ROMANS OUTLINE

A. Ralph Johnson

 

THEME: Justification by faith --Not by the Law but by imputed righteousness through God’s grace.

Written by Paul from Corinth about 58 A.D.

CHAPTERS &

KEY WORDS

OUTLINE

16ch(3) Map  (Brief)  (Roman Road)

 

 

SECTION I.  THEOLOGICAL  (Chapters 1-11)

1: Problem

PROLOGUE:   (1:1-15)

  1. Greeting (1:1-7)

1.        Credentials of Paul (1:1-6)

His right to speak to them (cf. Gal. 1:15; Ac. 9:15; 22:14 -15)

2.        To whom addressed (1:7a)

3.        Blessing (1:7b)

  1. Introductory remarks (1:8-15) --Reason for writing: Desire to visit them.

1.        Thanksgiving for their faith (1:8)

2.        Prayer that he might be able to visit (1:9-10)

3.        Desire to impart some spiritual gift for mutual comfort (11-12)

4.        Desire to have fruit in them. (1:13)

5.        Paul’s debt to them (1:14-15)

 

Proposition:  The gospel is the power of God unto salvation through faith

 

I.         WRATH OF GOD UPON ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS (1:18-3:20 cf. 6:23)

  1. Gentile depravity deserving of  God’s wrath (1:18-32)

1.        Basis of God's wrath (1:19-23)

a.        God revealed himself (1:19-20) --No excuse.

b.       They rejected God  (1:21-23)  --Disobedience

2.        Revelation of God’s wrath (1:24-32)

a.        God gave them up to dishonor their bodies (1:24-25)

b.       God gave them up to vile passions (1:26-27)

c.        God gave them up to a reprobate mind (1:28-32)

3.        Results of God’s wrath (1:29-32)

a.        They have become grossly depraved (1:29-31)

b.       They and those who approve are worthy of death (1:32)

2: Justice

B.    Jews disobedience under the Law also worthy of wrath (2:1--3:20)

1.        Required by justice of God’s judgment (2:1-16)

a.        Truth as god’s standard calls for it (2:2)

b.       Their judgment of others calls for it (2:3)

c.        Refusal to repent calls for it (2:4-5)

d.       Impartiality of God calls for it (2:6-16)

2.        Their privileged position requires responsibility

a.        They knew right from wrong (2:17-22)

b.       They caused others to blaspheme (2:23-24)

c.        Reversal of Jewish and Gentile roles (2:25-29)

3: Solution

C.    None righteous before God. (3:1-20)

1.     Not inconsistent with his promises to Jew (3:1-4)

    1. God blessed them as promised (3:1-2)
    2. Their unfaithfulness cannot discredit God (3:3-4)

2.     God’s righteousness cannot be urged against judgment (3:5-8)

a.        Justice could then never be accomplished (3:5-6)

b.       Inconsistency of claiming exemption while falsely accusing Paul of the same evil (3:7-8)

3.     All are concluded under sin (3:9-20)

 

II    SOLUTION: JUSTIFICATION THROUGH FAITH (3:21--11:36 cf. 6:23)

Introduction: --Justification by grace apart from the Law (3:21-31)

4: Abraham

A.      Abraham’s example --Justification by grace, not works (4:1-25)

1.        Righteousness, reckoned not earned (4:1-8)

2.        Righteousness while still in uncircumcision (4:9-12)

3.        Faith was before, not through, the Law  (4:13-16)

4.        Abraham’s example to follow (4:17b-25)

5: Benefits

B.       Benefits received through salvation by faith  (5:1-11)

C.       Adam’s single act brought death to all--shows how Christ’s single act brings salvation to all in him.  (5:12-21)

6: Death to sin

D.      “Shall we sin that Grace may increase?”  (6:1-23)

1.        In baptism we are to die to sin (6:1-14; Compare Col. 2:12-13) 

“How can we any longer live therein?”

2.        Servants of sin cannot be servants of righteousness (6:15-23)

7: Law

E.       The issue of legality: Grace is lawful (7:1-25)

1.        The Law itself provides for our discharge from its effect (7:1-6)

2.        Grace does not disparage the law’s goodness. It is a concession to man’s need for deliverance from the struggle within (7:7-25)

“Who shall deliver me?”

