Overview
More formal than most of Paul's letters, Romans systematically sets forth the doctrine of justification by faith, expanding and explaining Paul's theme statement in 1:17: "The righteous shall live by faith." Jump into the New Testament's most substantial book of Christian doctrine!
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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781575677347 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Moody Publishers |
| Publication date: | 06/01/1961 |
| Series: | Teach Yourself the Bible |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 80 |
| File size: | 440 KB |
About the Author
KEITH L. BROOKS founded the American Prophetic League of Los Angeles in 1930. He was the author of numerous Bible study courses, books, and tracts. Although Keith passed away in 1954, his wife, Laura, continued the ministry of the American Prophetic League until 1960. The League's Prophecy Monthly eventually merged with Moody Bible Institute's Moody Monthly. The published Bible study became the Teach Yourself the Bible Series from Moody Publishers.
Read an Excerpt
Romans ... The Gospel for All
By Keith L. Brooks
Moody Publishers
Copyright © 1962 The Moody Bible Institute of ChicagoAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-57567-734-7
CHAPTER 1
Lesson 1
Introduction to Romans
____________________________________
Place of writing
Probably Corinth, or nearby Cenchrea.
1. Who was Paul's host while he was in Corinth? Romans 16:23; compare I Corinthians 1:14 ___________________
2. Who was probably the mail carrier who took Paul's letter to the Christians at Rome? Romans 16:1, 2 _______________________________________
Date of writing
About spring of A.D. 58. Paul had been a Christian about twenty years.
Occasion of writing
3. What great desire of Paul's heart had long been unsatisfied? Romans 1:9-13; compare 15:22-29 ___________________ ________________________________________________
(The epistle was to pave the way for his coming and supply much-needed teaching material.)
Contents
A philosophy of the gospel, showing how it meets every human need and is the only answer to the problem of the guilt and power of sin.
4. What is the theme of the book?
Romans 1:16, 17 _______________________________
_____________________________________________
Simple outline
Chapters 1—8 Doctrinal
Chapters 9-11 Dispensational
Chapters 12-16 Practical
Detailed outline
(This course follows the outline below.)
Introduction or prologue (1:1-17)
Righteousness needed by sinful men (1:18—3:20)
Heathen (1:18-32)
Moralizer (2:1-16)
Jew (2:17—3:8)
World (3:9-20)
Righteousness provided by God (3:21-26)
Righteousness received by faith (3:27—4:25)
Righteousness experienced in the soul (5:1—8:17)
Righteousness guaranteed a permanent blessing (8:18-39)
Righteousness rejected by Jews (chapters 9—11)
Righteousness manifested in daily life (chapters 12—16)
Prologue (Romans 1:1-17)
One can hardly escape the fact that this letter is something infinitely more than a human production. It is an oracle of God, a revelation of eternal facts.
Read Romans 1:1-4 before answering the following questions.
5. Note expression in 1:1—"gospel of God." Three other keys using the title "God" are found in verses 16, 17, 18.
_____________ of God (verse 16), ___________________ of God (verse 17), _______________ of God (verse 18).
6. To what extent was the gospel of an all-sufficient sacrifice "promised afore" in the Old Testament?
Romans 1:2, 3; Luke 24:26, 27 _________________________ ___________________________________________________
7. What was seen by "all the prophets"?
Acts 10:43 _________________________________________ ___________________________________________________
The hope of Israel was brought to an intense pitch in the days just prior to the birth of Jesus, yet the Jews, because of their misconceptions of such passages as Isaiah 53, rejected Him.
8. The beginning of Romans (1:3), the beginning of the New Testament (Matthew 1:1) and almost its end (Revelation 22:16), and the close of Paul's ministry (II Timothy 2:8), all emphasize that the Saviour is the son (or seed) of whom?
____________________________________________________
9. While Jesus on the human side was the seed of David, what contrasting truth do we have in Romans 1:4?
_____________________________________________________
10. Jesus declared ("marked out by sure signs") to be the Son of God with ________________ as demonstrated by His _________________ 1:4
Read Romans 1:5-13.
