Enjoying God Ministries

I.              Epistolary Introduction - 1:1-17

A.            Paul and the Principles of the Gospel- 1:1-7

1.             The messenger of the gospel - 1:1

a.              his captivity - v. 1a

b.             his calling - v. 1b

c.              his consecration - v. 1c

2.             The message of the gospel - 1:2-4

a.              its source, or, where did the gospel come from? (the OT promise) - v. 2

b.             its substance, or, whom does the gospel concern? (the NT person) - vv. 3-4

1)             the gospel of God concerns "His (God's) Son" - vv. 3-4a

a)             his humiliation & humanity - v. 3

b)             his exaltation & deity - v. 4a

2)             the gospel of God concerns "Jesus Christ our Lord" - v. 4b

a)             his deity

b)             his dominion

3.             The motivation of the gospel - 1:5-7

a.              the power - v. 5a

b.             the purpose - vv. 5b-6

c.              the people - v. 7

B.            Paul and the People of Rome - 1:8-15

1.             The apostle praying - 1:8-10

a.              God's praise - v. 8

b.             God's people - v. 9

c.              God's providence - v. 10

2.             The apostle planning - 1:11-15

a.              spiritual impartation - v. 11

b.             mutual edification - v. 12

c.              fruitful cultivation - v. 13

d.             apostolic obligation - vv. 14-15

C.            Paul and the Power of the Gospel - 1:16-17

1.             The proclamation - v. 16

a.              Paul's perspective - v. 16a

b.             God's power - v. 16b

1)             its aim: salvation

2)             its appropriation: by faith

2.             The principle - v. 17

II.            The Way of Salvation - 1:18-5:21

A.            Human Depravity: the doctrine of universal sin - 1:18-3:20

1.             Sin & Condemnation of the Gentiles - 1:18-32

a.              The wrath of God - 1:18-20

1)             the reality of wrath - v. 18a

2)             the revelation of wrath - v. 18b

a)             its origin: heaven

b)             its object: humanity

3)             the reason for wrath - vv. 19-20

a)             who? - v. 19

b)             what? - v. 20a

c)             how? - v. 20b

d)             why? - v. 20c

b.             The wickedness of man - 1:21-32

1)             his impiety - v. 21a

a)             undutiful

b)             ungrateful

2)             his ignorance - vv. 21b-22

a)             futile in his beliefs

b)             foolish in his behavior

3)             his idolatry - v. 23

4)             his impurity - vv. 24-32

a)             God gave them over to dishonorable impurity - vv. 24-25

1 -           impurity - v. 24

2 -           idolatry - v. 25

b)             God gave them over to degrading passions - vv. 26-27

1 -           female homosexuality - v. 26

2 -           male homosexuality - v. 27

c)             God gave them over to depraved minds - vv. 28-32

1 -           holy retribution - v. 28

2 -           unholy results - vv. 29-32

2.             Sin and Condemnation of the Jews - 2:1-3:8

a.              the failure of the Jews - 2:1-29

1)             principles of judgment - vv. 1-16

a)             fundamentals of judgment: its characteristics - vv. 1-5

1 -           judgment is universal - vv. 1-2

2 -           judgment is unavoidable - vv. 3-5

a -            presuming upon God's grace - vv. 3-4

b -           piling up God's wrath - v. 5

b)             foundations of judgment: its criteria - vv. 6-15

1 -           judgment is according to what a man does - vv. 6-10

a -            the principle asserted - v. 6

b -           the principle applied - vv. 7-10

2 -           judgment is according to what a man knows - vv. 11-15

a -            the principle asserted - v. 11

b -           the principle applied - vv. 12-15

c)             the finality of judgment: its conclusion - v. 16

2)             practices of the Jews - vv. 17-29

a)             the folly of a religious phony - vv. 17-24

(refusing to practice what you preach by relying on your privileges and position)

