Romans 1

Rom 1:1-7 NASB Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, (2) which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, (3) concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, (4) who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, (5) through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake, (6) among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; (7) to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

  • How many times does the word “called” appear in these verses?
    • called as an apostle: the word called also carries the meaning of “appointment”.
    • How do we use the term appointment today?
    • Who does the appointment?
    • Why is someone appointed?
    • Would the Christians have appointed Saul as an apostle, set apart from the gospel of God?
    • What does that tell you about what God looks for when appointing people for His work?
  • Verse 1,7: Paul introduction to the believers (beloved of God) in Rome
    • How does Paul introduce himself
      • bond-servant: John 12:24-26, See also the Hebrew term ebed : in Deu 34:5
      • Implication: Romans 6:16-18
  • Verse 2: Introduction of the Gospel of God
    • God promised through the words of His prophets and of His Son.
  • Verse 3: Introduction of Jesus
    • Born a descendant of David (as prophesied)
    • Born according to the ways of flesh (2 Sa 7:11-16)
  • Verse 4: Why Jesus is the Son of God
    • Resurrected from the dead according to the Spirit
  • Verse 5: The fruit of Jesus’ coming
    • bring about the obedience of faith among the Gentiles (or all nations) for His glory
  • Verse 6: the church at Rome is also a part of this glory

Rom 1:8-14 NASB First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. (9) For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you, (10) always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you. (11) For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; (12) that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine. (13) I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far) so that I may obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles. (14) I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.

  • Who seems more anxious to see who?
  • What 2 reasons does Paul give for wanting to see the Romans?
  • What is Paul’s attitude in these verses? What does this reveal about Paul?
  • What does Paul mean to be under obligation both to Greeks, barbarians, wise and foolish?

Rom 1:15-20 NASB So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. (16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. (17) For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” (18) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, (19) because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. (20) For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

  • What reason might Paul have for being ashamed of the gospel? Do you have any reason that would make you be ashamed of (or modest of) the gospel?
  • Are there consequences of being ashamed of Jesus and the gospel? (Mar 8:38, Luke 9:26)
  • What does Paul mean by righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith?
  • How is the quote in verse 17 different from living by the Law? (Hab 2:4)
  • What inspires the wrath of God in verse 18?
    • What does it mean to suppress the truth?
    • What does this teach you about God’s judgment?
    • Why is it reasonable (verse 20) for God to judge those who suppress the truth?

Rom 1:21-32 NASB For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (22) Professing to be wise, they became fools, (23) and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. (24) Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. (25) For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. (26) For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, (27) and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. (28) And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, (29) being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, (30) slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, (31) without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; (32) and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

  • Does anyone have an excuse for not believing in God?
  • What 3 steps do you see when someone decides to not believe?
  • How do you see these steps playing in our culture or even ourselves today?
  • What is the fruit of dishonoring God? (verses 29-31)
  • How do you see verse 32 playing out in today’s church? How do you see it playing out in yourself?

Scripture References

2Sa 7:11-16 NASB even from the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. The LORD also declares to you that the LORD will make a house for you. (12) “When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. (13) “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. (14) “I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, (15) but My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. (16) “Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.”

Deu 34:5 NASB So Moses the servant (ebed) of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.

Joh 12:24-26 NASB “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. (25) \”He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. (26) \”If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

Rom 6:16-18 NASB Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? (17) But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, (18) and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

Luk 9:26 NASB \”For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

Mar 8:38 NASB \”For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.\”

Hab 2:2-4 NASB Then the LORD answered me and said, \”Record the vision And inscribe it on tablets, That the one who reads it may run. (3) \”For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay. (4) \”Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith.