Touchpoint Bible Study

Luke-Acts-Romans System

These three books summarize well the history of Jesus Christ and how the prophesy of the Old Testament was fulfilled through the life and ministry of Jesus. The gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles were written by Luke and addressed to Theophilus. Theophilus may have been a specific person, or perhaps these two letters were addressed to all believers as Theophilus means lover of God in latin. It is believed that Luke was from Antioch Syria and was likely a gentile or Hellenistic Jew with high literacy in both Greek, Hebrew, and Syrian Aramaic.

The gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles were likely written in 80-90 AD after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman empire and the destruction of the second temple in 70 AD. Luke's audience was directed towards gentiles due to his incomplete knowledge of Jewish customs, laws, and geography of native Jewish lands. Thus, his writings were not primarily directed to a Jewish audience, such as the gospel of Matthew, but for generations of gentiles wanting to learn about the history of Jesus Christ. It is believed that Luke learned from oral tradition and what was passed down by the early Christian disciples. 

 Throughout the gospel, Luke calls upon the Christian disciple to identify with the master Jesus, who is caring and tender toward the poor and lowly, the outcast, the sinner, and the afflicted, toward all those who recognize their dependence on God, but who is severe toward the proud and self-righteous, and particularly toward those who place their material wealth before the service of God and his people. No gospel writer is more concerned than Luke with the mercy and compassion of Jesus. No gospel writer is more concerned with the role of the Spirit in the life of Jesus and the Christian disciple, with the importance of prayer, or with Jesus' concern for women. While Jesus calls all humanity to repent, he is particularly demanding of those who would be his disciples. Of them, he demands absolute and total detachment from family and material possessions. To all who respond in faith and repentance to the word Jesus preaches, he brings salvation, and peace, and life. [17]

The Acts of the Apostles is the second volume reporting the early Christian church and following Peter's evangelism and miracle working within a primarily Jewish population, and Paul and Barnabas spreading the gospel in Asia minor and evangelizing gentile populations. Luke describes the growth of the Church from Christ's resurrection until Paul is traveling to Rome to stand trial. 

In the development of the church from a Jewish Christian origin in Jerusalem, with its roots in Jewish religious tradition, to a series of Christian communities among the gentiles of the Roman empire, Luke perceives the action of God in history laying open the heart of all humanity to the divine message of salvation. His approach to the history of the church is motivated by his theological interests. His history of the apostolic church is the story of a Spirit-guided community and a Spirit-guided spread of the Word of God. The travels of Peter and Paul are in reality the travels of the Word of God as it spreads from Jerusalem, the city of destiny for Jesus, to Rome, the capital of the civilized world of Luke's day. Nonetheless, the historical data he utilizes are of value for the understanding of the church's early life and development and as general background to the Pauline epistles. [18]

The epistle to the Romans expands the previous history written by Luke and goes on to describe how God's righteousness saves all those who believe in his son's sacrifie. (Rom. 1:16-17) Paul's Letter to the Romans is a powerful exposition of the doctrine of the supremacy of Christ and of faith in Christ as the source of salvation. It is an implicit plea to the Christians at Rome, and to all Christians, to hold fast to that faith. They are to resist any pressure put on them to accept a doctrine of salvation through works of the law. At the same time they are not to exaggerate Christian freedom as an abdication of responsibility for others, or as a repudiation of God's law and will. [19]

In summary, reading of Luke-Acts-Romans is a system to introduce individuals back to the larger overall picture of the word of God. This strategy, or suggestion, can quickly get a Christian that has fallen away from the word an opportunity to connect again with the faith and have an overall good education and faith regarding the life of Jesus and the foundation of the church. This pathway also allows the reader to understand how the power of Holy Spirit was established and now works in the heart of the believer to win others for Christ. That redemption and salvation is through grace alone and cannot be done through works of an unbeliever. Lastly, it provides a broad overview to an individual that could feel overwhelmed with the volume of the Bible and doesn't know where to begin.