Introduction
This paper will dive into Romans and interpret each chapter, analyzing the actual
message that Paul was speaking and who he was referring to. I will use both textbooks and
resources from the Jerry Falwell Library to help diagnose what Paul is saying in Romans 1:18
through 4:25. This letter from Paul were to the Romans who wanted to be saved and he gave
them assurance that he wanted to go there and preach the great news to them.
God's Wrath on Unrighteousness
Paul’s message was written to the Jews and Gentiles in Rome. Romans 1:18 states, “For
the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men,
who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.”1 When we read this passage, we notice Paul
speaks of the wrath of God, but what does he mean by it? Stott states, “Human anger , although
there is such a thing as righteous indignation, is mostly very unrighteous.”2 The wrath of God is
Human anger, and it can be caused by several sins such as pride, hatred, and vanity. Statt
continues to say that “that God’ s anger is absolutely free of all such poisonous ingredients. The
wrath of God is almost totally different from human anger. It does not mean that God loses his
temper, flies into a rage, or is ever malicious, spiteful, or vindictive. The alternative to wrath is
not love but neutrality in the moral conflict. And God is not neutral. On the contrary, his wrath is
his holy hostility to evil, his refusal to condone it or come to terms with it, his just judgment
upon it.”3
1 “Romans 1:18,” The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright
© 2001 by Crossway Bibles,
2 Stott, John R. W. Romans : Encountering the Gospel’s Power : 20 Studies with Commentary for
Individuals or Groups /. Downers Grove, Ilinois : IVP, an imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2020. p 17
3 Stott, John R. W. Romans : Encountering the Gospel’s Power : 20 Studies with Commentary for
Individuals or Groups /. Downers Grove, Ilinois : IVP, an imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2020. p 17
2
The cause of God’s wrath is simply “ ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by
their unrighteousness suppress the truth.”1 By sinning, the ungodly hide the truth, their salvation.
One who is saved by Jesus’ sacrifice would not be ungodly. Saved people will turn from sin and
refrain from their old ways. They will share the gospel and bear witness to salvation.
God Will Render To Each One According To Their Works
Here, Paul is talking to those who pass judgment on others. That God will be the one to
pass judgment on the final day, and he will be a “just judge.” He will judge everyone fairly and
justly, not only by their works but by their faith. Paul states this in Romans 2:6 through 8, “He
will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for
glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking
and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. “2 Schreiner
states, “The theme of this section (1:18– 3:20), then, is that God’s wrath is righteously revealed
against all people, both gentiles and Jews, since all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory.”3
Those who walk in the glory of God’s righteousness and follow him will be awarded
accordingly, just as the unrighteous will be on judgment day. Paul wants the reader to
understand this and almost wants to administer the fear of God in them. Almost as if to scare
them or make them understand the meaning of God’s wrath and how powerful God is, yet he is a
just God who loves us. Schreiner states, “I shall contend that this argument fails, since in Paul’s
mind all people are wicked.”3
1 “Romans 1:18,” The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001
by Crossway Bibles,
2 “Romans 2:6-8,” The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001
by Crossway Bibles,
3 Schreiner, Thomas R.. Romans (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament), Baker Academic,
2018. ProQuest Ebook Central, p 104
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Paul states simply, “That God’s wrath is revealed against all people because all have
sinned is the driving force of the argument in this section of the letter,”1 according to Schreiner.
We must never forget when we preach the gospel that God’s wrath needs to be preached today
just as his love needs to be preached.
Law Written in One’s Heart
Paul is speaking to the Jews, who, according to Ivill, “They thought they had the
advantage over everyone else because they had been given the law and were the chosen people
of God, yet instead of responding to God’s covenant with them in thankfulness and obedience,
they practiced the same sins as everyone else.”2 The Jews taught the law of God to others, yet
rarely kept the law and taught the law to themselves. They broke the law of circumcision, which
Ivill states, “In fact, he says, if their lives do not conform to God’s law, they are as Gentiles,
separated from the promises of God, the “uncircumcision.” But if an uncircumcised man (a
Gentile) keeps the law, he will be regarded as one circumcised (the true Israel).”3 Paul calls out
the Jews for knowing the law and teaching it to others, yet they do not follow it themselves and
follow what they want to follow, which is different from the Mosaic law. The Jews were given
special privileges, but how they used them was what he argued against.
The Righteousness of God
The Righteousness of God is seen throughout Romans. Paul uses the righteousness of
God as an example of how the Jews and Romans should act and that only God is perfect.
1 Schreiner, Thomas R.. Romans (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament), Baker
Academic, 2018. ProQuest Ebook Central, p 105
2 Ivill, Sarah. Romans : The Gospel of God for Obedience to the Faith, Reformation Heritage Books,
2020. ProQuest Ebook Central, p 40
3 Ivill, Sarah. Romans : The Gospel of God for Obedience to the Faith, Reformation Heritage Books,
2020. ProQuest Ebook Central, p 42
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Garland states, “God’s righteous character is revealed in God’s actions, the salvation of sinners
who respond with faith and the retribution against sinners who do not.”1 We are saved through
God’s unconditional love for us. That he sent his only son to die on the cross and redeem us
from the sins he knew we would commit. Remember, God is the creator of all things, including
us. It is no different from back when Paul wrote this letter to Rome. Jeremiah 29:11 states, “For
I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you
a future and a hope.”2 We also see in Psalms 139:13 David wrote, “For you formed my inward
parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.”3 God is righteous from the beginning to
the end of all life. None is more righteous than him, and if you think you are, then that is self-
righteousness, and that is a sin that will bring God’s wrath.
