Romans 1:1-17
Paul on the Gospel
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake. 6 And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul’s Longing to Visit Rome
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 9 God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you.
11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Paul's worldview of the world centered around God and the Gospel of Jesus...Paul declares to the Romans that the gospel, the message of salvation through Jesus Christ, is not something to be ashamed of...It is the power of God to save all who believe, beginning with the Jews and extending to the Gentiles...This salvation is based on faith, not on human works or merit...This concept is supported by the Old Testament passage, "The righteous will live by faith."...Paul knew that following the Father and His Son was the proper way to lead one's life...He knew that our Father's Truth was real and that His concepts and Teachings were at work in the world and worked in the real world...
Author Nancy Pearcey wrote: 'Biblical worldview'...The term means literally a 'view of the world', a biblically informed perspective on all of reality...A worldview is like a mental map that tells you how to navigate the world effectively...It is the imprint of God's objective Truth on our inner life...The first step in conforming our intellect to God's Truth is to die to our vanity, pride, and craving for respect from colleagues and the public...We must let go of the worldly motivations that drive us, praying to be motivated solely by a genuine desire to submit our minds to God's Word - and then to use that knowledge in service to others...Having a Christian worldview means being utterly convinced that biblical principles are not only true but also work better in the grit and grime of the real world...
A biblical worldview provides a robust framework for navigating life's challenges...This tells us that that a biblical worldview is not merely intellectual assent to biblical truths but a transformative process that shapes how we think, feel, act, and the way to live our lives...It is how to live an Abundant Life...