The Book of Romans is Paul's letter to the Christian church in Rome. The church in Rome at that time was comprised mostly of Gentiles, but Paul's letter also indicates that there were Jews there as well. That blending of Jew and Gentile was one of the reasons for writing this letter. The Jewish Christians (which today are known as Messianic Jews) were not being received well by their Gentile brothers because the Jewish believers still followed the dietary customs they had always followed and still honored the Sabbath, leading the Gentiles to believe they were following the law instead of grace which caused some contention; hence, Paul's discourse in Chapter 14 concerning "meats" and "days."
Paul had additional reasons for writing this letter to the church in Rome. He wanted them to know he was coming to visit them in Rome on his way to his next mission field – Spain.
He wanted the Roman Christians to receive a clear understanding of salvation, as this church had not been planted by one of the apostles, but had grown out of the gathering of believers alone; he wanted to assure himself that they were keeping the same doctrine as the other new churches: the teachings of the apostles. And, of course, he needed to help them understand the roles that both Jew and Gentile fulfill in God's plan of redemption so that their relationships would flourish in brotherly love.
But if there is one phrase that best describes Paul's theme in this letter, it would be "the righteousness of God."
According to my Bible and other sources, we can easily define the "righteousness of God" reflected in the 16 chapters of Romans by three main headings: a) "The Revelation of the Righteousness of God"; b) "The Vindication of the Righteousness of God"; c) "The Application of the Righteousness of God" (or its "Practical Application by Believers").
The Revelation of the Righteousness of God:
Verses 1:1 – 3:20 lay out the unrighteousness of ALL people: both Jews and Gentiles.
Verses 3:21 – 5:21 speak of the imputation of righteousness to believers through justification, received by faith through Jesus Christ; contrasting our unrighteousness with God's gift of righteousness to us through Jesus.
Chapters 6 through 8 teach that righteousness is imparted to us, known as "sanctification" – delivering us from the bondage of sin, freeing us from the condemnation of the law, and empowering us by the Holy Spirit to walk out our "new life" in Christ.
The Vindication of the Righteousness of God:
In chapters 9 through 11, Paul demonstrates how God's righteousness is vindicated, showing the "justice" of His dealings with a rebellious and idolatrous Israel and yet reminding us that because of His mercy this rejection is neither complete nor final as their remains even now a "remnant" that are walking in His righteousness.
The Application of the Righteousness of God:
Verses 12:1 through 15:13 give practical application of the righteousness we have received from God through His Son, Jesus; displaying what it looks like in the church, to the world, and among both weak and strong Christians.
The remainder of Romans through chapter 16 concludes Paul's apostolic teachings, commending them ["for your obedience is come abroad unto all men." 16:19], sending them greetings from those with whom he was staying in Greece at the time, and ending with a blessing:
"May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you. Amen. Now to Him that is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey Him, to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen." (16:25-27)
Tomorrow we will begin digging for treasure in the Book of Romans.
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