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Scripture Passage: Romans 1:1

There has been no book that has ever influenced or impacted the world like the book of Romans. Some of the fathers of our faith and greatest minds have called it the Constitution of Christianity. Before we dive into the text itself, we should familiarize ourselves with the basics of the book that changed the world.

The Table of Contents

In sixteen chapters, we learn about the problem of sin and the answer of salvation. The book also explains the process of sanctification, God’s sovereignty, and our service to one another.

The Author: Paul

Paul, formerly known as Saul, was a Jewish man, a Roman citizen, a scholar, a Pharisee. When he changed his name to Paul (which means “little one”), he changed his identity. When this arrogant, bold man met Jesus and was saved, he discovered that he was small.

Adrian Rogers says, “One of the first things that true salvation does; it humbles us. You will never be too small for God to use you, but you may be too big.”

Romans 1:1 reveals that Paul was a surrendered and sent man: “a bondservant, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God.” He stood out among the crowd; likewise, we are called to be different. It is not what we do or don’t do that truly separates us, only the Gospel makes us like Jesus, and therefore, different from others.

The Hero: Jesus

Jesus is the promised one as Romans 1:2 says, “which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures…”

Jesus is also the provided descendant of David, the rightful heir to Israel’s throne. (See Romans 1:3.) He is “declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:4). Our hero is pure in His humanity, as well as in His deity—completely sinless.

The Subject: the Gospel

Finally, the subject of the Book of Romans is the Gospel, sourced and supplied by Jesus Christ, Himself. This is the Good News: poor, lost, ruined sinners such as we are saved, only through His grace.

Apply it to your life

As we begin to study the Book of Romans, do you have a relationship with Jesus Christ, the source of the Gospel, the supplier of grace?