NOTES ON THE BOOK OF ROMANS Taught by Bro. Franklin Puckett The following notes were made by Donald Townsley. He made the notes in a class on the book of Romans taught by Bro. Franklin Puckett. The class was at the College View church of Christ in Florence, Alabama where Bro. Puckett was the evangelist for a number of years. The date these notes were taken by Bro. Townsley was January 1974. Introduction: 1. Learn what the book of Romans is saying. 2. Read the book several times; read several translations. 3. Rules: 1. Learn the meaning of words. 2. No word can have multiple meanings in its use. 3. We must learn how an author uses a word -- we must learn how Paul uses words. 4. Work to do: Study the word "WORKS" and see how the word is used. 5. Macknight (Epistles), chapter 2, pages 62-63. 6. We understand this book by studying the text. 7. Give a summary of every chapter. 8. Reasons for studying the book of Romans: 1. Great intellectual value. 2. Mental exercise. 3. Consider it a challenge. 9. Romans has historical value -- what Paul taught. 10. The conflict between Jew and Gentile. 11. Develops the doctrine of faith vs. works. 12. Great doctrinal value -- grace, love, faith. 13. Great Spiritual value. 14. Great practical value. 15. The foundation of great evangelical fervor. 16. By nature -- Rom. 2:14 (Calvin) 1. Light of nature. 2. Divine revelation 3. Instinct. 4. By the Holy Spirit -- direct 5. Passages to study -- Gal. 2:15; Eph. 2:3; I Cor. 11:14 17. Rom. 5:12 "all"; death -- physical or spiritual (Bro. Franklin Puckett says it is not spiritual) 1. Study Schedule: 1. Chapters 1-3:31 Romans Lesson Two
2. Chapters 4-5:12 3. Chapters 5:13-6: 23 4. Chapters 7-8:39 5. Chapters 9-11 6. Chapters 12-16 2. Learn the terms in the book: 1. Impute 2. Works 3. Election 4. Wrath 5. Holy 6. Fullness 7. Seed 8. Mystery 9. Flesh 10. Spirit 11. Grieved 12. Stumbling block 13. Offend 14. Holiness 3. Verse One: 1. Paul, a slave (servant) 2. Called an apostle. 3. Separated unto the gospel of God. 4. Verse Two: 1. The subject of the book: THE GOSPEL OF GOD 2. Holy Scriptures -- Old Testament 5. Verses 3-5 -- The gospel has a special theme: Jesus Christ our Lord. 6. The people addressed (v. 6) 1. The called of Jesus Christ -- Rom. 8:28; 2 Thess. 2: 13-14 2. The means of the call -- The Gospel. 7. Verse 7: 1. Believed of God -- John 3:16; Rom. 5: 6-8 2. Called Saints 3. In Rome 4. Grace (Greek) and peace (Hebrew). 8. Verse 8 -- Thankfulness 9. Verse 9 -- Service, prayer 10. Verse 10 -- His submission unto God's will. 11. Verse 11 -- He wanted same fellowship -- impart same spiritual gift. 12. Verse 12 -- They would be of help to one another. 13.
14. Verse 14 -- He was a debtor: 1. Blessings received are not to be used upon one's self. 2. We are not to be served -- but to serve -- Matt. 20:28. 3. If I am not a blessing I cannot receive a blessing. 4. We are a debtor to all men -- educated and uneducated; rich or poor. 15. The Theme or Thesis of the book -- verses 16-17 1. The gospel of Christ is the theme. 2. Its nature is seen in the power. 3. Its source is God. 4. Its purpose unto salvation. 5. Its scope -- to all. 6. We are to use good judgment in preaching the gospel. 7. The condition of the gospel is faith. 8. The accomplishment of the gospel -- it reveals God's righteousness to the sinner. 9. The result -- by faith righteous men shall live. 10. Righteousness (1) Subjectively of Divine law -- Psa. 119: 172 (2) Relatively -- of man -- Phil. 3:9 (3) Objectively -- the righteousness God gives man. 16. Verse 17 -- "Therein" (In the gospel) revealed the righteousness of God. 1. Objective righteousness. 2. It is a revealed righteousness. 3. A righteousness of God by faith is revealed in order to have faith. 4. The gospel is God's plan of making man righteous, which is by faith; is revealed to produce faith. 5. "from faith unto faith" (1) The fact that God will justify the believer is stated in order to induce men to believe. (2) Gal. 2:16 (3) The gospel righteousness, which is of God as its divine source, comes to us by faith as a condition and is revealed in order to have faith 6. Therein is revealed (1) A righteousness of God by faith Lesson Three Romans Chapter One: 1. A lesson from verses 1-4 1. Christ according to the flesh -- vs. 3 2. Christ the Son of God -- vs. 4 (1) The divine side of Christ fills all of man's needs. 2. Verse 17: The Righteousness of God -- Righteousness which is by faith:
