The Book of Romans has been debated to be the Apostle Paul's greatest epistle because of the influential revelation of the gospel. It has been called the "Christian Manifesto" and "The Cathedral of Christian Faith and Doctrine". Romans is the first in order of the epistles, doctrinally and in canonical order; rightly so because it contains the A B C's of Christian education. Until it's lessons are learned we are ignorant of true Christian  principals. it is the very foundation of church teaching. and if we can't understand here we will not understand elsewhere. It's doctrinal scope answers the greatest question of the ages how shall a man be just with God. Job 9:2, which forms the foundation of Romans: Justification by Faith; therefore to give us the most complete statement of doctrine found in the New Testament. We shall sum up the Theme of Romans as Follows:

* The justification of sinful men.

* The sanctification of justified men.

* The glorification of sanctified men.

Written from Corinth, while the Apostle Paul was on his third missionary journey about 58-60 AD, sent to this epistle by the hands of Phoebe Romans 16:1-2.

The epistle may be divided into three divisions.

1 . Doctrinal, Chs 1-8 unfolding Paul's revelation of

justification by faith.

2. Dispensational, Chs 9-11 concerns Israel

and their relation to God's plan of salvation

.

3. Practical, Chs 12-15 Contains exortations relative

to Christian living.

We will use the following outline as a basis

of study.

I we begin take a look at the salutation and the. Condemnation. Chs 1:1-3:20. Befor introduction.

a. The salutation 1:1-7

b.The introduction 1:8-15, where Paul expresses his intention of visiting the Roman church.

c.The theme 1:16-17. Verse 16 contains in brief the subject of the whole epistle. The Gospel is #1 the power of God unto salvation, #2 to everyone that believes, #3 to the Jew first, and also #4 to the Greek. The Apostle Paul now begins his great discourse for justification by faith by laying down his first premise namely the whole world is guilty before God and under condemnation. (He shows that)

1. The unbeliever is under condemnation  (1:18-32), because having a revelation of God in the beginning  (vv.19,20), they rejected it (v 21). This rejection led to spiritual ignorance (v 22), spiritual ignorance led to idolatry (vv 23-25), and idolatry led to moral corruption

( vv26-32).

2. The Jew is under condemnation (Ch2)

Instead of being humbled by his knowledge of the law, he became self righteous his self righteousness blinded him to the fact that in the sight of God he is no better than the unbeliever who have not the law, ( 2:1-16). His knowledge of the law increases his condemnation and therefore makes him more guilty than the unbeliever who don't have the law.

( 2:17-29).

3. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile (believer and unbeliever) both are under sin, without any hope of being justified by the works of the law or by any human means (3:1-20).

II. Justification Chs 3:21-5:21

The last section concluded with a picture of the whole world guilty before God, shut up in the prison house of sin and awaiting the penalty of the law. From the human side there is no way of escape; it must come from the divine revealed Justification By Faith. By Justification we mean that judicial act of God whereby those who put their faith in Christ are declared righteous in His eyes and free from guilt and punishment. It be illustrated by a judge's acquittal of a prisoner and declaring him innocent.

1. The fact of justification by faith

( 3:21-31). The Jew could not conceive of righteousness apart from the law. but since the law condemned instead of justified, it could not bring salvation. But now God reveals a righteousness which is apart from the law, a gift (v.24) obtained by all who believe in Christ     ( v.22), and made possible by His atoning death ( v.25). because Christ died and paid the penalty of the law, God can be just and a justifier (v 26); ie He can acquit a guilty sinner without setting aside the demands of His Holy law.

2. Old Testament illustrations of justification by faith ( Ch. 4). By referring the Jew to his own scriptures the Apostle Paul shows him that the above named doctrine is not new. He first of all mentions Abraham. If any Jew would have a right to claim justification by his works it would have been Abraham "The father of the faithful,"  the "friend of God" The Patriot Abraham was righteous in the sight of God; but this righteousness was by faith and not by works ( vv.1-3).

David was a man after God's own heart. He received this testimony not because of his own righteousness he committed many sins but because of his faith

( vv.6-7).

