Journey Study of Romans Chapter 1

1. Journey Study of Romans Chapter 1 Rome A.D. 57 Paul Events of the Chapter

2. Rome A.D. 57 • ChronologyAugustus through 14 ADTiberius 14 AD – 37 ADCaligula 37 AD – 41 ADClaudius 41 AD – 54 ADNero 54 AD – 68 AD • powerful and dominant political, economic and cultural force • Nero ruled at the time of Paul’s letter to the Romans and his time in Rome • Nero succeeded Claudius when he became Emperor in 54 AD at the age of 16; three years before Paul wrote his letter to the Romans. • He committed suicide in 68 AD at the age of 30, when isolated and on the verge of being assassinated after a military coup, supported by his Senate.

3. Understanding Nero…Understand Rome • Nero’s father • accused by the Emperor Tibertus for treason, adultery and incest. • also reported to be a murderer. • escaped punishment due to the death of Tiberius • died when Nero was three. • Nero’s mother • Agrippina the younger, a great-granddaughter of Caesar Augustus.

4. Political Intrigue • Emperor Caligula • banished Nero’s mother and neutralized any chance Nero would have at the throne. • he and his wife and infant daughter were murdered in 41, enabling Claudius, Nero’s uncle to come to the throne. • Emperor Claudius • allowed Nero’s mother to return from exile. • killed his own wife in 48 and married Nero’s mother, adopting Nero in 50. • Being older than his stepbrother he became emperor. • There is speculation that Nero’s mother poisoned Claudius and she had a strong influence over his early reign.

5. Nero’s Life… • characterized by scandal, intrigue, power play and immorality • ruthless in dealing with opponents, both real and imagined • obsession with popularity • concentrated on diplomacy, trade, the development of culture and sport (building theatres and promoted athletic games). • in many ways sympathetic to the poor.

6. Rule of Nero • Nero’s 3 different names • Lucius at birth • Nero Claudius from 50 AD (presumably on his adoption by Claudius) • As Emperor he was Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus • went to war with and negotiated peace with the Parthan Empire (58-63) • suppressed a British revolt (60-61) • Had the first Roman-Jewish war started during his reign in 60 AD.

7. Rule of Nero • exiles his own mother (59 AD) • killed his younger stepbrother, Britannicus in 55 AD, who his mother was trying to engineer to replace him as Emperor because of her loss of control • Killed many opponents • Had affairs • One with Poppaea Sabina the wife of a friend. • married her in 62 when she fell pregnant • This was after he divorced Octavia on the grounds of infertility and executed her.

8. Rule of Nero • started the persecution of Christians through very brutal means to make way for a new palace • persecutions were particularly brutal • old animal skin would be sewed around a Christian and starved dogs set on them • whole families would be herded into the Coliseum and set on by lions • others were burned by first being covered with tar and crucified. • Some accounts give Nero as the Emperor at the time of the killing of both Peter (upside-down crucifixion) and Paul (beheaded) in Rome. • Unsure as to whether Nero actually gave the orders for the deaths • Some holding him to account • Others say he reportedly was moved not to kill any more Christians. • Fact is Nero created the environment of persecution that led to their deaths

9. ROME A.D. 57

10. So why was he popular? • he simplified taxation • reducing powers of tax collectors • banished corrupt officials • reduced taxes from 4.5% to 3.5%. • reduced food prices • Yet he allowed the introduction of a law that previous slave owners could revoke freedom for misbehavior • After the fire of Rome he enacted a public relief effort and reconstruction. He reportedly got personally involved in the relief effort. He opened his palaces to victims for shelter.

11. PAUL Author of Romans

12. Paul’s Life • most influential early Christian missionaries • known as Saul prior to his conversion • Persecuted early disciples of Jesus in the area of Jerusalem • While traveling from Jerusalem to Damascus on a mission to "bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem", the resurrected Jesus appeared to him in a great light. Saul was struck blind, but after three days his sight was restored by Ananias of Damascus, and Paul began to preach that Jesus of Nazareth is the Jewish Messiah and the Son of God.

13. From the city of Tarsus, but he was also a Roman citizen • From a family of tent-makers, a trade that Paul uses to support himself throughout his ministry. • Scripture does not say how Paul's family acquired a Roman citizenship, but scholars speculate that his father or grandfather may have been honored with it for some sort of military service

14. raised in Jerusalem by GamalielActs22:3 • Gamaliel was a leading authority in the Sanhedrin in the mid 1st century CE. • He once gave very level headed advice to the Sanhedrin in Acts 5:34-39, to "refrain" from slaying the disciples of Jesus. • This contrasts the actions of his student Saul, who persecuted the "saints". Acts9:13,Acts26:10 • Paul’s conversion can be dated to 31 – 36

15. Paul’s Missionary Journeys • 1st – Antioch, Cyprus, and Southern Asia • rebukes and blinds Elymas the magician who was criticizing their teachings • 2nd - Trip around the Mediterranean Sea to Tarsus, Derbe, Lystrawhere they continued to grow the church. Also traveled to other places such as Athens, Corinth, and Antioch. • Placed in jail in Phillappi • Earthquake occurred destroying the jail and the jailor was converted • 3rd • performed numerous miracles, healing people and casting out demons

