Romans Lesson 1

Lesson 1 (Romans 1:1-7)
Paul, the Apostle Set Apart

Chapter 1 of Romans begins by declaring three things: 1. Paul declares himself to be a bond-servant of Christ Jesus; 2. called as an apostle; 3. and set apart for the gospel of God.

1. What is a bond-servant?



My online dictionary defines it this way:
bond servant
–noun
1. a person who serves in bondage; slave.
2. a person bound to service without wages.

Most of us remember when we studied American history that many Europeans came to this country as indentured (bond)-servants. Their master put up th money (bond) to pay for their passage on board a ship in exchange for an agreed number of years they would serve without cost to the one who put up the bond. In like manner, our service to our God is the result of Jesus paying our passage into the kingdom of God for eternity. For that reason, He is worthy of our service in ministry.

2. How long and to what level of commitment should we serve Jesus, considering the perfect, sinless life He lived, and His willingness to take our place on the cross?



3. Why is his apostleship so important? (I Cor. 1:1; II Cor. 1:1; Gal. 1:1; Eph. 1:1; Col. 1:1; I Tim. 1:1; II Tim. 1:1; Titus 1:1; I Pet. 1:1)



4. What does it mean to be set apart?


5. Is anyone who is “in Christ” not set apart?


6. What is the gospel of God?


7. When was this gospel promised? 1:2



8. Who delivered the promise? 1:2b



9. By what medium did they deliver this gospel? 1:2c



10. About whom was this gospel? 1:3


11. To whom was Jesus’ kingship linked? 1:3b



There is a phrase called “the hypostatic union of Christ” it is crucial we understand. It has to do with the ontological (His being) nature of God. We believe in one God (Isaiah 43:10, 11) who manifests himself in three distinct persons, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matt. 3:16, 17; 28:18-20; Acts 5:3, 4; Jn. 1:1-3; 14:9). Jesus is the Son who always was, who made pre-incarnate appearances several times in the Old Testament, who came into the world in the body of a baby boy over two thousand years ago, who was and is, at one time completely man and completely God. Hypostatic refers to the perfect union of both of His characters, man and God. In His manhood, during his first coming, He relied entirely on the power of the Holy Spirit, which was given him without measure (Jn. 3:34), to live the perfect, sinless life that made Him God’s perfect, acceptable sacrifice for our sins.

11. What is so important about the resurrection? 3:4 cf. I Cor. 15:12-19)


12. According to Paul, who received grace and apostleship? 1:5a


13. What was the purpose of his calling? 1:5b
          to bring about . . .
          for . . .


14. How did Paul label the members of the church in Rome? 1:6



15. How did Paul describe the members of the church in Rome? 1:7a



16. What was Paul’s salutation? 1:7b



I think Paul’s choice to declare several important things about himself, his entourage, and his purpose are important clues about the critical nature of the letter he wrote to the Romans. The validity of the doctrines about which he wrote find their authority in his apostleship. The importance and authority of the gospel and hypostatic union of Christ Jesus, as well as His resurrection, establish the foundational doctrines of Christianity. And finally, the doctrine of election (whom you also are called), make this introduction of his letter to the Romans as full of insightful comments as any found anywhere in the New Testament. As we continue in this study, let us come to it with sharpened minds, ready to absorb the incredibly intense truths it will reveal to us, and committed to study them with a heightened sense of vigor.