The Letter to the Romans by Paul

Romans 1: 1-7 A Call, A Gospel and A Task
Greek Definition of Slave = doulos
Gospel of the incarnation and the resurrection
What does it mean to be called by God? By men?

Romans 1: 8-15 The Courtesy of Greatness
Communities were very isolated from each other. Paul had to get past their suspicion of foreigners and also convince them he wasn’t going trespass or interfere.
Paul was a great teacher, but he was humble as a teacher.
Gift of prayer for out fellow man
Message for world, no matter what culture or education or station a people/person has.

Romans 1: 16,17 Good News of Which to Be Proud
The pillars of Paul’s thoughts and beliefs:
Salvation
Faith
Justification

Romans 1: 18-23 The Wrath of God
In the Old Testament, the wrath of God is connected with the idea of the covenant people. The special relationship with Israel would keep as long as they keep his law
A breach of the law would provoke God’s wrath on Israel
Others could incur the wrath of God by hurting Israel
The prophets emphasized the wrath of God continually working to annihilate sin.
“The soul that sins shall die.” Ezekiel 18:4
Moral order is the wrath of God at work
But… as Christians we know that God Loves us
Paul never speaks of God being angry. He mentions the wrath of God (3) times. Here, Ephesians 5:6 and Colossians 3:6
Always against disobedience
Paul does mention “The Wrath” in other places. “The Wrath” is an impersonal force in the world, which Jesus saves men from. It will come up later in Romans and 1 Thessalonians 1:10.
Paul believes we find God in the world. See who God is in nature.
See that suffering follows sin.
The sinners turn to man instead of to God. He made his own laws instead of looking at nature and following the will of God.
Simmer’s folly is making man the “master of things.”
Result is idolatry.
Rooted in selfishness. Worship for his own sake, and not for God’s
Essence of sin is to put self in place of God.

Romans 1: 24,25 Men with Whom God Can do Nothing
Greek definition of desires = epithumia
Passionate desire for forbidden pleasure
God abandoning men
He gave us free-will, so we have the choice to turn our back on God.
We have the choice to be a slave to God or a slave to sin.

Romans 1: 26, 27 An Age of Shame
Rome was out of control!!! See why below…

Romans 1: 28-32 The Life Which has Left God Out of the Reckoning
Man brings a judgment upon himself by banishing God
Evil (adikia) is the opposite of Justice (diaiosuńe) which is giving to God and to men their due
Villainy (ponéria) is a badness which hurts the person concerned. It is an active, deliberate will to corrupt and to inflict injury. The devil was called ho ponéros, the evil one.
The lust to get (pleonexia) is the accursed love of having. A desire that knows no laws and disregards all others.
Viciousness (kakia) is a man destitute of every quality which would make him good. Most general word in greek for badness.
Envy (phthonos) is a resentful envy that warps human emotions
Murder (phonos) Remember that Jesus told us that even the spirit of anger and hatred is murder. Before him, it was just the act of killing, not the thought.
Strife (eris) is contention born of envy, ambition, desire for prestige and arises from a hart of jealousy.
Deceit (dalos) is a man who plots intrigues.
Evil-Naturedness (kakoétheia) the spirit which thinks the worst of others
Whisperers and slanderers (psitheristés and katalalos).
Haters of God (theostugeis) see God as barrier to pleasure.
Insolent men (hubristés) men who defy God and are cruel
Arrogent Men (huperéphanos) contempt for others
Braggarts (alazōn)
Inventors of Evil (epheuretés kakōn)
Disobedient to their parents (goneusin apeitheis)
Senseless (asunetos)
Breakers of agreements (asunthetos)
Without natural affections (astorgos) family love
Pitiless (aneleémōn)