Romans Outline

  1. [1:18-4:25] Justification by Faith
    1. [1:18-3:20] We cannot gain righteousness from the law
      1. [1:18-32] God’s judgement is revealed against sin
      2. [2:1-5] You are just as much under judgement as those you condemn
        • [2:1] If you judge others, you automatically condemn yourself
        • [2:2] God has a standard of judgement
        • [2:3] Do you think that the fact that God has not judged you yet, means he has forgotten?
        • [2:4-5] Whereas actually he is giving you time to repent, else you will be punished in the end
      3. [2:6-11] God’s judgement is according to his standards and impartial for both Jews and Gentiles
      4. [2:12-3:8] Having the law does not give Jews a special status
        • [2:12-16] On the Day of Judgement will not be about what law you have, but how well you do what the law requires
        • [2:17-29] The limitations of the Old Covenant
          • [2:17-24] You may think you have a very special relationship with God because you have the law, but if you don’t keep it, the opposite is true—you dishonour God.
          • [2:25-29] Your status as a Jew through circumcision is worth nothing unless you keep the law. A Gentile who obeys the law is more Jewish than you!
        • [3:1-8] Problems
          • [3:1-4] Problem 1: What advantage is it to be a Jew? —there are many advantages
          • [3:5-8] Problem 2: Is God unjust to condemn actions that bring him glory —no, else he couldn’t judge anyone
      5. [3:9-18] Jews can be as evil as Gentiles
      6. [3:19-20] Therefore no-one can make themselves righteous by the law
    2. [3:21-4:25] Righteousness by faith
      1. [3:21-26] Justification and the Righteousness of God
      2. [3:27-31] By Faith Alone: initial statement
      3. [4:1-25] Proof from Abraham
        • [4:1-8] Faith & Works
        • [4:9-12] Faith & Circumcision
        • [4:13-22] Faith, Promise and the Law
        • [4:23-25] Abraham’s faith related to ours
  2. [5-8] New life and New hope
    1. [5:1-5] Summary of argument so far and forward to the end of chapter 8
    2. [5:6-21] Reconciled by Christ’s death
      1. [5:6-11] Reconciliation—an act of God’s love
      2. [5:12-21] Parallel between Christ and Adam
    3. [6:1-23] Freedom from sin through grace
      1. [6:1-11] Union with Christ—Living a new life
      2. [6:12-14] Not under law but under grace
      3. [6:15-23] Living as people who are free from sin
    4. [7:1-25] Inability of the law to bring freedom
      1. [7:1-6] Released from the law
      2. [7:7-12] Is the law sinful?
      3. [7:13-21] The law has no power against sin
    5. [8:1-17] Victory in Christ through the Spirit
      1. [8:1-4] Christ has freed us from the law
      2. [8:5-11] Christ lives in you through the Spirit
      3. [8:12-17] Let by the Spirit to cry “Abba”
      4. [8:18-25] Our hope of Glory
      5. [8:26-27] The Spirit’s help in prayer
      6. [8:28-30] Chosen and loved
    6. [8:31-39] Conclusion: Nothing can separate us from the love of God
  3. [9:1-11:36] God’s Future for Israel
    1. [9:1-5] Introduction—Paul is grieved by Israel�s’ rejection of the Gospel
    2. [9:6-29] Not all Israel are of Israel—God’s sovereignty (Israel has no automatic right)
      1. [6-9] Has God failed?
        • No, because he never intended to save every single child of Abraham
        • Two questions: How is his word to be performed and Who are the true seed of Abraham?
      2. [10-13] In order to answer these two questions, Paul needs to talk about election
      3. [14-18] This raised the accusation “God is not fair”
      4. [19-23] Another protest about God’s fairness, but who can question the right of the potter?
      5. [24-26] God has a right to extend mercy to the Gentiles as well as the Jews and call them his sons
      6. [27-29] But a remnant of Israel will also be saved
    3. [9:30-10:21] Israel has “missed the Gospel” and is totally without excuse
      1. [9:30-33] Israel tried to gain righteousness through the law
      2. [10:1-4] They had a lot of zeal for their own way of serving God, but rejected Christ
      3. [10:5-13] The Gospel is not about self-effort but is about believing and trusting
      4. [10:14-21] God has constantly reached out to them, but they rejected him
    4. [11:1-32] but God has purpose for Israel that will demonstrate his kindness & mercy
      1. [1-6] Even now there is a remnant saved (including Paul!)
      2. [7-10] But many are hardened
      3. [11-15] Yet God has a purpose—to bring salvation to a greater number of people
      4. [16-24] Picture of root and branches—Gentiles should not be complacent
      5. [25-32] Future revival among the Jews, in God’s grace and mercy
    5. [11:33-36] Conclusion: To him be the glory forever.
  4. The life that pleases God [12:1-15:13]

Andrew Fountain, 2006   Back to loveintruth.com/teaching