#DeeperLearning TESDA@Study - 28Mar2020

The Book of The Church in Rome

5. How does Paul describe the
earth, if he has faith as the starting
point. Compare John 3:15, 16.
Romans Chapter 1 Roman Christians and show his
interest in them? Rom. 1:7-10. C. Sinners Without Excuse
Lesson Guide The first descriptive phrase is 9. What attribute of God is being
"beloved of God." Paul was revealed from heaven? Rom. 1:18.
A.Messenger of the Gospel confident that God loved those NB.—The apostle develops his
people. theme beginning with the lost
1. How does the apostle Paul "Called to be saints." The words "to condition of the human race.
introduce himself? Rom. 1:1. be" are supplied in the King James He says the anger of God is
Paul states that he was a "servant" Version. being revealed from heaven u2pon
or slave of Jesus Christ. The word It is better to leave them out. The every kind of irreligion and injustice
translated "servant" is the one that meaning is the same as given in as practiced by men.
denotes unlimited obedience, verse 1, "called an apostle." In both The word Paul uses for "wrath" is
being used for slaves in his day. instances the phrase one that suggests an active emotion
denotes a consecration to the based on God's infallible judgment.
2. What background for the service of God. The word "saints" It is not a sudden exasperation. It
points to the justification represents the divine reaction to
gospel does Paul give? Rom. 1:2.
that God has graciously bestowed willful, continued sin and is the
Paul's gospel was not new; it had
on the basis of one's personal faith; logical antithesis of love.
been "promised aforetime." It is
also, to the daily sanctification in Divine love and wrath cannot be
rooted in the Old Testament. How
victorious living thrust apart, for love and mercy
much of the OT do you know
that each Christian must manifest. have no meaning aside from
mzalwane??
justice.
6. Why did Paul wish to visit All the attributes of God are in
3. Whom does the gospel reveal?
Rome? What terms does he use perfect balance. The wrath of God
Rom. 1:3, 4. is being increasingly revealed, in
"When the voice of the mighty angel in describing those to whom he
must preach? Rom. 1:11-15. human lives and in nature, as the
was heard at Christ's tomb, saying, course of history reaches its
Thy Father calls Thee, the Saviour climax.
came forth from the grave by the B.Theme of Paul's Epistle
life that was in Himself. Now was 7. How is the theme of Paul's 10. Why are sinners without
proved the truth of His words, 'I lay letter to the Romans stated? excuse? Rom. 1:19, 20.
down My life,' that I might take it Rom. 1:16. NB.—"Not only the things of
again. . . . I have power to lay it The apostle introduces the theme nature, but the sacrificial service
down, and I have power to take it of the letter by an expression that and the Scriptures themselves—all
again.' "—The Desire of Ages, p 785. really means he is very proud of the given to reveal God—were so
The name "Jesus" refers to the gospel. Paul knew the gospel was a perverted that they became the
humanity of the Saviour; the name thing of shame to means of concealing Him.
"Christ" speaks of Him officially as many, but he counted it a privilege "Christ sought to remove that which
the Anointed One. He is also God's to preach Christ in the world's obscured the truth. The veil that sin
Son, born of a woman. The capital. The word translated has cast over the face of nature, He
genealogical derivation of Jesus is "power" is the one from came to draw aside, bringing to
stated literally in the words, "who which we get our English word view the spiritual glory that all
came into being of the seed of "dynamite;" and truly the gospel is things were created to reflect.
David." spiritual dynamite. His words placed the teachings of
This is strengthened by the words, nature as well as of the Bible in a
"according to the flesh." So, on His 8. What wonderful fact does the
new aspect and made them a new
divine side Jesus Christ is Son of gospel reveal? Rom. 1:17.
revelation." —Christ's Object
God; and on His human side He is NB.—It is the righteousness of God
Lessons, pages 18, 19.
the Son of David. that is revealed in that very
gospel. There is emphasis in the
4. How is the broad purpose of thought that it is God's D.Terrible Results of
the gospel stated? Rom. 1:5, 6. righteousness; not a legal Apostasy
When the apostle stated the righteousness that stems from 11. What caused men to turn from
purpose lying back of God's plan of works. God, and with what results? Rom.
salvation, "for obedience to the The starting point and the final end 1:21, 22.
faith among all nations," he referred are given in the words, "from faith NB.—Men were condemned
to an obedience that springs from to faith." The starting point of the because their conduct did not
faith. Faith is to be the motive righteousness of God in a man's life measure up to their knowledge of
that activates obedience. "We do is faith ; and the final end is faith. God. Having this knowledge, they
not earn salvation by our Salvation is a matter of faith from failed to glorify Him who is
obedience; first to last, faith succeeding faith disclosed in creation and in their
for salvation is the free gift of in steady Christian growth. The consciences.
God, to be received by faith. But emphasis is on the expression "by The word "glorify" here may be
obedience is the fruit of faith."— faith." understood as a general term for
Steps to Christ, p 61. That is, a man may have eternal life worship.
now and immortal life in the new "Became vain in their imaginations."

