Starting in June 2022, we have been studying Paul’s epistle to the Romans. At the encouragement of several people, and as we enter the season of the Fall Feasts and take a brief break from the series, we are going to be publishing a series of posts that highlight the messages and make them easier to consume for those that may have missed one or more of them or who want to “catch up” before we continue the series of messages in October.
We published the first twelve messages between Tue, Sep 23 and Sat, Oct 22, 2022. After taking a short break, we resumed our study of Romans on Sat, Dec 3, 2022.
Follow us on Instagram or Facebook or subscribe to our YouTube channel to find out as soon as each WOR video becomes available. If you want to catch up, you can use the list of posts at the bottom of this post or check out the “Walking Out Romans” playlist on YouTube.
The Book of Romans is a bedrock of Christian Theology and if you have spent any time in the Church, you may think that you know what it has to say. But you may be surprised to find that this book may not say what you think it says…. Inconceivable!, Right?! Actually, No!
The theologian Martin Luther’s said in the preface to his commentary,
This letter is truly the most important piece in the New Testament. It is purest Gospel. It is well worth a Christian’s while not only to memorize it word for word but also to occupy himself with it daily, as though it were the daily bread of the soul. It is impossible to read or to meditate on this letter too much or too well.
Martin luther
Did you catch that? “It is impossible to read or to meditate on this letter too much or too well.”
So join us as we examine—or should that be re-examine—the Book of Romans in the historical context of to whom it was written and when it was written and through the lens of Messianic Judaism.
WOR: Introducing Paul and His Message
Introducing Paul and His Message – Rom 1:1-7 Rav Sha’ul’s (or Paul’s—remember his name was never changed) letter to the Romans can be dated with some confidence to the winter of 56-57 CE. This puts it towards the end of his 3rd missionary journey (probably from Corinth). It was written to the community in Rome as a ...
WOR: Yet All Are Guilty
Yet All Are Guilty – Rom 1:18-32 Sha’ul, Paul, begins his explanation of how we are to walk with a background of how all are guilty. He highlights how all of us, even the pagan Gentiles, have known better. Elder John takes us on this journey of descent in three stages. Paul makes it clear that ...
WOR: G-d’s Judgment on Unrighteousness
G-d’s Judgment on Unrighteousness – Rom 2:1-16 Sha’ul, in the first chapter of Romans, told us that people seek the lowest level in life unless there is something that comes to turn us around. Reminding us of the final result in Judgement, he tells us what can turn this around. There is depravity unless people come ...
WOR: Jewish People Fall Short Too
Jewish People Fall Short Too – Rom 2:17-29 One thing that is vital to understanding and applying Romans is that, in Paul’s letter, there are two “kinds” of Jews in view: (1) natural-born Jews and (2) God-fearing Gentiles who have undergone ritual conversion to Judaism to become proselytes. And in this portion, we need to understand that ...
WOR: No One Is Acceptable
No One Is Acceptable – Rom 3:1-20 So if Gentiles, while remaining Gentiles, can inherit the Kingdom, what then is the advantage of the Jew? Paul is addressing the thought that to “Inherit the Kingdom,” Gentiles had to convert and become Jews, as was the common thought in the first century. The irony should not escape us that, ...
WOR: How G-d Accepts Us
How G-d Accepts Us – Rom 3:21-31 By now as we should have seen, Paul has made his point. What is his point? Everyone is on the same footing when standing before G-d in the final judgment. Next, Paul is going to introduce some good news. If all have sinned, Jew and Gentile, then ADONAI has made a ...
WOR: Abraham Set Right by Faith
Abraham Set Right by Faith – Rom 4:1-12 So we have established in the first three chapters of Romans that “all have sinned,” but that ADONAI has made a way to salvation through Messiah Yeshua. Chapter three ended by wondering if that has made irrelevant all that the LORD said and did in the Hebrew Scriptures before ...
WOR: Trusting in the Promise
Trusting in the Promise – Rom 4:13-25 Paul’s central point in this chapter is that G-d-fearing Gentiles DO NOT need to become Jewish, by undergoing the proselyte conversion ritual, in order to be saved. They can, and should, remain Gentiles because they do not need to become Jewish to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. The “promise” depends on ...
WOR: Shalom with G-d through Messiah
Shalom with G-d through Messiah – Rom 5:1-11 Now we have been justified by faith in Messiah, what then? Throughout this fifth chapter, we see the three legged stool of the Past, the Present, and the Future. We have been justified in faith (verse 1)—past; in grace we stand (verse 2) — the present; and exult in ...
