Book of Romans

Before Jesus was crucified, He told His apostles that He had many things He wanted to tell them, but that they were not ready. He also told them that the Holy Spirit in the future would reveal what Jesus could not share with the disciples. There is no doubt in my mind, that the apostle Paul was given much insight in spiritual things during his ministry on this earth. The epistle to the Roman Christians is one of the most powerful books in the New Testament.

According to historical records, Paul wrote the letter to the Romans while he was in the Greek city of Corinth around 57 A.D. Contrary to what the Roman Catholic Church teaches, the church in Rome was not founded by the apostle Peter, but by Jews who had been converted during the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem. This means that the first Christians arrived in Rome about six months after the resurrection of Jesus.

Looking at the last chapter in this epistle, Paul knew a large number of people in Rome, despite that he had not been there yet. This means that many of the Christians in Rome had met Paul in other parts of the Roman empire. Most likely it is also that many of Paul’s converts later had moved to the capital of the Roman Empire.

Homosexually was common in Rome, which was also known for its public bath houses. Many of the emperors were homosexuals, including politicians and military officers. The Holy Spirit knew that in the future homosexuality would be a plague on the human race, and when Paul addressed the issue, he did not spare his words.

It is in this epistle, that the Holy Spirit reveals to Paul, that the reason God created the human race was to prove His righteousness to the angelic world. Paul also settled the question about water baptism through immersion in water. No one had laid out the doctrine of salvation like Paul and millions of people during the ages have been exposed to Romans chapter ten and then after prayer become born again.

Paul also deals with the Jewish question, where they stand in relationship to the Gospel. He also lays out the understanding of spiritual gifts and the different offices in the church. Paul also established that Saturday is not the necessary Sabbath day for the Christians.

Every book written by apostles and included in the New Testament is important, but the book of Romans takes a center piece and should be mastered by all Christians. It was the Book of Romans that led Martin Luther to salvation and then the reformation, when the power of the Roman Catholic Church was broken and the Lutheran church was founded in 1517. There is so much information in Romans, that I preached 30 sermons on this book.