This book is one of the most important in the entire Bible, as the experience of righteousness by faith is so deeply misunderstood — even by many who claim to be saved by faith. How can someone believe they are saved by faith, yet in the next breath claim they are also saved by works? This reveals a great misunderstanding of how to read the Bible correctly. We are saved by faith, yet our faith naturally produces works.
Those who perform works in order to be saved do so out of selfish motives, and such works cannot be accepted by God. We see here just how important this topic truly is. Romans and Galatians are two of the most remarkable books in Scripture — the pillars of righteousness, the books that help guide us toward true conversion. Let us understand that genuine conversion is a rare and precious experience.
Romans 11:6 — “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”
If we are saved by works, then we are no longer saved by grace. I’ve always believed that the apparent contradictions found in the Bible are placed there by God for a good reason — they serve as a test of our honesty. Every honest person will pause and think: “Wait, it says here that we’re also saved by works. What does this mean? Can two contradictory things both be true at once?” No. So what is the solution? We study the Bible further, and God, if He wills, provides the answer.
In this Romans chapter 1 commentary, we find that we cannot be saved by both works and grace simultaneously — just as a traffic light cannot be both green and red at once, or a person cannot be both married and single at the same time. Reading the Bible honestly and prayerfully is essential, or else we risk twisting the Scriptures to our own destruction.
2 Peter 3:16 — “as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”
RO 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
From what was Paul separated? He was separated from worldly, selfish pursuits. This doesn’t mean Paul didn’t work hard — rather, his central mission was to help others understand the truth that we are saved by faith, through belief in the death of Jesus on the cross.
Our works are not truly our own; they were prepared even before the foundation of the world. In this Romans chapter 1 commentary, we see that Paul was set apart from the sins of his age — sins that much of the Christian world remains blind to even today, often without recognizing them: selfishness, dishonesty, pride, arrogance, an unloving and unkind spirit, apathy, and similar attitudes that stand in complete opposition to the meek and humble character of Jesus.
RO 1:2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
This gospel is found throughout the Old Testament. It’s striking that most Christians today believe the Old Testament is no longer relevant — but this isn’t true. Here, Paul tells us that the gospel of Jesus dying on the cross was promised and spoken of by the prophets of the Old Testament. The Bible says that everything written in earlier times was written for our learning. Jesus Himself said we should read the book of Daniel, found in the Old Testament.
Jesus also said that people search the Scriptures, which testify of Him. In Jesus’ time, there was no New Testament — Jesus said the Old Testament itself bears witness of Him. In this Romans chapter 1 commentary, we find that the Old and New Testaments together form one unified book, one continuous revelation, without true division or separation.
Romans 15:4 — “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”
John 5:39 — “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me.”
RO 1:3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
In this Romans chapter 1 commentary, we find that the central message of the Bible is about Jesus, who loved you so deeply that He chose to die rather than allow you to be eternally lost. This remarkable love is revealed when Jesus died on the cross — His blood made atonement for your sins. By believing in this sacrifice through faith, you receive salvation, apart from the works of the law. This doesn’t mean we no longer do things for God and others — it means the intention behind our works shifts: not to earn salvation, but because we love God and others.
RO 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
Jesus is God. He took on human likeness so that His perfect life could bring forgiveness to all. Jesus appeared throughout the Old Testament as “the Angel of the Lord.” Jesus is not merely an angel — He is God. The term “angel” simply means “messenger.” This title, “the Angel of the Lord,” capitalized, refers specifically to Jesus when He appeared to Abraham (Genesis 18), to Moses at the burning bush, to Samson’s parents, and to others. Jesus is fully God, just as the Father and the Holy Spirit are.
RO 1:5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:
This doesn’t mean people in the Old Testament were saved through works — they too were saved by faith. But since Jesus has now died on the cross, that sacrifice has become a fulfilled reality, and we no longer need to offer sacrifices in faith of a coming Messiah. Jesus has already died, and we now live under grace.
RO 1:6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:
RO 1:7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus had followers even in pagan Rome — this is part of why the gospel was able to reach the known world within a single generation. Paul notes that the gospel was preached throughout the world in that one generation, without television or the internet.
In this Romans chapter 1 commentary, we find a significant problem within modern Christianity: most Christians today are concentrated in one part of the world. No wonder the truth struggles to reach the ends of the earth. Many countries have very few Christians and almost no one to share the truth. This is part of why churches are growing spiritually weak, and the world continues to suffer spiritually, without knowledge of Jesus’ love for them.