8: Spirit

F.       Grace provides freedom  (8:1-39)  --The solution to human frailty

1.        The Holy Spirit we receive provides help and hope (1-27)

a.        It helps us overcome our weakness (8:1-10)

b.       It provides assurance of resurrection (8:11-13)

c.        It makes us sons of God (8:14-21)

d.       It provides hope on the day of deliverance (8:22-25)

e.        It helps our prayers by intercession on our behalf (8:26-27)

2.        The Father ordained us to justification (8:28-33)

a.        It is manifest in that all things work for good (8:28)

b.       It was planned from the beginning (8:29-30)

c.        It was assured in God giving His son (8:31-32)

d.       It is evident in view of His position as God (8:33)

3.        The Son, Jesus, paid the debt and arose to make intercession (8:34-39)

Conclusion: Therefore, Nothing can separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus.

9: Israel

G.       Grace is consistent with God’s faithfulness. (9:1--11:36)

--The issue of whether He has defaulted His promises to Israel.

Introduction: Paul knew the promises and cared for Israel (9:1-5)

He was neither ignorant nor motivated by ill will.

1.        The basis of Israel's election as God’s people (9:6-29)

a.        Inheritance as His “seed” is by promise (9:6-13)

1)       Not by birthright: Isaac & Ishmael  (9:6-9)

2)       Not by works:  Jacob & Esau (9:10-13)

b.       God holds the sovereign right to decide (9:14-21)

1)       His righteousness cannot be impugned (9:14-18)

--Illustrated in Moses and Pharaoh.

2)       As Creator, His will must prevail (9:19-21)

c.        Established by the scriptures in the case at hand (9:22-29)

1)       His long-suffering towards some that he might have mercy on others – Jews and Gentiles (9:22-26)

2)       Promised only to a “remnant” of Israel (9:27-29)

2.        The cause of the present rejection of fleshly Israel (9:30--10:21)

a.        Israel sought righteousness through works rather than faith. (9:30—10:15)

1)       The failure of works (9:30--10:5)

a)       They stumbled at the stone --Christ  (9:30-33)

10: Hearing

b)       They were Ignorant of God’s righteousness by choice (10:1-3)

c)       Futility of self-righteousness (10:4-5)

2)       The success of faith (10:6-15)

b.       Israel would not obey the message (10:16 -21)

11: Grafted

3.        Rejection of fleshly Israel is not final  (11:1-36)

a.        A remnant remains (11:1-10)

b.       Their fall is not beyond recovery (11:11-24)

c.        Their hardening is only in part until the fullness of the Gentiles is completed (11:25 -32)

Benediction of praise!

 

 

SECTION II: PRACTICAL EXHORTATIONS

12: Transformed

A.      General appeal for personal consecration (12:1-2)

B.       Conduct toward others  (12:3-21)

1.        With regard to the church (12:3-8)

2.        In general towards all (12:9-21)

13: Rulers

C.       Duties toward the government and fellow-citizens (13:1-14)

1.        Subjection to the higher powers (13:1-7)

2.        Pay debts, owing only the debt of love (13:8-10)

3.        Walk becomingly as an example in the world (13:11-14)

14: Weak

D.      Relations between the weak and the strong (14:1--15:13)

1.        Do not reject each other for questionable disputes  (14:1-12)

2.        Love by respecting others’ weakness (14:13-23)

15: Gentiles

3.        The example of Jesus (15:1-13)

a.        Christ bore the weakness of others (15:1-7)

b.       Christ received both Jew and Gentile (15:8-13)

E.       Paul’s personal commitment to them (15:14-33)

1.        Reason for writing (15:14-16)

2.        Motives in Paul’s ministry (15:14-16)

a.        To Glorify Christ (15:17 -19)

b.       To reach those who have not heard (15:20 -21)

3.        His plans to come to them  (15:22-29)

4.        His appeal for their prayers (15:30-32)

5.        Personal benediction (15:33)

 

 

SECTION III: CONCLUDING PERSONAL EXHORTATIONS (16:1-27)

16: Salutations
  1. Phoebe to be received and helped (16:1-2)
  2. Greetings to various individuals  (16:3-16)
  3. Warning against false teachers (16:17-20)
  4. Personal blessing (16:20b)
  5. Salutations from those with Paul (16:21-24)
  6. Final doxology praising God (16:25-27)