The Message of Romans

Paul's letter to the young church in Rome has dramatically influenced Christians through the ages. It has been described as a 'gateway into heaven'. In his letter Paul gives a complete picture of the gospel - the fullest and grandest in the New Testament. His horizons are vast, taking in time and eternity, the past, present and future of humanity, and the great themes of justification, sanctification and glorification. This is the most personally rooted of John Stott's expositions, for he confesses to have re-encountered Paul's letter constantly throughout his Christian life. At the same time, her interacts with other commentators, some of whom are challenging interpretations that are time-honoured and traditional. He sees Romans as a Christian manifesto for our increasingly unstable world, emphasising the good news of freedom through Jesus Christ. Paul's vision of this freedom is astonishing. It overcomes ethnic conflict, the darkness of moral guilt, condemnation from God and alienation from others. It is a freedom to serve God and our neighbours in love.

General preface vii
Author's preface ix
Chief abbreviations xii
Select bibliography
Preliminary essay 1
Introduction: The gospel of God and Paul's eagerness to share it (1:1-17) 29
1. Paul and the gospel (1:1-6) 30
2. Paul and the Romans (1:7-13) 39
3. Paul and evangelism (1:14-17) 42
A. The wrath of God against all humankind (1:18 - 3:20) 50
4. Depraved Gentile society (1:18-32) 53
5. Critical moralizers (2:1-16) 65
6. Self-confident Jews (2:17 - 3:8) 76
7. The whole human race (3:9-20) 86
B. The grace of God in the gospel (3:21 - 8:39) 93
8. God's righteousness revealed and illustrated (3:21 - 4:25) 93
9. God's people united in Christ (5:1 - 6:23) 125
10. God's law and Christian discipleship (7:1-25) 179
11. God's Spirit in God’s children (8:1-39) 208C. The plan of God for Jews and Gentiles (9 - 11) 257
12. Israel's fall: God's purpose of election (9:1-33) 259
13. Israel's fault: God's dismay over her disobedience (10:1-21) 277
14. Israel's future: God's long-term design (11:1-32) 290
15. Doxology (11:33-36) 310
16. A manifesto of evangelism 314
D. The will of God for changed relationships (12:1 - 15:13) 318
17. Our relationship to God: consecrated bodies and renewed minds (12:1-2) 321
18. Our relationship to ourselves: thinking soberly about our gifts (12:3-8) 326
19. Our relationship to one another: love in the family of God (12:9-16) 331
20. Our relationship to our enemies: not retaliation but service (12:17-21) 335
21. Our relationship to the state: conscientious citizenship (13:1-7) 340
22. Our relationship to the law: neighbour-love as its fulfilment (13:8-10) 350
23. Our relationship to the day: living in the 'already' and the 'not yet' (13:11-14) 354
24. Our relationship to the weak: welcoming, and not despising, judging or offending them (14:1 - 15:13) 358
Conclusion: The providence of God in the ministry of Paul (15:14 - 16:27) 381
25. His apostolic service (15:14-22) 382
26. His travel plans (15:23-33) 389
27. His commendation and greetings (16:1-16) 398
28. His warnings, messages and doxology (16:17-27) 406
Study guide 414