Romans 1
Paul opens this letter with the Gospel or the Good News of God and His Son Jesus Christ 1-4. This is the theme of this entire epistle; the righteousness of God in saving people through the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus died and was raised to life 4 and is now proclaimed to all the nations (Gentiles) that they might hear and believe 5-6. Paul is eager to come to Rome 7,10 to have some fruit among them and to share with them the Gospel 11-14. The message is for both Jew and Gentile alike. His readers were already believers 8, they were loved by God and were saints by God's calling 7 and their response of faith 8,17. Note: There is more to the Gospel than a person coming to faith in Christ and 'getting saved'. Just think, this entire letter was but a preparation for what Paul wanted them to know of the great salvation one has in Christ. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes 16. God grants righteousness as a gift of His grace to those who put their faith in Christ alone for salvation 17. Those who are righteous are to live this life by faith 17b. For faith is what God desires to please Him (Hebrews 11:6). After this introduction, Paul begins to explain the Good News (Gospel) by starting with the 'bad news' (we are all under the condemnation that is due to sin) In 1:18-3:20 he expounds this in detail. He begins with God's wrath 18 and explains that it is against the wickedness of men. Wrath is God's 'righteous indignation' and holy action against sin. People reject the clear witness God has left of Himself in order to live according to their own desires which results in sin and death 19-32. There is a deliberate rejection of the Lord and His ways. Thus, God 'gives one over' to one's own desires 24,26,28 resulting in a total corruption of the human nature and is seen by corresponding sinful behaviors and wicked actions. God abandons 'man' to his own ways. In other words, HE allows one to 'do as they please' and suffer the consequences as a result. Note: If chapter 1 is a picture of humanity at its worse, (much like what we see in the societies of the world), then what follows is humanity, trying its best. The conclusion is 'we are all guilty and deserving of death' - God's wrath against us. Keep reading to learn why God (through Paul) says this is so.

Romans 2
Those who consider themselves 'good' and not like those described in chapter 1 are also without excuse 1, because they do the same things (maybe not to the same extent) and face God's judgment which is based on (His) truth 2-6. Note: God is patient in not bringing His judgment. This should cause us to repent 4. Those who do not have the full 'revelation' of God's law but do what the law says, shows that God's law is written on every heart 7-16. God will judge each based in his or her response to God's revelation of Himself as known in creation (chapter 1:19-20), or conscience (2:14-16) or the cannon of the Scriptures (2:17-29). The point Paul makes is that everyone on some level and in some manner is guilty of fulfilling all that God would ask of us (ie. we are sinner. Sin means 'to miss the mark' and that is what all of us have done whether we have little or much knowledge of God and His will). Note: Paul seems to suggest that one could be acceptable by God and 'saved' by keeping the Law 6-10. We must keep in mind that God's 'standard' is perfection and that one sin makes one a sinner and unacceptable by God. Those who try their best and those who out in out reject God are both condemned. What about the Jews who had God's written revelation and Law. They boasted in that special relationship that God established with them as He covenant people thousands of years ago 17-20, 3:1-2. The problem for them was the trust that they placed in outward circumcision and rituals without a real heart for God 17-29. Note: God must rule in one's heart if one is to have a life and actions which are pleasing to the Lord. So being 'religious' and attempting to observe every God ordered rite and ritual is not how one can be acceptable before God either. Does this mean that being Jewish had no advantage ? Read on.

Romans 3
The Jews had the advantage of the full revelation of God as seen in His Law (word) 1-2. The problem was many failed to relate to God and His words on the basis of faith 3-4. An objection is countered in 5-8 that the Jewish rejection and lack of faith, though anticipated and known by God, does not exonerate them from guilt. The conclusion everyone is guilty before God and stands under His righteous and holy condemnation (wrath) 9-20. Notice the universal terms that are used in order to emphasize that there is no one who is righteous, not even one 9-10. Humanity is corrupt from the inside out;  in nature (our human nature) 10-12, in our words 13-14, and in our actions and attitudes 15-18. Thus all are guilty before God and stand condemned. That is is the 'bad news', but the Good News is that God has provided a righteousness from Himself to the sinner through faith in the work of Jesus Christ, who died in the place of and who took the penalty for the sinners 21-31 (see also: John 1:29,3:16-18; 1 John 2:1-2). This salvation is through His blood 25 which He shed on the cross. Its forgiving effect comes to all who, by faith, trust in the merits of His shed blood as the sacrifice for one's sins 22,24-26. One can not boast in this, because Jesus Christ met the demands of God's law on our behalf. The requirements of God's law are fulfilled and upheld by Christ on our behalf. 27-31. God law is not then void, but established 31.

Romans 4
One who is declared to be 'righteous' by God is no so by his/her works, but by the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ. This was always part of God plan and was seen in the Old Testament in Abraham  1-3 and David 4-8. Note: One can be 'right with God' only by faith (not works). Faith and works are mutually exclusive - thus, faith is not a work of man, but is a response any one is able to make towards the Lord Jesus Christ and the testimony of the Gospel. This blessing comes to both Jew and Gentile alike (as seen in the events of Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation) 9-14. Abraham is the 'model' of a person who has faith in God/Christ 15-20. God 'credits' to the account of the believer 'righteousness' 21-24. Thus, one is righteous is he/she is in Christ by faith. Verses 24-25 are key at this point. Jesus was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Both His death and resurrection are the basis of the believer's right standing before God, not of works, lest any man should boast !

Romans 5
A person is justified (declared to be righteous by God) by faith in Jesus Christ 1. Note: This simple, yet profound truth is the heart of the Good News of Jesus Christ. He, Himself made us acceptable to the Father. The blessings that come to the believer are many. Paul lists several here: peace, access to God, hope, love, and the Holy Spirit's presence 1-5. God acted to save sinners through Christ when we were at our worse. This shows His great love. Through Christ we are reconciled to God 6-11. The basis of the blessings is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on behalf of sinners 12-21. Physical death comes to all by virtue of our union with Adam as the head of the race. We all descended from him and have inherited the same (sinful) nature, thus we all incur the same penalty, which is death 12-14. The contrast is the gift of God through Christ, who died for sinners that we might live through Him 15-19. One must receive this gift by receiving Christ by faith 17. This is by God's grace (His unearned favor) 17b. Believer become righteous through Christ 19. God's Law revealed sin and actually stirred it up in us, but where sin increased, the grace of God increased all the more 20-21. Eternal life comes to all who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Note: Do you believe in Him who God has appointed to be the savior of the world ? The only way one can be right with God and saved for all eternity is through the finished work of Christ on the cross. This is the clear testimony of the New Testament and God's plan from the beginning !