Purpose of Law
The purpose of the law is to make sure we follow God. They are to remind us that only
one has followed these and lived the perfect life as a sacrifice for our sins to redeem us. They are
there to let us know there are rules we must abide and when we cross the line and fail at these
rules, we must repent of our sins and ask for forgiveness. Only Jesus has lived in this world,
walked with the living, and maintained the laws of God. It is through him that Paul states we are
forgiven and redeemed. The rules are set in place to ensure humans abide by them. Paul notes
that the Jews do not get circumcised, and that alone is a sin against the law.
1 Garland, David E.. Romans: An Introduction and Commentary, InterVarsity Press, 2021. ProQuest Ebook
Central, p 2497c
2 “Jeremiah 29:11,” The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001
by Crossway Bibles,
3 “Psalms 139:13,” The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001
by Crossway Bibles,
Righteousness of God According to Romans 3:21-26
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To look at Romans 3:21 through 26, we need to actually read it. Romans 3:21 through 26
states “ But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although (the
Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus
Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the
glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was
to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former
sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the
justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”1 The righteousness of God is the main reason we have
the ability to go before God and ask for forgiveness for our sins. “This saving righteousness of
God is not for everyone. It is only for those who believe in Jesus Christ, the object of our faith.
The distinction, then, is not between Jew and Gentile or male and female, but between those who
believe in Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior and those who do not.”2 Those who do
not believe will never stand before God. This was where the Jews sat. They knew the law, yet
they felt they were above it. God’s righteousness is pure and holy; none is more complete. Paul
was trying to state in this passage that through the Pure righteousness of God that is neutral and
does not waiver, we are saved through the blood of Jesus when he was sacrificed on the cross.
Nothing any human could conjure could come close to that, and if it was attempted, it was then
looked at as self-righteousness and trying to take actions into their own hands.
1 “Romans 3:21-26,” The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001
by Crossway Bibles,
2 Ivill, Sarah. Romans : The Gospel of God for Obedience to the Faith, Reformation Heritage Books,
2020. ProQuest Ebook Central, p 52
Hilasterion Romans 3:21-26
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Hilasterion according to Schreiner is “The note of fulfillment also suggests that we ought
to interpret “redemption” ( πολύτρωσις , apolytrōsis ) and “atoning sacrifice” ( λαστήριον , ἀ ἱ
hilastērion ) in light of the OT.”1 Paul is preaching the gospel here and showing excitement to
ensure his audience is enticed to want to follow Jesus and be saved. He simply states that the
sacrifice of Jesus was enough for their salvation and that if they believed, then the law should not
matter and would be easy to obtain. We know as Christians that the Lord works internally and
outward in salvation. We decided to accept him in our lives, and this was simply Paul’s way of
saying this. In salvation, laws do not matter because we want to appease God. We have laws to
maintain our salvation and know when we sin and need to ask for redemption. We also have
laws to teach others the way to salvation. Those who want it and desire to turn from sin will not
care about the measures they must take against sin. They simply will fall in line and abide. It is
not an easy task because, naturally, we are sinners. Paul knows this and admits it himself.
Again, we must first understand the ultimate sacrifice God gave to us to rid the world of sin so
that we would stop the curse he tried to abolish in the Old Testament with his wrath. We see it
again and again, from the Killing of Cain to Noah’s flood, then again with the plagues. God
loved us so much that he understood that his wrath would never stop human sin. There needed to
be a more tremendous sacrifice that would redeem humankind of the sin he knew we would
make. That sacrifice was Jesus dying on a cross and shedding his blood with the crown of thorns
placed on his head, the nails through his hands and feet, and the relentless beating as he dragged
the cross to his demise.
1 Schreiner, Thomas R.. Romans (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament), Baker Academic,
2018. ProQuest Ebook Central. p 201
Chapter 4 Abraham’s Faith
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In Chapter 4, Paul brings us back to Abraham, the father. He talks about his faith and
gives the reader an understanding that one cannot be saved without faith. We must have faith in
God to believe that we are saved. Abraham had so much faith in God that he still prayed even
when he was at his lowest. He trusted God in every aspect of his life, and it is through that kind
of faith we are rewarded. Paul used this as an example of the faith needed for salvation. That
Abraham walked with God even though, at times, he did sin. He repented and offered sacrifices
to God and listened to the Lord, and that was what rewarded his future generations. This faith is
known as the most incredible faith known to man.
Conclusion
Paul wrote Romans for many reasons. Those reasons were the fact he wanted to go to
Rome and preach the gospel there to those who wanted to be saved, but also as a correction to
the Jews and the Gentiles for their behavior. He called out the Jews for their self-righteousness
and believing that they were above the laws they taught others and the Gentiles for doing what
they wanted without seeing the danger it presented to God. Paul spoke of the difference in laws
and what exactly brought the wrath of God. Lastly, Paul explains how vital faith is to salvation
and what having faith can do for those saved.
Bibliography
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Blackwell, Ben C., John Goodrich, and Jason Maston, eds. Reading Romans in
Context : Paul and Second Temple Judaism. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan,
2015.
Bird, Michael F. Romans. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2016.
Garland, David E., Eckhard J. Schnabel, and Nicholas. Perrin. Romans : An
Introduction and Commentary. Westmont: InterVarsity Press, 2021.
Ivill, Sarah. Romans : The Gospel of God for Obedience to the Faith. Grand
Rapids, Michigan: Reformation Heritage Books, 2020.
Schreiner, Thomas R. Romans. Second edition. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker
Publishing, a division of Baker Publishing Group, 2018.
Stott, John R. W. Romans : Encountering the Gospel’s Power : 20 Studies with
Commentary for Individuals or Groups /. Downers Grove, Ilinois : IVP, an imprint
of InterVarsity Press, 2020.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001
by Crossway Bibles,
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