Romans by James Rochford (2019)

The Book of Romans is considered by many to be the clearest and most thorough explanation of the Gospel in scripture. This letter makes clear that salvation is by faith alone and, as Paul writes in chapter one, demonstrates that the Gospel "is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes." We can be confident that the Gospel is true and Jesus really is the Son of God by examining the fulfilled prophecies of the Old Testament that point to Christ.

In Romans 1, Paul makes the case that God has made Himself plainly known through his creation so that men are without excuse. Modern scientific findings show a remarkable level of fine-tuning in the universe, suggesting an infinite and extremely intelligent creator God.

Paul addresses self-righteousness and unrighteous judgment. This is hypocrisy because the Bible teaches that there are two ways to God: be perfect, or be freely forgiven. Since we are all sinners, we should not practice self-righteous judgment, thinking we are superior but should practice righteous judgment that is humble and seeks the good of others.

Paul describes humanity's problem--that we are hopelessly guilty before God because of our sin. Then he outlines God's unthinkable solution, to offer Jesus as a sacrificial substitute in our place so that we could freely be made right before God.

Paul uses the Old Testament to demonstrate that salvation is by faith, not by works. He cites Abraham who God considered righteous because of his faith, not his good works, the performance of rituals, ethnic heritage, or following of God's law. It is the same today; we are saved through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ, from first to last.

Contrary to a typical religious mentality, Paul establishes that those who have trusted in Christ have already been made righteous--we do not need to do good works or lead a moral life to achieve God's acceptance because we already have it. This means we can live a life based on grace, which is secure in our relationship with God. This security enables us to persevere and grow, even through trials, because our hope is sure.

Paul describes the church as a body, made of up many parts, all of which are vital and have a specific purpose. As God's design, Christian community is essential for spiritual growth and is, in fact, an antidote for the loneliness epidemic plaguing so many people today.

Paul describes God's intention for fellowship within the Body of Christ: a close-knit group of believers sharing in each other's lives as each one exercises his God-given spiritual gifts. When Christians live this way through the power of the Holy Spirit, it creates a type of community not found elsewhere.\r\n

Paul tells believers to be subject to earthly government because it is ordained by God. This doesn't mean, however, that governments are perfect or that God approves of corruption or misuse of power. Christians can and should form informed opinions about politics, but the Gospel must always be of supreme importance and we must conduct ourselves in a way that is respectful and does not bring shame to the name of Christ, and we must never harbor contempt for those with whom we disagree.

Paul writes that the summation of the Old Testament law is to "love your neighbor as yourself." In order to live out this biblical command we must understand what biblical love is, why we should practice it, and how. Although counter-intuitive, both the Bible and secular researchers claim that a life of sacrificially serving others is the key to fulfillment.

Paul writes that Christians should lay aside "deeds of darkness" such as drunkenness, sexual immorality, jealousy, and strife, all of which reveal an inner emptiness. Rather, we should put on the "armor of light" by entrusting ourselves to the Lord Jesus and allowing his power to transform us and fill the inner void.

Paul explains that we have a great deal of freedom in Christ, within the bounds of God's moral absolutes, though occasionally, a person may choose to restrict their freedom over matters of conscience. Even if we feel liberty to exercise our freedom in a certain area, we should restrict ourselves out of love if our actions would negatively impact someone else.

After decades of following Christ, Paul is still as passionate as ever about sharing the Gospel with the world. We can cultivate a similar, livelong zeal by spending regular time in God's Word, actively trusting in God's promises, and enjoying unity in fellowship with other believers. Although the mission of evangelism put forth by the Bible is unpopular in today's climate of cultural relativism, when we examine different worldviews closely, we see the the Biblical worldview is the only one that is based on evidence and reason, brings humility and love into our lives, and brings healing and help to a world that desperately needs it.