PAUL’S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS
3RD
MISSION - CORINTH - 58 AD
Romans
is unlike Paul's other's epistles in that he did not found the Church in Rome,
nor had he ever visited there.
Paul’s epistle to
the Romans is a paradoxical document. On the on hand it is one of the clearest
and most profound doctrinal books in the Bible. On the other hand, it is the
source of more doctrinal misunderstanding misinterpretation, and mischief than
any other biblical book, not even excepting the Book of Revelation.
Four things are
apparent with reference to this inspired writing of the Apostle: 1. It was
written to and for the saints and can only be understood by them. The Holy
Ghost and a basic understanding of the gospel are necessary. 2. It was not written for the world in general. It was not written from a missionary
standpoint. 3. It is the basis of more sectarian confusion than any other
inspired writing available to men. It is
a book of calculus in the hands of students still struggling with math. 4. In
it is found the rationale used by Luther in his break with Catholicism.
Romans:
1. Defines the
gospel
2. Summarizes the
laws by obedience to which full salvation comes
3. Speaks plainly
of Adam’s fall
4. Speaks plainly
of Christ’s atonement
5. Tells how the
law of justification works
6. Tells how we are
justified through works
7. Talks of the
election of grace
8. The status of
the chosen race
9. Why salvation
cannot come by the Law of Moses alone
10. Why
circumcision was done away in Christ
11. How and why
salvation was taken to the gentiles.
12. Tells about
joint heir-ship with Christ
(DNTC II p.
211-213.)
I. Possible reasons for the epistle
1. Rome would be a
good base of operations for his intended trip to Spain.
2. Rome was the
capital of the empire that Paul worked in.
3. Paul and his
companions owed much to Rome for their own protection.
4. For Paul to establish friendship with the
Saints in Rome before he visited there.
5. To combat the influence and false teachings
of the Judaizers there. 10 of 16 chapters are about the relationship of the
Jewish law to the Christian gospel.
6. To present a
systematic exposition of certain doctrines.
7. To remind the
Roman saints of the importance of unity.
8. Paul had many
good friends in Rome. Rom. 16 sends greetings to 28 individuals.
II. We know nothing for sure about
the origins of the Church in Rome, but here are 3 interesting notes.
1. Acts 2:10-
people converted on the Day of Pentecost may have started it.
2. The Catholics
maintain that Peter came to Rome about 42 AD during the reign of the Emperor
Claudius. Protestants most often disagree.
3. Claudius
expelled the Jews from Rome in 49 AD. Nero repealed this edict in 54. In 58 AD
we can assume that most of the Church members in Rome were not Jewish. Others
say that the edict did not have a large effect on the population of Jews, they
only stopped having meetings for a while.
Chapter
1
Vs. 1 - An apostle is one who is
sent forth. Note the footnote 1c.
Vs. 3 & 4 - Great verses on
Christ's dual nature as the son of David through Mary and Heavenly Father.
Vs. 5 - The JST gives us a clear
message about the relationship of faith and works.
Vs. 6 & 7 - A reminder to the
Saints in Rome and everywhere, that like Paul we are also called of Jesus to be
Saints.
Vs. 9 - Cross reference to 1 Nephi
1:5- Lehi prayer with all of his heart in behalf of his people.
Vs. 10 - Paul wants to visit Rome
Vs. 16- My green verse for the whole
book of Romans!
Vs. 17-23 - Those who chooses not to
follow God are condemned. They have changed God into an image made like to
corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping tings. (23)
Vs. 26-27 - A clear condemnation of
homosexuality. (See "Miracle of Forgiveness ch. 6)
Vs. 32- When I read this verse I
think about watching movies and delighting in the transgressions of others.
Chapter
2
Vs. 1-7 - How God judges.
