What does Romans 1:3 mean? (2024)

FAQs

What does Romans 1:3 mean? ›

In Romans 1–3, Paul emphasized that justification and salvation come not by the performances of the law of Moses, but by the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and we receive the blessings of the Atonement as we live by faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul is so eager to begin teaching about the gospel of Jesus Christ that he seems unable to even wait to finish the opening greeting to his letter. He has written that the gospel is something God promised long ago through His prophets in the Old Testament Scriptures.

Romans 1 begins with Paul's introduction of himself and his mission to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. After telling the Christians in Rome that he is eager to come see them and preach the gospel there, Paul declares that the gospel is God's power to save everyone who believes in Jesus.

Nobody can be justified by the law, Paul insists. Fortunately, it is possible to attain God's righteousness: but only by His grace, through faith in Christ's atoning sacrifice for our sin on the cross. We must come to this by faith, and it is available to Jews and Gentiles alike.

In its deeper spiritual meaning, righteousness is the quality of being right in the eyes of God, including character (nature), conscience (attitude), conduct (action), and command (word). Righteousness is, therefore, based upon God's standard because He is the ultimate Lawgiver (Isaiah 33:22).

As the apostle Paul proclaimed in Romans 1:3–4, the resurrection of Jesus proves that He is God. Like a son of the king who is ceremonially announced as heir of the kingdom, Jesus is declared to be the sovereign over all creation and conqueror of death.

The point of chapter 1 is to start unpacking how “the gospel of Christ 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.

Paul understood the situation and wrote the letter to both the Jewish and the Gentile Christians in Rome in order to persuade them to build up a peaceful and close relationship between their house churches.

Romans 1:16–17 is often used as the key verses to summarize the book of Romans. Paul declares boldly why he is not ashamed of the gospel about Jesus that he preaches around the world. This message is nothing less than the power of God for everyone who believes, both Jews and Gentiles.

Paul introduces himself as a servant — or slave — of Jesus Christ whom God has called to be an apostle, which means he has been set apart for the gospel that comes from God (verse 1). Then Paul explains more about this gospel: it was promised beforehand in the scriptures about God's son (verse 2).

What is the main point of Romans 3? ›

Paul's message is that no one (Jew or Gentile) lives a perfect life, all are sinners, and no one will be justified or declared righteous simply by observing the law. Instead, under the new covenant, Christ died to pay the penalty for our sins, and those who put their faith and trust in Him will be declared righteous.

The Apostle Paul is the author of the Epistle to the Romans (see Romans 1:1). In writing this epistle, Paul used the assistance of a scribe, Tertius, who wrote his own greeting to the Roman Saints near the conclusion of the epistle (see Romans 16:22).

But our unfaithfulness does not nullify the faithfulness of God. God remains faithful! God will keep his word and will keep his covenant faithful toward us. Oh, the riches and grace of God.

Man's relationship with God has always been defined by God's promises and faith. Even before the fall into sin, Adam and Eve were righteous in God's eyes, not because of their obedience, but because God declared them good and they believed. Faith has always defined righteousness coram deo.

To live righteously is to conduct one's life in an upright manner and with moral standards that reflect our relationship with the lord. As representative to the kingdom of God in all that we do, we should mirror his ways. This will mean in the face of evil, do what is right.

To humble oneself is to acknowledge God as Lord and to obey as servant. In order to do so, then, the Son had to take “the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:7). “We, as creatures, must obey our Creator, and he, as our brother, did the same.”

In commenting on 2 Tim 3:5, Ellicott observes: Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. —Keeping up a show of observing the outward forms of religion, but renouncing its power and its influence over the heart and the life; shewing openly that they neither acknowledged its guidance or wished to do so.

“Reconciling the world to Himself” does not mean to convert the lost world to Himself; it is His action of being propitious. not imputing [counting, accounting] their trespasses [deliberate sins] to them, The idea here is that God does not charge sins against sinful people to withhold salvation.

This verse emphasizes the absolute and overwhelming victory that God gives to the believer through Christ. Believers are supremely victorious because of their relationship with Jesus Christ. God allows nothing to separate us from his love (Romans 8:38-39).