11. Who were equally the givers of eternal blessing?
1:7 _________________________________________________
12. What is every Christian called to be?
1:7 _________________________________________________
13. Who are defined as "saints"?
Psalm 50:5 _________________________________________ ___________________________________________________
14. What had Paul wanted to do for a long time?
Romans 1:13 _______________________________________
We find on more than one occasion that Paul's most deliberate plans were subject to divine correction. It was not Paul who was inspired, but the record he gave us of divine truth.
Read Romans 1:14-17.
15. What were two familiar divisions of mankind in Paul's day?
1:14 _________________________________________________
Barbarus—speaker of an unintelligible tongue—any language not Greek. "Greek and Barbarian" comprehended the Gentile world.
16. What was Paul ready to do?
1:15 _________________________________________________
17. Did Paul recognize some limitations on his ability to do this?
1:15 _________________________________________________
The measure in which we are conscious of limitation is usually the measure in which we make possible the operation of the Holy Spirit through us.
18. Why was Paul not ashamed to preach this gospel anywhere?
1:16 _____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
19. If the gospel is foolishness to some people, what is it to others?
I Corinthians 1:18, 24 ________________________ ____________________________________________
20. In what therefore does the faith of a believer stand?
I Corinthians 2:5 __________________________
The Greek word dunamis, here translated "power," gives us our word dynamite (explosive power). The gospel is the dynamite of God (Psalm 62:11). Moral reform and social schemes are impotent to penetrate human wickedness. The gospel overcomes the greatest resistance, penetrates the hardest conscience, softens the most obstinate heart.
21. By what do we have access to God?
Romans 5:2 __________________________________
22. By what are we justified?
Romans 3:28 __________________________________
23. By what do we live?
Romans 1:17 ___________________________________
24. Since man is incapable of attaining the righteousness of the law, the gospel offers him a righteous standing in Christ, received by faith, after which righteousness is produced in life by ________________________________________________ _____________________________________. Romans 8:3, 4
check-up time No. 1 ___________________
You have now finished the prologue of Romans. Review the questions and your written answers. You may use the following self-check test in your review. If you are uncertain of an answer, reread the Scripture text to see if you can find the answer. Then take this test to see how well you understand and remember the truths you have studied thus far.
In the right-hand margin write "True" or "False" after each of the following statements.
1. There are four keys in the first eighteen verses of Romans 1, like "gospel of God." ___________
2. The gospel of a sufficient sacrifice for sin was foreseen in the Old Testament. ___________
3. The prophets spoke of the remission of sins through the Messiah (Christ). ___________
4. According to Romans 1, Christ was of the seed of David. ___________
5. The resurrection of Christ was associated with power. ___________
6. All true believers are saints. ___________
7. Paul's personal plans were always inspired. ___________
8. The two familiar divisions of mankind in Paul's day were Greeks and Barbarians.___________ 9. Salvation is by faith. ___________
10. Paul says he was ashamed of the gospel. ___________
Turn to page 80 and check your answers.
CHAPTER 2Lesson 2
Righteousness Needed by Sinful Man
(Romans 1:18—3:20)
____________________________________
The heathen condemned (Romans 1:18-32)
Read Romans 1:18-20.
1. What is revealed as well as the righteousness of God?
1:18 ______________________________________________________
2. Against what two traits is it revealed?
1:18 ______________________________________________________
Note the last phrase of verse 18: "Who hold...." This is literally "hold down" or suppress the truth, living in unrighteousness as a result. Many a man has personal reasons for not wanting to believe in future retribution.
3. On whom does the wrath of God abide?
John 3:36 ______________________________________
4. The unsaved are called children ______________________
_______________________Ephesians 2:3
God never ceases to be love, but love sometimes has to hurt. As the adversary of evil, God must have wrath. But it is the wrath of a righteous Judge, not an arbitrary outburst of passion.
5. "Thy judgments _______________." Psalm 119:75
6. But how can God hold the "uninstructed" heathen accountable?
Romans 1:19 ____________________________________
_______________________________________________
7. What things in particular has He revealed to all men?
1:20 _________________________________________________
8. What is concrete proof that there is an all-wise and all-powerful God?
1:20 _________________________________________________
Read Romans 1:21-23.
