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Title: Introduction to Romans; Three things that Paul is
Author: The Apostle Paul (1:1, biographical details of Ch. 1, 15, 16)
Paul’s authorship has only rarely been disputed, and never disputed convincingly.
Date and Occasion: Paul wrote Romans shortly before his visit to the Church in Jerusalem when he was bringing the gift from the Gentile congregations. (Rom. 15:25, Acts 24:17)
Most scholars date Romans around A.D. 56, or early 57.
Paul was writing to established Christians in Rome, their faith was known throughout the greater Christian community, and Paul had been longing to see them for quite some time. (1:13).
The Roman Church was a mixture of Jews and Gentiles, but was most likely predominantly Gentile.
Characteristic and Themes: Romans is Paul’s fullest, grandest, and most comprehensive writing. Great Historical Christians such as Augustine, Luther, and Wesley, all became Christians after reading Romans.
In this book Paul brings together all the Bible’s greatest themes: sin, law, judgement, destiny, faith, works, grace, justification, election, the plan of salvation, the work of Christ and the Holy Spirit, hope, and the nature and life of the Church.
For this reason, I want to be perfectly clear about a few things before we begin this journey:
1. This book will challenge your faith more directly than anything else this church has studied in the past.
2. This will be the most difficult book we’ve studied.
3. There are Sundays when you will be mad at what I expose from this text.
4. We will go slowly.
I. “Bondservant of Jesus Christ”
Greek= Doulos
1) a slave, bondman, man of servile condition
a) a slave
b) metaph., one who gives himself up to another’s will those whose service is used by Christ in extending and advancing his cause among men
c) devoted to another to the disregard of one’s own interests
2) a servant, attendant
Authorized Version (KJV) Translation Count — Total: 127
AV – servant 120, bond 6, bondman 1; 127
Paul is a slave to what God’s will is for his life. (A joyful slave, but a slave nonetheless) Right of the bat, this can be a sensitive area, because if we are to follow Paul’s words when he says, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ” then we have an issue. Our freedom of choice is severely limited to what we know is right.
I know that may seem elementary, but this is a pinnacle challenge for all believers, not to know what is right, but to do what is right, regardless of our own desire. Put simply, when we become bondservants to Christ, we have no choice, we must do what is right.
II. Called to be an apostle
Greek for “called” Klatos
1) called, invited (to a banquet)
a) invited (by God in the proclamation of the Gospel) to obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom through Christ
b) called to (the discharge of) some office
1) divinely selected and appointed
Authorized Version (KJV) Translation Count — Total: 11
AV – called 11; 11
So immediately, we see Paul, in the first few words of his greatest book, making a subltle play on words. Paul starts with the fact that he is a slave (no choice) yet he is called (invited=choice) to be an apostle.
Point: When God called Paul, just like when he called you and me, he gave him an invitation, Paul, as a slave to Christ, and, therefore, a slave to righteousness, made the right decision, by his nature of being a slave to Christ.
III. Separated to the Gospel
Separated in Greek=Aphporizo
1) to mark off from others by boundaries, to limit, to separate
a) in a bad sense: to exclude as disreputable
b) in a good sense: to appoint, set apart for some purpose
Authorized Version (KJV) Translation Count — Total: 10
AV – separate 8, divide 1, sever 1; 10
So the question quickly becomes clear: What is Paul saying he was Separated from: A life of sin? His former ways? Other Christians? Other people?
My thoughts: Paul is working on two levels in his opening sentence. He is establishing his credibility with the Roman Church by stating what he believes is his personal calling from God, that is to be a witness for the Gospel. But his is also doing something very crafty: he is laying the groundwork for one of the major themes Romans will tackle: the theme of the separate nature of the believer from the non-believer. More specifically, God choosing certain people to separate them from the rest, because: 1. It pleases God to do so and 2. God has very specific tasks and plans for that individual.