1 -           their boast - vv. 17-20

a -            their privileges in relation to God - vv. 17-18

b -           their prerogatives in relation to men - vv. 19-20

2 -           their behavior - vv. 21-24

a -            conduct versus claim - vv. 21-23

b -           conclusion - v. 24

b)             the foundation of a phony religion - vv. 25-29

(the belief that an external ritual compensates for the absence of an internal reality)

1 -           the outward ritual - vv. 25-27

a -            ritual without reality is unrighteousness - v. 25

b -           reality without ritual is righteousness - vv. 26-27

2 -           the inward reality - vv. 28-29

a -            being a true Jew is not a matter of heritage - v. 28

b -           being a true Jew is a matter of heart - v. 29

b.             the faithfulness of God - 3:1-8

1)             the first objection raised - v. 1

2)             the first objection refuted - v. 2

3)             the second objection raised - v. 3

4)             the second objection refuted - v. 4

5)             the third objection raised - vv. 5,7,8

6)             the third objection refuted - v. 6

3.             Sin and Condemnation of all Mankind - 3:9-20

a.              the charge - v. 9

b.             the confirmation - vv. 10-18

1)             man's character - vv. 10-12

a)             men don't obey God - vv. 10,12b

b)             men don't understand God - v. 11a

c)             men don't want God - vv. 11b-12a

2)             man's conduct - vv. 13-18

c.              the conclusion - vv. 19-20

B.            Divine Deliverance: the doctrine of particular justification - 3:21-5:21

1.             Justification: its provision - 3:21-31

a.              the righteousness of God - vv. 21-26

1)             its manifestation - v. 21

a)             the way of righteousness - v. 21a

b)             the witness to righteousness - v. 21b

2)             its appropriation - vv. 22-24

a)             how we get it - v. 22

b)             why we need it - v. 23

c)             what it means - v. 24

3)             its vindication - vv. 25-26

b.             the results for man - vv. 27-31

1)             boasting is excluded - vv. 27-28

2)             distinctions are eliminated - vv. 29-30

3)             the law is established - v. 31

2.             Justification: its proof - 4:1-25

a.              the inadequacy of works in general - vv. 1-8

1)             the example of Abraham - vv. 1-5

a)             the proposition - vv. 1-2

b)             the proof - v. 3

c)             the principle - vv. 4-5

1 -           works - v. 4

2 -           faith - v. 5

2)             the example of David - vv. 6-8

b.             the inadequacy of a ritual in particular - vv. 9-12

1)             what the ritual (of circumcision) didn't do for Abraham - vv. 9-10

2)             what the ritual (of circumcision) did do for Abraham - vv. 11-12

a)             in relation to Gentiles - v. 11

b)             in relation to Jews - v. 12

c.              the promise of God - vv. 13-17

1)             the principle - v. 13

2)             the proof - vv. 14-17

a)             otherwise faith is voided - v. 14a

b)             otherwise the promise is nullified - vv. 14b-15

c)             otherwise grace is excluded - v. 16a

d)             otherwise assurance is undermined - vv. 16b-17

1 -           the breadth of the promise - vv. 16b-17a

2 -           the basis of the promise - v. 17b

d.             the faith of Abraham - vv. 18-25

1)             the personal experience of Abraham's faith - vv. 18-21

a)             in defiance of circumstances - v. 18

b)             in reliance upon God - vv. 19-21

2)             the practical effect of Abraham's faith - v. 22

3)             the prophetic example of Abraham's faith - vv. 23-25

3.             Justification: its product - 5:1-21

a.              the fruit of justification - vv. 1-11

1)             a new peace - v. 1

2)             a new presence - v. 2a

3)             a new perspective - vv. 2b-5

a)             a new perspective on the future: we can now live in hope - v. 2b

b)             a new perspective on the present: we can now live with hurt - vv. 3-5

1 -           because tribulation yields perseverance - v. 3

2 -           because perseverance yields proven character - v. 4a

3 -           because proven character yields hope - v. 4b

4 -           because hope will never disappoint - v. 5

4)             a new passion - vv. 6-11

a)             the character of God's love for us - vv. 6-8

1 -           When? At what time did Christ die?

