Redemption in Romans

It is extremely important that a student of the book of Romans understand the book’s historical background. Without that background, it will be difficult for the student to know what Paul is saying. Paul was writing to a specific group of Christians at a specific time for a specific reason; knowing, as much as possible, that reason will greatly benefit us in our study.

Let’s put ourselves in the Roman congregation, first-century church members and listen to Paul and the words that the Holy Spirit gave him at that time.

Paul’s messages to the Romans remain relevant to believers today, in every land and in most every situation. Hence, we need to heed prayerfully the words written here and apply them to our lives.  

Study Guide 1

Romans 16:1, 2 indicates that Paul probably wrote Romans in the city of Cenchreae, which was near the eastern port of Corinth, in Greece. Paul’s mention of Phoebe, a resident of greater Corinth, establishes that place as the likely background for the letter to the Romans.

One of the purposes of establishing the city of origin of the New Testament epistles is to ascertain the date of writing. Because Paul traveled much, knowing where he was at a particular time gives us a clue to the date.

Paul established the church at Corinth on his second missionary journey, A.D. 49–52 (see Acts 18:1–18). On his third journey, A.D. 53–58, he visited Greece again (Acts 20:2, 3), and at this time he received an offering for the saints in Jerusalem near the end of his journey (Rom. 15:25, 26).The Epistle to the Romans was, then, written probably in the early months of A.D. 58.

Visiting the Galatian churches, Paul discovered that during his absence false teachers had convinced the members to submit to circumcision and to keep to other precepts of the law of Moses. Fearing that his opponents might reach Rome before he arrived, Paul wrote a letter (Romans) to forestall the same tragedy happening in Rome. Some (but not all) scholars believe that the Epistle to the Galatians was written also from Corinth during Paul’s three months there on his third missionary journey, perhaps shortly after his arrival.

As we said, it is important in the study of any book of the Bible to know why it was written; that is, what situation it was addressing. Hence, it is important for our understanding of the Epistle to the Romans to know what were the questions agitating the Jewish and Gentile churches. Next week’s lesson will deal with these questions.

A letter is one thing, a personal visit another. That’s why Paul, even though he wrote to the Romans, announced in the letter that he intended to see them in person. He wanted them to know that he was coming, and why. Read Romans 15: 20-27.

The great missionary to the Gentiles felt constantly impelled to take the gospel to previously un-entered areas, leaving others to labor in areas where the gospel had been established. In the days when Christianity was young and the laborers few, it would have been a waste of valuable missionary power for Paul to work in already entered areas. He said, “So have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation,” so that “they that have not heard shall understand” It was not Paul’s purpose to settle down at Rome. It was his aim to evangelize Spain. He hoped to get the support of the Christians in Rome for this venture.

“But when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him” (Acts 28:16, NKJV).

Life can take some very strange turns. How often our plans, even the ones formulated in the best of intentions, don’t come out as we anticipated and hoped for. The apostle Paul did, indeed, get to Rome, but it probably wasn’t as he had expected.

When Paul reached Jerusalem at the end of his third missionary journey with his offering for the poor, which he collected from the congregations of Europe and Asia Minor, unexpected events awaited him. He was arrested and fettered. After being held prisoner for two years at Caesarea, he appealed to Caesar. Some three years after his arrest, he arrived in Rome, and (we can assume) not in the manner that he intended to when he first wrote to the Roman church years before about his intention to visit them.

‘Many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.’ Philippians 1:14

While it is true that God loves the world, in a special sense God loves those who have chosen Him, those who have responded to His love.

We see this in the human sphere. We love in a special way those who love us; with them there is a mutual exchange of affection. Love demands response. When the response is not forthcoming, love is limited in its fullest expression.

In some translations the phrase “to be” is in italics, which means that the translators have supplied the words. But they can be left out with the meaning intact. When they are omitted, we get the expression “called saints”; that is, “designated saints.”

Saints is the translation of the Greek hagioi, which literally means “holy ones.” Holy means “dedicated.” A saint is one who has been “set apart” by God. He or she still may have a long way to go in sanctification, but the fact that this person has chosen Christ as the Lord designates him or her as a saint in the Bible’s meaning of the term.

The great news of the gospel is that Christ’s death was universal; it was for all human beings. All have been called to be saved in Him, “called to be saints” even before the foundation of the world. God’s original intention was for all humanity to find salvation in Jesus. The final fire of hell was meant only for the devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41). That some folk don’t avail themselves of what was offered doesn’t take away from the wonder of the gift any more than someone who goes on a hunger strike in a marketplace takes away from the wonderful bounties found there.

It is not known how the congregation in Rome became established. The tradition that the church was founded by Peter or Paul is without historical foundation. Perhaps lay persons established it, converts on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem (Acts 2) who then visited or moved to Rome. Or perhaps at some later period converts moving to Rome witnessed to their faith in that world capital. It is surprising that, in a few decades from Pentecost, a congregation that apparently had received no apostolic visit should be so widely known.

“Faith” here probably includes the broader sense of faithfulness; that is, faithfulness to the new way of life they had discovered in Christ.

The three items that Paul selects as worthy of note in the Roman Christians’ experience are:

1. “Full of goodness.” Would people say this of our own experience? As they associate with us, is it the abundance of goodness in us that attracts their attention?

2. “Filled with all knowledge.” The Bible repeatedly emphasizes the importance of enlightenment, information, and knowledge. Christians are urged to study the Bible and to become well-informed as to its teachings.

3. “Able . . . to admonish one another.” No one can thrive spiritually if isolated from fellow believers. We need to be able to encourage others and, at the same time, be encouraged by others.

“While apparently cut off from active labor, Paul exerted a wider and more lasting influence than if he had been free to travel among the churches as in former years. As a prisoner of the Lord, he had a firmer hold upon the affections of his brethren; and his words, written by one under bonds for the sake of Christ, commanded greater attention and respect than they did when he was personally with them.”—E. G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 454.

As you study the Bible and particularly Romans it is apparent we were called to have salvation, even before the foundation of the world (see Titus 1:1, 2; 2 Tim. 1:8, 9). What an encouraging thought. It reveals God’s love for all human beings. The only tragedy is that so many people turn their backs on what has been so graciously offered them.

How has this study helped you?