Romans, Chapters One and Two

[Nahum]

I heard an interesting comment today. I was listening to a guy preach on the radio and he said this; "Romans, chapter one, shows us no one is too bad to be saved, and Romans, chapter two, shows us no one is too good to be saved".

I thought that was rather insightful and true.

What do you think?

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

I heard an interesting comment today. I was listening to a guy preach on the radio and he said this; "Romans, chapter one, shows us no one is too bad to be saved, and Romans, chapter two, shows us no one is too good to be saved".

I thought that was rather insightful and true.

What do you think?

Interesting. I disagree with it but it's interesting. Romans 1-3 show us that we're all guilty in the high court of Heaven. Romans 4-5 tells us what to do about our guilt (justification by faith). Romans 6-8 shows us what happened to us when we received that justification (went from being slaves of sin to slaves of righteousness, i.e. escaped the power and penalty of sin), shows us that we still endure the presence of sin in our lives, and shows us both how we are to live (life in the Spirit) and our future hope of reward. Romans 9-11 deals with God's sovereignty and with the status of both the nation of Israel and the Gentiles. Romans 12-15 is about the sanctification process and is a continuation of that life in the Spirit discussed in Romans 8. Romans 16 ends the book with various personal greetings and comments.

[JN Anderson]

I do not agree either. Romans is written, by Paul, to a strongly Gentile church experiencing a resurgence of Messianic-Jews and some orthodox. Therefore, it is primarily to show that The Law (Mosaic and not necessarily good works produced by faith) is of no effect in salvation yet Gentiles are are also in the body, and have not disenfranchised the Jews. The personal introspective account, which exists in large part because of Luther and the Reformation (16th Century), is an anachronism IMO. Paul, his readers, or Jews in general understood covenant relationships (wherein there is a collective and less emphasis on individuals). Whosoever will can enter the New Covenant, by grace thru faith. I do not think Paul is taken up, in a large sense anyways, with personal righteousness.