Romans is Paul’s longest and most influential letter. The Roman church may have been established by Paul’s converts from Macedonia and Asia as well as by Jews, and Rome may have been the specific territory of another apostle (Rom. 15:20). In this book, Paul assures the believers at Rome that he has often planned to preach the gospel to them but so far has been hindered from coming (Romans 1:13-15, 15:22).
Paul wrote Romans in connection with his apostolic mission to the Gentile world. There seem to be seven major emphases to the book of Romans :
1. Romans is Paul’s most systematic letter.
2. Paul writes in a question and answer or debating style.
3. Paul uses the OT as scriptural authority for his presentation of the true nature of the gospel.
4. Paul presents a righteousness from God as the core revelation of the gospel (Romans 1:16-17). God set things right in and through Jesus Christ.
5. Paul focuses on the twofold nature of sin along with Gods provision in Christ for each aspect: (a) sin as personal transgression ( 1:1, 5:11) and the sin which is the tendency to sin that lives within every persons heart since Adams fall (Romans 5:12 8:39).
6. Romans 8 is the most extensive chapter in the Bible on the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer.
7. Romans contains the Bible’s most powerful discussion about the Jewish rejection of Christ and about Gods plan for a full circle redemption that ultimately comes back to Israel (chapters 9-11).
Romans 1:1-27 Lets look at Romans 1:4: “and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom 1:4-5). This text speaks of the Holy Spirit: the Spirit of holiness, the third person in the divine Trinity. His holiness separates him distinctly from the spirit of humanity, sin and the world (Galatians 5:16-24) and it describes both his preeminent characteristic and his work.
Romans 1:5: “Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.” (Rom 1:5-6). This text speaks of the obedience that comes from faith.
Verse 7: “To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 1:7). We are told here that the believers have been set apart from sin and the world and brought near to God for service. You see, the Spirit renews the characters of believers in true holiness, so that it can be said that all “who are loved by God” are “called to be saints”. This is powerful! Thank you Jesus.
Verse 16 speaks about salvation: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” (Rom 1:16). The gospel of Christ is the power of God unto what? Unto salvation to every one that believes! It doesn’t say “for a few”, but “everyone who believes”! Glory to his name.
Verse 18 speaks of the wrath of God: “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness . . .” (Rom 1:18). The wrath of God is an expression of his righteousness and love. In the past, God’s anger and hatred toward sin was revealed in the flood (Genesis 6-8), in famines and plagues (Eze. 6:11), in annihilation (Deut.29:22-23), and in scattering and burning of the land (Lamentations 4:16, Isa 9:18-19). In the present, of Gods anger is seen in his giving the wicked over to uncleanness and vile passions and in bringing ruin and death to all who disobey God. In the future, the wrath of God will include great distress for the ungodly of this world and, for the coming day of judgment for all people and nations, it will be a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, it will be a day of reckoning for the unrighteous. God’s wrath results in punishment for the unrepentant. But God’s wrath is not his final word to humans, for He has provided a way of escape. All you must do is repent of sin and turn in faith to Jesus Christ. You see, the believers united in Christ must participate in Gods anger against sin, not in the sense of vengeance, but in a sincere love of righteousness and hatred of wickedness.
Going on to verse 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.” (Rom 1:21-22). Because when they knew God, they didn’t glorified Him and weren’t thankful, but instead became vain in their imaginations, their foolish hearts were darkened. When leaders in the church become proud they seek honor for themselves and exalt themselves rather than the creator God himself. By their heart being darkened, it tells me that they blind themselves to the warning of scripture that no immoral, impure or greedy person has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ. Ephesians 5:5 tells us that Paul knew that some in the church was immoral, impure or greedy. What I mean by immoral is they may have committed a sexual sin and lusted after others. In other words, they degrade their bodies.
God Bless,
Jeane Brewer
Answers2Prayer subscriber
Appearing Sunday, April 7, 2002