Vs. 6 - "Deed is a translation
of the Gk. ergon. In the NT this word
is translated about 20 times as "deeds" but more than 150 times as
"works." ... About 20% of this epistle deals with faith and grace and
about 30% deals with works. Paul was speaking to both Jew and Gentile,
emphasizing different aspects of the gospel to each group, according to what
each needed to hear. (Ogden p. 171-172)
Vs. 11-15 - See Moroni 7:16. We will
all be judged according to our knowledge. Everyone with the Spirit of Christ
(everyone) knows right from wrong.
Vs. 22 - Remember the accusers of
the woman taken in Adultery? (John 8:7- BRM in MM3:142-143 says they were not
only sinners, they were adulterers.
Vs. 25 - How does this apply to our
baptism and temple covenants?
Chapter
3
Vs. 1-2 - Note the JST-those
following the Law of Moses over the years had been blessed. It came from God
and obedience to it therefore brought blessings.
Vs. 3 - A person believing or not
believing does not change truth!
Vs. 5-8 - Note the JST from the
appendix
Vs. 5- How can we expect God to be
just if he doesn't hold us accountable
Vs. 21-31Since,
as Paul says, all men sin, then no man can be justified (or restored to a
proper relationship with God) by works alone. Some intervening power must
bridge the gap. That power was provided by Jesus Christ. He lived the law
perfectly, had no sin, and therefore never estranged himself from God. In
addition, he sacrificed himself so that he could pay the debt of sin with his
own holiness for all men who would come unto him. His grace becomes the source
of their justification with God.
President
Joseph Fielding Smith clearly pointed out the role of both grace and works in
our salvation.
“There is a
difference between the Lord Jesus Christ and the rest of mankind. We have no
life in ourselves, for no power has been given unto us, to lay down our lives
and take them again. That is beyond our power, and so, being subject to death,
and being sinners—for we are all transgressors of the law to some extent, no
matter how good we have tried to be— we are therefore unable in and of
ourselves to receive redemption from our sins by any act of our own.
“This is the grace
that Paul was teaching. Therefore, it is by the grace of Jesus Christ
that we are saved. And had he not come into the world, and laid down his
life that he might take it again, or as he said in another place, to give us
life that we may have it more abundantly we would still be subject to death and
be in our sins . . . .
“So it is easy
to understand that we must accept the mission of Jesus Christ. We must
believe that it is through his grace that we are saved, that he performed for
us that labor which we were unable to perform for ourselves, and did for us
those things which were essential to our salvation, which were beyond our
power; and also that we are under the commandment and the necessity of
performing the labors that are required of us as set forth in the commandments
known as the gospel of Jesus Christ:” (Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:309–11.)
III. Robert Millet selected 7
doctrinal subjects from Romans;
1. Justification by
Faith in Christ (ch. 3-4)
He stressed that
salvation is through Christ and the works of the Mosaic Law and the works of
the world are insufficient to justify man. All persons must come to the
knowledge of the necessity but insufficiency of their own righteous actions.
See JST Rom 4:16.
2. Christ as the 2nd
Adam. (ch. 5)
A descriptive
comparison between Adam and Jesus.
Adam father of
Mortality - Jesus father of immortality
Adam brings death
- Jesus the Resurrection
Adam brought
universal condemnation - Jesus justification
3. Walking in
Newness of Life (ch. 6)
Through baptism we
accept of the atoning sacrifice; through going into the “watery grave,” we
participate in the Lord’s burial and his rise from the tomb. Baptism is the
channel by which one is both legally initiated into the church and also
spiritually initiated into the blessings of the atonement.
4. The Power of
Christ to change lives (ch. 7)
Paul - Before and
after.
The JST is
especially helpful
5. Heirs of God,
Joint Heirs with Christ (ch. 8)
6. Christ and True
Israel (ch. 9-11)
True Israel are
those who accept the true Promised Messiah
7. Newness of Life:
A process
There are few
instant Christians or sudden disciples.
(Studies
in Scripture 6:45-46)
Rome in the first
century was the third largest city in the Roman empire behind Alexandria, Egypt
and Antioch of Syria. It had a population of about 1 million people, mostly
very rich or very poor.
