Romans

 


  1. 1.God vs. Man

    1. a.Romans: Thanks for your faith, which is becoming famous

    2. b.“I am not ashamed of the Gospel” v.16a

    3. c.God’s creation makes Him known to even those geographically isolated from the Gospel

    4. d.Some people are messing up by worshipping creation vs. worshipping Creator

  2. 2.The Law

    1. a.If you judge people, God will judge you

    2. b.God will give to each person according to what he has done

      1. i.does this unequal pads in heaven?

    3. c.Jews: don’t brag about the law. You don’t even keep it.

    4. d.Circumcision of the heart: sin replacement. God changes our desires. When we receive the Holy Spirit we receive a software update that gradually moves away not only from sin, but even desiring sin.

  3. 3.If we can’t be righteous through law, how can we be righteous?

    1. a.Purpose of the law: to make us aware of our sin

    2. b.Nobody is righteous

    3. c.“...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” v.23

    4. d.Justification by faith is totally separate from the law

  4. 4.We are righteous through faith

    1. a.Even Abraham, patriarch of the Jews and the law, was considered righteous in God’s sight before he was circumcised

      1. i.inward transformation before outward, not vice versa

    2. b.Abraham had unwavering faith in God’s seemingly ridiculous test

  5. 5.Mechanisms of justification

    1. a.Rejoice in your sufferings because they push patience, create character, and harbor hope.

    2. b.God died for us while we were still sinners

      1. i.He took the first step to reconcile our damaged relationship with Him

    3. c.Law provides the recognizance of sin

    4. d.Sin entered humanity through one man, salvation entered humanity through one man. One man can have a big impact on things.

    5. e.People sinned more under the law.

      1. i.Sin management systems don’t work.

  6. 6.Dead to sin, Alive in Christ

    1. a.Baptism is dying with Christ, becoming dead to sin

      1. i.Sin is no longer your master, we are set free

    2. b.“For the wages of sin is death” v.23a

  7. 7.Struggling with sin

    1. a.I wouldn’t know what sin is if the law hadn’t shown me

    2. b.Sometimes I don’t know why I do what I do, it’s like sin controls my thoughts and actions

  8. 8.The Spiritual life

    1. a.What roles do the Holy spirit play in this sin thing?

      1. i.The mind controlled by the Spirit (as opposed to sin) is life and peace.

      2. ii.You belong to Christ if the Spirit of Christ is in you.

      3. iii.You did not receive a spirit of fear.

      4. iv.Holy Spirit intercedes for us in prayer

    2. b.Just like Jesus, we become God’s children

      1. i.Thus we share in both the sufferings and the glory

    3. c.I’m convinced that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ

  9. 9.God chooses.

    1. a.I am sad for the Jews who think they are saved automatically through their lineage.

    2. b.God has mercy one some by hardens the hearts of others.

    3. c.Is this unfair?

      1. i.First of all, who are we to talk back to God

      2. ii.Second, if God was fair, we would all be going to hell because our sins demand punishment

    4. d.Israel has stumbled over the stumbling stone, their own law of “righteousness.”

  10. 10.Salvation

    1. a.Who is saved?

      1. i.Confess with mouth: Jesus is Lord

        1. 1.mouth: confess and are saved

      2. ii.Believe in heart that God raised him from the dead

        1. 1.heart: believe and are justified

    2. b.In God’s eyes, there is no longer any difference between Jew and Gentile.

    3. c.Paul on Evangelism

      1. i.How can they call the name of one they have not believed in?

      2. ii.How can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?

      3. iii.How can they hear without someone tell them the good news?

    4. d.The short of God’s relationship with Israel in the Old Testament

      1. i.“All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.” v.21 (quoting Isaiah 65:2)

  11. 11.God’s people

    1. a.God did not reject his people, but some of their hearts were hardened.

    2. b.And since Gentiles can now be saved, some Jews are jealous.

      1. i.Word to the Gentiles: you are like an adopted child, a branch grafted onto a tree

      2. ii.Be fearfully thankful for this, not arrogant

    3. c.Doxology

      1. i.Hi my name is Paul and I can expound crazy complex theology and then randomly burst out in praise for my Creator. Byaaa.

  12. 12.Living sacrifices

    1. a.Live a life of sacrifice

    2. b.Use your God-given gifts to show love

      1. i.By giving to the poor

      2. ii.By being joyful, patient, hopeful, faithful, prayerful

      3. iii.By doing good to your enemies

      4. iv.By associating with people of different social status

  13. 13.Obey the laws of the land

    1. a.Submit to authority, God put them there for a reason

    2. b.Pay your taxes

    3. c.Fix your debts, both financial and “debts of respect”

  14. 14.Neither judge nor tempt

    1. a.Have mercy on those with weak faith

    2. b.If they are easily tempted, don’t make them stumble

      1. i.ex. don’t drink in front of a recovering alcoholic

    3. c.Don’t judge your friends, because we will all have to give an account of our lives to God

  15. 15.My ministry

    1. a.Build up your neighbors in unity

    2. b.The Gentiles are now in God’s family

    3. c.I like to preach the Gospel where it hasn’t been preached before

  16. 16.Conclusion

    1. a.I miss you you guys!

    2. b.Watch out for smooth-talkers that twist truth and distort the Gospel

      1. i.They will divide your church

    3. c.Be wise about Good and innocent about Evil