Insights on Romans

Our Doctrinal Constitution The book of Romans is widely considered the greatest theological work ever written. In this extensive study, Pastor Chuck Swindoll walks through Paul’s masterpiece, unfolding the “Bad News” of human depravity and the “Good News” of God’s grace. From the foundational doctrine of justification by faith to the practical realities of a Spirit-led life, this series provides a roadmap for understanding the Christian faith.

Message 1: Judgment for the Judgmental

• Overview: Paul turns the spotlight on the religious person who judges others while practicing the same sins. Chuck explores how God’s judgment is based on truth and reality, not outward appearance.
• Key Fact: God’s “kindness” is intended to lead us to repentance, but a hard, unrepentant heart “stores up” wrath for the day of judgment.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 2:1–5

Message 2: Sinnerama in Panorama

• Overview: A broad look at the universal problem of sin. Paul systematically removes every excuse, showing that neither the pagan nor the religious person is righteous before God.
• Key Fact: The law was never meant to save us; it was given to serve as a mirror that reveals our desperate need for a Savior.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 3:9–20

Message 3: Romans: Our Doctrinal Constitution

• Overview: An introductory message that frames the entire book. Chuck explains why Romans is the most important book for a Christian to master.
• Key Fact: Romans provides the definitive explanation of the “Righteousness of God” and how it is credited to the account of a believer.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 1:1–7

Message 4: Getting a Grasp of the Gospel

• Overview: A deep dive into the thesis of the book. Chuck discusses why Paul was “not ashamed” of the Gospel and why it remains the power of God for salvation.
• Key Fact: The Gospel is not a suggestion or a philosophy; it is the dunamis (dynamite power) of God that produces a total life transformation.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 1:16–17

Message 5: The Good News for the Whole World

• Overview: While the world is lost, the reach of the Gospel is universal. This message explores the availability of salvation to anyone who believes.
• Key Fact: Salvation is “to everyone who believes”—first for the Jew, and then for the Gentile—establishing the global scope of God’s mission.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 1:14–17

Message 6: The Bad News about the Whole World

• Overview: Paul describes the downward spiral of a society that rejects God, moving from suppressing the truth to being “given over” to depravity.
• Key Fact: When humans exchange the glory of the incorruptible God for an image, God allows them to experience the full consequences of their choices.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 1:18–32

Message 7: The Dark Side of Being Super-Religious

• Overview: This message addresses the danger of ritual without reality. Chuck warns that external circumcision or religious activity cannot mask an uncircumcised heart.
• Key Fact: A “true Jew” (or true believer) is one whose heart is right with God, receiving praise from God rather than from men.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 2:17–29

Message 8: An Autopsy of Depravity

• Overview: A chilling, point-by-point description of the total depravity of the human race, using a “anatomy” of sin (throat, tongue, lips, mouth, feet).
• Key Fact: “There is none righteous, no, not one”—this total bankruptcy is the necessary starting point for receiving God’s grace.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 3:10–18

Message 9: Unwrapping the Gift of Grace

• Overview: One of the most important theological messages in the series. Chuck explains “Justification,” “Redemption,” and “Propitiation.”
• Key Fact: God is both the “Just” and the “Justifier”—He maintains His holiness while legally declaring the sinner righteous through the blood of Christ.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 3:21–26

Message 10: Righteousness Is a Five-Letter Word

• Overview: Using the example of Abraham, Chuck demonstrates that faith is the only mechanism by which we receive God’s righteousness.
• Key Fact: Faith is a “five-letter word”—trust. It is not about doing, but about believing the One who justifies the ungodly.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 4:1–8

Message 11: The Man Who Hoped Against Hope

• Overview: A look at the resilience of Abraham’s faith. Even when it was physically impossible, he believed God’s promise.
• Key Fact: Abraham did not “waver” in unbelief but was strengthened in faith, being fully persuaded that God had the power to do what He promised.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 4:18–25

Message 12: Triumphant Joy

• Overview: Because we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God and can rejoice even in our tribulations.
• Key Fact: Trials produce endurance, which produces character, which produces hope—a hope that will never disappoint us because of God’s love.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 5:1–11

Message 13: Dying to Live

• Overview: Chuck explores our identification with Christ. Because we have “died with Him” to sin, we are now free to “walk in newness of life.”
• Key Fact: We are no longer under the dominion of sin; we must “reckon” ourselves dead to sin and alive to God.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 6:1–11

