The Book of Romans
Part 2: Paul’s Thesis

Scripture: Romans 1:7-17.

1. Paul Calls All Those Who Belong to Jesus Saints

Exodus 19:5-6a (ESV)
5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6a and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

1 Peter 2:9-10 (ESV)
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

2. Paul Sees Relationship with the People of God as an Essential Part of His Relationship with God

1 John 1:1-3 (ESV)
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

1 John 4:7-12 (ESV)
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
3. Paul Knows that All Christians Need to Keep Hearing the Gospel

4. Paul Knows that Only the Gospel Can Grant Righteousness to Sinners (vv. 16-17)

Habakkuk 2:4 (ESV)
4b …the righteous shall live by his faith.

Galatians 3:11 (ESV)
11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Romans 7:12 (ESV)
12 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

Romans 4:3-5 (ESV)
3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness…

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.