It is Salvation By Faith Not by Works of the Law GOD -- JUDGE JUST INNOCENT LAW CONDEMNED GUILTY In the hands of the Judge is the power of life and death. 3. Verse 18: Paul is arguing all men need justification. 4. The Apostasy of the Gentiles: 1. They knew God -- vs. 21 2. They glorified Him not as God. 3. They were not thankful -- vs. 21 4. Became vain in their imagination. 5. They became fools -- vs. 22. 6. They made God after their fashion -- vs. 23. 7. They defiled themselves -- vs. 24-27 8. God gave them over to a reprobate mind -- vs. 28 9. God gave them up -- vs. 24, 26, 28 CHAPTER TWO 1. Vs. 1-- The Jew is inexcusable. 2. God is the Judge -- He will judge according to truth -- vs. 2. 3. How one could escape who violates Law: 1. 1. The offense not be known. 2. The offender escapes beyond the limits of the court. 3. The legal process failed. 4. The offender defies the court. 4. The sinner cannot escape the Judgment of God: 1. God knows all our sins -- Heb. 4:13; Rev. 20:12 2. The sinner cannot escape beyond the limits of God.
3. The legal process will not break down -- Psa. 9: 7-8; Heb. 10: 27-30 4. We cannot defy God -- Gal. 6:7-8 GOD THE JUDGE 1. God will be fair in His judgment -- vs. 2 2. The Judgment will be universal. 3. God is impartial -- no respecter of persons with God -- vs. 11 4. God will Judge the secrets of men -- vs. 16. 5. The Standard of Truth -- vs. 2 6. The works of men will be judged -- vs. 6. 7. Study verse 12: 1. Gentiles sinned without law -- Isa. 56: 6-7; I Kings 8: 41-43 2. Sinned in the Law -- Jews. Lesson Four 1. The gospel is God's power unto salvation because God's righteousness is revealed in the gospel: 1. Gal. 2:16 2. God will justify men on the basis of faith. 2. Both Jews and Gentiles are in sin -- Rom. 1: 18-32 - 2: 1-11 3. Rom. 2:12 -- a general principle of justification by law. 4. Rom. 2: 1. 2: 1-2 -- God is no respecter of persons. 2. God will judge all men alike. 3. God's judgment is according to truth -- Rom. 2:2. 4. No one can escape the judgment of God. 5. Judged according to deeds. 6. God's judgment will omit nothing. 5. Rom. 2:12 1. God is the standard. 2. The Law reflects God. 3. God could not will something contrary to Himself. 4. God cannot lie. 5. God is the living One -- everything about Him is truth. 6. Attributes of God are not the same as the being of God. 7. The law bears the characteristics of God. 8. What kind of law would you call it? (1) Moral Law -- the nature of something makes it right or wrong. (2) Positive Law -- is made right by divine decree.
GOD LAW (Moral Law) 1. God wills that man work -- it is moral for man to work. 2. If one keeps the law -- life. 3. If one breaks the law -- Death. 4. God said to Adam -- "Do this and not this." 1. Not to eat of the tree -- life 2. Eat of the tree -- death 5. Lev. 18:5 -- works must conform to the requirements of the law. 6. Man sins and comes under the condemnation of the law. 7. How can a man be just before God? 8. How can he be just before God when he has sinned? 9. He cannot be justified by Law -- not by works of the Law. 10. Eph. 2: 8-9 11. Is there justification? 1. By Faith 12. Hope for man, not justification by law, but justification by faith. WORKS GOD doing LAW by works Moral Life -- Blessings Death -- Curse GRACE SIN LAW -- FAITH Redemptive Law LIFE DEATH 1. Law of Faith -- faithfulness as the part of man 13. Justification does not come by hearing Law, but by doing Law. 14. God is no respecter of persons -- Rom. 2:11 2. Rom. 2:11 -- is the rope one must hold to. 15. Verse 6 -- Individual -- context 16. Verse 11 -- Individual 17. Verse 14 -- Gentiles have not Law -- do by nature the things contained in the Law (Law of Moses).
