Yes — Romans is placed first for study because the Holy Spirit ordered it to lay the doctrinal foundation, even though it was not Paul's first letter.
Les teaches that Romans was written after Galatians and 1 and 2 Thessalonians, yet when the New Testament was assembled, the Holy Spirit positioned Romans right after Acts because Romans is basic to salvation teaching. Romans lays the foundation on which the rest of Paul's epistles build.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 — Les uses this verse to explain that Romans supplies the foundational 'doctrine' for the believer before moving to correction and instruction.
Galatians 1:11-12 — It establishes that Paul's gospel came by direct revelation, which is why Romans carries the authoritative doctrinal foundation Les says we should study first.
The Bible states that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, so that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Paul also testifies that the gospel he preached was not after man, and that he did not receive it or learn it from man, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:11-12).
Les explains that Romans was not actually Paul's first letter; Galatians and 1 and 2 Thessalonians were written before it. Yet when church leaders in the 300s assembled the New Testament, the Holy Spirit made it evident that Romans should come right after Acts because Romans is basic in salvation teachings. He says all the foundation is laid in Romans, and the other epistles then build on it. Les connects this to 2 Timothy 3:16, pointing out that Scripture is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction — and that Romans is the doctrinal foundation he had just been teaching. Since Paul is the apostle to the Gentiles and Romans is so fundamental for Gentile believers, Les says he could easily spend five years teaching it.
No. Les says Romans was written after Galatians and 1 and 2 Thessalonians, and he dates Paul's earliest letters to about AD 58 and Romans to about AD 60. During the events of Acts, none of Paul's letters had been written yet. Paul began writing his letters around AD 58–59 because the churches had been established and then needed doctrine, correction, and instruction.
Les teaches that the New Testament order of Paul's letters is not chronological. When the church leaders of the 300s put the New Testament together, the Holy Spirit 'was so evident' that He placed Romans right after Acts instead of Thessalonians or Galatians. The reason is that Romans is so basic in salvation teachings: all the foundation is laid in this letter, and then the pieces from the other epistles can be put together on that foundation.
At the beginning of his study of 1 Corinthians, Les turns to 2 Timothy 3:16 and shows that all Scripture is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness. He then tells his listeners that this is exactly what they had just looked at in the last chapters of Romans. In Les's view, Romans provides the doctrinal base, and the letters that follow were written because the churches needed correction and instruction after being established.
Les stresses that for this age of grace, Paul is the designated apostle of the Gentiles, and the fundamental truths for salvation, the Christian walk, and the local church must come from Paul's letters. Romans especially contains much that is fundamental for Gentiles. Paul's gospel — including what Romans teaches — did not come from human instruction but by revelation from Jesus Christ. Because Romans is so foundational, Les says he could spend five years in it and that believers should spend the best part of their time in Paul's epistles.
Doctrine Before Correction
Les quotes 2 Timothy 3:16 and connects the doctrine-reproof-correction sequence to the teaching he had just finished in Romans, showing why Romans supplies the doctrinal base before the corrective letters.
Holy Spirit Placed Romans First
Les explicitly says Romans was written after Galatians and Thessalonians, yet the Holy Spirit placed it right after Acts because Romans is basic in salvation teaching and lays the whole foundation.
Pauline Letters Are the Source of Fundamentals
Les teaches that the fundamental truths for salvation, the Christian walk, and the local church come from Paul's letters, and Romans especially is fundamental for Gentiles.
Letters Written After Churches Were Established
Les explains that around AD 58–59 Paul began writing letters because the churches needed doctrine, correction, and instruction — a sequence that moves from Romans into Corinthians.
Paul's Letters Contain Unique Doctrines
Les says Paul brings out many doctrines not found elsewhere in Scripture, which is why believers should spend the best part of their time in Paul's epistles.
Romans Was Not Written During Acts
Les dates Paul's earliest letters to about AD 58 and Romans to about AD 60, confirming that Romans was not the first epistle written.
Paul's Gospel Came by Revelation
Les says every word Paul wrote was inspired by the Holy Spirit, and he shows that Paul's gospel came by revelation, not from man — the kind of doctrinal foundation Romans presents.
Romans Is a Book Les Could Spend Five Years In
Les emphasizes that Paul is THE apostle to the Gentiles and that believers must go to Romans for basic doctrine; he says he could easily spend five years teaching it.
2 Timothy 3:16-17: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Les uses this verse to show why Romans, as the doctrinal foundation, comes first in his order of study.
Galatians 1:11-12: But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
This verse confirms Paul's gospel was a direct revelation, supporting the authority of the doctrine found in Romans.
No. Les says Galatians and 1 and 2 Thessalonians were written before Romans. He places Paul's earliest letters around AD 58 and Romans around AD 60.
Les explains that the Holy Spirit directed the New Testament arrangement, placing Romans right after Acts because Romans is basic and foundational for salvation teaching. The whole foundation is laid in Romans, and later letters build on it.
Les uses 2 Timothy 3:16 to show that Romans supplies the doctrine, and then letters like Corinthians provide the reproof, correction, and instruction the churches needed after they were established.
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