Romans 1:1-17
Paul on the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus
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 Longs to Spread the Gospel in 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.”
God’s Wrath Against Sinful Humanity
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
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. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
The cross of Christ is a profound paradox…It is a symbol of both God's wrath against sin and His immeasurable LOVE for humanity…While Jesus is the innocent Son of God, He bore the punishment for our sins…His sacrifice also demonstrates God's unwavering commitment to justice, His Divine Justice…This concept of Divine Justice can be difficult to understand, especially when we consider all the suffering and injustices in the world…However, it is important to remember that God's Justice is not arbitrary or impulsive and reactionary…It is rooted in God’s Holy Character and His desire to uphold All Righteousness in the universe…When we sin, we not only offend God but also harm ourselves and others…Sin has far-reaching consequences, both spiritually and physically…
The cross of Christ offers the only solution to the problem of sin…Jesus is the Only Savior…He is the One and Only Son of God…Jesus is our Mediator with our Father in Heaven…He is the Only to God and to Heaven...Salvation is found in no other name...Through His sacrificial death and resurrection, Jesus has provided a way for us to be reconciled to God and for us to experience eternal life…Eternal life is believing in the One True God and the One that He sent to earth to save us…The apostle Paul, in Romans 1, highlights the consequences of our human rebellion against God…Paul's letter to the Romans offers a profound exploration of the gospel and the human condition...He begins by emphasizing the centrality of Jesus Christ, who was both fully human and fully divine...Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus provided salvation for humanity...Paul then turns to the issue of human sin and its consequences...He argues that all people, regardless of their cultural or religious background, are guilty before God...This is because humanity has suppressed the truth about God and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of created things...The result of this rebellion is moral decay and spiritual death...People who are filled with every kind of wickedness lose all sense of what is right and what is wrong...This is a our sobering reminder of the destructive power of sin...However, the gospel offers a solution to this problem...Through faith in Jesus Christ, we can be forgiven of our sins and reconciled to God...The righteousness of God is imputed to us, not based on our own merit, but on the righteousness of Christ...When people reject God's Truth, we become increasingly depraved and morally bankrupt...This is a sobering reminder of the destructive power of sin...Paul's letter to the Romans is a powerful and timeless message that speaks to the human condition and is as relevant today as it was when Paul wrote it two thousand years ago...It challenges us to confront our sin and to embrace the Grace of God...By understanding the depths of human depravity and the heights of His Divine LOVE, we can truly appreciate the transformative power of the Gospel...
Ultimately, the cross is a testament to God's LOVE, His Forgiving Power, His Patience with us, His Mercy, and His Justice…The cross is a symbol of hope and redemption, offering forgiveness and salvation to all who believe…As we contemplate the cross, let us be filled with gratitude for God's immeasurable LOVE, Forgiveness, Grace and mercy…