Paul’s epistle to the church at Rome starts with a lengthy
greeting which includes the gist of the Gospel and how Paul is connected to
them by the Gospel and how Paul is commissioned by the Jesus of the Gospel to
be his apostle. The main intention of Paul seems like he wants his readers to
know that this letter carries apostolic authority. Paul has not been to Rome or
to the churches in Rome. He is introducing himself as the apostle to the
gentiles, who has been called to take the Gospel to the non – Jewish people of
his times. His aim is to reach Spain, the very end of the Roman Empire and
plant the Church of Jesus there. But in the meantime, he wants to fulfil his
calling by writing to the Roman Church, which is on the way to Spain. He has an
obligation to make clear the contents of the Gospel(chapters 1-4), it’s privileges
and responsibilities (chapters 5 -8), how God has brought the Gospel into the
world both to individuals and to communities (Chapter 9 – 11) and how Gospel
works out in the life of those who have been called into it (11 – 16).
Like any other introduction, this letter has a ‘who is
writing’ and a ‘who will be reading’ parts. Who is writing this letter? Paul,
of course. But who is Paul? He is an Apostle, who has been set apart by God for
a special cause. What is an Apostle? An apostle is a messenger. What is his
message? The good news about Christ. Who is this Christ? He is according to his
human genealogy, a descendent of King David and who in the spirit is the Son of
God –in power, in whom God has vested all power and authority. This was
declared or pointed out most explicitly by his resurrection from the dead. All these details about Jesus were declared beforehand by prophets, through whom Jesus was promised, as God's expression of love for humanity. Jesus
had specifically called Paul to be his apostle. He has been called,
commissioned and consecrated by God to take the good news of Jesus to the non –
Jewish people. This includes the people in Rome, the church to whom this letter
is addressed. God loves these Romans and is called them out to be saints. As
opposed to Rome, which was filled with sinners, the members of church in Rome
were called to be saints. God loves them and therefore they who have received
his love were called to reflect his goodness, holiness and love.
The conventional greeting included ‘Grace’ which means ‘unmerited
favour from God’ and ‘peace’ which is the Hebrew ‘shalom’, indicating wholeness
and prosperity in everything. These blessing flow from God, the benevolent
loving father and his Son Jesus Christ, who is the Lord or ruler of all
creation. Only those who are in right relationship with God can have these blessings.
The Gospel is the call of God to that right relationship with him, the call of
love from the creator to his creation to repent and be reconciled to him
through Jesus.
NT Wright in his book, "Jesus and the Victory of God", enumerates five questions asked by Jesus scholars of "The Third Quest" in Jesus studies.
1. How did Jesus fit into Judaism of his day?
2.What were his aims?
3.Why did he die?
4. How did the early church come into being and why did it 5ake the shape it did?
5.Why are the gospels what they are?
I remember reading the epistle or letter of the Apostle Paul to the Romans as a boy. I remember reading Romans 7 and getting confused at Paul's difficult arguments and flow of thought. Bible reading was a ten minute ritual which my parents insisted I perform every morning. Then as a student in medical college, the practice was stressed and quiet time and private interpretation became the norm for me. The epistle to the Romans came alive after every failure or defeat as Romans 8:28 was quoted to help me get perspective of my failure or defeat.
Romans 8:28
New International Version (NIV)28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a]have been called according to his purpose.Footnotes:
Romans 8:28Or that all things work together for good to those who love God, who; or that in all things God works together with those who love him to bring about what is good—with those who
As a first year student in medical college, the verse which inspired me most was Romans 1:1.
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
I wrote it on the front page of my prayer note. This prayer note was used to jot down prayer points for personal and student fellowship prayer meetings.
It just inspires me even now, every time I read it, especially these phrases: "separated unto the Gospel", "slave of Jesus Christ". Then as I read the New Bible Dictionary, I read and understood that as a fish is enslaved to water and finds it's freedom in this enslavement, so a man as "a slave of Christ" is free. As the fish was created to live in water, man is created to live in Christ. As a fish outside the water would die, so a man who is not in Christ is dead spiritually. So the the phrase "slave of Christ" was a very positive concept which I found liberated me from many human ailment. In Christ I was free to be what created me to be, to be his image bearer, to reflect his goodness and holiness, to enjoy the relationship with God. It liberated me from "the heavy chains of human opinion". Life became more and more integrated as everything was done in and for Christ. Thus God in Christ saved me from compartmentalization and disintegration and this led to more focus and impact in my witnessing. To live in Christ and live for Christ is the natural habitat of man and the purpose of his creation. This truth about the purpose of my life was made clear to me from other scriptures like Colossians 1
6 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him andforhim.
That 'for him' confirmed that I was created for Christ and "to be separated for God and Gospel of Christ", is the natural environment for me.
As years rolled on, I found myself in Ukraine, living with a missionary and doing my post-graduate residency in Radiology. As I travelled in public transport from home to hospital and back, I used my ipod and audio bible to listen to the Gospel of Romans. This I did innumerable times and this exercise really helped to understand the flow of thought of the book of Romans. Before my advent to Ukraine, I has repeatedly listened to David Pawson's 'Unlocking the Bible Series'. The Romans section of the lecture gave me a good understanding of the 'shape of the letter' as he would say. This plus the repeated listening to large chunks of the epistle of Romans at a stretch helped me to understand (imperfectly) what the Apostle was trying to communicate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6suQOvlHa_U (David Pawson's Romans)
In the years preceding my visit to Ukraine, I became a Calvinist for a year or so and then became an Arminian once again. I read the Calvinist side of the argument, the Arminian side and the now popular Molinist versions. During this time of being 'tossed about by doctrines' I started focus on you know what. Yes, Romans 9, 10 and 11 dealing with the intensely debated online topics of 'God's Sovereignty and Human Responsibility'. I have blogged my thoughts on these chapters and these can be retrieved from this blog itself. I was inspired by the fact the it was while reading of Luther's "Introduction to the Epistle of Romans" that John Wesley himself had his Alders gate experience and went out and changed the world for Christ.
Now I have started studying the epistle to Romans again. This time I have to study one Chapter per month. I have started with chapter one. I am very good in starting and then leaving it off. I hope this does not enter that category. This time I am taking the aid of commentaries, ranging from Adam Clarke, N.T Wright, Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Barth, Gill, Robertson, Jamieson - Faucet - Brown, NET bible notes and many more. I hope to blog as I learn and share with you whatever God teaches me, through this study. I request your prayers that this project will be a blessing to me and you. God bless. Soli Deo Gloria!
