The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans is written to a church in Rome made up of Jewish and Gentile Christians. They are struggling with how to get along in the midst of such differences. Paul writes to clearly explain the gospel of Christ and how it unifies two divided groups because of their equal need for a merciful Savior. Like the Roman Christians, each of us tends to wander away from the gospel and to forget our own need for it. Romans pulls us back and reminds us that no matter our age or perceived maturity level, each of us needs to live in light of the saving mercy we receive at the cross.
In his first chapter, Paul introduces us to this gospel which he will unpack as the letter unfolds.
Romans 1:1–17
[1] Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, [2] which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, [3] concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh [4] and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, [5] through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, [6] including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,
[7] To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
[8] First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. [9] For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you [10] always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. [11] For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—[12] that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. [13] I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. [14] I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. [15] So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
[16] For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. [17] For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” (ESV)
Reflect on the following questions, perhaps with a pen in hand.
Q: The gospel is that Jesus came, died, and was raised again for the forgiveness of our sins. It is this for which Paul states that he is set apart (vs. 1). Do you think there is something specific God has set you apart for? How does the gospel factor into your specific calling?
Q: The book of Romans is written to Christians (vs. 6) and yet for most of the book Paul will still spend time explaining to them in very basic terms what the gospel is. What is the point of sharing and explaining the gospel with people who already believe it? Why was this so important for Paul to do?
Q: Verses 1-7 offer a nice summary of the gospel that Paul will explain throughout his letter. List all the things that God/Christ does in these opening verses. Is this list more or less than what you think the gospel is?
Q: In verse 8, Paul begins a prayer of gratitude for the faith of the Roman church. He was encouraged by their faith and at the same time wanted to encourage them with his faith (vs. 12). Who is someone whose faith you appreciate? How can you express your appreciation for them? Do it.
Q: Paul doesn’t say that the power of God comes through the gospel, but rather he says that the power of God IS the gospel (vs. 16). What do you think the difference is and why might it be important?
Q: One of the defining terms that will be used throughout Romans is the word “faith”. What do you think faith is? How do we have it? And how did you come to those conclusions?
As we begin the Romans series, familiarize yourself with the book by watching this video from the Bible Project.