Introduction to Romans

 Dr. Gail E. Terrell
Pastor, Grace Baptist Church, Hamilton, Ohio

  1. Author.   Paul wrote Romans (1:1) in about 58 A.D. from Corinth during his third missionary journey.
     
  2. Recipients.   Romans is written to the Christians at Rome (1:7).   Every saved person and every church should receive its teachings so that all church members function together as a united church body.
     
  3. Theme.   The Gospel of Christ.
     
  4. Key verses.   1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:   for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.   For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith:   as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
     
  5. Key words used more in Romans than any other Biblical book:   law – 78 times; Christ – 67 times; faith ­ – 39 times; grace – 24 times; cognate forms of justify including justification, justified, justifier, justifieth – 17 times.
     
  6. References to the Lord’s church in Romans:
    1. The word church appears 5 times in Romans :
      1. 16:1   I commend unto you, Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea.   As a servant to her church, Phebe blessed many others.
      2. 16:4   Who have for my life laid down their own necks:   unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.   Priscilla and Aquila were faithful servants who helped many churches.
      3. 16:5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house.   Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.   Priscilla and Aquila opened their house so their church would have a place to meet together.
      4. 16:16 Salute one another with an holy kiss.   The churches of Christ salute you.   Churches share in fellowship and salutation.
      5. 16:23 Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you.   Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother.   The whole church at Corinth sent greetings to those at Rome .
    2. Body is used as a metaphor for any church with members that work together in unity.   12:4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.   Although not a member of the church body at Rome , Paul uses the editorial pronoun we to include any Christian in any church anywhere at any time.

  7. Romans has 16 chapters, 433 verses, and about 9,447 words.

Notes