Romans 1-4 - Daily Epistle Summary

 Hello! After Ecclesiastes I'll summarize the epistles. The longer Epistles I'll divide into more parts. The book of Romans being one of the longer epistles and we'll do the first quarter of the book, Romans 1-4 first and tommorow 5-8.

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Romans Book Information

Testament: New

To: the Church in Rome

From: Paul

Chapter Count: 16.

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Chapter 1

Chapter 1 includes a greeting and introduction to Paul. In verses 5 and 6 Paul states that Gentiles, not only Israelites, are saved and are also called to belong to Jesus Christ. The second part of Romans 1 is about how Paul has longed to visit Rome. In Romans 1:16 we learn it is through the power of God people are saved. The third and longest theme in Romans 1 is called "God's Wrath Against Sinful Humanity.". The sinful and wicked people here ignore the Truth of God's power and holiness. However, these people actually knows God but did not glorify or thank Him but rather become foolish. This is Romans 1:21. Verse 22 and 23 confronts false religions, by saying these wicked people, become fools, though they claim to be wise, and exchange their god from a True, Righteous and Holy God to an idol whose genesis was the sculpting of thinking of man. These fools became sexually impure and immoral, they became sinful and adulterous. They have become greedy and depraved. They are full of envy and malice, and they gossip, slander, and hate. They know the punishment of such transgressions but continue and approve their evils.

Chapter 2

This chapter's first theme is called God's Righteous Judgement. It talks about how we should not judge one another, as whatever we condemn of others' deeds, we are condemning ourselves as we too are sinful. We are being arrogant and hypocritical when doing this. So, as human beings do not pass judgement. When we do this we are being stubborn and unrepentant and we are just adding more wrath against our own lives during the day of God's ultimate judgement - where there is a righteous and perfect judgement. This perfect judgement repays humans of all their deeds and accoording to their trespasses and virtues. This judgement repays those who follow evil and curse the Truth with torment and wrath, but repays those who seek glory and honor, those who are good, with eternal life. His Judgement is not favoritist - it does not favor the Jew over the Gentile, it does not favor the Male over the Female, nor does it favor the Rich over the Impoverished. Those who break God's Law will be punished by and accoording to it, and those who obey the Law will be declared righteous. So obey the law. The second part of Romans 2 is about the Jews and the Mosaic Law. This rebukes the Jews who take pride in their nationality and pride in the Mosaic Law. It also rebukes those who teach against a certain sin but actually commit that sin - we cannot be hypocrites or false teachers. It also regards the topic of circumcision. It tells us, that Circumcision is useless if we do not properly obey and follow God's moral laws. 

Chapter 3 

However, circumcision still has its value. Firstly, the Jews have been set apart and more distinctively chosen by God, and thus they have been entrusted with God's words. The first part of Romans 3 then continues to talk about faith. Verse 3&4 tells us everybody is unfaithful in some way and point and that human unfaithfulness does not nullify, it does not prove wrongly God's perfect faithfulness. (Saying some Christians are hypocrites/false believers/lukewarm Christians is an popular yet invalid argument against Christianity). Humans argue that if our unrighteousness can unveil God's more clearly, then God should have not brought wrath of any of us. However, this is invalid, since then God could not have delivered any judgement. The second part in Chapter 3 rebukes everyone - all of humanity. Nobody is truly righteous - not one single man. Nobody truly understands and nobody truly seeks God. Everyone has turned away and become wicked, they curse, shed blood, and practice deceit. The final part of this chapter tells us that righteousness is given by God through our faith in Jesus Christ. If everyone has true faith and obedience to Jesus, we are given righteousness. God is demonstrating His perfect righteousness when He presented Christ, His begotten and perfect Son as a sacrifice. Thus, we shall not boast.

Chapter 4 

Romans 4 is focused on one single topic: called "Abraham Justified by Faith". Since Paul was a Jew, it talks about the ancestor of all Jews: Abraham. It says, that, if Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about (farthening the previous topic about boasting in Chapter 3. Romans is an interconnected book, even throughout separate chapters.). The Scriptures say that Abraham's faith gave him righteousness. The worker's wages are an obligation, not a gift. However, for the one who does not work but trusts God, their faith gives them righteousness (it doesn't mean we shouldn't work). It quotes David's psalms (Psalms 32:1-2), saying that God justifies the ungodly, and those who are faithful (we should still have works for God). It also says circumcision is a sign and seal of righteousness by faith. Abraham's faith was unwavering, His faith for God's power and promise. 

That's all for today!