This epistle lays the foundation of Christianity. Certain brethren from different parts had taken up their abode in Rome, the capital of the Roman Empire. Several of these had been companions and fellow-workers with the Apostle Paul, and had received the truth from him. (See Rom. 16:3-5, and more). Others had received the truth amongst the Jews who had been “in Christ” before the apostle himself (Rom. 16:7). But neither Peter nor Paul had been in Rome, when the epistle was written. It was written likely from Corinth, some little time before the apostle’s last journey to Jerusalem (see Rom. 15:25-26) in which city as we know he was imprisoned, and finally sent as a prisoner to Rome; but the Church of God had already been founded in the city before his arrival, and the saints met together as the Assembly in that place. The apostle wrote them this letter to the end they might be established in the foundations of the faith (see Rom. 1:11). Blessed it is to have such a letter; it reveals to us what was the ancient doctrine of the Church of Rome. To this we adhere, rejecting the modem doctrines that have come into the Church, and comparing its modem pretensions to the truth, and its claim of infallibility, with the ancient inspired letter of the apostle Paul to it when it was first founded.
The epistle does not rise to the height of the Epistle to the Ephesians, where the eternal counsels of God in regard to Christ and the Assembly are set before us, and our union with Christ in glory by the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven; but treats of God’s righteousness revealed in the gospel, justification by faith, and the Christian’s place in Christ, dead, risen, and glorified. It might be divided into four distinct parts.
Part I goes down to Romans 3:20. It treats of man’s responsibility as a sinner, whether Gentile or Jew, proving both to be under sin, and awaiting God’s judgment against them; ending up with the whole world being shown to be under sentence before God. It brings out the necessity for the gospel of God to be preached, and His righteousness to be revealed, for man had none.
Part II goes down to the end of Romans 8. It treats of God’s nature, His remedy for sin, and His salvation, which again might be divided into four parts.
1st: God’s righteousness, justifying us from our sins is seen, this takes in forgiveness.
2nd: God’s love reconciling us from our enmity. (Rom. 5:1-12).
3rd: Justification of life from sin, and in Christ, and deliverance from its power and from the law (Rom. 5:12-Rom. 8.)
4th: The believer’s full standing in Christ, and his new state by the Holy Spirit, ending up with his salvation from the presence of sin and the redemption of his body when the Lord comes. God’s righteousness is, manifested in Christ, dead, risen, and glorified.
1st: Justifying the believer from all his sins;
2nd: Holding him righteous in Christ, free from all condemnation, and in a position from whence there is no separation up to Romans 5:12, we have what God is for the believer through Christ, in righteousness and love; on to the end of Romans 8 what the believer’s place is “in Christ.”
Part III goes down to Romans 11:36. It is the dispensational part of the epistle. God’s dealings with Jew and Gentile are traced to the end of the age, and are shown to be on the principle of sovereign grace; and God’s promises made to the Jewish nation are reconciled with His present dealings in grace with both Jew and Gentile alike.
Part IV takes us to the end of the epistle, beginning with Romans 12. It applies the preceding mercies of God to the believer’s walk, and is composed of exhortations and rules which enter into the minutest circumstances of daily life.
The whole instruction of the epistle is addressed to those who were the called of Jesus Christ, called saints (see Rom. 6). They had heard the voice of the Son of God and lived.