RO 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
Faith comes by hearing — very likely, the Roman church consisted of dedicated students of Scripture. They held onto their faith in the midst of a pagan world, something many modern Christians would find difficult without the comfort of being surrounded by many fellow believers. This step of faith — growing in Jesus and learning to stand firm even without many other believers nearby — is something God calls many of us to as well.
RO 1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;
Paul oversaw many churches, yet his love for them was so deep that he never considered himself too important to pray for them. Paul genuinely cared for others — and this is where true Christianity is found: in the love we have for one another.
John 13:35 — “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
RO 1:10 Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.
Paul made it a priority to visit fellow believers. Do we care enough for others to visit those in need — whether their needs are spiritual or physical? We cannot be “stay-at-home” Christians. True Christians genuinely care about others’ needs. We cannot focus solely on our own concerns while ignoring those who are suffering, in pain, lonely, or going through difficulty. Christianity is found in loving others. In this Romans chapter 1 commentary, we see that our profession of being a Christian means nothing if we fail to love others.
RO 1:11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;
God gives grace to the humble; God chooses the weak and the rejected of this world. Those whom the world considers unimportant are often the very ones God sees as fully dependent on Him for everything. Such people recognize that without God, they can accomplish nothing — the complete opposite of those who believe they are sufficient on their own. In fact, pride and legalism tend to go hand in hand. A legalist may claim to be a Christian, yet isn’t truly one, since they believe their own works are sufficient, and deep down consider themselves fundamentally good. In doing so, they render the cross of Jesus of no effect.
RO 1:12 That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
This shows that Paul was willing to spend extended time in places with few or no other Christians — Paul was a true missionary. He found comfort later in returning to fellowship and shared faith in the love of Jesus. A modern Christian should likewise seek to reach the unreached, sharing the love of God with those who don’t yet know it. Many Christians spend most of their time speaking only to other Christians, while billions are waiting to hear the story of God’s love. What are we waiting for to tell them?
RO 1:13 Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.
The word “let” carried the opposite meaning in 1611 English compared to today. Back then, it meant “hindered”; today, it means “allowed.” Some words have shifted meaning over time, and we need to understand them as they were intended in 1611, not as we’d interpret them today. Without recognizing this, we might become confused by phrases such as “replenish the earth” or other expressions that have changed meaning since the King James Bible was written.
RO 1:14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
Paul was specifically called to minister to the Gentiles. Who issued this calling? In this Romans chapter 1 commentary, we find that when God calls us to a particular work, we are responsible to obey. Paul was called to the Gentiles — it was, in a sense, a debt he owed to God. Even after we’ve done our very best, we should still recognize that we remain unprofitable servants. This is how deeply we need to understand that we are nothing, and God is everything.
Luke 17:10 — “So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”
RO 1:15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
Paul heard God’s call and was blessed because of it. Will you hear God’s call in your own life, to help others know the truth of the Bible and the love God has for them? Millions are perishing without Jesus, without knowing that their sins can be forgiven. Do you love others enough to tell them? Why not support a ministry, or simply ask God now to show you where He wants you to serve?
RO 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Many people are afraid to openly say they love Jesus and identify as Christians. This doesn’t mean we should be offensive or forceful in pushing our beliefs onto others — and certainly, non-Christians can sometimes behave better than Christians do. But the purpose of our calling in Jesus is to share with others the eternal love of God for all people, wherever they come from.
RO 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
What is revealed in the gospel of Jesus? This remarkable truth: that humanity has no inherent goodness, no righteousness of its own — that we are corrupted. Thus, the only solution is to ask God daily for His righteousness. As long as we continue clinging to the belief that there is something inherently good within ourselves, true conversion has not yet taken place.
RO 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
This means that both religious and non-religious people alike, when they praise human ability and believe themselves good and worthy apart from God, provoke God’s wrath. Unrighteousness encompasses anything that does not come from God, since only God is truly righteous. Any teaching suggesting that humanity is inherently good and righteous is a deception — and God is grieved when sermons are preached suggesting our works hold any value toward our salvation.
John 5:44 — “How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?”
RO 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
How does God reveal Himself? Through the Bible, through His messengers, through creation, and through the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit speaking within our hearts. No one on earth has a valid excuse for not knowing God, and everyone is guided by the Holy Spirit toward the path they should follow. The Bible says God will finish His work quickly in righteousness — God Himself will ultimately reach the whole world, especially as the church remains too dormant to fully carry out its appointed mission.
RO 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
We can know that God exists simply through creation. We understand that a tree cannot appear from nothing, with no cause or reason. Natural selection has no mind, no awareness, no capacity for planning — yet without planning, nothing can come into existence. A car cannot exist unless someone deliberately chooses its color, shape, and materials. The same principle applies to creation. Without God, there would be no direction guiding natural processes, since such processes have no inherent capacity to plan.
