ROMANS
CHAPTER 16
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
OBSERVATION
STAGE
The purpose of
the observation stage is to maintain focus on the text at hand within the
normative rules of language, context and logic 
which limits the observer to the content offered by the book of Romans.
This will serve to avoid going on unnecessary tangents elsewhere; and more
importantly, it will provide the framework for a proper and objective
comparison with passages located elsewhere in Scripture.
Remember that
something elsewhere may be true, but in the text at hand it may not be in
view.
I)
[Ro 16:1-17]:
A)
PAUL HAD PERSUADED PHOEBE TO CARRY HIS LETTER ON HER WAY TO ROME. HE
COMMENDED HER TO THE ROMAN BELIEVERS - TO BE RECEIVED AS A SISTER IN
CHRIST. HE INFORMED THEM THAT SHE WAS A KEY SERVANT OF THE CHURCH IN
CENCHREA - ONE WHO HAD BEEN A HELPER OF MANY INCLUDING PAUL. SO PAUL
TOLD THEM TO ASSIST HER IN WHATEVER BUSINESS SHE HAD NEED OF THEM FOR
B)
PAUL SENDS HIS GREETINGS TO A NUMBER OF BELIEVERS IN ROME IN A
COMMENDATORY, PERSONAL AND OFTEN AFFECTIONATE MANNER
II)
[Ro 16:17-20]:
A)
PAUL URGES FELLOW BELIEVERS TO AVOID THOSE WHO CAUSE DIVISIONS AND
OFFENSES DUE TO ACTIONS CONTRARY TO THE DOCTRINE THE BELIEVERS HAD
LEARNED - WITH SELF-SERVING, SMOOTH AND FLATTERING WAYS THAT DECEIVE THE
IMMATURE BELIEVER. PAUL ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE ROMAN BELIEVERS' OBEDIENCE
TO THE FAITH WAS WELL KNOWN AND REJOICED IN THIS BUT ADMONISHED THEM TO
BE WISE IN WHAT IS GOOD AND INNOCENT IN WHAT IS EVIL - FOR PAUL WROTE
THAT THE GOD OF PEACE WILL SOON CRUSH SATAN UNDER THE BELIEVERS' FEET.
PAUL PRAYED THAT THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST BE WITH BELIEVERS
III)
[Ro 16:21-24]:
A)
PAUL CONVEYS GREETINGS TO THE ROMAN BELIEVERS FROM FELLOW BELIEVERS AND
THEN CLOSES THIS SECTION WITH A BLESSING
IV)
[Ro 16:25-27]:
A)
PAUL OFFERS PRAISE TO GOD WHO ALONE IS ABLE TO ESTABLISH ONE IN A
TEMPORAL AND ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM ACCORDING TO PAUL'S GOSPEL
1)
[Compare Ro 1:1 NIV]:
2)
[Compare Ro 1:16 NIV]:
3)
[Ro 16:27 NKJV]:
B)
TO GOD WHO ALONE IS ABLE TO ESTABLISH IN ONE A TEMPORAL AND ETERNAL
RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM ACCORDING TO PAUL'S GOSPEL / THE PROCLAMATION OF
JESUS CHRIST
C)
PAUL'S AND EVERY BELIEVER'S GOSPEL, THE PROCLAMATION OF JESUS CHRIST
WHICH DECLARES THAT ONE IS JUSTIFIED BY A MOMENT OF FAITH ALONE IN
CHRIST ALONE UNTO AN ETERNAL RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM GOD UNTO ETERNAL LIFE -
THAT GOSPEL - IS ACCORDING TO REVELATION OF MYSTERY WHICH HAS BEEN KEPT
SECRET FOR LONG AGES PAST DUE TO MAN'S WILLFUL IGNORANCE UNTIL GOD
INTERVENES INTO THE MINDS OF MEN TO ENABLE THEM TO CHOOSE TO KNOW AND
BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL OF GOD
1)
[Ro 16:26]:
2)
[Ro 3:23-26]:
D)
THE GOSPEL - THE PROCLAMATION OF JESUS CHRIST - REVELATION OF MYSTERY
KEPT SECRET FOR LONG AGES PAST DUE TO MEN'S WILLFUL IGNORANCE, IS NOW IN
PAUL'S TIME AND IN OUR CURRENT AGE MADE MANIFEST TO THE GENTILES - TO
ALL MANKIND - THROUGH PAUL'S AND OTHERS' PREACHING AND THE PROPHETIC
SCRIPTURES - AS GOD INTERVENES WITHIN THE MINDS OF INDIVIDUALS FOR THEM
TO CHOOSE TO KNOW AND BELIEVE IN IT
E)
ACCORDING TO HIS COMMANDMENT AND CONSEQUENT INTERVENTION IN THE MINDS OF
MEN TO ENABLE THEM TO CHOOSE TO KNOW AND BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL, GOD HAD
PAUL'S GOSPEL, THE PROCLAMATION OF JESUS CHRIST, REVELATION BY GOD BUT
MYSTERY TO MEN THROUGH WILLFUL IGNORANCE KEPT SECRET FOR LONG AGES PAST,
TO BE MADE MANIFEST TO THE NATIONS, THE GENTILES, ALL MANKIND - SO AS TO
BE ABLE TO BE CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD, KNOWN AND BELIEVED 'FOR OBEDIENCE TO
THE FAITH', I.E., TO BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL AND OBEY THE DOCTRINES OF THE
FAITH - THROUGH PREACHING AND EXAMINATION OF THE SCRIPTURES
*** EXCERPT
FROM ROMANS CHAPTER ONE ***
TO
CALL PEOPLE FROM AMONG THE GENTILES TO THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH REFERS TO
THE GOSPEL WHICH PAUL IS TO PRESENT TO THE GENTILES SO THAT THEY MAY
BELIEVE IN IT. TO OBEY THE GOSPEL IS TO BELIEVE IN IT
*** END OF
EXCERPT FROM ROMANS CHAPTER ONE ***
F)
PAUL WRITES THAT SINCE GOD ALONE IS ABLE TO ESTABLISH ONE IN A TEMPORAL
AND ETERNAL LIFE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIMSELF THROUGH A MOMENT OF FAITH
ALONE IN JESUS CHRIST ALONE; AND SINCE IT IS GOD ALONE WHO IS ABLE TO
ENABLE MEN TO KNOW AND CHOOSE TO BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL THROUGH THE
PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL AND THROUGH THE PROPHETIC SCRIPTURES; THEN TO
GOD, WHO ALONE IS WISE, BE GLORY THROUGH JESUS CHRIST FOREVER, AMEN
