Romans Introduction
Introduction
Paul wrote this letter to the believers who lived in Rome. He wrote them to ask for support. Paul wanted to bring the message about King Jesus to the western part of the Roman Empire. Paul’s job was to tell all people that Jesus is the world’s true ruler. In his message Paul shows that Jesus came from the family line of Israel’s King David. Paul’s message shows that God is faithful to his promise to Israel. Jesus the Messiah, or King, has come.
Paul’s letter to the Romans tells how Jesus’ death and resurrection saves the world. Paul presents this idea following the pattern of Israel’s story. It is the pattern of being in slavery and then being brought to freedom. All humans are being held as prisoners or slaves. That’s because sin and death came into the world. But Jesus came to set people free. He came to save both Jews and Gentiles from sin and death. He makes them into one new family of God. Jesus died and rose again. He broke the power of evil. Because of this the entire creation will be set free and made new.
In the second part of his letter Paul tells how many people in Israel did not believe in Jesus. But God used this to help bring life to the rest of the world. Now both Jews and Gentiles can find true life through Jesus. It is the Holy Spirit that leads the way into this new way of living. The new family that follows Jesus can live in joy and peace because of what Jesus did.
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Romans Introduction: NIrV
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Romans About this letter
About this letter
Paul wrote this letter to introduce himself and his message to the church at Rome. He had never been to this important city, although he knew the names of many Christians there and hoped to visit them soon (15.22—16.21). Paul tells them that he is an apostle, chosen to preach the good news (1.1). And the message he proclaims “is God's powerful way of saving all people who have faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles” (1.16).
Paul reminds his readers, “All of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory” (3.23). But how can we be made acceptable to God? This is the main question that Paul answers in this letter. He begins by showing how everyone has failed to do what God requires. The Jews have not obeyed the Law of Moses, and the Gentiles have refused even to think about God, although God has spoken to them in many different ways (1.18—3.20).
Now we see how God does make us acceptable to him:
He accepts people only because they have faith in Jesus Christ…God treats us much better than we deserve, and because of Christ Jesus, he freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins.
(3.21a-24)
God gave Jesus to die for our sins, and he raised him to life, so that we would be made acceptable to God.
(4.25)
A quick look at this letter
1. Paul and his message of good news (1.1-17)
2. Everyone is guilty (1.18—3.20)
3. God's way of accepting people (3.21—4.25)
4. A new life for God's people (5.1—8.39)
5. What about the people of Israel? (9.1—11.36)
6. How to live the new life of love (12.1—15.13)
7. Paul's plans and personal greetings (15.14—16.27)
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