TEACHING NOTES Introduction ‌This series is meant to discover Paul’s answer to why the world’s gone mad. The clearest answer is found in Romans 1. This passage will show us why and how a culture becomes divided and immoral. This series is not meant to give us ammunition to judge the world, but to ensure that the church doesn’t follow in the world’s footsteps. ‌ Romans 1:7 ESV 7 To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ‌ Loved by God, called to be saints = Paul is writing to the church in Rome who are already believers. In fact, all of the NT letters are written to believers. ‌ Romans 1:15 ESV 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. ‌ Paul wants to preach the gospel to the church in Rome. Why? Apparently, the church can get off track and needs to be corrected. ‌ While Paul is going to describe why the world’s gone mad, his focus is on the church. The church is the group that needs clarity and correction. ‌ It’s not the church’s job to prevent the world from going mad, but to prevent the church from going mad. ‌ When the church is afraid of truth and more concerned with fitting into the culture, the church has gone mad. ‌ Romans 1:16–17 ESV 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” ‌ Not ashamed = Grk. ou epaischynomai - Literal translation “I am absolutely not ashamed.” The word for “ashamed” Paul used refers to feeling pain or loss of status. Therefore, Paul is saying “I feel absolutely no shame or loss because of the Gospel.” Keep in mind that Paul actually lost his status as a wealthy leader in the Pharisees. But Paul never counted that as a loss, but as a great gain. ‌ The Gospel = Grk. euangelion - the good news. The Gospel is the good news about how the Creator loved humanity so much that He sent Jesus to rescue us from the powers of evil. Paul believed the Gospel was absolute truth for all people. ‌ If we believe the Gospel, then we must also believe everything else taught in Scripture—even the “offensive” parts. ‌ It is the power of God for salvation = For Paul, only the truth of the Gospel has the power to save us from our own evil. ‌ 1 Cor. 1:17-18 “17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” ‌ The Gospel of Truth is the power of God to save sinners. ‌ The modern church operates as if the clever schemes of professional pastors are the power of God to save sinners. ‌ To the Jew first and also to the Greek = Jesus and the Gospel came from Jewish roots and was delivered first to the Jews then to the Gentiles. This is actually a major theme of Romans because the Jewish Christians were in conflict with Gentile Christians within the church in Rome. Paul’s entire letter to the Romans is meant to solve the divisions between Jewish and Gentile believers. ‌ In it the righteousness of God is revealed = The Gospel story reveals at least two layers of the righteousness of God: ‌ Right Relationship: The Gospel reveals how God makes us right with Him and restores our relationship with Him. Right Living: The Gospel reveals how God defines good and evil. ‌ Paul will shift in Rom. 1:18 from the righteousness of God being revealed (by the Gospel) to the wrath of God being revealed (by the culture). ‌ From faith for faith = This could also be translated, “beginning and ending in faith.” In the Bible “faith” means both belief and obedience (faithfulness). In other words, the Gospel begins with belief (declaring allegiance to Jesus) and continues with obedience (faithfulness). ‌ The righteous shall live by faith = Paul is quoting Hab. 2:4 “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.” The unrighteous live by their own ideas, but the righteous live by their trust in God. ‌ Problem: Too many Christians “believe” so they can go to heaven, but have little interest in living differently than unbelievers. ‌Why? They don’t want to give up worldly ideas and risk losing social status. ‌ Outline of Paul’s Argument: ‌There is no shame in the Gospel (Rom. 1:16). ‌The Gospel reveals the righteousness of God (Rom. 1:17). Suppression of truth reveals the wrath of God (Rom. 1:18-23). God’s Wrath = “God gave them up…” (Rom. 1:24-32) ‌