Notes from the early church fathers on the book of Romans.

Romans 1
The Just live by faith. The gentiles left the knowledge of God and invented pagan systems. For those growing up in those systems, it is very hard to come to a true knowledge of God.

• Irenaeus 170 AD

• Against Heresies 4.29 - God only blinds the minds of those who chose not to believe and have already rejected him. In Romans 1, those who would not retain God in there knowledge he gave them over to a reprobate mind. In 2 Thessalonians 2, strong delusion is sent to believe the lie. God, knows the number of those who will not believe, since He foreknows all things, has given them over to unbelief.

Romans 2
2:7, Those who reject God and follow evil are judged, but hose who accept God's gift and continue to follow righteousness receive salvation.
2:14, The church is righteous without the law of Moses.
2:17, The Jews invent systems within the Mosaic law and become just as corrupt and blind. 

• Irenaeus 170 AD
• Against Heresies 4.39 - Man has the ability to distinguish good from evil. He has the power by his own free will to perform god's commandments. This is taught in Romans 2. God does not compel people to salvation, so those who have apostatized have done so through their own fault. God allows them to blind themselves.
• Clement of Alexandria 177 AD
• Stromata 2.4 - The ability to freely choose salvation is a gift (started by) God. True faith produces repentance. 
• Stromata 2.9 - The "gentiles without the law are a law unto themselves" refers to the church. 

Romans 3
3:1, The Jews have the advantage of possessing the scriptures.
3:5, God, by foreknowing they would be sinners, put them in a position to kill the messiah, so they are still guilty because they choose to become sinners.
3:10-18, Refer to those Jews and gentiles who blind themselves. No one is born this way. (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 1.19)
3:20, The Law of Moses was given to prove we have a sin nature.
3:28, We are justified by faith alone.
3:31, Even though we overthrow the Mosaic Law, we establish moral law through Faith.

• Irenaeus 170 AD
• Against Heresies 4.38 - Man was not created perfect. Men who try to perfect themselves invent gods or systems then become trapped in those systems they invent, never coming to the complete knowledge of the one true god. The apostle teaches every group of man - pagan, gentile, and Jewish became entangled in the system they had. (Romans 3)

Romans 4
The Righteousness of faith is believing god and trying you best. If it were possible to be sinless you would be because you try. That attitude is was true righteousness really is.

Romans 7
Paul stated Christians don’t willfully practice sin but in times of emotional stress the sin nature manifests and seems to be uncontrollable. 1 Corinthians 3 proves there are Christians that sin (Carnal Christians) and are still saved.
Ireneaus states verse 16 refers to us not being able to save ourselves.

• Clement of Alexandria 177AD
• Stromata 4.20-21 - It is not possible to be completely sinless. Christian perfection is the attitude of striving to be more like Christ. Secondly those who have a spiritual gift are said to be perfect in that gift. Prophecies are 100% accurate and healings are permanent. No one is perfect in all. 
• Lactantius  285 AD
• Divine Institutes 4.24 - Quotes Paul in Romans 7; he sins not by choice but because of his frailty. You indeed do not sin, it is because you are free from this body.

Romans 8
In verse 11, our future "adoption as sons" and v23, "redemption of our body" and v30, "glorified"  is the resurrection body.
Some hyper-charismatics use the "manifestation of the sons of God" in verse 19 to mean tongues or becoming a prophet with extreme supernatural power.
Centering on verse 26 as a proof text but it clearly says "groaning that can not be uttered"
Holiness groups use this to mean a Holy Spirit given power to become sinless.

In verse 2 the law of the spirit sets you free form the law of sin and death by doing away with the death penalty (Romans 4:5)

The fact that nothing can separate us from the love of God (Vs. 39) and the love of Christ (Vs. 35) and no one can bring a charge against us (Vs. 33) or condemn us (Vs. 39) means we are kept secure. This could be done by

1. Predestination (Calvinist)
2. Eternal Security (Baptist) or
3. Entire Sanctification (Holiness) or
4. Other spiritual power (Pentecostal) v. 26 and 19
5. Faith

Many movements have wrested Romans 8 to fit there pet doctrines. We have seen that sinless perfection and Calvinistic Predestination are Gnostic heresies. Jesus said there would be many who preformed miracles in his name that he never knew. Paul is stating here that as long as we stay in faith, we will be secure.

• Irenaeus 170 AD
• Against Heresies 4.37 - The church is being predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ.
• Against Heresies 5.7 - "quicken you mortal bodies" referrers to the physical resurrection.
• Clement of Alexandria 177AD
• Stromata 4.22 - Mature Christians don't focus on avoiding evil (talking about it a lot) but on doing good. They do not do good out of fear of punishment or promise of reward, but because it is the right thing to do. (later this will be twisted to mean more good works out weigh the bad.) When evil comes they don't recompense it but just keep doing good. This is being "perfect, like you heavenly father."

Romans 9
The Gnostic Marcion taught that Paul was stating here that god hardened pharaoh's heart, in trying to prove double predestinationism and that there must be two gods because that would be evil. 

• Irenaeus 170 AD
• Against Heresies 4.37 - God made man a free agent from the beginning this is the ancient law of human liberty, for there is no coercion with God, in man, as well as in angels, He has placed the power of choice. The Gnostic teaching that some men are born good others are born bad is wrong. Everyone has the power to reject the gospel. God has free will and we do to because we are made in his image. God preserved the will of man free and under his own control, we will be brought to perfection in the resurrection.