9. Even when men see evidences of God, what causes them to turn their backs upon Him?
1:21 _________________________________________
______________________________________________
The word for imaginations means "thinkings"—free thought. Skepticism is simply the result of biased thinking and a "foolish" (literally "unintelligent") heart.
10. How does this foolishness of the professedly wise often manifest itself?
1:23 __________________________________________________
Read Romans 1:24-32.
11. When men give themselves over to _______________
________________(Ephesians 4:19), God gives them up to __________________________. Romans 1:24
Sin will be punished by its own proper results. It is a dire thought that God must give some men up to their own counsels. From the human viewpoint, it is the working out of a natural process. From the divine viewpoint, it is retribution from God. God has so constituted these natural processes that evil gravitates to wretchedness.
12. God is not mocked, for _____________________________
________________________________________Galatians 6:7
We turn now from the awful exposure of heathen sin to an examination of the moralizer, either a heathen Gentile or a Jew, who condemns others and justifies himself.
The moralizer condemned (Romans 2:1-16)
Read Romans 2:1-6.
13. Although the moralizer might condemn the heathen for their gross sins, what problem did he face himself?
2:1 _________________________________________________
14. On what basis does God judge all men?
2:2 _________________________________________________
(The word for truth here means "reality." Being a relatively moral man does not mean that he is free from sin.)
15. What is one of the worst sins in the sight of God?
2:4 ____________________________________________
________________________________________________
16. We have redemption according to _____________________
_____________________________________ Ephesians 1:7, 8
Read Romans 2:7-11.
17. Is the doctrine of salvation by faith something that encourages loose conduct?
2:7 _________________________________________________
18. What is the certain fate of those who are unregenerate, whether Jew or Gentile?
"Indignation and _____________" (2:8). "Tribulation and _______________" 2:9
19. Who has a special priority on this tribulation and wrath? 2:9 _________________________And on the fruits of salvation? 2:10________________________________________________
20. What vital fact should lay hold of us all?
2:11 ________________________________________________
Read Romans 2:12-16.
21. Can listening to the law or approving of it save any one?
2:12 ________________________________________________
22. Does a heathen who has never heard the law have a certain amount of light to which God can hold him accountable?
2:14 _________________________________________________
While there is one principle of judgment for all, judgment must be based upon light. The standard to which the Jew could be held was the Mosaic law. The Gentile still had the law of conscience, and if he should perish, it would be through unfaithfulness to a law he possessed, not simply because he was not instructed in the plan of God.
23. Can anyone be saved without Christ?
Acts 4:12 ______________________________________
24. No man cometh unto the Father but ____________________.
John 14:6
25. Men are lost because _______________________________
___________________________________________John 3:18
26. They cannot see life because _________________________
___________________________________________John 3:36
Sometimes nations ignorant of the Word of God come nearer keeping it than some who boast of being Abraham's seed. By living up to the light they have, they put to shame those who do not walk in the light they have. However, no pagan morality can satisfy the tests of a holy God. Even the heathen are moral beings, but they do not live up to their own sense of right and wrong. Therefore they can be justly condemned.
Paul now proceeds to prove by three arguments that the heathen have a natural law (2:14-16):
(1) Virtuous acts performed by them (2:14)
(2) The natural operation of conscience (2:15)
(3) Reasonings by which they accuse or excuse one another (2:15)
Dan Crawford, the missionary, said: "The pagans in the heart of Africa are sinning against a flood of light." Charles Scott of China said: "I have never met a heathen living up to his light, and more than that, he knows he is not." Darwin admitted that there was a moral sense in man, even in his worse degradation, an unbridgeable chasm separating him from the animal.
27. Who is ordained to be the Judge of the living and the dead?
Acts 10:42 _______________________________________
28. Therefore, in the day of judgment, He will judge the _________________________________________. Acts 17:31
CHAPTER 3Lesson 3
Righteousness Needed by Sinful Man
(Romans 1:18—3:20) (continued)
_________________________________
Some will ask: "If the heathen have a light to which they are answerable, why not leave them alone?" For the reason that they, like ourselves, allow conscience to be seared, and Satan to have the upper hand. While missionaries find many in heathen lands who are sincerely reaching out after God—bringing the gospel message to them being the answer to that yearning—the vast majority can be aroused to the fact of their lost condition only through the use of the Sword of the Spirit. We ourselves would be heathen had not someone brought us the message of salvation in Christ. The heathen can rise up and condemn us in the judgment if we withhold from them the message committed to us.
