Page 33 - New Testament Survey Student Textbook

Study Section 4: Letter to the Romans: A Call to Righteousness

4.1 Connect
We are now living in a generation where communication is more simplified. This is exciting
news! At your age, you probably have received many letters, coming to you in different forms,
sizes, and media platforms than many people in the previous generation. In the previous
generation, it could take about six months to communicate with a person overseas. Three
months for the letter to reach the US if you were writing from Africa, and three months for
their response to reach you. Today, at the press of a burton, we Email, text, WhatsApp,
Facebook, zoom, Skype, Face time, etc., in order to communicate with a distant person. We surely have
a better understanding of a letter!

This section opens a series of letters written to the churches in specific areas. In these letters, the author
is either answering questions, solving a reported problem, giving guidance on confusing matters of life,
correcting wrong theology, teaching right theology on critical doctrinal matters and providing
applications, and evangelizing to the lost. Let’s begin…

4.2 Objectives

1. The student shall be able to identify the author of the epistle to the Romans.

2. The student shall be able to locate when and where the book was written.
3. The student shall be able to name the recipients of the book.

4. The student shall be able to describe the occasion under which the book was written.
5. The student shall be able to describe the themes and purposes of the book to the Romans

6. The student shall be able to explain the structure and outline of the epistle to the Romans
7. The student shall be able to explain some important features in the book of Romans.

8. The student shall be able to name the key passages in Romans
9. The student shall be able to recite the key words in Romans.

4.3 The Epistle to the Romans
The letter to the Romans is endowed with heavy teaching on the gospel and salvation. This is
the only church the author writes to in anticipation of his very first visit. He did not start the
church in Rome, as a matter of fact, the planter of the church in Rome is unknown. In his
letter to the Roman church, Paul lays out his argument for unifying Jews and non-Jews in
Christ—and in the process, instructs his readers on how to restore their relationship with
God. As Paul explains, we only find unity with God and with one another through God’s Son,
Jesus. Christ represents the fulfillment of God’s covenant promises, going all the way back to Abraham.
Paul proclaims that Christ is the very righteousness of God and the means for us sinners to become
righteous—to be saved.

Author: “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God”
(1:1). Clearly Paul the apostle who identifies himself as a racial Jew (9:3; 11:1). Along with Galatians and

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