Podcast: Interpreting Paul's Epistle to the Romans

In Romans 9:30-10:11, Paul continues his explanation for the exculsion of most Israelites from the New Covenant people, providing a warning to all traditionally religous peoples, Christian or otherwise, tempted to exclude those who do not fit their system.

In Romans 9:6-29, Paul begins his argument that though most Israelites are excluded from the New Covenant people of God, God remains faithful to his promises to Israel.

In Romans 9:1-5, Paul introduces the third major section of his argument for the gospel of Jesus Christ with a prayer of lamnet for his kinsmen, the people of Israel.

In Romans 8:28-39, Paul concludes the second major section of Romans on the power of grace declaring for us again the secure hope we have in Jesus.

In Romans 8:18-27, Paul addresses both intellectual and emotive realities of suffering to help us understand that life in the Spirit does not mean life free from pain. 

In Romans 8:1-17, Paul restates the gospel, including the role of the Holy Spirit, and contrasts our former state in the flesh with our new state in the Spirit.

In Romans 7:13-25 Paul masterfully describes the inner struggle of the conscious and particularly the weakness of his will to do the good he knows he should do. Is he speaking as a Christian or as a non-Christian?

In Romans 7:7-12, Paul begins his argument that the law has a critical weakness in its attempts to produce righteous living in the lives of people.

In Romans 7:1-6, Paul completes his defense for the strength of grace as he prepares to describe for us the weakness of law. 

In Romans 6:15-23, Paul continues to show the strength of grace to produce righteous living by providing the believer with a new heart, a new master, a new trajectory and a new process.

In Romans 6:1-14, Paul challenges the idea that grace encourages sin by assuming a new perspective and describing a new union as true realities in the lives of of those who have truly received the gift of grace.

In Romans 5:12-21, Paul describes the power of grace as a realm change; a transfer from the kingdom of the living dead to participation in the kingdom of life; a move from the kingdom of Adam – sin – death to the kingdom of Jesus – grace – life.

In Romans 5:1-11, Paul moves into the second major stage of his teaching on the gospel of Jesus Christ, showing the power of the gospel by emphasizing the secure hope and deep joy that come from standing in grace.

In Romans 4:9-25, Paul develops his assertion that the covenant of promise God made with Abraham serves as a precedent to the covenant of grace that came through Jesus Christ.

In Romans 3:31-4:8, Paul offers Abraham as a precedent for his gospel argument that people can only be declared righteous in God’s by grace through faith.