Having dealt with the heathen and the moralizer, we turn now to the Jew. The religious Jew might say: "This is not my case." Let us see.
The Jew condemned (Romans 2:17—3:8)
Read Romans 2:17-26. Paul faces the Pharisees openly.
1. Is the mere possession of the law of God any protection? 2:17, 18, 25 ______________________________________________
2. Does the claim of being an instructor in righteousness relieve one?
2:19-21 ___________________________________________
3. Why is the name of God blasphemed among the heathen?
2:23, 24 ___________________________________________
__________________________________________________
4. What kind of circumcision was supposed to go with physical circumcision as a sign of the covenant?
Deuteronomy 10:16; 30:6 _________________________
5. What was a frequent charge against Israel?
Jeremiah 9:26; compare ROMANS 2:25 ________________
Read Romans 2:27-29. One is not saved today because he is orthodox or because he has observed the ordinances. There is always the tendency to substitute the mechanical for the spiritual, the symbol for the reality. Suppose we read verses 28, 29 as follows: "He is not a Christian who is one outwardly, neither is that baptism or communion which is outward; but he is a Christian who is one inwardly, and baptism and communion are those of the heart in the Spirit, not in the letter."
Conclusion: Note that the charges against the Gentile and the Jew are the same.
Gentile
Ungodliness—sins against God (1:21-23)
Intemperance—sins against self (1:21-23)
Unrighteousness—sins against man (1:21-32)
Jew
Ungodliness (2:23)
Intemperance (2:22)
Unrighteousness (2:21)
Paul imagines disputing rabbis raising certain questions. What advantage in being a Jew? Was not Judaism from God? Such questions are here answered.
Read Romans 3:1, 2.
6. What is the first great advantage of the Jew?
3:2 __________________________________________
7. God committed unto us Christians _________________ _________________________________II Corinthians 5:19
What would be the guilt of those to whom the oracles of God were entrusted if they did not walk in the light of their own Scriptures?
Read Romans 3:3, 4.
8. Now another imaginary question from the rabbi: Shall the unbelief of some Jews make God's good faith without effect (3:3)? And Paul answers ________________________________ ____________________________________________________. 3:4a
Read Romans 3:5-8.
Another question from the rabbi: "If our unrighteousness sets off the righteousness of God"—would it be right for God to take vengeance on us (verse 5)? Wouldn't He be unjust in punishing us when His pardon would cause His free grace to stand out by contrast?
9. The answer is _______________________________ ____________________________________________. 3:6
10. God is going to ________________________ Psalm 9:8
If God could not righteously punish sin because it would better illustrate His grace not to punish it, then men could sin with impunity (Romans 3:6).
11. If God entertained such a scheme, then why not say (as some already did say untruthfully of apostolic teaching) ____ ___________________________________________________3:8
There are those today who try to distort the doctrine of free grace, saying that such teaching makes sin safe, especially to the pardoned.
12. It is true that where sin abounds ___________________ ______________________________________ Romans 5:20
13. But the indwelling Holy Spirit has no part in pious fraud, He fulfills in the believer ________________________ Romans 8:4
14. Shall we continue in sin that ______________________ ______________________________________. Romans 6:1
15. How shall we ___________________________________ ______________________________________. Romans 6:2
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Romans ... The Gospel for All by Keith L. Brooks. Copyright © 1962 The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. Excerpted by permission of Moody Publishers.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Lesson 1: Introduction to Romans,Lesson 2: Righteousness Needed by Sinful Man,
Lesson 3: Righteousness Needed by Sinful Man,
Lesson 4: Righteousness Provided by God,
Lesson 5: Righteousness Received by Faith,
Lesson 6: Righteousness Experienced in the Soul,
Lesson 7: Righteousness Experienced in the Soul,
Lesson 8: Righteousness Guaranteed a Permanent Blessing,
Lesson 9: Righteousness Rejected by Jews,
Lesson 10: Righteousness Rejected by Jews,
Lesson 11: Righteousness Manifested in Daily Life,
Lesson 12: Righteousness Manifested in Daily Life,