- Romans overview (video): Part 1, Part 2
- Romans is structured as follows:
- Books 1-4: Revealing God’s Righteousness
- Books 5-8: Creating a New Humanity
- Books 9-11: Fulfilling God’s Promise to Israel
- Books 12-16: Unifying the Church
Romans 5: Creating a New Humanity
Paul structures his main points in Romans with a clear progression, often broken down into four sections:
- Need for Rescue (Romans 1-4): Here, Paul establishes the universality of sin and its consequences. He argues that both Jews and Gentiles fall short of God’s righteousness.
- New Covenant Family in Christ (Romans 5-8): This section introduces the concept of justification by faith in Jesus Christ. Paul explains how faith brings forgiveness and adoption into God’s family.The concept of justification by faith is a fundamental tenet of Christianity.
Here’s why it’s so important:
- Salvation by Grace: Justification by faith emphasizes that salvation comes through God’s grace, not by human merit or good works.
- Universality of Sin: It acknowledges that all people are inherently sinful and fall short of God’s perfection.
- Focus on Faith: This doctrine emphasizes faith in Jesus Christ as the key to being declared righteous before God.
However, it’s important to note some nuances:
- Debate on Emphasis: While justification by faith is widely accepted, some Christian traditions may place more emphasis on good works as evidence of genuine faith.
- Different Interpretations: There can be debate about the precise meaning of “faith” and “works” within the concept.
Justification by faith remains a foundational principle for many Christians, especially in Protestant theology.By verse:
- V1:
- “Therefore” – check why its there for people though they were righteous because they obeyed the law.
But Abraham believed and was counted justified – before he was circumcised, before he obeyed.
See Ephesians 2:8: Hebrews – without faith, we cannot please God
We cannot merit salvation – only by Jesus.
Jesus paid our price. We are justified on account of the atonement of Christ
- “Therefore” – check why its there for people though they were righteous because they obeyed the law.
- V2
- We have access to justice by faith through Christ.
Through Grace, we get mercy.
- We have access to justice by faith through Christ.
- V3
- We are preserved through hard times. The three men (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) were met in the fiery furnace. They were not delivered from it, they were delivered in it. (Daniel 3)
- V9
- We in were justified by His blood, we cannot earn this. This is why Jesus came to earth.
- V10
