The Romans Road: a ‘Map’ to Eternal Life in Christ
1:18-23 – all men in their natural state suppress the knowledge of God
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it
evident to them.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and
divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but
they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of
corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
2:1-6 – even outwardly moral people must repent; they do not live up to God’s standard (sin is not just wrong acts; but what we are)
1 Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that
which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
2 And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such
things.
3 But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such
things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?
4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not
knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for
yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS:
2:12-15 – men have no excuse for their law-breaking; for God’s law is written in man’s conscience
12 For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all
who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law;
13 for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law
will be justified.
14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law,
these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing
witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through
Christ Jesus.
3:9-18 – God has given an authoritative testimony concerning man’s moral/spiritual condition (14 pt. indictment of man—‘no one seeks God’).
9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both
Jews and Greeks are all under sin;
10 as it is written,
“THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; 11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; 12 ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;
THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.”
13 “THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE,
WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING,” “THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS”;
14 “WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS”; 15 “THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD, 16 DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS, 17 AND THE PATH OF PEACE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN.” 18 “THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.”
3:19-20 – the WOG clearly says that no man will be saved by law-keeping (the law is a mirror to show us our sin; not a ladder to climb to heaven)
19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law,
so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; 20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the
Law comes the knowledge of sin.
3:23 – all have sinned
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
3:24-28 – justifying grace comes only through Christ’s redemptive work on Calvary
24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He
would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
27 Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a
law of faith.
28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.
4:4-6 – God only justifies the ungodly who believe upon Christ: those who are NOT hoping in their works
4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his
faith is credited as righteousness,
6 just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits
righteousness apart from works:
5:6-10 – Christ died to save helpless, ungodly enemies of God
6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man
someone would dare even to die.
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the
wrath of God through Him.
10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His
Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
5:12 – death and sin entered the entire human race through Adam
12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—
6:23 – Death and hell are what we deserve (earn); but salvation is a free gift of God in Christ
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
8:5-8 – man is his natural state (not born again) cannot please God
5For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but
those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to
the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
10:9-13 – saving faith in Christ as Lord and Savior will be confessed verbally
9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God
raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he
confesses, resulting in salvation.
11 For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all,
abounding in riches for all who call on Him;
13 for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”
10:17 – the sinner must hear the gospel to be saved; faith comes by hearing
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.