Message 14: Portrait of a Struggling Christian

• Overview: A deeply personal look at the internal war between the “old man” and the “new man.” Chuck addresses the frustration of doing the things we hate.
• Key Fact: The struggle of Romans 7 is the typical experience of a believer trying to live the Christian life in their own strength rather than by the Spirit.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 7:14–25

Message 15: From Agony to Ecstasy

• Overview: The transition from the “O wretched man that I am” of chapter 7 to the “no condemnation” of chapter 8.
• Key Fact: The Law of the Spirit of Life has set us free from the Law of Sin and Death.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 8:1–4

Message 16: Let’s Talk About Our Walk

• Overview: What does it look like to walk after the Spirit? This message clarifies the difference between a fleshly mindset and a spiritual mindset.
• Key Fact: To be “spiritually minded” is life and peace; the Spirit of God dwells within us to empower our daily decisions.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 8:5–13

Message 17: Guilt vs. Grace

• Overview: Chuck contrasts the heavy burden of guilt under the law with the liberating freedom of grace.
• Key Fact: Grace does not give us a license to sin, but a desire to please the Father because we are fully accepted in Christ.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 5:20–6:2

Message 18: Whose Slave Are You?

• Overview: Everyone is a slave to something. We are either slaves to sin (leading to death) or slaves to righteousness (leading to holiness).
• Key Fact: The “wages of sin is death,” but the “gift of God is eternal life.” Our choice of mastery determines our ultimate destiny.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 6:15–23

Message 19: Cultivating a Spirit-Controlled Life

• Overview: A practical guide to yielding to the Holy Spirit. Chuck emphasizes that the Spirit is a person who desires to lead us into truth and intimacy with God.
• Key Fact: We have received the “Spirit of adoption,” allowing us to cry out to God as “Abba, Father.”
• Scripture Reference: Romans 8:14–17

Message 20: Glorying and Groaning

• Overview: We live in a “groaning” creation. This message provides hope for those suffering, pointing to the future glory that far outweighs present pain.
• Key Fact: The Holy Spirit intercedes for us with “groanings too deep for words” when we don’t know how to pray in our weakness.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 8:18–27

Message 21: Providence Made Practical

• Overview: A study of Romans 8:28. How does God work “all things together for good” for those who love Him?
• Key Fact: “Good” is defined as being “conformed to the image of His Son,” not necessarily our comfort or immediate happiness.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 8:28–30

Message 22: We Overwhelmingly Conquer

• Overview: The “grand finale” of Romans 8. Chuck explores the series of rhetorical questions that prove nothing can separate us from the love of God.
• Key Fact: If God is for us, who can be against us? We are “more than conquerors” through Him who loved us.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 8:31–39

Message 23: Three Faces of God

• Overview: An introduction to Romans 9–11, focusing on God’s sovereignty, His righteousness, and His faithfulness to Israel.
• Key Fact: God is not through with Israel; His “irrevocable gifts and calling” ensure a future for His covenant people.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 9:1–5

Message 24: Straight Talk about Predestination

• Overview: Chuck handles the difficult doctrine of election with balance, focusing on God’s right as the Potter to shape the clay.
• Key Fact: God’s sovereignty does not make Him unjust; it makes Him God. We must trust His mercy over our own logic.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 9:14–24

Message 25: Straight Talk about Responsibility

• Overview: The “other side” of sovereignty: human responsibility. Chuck explains that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
• Key Fact: Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God; therefore, the Gospel must be preached to all nations.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 10:8–17

Message 26: The Jews: Forgotten or Set Aside?

• Overview: Paul explains the temporary hardening of Israel and the “grafting in” of the Gentiles.
• Key Fact: The salvation of the Gentiles is intended to “make Israel jealous,” ultimately leading to their restoration.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 11:11–24

Message 27: Unsearchable, Unfathomable, and Unmatched!