WOR: Yet Sin Reigns through Death
Yet Sin Reigns through Death – Rom 5:12-21 So sin entered the world through one man—Adam. Many of us have been taught that sin then spread to all mankind from Adam’s original sin. But is that actually what the Word of G-d says? It turns out NO! We don’t inherit sin! What we actually inherit is DEATH! ...
WOR: Who Is Your Master?, Pt 1
Who Is Your Master?, Pt 1 – Rom 6:1-11 Now if it is because of sin that grace abounds, should we sin more so that there would be more grace? Paul tells us absurd that would be. You see we have died with Messiah, died to our sin, and sin is supposed to be in the past. We ...
WOR: Who Is Your Master?, Pt 2
Who Is Your Master?, Pt 2 – Rom 6:12-23 When we are set free from sin, we are to become slaves to righteousness. Sha’ul (Paul) reminds us that we are set free from the power of death and we have a choice to no longer sin. If Yeshua is truly our Lord and Master, not just our ...
WOR: Two Laws at War, Pt 1
Two Laws at War, Pt 1 – Rom 7:1-12(13)* Romans Chapter Seven is a transitional chapter in the progression of Romans. But what exactly was Paul (Sha’ul) meaning when he said that we were “made to die to the Torah through Messiah”? John explores Paul’s words in this sermon, along with the concept that the Torah has an “outside” aspect as ...
WOR: Two Laws at War, Pt 2
Two Laws at War, Pt 2 – Rom 7:13(14)-25* In this the second half of Romans Chapter Seven, John explores further the meaning of the Torah as External and Internal. Though we are redeemed in Messiah and have NEW LIFE and the Torah within us, there remains a war inside each of us—between our SAVED SOUL ...
WOR: Set Free
Set Free – Rom 8:1-5 In Romans Ch. 6, Paul introduced the concept of us being “dead to sin” in Messiah Yeshua. Then he went on a very justified rabbinical, “bunny trail” into what that actually means. Here in Romans Ch. 8, Paul returns to discuss what the result is. What does it look like now that ...
WOR: Life in the Spirit
Life in the Spirit – Rom 8:5-17 As we continue our study of Romans 8, John explores the changes that take place and the contrast of the “mind set upon the flesh” and the “mind set upon the Spirit”. We identify five things that become NEW as we put to death the deeds of the flesh—because, to ...
WOR: Eagerly Awaiting Our Adoption
Eagerly Awaiting Our Adoption as Sons – Rom 8:18-25 As we pick up Paul’s thesis again in Romans 8:18- 25, we encounter the effect of man’s sin upon all of creation. John delves into the story of the Goel, the “kinsman redeemer” from the Torah and the book of Ruth, to make connection to Yeshua the Messiah, ...
WOR: Nothing Can Separate Us from the Love of Messiah
Nothing Can Separate Us from the Love of Messiah – Rom 8:26-39 In the conclusion of Romans Chapter 8 we see that, since we have been redeemed by Messiah, our kinsman redeemer, we have an advocate with the Father. Yeshua is our DEFENDER. John explores in this text the great theme of what power, person, or spiritual ...
WOR: The Role of Israel, Pt 1
The Role of Israel, Pt 1 – Rom 9:1-18 In Romans 9 we begin a new “unit’ within the Book of Romans that will take us through chapters 9-11. Paul returns now to the question that he asked in Romans 3:1, “What advantage has the Jew?” We explore the details from chapter nine showing the advantages of ...
WOR: The Role of Israel, Pt 2
The Role of Israel, Pt 2 – Rom 9:19-33 In last week’s message, covering Rom 9:1-18, we focused the Sovereignty of ADONAI. In Rom 9:19-33, John explores the implications of that Sovereignty—and what it means and what it does not mean. We look at the Potter and the Clay and how that applies to our lives. We ...
WOR: Misdirected Zeal, Pt 1
Misdirected Zeal, Pt 1 – Rom 10:1-10 The beginning of Romans 10 speaks extensively of G-d’s righteousness. John explores how this is a “dynamic righteousness” that is capable, in Messiah, of spreading to the Father’s children. This is a righteousness of G-d that is revealed through Yeshua and that pursues us! Because of His love for us, ...
