Romans 1:7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
· Written to the Christians in Rome, both Jews and Gentiles
Purpose of Romans and the other epistles of Paul
Romans 16:25-26 Paul was obeying the commandment of the everlasting God to make manifest (make known, reveal) the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began to all nations for the obedience of faith that we are set fast according to the gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ.
The mystery
· Ephesians 5:32 Christ and the church.
· Colossians 1:26 which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
· We have to realize Romans and the other epistles of Paul were written at dawn of the church age. Paul was revealing the mystery of the Church, the body of Christ
· Read Ephesians 3:1-12
· Ephesians 6:19 ¶ the gospel,
Compare Romans 16: 26 and 1Corinthians 15:3-4
· But now is made manifest - By Paul
· and by the scriptures of the prophets - - - according to the scriptures\
· When we see the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus in the scriptures of the prophets (the Old Testament) it is because we have the writings of Paul and the other New Testament authors.
· What was revealed to Paul was the mystery hidden within the scriptures of the prophets (the Old Testament)
· Remember the well known statement: the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed; the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.
· 1Timothy 3:14-16 ¶ These things write I unto thee . , .
Ø Reason for his epistles: that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God,
Ø Purpose of the church: the pillar and ground of the truth.
Ø The truth: the mystery of godliness
Errors being taught within the early churches.
· Replacement theology
· Gentiles must be brought under the law after salvation
· Since we are under grace it does not matter is we continue in sin.
Paul addresses these heresies in Romans.
Romans is a letter of questions. These questions are not used for the basis of true doctrine but usually to point out false doctrine or false thinking. Ten times questions are followed "God forbid". See Romans 6:1-2