Romans is a letter to introduce Paul to the Romans before he gets there. The Roman church was mostly Jewish but had a few Gentiles. The thought is that the Roman church was founded by Jews that were at the Pentecost feast. Paul had never met them.
Paul begins by teaching what to believe. Man is sinful and forgiveness is found by faith in Jesus Christ. Apart from faith, there is no hope in life. Paul wanted to be where God was active and he wanted Spiritual fellowship from them that was mutually beneficial. Paul talks about God's wrath against mankind, because they repeatedly turned away from them. You might notice how many times he refers to "God gave them over...."
God will provide righteous judgment, particularly when the Jews keep going back to the law. The law does not save. If circumcision is just an outward sign of the law, there is no use for it. There is a new covenant with Jesus Christ.
God is faithful....absolutely no one is righteous...the law was designed to make us conscious of sin. Righteousness comes to us only by faith in the belief of Jesus Christ. We are justified only by Jesus Christ. Justified means being declared, NOT GUILTY. Redemption means Christ setting sinners free from sin. Our record is wiped clean.
WE ARE NOTHING WITHOUT JESUS CHRIST
Without him we are guilty sinners with no hope of life.
Look what comes up from the depths of the sea.
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1:24..."Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves," ...My Bible says that Paul says this (therefore God also gave them up..) three times or a related phrase. Sins that people refuse to give up, God will give them over to them and the sins will eventually destroy them.
ReplyDeleteWho....he tells it like it is in 2:3 "And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same that you will escape the judgement of God?"
2:16 "in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel." At judgement, every secret motivation or desire or act will come out in the open.