It was at that moment that he was converted to Christ and became the catalyst of the Great Awakening of the eighteenth century. The beloved (and second best-selling book in history) “Pilgrim’s Progress” was written by John Bunyan as he studied the great themes of Romans while sitting in jail in Bedford. John Calvin wrote, “When anyone understands this Epistle, he has a passage opened to him to the understanding of the whole Scripture.”
4. What is your favorite book of the Bible? Why?
5. Does it make sense that many theologians gravitate to Romans?
Modern biblical scholars have agreed. Theologian J. I. Packer wrote, “All roads in the Bible lead to Romans, and all views afforded by the Bible are seen most clearly from Romans, and when the message of Romans gets into a person’s heart there is no telling what may happen.” Pastor John Piper said Romans is “the most important theological, Christian work ever written.” Donald Grey Barnhouse preached for 42 months (3 and 1/2 years) straight on this great book, and when he compiled his sermons on the book, they became a 10-volume set. The English poet Samuel Coleridge called it “the profoundest piece of writing in existence.” F.F. Bruce echoes Packer and succinctly said, “There is no telling what may happen when people begin to study the Epistle to the Romans.”
One thing is clear: a thorough understanding of Romans changes everything!
Now, as we come to the text itself, we find that the summary of the book is contained in two verses in the first chapter. Romans 1:16-17 (NKJV) summarizes the book by saying, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’” Here, Paul mentions several keywords that become the major themes of the letter. Let us take a look at a few of them.
The word “Gospel” sums up what the book actually is. It is a thorough explanation of what the “Gospel” is and what it is not. With careful detail, Romans chapters 1-3 lay out the bad news that we are all sinners and are (all of us) in need of salvation. In three short chapters, Romans makes it clear that every person is guilty of sin, under condemnation, and in need of salvation. Chapter 1 condemns the non-religious, chapter 2 condemns the moral person, and chapter 3 condemns the religious person as sinful. These great truths then make way for the rest of the book to reveal the Good News of what Jesus Christ has done to rescue us from our sins and provide salvation.
6. Is it (or was it) hard for you to accept that everyone (including yourself) is a sinner?
“Christ,” of course, refers to our Savior but is specifically the term used to describe His ability to save. He is the theme of this book. It is about His work, His ability, His goodness, His grace, His mercy, and His love.
7. What are some other titles for Jesus?
“Power” is a theme throughout the book, revealing what it took to save sinful mankind. It took the “power of God.” Salvation is nothing short of the greatest miracle that has ever occurred, and this happens through the “power of God,” which results in eternal “salvation for everyone who believes.”
8. How is “power” a good word describing the process of our salvation?
“Salvation” is the end product of this book. This book explains what salvation is, how it was accomplished, and how we can obtain it. This book thoroughly explains what it means to be saved.
The word “everyone” is used throughout the book and is a reminder that salvation is available to anyone and everyone who will see their need and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.
The word “believes” summarizes what becomes a detailed explanation in Romans of how we become saved people. Over and over, we are told that it is through simple belief that salvation is ours, and it is through unbelief that it is held back.
9. Everyone “believes” in something. What are some areas that miss the mark?
“For the Jew first and also for the Greek” is a powerful discussion regarding salvation being available to all people, at all times, and through all of human history. It reveals that God has revealed Himself in many ways in order to save as many as possible.
10. How can a Jewish person be saved? How can a non-Jewish person (Gentile) be saved?
In verse 17, the words “righteousness” and “revealed” again summarize the book but are more specific. Romans explains that to be “righteous” means to be sinless and blameless in God’s eyes. To be “righteous” means that a person is acceptable to God and is saved forever. Romans shows that this is not possible apart from the work of God. Then, the word “revealed” shows that God had to make a way and then make that way known to us.
Finally, the word “faith” previews another massive theme of the book.
11. What is “faith”?
Romans answers this question over and over. “Faith” is explained, illustrated, and applied.
So much more can and will be said about this book as we study it together. I would encourage you to go into this book prayerfully and with great expectation that God will do deep and lasting work in your heart. Pastor John MacArthur highlights the possibility of what Romans can do when he said, “Most, if not all, of the great revivals and reformations in the history of the church have been directly related to the book of Romans.” May the Lord use it to revive His people in every way.