16. 3rd Journey • At the end of his third missionary journey, he became involved in a serious conflict with some Asian Jews. • The conflict eventually led to Paul's arrest and eventual imprisonment in Caesarea for about a year and a half. • Finally, Paul and his companions sailed for Rome where Paul would eventually stand trial for his alleged crimes. • Actsstates that Paul preached in Rome for two years from his rented home while awaiting trial. It does not state what happened after this time, but it is likely Paul was freed by Nero and continued to preach in Rome. • It is possible that Paul also traveled to other countries like Spain and Britain before dying as a martyr

17. Many plots were made against Paul in the last years of his life, especially by Jews who would stir the crowd and excite them when Paul was preaching. • He was beaten more than once, and put in prison. • He was persecuted in every one of his missionary journeys. He was persecuted because of a “lack of understanding, preconceptions, and irritations. • The message of a risen Christ and Savior was aggravating for Jews as well as many pagan believers. • During his first missionary journey, Paul was stoned in the city of Lystra for healing a crippled man. Some Jews dragged him out of the city thinking he was dead but when his disciples came around him, he miraculously got up and went into the city. • Paul was also put in prison while he was in Philippi and also in Jerusalem

18. Romans 1 • Paul describes himself as • a servant of Christ Jesus • called to be an apostle • set apart for the gospel of God • Paul describes Jesus as • having been promised by God "beforehand" through his prophets in the holy Scriptures • being the Son of God • having biological lineage from David ("according to the flesh") • having been declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead • being Jesus Christ our Lord • the One through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, "including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ."

19. Romans 1 by verse VERSE 1 • SERVANT= slave, bond-servant, love-slave of Jesus Christ • Amazing considering he use to be the enemy • Something happened to cause this conversion

20. Verse 2 • Apostle =one who is sent on a mission • God had a unique and special ministry for Paul and the other apostles. • ARE THERE STILL APOSTLES IN THE CHURCH TODAY? • In Eph. 2:20 the apostles are said to be "foundational" men.

21. Apostle = foundation • No one today can meet the qualifications of an apostle, because an apostle must have SEEN the RISEN CHRIST • (1 Cor. 9:1; 15:8-9 and Acts 1:22 -- finding a replacement for Judas). • Christ does not appear to men today (1 Peter 1:8; John 16:10).

22. VERSE 3 • Separated unto the gospel of God • Not separated from GOSPEL= good news, glad tidings • The glorious facts about the death and resurrection of Christ are not now being revealed for the first time • Holy = set apart. The Bible is set apart and different from all other books. It is in a class of its own. As a book it is totally unique

23. VERSE 3 and 4 • CHRIST-CENTERED GOSPEL • Person of Christ Handout

24. VERSE 5 • To whom should the gospel be preached? • Paul's answer: "ALL NATIONS" • "grace" refers to God’s undeserved favor and unmerited kindness. • Paul realized how undeserving he was and that he did not deserve to be an apostle • It is BY FAITH that a person obeys the gospel. • Paul’s only concern was for the Name and glory and reputation of His Lord and Savior

25. VERSE 6 • What is God doing in the world today? • "Among whom" = among the nations • Today God is visiting the Gentiles (nations) and taking out of them a people for His Name • HE is building His church, God’s called-out assembly.  God is calling people unto the fellowship of Himself. • Has God called you out of darkness and into His marvelous light?

26. VERSE 7 • The recipients of Paul’s letter were the Roman believers: • greatly loved by God. • called to be saints • A saint is "a holy one, a set apart one, a person who is separated from sin and separated unto the service of Christ." • Every believer is a saint, but sometimes believers do not live very saintly.

27. VERSES 8 – 13 Paul’s affection for the Roman Christians • Prayer should: • Include thanksgiving • Be through Jesus Christ • Be Constant • Be Genuine • Should Involve Intercession (Who do you mention?) • Specific • Submissive (not demanding) • Rightly Motivated

28. VERSE 14 • Debtor" =I owe something! I have an obligation!  I have a gospel duty! • WHAT OBLIGATION DO WE HAVE TO JESUS?

29. VERSE 15 and 16 • "Ready" = ready, willing and eager • "Preach the gospel" = evangelize, announce the good news, proclaim the gospel. Compare the word "evangelical“ • “I AM NOT ASHAMED”

30. VERSE 17 and 18 • We receive our righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ • ****Suppose the hospital contacts you and says, "Why don’t you come in tomorrow and have an operation? We are not very busy these days and we want to keep our staff busy. We will put you under the knife and cut you up and check you out and sew you back together again. It will do wonders for you. After a few days you’ll feel great! You’ll enjoy wonderful health! You’ll get more out of life! All these benefits will be yours if you let us operate on you." Would you volunteer? Why not? On the other hand, suppose some medical experts told you that you had a deadly, spreading cancer in your body that would soon kill you unless it was removed. Would you submit yourself to the operating table then? Why?

