The Roman Road into Christ's Full Blessings
Romans 1
The Gospel (Good News - Christ, his death, burial and resurrection 1 Cor 15:1-4) is God's power to change lives.
Romans 1:16-17
16 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.
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
This chapter finished by condemning sins commonly practised by mankind.
Romans 2
Those who have God's Word are doubly condemned, because they know how they should live but do not.
Romans 2:11-13
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
Roman 3
All have sinned because there is none righteous by nature.
Romans 3:10-12
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Since we are sinners, we go on to commit sin, and fall short of God's standard..
Romans 3:23
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Contrast - God sent his Son to justify (wipe out the record of our sins)
Romans 3:24-25
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
Romans 4
Abraham is used as an example of faith, and the possibilities faith can achieve.
Romans 4:3
3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
The Just live by faith following Abraham's example who also lived by faith
Romans 4:24-25
24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
Romans 5
A man will have peace with God when he has been justified, meaning the record of His sin has been destroyed.
Romans 5:1-2
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
A sinner's justification is accomplished through Christ blood, and delivers us from God's wrath (anger) and therefore punishment.
Romans 5:9
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
The Story does not finish. We sinned because of a master called Sin who entered the world with Adam's Fall in the Garden of Eden
Romans 5:12
12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Roman 6
Christ took you and me into himself and we died with Christ on the cross. We were buried with Christ, so we could rise with Christ, and walk in a new life.
Romans 6:3-4
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
This is the secret behind the Christian's deliverance from his old master (SIN), and the power to live a victrious life.
Romans 6:6-7 (KJV)
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Romans 7
Law of Marriage is states "until death us do part." Paul explains, by our death with Christ, the law binding us to our old "husband" sin is nullified and we are free to marry Christ. At that point he enters into our lives.
Romans 7:3-4
3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
Paul then gives personal testimony concerning his life with his "old husband" sin. The things he hated, were the things he found himself doing. The things he wanted to do he found he powerless to achieve. He was spiritually deceived, enslaved and killed by this husband / master called Sin. So he crys out
Romans 7:24-25
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Romans 8
Christ came to Paul in response to his faith filled exclaimation quoted above, so Paul goes on to state.
Romans 8:1
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Paul speaks of the assurance that fills the heart of the Christian.
Romans 8:14-16
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
He sees the plan of God for the Christian's life.
Romans 8:28-29
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
God's ultimate aim for everyone, is that one should be so transformed by the powerful Gospel of Jesus, that we should be changed into the Lord's image and become like him. He is our elder brother.