Category Archives: The Book of Romans

Four Tasks for Christians

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The Book of Romans (#6)

Romans 2:17 – 29

Sermon by Pastor Sylvia Chan

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Last time we studied Romans 2:1-16, and saw that judgment is based on works, which means that God will judge each person according to his deeds. Today we continue to study Romans 2.

Four Tasks for the Christians

NASB Romans 2:17 – 20 But if you bear the name “Jew” and rely upon the Law and boast in God, 18 and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth (Rom 2:17-20 NASB)

Verse 17 says “But if you bear the name “Jew”…”, which shows that Paul has in mind the Jewish Christians in the Roman church. Paul says that you know the will of God and are instructed out of the Law, since Yahweh God gave the Law to Israel through Moses, and the will of God is embodied in the Law. That’s why the Jews know the will of God and are instructed by the Law.

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Judgment is Based on Works

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The Book of Romans (#5)

Romans 2:1 – 16

Sermon by Pastor Sylvia Chan

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Last time we studied Romans 1:18 – 32, where we saw that when men in their ungodliness and unrighteousness suppress the truth of God, that will lead to God’s wrath against them. But men did not repent, but went deeper and deeper into sin, and they also approved those who practice sin. Therefore God gave them up to their sins. When people keep on sinning beyond a certain point, there is no more repentance for them. That is a warning to all of us.

Romans is a letter that Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome. In this letter, the word “you” refers to the Christians in the church, not to the non-Christians. Let’s keep in mind that Apostle Paul is speaking to Christians. Today we are going to study Romans 2.

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The Wrath of God is Revealed

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The Book of Romans (#4)

Romans 1: 18 – 32

Sermon by Pastor Sylvia Chan

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Last time we finished studying Romans 1:1 – 17, in which the Lord Jesus Christ was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead. The Lord’s disciples were given the task to proclaim the gospel to all people, because the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. And it is in the gospel that the righteousness of God based on faith is revealed to the one who has faith.

Today we continue to study the rest of Romans chapter 1, from verses 18 – 32.

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The Righteousness of God is Revealed to The One Who Has Faith

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The Book of Romans (#3)

Romans 1: 17

Sermon by Pastor Sylvia Chan

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Last time we studied Romans 1:7-16, in which Paul says that the gospel is the power of God for salvation. When we listen to the gospel, the power of God goes into our heart and changes us! Today we continue to look at the next verse:

NASB Romans 1:17 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.” (Rom 1:17 NASB)

Here the word “it” refers to the gospel, so we can read the passage like this: “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.”

What does “from faith to faith” mean? From whose faith is the righteousness revealed and unto whose faith?

Here I am not playing with words. These are important questions, and through the centuries many articles have been written on this verse, Romans 1:17. Many people have expounded this verse and debated on its meaning. You can go to read all those articles in different commentaries if you want, but I will not follow those commentaries. I will try to explain this verse in very simple language so that even young Christians and non-believers can understand it. My aim is to preach the gospel to all people to the ends of the earth, that’s the command of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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The Gospel is The Power of God for Salvation

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The Book of Romans (#2)

Romans 1:7 – 17

Sermon by Pastor Sylvia Chan

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Today we continue to study the book of Romans. Last time we studied Romans 1:1 – 6, now let’s look at the next passage.

NASB Romans 1:7 – 17 7to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. 9 For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you, 10 always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you in order that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; 12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13 And I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented thus far) in order that I might obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 Thus, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.” (Rom 1:7-17 NASB)

Saints – Holy ones, those separated to Yahweh God

In verse 7 Paul said, “to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints”; I have explained the meaning of the word “saint” in my earlier sermon “Saints” in the series called “Titles of Christians”. You can refer to that sermon to understand the origin and meaning of the word “saint”. (All my previous sermons have been uploaded to our YouTube channel @cdc_online; sermon transcriptions are available at www.gospelandsalvation.com.) Here I won’t go into all the details, but will simply say that saints are the holy ones, those separated to Yahweh God.

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Introduction to the Book of Romans

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The Book of Romans (#1)

Romans 1:1 – 6

Sermon by Pastor Sylvia Chan

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Today we begin to study the book of Romans, but from time to time I may still talk about the titles of Christians and even the titles of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible mentions many titles of the Lord Jesus and of Christians, but I don’t want to dwell on a certain topic for too long. I am also eager to start the book of Romans as soon as possible. But if the Lord permits, I will still talk about some titles of Christians once in a while.

The book of Romans talks about “righteousness,” “faith,” “justification” and Yahweh God’s salvation plan.

(To justify means to make righteous; for example, to justify someone means to make him righteous. The noun “justification” is the action of making righteous; for example, the justification of someone means the action of making him righteous.)

Studying the book of Romans helps us to examine our own faith to Yahweh God and to the Lord Jesus Christ. When we preach the gospel to non-believers about righteousness, faith, justification and salvation, we can follow the method and the steps in the book of Romans step by step, point by point.

NASB Romans 1:1 – 6 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, 4 who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ. (Rom 1:1-6 NASB)

The meaning of this passage is very deep; let’s study it verse by verse.

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