WOR: Misdirected Zeal, Pt 2
Misdirected Zeal, Pt 2 – Rom 10:11-21 Romans 10 is the middle of a complex section of Paul’s letter concerning Israel and the nations. In this last part of Chapter 10, Paul zeroes in on how we are saved and John explores how all of us, Jew and Gentile, are saved by faith and faith alone. Verse ...
WOR: Israel Not Rejected
Israel Not Rejected – Rom 11:1-16 In Romans 11 we are faced with the question: If the Jewish Leadership rejected Messiah, does that mean that Adonai has rejected His people? The answer is an emphatic “NO”! In today’s message, John traces Paul’s teaching in the first half of the chapter explaining why it is impossible for Adonai ...
WOR: The Mystery Revealed!
The Mystery Revealed! – Rom 11:17-36 In the second half of Romans 11, John explains Paul’s picture of the cultivated olive tree—and the original branches that were removed and wild olive branches that were grafted in. Those wild branches are the Gentile believers who are grafted INTO Israel, not replacing Israel.John explores this mystery looking at ...
WOR: Be Dead to Self, Pt 1
Be Dead to Self, Pt 1 – Rom 12:1-8 In Romans 12 we take a sharp turn in narrative direction. In the first eleven chapters, Rav Sha’ul establishes a lot of theology and doctrine. Now, he shifts the focus to how the truths from those chapters should affect the manner in which we, as believers, live ...
WOR: Be Dead to Self, Pt 2
Be Dead to Self, Pt 2 – Rom 12:9-21 Now in the rest of Romans 12, Paul gives us 21 commandments (and we thought ten was a lot!!). John takes us through this halacha—for our lives individually and in community—that will allow us to fulfill the objective of becoming living sacrifices. Watch the video of this message ...
WOR: Respecting Authority
Respecting Authority – Rom 13:1-14 In Romans 13, we continue with the halacha of how we are to live our lives in this new Community of Faith. Throughout this chapter, the apostle Paul speaks of our relationship as disciples of Yeshua to authority. John challenges us all to reexamine our individualistic mindsets and consider how and why ...
WOR: Unity in Community, Pt 1
Unity in Community, Pt 1 – Rom 14:1-7 In the first seven verses of Romans 14, we meet the concepts of: strong and weak believers; negotiable and non-negotiable issues; and love and judgement. How often have you heard that this passage tells us that HaShem has changed His mind about things like the Shabbat and what ...
WOR: Unity in Community, Pt 2
Unity in Community, Pt 2 – Rom 14:8-23 In the remainder of Romans Chapter 14, John challenges us with how we interact with our brothers and sisters in Messiah over those things that are “grey areas”. John explores the reasons why we judge our fellow believers for their personal walk and convictions—and reminds us that when ...
WOR: Unity in Community, Pt 3
Unity in Community, Pt 3 – Rom 15:1-9 Romans 15 begins with the admonition for the strong believer to bear the weak believer and emphasizes the need for each disciple to live to please their fellow disciples for the sake of these fellow disciples. John takes us through the comparison of how Messiah Yeshua has done this ...
WOR: Salvation for Gentiles Too
Salvation for Gentiles Too – Rom 15:10-21 In this, the middle section of Romans 15, beginning in verse 10, Paul has quoted the TORAH, the PROPHETS, and the WRITINGS to show G-d bringing forth His promises to the Gentiles. We see the ministry of Paul to the Gentiles as a Priest presenting the Gentiles to ADONAI. John then ...
WOR: Working Together & Sharing God’s Blessings
Working Together & Sharing God’s Blessings – Rom 15:20-33 As Paul (and John, our Elder) draw to the end of Chapter 15—and the book of Romans, we are wrapping up the thoughts of this monumental book. Paul explains that he is planning to visit the Roman Congregation on his way to Spain to preach the Gospel ...
WOR: Precious and Valued by God
Precious and Valued by God – Rom 16:1-16 Romans Chapter 16 has Rav Sha’ul (Paul) wrapping up his letter with greetings to a number of people in the congregations in Rome. John reminds us how these men and women probably did not think themselves particularly noteworthy or influential, but here we are, all these years later, ...
WOR: Finishing Our Walk
Finishing Our Walk – Rom 16:17-27 In this the final portion of our Walking out Romans series, Rav Sha’ul (Paul) and Trey remind us that, though we are to pursue Unity, we must not lose sight of the things that really are non-negotiable and how we are to act when we encounter those teaching things contrary ...