Yes—Romans is foundational for Christian doctrine, according to Les Feldick, because it lays the groundwork for the doctrines of grace and shows Israel's place in God's program.
Les calls Romans 'so basic' and says it is where we must begin in understanding God's plan of salvation. He also notes that the Holy Spirit placed Romans after Acts because it lays the foundation for salvation teaching. Alongside the doctrines of grace, Romans explains God's dealings with Israel in its middle chapters.
Romans 3:21 — In the evidence, Les points to Romans 3:21 as the place where Paul moves from the problem of sin to the remedy, making it a foundational text in Romans.
Scripture itself does not contain a statement rating the importance of the book of Romans. Still, the content of Romans provides the doctrinal foundation that Les identifies. In Romans 3:21 Paul writes, 'But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets.' This verse marks the point in the letter where Paul turns to the remedy for the sin problem. The same letter also includes, as Les notes, middle chapters on God's dealings with Israel.
Les Feldick repeatedly stresses that Romans is foundational for the Church Age. He says he has heard of a pastor who taught Romans every Sunday morning for 25 years, and he himself takes considerable time in the letter because it is 'so basic' to the doctrines of grace and to understanding God's dealings with Israel [Clip 0]. He calls Romans 'one of the basic books of Scripture for us today' and says this is where believers 'have to begin' in understanding God's plan of salvation [Clip 1]. Les also explains that although Romans was written after Galatians and 1 and 2 Thessalonians, the Holy Spirit deliberately placed it right after Acts because it lays the foundation for salvation teaching [Clip 3]. He calls Romans 'the book of doctrine' [Clip 5], and he says that understanding Genesis 3 (the fall) and Romans 3 (the remedy) gives a person half the battle [Clip 4]. He also teaches that Paul's letters, including Romans, contain fundamental truths for salvation, the Christian walk, and the local church [Clip 2], and that Romans speaks to where believers are living right now rather than only future prophecy [Clip 6].
Les says Romans is so basic that a pastor he heard of taught it every Sunday morning for 25 years. He calls it 'one of the basic books of Scripture for us today' and says this is where we have to begin in our understanding of God's plan of salvation. He also explains that the Holy Spirit placed Romans after Acts because all the foundation is laid in this letter.
Les teaches that if a person understands two chapters in the Bible, the battle is half over: Genesis 3 records the fall and man's problem with sin, and Romans 3 gives the remedy. He calls Romans 'elementary' for that reason, but he insists it is the proper starting place for doctrine.
Les explains that Romans was written after Galatians and 1 and 2 Thessalonians, yet the Holy Spirit placed it right after Acts. He says Romans lays the foundation, and then the other epistles put the pieces together. He describes Romans as 'the book of doctrine,' while the Corinthian letters serve as reproof. In his own teaching, Les indicates that he studied Romans verse by verse, while covering the other letters differently.
Beyond the doctrines of grace, Les points to the middle three chapters of Romans, where Paul deals with God's dealings with Israel and Israel's place in His program even today. This is one reason Romans is not only foundational for salvation but also for understanding the whole of biblical history.
Romans as the Foundation for Doctrines of Grace and Israel's Program
Les says Romans is basic to understanding the doctrines of grace and also explains God's dealings with Israel and Israel's place in His program today.
Romans Is Basic for Today
Les says Romans is one of the basic books of Scripture for us today and is where we must begin in understanding God's plan of salvation.
Paul's Letters Contain the Church's Foundations
Les says the Pauline letters, including Romans, provide the fundamental truths for salvation, the Christian walk, and the local church in this age of grace.
Why Romans Sits After Acts
Les notes that Romans was written after Galatians and the Thessalonian letters, but the Holy Spirit placed it after Acts because it is so basic in salvation teaching.
Genesis 3 and Romans 3: Fall and Remedy
Les says that if people understand Genesis 3 (the fall) and Romans 3 (the remedy), the battle is half over; Romans is therefore elementary but foundational.
Romans: The Book of Doctrine
Les calls Romans 'the book of doctrine' and says he taught it verse by verse whereas the other letters are studied with a different emphasis.
Romans Speaks to the Present Age
Les explains that teaching Romans may not be as attention-holding as prophecy, but it covers where believers are right now in the present age.
Continuing Instruction and the New Testament Alignment
Les emphasizes that after salvation, Romans continues to instruct believers, and the Holy Spirit was careful in aligning the New Testament books so Romans's foundational truths are clear.
Romans 3:21: But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
This verse is the point in Romans to which Les points when he says Romans 3 gives the remedy for sin; it introduces the righteousness of God apart from the law.
Yes. In his teaching, Les indicates that he went through Romans verse by verse. When moving on to other letters, he says he is 'not going to teach these other letters of Paul as verse by verse as I did Romans.'
Les refers to Romans as 'the book of doctrine' because it lays out the basic doctrines of the Christian faith, especially salvation and the doctrines of grace. He says it is so foundational that the Holy Spirit placed it right after Acts.
Although Romans was written after Galatians and 1 and 2 Thessalonians, Les says the Holy Spirit placed it after Acts in the New Testament because it is basic to salvation teachings.
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