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The literal expression by Paul is, NB.-The word "glory" (verse 23)
"They became foolish in their must be understood in this 13. To what extent did God
reasonings." The same word in the connection to refer to the sum forsake these wicked men? Rom.
Septuagint is found in 1 Samuel total of the divine attributes, 1:26-28.
26:21, where Saul acknowledges, God's eternal power and divinity. NB.-The logical consequence of
"I have played the fool." The word The grotesque images worshiped by man's degradation was that God
translated "imaginations" is the one the heathen show the lengths to was farther away from them than
from which we get our English word which men in their stupidity will go ever before; and with this came
"dialogue," namely, a conversation, in seeking to portray the loss of self-respect, of
a discussion. God when they have rejected the decency, of natural modesty. See
The result of this is that their truth. 1 Tim. 2:9.
hearts became darkened; the One should bear in mind that they The apostle literally says in Romans
word "heart" referring to all their did not "change" (verse 23) the 1:28, "Even as they deliberately
faculties of mind and emotions. divine attributes; men cannot do chose not to
Paul makes a very emphatic that, for God is immutable. keep God in their knowledge."
statement by putting in the word The word Paul uses is really, "to
exchange one thing for another." 14. How complete was their
"senseless" with "hearts."
"The exaltation of nature above the
apostasy?
God of nature, the worship of the
Rom. 1:29-32.
creature instead of the Creator, has
always resulted
12. Turning from their Creator, in the grossest of evils."-Prophets
what did men worship? Rom. 1: and Kings, page 281.
23-25.

DISCUSSION POINTS:
This book is one of the most wonderful in the Bible. In the sixteen possible lessons before us, we shall be able only
to touch, in the briefest manner, upon the general outline of the book. We shall expect to find things we cannot
understand, even as we cannot understand how the infinite God upholds the universe by the word of his power.

1.Ministers and the flock

Verses 1-15. These verses are introductory, the first 7 comprising the salutation, the remaining eight being
personal explanations. Yet in these verses are some of the richest passages in the Bible; as in verse twelve,
wherein Paul states that he expected not only to minister to the church on his visit, but to be ministered to
by it. Both were to be comforted by their "mutual faith." This does not contemplate a condition of the
church in which the minister must spend his energy in combating error and settling differences between
brethren.

2.Define righteousness ….by faith

Verses 16 - 17. Here we have the text of the epistle. The entire book is but an expansion of these verses.

1. Define and discuss the righteousness concept

 The 10 commandments are a declaration of His righteousness (Isa 51:6,7; Matt. 6:33)
2. Then what is righteousness by faith … as stated in Rom 1:17
 “Just shall live by faith” ….really? Nothing else? Not faith and works? (Remember what
James says)
 John 6:28,29
3. When we preach righteousness (which is by faith), where do doctrines e.g. Sabbath, Immortality, etc. fit
in or they don’t?
 There is but one doctrine we have to preach, that is the gospel of Christ. Mark 16:15, 16.
This commission is to us. [The gospel brings righteousness, (which is unto salvation)]

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3.Let’s define a heathen/heathenism

In the remaining verses of the chapter, we have a statement of God's justice in punishing wicked men, and of the
consequences of a separation from God.

Verses 21-32. How does it come that men do not know?

They know so much. "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools." The most unreasonable thing in the
universe is human reason. It is utter foolishness with God. 1 Cor. 1:19-31. Paul says those who do the things
described in the latter part of the chapter under consideration, know that they are worthy of death, and you
cannot find a people who do not know it. The heathenism Paul was speaking of, as represented at Athens and
elsewhere, was not ignorance of things of this world. It embraced men whose work in the arts and sciences is
studied to-day.

We hear a good deal of "natural morality;" and "scientific morality,"—morality common to all men. This is what
Paul is describing. It is heathenism. The popular idea of heathenism is an incorrect one.

The heathen is the man who doesn't know God.

He may be a religious man, but God is not the source of his wisdom. In Mark 7:22, 23, Christ describes the source
of "natural morality." The hearts of all are alike; we are made of one blood to dwell upon the earth. The heathen
are the people who do the things spoken of in Paul's first chapter, wherever they live. Men who in South Africa or
in Zambia or in the United States or in England follow the leadings of the natural heart (Gal. 5:19-21) are no
better than those who do the same things in China or Russia.

Compare 2 Tim. 3:1-7 with the latter part of Rom. 1. They are almost identical. It means that men in the last days
shall be open heathen—giving themselves up to the works of the flesh. This helps to explain many references in the
Old Testament in which God speaks of judging the heathen. It means that all who will be destroyed will be
heathen.
Who are the heathen? Rom. 2:1. "Thou that judgest doest the same things." Did we ever do anything we would be
ashamed to speak of? Wherein were we different from the heathen? Here is broad enough ground for the gospel. It
is a shame to speak of those things that have been done by us all in secret, but "I am not ashamed of the gospel of
Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth."

Men, in the day of Plato, Seneca, and Marcus Aureleus, taught what they called moral science; Confucius taught
moral precepts. But what they all lacked was to tell men how to do what they taught to be right. Even these men
who taught moral science and virtue were themselves practicing the things they condemned, and coming far short
of doing what they set forth as moral duty. While those teachers tell us what to do, but fail to give us power to do
it, the religion of Jesus Christ not only makes known what is right but gives us ability to perform that which is
good. Thus, when Christ is not woven into the teaching, the very effort to teach morals is simply the old pagan
science of morals, which is immorality.

4.What Does Romans 1 teach about homosexuality?

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