Chapters 1-4
The first four chapters of Romans give an explanation of how, in the gospel of Jesus the Messiah, Gods righteousness (his consistency with his own justice and his faithfulness to his covenant) is revealed. Generic human, and pagan, and Jewish unrighteousness is exposed, Gods judgment described, and the helplessness and guilt of fallen humanity declared. Gods action in and through Jesus (in particular, through the faithfulness of Jesus as true Israel who rendered ultimate Obedience in his atoning-death) enables him to keep his promise to Abraham and thus, at one and the same time be consistent with his own justice and faithful to his covenant. Thus God brings into being a single Jew-Gentile family, a renewed covenant people, and these people are declared to be right with God not on the basis of human endeavour, Jewish privilege, or works-of-torah but purely through faith in Jesus. And looking back, this is seen to be Gods intention all along as revealed in his covenant with Abraham and Abrahams own prefiguring of restored humanity.
Chapters 5-8
Chapters five to eight further explain Gods gospel accomplishment and revelation already described in the first four chapters. Showing that Gods people in Christ is the true humanity, these chapters set out the
achievement of Jesus in such a way as implants in the worldview of the Gentile church the scriptural narrative through which they may discover their own place on the map of Gods purpose. Gods renewed covenant people is a Christ-people and no longer an Adam-people. These people, through Jesus messianic atoning death and the work of the Spirit have experienced a new exodus, have become the true torah-keepers (Gods redemptive-historical use of torah and the relationship of Adamic Israel to torah are explained along the way), and are now being led through the wilderness to the glory inheritance which is not just for them but for the whole cosmos. Salvation is assured.
Chapters 9-11
This, of course, raises (again) the question of Israel, the called and privileged people of God, the chosen instrument by which he intended to keep his promise to Abraham and thus restore the world. If God has accomplished the true exodus in the work of Jesus and the Spirit, what about the people of the original exodus? How can the gospel be a revelation of Gods faithfulness and justice if Israel is left out or rejected? Chapters nine to eleven address these questions, demonstrating, by a retelling of the Israel story from Abraham through to Pauls day, that God was sovereign in and through the hardness of heart and the misdirected zeal of Israel, using them to bring about his purpose which was a renewed covenant and a deeper and truer way of keeping torah. This deeper way of keeping torah, namely, obedient trust in and loyalty to Jesus was, of course, open to Jews and Gentiles alike. But just as, mysteriously, Messiah was rejected and then raised, so Paul is confident that Israels rejection will be matched and followed by resurrection as, over time, many (though not all) Jews come, by faith in Jesus, to be part of the true Israel reconfigured and redefined in Jesus.
Chapters 12-16
The last section of the letter, chapters twelve to sixteen, brings the announcement of the gospel and the exposition of redemptive history contained in the preceding eleven chapters down into the lives of the mainly Gentile congregations of Christians in Rome. Living as the people of the renewed covenant will means worship, holiness, and unity, looking back to what God has done and forward to his worldwide purposes for the future. Christians learn to relate to each other and to outsiders in the light of the gospel and this means mutual love, as well as challenge to and gratitude for the civil authorities. In particular, justification on the basis of faith alone requires fellowship on the basis of faith alone so that matters which previously divided Jews and Gentiles must do so no longer. Gods purpose of a worldwide people united in praise under Messiahs rule is to be worked out in little congregations in Rome and, through Pauls mission, far further afield too. Even the paragraphs of personal greetings illustrate and reinforce the Christian unity of Gods renewed covenant people.
For more see here.
The first four chapters of Romans give an explanation of how, in the gospel of Jesus the Messiah, Gods righteousness (his consistency with his own justice and his faithfulness to his covenant) is revealed. Generic human, and pagan, and Jewish unrighteousness is exposed, Gods judgment described, and the helplessness and guilt of fallen humanity declared. Gods action in and through Jesus (in particular, through the faithfulness of Jesus as true Israel who rendered ultimate Obedience in his atoning-death) enables him to keep his promise to Abraham and thus, at one and the same time be consistent with his own justice and faithful to his covenant. Thus God brings into being a single Jew-Gentile family, a renewed covenant people, and these people are declared to be right with God not on the basis of human endeavour, Jewish privilege, or works-of-torah but purely through faith in Jesus. And looking back, this is seen to be Gods intention all along as revealed in his covenant with Abraham and Abrahams own prefiguring of restored humanity.
Chapters 5-8
Chapters five to eight further explain Gods gospel accomplishment and revelation already described in the first four chapters. Showing that Gods people in Christ is the true humanity, these chapters set out the
achievement of Jesus in such a way as implants in the worldview of the Gentile church the scriptural narrative through which they may discover their own place on the map of Gods purpose. Gods renewed covenant people is a Christ-people and no longer an Adam-people. These people, through Jesus messianic atoning death and the work of the Spirit have experienced a new exodus, have become the true torah-keepers (Gods redemptive-historical use of torah and the relationship of Adamic Israel to torah are explained along the way), and are now being led through the wilderness to the glory inheritance which is not just for them but for the whole cosmos. Salvation is assured.
Chapters 9-11
This, of course, raises (again) the question of Israel, the called and privileged people of God, the chosen instrument by which he intended to keep his promise to Abraham and thus restore the world. If God has accomplished the true exodus in the work of Jesus and the Spirit, what about the people of the original exodus? How can the gospel be a revelation of Gods faithfulness and justice if Israel is left out or rejected? Chapters nine to eleven address these questions, demonstrating, by a retelling of the Israel story from Abraham through to Pauls day, that God was sovereign in and through the hardness of heart and the misdirected zeal of Israel, using them to bring about his purpose which was a renewed covenant and a deeper and truer way of keeping torah. This deeper way of keeping torah, namely, obedient trust in and loyalty to Jesus was, of course, open to Jews and Gentiles alike. But just as, mysteriously, Messiah was rejected and then raised, so Paul is confident that Israels rejection will be matched and followed by resurrection as, over time, many (though not all) Jews come, by faith in Jesus, to be part of the true Israel reconfigured and redefined in Jesus.
Chapters 12-16
The last section of the letter, chapters twelve to sixteen, brings the announcement of the gospel and the exposition of redemptive history contained in the preceding eleven chapters down into the lives of the mainly Gentile congregations of Christians in Rome. Living as the people of the renewed covenant will means worship, holiness, and unity, looking back to what God has done and forward to his worldwide purposes for the future. Christians learn to relate to each other and to outsiders in the light of the gospel and this means mutual love, as well as challenge to and gratitude for the civil authorities. In particular, justification on the basis of faith alone requires fellowship on the basis of faith alone so that matters which previously divided Jews and Gentiles must do so no longer. Gods purpose of a worldwide people united in praise under Messiahs rule is to be worked out in little congregations in Rome and, through Pauls mission, far further afield too. Even the paragraphs of personal greetings illustrate and reinforce the Christian unity of Gods renewed covenant people.
For more see here.
