How can a man or woman lost in sin, become righteous in the sight of God, who has already pronounced the judgement of death on all unrighteousness and sin? The Roman Epistle (Letter) provides the answer, in its pages; Paul clearly shows forth the amazing answer to the question. The sheer weight of revealed truth in the Roman Letter can be felt and experienced in the heart of every believer by the gracious power of the Holy Spirit. My prayer for our Colours of the Trinity Website Bible Class in these studies, 'Lord bless Thy Word to our hearts, and glorify Thy great name'. May we together as a website fellowship recapture the splendour of the strategy of God, who moved into the human scene at Bethlehem, and through our Lord Jesus Christ, reconciled a totally lost world back to Himself, through personal repentance and faith being applied in His finished redemptive death on the cross of Calvary in Jerusalem.
Revelation flows like the waves of the sea in Roman's. God speaks and the wonder of His Word's leaves men almost speechless. Roman's tells how God accomplished this the greatest of all miracles - The Salvation of Sinful Man.
BACKGROUND
From the home of Gaius in Corinth, Paul writes to the church at Rome (Rom.16: 23)
A church he had neither founded nor visited, but one he loved greatly in the Lord Jesus.
1. The church at Rome had come into existence by many visitors to Jerusalem hearing Peter's Pentecostal sermon carrying the Gospel back to the city of Rome. Jewish people and proselytes from all parts of the empire had heard the Gospel.
2. Many fleeing the persecution following the death of Stephen in Jerusalem travelled to Rome.
3. Rome was at the heart of the empire; all roads led to the capitol, along these roads came many from different parts, with the news of Salvation. The power of the Cross was felt in the capitol. In AD 52 Claudius deported many Jewish people. Six years later AD 58, most people had drifted back including many Gentiles believers. A situation had arisen with simple Gentile faith under attack from legalistic brethren, the church at Rome, had weak and suspect foundations.
4. Paul wanted to establish the church in the capitol on the true basis of faith alone in our Lord Jesus Christ for all Salvation.
5. Time after time Paul had plans to visit Rome, but for various reasons failed to make the journey. Now an opportunity to contact the Roman brethren presented itself in a woman called Phoebe. She was to visit Rome on business. She was also to carry the letter from Paul to the church in the capitol.(Rom.16:1-2).
6. In a masterful way, Paul marshalled all the colours of the truth, argument, and law, in a most compelling way to cover the Jewish and the Gentile position; he tells them that he plans a visit!
Key Verses: Rom.1: 16-17. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto Salvation to everyone that believeth: to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the Righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith.
HE WHO THROUGH FAITH SHALL LIVE.
Romans has repeatedly time and time again in history called the erring church back to Scriptural Righteousness and simple sublime faith.
" Lord do it again in 2004"