GOD LAW Nations under: Jews The Law Verse 14 -- Nature 1. "are a law unto themselves". 2. vs. 15 -- They had standards of right. 3. By nature -- native conditions; birth; nature -- Rom. 2:27; Gal. 2:15 1. How does Paul use it? 2. Context 3. Gal. 2:15 -- "Nature" -- native born Jews. 4. The Gentiles in their native state stand condemned. LESSON FIVE OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE 1. A righteousness that originates with God -- Rom. 1: 16-17. 2. A righteousness by faith -- Rom. 3:22 3. It is a righteousness accounted to all -- Rom. 3:22. 4. Results of being justified -- Rom. 3:24 5. Made possible by the redemption in Christ -- Rom. 3:24 6. We reach that righteousness when we have the forgiveness of sins -- Rom. 4: 6, 7 7. Made possible by grace -- Rom. 3:24 8. Imputed righteousness -- Rom. 4: 8, 7, 6 9. Witness by the Law -- Rom. 3:21 10. It is revealed in the gospel -- Rom. 1: 16-17 RIGHTEOUSNESS Subjective --- Objective 1. The term is used: 1. Of God -- Subjectively -- Rom. 3:5 2. Of Divine Law -- Statutorily -- Psa. 119: 172 3. Of man -- relatively -- Matt. 5:20; Rom. 3:20 4. Of God -- objectively -- Rom. 1:17; Rom. 3: 23-26
Points of Difference Between Adam and Christ: ADAM The Trespass -- vs. 12-15 Many Died -- vs. 15 Judgment unto condemnation -- vs. 16 Death reigned -- vs. 17 One Trespass -- vs. 18, 17 Disobedience -- vs. 19 Many were made sinners. CHRIST The Free Gift -- vs. 15 Grace of God abounded unto many -- vs. 15 Free Gift unto Justification -- vs. 16 Life Reigns -- vs. 17 One act of Righteousness -- vs. 18, 17 Obedience -- vs. 19 Many shall be made righteous. Romans 12:14 TYPE TWO MEN ANTITYPE Adam Christ 1. SIN TWO ACTS OBEDIENCE 2. CONDEMNATION TWO DIFFERENT RESULTS JUSTIFICATION 3. DEATH TWO DIFFERENT EFFECTS LIFE 4. ABOUNDED MUCH MORE ABOUNDED 1. Paul is not showing how the Gentiles might be saved -- not their salvation, but their condemnation. 2. Rom. 3:23 -- "all have sinned". 3. Gal. 3:22; I John 5:19 4. People will not obey the gospel until they realize they are lost. 5. Rom. 2:14 -- the nature of Law -- the Gentiles had knowledge of the Law -- conscience bearing witness. 6. Acts 17:30 (26-30); "winked at" -- to overlook; to pass by; Acts 14:16 -- "own ways" (suffered) 7. Rom. 1: 24, 26, 28 "God gave up the Gentiles" 8. Eph. 4:17 -- the Gentile mind -- Eph. 4: 17-19; I Pet. 4: 1-4; Eph. 2: 13 --; Gal. 4:8 --; Eph. 2: 11-12 -- no hope; Matt. 22 "no children" --without (godless) GENTILES 9. Ex. 12: 48-49 -- "one Law"; Num. 9:14 -- "one ordinance"; Lev. 17: 8-9 "stranger at the gate"; Num. 15: 14-16, 1; Lev. 24: 17-22 "one law"; Lev. 22. 10. God had revealed Himself to the Gentiles -- Rom. 1: 18-19 11. The flood -- Gen. 6: 1-22; 7 1. Noah -- died two years before Abraham was born; Shem lived 150 years after Abraham was born. 2. Nature -- Rom. 1: 18-19; Psa. 19:1
3. Deut. 28: 9-10; Ex. 9: 16-9; Rom. 9:17; Josh. 4: 23-24 (all the people); I Kings 8: 41-43; 2 Kings 19: 35-36; Isa. 56: 3; 56: 6-8; Dan. 2: 46-47 "Your God" (48-49);Dan 3: 26-30; Dan. 6:16, 25-28 Good Faithful True Righteous Love HOLY -- Rom. 11:22 THE LIVING GOD Compassion, Grace, Longsuffering Terrible Just Hates Anger Wrath WILL DIVINE LAW DEATH LIFE GOOD HOLY TERRIBLE Faithfulness Justice Truth Hates Anger Righteousness STATUTORIAL LAW Reverence Love Obedience REMEDIAL LAW Patriarchal - 2,500 yrs. Mosaic - 1,500 yrs. Gospel - 2000 yrs. Law of Works Law of Faith