The Reason for Our Studies in Romans

In this Series we hope to cover those issues of the Gospel which will constitute a review of the nature of the Gospel, and help us to see its wholeness, why it inspired Paul to travel and proclaim it incessantly, and so come to understand it that we will have a like passion for it, coming to comprehend how this Epistle covers the elements of universal human depravity, the wrath of God upon its evil, the liberation from wrath and judgement by the propitiatory act of the Cross, and the liberation for the law's condemnation to move out in the justification God has given, and to know the liberation from sin, to have power over it, and to know the sanctification God has provided in the Gospel and so experience holiness of life.

We will then delve into the conflict in the Christian life which comes as we would be obedient to the law, the power that sin seeks to exercise in that struggle and the freedom of practical holiness we come to know through the Holy Spirit. The doctrine of our Sonship of the Father and the inheritance we will have as sons, win lead us to see more elements of life in the Spirit, such as intercessory prayer, predestination and election and the assurance that nothing can separate us from the love of God.

We will then see Paul's idea of the obedience of faith as it relates to Israel and the church, the way of worship and holiness of life, the fullness of love in interpersonal community relationships, and the inspiration to share the powerful gospel with the nations that they might come to the obedience of faith.

All of this will lift our eyes from personal navel gazing, from grieving concerning our innate sinfulness which manifests itself in our fives so that we come to see that the gospel is so structured as to ensure us that the basis of our faith is viable, the exercise of it brings 'the joy of faith', and to see that faith always has its eschatological look to the holy telos when the nations come to the obedience of faith, ie. submission to Christ. It will release us from desiring experiences of spirituality which might seem to give us assurance that we are in the fullness of God's Fatherhood, the fullness of Christ and the fullness of the Holy Spirit. We will realise that we have all of these in, by, and from the gospel, so that we are indeed justified by faith, sanctified by God, that we live the life of faith in practical holiness, and that our present is greatly strengthened by that which is yet to come.

All of this material lies within the Epistle to the Romans, but of course we will look at supportive and explanatory materials from other parts of Scripture when we feel that is needful and helpful.

We conclude then that a study of the text of Romans will bring great benefit to us.