• Overview: After 11 chapters of deep theology, Paul breaks into a hymn of praise. Chuck reflects on the majesty and wisdom of God.
• Key Fact: “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.” All theology must ultimately lead to doxology (praise).
• Scripture Reference: Romans 11:33–36

Message 28: A Compelling Commitment

• Overview: The “Therefore” of Romans. Based on God’s mercies, Chuck discusses what it means to present our bodies as a “living sacrifice.”
• Key Fact: Transformation begins with the “renewing of the mind,” refusing to be conformed to the pattern of this world.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 12:1–2

Message 29: Christianity 101

• Overview: A practical look at spiritual gifts and how the Body of Christ functions in humility and unity.
• Key Fact: We are one body with many members, and each member has a unique, God-given function necessary for the whole.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 12:3–8

Message 30: Doing Right When You’ve Been Done Wrong

• Overview: How to respond to evil. Chuck teaches on the “hard sayings” of Paul regarding loving enemies and overcoming evil with good.
• Key Fact: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” Relinquishing the right to get even is the path to spiritual victory.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 12:14–21

Message 31: How to Be a Godly Rebel

• Overview: A message on the Christian’s relationship with civil government. When should we submit, and what are the limits?
• Key Fact: Every authority that exists has been established by God for the purpose of maintaining order and restraining evil.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 13:1–7

Message 32: Legal Tender and Loving Care

• Overview: Paul discusses the “debt of love.” Chuck explores how love fulfills the heart of the law in our daily interactions.
• Key Fact: To love our neighbor as ourselves is the summary of the commandments regarding our relationships with others.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 13:8–10

Message 33: Wake Up and Get Dressed!

• Overview: A call to spiritual urgency. Because the “day is at hand,” we must cast off the works of darkness and “put on the Lord Jesus Christ.”
• Key Fact: Christian living requires an intentional “dressing” in the character of Christ every single morning.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 13:11–14

Message 34: Putting Grace into Action

• Overview: How to handle “disputable matters.” Chuck talks about the relationship between the “weak” brother and the “strong” brother.
• Key Fact: We are not to judge one another on non-essential issues, for each of us will give an account of himself to God.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 14:1–12

Message 35: Liberty on a Tightrope

• Overview: Christian liberty is not about doing whatever we want; it’s about the freedom to limit our liberty for the sake of another’s conscience.
• Key Fact: The Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 14:13–23

Message 36: We Are One . . . or Are We?

• Overview: A focus on unity within the church. Chuck encourages believers to “receive one another, just as Christ also received us.”
• Key Fact: Unity is not uniformity; it is the harmonious blending of different people for the glory of God.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 15:1–7

Message 37: Encouraging Words of Affirmation

• Overview: Paul’s personal remarks to the Romans reveal his heart for the church. Chuck discusses the power of a “ministry of encouragement.”
• Key Fact: Paul was confident in the Romans’ “goodness” and “knowledge,” showing that healthy leaders affirm the growth of their people.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 15:14–21

Message 38: Preaching and Traveling with Paul

• Overview: An look at Paul’s missionary strategy and his desire to take the Gospel to Spain. Chuck highlights the importance of vision and planning in ministry.
• Key Fact: Paul’s ambition was to preach Christ where He had not been named, avoiding building on another man’s foundation.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 15:22–29

Message 39: Praying with Your Whole Heart

• Overview: Paul asks the Romans to “strive together” with him in prayer. Chuck explores the labor and intensity of true intercession.
• Key Fact: Prayer is a form of spiritual warfare and partnership; it “opens doors” that are otherwise locked.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 15:30–33

Message 40: Love and Kisses

• Overview: Paul greets dozens of individuals by name in chapter 16. Chuck demonstrates that people matter to God and should matter to us.
• Key Fact: The list includes women, former slaves, and hard workers, proving the diverse and egalitarian nature of the early church.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 16:1–16

Message 41: Boars in God’s Vineyard

• Overview: A sudden warning against those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine learned.
• Key Fact: “Smooth talk and flattering speech” are the tools of those who serve their own appetites rather than the Lord Christ.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 16:17–20

Message 42: To God, Alone, Be the Glory Forever

• Overview: The concluding doxology of Romans. Chuck reflects on the “mystery” that was kept secret but has now been revealed to all nations.
• Key Fact: God is able to “establish” us according to the Gospel—He is the source of our stability and our ultimate glory.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 16:25–27

Message 43: Putting Down Evil, Lifting Up Friends

• Overview: A practical summary of how to navigate relationships within the church—balancing protection from false teachers with affection for true friends.
• Key Fact: A healthy church is discerning about doctrine but warm and hospitable in its fellowship.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 16:17–24

Message 44: How a Renewed Mind Thinks

• Overview: The series concludes by revisiting the “renewed mind.” Chuck synthesizes the whole book into a call for a transformed way of thinking and living.
• Key Fact: The “Insight for Living” from Romans is this: God’s grace is sufficient to save us, and His Spirit is sufficient to sustain us.
• Scripture Reference: Romans 12:2; Romans 16:27