2 -           Who? For what kind of people did Christ die?

a -            helpless

b -           ungodly

c -            sinners

d -           enemies

b)             the consequences of God's love for us - vv. 9-11

1 -           the proposition - v. 9

2 -           the proof - v. 10

3 -           the praise - v. 11

b.             the foundation of justification - vv. 12-21

1)             a crucial proposition - v. 12

2)             a conclusive proof - vv. 13-14

3)             a contrasting parallel - vv. 15-21

III.         The Way of Sanctification - 6:1-8:39

A.            Freedom from Bondage to Sin - 6:1-23

1.             Free from sin - 6:1-14

a.              introduction - vv. 1-2

1)             an improper deduction - v. 1

2)             an indignant denial - v. 2

b.             what God has done for us (doctrine) - vv. 3-11

1)             the principle of our solidarity with the Savior - vv. 3-4a,5a,6a,8a,9-10,11a

2)             the purpose of our solidarity with the Savior - vv. 4b,5b,6b-7,8b,11b

c.              what we must do for God (duty) - vv. 12-14

1)             the responsibility of the saints - vv. 12-13

a)             our responsibility toward sin - v. 12

b)             our responsibility toward God - v. 13

1 -           negatively - v. 13a

2 -           positively - v. 13b

2)             the reason for success - v. 14

2.             Free for the Savior - 6:15-23

a.              an introduction - v. 15

1)             an improper deduction - v. 15a

2)             an indignant denial - v. 15b

b.             the principal truth - v. 16

c.              our past transformation - vv. 17-18

d.             our present task - vv. 19-22

1)             the responsibility - v. 19

2)             the reason - vv. 20-22

a)             because sin leads to death - vv. 20-21

b)             because sanctification leads to life - v. 22

e.              a conclusion - v. 23

B.            Freedom from Bondage to the Law - 7:1-25

1.             Sanctification and God's law - 7:1-13

a.              the biblical response to legalism - vv. 1-6

1)             the principle - v. 1

2)             the picture - vv. 2-4

a)             illustration - vv. 2-3

b)             interpretation - v. 4

3)             the practice - vv. 5-6

a)             our past experience under the law - v. 5

b)             our present experience of freedom from the law - v. 6

b.             the biblical response to licentiousness - vv. 7-13

1)             is the law sinful? NO! - vv. 7-12

a)             sin is revealed by the law - v. 7

b)             sin is provoked by the law - vv. 8-11

c)             summary - v. 12

2)             is the law lethal? NO! - v. 13

2.             Sanctification and our sin - 7:14-25

a.              the War: part one - vv. 14-20

1)             the spiritual condition - vv. 14,18a

2)             the sinister conflict - vv. 15-16,18b-19

3)             the sinful cause - vv. 17,20

b.             the War: part two - vv. 21-23

1)             our problem - v. 21

2)             our practice - vv. 22-23

a)             we love the law of God - v. 22

b)             we live the law of sin - v. 23

c.              the War: part three - vv. 24-25

1)             a cry of distress and grief - v. 24

2)             a prayer of delight and gratitude - v. 25a

3)             a summation - v. 25b

C.            Freedom from Bondage to the Flesh - 8:1-30

1.             Life in the Spirit (1) - 8:1-4

a.              our possession, or the character of our salvation - vv. 1-2

1)             the absence of condemnation - v. 1

2)             the presence of liberation - v. 2

b.             our power, or the cause of our salvation - v. 3

1)             the deficiency of the law - v. 3a

2)             the sufficiency of God - v. 3b

c.              our purpose, or the consequence of our salvation - v. 4

1)             holiness: the outer manifestation - v. 4a

2)             holiness: the inner means - v. 4b

2.             Life in the Spirit (2) - 8:5-13

a.              death in the flesh - vv. 5-8

1)             the reality - v. 5

2)             the results - v. 6

3)             the reasons - vv. 7-8

a)             inimical toward God - v. 7a

