Romans 1:1-32
Paul's Writes a Letter to the Romans
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.”
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.
Paul in his letter to the Romans establishes himself as an apostle entrusted with sharing the gospel message of Jesus with both Jews and Gentiles (Romans 1:1-7)...Jesus through the Spirit of Holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by His resurrection from the dead...
Paul write about the universality of sin...Paul emphasizes that all humanity, Jew and Gentile alike, falls short of God's glory due to sin (Romans 1:18-32)...This theme of universal sin is central to Paul's understanding of salvation...Paul presents a clear picture of humanity's sinfulness and the need for God's Grace through Jesus Christ...Paul later would tell about his own struggles with sin (Romans7)...This universal sin problem establishes a need for God's intervention in man's nature and habits of sinning...God sees we need Someone and Paul writes about man needing a Savior...And that Savior would be Christ our LORD...
There is a natural revelation from Mosaic Law to the Gospel of Jesus...For the Law was given to us by Moses; and now we have Grace and Truth coming through Jesus Christ...We know this because no one has ever seen God, but the One and Only Son, who is Himself God and is in very closest relationship with the Father, and our Father has made Him known by coming and dwelling on earth with us...
Paul argues that God's existence and power are evident in creation itself (Romans 1:20)...This leaves humanity "without excuse" for not recognizing God...God's offer us hope but there can be rejection...While God offers eternal life to those who respond appropriately (Romans 2:7), humanity generally ignores God and disobeys His moral law (Romans 1:21-32)...When we reject God, we receive His Wrath and get His Righteous Judgment...This separates us from God, so we need a Mediator to get us back and closer to our Father in Heaven...Pagan idolatry and moral corruption are presented as evidence of humanity's rebellion against God, deserving of His wrath (Romans 1:18-32)...Paul establishes this problem of human sinfulness and the need for God's intervention through the Gospel of Jesus Christ...Paul sees Jesus as our LORD and Savior and our Mediator with God...
The concept of the Law is written on human hearts (Romans 2:15) suggesting an innate sense of right and wrong, making people accountable to God...God has given us a His moral laws and has given us a conscious so we may know this right and wrong...And we see that God's Righteousness is revealed to us since we know what is right and what is wrong since it is written on our hearts...Despite humanity's sins, Paul has introduced this concept of God's Righteousness as being revealed through the gospel (Romans 1:16-17)...This foreshadows the concept of salvation by faith... For it is by Grace we have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, but it is the Gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast...For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do...
So praise be to the God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in His Son...For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight...In LOVE he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will— to the praise of His Glorious Grace, which He has freely given us in the One He LOVES...In Jesus, the Son, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s Grace that He lavished on us...With all wisdom and understanding, He made known to us the mystery of His Will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity and harmony to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ...
Paul emphasizes this continuity with the Jewish faith, arguing that the gospel doesn't abolish the Law of Judaism, but fulfills it (Romans 1:16)...Jesus says He hasn't come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill them...He emphasizes the enduring importance of the Law, but suggests a deeper interpretation is required...Paul refers to Christ as the "end of the law" for those who believe in Him...This could be interpreted as Jesus fulfilling the purpose of the Law and the prophets and the wisdom books, and now has provided a new path to salvation...
Despite this movement from the Law of Moses to the Gospel of Jesus, there would be an ongoing debate about the role of the Law of Moses in the Christian life and in the Judaism believer which can influence interpretations of Paul's letter to the Romans...
Paul's explanation of these things to the Romans sets the stage for this first chapter of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ, which will be developed in the following chapters...The Law of Moses is now fulfilled by the Anointed One...The apostle tells us that God's initiative in offering salvation to all who follow the Gospel of Jesus and have faith in Him... For Paul is not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile...For in the Gospel of Jesus 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.”...We are not saved by our own human efforts or our deeds to earn salvation...We are saved by Jesus dying on the cross to free us from our sins...
There is only salvation through Christ...The solution comes through Jesus' sacrifice, which satisfies God's justice and allows for reconciliation (Romans 3:21-26)...Salvation is a gift received by faith and God's Gift of Grace, not earned by our merit...Salvation is found in Jesus and no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved...
St. Paul gives us a well-established understanding in his letter to the Romans...It offers a clear framework for understanding his message about sin, salvation, and God's Grace...