31. People must see how NEEDY they are.People must see how much they need the salvation which is offered in Christ. After reading the first three chapters of Romans you will realize that you have a deadly cancer in your soul (sin) and that there is nothing you can do to heal yourself. The only cure is found in Christ ("Life is short, death is sure, sin the cause, Christ the cure!"). • Some people hold in God’s truth and pretend he is not there.

32. VERSE 19& 20 • Tells us that God’s has revealed himself to the people by: • Creation • Orderly (Gravity) • Artistic (colors) • Creative (snowflake, no two people alike) • Power (thunderstorms, tidal waves….) • Goodness (rain, fruit, crops) • Greatness (Milky Way, Mountains, can’t even count the galaxies) • Intelligent (computers, human brain) • Wisdom (sun not too close to earth, water for earth) • Care (birds feeding, love of a mother) • Faithfulness (day, night, seasons)

33. How has the Creator revealed Himself to us that we might know Him? • Book 1 – The Creator's Work (Creation)(Psalm 19:1-6) • All men read BOOK 1, but very few people really read BOOK 2. • BOOK 1 is THE CREATOR’S WORKS (CREATION) and is described in Psalm 19:1-6. • A picture book of no words that everyone can look and see. • Book 2–The Creator’s Words (The Bible).(Psalm 19:7-11) • BOOK 2 is THE CREATOR’S WORD (the BIBLE) and is described in Psalm 19:7-11.

34. WHAT about the HEATHEN? WHAT ABOUT THE JUNGLE? WHAT ABOUT NEVER HEARING? • God’s surprising answer is this: THEY DO KNOW (Romans 1:19-21) and THEY HAVE HEARD (Romans 10:13-18)! • Book 1 is not enough to bring man salvation (Book 2 is needed for that) but Book 1 is enough to render man WITHOUT EXCUSE. • If men reject the message of Book 1, is God obligated to give men Book 2?  • We should remember Romans 1:14 – "debtor". Every Christian should feel an obligation to get the gospel to all men. • ***Earthly illustration:  A rich man sees a poor man in need of food for himself and his family.  Out of compassion he gives the man $20.00.  He intends to give him more, but he gives him only $20.00 to see what he will do with it.  The poor man immediately spends it on drink and drugs.  Knowing this, would the rich man be likely to give him $100.00?  If we don't handle what we are given in the right way, we may not be given more.

35. VERSE 21 • Glorified Him not" -- failed to honor Him for who He was • "Neither were thankful" -- failed to thank Him for what He had done. • "Vain" = empty, instead of filling their minds with worthy thoughts of God theyturned to vanities • "Darkened" --- They had light, but they rejected the light which they had, so there was nothing left but darkness.

36. VERSE 22 • "Fools" = morons, very stupid persons. • ***Illustration: The jungle native is wise enough to know that the one who makes something is greater than the thing made. What does he do? He cuts down a tree and with half of the trunk makes a canoe. He knows that as the maker of the canoe he is greater than the canoe. He then uses the same tree to make an idol and he worships it! Instead he should have cried out from his heart, "I want to come to know the One who made this tree and this world!" Does God honor the seeking heart (Jer. 29:13; Heb. 11:6)? For a modern example of men professing to be wise but really being fools, see the September 1976 National Geographic article entitled "The Awesome Worlds Within a Cell" . On page 358 the authors describe the utter complexity of the cell. There is no such thing as a "simple one-celled organism"! Even the simplest cell has turned out to be "a micro-universe" (p.358). Then on p.388 we read, "...this really is the major problem of biology. How did this complexity arise?...biologists still confront the deep, basic mystery of science: How did it all begin?" Then on page 390 the "experts" answer this by crediting it all to CHANCE and saying that given enough time even the IMPOSSIBLE can happen! With time, chance and evolution all things are possible !!! "They have become fools" -- Romans 1:21-22.

37. VERSE 23 • "changed" means "exchanged."  • Man started with the true religion: the worship of the glorious Creator-God. • quickly degenerated into CREATURE-WORSHIP • Such creature-worship, is clearly and strongly prohibited by God -- Exodus 20:4-5; Deut. 4:15-19; 5:8-9.

38. VERSE 24 & 25 • GOD GAVE THEM UP • they gave God up and exchanged His glory for a dumb idol • Exchanged it for a lie

39. VERSE 26 & 27 • Homosexuality

40. VERSE 28 • They abandoned the knowledge of God and so God abandoned them. • This is a terrible judgment: to give men up so that they follow the impulses of their own corrupt minds, and so that they follow the desires of their own depraved hearts!   • "So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels" (Psalm 81:12).

41. VERSE 29 – 31 • GOD’S X-RAY

42. VERSE 32 • Who knowing" = knowing fully • "The judgment of God" = literally "the righteous requirement, the decree, the sentence" • THE VERDICT = You are GUILTY! THE SENTENCE = You deserve DEATH! (and they know this!) • "They which commit such things" = "those who practice such things."  What things? The things that were just listed in verses 29-31. • "Worthy" = (think of weighing scales being balanced) The penalty must balance the crime, the penalty must weigh as much as the crime. • THE CRIME = see verses 29-31 THE PENALTY = "worthy of DEATH" (see also Romans 5:12 end 6:23)