b)             insubordinate to His law - v. 7b

c)             incompetent to please Him - v. 8

b.             life in the Spirit - vv. 9-13

1)             the condition - v. 9

2)             the consequence - vv. 10-11

3)             the conclusion - vv. 12-13

a)             our obligation to the Spirit - v. 12

b)             our mortification of the flesh - v. 13

3.             The Blessings of Sonship - 8:14-17

a.              the Spirit of sonship provides us with leading in our lives - v. 14

b.             the Spirit of sonship provides us with power for our prayers - v. 15

1)             who the Spirit is - v. 15a

2)             what the Spirit does - v. 15b

c.              the Spirit of sonship provides us with assurance of our adoption - v. 16

d.             the Spirit of sonship provides us with incentive to lay hold of our inheritance - v.17

4.             Groaning for Glory - 8:18-27

a.              an apostolic assertion - v. 18

b.             the groaning of the creation - vv. 19-22

1)             its present defilement - v. 20

2)             its future deliverance - vv. 19,21-22

c.              the groaning of the Christian - vv. 23-25

1)             the prospect of our hope for the future: perfection - v. 23

2)             the product of our hope in the present: perseverance - vv. 24-25

d.             the groaning of the Comforter - vv. 26-27

1)             the intercession of the Spirit - v. 26

2)             the interpretation of the Father - v. 27

5.             The Divine Design for Salvation - 8:28-30

a.              God's providence - v. 28

b.             God's purpose - vv. 29-30

1)             Foreknowledge: the first link in the chain of grace

a)             the Arminian interpretation

b)             the Calvinistic interpretation

2)             Predestination: the second link in the chain of grace

a)             the immediate purpose of predestination: our goodness

b)             the ultimate purpose of predestination: his glory

3)             Calling: the third link in the chain of grace

a)             the external call: universal and resistible

b)             the internal call: limited and irresistible

4)             Justification: the fourth link in the chain of grace

5)             Glorification: the fifth link in the chain of grace

D.            A Celebration of Security - 8:31-39

1.             God is your sovereign protector, or an answer to the question: "If God is for us, who is against us?" - v. 31

2.             God is your supreme provider, or an answer to the question: "How will He not also with Him freely give us all things?" - v. 32

a.              God has done the greater thing - v. 32a

1)             negatively: He spared not His own Son

2)             positively: He delivered Him up for us all

b.             God will do the lesser thing - v. 32b

3.             God is your spiritual protagonist, or an answer to the question: "Who will bring a charge against God's elect?" - vv. 33-34

a.              our salvation - v. 33

1)             we are elect

2)             we are justified

b.             our savior - v. 34

1)             his crucifixion

2)             his resurrection

3)             his exaltation

4)             his intercession

4.             God is your sustaining preserver, or an answer to the question: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" - vv. 35-39

IV.          God's Purpose with Israel - 9:1-11:36

A.            Israel's Fall - 9:1-33

1.             Paul's pain - 9:1-5

a.              the passion of an apostle - vv. 1-3

1)             his woe - vv. 1-2

2)             his wish - v. 3

b.             the privileges of a nation - vv. 4-5

1)             the title Israel

2)             adoption

3)             the glory

4)             the covenants

5)             the giving of the Law

6)             the service

7)             the promise

8)             the fathers

9)             the Messiah

a)             his dominion

b)             his deity

2.             God's purpose - 9:6-13

a.              the proposition - v. 6a

b.             the principle - v. 6b

* Not every person who is a physically ethnic Israelite is a spiritually elect Israelite

c.              the proof - vv. 7-13