Where We've Been Through the First Three Chapters of Romans
Reviewing Romans 1-3.
I enjoy moving slowly through the books of the Bible like we are doing in our study of Romans.
However, it’s important to take a step back occasionally and remind ourselves of the bigger picture. An old saying goes something like, “Don’t miss the forest for the trees.”
Keep in mind the theme of Romans.
Whenever we stop and remind ourselves of the big picture of Romans, I will always remind us of Paul’s theme in this letter.
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)
If we lose sight of these two verses while studying Romans, we will miss the point God is making.
Outline of Romans 1-3.
Here’s a brief outline of Romans in bullet-point form.
Paul’s greeting to the church in Rome (Romans 1:1-7).
Paul’s desire to see the church in Rome face-to-face (Romans 1:8-15).
The gospel of Christ is the theme (Romans 1:16-17).
God's wrath and righteous judgment upon the Gentile’s sin (Romans 1:18-32).
God's righteous, impartial judgment will be according to everyone’s deeds (Romans 2:1-16).
The Jews’ knowledge of the law and circumcision would grant them no special treatment at the Judgment, for they, too, had sinned (Romans 2:17-29).
God is the faithful Judge, so His justice can be trusted (Romans 3:1-8).
All have sinned, so all stand guilty before the Judge (Romans 3:9-20).
The guilty ones can be justified by Christ Jesus, demonstrating God's righteousness (Romans 3:21-26).
Justification through Christ eliminates any boasting in self on the part of the justified ones (Romans 3:27-31).
Some thoughts about Romans 1-3.
Without Jesus Christ, no sinner can be saved from the judicial wrath of God upon sin. It doesn’t matter how “good” a person may seem - “That fella would give you the shirt off his back!” - if a person is not justified, they are lost.
Romans 1-3 heavily emphasizes how terrible sin is and how bleak the outlook is for all who cling to their sin rather than turn to the Savior.
Justification is only in Jesus Christ. We are justified by His blood (Romans 5:9). This is the only way for guilty sinners to be ruled as innocent by the Judge. The Judge is perfectly righteous - and any other way would mean the Judge is not just. But He is just.
Being justified in Jesus Christ is righteous, and it is just.
The justified ones have nothing in themselves to boast of - but we do boast in our Lord Jesus Christ. And we urge everyone to obey the gospel of Jesus Christ so that they too can stand justified before the righteous Judge of all the earth.