RO 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Do you know one of the great ways we show God our love for Him? Through gratitude. Let us be thankful for everything God provides — this is the very least we can do in light of all His blessings: our food, our clothing, our friendships, and the love and peace of God within our hearts. Thank You, God, for all these wonderful blessings. We are deeply grateful to You.
RO 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Human reasoning is the great stumbling block. We often place our trust in the human mind, which is frequently corrupted, biased, dishonest, and committed to its own preconceived ideas rather than to the truth. Human reasoning, when elevated above Scripture, stands in opposition to biblical truth. This doesn’t mean we cannot reason at all — but our reasoning cannot stand apart from the Bible. Human beings err often, and our limited understanding means that when we form conclusions based on incomplete information, we frequently arrive at false conclusions.
RO 1:23 And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Human reasoning eventually led people to believe that created things deserved worship. We see clearly how human reasoning can become darkened. Today, people don’t typically worship physical objects, but rather themselves and their own reasoning abilities. Just because you or I believe something doesn’t make it true — truth must be demonstrated, not simply assumed.
RO 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Every honest person will eventually arrive at the truth; every dishonest person will reject it. When someone rejects truth, they fall into a darkened understanding — they begin to believe a lie is actually the truth, and they start following false beliefs, since a dishonest person finds it genuinely difficult to embrace truth. It ultimately comes down to honesty and humility.
RO 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
In ancient times, people worshipped animals, trees, and other created things. Today, people instead tend to worship human reasoning and human beings themselves.
RO 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
God allowed them to follow the lie and pursue their own conclusions, which stood in contradiction to His calling in their hearts and to His revealed Word.
RO 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
Here, Scripture affirms that the union of a man and a woman is the natural design.
Today, society has, in some ways, become so legalistic in the opposite direction that it has become almost controversial for a man and a woman to simply be together. Even natural love and affection between a man and a woman is sometimes portrayed negatively, when God describes it as good.
Ezekiel 18:5–6 — “But if a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness, and does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period…”
RO 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Those who reject the Bible and refuse to love the truth ultimately end up believing falsehood — it happens almost automatically. This is precisely why it’s so important to pursue truth and to remain honest, since dishonesty naturally leads us toward accepting deception.
RO 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Here we find a list of sins that much of the modern Christian world remains largely unaware of. Many Christians tend to think of “sin” narrowly — as drinking, drugs, or adultery — when in truth, their understanding of sin is far too limited. This is part of the important message we hope to share: throughout much of the gospel, the sins most strongly rebuked are a lack of love for others and excessive self-love.
These sins include pride, arrogance, selfishness, and dishonesty. The unrighteous are dishonest; those who covet fail to genuinely love others; those who harbor hatred are, at their core, selfish — yet the Bible calls us to love even our enemies. Those who gossip or speak negatively about others behind their backs are likewise failing to love others. These particular sins are rarely addressed from the pulpit, yet they form the very foundation of what it means to be a true Christian — loving God and loving others. This goes far beyond simply avoiding certain behaviors; we can avoid specific actions and still remain proud, unloving, and far from righteous. Righteousness by faith means becoming like Jesus through the power of God.
RO 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Backbiters damage others’ reputations by speaking against them behind their backs. The proud falsely believe they have achieved something on their own, when in truth, all things are given to us by God. We need to be honest with ourselves and recognize that without God, we can accomplish nothing. Proud people often claim personal credit for blessings like success or social skill, when these too come from God. This connects closely to the broader pattern of trusting human reasoning rather than giving God the glory.
RO 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
A lack of natural affection is significant, since genuine affection for others is precisely what should characterize a true Christian. This relates closely to those who lack mercy toward those who are suffering. Such people fail to understand that we ourselves could one day find ourselves in similar circumstances, in need of someone else’s mercy and help. It would be worthwhile to take a dictionary and study these sins carefully and prayerfully, since these are the very things that grieve God. A lack of love for others manifests itself in many different forms.
RO 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Many people, and even churches, fail to realize that simply avoiding certain behaviors isn’t enough. We are called to become like Jesus and genuinely love others. Paying tithe, fasting, reading the Bible, and praying are all outward practices — yet someone can remain at heart unkind and still do all these things. What ultimately matters is who we are, since character is the only thing we will carry with us into heaven. Have you accepted Jesus into your heart? Repeat after me: “Father God, forgive my sins, give me Your righteousness, come into my heart. Heal and prosper me. Help me to walk with You, in the name of Jesus. Amen.”