3. The results of justification by faith (5:1-11)

4. The security brought by justification by faith (5:12-21). Just as union with the first Adam brings sin condemnation and death, so does union with the second Adam brings  righteousness. Justification, and life.

III. Sanctification. Chs 6-8.

In chapters 1-5 Paul deals with sins, the outward manifestation of sin in our nature, and with guilt following those sins. In chapters 6-8 he deals with sin; ie with the sinful nature itself. The first section speaks of our deliverance from guilt and penalty; The second section of our deliverance from power of sin. the first deals with our actions the second with our nature. Chapter 6-8 answers the question: Now that he has been justified, what is the Christian relation to sin? The answer to this question may be reduced to one word Sanctification ie separation from sin and separated unto God.

1. The Christian is dead to sin (Ch6). His Baptism was symbolical of his identification with Christ in death and resurrection  ( vv.1-10). The Christian by faith is to reckon himself dead to sin

(vv.11-12); this reckoning finds its practical application in his turning from every known sin and his yielding to God (v. 13).

2. The Christian is freed from the law as a means of sanctification ( Ch.7 ). As death dissolves the marriage relation, so the believer's death to sin releases him from the law, ( vv 1-6), that he might be married to Christ. This relationship to the law brought him constantly under condemnation, for it required a righteousness that corrupt human nature could not yield to. This was not the fault of the law, for the law was good and holy. The fault lay with the carnal nature that could not fulfill it's requirements. After describing his own experience when he discovered the spiritual nature of the law, and his own inability to keep it, The Apostle Paul utters a cry which is both a call for help and a question: Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

3. The answer to this cry is found in chapter 8 where we see that the righteousness which the law requires is worked out in us by the Holy Spirit who comes to dethrone sin, and to produce the fruits of righteousness, bear witness to our sonship, and help us in prayer.

IV. DISPENSATION. Chapters 9-11

So far Paul has been unfolding God's plan of salvation, and has come to the conclusion that salvation is by faith in Christ to all who would believe, whether Jew or Gentile. He has been dealing with salvation in relation to the individual, but what is it relation to Israel as a nation? If they as a nation have been rejected what becomes of the Old Testament promises of national restoration? If Israel is God's chosen people, to whom were committed His Word and to whom was given the covenants, and the law, why is it that they as a nation have rejected their Messiah? Will Israel ever be restored? What is to be the attitude towards them?

1. The theme of chapter 9 : 1-29 is as follows : Though the greater part of the Jewish nation have rejected Christ, yet God's promises concerning their national redemption have not failed, for within the nation there is a faithful remnant, who when the time comes for Israel's complete restoration will form a nucleus of the new nation.

2. The theme of chapters 9:30 - 10:21 is as follows: Israel rejection is entirely their own fault.

3. The central thought of chapter 11 is as follows: The rejection of Israel is neither total or final. It is not total for there is a remnant of the nation who are true to God and their salvation it is a pledge of the salvation of the entire nation ( vv 1-10). It is not final, for after that of the fullness of the Gentiles God will send the Redeemer who will bring the entire nation into the Millennial fortold by the Prophets  ( vv. 11-36).

V. Exortation. Chapters 12-16

As most of the Pauline epistles, Romans contain a practical section. The Apostle may carry his readers to the highest heights of Chs tian doctrine, but he never fails to back again where they are to apply the doctrine to daily life. The above section really follows chapter 8. Chapter 9-11 parenthetical; ie they are inserted because of there great importance,  but are not necessary to complete the sense of the epistle. The Therefore of 12:1 is the link that connects this section with the first eight chapters. Because of what has been set forth in those chapters their justification, sanctification and coming glorification Christians are to consecrat themselves to God. serve one another in love and walk in wisdom and Holiness .

Summing up as follows :

1. The Christian duty as a member of the church  (12:1-21): consecration  (vv1-2) service  (vv.3-8); love to the brethren (vv.9-21) .

2. Duty toward member of the state (13:1-7): obedience to authority.

3. His duty toward the other members of the state (13:8-14): love.

4. Duty toward weaker brethren  (14:1-15:13): forbearance.

5. Conclusion  (15:14 - 16:27). Paul's ministry towards the Gentiles  (vv. 14-21) his proposed visit (vv.22-33); salutation  (16:1-23); benediction