Romans Chapter One Verses Two to Six

[Roy Heflin]

 

Romans 1:2-6

 

The next five verses in Romans have been named by

scholars as the Introduction section. The ground work is

presented here, telling us the subject matter the book will

be dealing with on a whole. We learn about the writer his

approach and motivation. We learn he was separated unto the

gospel of God. It is this gospel that the remainder of the

book continues to reveal in writing in Paul”s time both Jew

and gentile had the privilege of him teach orally . This same gospel is

reveled in living today by each individual instructed in

these truths.

Romans 1:1-3

 

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

The promise there was more good news to be delivered to

mankind was spoken of by Gods chosen prophets, many times

preceding life of Paul. A section of this foretelling can be

found in the book of Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 31:31-34

31 "The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them, " declares the LORD. 33 "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

Jeremiah 32:38-41

 

 

38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: 39 And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: 40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good ; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. 41 Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good , and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul

Jeremiah 33:3

 

 

3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things , which thou knowest not.

Note that at the time the book of Jeremiah was penned Gods will concerning and about the house of Israel and the house of Judah was not yet fully revealed. There were Prophets yet to come, Like Paul. More spiritual truth to

be made known. This Paul did as recorded in Romans.

In these Old Testament quotes the prophet is speaking to

"the house of Israel and the house of Judah" people who

were the descendants of Abraham. These were the individuals

making up the race called Jews at the time Romans was

written.

It is important to understand how the races of earth are

referred to according to biblical use.

In the New Testament the major classes are simple and

number only three. To illustrate:

1 Cor 10:31,32

 

 

31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God,

This covers everybody. All people are seen as belonging

to one of these three classes, Jew, Gentile, Church of God.

Jeremiah spoke of the new covenant God would establish with

the Jews. A new gospel for the Jews, but what about the rest

of the people ?

Isaiah 42:1-7

 

 

"Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. 2 He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. 3 A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth. 4 He will not fail nor be discouraged, Till He has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands shall wait for His law." 5 Thus says God the Lord, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, And spirit to those who walk on it: 6 "I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles, 7 To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the prison, Those who sit in darkness from the prison house.

The servant spoken of here is Jesus Christ. After the earthy ministry of Jesus Christ the new covenant was spoken by the apostles God sent to the Jews and

the Gentiles. Among the Jews and Gentiles some choose to

believe the words spoken, the good news, the gospel, these

people become what is called in the New Testament the

Church of God. This was a new event. This group did not

exist until after the arrival and subsequent ascension of

Jesus Christ. The new body was formed from the descendants of

Israel the Jews and the other descendants of Adam making up

the other nations. This new body started in Pauls time is one

in the same as the body of Christ as it is seen in Gods eyes

today. The same rules still apply that made a person a

Christian under the teaching of Paul right up to our present

day and will continue to apply until the next coming of Jesus

Christ.

Romans 1:16 contains a phrase confusing to many people.

Romans 1:16

 

 

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

The difficult part is "to the Jew first" This on the

surface does not harmonize with statements found other places

in the bible. Just a Chapter over in Romans we read "there is

no respect of persons with God" this truth is repeated again

in the book of Ephesians and made a third time in Colossians.

How does this line up ? How can God not be a respecter of

persons yet the gospel the power of God, the message of

salvation is to the Jew first ?

As best I understand this textual difficulty, the gospel is

first "to the Jews" in two ways.

One, historically. They were the first to hear the good

news being revealed on the day of Pentecost chronicled in

Acts chapter 2. This was the birthday of the new body and it

was to the Jews assembled for the yearly Pentecost

celebration that Peter first declared this great promise to:

Acts 2:38.39

 

 

38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."

The Jews were first in time to hear the gospel. It was

first spoken to them then as time move forward the truth of

the new covenant moved out from Jerusalem to the other

nations.

Secondly, in comprehension. Major portions of the Old

Testament teachings foretold of the coming Messiah. Many

parts of the Old Testament ritual were designed as images

supporting the coming of the Messiah, the redeemer, the

Christ. With this background the true believers of Israel

were to be expecting the good news and were lettered in the

basic need for a Savior to come, live the sinless life, and

be the final passover sacrifice. To the Jews the new covenant

was to be an extension of traditions they were raised around.

The Gentiles had to start afresh. Therefore comprehension

concerning the work of the redeemer would come to them second

to a Jewish body exposed to the same teaching, simply as a

result of how the learning process behaves.

Both Groups as they grew to accept the gospel would

by nature do what Paul did as mentioned in Romans 1:1

They became separated unto the gospel of God then they made

up the members of the church of God. In this separation they

share equal and complete salvation. Thus God is no respecter

of persons. The scriptures always harmonize when rightly

divided and correctly understood.

Isaiah 62:1-3

 

 

1 For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace , and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest , until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth . 2 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name , which the mouth of the LORD shall name. 3 Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God

Gods view, His vision for his great creation has yet to

be realized on earth.

Why ? Too many people are doing too many things wrong.

To set us straight God sent His prophets, His son, and His

Apostles, and His written word. In the short 16 Chapters of

the book of Romans we are told what to do so that we all are

on the proper course. Romans is written for people who have

hearts As did the prophet David.

Psalm 16:

 

 

1 Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust . 2 O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee; 3 But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. 4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer , nor take up their names into my lips. 5 The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. 6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. 7 I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel : my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. 8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved . 9 Therefore my heart is glad , and my glory rejoiceth : my flesh also shall rest in hope. 10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

In Romans 1:3 Paul a man once rooted in tradition, a

scholar confidant in his positions who spoke of and expounded

the meanings and relevance within the Old Testament is

inspired by God, and the apostle tells of us the most

vital subject to centralize upon.

Romans 1:3

 

 

3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

Why is Jesus Christ the focal point ? Read verse 4

Romans 1:4

 

 

4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

Now we are down to the hard part for a lot of people

and rightly so. Resurrection from the dead ? Where is your

proof and so on.

There is concrete proof of the resurrection of Jesus

Christ. It is shown by the power that is in the gospel to

change lives. When people act on the word of God situations

change for the better as promised in the word of God. Such

events can only take place as a result of the resurrection of

Gods son from the dead. When the church began to grow the

many of the original members of that body gave wittiness to the

resurrection of Christ by the lives they lived. There was

something different about them. Something better that the

unbelieving community could see and then desired to have. The

committed church members walked in love.

They had uplifted hearts full of hope.

They had answers to fill the needs of the spiritually hungry.

They had the ability to change lives.

People saw and still see the power to change the world

that comes from the influence of the believers who know

of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

If you doubt that the resurrection of Jesus took place

take a look around. The evidence of Jesus Christ having been

raised from the dead is readily found. Talk to the people who

know it has happened. They are your friends. Let each of them

explain to you why they believe it happened. The words of any

living soul who believes in the resurrection will provide a

better testimony than any that I could write.

Verses 5 and 6 continue to explain what the called

believers have received as a result of Gods loving

workmanship completed by the free will and faith of His son

Jesus Christ.

Romans 1:5,6

 

 

5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: 6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: