The Text Romans 11:33–36 (CSB) 33 Oh, the depth of the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments and untraceable his ways! 34 For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? 35 And who has ever given to God, that he should be repaid? 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things....
The Text Romans 11:25-32 (CSB) 25 I don’t want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you will not be conceited: A partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, The Deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob....
The Text Romans 11:16-24 (CSB) 16 Now if the firstfruits are holy, so is the whole batch. And if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 Now if some of the branches were broken off, and you, though a wild olive branch, were grafted in among them and have come to share in the rich root of the cultivated olive tree, 18 do not boast that you are better than those branches....
The Text Romans 11:11–32 (CSB) 11 I ask, then, have they stumbled so as to fall? Absolutely not! On the contrary, by their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous. 12 Now if their transgression brings riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fullness bring! 13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles....
The Text Romans 11:1–10 (CSB) 1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? Absolutely not! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Or don’t you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he pleads with God against Israel? 3 Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars....
The Text Romans 10:14–21 (CSB) 14 How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news. 16 But not all obeyed the gospel....
The Text Romans 10:1–13 (CSB) 1 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God concerning them is for their salvation. 2 I can testify about them that they have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 Since they are ignorant of the righteousness of God and attempted to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes,...
Lamentations 3:22–23 (CSB) Because of the LORD’s faithful love we do not perish, for his mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness! The Text Romans 9:23–33 (CSB) 23 And what if he did this to make known the riches of his glory on objects of mercy that he prepared beforehand for glory— 24 on us, the ones he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?...
Lamentations 3:22–23 (CSB) Because of the LORD’s faithful love we do not perish, for his mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness! The Text Romans 9:14–23 (CSB) 14 What should we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! 15 For he tells Moses, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion....
Lamentations 3:22–23 (CSB) Because of the LORD’s faithful love we do not perish, for his mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness! The Text Romans 9:1–13 (CSB) 1 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience testifies to me through the Holy Spirit— 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the benefit of my brothers and sisters, my own flesh and blood....
The Introduction Romans 8:38–39 (CSB) For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. In these days, we have Christians contending that their faith would be unshaken if the resurrection never took place....
The Text Romans 8:37 (CSB) No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. All of the questions, pushbacks, and opposition that Paul was facing with teaching this one particular truth of God as a through but simple exposition of Christ’s own words when He said: John 10:28–30 (CSB) I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand....
The Introduction Romans 8:36 (CSB) As it is written: Because of you we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. So what if a little “tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?”1 comes our way? God promises suffering for his saints. There is no way around it. Just in case you are at odds with the rest of the authors of the Bible and only want the “red letter edition”, let us consider the words of Christ himself:...
The Introduction Romans 8:35 (CSB) Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? I am not here to try to define for you what each of these circumstances means. I am 43 years old who lives in the Bible Belt of the United States and have been a believer for a quarter of my life....
The Introduction Romans 8:34 (CSB) Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. Let’s try to find a verse that sums up the whole Bible concerning the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and you will have your choice of a few verses: John 3:16 (CSB) For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life....
The Introduction Romans 8:33 (CSB) Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. This world and its inhabitants, princes, rulers, and principalities crouching, and ready to pounce and devour your heart and soul. They are not always going to do it with outright accusations, but they might resort to that. “Look at your life! Look at all the mistakes you’ve made! You can’t even stay married....
The Introduction Romans 8:32 (CSB) He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything? I could sit here and blast you with God’s holy words about God alone provides for us, and we need nothing. Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. It is more than “I don’t want” like we are monks in Timbuktu living off the land but rather, because God adopted us, we are co-heirs with the One who has inherited all things....
The Introduction And here is love: Romans 8:31 (CSB) What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? The love of God cannot be simply defined by the merest of affections and words that we might share with one another. Is our relationship to our spouse, children, family, coworkers, or neighbor compare to one’s relationship with God? Although our relationships should be held in the light of God’s relationship with us, it is preposterous to think that anybody we know would compare to God is perfect in all things especially when it comes to love....
The Introduction And here is love: Romans 8:30 (CSB) And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified. Our God We look up all of Romans 8:30 as a chain that begins and ends with God. To that end, predestination and glorification are things that our minds cannot fully fathom. But we rest assure that every single person predestined is called is justified is glorified....
The Introduction Romans 8:30 (CSB) And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified. This is the steadfast chain of salvation that links us to God forever and ever. Predestination is God’s mere thoughts, affections, will, and decisions towards us. From eternity past, God thought of us specifically and was mindful of us intentionally. Calling is the voice of God that actively makes us alive in our dead and sinful state....
The Introduction And here is love: Romans 8:30 (CSB) And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified. So if there was nothing in us to attract, sway, or convinced God to love us and save us, what did God see in us before He saved us? There is a war in our world to determine the value of a human’s life....
The Text Romans 8:30 (CSB) And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified. The Introduction We have now established that God loved us not just for the sake of love by itself. It is a warm and sentiment notion to be sure but when it comes to God, it is not just simply His love as though he can be reduced to one feeling....
The Text Romans 8:29 (CSB) For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. The Introduction When we carefully walked through verse 29 of Romans 8, we saw that there was more than a few questions that rose to the top, namely: What did God saw in us? We now know that he didn’t see anything good, righteousness or lovely....
The Introduction This entire series has been trying to pit the world’s definition of love versus God’s definition of love. And perhaps up until this moment, we have never taken that to actual task. What I mean by that is that comparatively speaking, if I speak of God’s love, we can still find something like that in on earth. For example, the laughter of a tiny infant to their parents’ goo-goo and gah-gah sounds....
The Text Romans 8:29 (CSB) For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. The Introduction When we speak of Romans 8, most Christians rightfully cling to the verse 1: There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. But Romans 8:1 is not the very first line of this epistle from Paul to the church in Rome....
The Introduction So we have firmly established that God did not look into the future and see that I was good enough to be saved. I did not make the right decision to be saved or do a bunch of “good” works to be saved. We now know that from eternally past, God looked upon me and saw my wickedness, my evilness, my sins, and trespasses and graciously, sovereignly, completely, and mightily decided to save me if for no other reason other than for His glory....
The Introduction The Text Romans 8:29 (CSB) For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. The Support There are many verses that can be used to aptly say what verse twenty-nine so succinctly and definitely says here. I can think of two passages: 1 Peter 1:20-21 (CSB) He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was revealed in these last times for you....
The Introduction The Text Romans 8:28 (CSB) 28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. The Support Our God Herein lies love: all things work together for good for those who love God. Within our world, one might dare to ask, “What about those who don’t love God? What about my friend or neighbor or co-worker who is basically a good guy or gal?...
The Introduction The Text Romans 8:27 (CSB) And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. The Support Where do you see God in the text? What does the text say about God? Our God This is a fantastic God What compares to the knowledge of God when He alone reveals all truth and science to us?...
The Introduction When coming to the full acknowledgment of the pain and anguish of sin that he seems to never be able to overcome, Paul cries the same incredible prayer in the same spirit as the tax collector in the synagogue: “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”[^1] And I believe the totality of Romans 8 is the extended, thorough, exegetical explanation to his powerful nine-word answer: “Thanks be to God through Christ Jesus our Lord!...
The Introduction The last time we were in Romans, we examined that if we are in Christ, who will bear witness for us in the sight of God. But it has been a long time since we have been in Romans. To catch us up, lets go all the way back: Romans 7: Who will save me from this body of death? Romans 8:1-4: Who will save my from condemnation?...
The Introduction The Text Romans 8:14–17 (CSB) 14 For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” 16 The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children,...
If Jesus was obedient, even unto death on the cross, to become our sin by the power of the Holy Spirit, how do you think we are suppose to be killing off sin? In other words, if the mighty men of David had to continue slaying giants in the land, what do you think the brothers and sisters are Christ are called to do with their sin? The Introduction So through prayer and reading the word, I pray that you are working out your own salvation with an actual fear, reverence, awe, worship, and love for our great King....
The Introduction The Text Romans 8:5–11 (CSB) 5 For those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on the things of the Spirit. 6 Now the mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit to God’s law....
The Introduction Now, by the sacrifice of Christ all the sins of the Church are entirely put away. He, the sinless Lamb of God, took them up and bore them away into a land of oblivion, whence even the Divine mind fails to recall them. Octavius Winslow, No Condemnation in Christ Jesus. The Text Romans 8:1–4 (CSB) 1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus,...
The Introduction I think one of the most remarkable things that God, through his word, teaches us two things: and/both either/or I noticed that so many debates on social media are people desperate to find a one side to contend for and be on the winning side. Speaking about the Bible: lets talk about drinking alcohol. Some people’s conscience cannot bear to drink alcohol for themselves. That is called self-control....
The Introduction The chaptering of Romans is a little bit off. I am not saying I could have done a better job–I definitely could not. But Romans 6-7:7 seems to be grouped together and I taught it as so: Romans 6:1-14 God Kills Our Sin Romans 6:15-23 God Buries Our Sin Romans 7:1-6 God Rips Our Sin From Us We see what God is willing to do to save each of his children....
The Introduction Licentiousness - I am not going to use this word too often because mostly I cannot say it well enough to use it often. Paul, under the lordship, guidance, inspired, command of Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit, battles legalism in Romans chapters 2 to 4. And if you think Paul is too hard on legalism, he is simply taking his cues from the ministry of Christ in the gospel....
The Introduction So, you are reading and studying Romans. You are convicted and comforted by the fact that you could have not done anything good enough to be saved by God. You convicted and comforted in the fact that God in his grace must save you to him. You cannot boast in other than God. You cannot earn your salvation–you can only receive God’s gift of salvation, grace, mercy, faith, and love....
The Introduction Follow me here. I am reading Romans in this way: Chapter 1 - split in three different ways: 1-15: Introduction and Greetings 16-17: The righteous shall live by faith 18-32: The depravity of mankind Then proceeding into chapters 2, 3 and 4 can be summarized in this way: you are not saved in the way you think you are Chapter 2: it was never by the law Chapter 3: no one is righteous Chapter 4: you cannot boast in your obedience Or to put in another way: the children of Abraham believed God and it is counted to them as righteousness....
The Introduction In a Bible Study series as this, it is always really helpful to remind us where we have been studying in order to see where we are going. Romans is not the exception. Romans 1 - The gospel is the power of God in salvation but we have all suppress the truth of God and therefore live in that sin Romans 2 - God’s kindness is meant for your repentance....
The Introduction The Text Romans 5:6–11 (CSB) 6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. 8 But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us....
The Introduction The Text Romans 5:1–5 (CSB) 1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance,...
The Introduction The Text Romans 4:13–25 (CSB) 13 For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would inherit the world was not through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 If those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made empty and the promise nullified, 15 because the law produces wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression....
The Introduction The Text Romans 4:6–12 (CSB) 6 Likewise, David also speaks of the blessing of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 7 Blessed are those whose lawless acts are forgiven and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the person the Lord will never charge with sin. 9 Is this blessing only for the circumcised, then? Or is it also for the uncircumcised?...
The Introduction The Text Romans 3:27–4:5 (CSB) 27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By one of works? No, on the contrary, by a law of faith. 28 For we conclude that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too?...
The Text Romans 3:9–26 (CSB) 9 What then? Are we any better off? Not at all! For we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin, 10 as it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one. 11 There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away; all alike have become worthless....
The Introduction The Text Romans 3:1–8 (CSB) 1 So what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2 Considerable in every way. First, they were entrusted with the very words of God. 3 What then? If some were unfaithful, will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? 4 Absolutely not! Let God be true, even though everyone is a liar, as it is written: That you may be justified in your words and triumph when you judge....
The Introduction The Text Romans 2:17–29 (CSB) 17 Now if you call yourself a Jew, and rely on the law, and boast in God, 18 and know his will, and approve the things that are superior, being instructed from the law, 19 and if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light to those in darkness, 20 an instructor of the ignorant, a teacher of the immature, having the embodiment of knowledge and truth in the law—...
The Text Romans 2:1–16 (CSB) 1 Therefore, every one of you who judges is without excuse. For when you judge another, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things. 2 Now we know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is based on the truth. 3 Do you think—anyone of you who judges those who do such things yet do the same—that you will escape God’s judgment?...
The Introduction The Text Romans 1:26–32 (CSB) 26 For this reason God delivered them over to disgraceful passions. Their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 The men in the same way also left natural relations with women and were inflamed in their lust for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the appropriate penalty of their error....
The Introduction The Text Romans 1:18–25 (CSB) 18 For God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth, 19 since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, that is, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what he has made....
The Introduction The Text Romans 1:16–17 (CSB) 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith. The Support Galatians 3:11–14 (CSB) Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because the righteous will live by faith....
The Introduction The Text Romans 1:13–15 (CSB) 13 Now I don’t want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I often planned to come to you (but was prevented until now) in order that I might have a fruitful ministry among you, just as I have had among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am obligated both to Greeks and barbarians, both to the wise and the foolish....
The Introduction The Text Romans 1:8–12 (CSB) 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you because the news of your faith is being reported in all the world. 9 God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in telling the good news about his Son—that I constantly mention you, 10 always asking in my prayers that if it is somehow in God’s will, I may now at last succeed in coming to you....
The Introduction The Text Romans 1:1–7 (CSB) 1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures— 3 concerning his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who was a descendant of David according to the flesh 4 and was appointed to be the powerful Son of God according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection of the dead....
The Introduction The Text Romans 1:1 (CSB) Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God The Support The Damascus Road Acts 9:1-25 (CSB) Now Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. He went to the high priest and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem....
Updated: January 9, 2022 - Fixed formatting, links, images, and order of preference. -Ed. Here just the very small list of resources on Romans that I have found most helpful. It Goes Without Say The Holy Bible Many times, many teachers, preachers, and small group leaders (myself included) will “cut straight to the chase” and engage the commentary instead of engaging the Word of God. Remember, the commentaries are not without error—they are the observations of the author....