[𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘴𝘰 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘖𝘋 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘫𝘰𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘭𝘺 𝘉𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘸 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘰. 𝘞𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘡𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝘰𝘯 𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘌𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘶𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦, “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘴”, 𝘣𝘺 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘮 𝘔𝘢𝘤𝘋𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘥. 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘗𝘢𝘶𝘭’𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘦.]

In preparation for our first lesson in Romans chapter one, I gathered a few resources to help me better understand Paul’s background and perspective as well as his purpose in writing this particular letter.

From his own spoken testimony, recorded in Acts 22 and Acts 26, we learn that Paul (previously known as “Saul”) was raised and educated within the strictest group of Jewish leaders, the Pharisees.  As a student of Gamaliel, he was trained to follow all Jewish laws and customs with devotion and fervor. 

Paul fiercely defended his Jewish faith and traditions, viciously attacking and persecuting those who acknowledged JESUS as their promised Messiah (and received with joy His redeeming love and saving grace).

It was not until the LORD JESUS Himself struck Paul with blinding light and brought him to his knees on the road to Damascus that his own eyes were opened to the truth about JESUS and the life-changing reality of the gospel – the good news of reconciliation with GOD through faith in Christ.

Prior to his personal encounter with JESUS, despite his wealth of knowledge of Jewish laws and customs, Paul seemed to be missing a few key components.  Did he faithfully study and follow the law without equal attention to the many words of prophesy also given to his ancestors? 

Holding so tightly to the commands he worked tirelessly to uphold, did he drift into pride in his own devotion and white-knuckled protection of the life and traditions he held dear? 

Had this tunnel vision prevented him from seeing the truth about the Messiah who had been clearly promised and the countless ways that JESUS and His message of turning from sin to the one true GOD fulfilled the very words of GOD to His people for generations? 

Could he have missed the eternal plan of redemption unfolding right in front of him?

We don’t know for sure.  We do know that the LORD JESUS pursued Paul’s heart, went to great lengths to get his attention, to reveal Himself to Paul, to help him see it was futile to oppose GOD’s plan in motion.  And we know that Paul immediately responded, “who are You, LORD? … What should I do?” (Acts 22:8, 10) and obeyed His calling to bear witness of the truth about JESUS wherever the LORD sent him.

Years into Paul’s missionary journeys, he penned this letter to “all in Rome who are loved by GOD and called to be His holy people” (Romans 1:7, NLT).  He considered it a privilege to “tell Gentiles everywhere they can believe and obey GOD”(Romans 1:5, NLT). 

Paul was not ashamed of the gospel he once opposed so vehemently, but now boldly proclaimed the “power of GOD at work, saving everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16, NLT).

Paul wrote this lengthy letter to express a clear explanation of the gospel that would help to unify churches made up of Jewish and non-Jewish believers.  He took care in answering possible objections to the simple truth of the gospel. 

No longer solely focused on keeping the law (a fruitless effort to earn righteousness), Paul now affirmed the Good News promised through the prophets long ago about GOD’s Son, JESUS, who was born into the earthly line of King David, and was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Now GOD makes us right in His sight through our faith in His Son, JESUS. (Romans 1:2-4, 17)

In the second half of chapter one, Paul expressed great concern for those who reject the truth of the gospel and also work to suppress that truth, preventing others from hearing and receiving the Good News. 

“They knew GOD but wouldn’t worship Him as GOD or give Him thanks.  They began to think up foolish ideas of what GOD is like.  Their minds became dark and confused.  Instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living GOD, they worshiped idols made to look like created things.  They traded the truth about GOD for a lie, worshiping and serving the created instead of the Creator.” (Romans 1:21-25)

Carrying a heavy burden for those who had not yet acknowledged GOD or accepted salvation through His Son, Paul felt a “great obligation to preach the Good News” (Romans 1:14).  As a “slave of Christ, chosen by GOD to be an apostle” (Romans 1:1), we get the sense that he did not rest in his labor of love, his determined cause to lead others to the Savior and to strengthen believers in their faith in Him.

In our Emmaus study guide (p.9-11), William MacDonald shares several beautiful thoughts:

“𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘑𝘌𝘚𝘜𝘚 𝘊𝘏𝘙𝘐𝘚𝘛 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘗𝘢𝘶𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 (𝟷:𝟻). 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱. 𝘗𝘢𝘶𝘭 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘭 𝘣𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋 𝘑𝘌𝘚𝘜𝘚 𝘊𝘏𝘙𝘐𝘚𝘛 (𝘈𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝟸𝟶:𝟸𝟷).

𝘗𝘢𝘶𝘭’𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦. 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 (𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘴) 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 (𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘮) 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘑𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘶𝘭’𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘑𝘦𝘸𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘱𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘎𝘖𝘋, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘖𝘋 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘑𝘦𝘸𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺.

𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘯, 𝘗𝘢𝘶𝘭 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘺 (𝟷:𝟿). 𝘏𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘎𝘖𝘋 𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘳𝘴… 𝘎𝘖𝘋 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘴 – 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘖𝘋 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘚𝘰𝘯. 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘥𝘳𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦… 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘳𝘴. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦, 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘢 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋 𝘑𝘌𝘚𝘜𝘚 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘺. 𝘏𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘎𝘖𝘋’𝘴 𝘚𝘰𝘯.

𝘗𝘢𝘶𝘭 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘶𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩.”

Paul’s story causes me to ponder a few probing questions:

• What belief or tradition might I be holding onto so tightly that it blinds me to the truth GOD wants me to see?
• How does the LORD pursue my heart, get my attention, reveal Himself to me?
• What calling has He given me; what truth about Him does He ask me to share with others?
• When have my own passions or pursuits interfered with my acknowledgement of who GOD is, His authority over my life, my gratefulness to Him, or my rightful response of worship and service to the One who has given everything to reconcile me to Himself?

Paul’s passion for the gospel compels me to read more of his letter to the Romans to gain a deeper appreciation for the Good News proclaimed by GOD since the beginning of time. 

I am also encouraged to pray earnestly for those around me who do not yet know or trust JESUS as their Savior.  May they encounter the LORD in a deeply personal way that leads them to accept His salvation without reservation or delay! 

My heart’s desire and my prayer to GOD for them is for their salvation. (Romans 10:1, NASB)

RESOURCES:

“The Letter to the ROMANS,” by William MacDonald, Emmaus Worldwide, 2020, Revised 2023.

The Bible Project, video summary of the book of Romans, Parts 1 & 2.

https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/romans-1-4/

https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/romans-5-16/

“Knowing the Bible: Romans”, by Jared C. Wilson, The Gospel Coalition,  thegospelcoalition.org .