The letter from Paul to the Romans can be a difficult book to read, not because it is hard to understand but because what is says can be hard to take. But just because it requires determination doesn’t mean we shouldn’t study it and try to understand what the Holy Spirit is teaching us through Paul’s words. It is definitely worth the effort!
Let me give you a little background on the epistle (letter) to the Romans. By the time Paul wrote this letter, he had been preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles (non-Jews) for more than 20 years. He did not plant the church in Rome, but he had heard of them, and he longed to visit them. They were in a very influential city, and he wanted to make sure they were doctrinally strong. He had plans to visit Spain, and intended to pass through Rome on his way. He sent this letter on ahead so the Christians in Rome would be ready for his visit.
The book of Romans is a letter, and as such, there were expectations for how it should be read. It is important that we attempt to understand this letter the way Paul’s original audience would have understood it instead of imposing our modern day culture on its contents. Read my post about how to read epistles in Scripture to understand more about the style of writing.
So if the letter was written to the Christians in Rome, why is it important for us to read it today? The Word of God is living and active no matter the time period (Hebrews 4:12). That means it had an audience then, and it has an audience now. Let’s go through some of the reasons believers today should study the book of Romans.
Romans Is the Inspired Word of God
The first reason we should read the book of Romans is because it is the inspired, inerrant, infallible, and immutable (unchanging) Word of God. Honestly, this should go without saying, but we live in an age when there are “Christians” diminishing Paul’s writings because he is merely a man. They do this by elevating Christ’s words, using the argument that if Christ didn’t say it, it doesn’t matter who else did say it.
We must remember that if we don’t believe the entire Bible is the Word of God, there is no reason to study any of it. We can’t question the truth of Scripture just because we don’t like what it says. Every word in Scripture is God breathed, and we must approach every book and human author from that perspective.
It Presents a Clear Gospel
The book of Romans is one of the clearest statements of the Gospel in Scripture. The first eleven chapters deal with doctrine, including the doctrine of sin and salvation. But Paul doesn’t stop there. The final five chapters of the book give clear, practical guidelines on how Christians are to behave toward other believers, toward the world, and toward God. As Matthew Henry put it, the last five chapters are “to inform the judgment and to reform the life.” Paul encourages believers to include the Gospel in their everyday lives.
Often, once we believe, we tend to stray from the Gospel into other areas of study, yet Paul is writing this letter to believers, those who have already accepted Christ as Lord of their lives. Rather than move on from the Gospel, Paul encourages them to go deeper into it. And as we study the book, our view of evangelism should shift. Paul presents the Gospel as a beautiful picture of God’s faithfulness to His people, and we should never lose the awe of that truth!
Romans Focuses on God
While most of the other epistles deal with specific concerns or behaviors in the church, or they are meant to encourage an individual as he walks out his faith, the book of Romans focuses on God. It teaches us what we were before God rescued us. It presents God’s solution to the problem of sin. And it teaches us how to walk out our faith in view of Who God is and what He has done.
Within this framework, Paul anticipates objections to his statements, and he responds to them through rhetorical questions posed throughout the book. His answers are firmly rooted in the Gospel, including passages from the Old Testament that support His claims of salvation through faith. Paul knows he is presenting difficult truths; he tells the believers in Rome that he is “satisfied” about them, but he has written “very boldly by way of reminder.”
It Explains Our Battle with Sin
The book of Romans dives into the complicated doctrine of sin. While this topic is difficult to understand, Paul offers us some incredible encouragement! The mere fact that we struggle to stop sinning is evidence that we are God’s children. Those who are not regenerated do not struggle to stop sinning. They may fear disappointing a loved one or facing consequences if they get caught, but they don’t feel the Holy Spirit conviction to stop sinning because it offends the holy God.
So take heart, believer! If you hate that you still sin, it is a sign of true regeneration.
Romans Gives Us Direction
The book of Romans teaches believers how to interact with each other, how to interact with unbelievers, and how to interact with God. Paul includes admonitions about false teachers. He instructs us to submit to the government and be prepared to suffer the consequences when we must stand against it. In his encouragement for us to treat other believers as higher than ourselves, he includes an encouragement to missions and financial support of Christians in other places.
Some questions that the book answers include:
- What role does the law play in the life of the unbeliever and the believer?
- How do we get along when we disagree with someone in the church?
- What responsibility does our church have toward other believing churches?
- How can we have a right relationship with God?
One thing I can say with certainty is that none of these questions are outdated! We can relate to a struggle with each of these questions just as much as the original audience would have.
I would love to know if you have additional reasons we should study the book of Romans. This list is certainly not exhaustive, and I’m sure there are important ones I have left out. If you have one (or more) to add, leave them in the comments.
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