The Book That Changed The World

December 28, 2016

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Romans 1:1-3
(RA-2039, Program: 0117, Air Date: 01.01.17)

I. INTRODUCTION
A. Many books have been written that have impacted our world, but no book has
ever influenced or impacted the world like the book of Romans in the New
Testament.
i. Martin Luther struggled to know God until he began studying the book of
Romans and then understood that we are saved by God’s grace and not by
works and was subsequently saved.
ii. Martin Luther was then instrumental in the Protestant Reformation which
had an immense impact throughout the world.
iii. St. Augustine was saved after reading the book of Romans.
iv. John Wesley became a Christian after he attended a Bible study on the
book of Romans at Aldersgate.
1. Out of that meeting at Aldersgate where John Wesley heard the
truth of God, the Methodist Church was born and the Wesleyan
Revival began.
B. The book of Romans has been called “The Constitution of Christianity.”
C. The book of Romans is a letter written from Corinth to the church at Rome.
i. Chapters 1-3 deal with the sin problem.
ii. Chapters 4-5 tell us about salvation.
iii. Chapters 6-8 deal with sanctification.
iv. Chapters 9-11 teach of God’s sovereignty.
v. Chapters 12-16 deal with service.
II. THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK OF ROMANS (Romans 1:1)
A. God the Holy Spirit is the ultimate author, but the human author was the Apostle
Paul.
i. Paul was a saved man.
1. Before his conversion, Paul was known as Saul.
a. He was named after King Saul of Israel, a prideful and
carnal man.
b. This Saul was himself filled with pride prior to salvation.
i. He was a Jew, one of the chosen.
ii. He was a Roman citizen, meaning he was a free
man.
iii. He was well-educated and fluent in many
languages.
iv. He was well-traveled.
 v. He was taught by Gamaliel, revered as the greatest
teacher in the world at that time.
vi. He was a Pharisee of the Pharisees, a leader of
leaders.
c. The name “Paul” means “little” or “small.”
i. 2 Corinthians 5:17
ii. Paul was a man of humility after his conversion.
d. Ephesians 3:8
e. 1 Corinthians 15:9
ii. Paul was a surrendered man.
1. Paul calls himself a servant in Romans 1:1.
a. The word “servant” in this Scripture literally means “bond
slave.”
i. Exodus 21:5-6
ii. We are either slaves to the bondage of sin or free in
Jesus Christ.
iii. John 8:36
iii. Paul was a sent man.
1. Romans 1:1 tells that Paul was called to be an Apostle.
2. 1 Corinthians 11:1
3. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are each called of Him, or sent, as
His witnesses.
a. Romans 1:6
iv. Paul was a separated man.
5.
1.Romans 1:1 states that Paul “separated unto the Gospel.”
a. This is not a negative separation, but a positive one.
b. We’re not separated from, we’re separated to.
c. The Greek word for “separated” in this passage means
“from off the horizon.”
i. Our center changes when we become Christians.
2. Christians are to be different; we have a different master - Jesus
Christ.
3. 2 Corinthians 6:17
III. THE HERO OF THE BOOK (Romans 1:1-3)
A. This book is written about the Lord Jesus Christ.
B. Jesus Christ is the center of Paul’s horizon.
C. Jesus is the Promised One.
. Romans 1:2
i. Jesus was promised throughout the Old Testament.
ii. One of the ways we know that Jesus Christ is the Messiah is because of
fulfilled Old Testament prophecies.
iii. John 5:39
D. Jesus is the Provided One.
. Romans 1:3-4
1. Jesus was not a divine man; He was and is the God-man.
 2. This passage speaks of Jesus’ absolute humanity and absolute
deity.
E. Jesus is the Powerful One.
. Romans 1:4
i. Acts 1:3
ii. Scholars have stated that there is more proof that Jesus Christ rose from
the dead than there is that Julius Caesar lived.
F. Jesus is the Pure One.
. Romans 1:4
i. Hebrews 7:26
ii. Jesus, in His humanity and deity, is totally sinless.
IV. THE SUBJECT OF THE BOOK (Romans 1:1)
A. The subject of the book is the Gospel.
. The Gospel did not originate with the church; the Gospel is of God’s Son.
B. Galatians 1:6-7
C. Galatians 1:8
D. Galatians 1:12
E. The source of the Gospel is Jesus Christ.
. Romans 1:1-3
i. You cannot take Jesus Christ out of Christianity and still have Christianity.
F. The supply of the Gospel is grace.
. Romans 1:5
i. We are saved by God’s grace.
V. CONCLUSION
A. The foundations of our faith are highlighted in the book of Romans.
B. The book of Romans shows us how we can have a relationship with Jesus Christ
and grow in that relationship.
C. If you do not know Jesus Christ personally, you can call upon Him today.
D. Romans 3:10
E. Romans 10:9-10