The gospel in Romans is simple: we are made right with God by faith in Jesus, not by our good works. That’s what sets Christianity apart from every other religion. You can’t pull yourself up by your bootstraps and save yourself. But that doesn’t mean good works don’t matter. They are the result of salvation, not the cause of it. Along the way, Paul warns that the lies we believe can keep us from hearing this good news at all.
This lesson covers Romans 1–4. Read those chapters during the week, and highlight the verses that stand out to you.
The Good News Is Simple
Romans is one of the most influential letters ever written. It shaped the faith of Augustine, sparked Martin Luther’s Reformation, and has changed countless lives since. Paul wrote it to a church he had never visited, and he opens with the heart of his message.
Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
The word “gospel” means good news. And the good news is that God has made a way for us to be made right with him (that’s what “righteousness” means here). It doesn’t come by earning it. It comes by faith.
Romans 3:20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.
Every other religion tells people to climb their way up to God through rituals, rules, and good deeds. Paul says the law can’t save anyone. All it can do is show us how far we fall short. That’s why we need a Savior.
Romans 3:22-24 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Notice the words “all” and “freely.” Everyone needs grace, and God offers it to everyone as a gift. No one is too far gone, and no one is good enough to skip it.
The Lies We Believe
If the good news is so simple, why do so many people miss it? Paul says the problem isn’t a lack of information. It’s a heart problem.
Romans 1:21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
People knew God existed, but they chose to ignore him. Their thinking became “futile,” which means empty or useless. We do the same thing today. It’s easy to believe a lie that suits our interests instead of taking God at his word. We build a “box” of excuses and justifications, and before long we’ve deceived ourselves. (For more on how this works in relationships, see Overcoming Self-Deception in Conflict.)
Men are especially good at this. We convince ourselves we’re fine, that our sin isn’t that bad, or that we can handle things on our own. The gospel starts by breaking through those lies and admitting we need God.
Good Works Still Matter
At first glance, Paul seems to contradict himself. He says we’re saved by faith, not works. But then he writes this:
Romans 2:13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.
So which is it? The answer is that good works are the effect of salvation, not the cause. Paul isn’t saying we earn our way to God by obeying. He’s saying that real faith always shows up in a changed life. Later in the same section, he makes it clear.
Romans 3:31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.
Faith doesn’t give us permission to ignore God’s commands. It gives us a new reason to follow them. Paul says the same thing in another letter.
Ephesians 2:8-10 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
We’re saved by grace, through faith, for good works. Once we trust Jesus, God expects us to honor him with how we live. Not to earn his love, but because we already have it.
The Takeaway
The gospel in Romans is that we are made right with God by faith in Jesus, not by our own effort. Don’t let self-deception keep you from that good news. And once you’ve received it, let your good works flow out of gratitude for what God has already done.
