Theme

The over-riding theme of the letter is unity; the unity of Jew and Gentile within the church, and the unity of the Christian and God. The first half of the book focuses on salvation by faith - which is the great unifying factor. The second half provides practical application for the life of grace.

Outline

  1. Introduction (Ro 1:1-1:17)
    1. Salutation (Ro 1:1-1:7)
    2. Prayer of Thanksgiving (Ro 1:8-1:10)
    3. Desire to Visit (Ro 1:11-1:15)
    4. Theme: Unity of Salvation by Faith (Ro 1:16-1:17)
  2. Justice: God is Justified (Ro 1:18-2:16)
    1. God's Evidence (Ro 1:18-1:23)
    2. Man's Evidence (Ro 1:24-1:32)
    3. The Impartiality of God (Ro 2:1-2:16)
      1. Man Judges Self in Judging Others (Ro 2:1-2:3)
      2. God's Judgements Just to All (Ro 2:4-2:11)
      3. God Judges Justly (Ro 2:12-2:16)
  3. The Law: Faith vs. Works, Spirit vs. Letter (Ro 2:17-5:11)
    1. Knowing Isn't Doing (Ro 2:17-2:27)
    2. By the Spirit, Not the Letter (Ro 2:28-2:29)
    3. Some Objections Answered (Ro 3:1-3:8)
    4. All Are Sinful (Ro 3:9-3:18)
    5. The Law Exposes Sinfulness (Ro 3:19-3:20)
    6. Faith Alone Justifies (Ro 3:21-3:31)
    7. Abraham's Example (Ro 4:1-4:25)
      1. Righteousness Attained by Faith (Ro 4:1-4:8)
      2. Faith Preceded the Sign (Ro 4:9-4:12)
      3. The Promise Was By Faith Not Law (Ro 4:13-4:17)
      4. Faith and Hope Persevere (Ro 4:18-4:25)
    8. Faith Reconciles Us to God (Ro 5:1-5:11)
      1. Faith Leads to Grace (Ro 5:1-5)
      2. Justified While Enemies, Saved Once Reconciled (Ro 5:6-5:11)
  4. Faith: Grace vs. Sin (Ro 5:12-6:23)
    1. The Two Adams (Ro 5:12-5:19)
    2. The Law Increased Our Need For Grace (Ro 5:20-6:2)
    3. Unity With Christ (Ro 6:3-6:11)
      1. United in His Death (Ro 6:3-6:7)
      2. United in His Life (Ro 6:8-6:11)
    4. Freed to Serve Righteousness (Ro 6:12-6:23)
  5. The Law Under Grace: The Work of Christ (Ro 7:1-7:14)
    1. Married to Christ (Ro 7:1-7:6)
    2. The Law Exposes Sin (Ro 7:7-7:14)
      1. Sin Comes to Life Through the Law (Ro 7:7-7:11)
      2. Sin Doesn't Make Law Sinful (Ro 7:12-7:14)
  6. Spiritual vs. Physical: The Work of the Spirit (Ro 7:15-8:27)
    1. Spirit vs. Flesh (Ro 7:15-7:25)
    2. Life in the Spirit (Ro 8:1-8:17)
      1. Christ Fulfilled the Law's Demands (Ro 8:1-8:4)
      2. Fleshly Minds Cannot Satisfy God (Ro 8:5-8:8)
      3. The Spirit Renews (Ro 8:9-8:11)
      4. Guidance and Witness of the Spirit (Ro 8:12-8:17)
    3. Creation Longs for Spiritual Completion (Ro 8:18-8:25)
      1. Subjected to Corruption (Ro 8:18-8:21)
      2. Hope of Redemption (Ro 8:22-8:25)
    4. The Spirit Intercedes (Ro 8:26-8:27)
  7. Chosen: The Work of God (Ro 8:28-9:24)
    1. It's God's Call (Ro 8:28-8:39)
    2. Anxiety For the Jews (Ro 9:1:9:5)
    3. Israel Defined by God, Not Man (Ro 9:6-9:13)
    4. Salvation by God's Choice Alone (Ro 9:14-9:24)
  8. Jew and Gentile: Unity of Destiny (Ro 9:25-11:36)
    1. God Chooses Both (Ro 9:25-9:29)
    2. Faith Attained What Works Could Not (Ro 9:30-10:15)
      1. Faith Makes Righteous (Ro 9:30-9:33)
      2. Israel's Ignorance of God's Righteousness (Ro 10:1-10:3)
      3. The Confession of Faith Brings Salvation (Ro 10:4-10:11)
      4. Knowledge Requires Teaching (Ro 10:12-10:15)
    3. Israel Is Without Excuse (Ro 10:16-10:21)
    4. God Has Always Preserved a Remnant (Ro 11:1-11:5)
    5. Grace Has Obtained What Most Couldn't See (Ro 11:6-11:10)
    6. The Gentiles Are God's Tool to Restore Israel (Ro 11:11-11:16)
    7. No Room For Pride (Ro 11:17-11:21)
    8. God Can Restore (Ro 11:22-11:24)
    9. God Will Restore (Ro 11:25-11:32)
    10. Doxology (Ro 11:33-11:36)
  9. The Demands of Grace (Ro 12:1-13:14)
    1. Consecration (Ro 12:1-12:2)
    2. Unity (Ro 12:3-12:15)
    3. Humility (Ro 12:16-12:18)
    4. Subjection (Ro 12:19-13:7)
      1. To God (Ro 12:19-12:21)
      2. To Authority (Ro 13:1-13:7)
    5. Love (Ro 13:8-13:10)
    6. Good Behavior (Ro 13:11-13:14)
  10. Grace and Freedom (Ro 14:1-15:13)
    1. Not to Judge (Ro 14:1-14:12)
    2. Not to Be a Stumbling Block (Ro 14:13-14:23)
    3. The Strong Ought Support the Weak (Ro 15:1-15:4)
    4. Christ Died for All, All Ought to be Unite (Ro 15:5-15:13)
  11. Summary / Conclusion (Ro 15:14-16:27)
    1. To Remind and Reinforce (Ro 15:14-15:21)
    2. Travel Plans (Ro 15:22-15:29)
    3. Prayer Request (Ro 15:30-15:33)
    4. Phoebe Commended (Ro 16:1-16:2)
    5. Personal Greetings (Ro 16:3-16:16)
    6. Warning Against Dissenters (Ro 16:17-16:20)
    7. Greetings From Co-Workers (Ro 16:21-16:24)
    8. Closing Doxology (Ro 16:25-16:27)