Romans: a brief introduction

Romans was written by the Apostle Paul (1:1), probably around about AD 57 from Corinth during his 3rd missionary journey (Acts 20:2-3).  It is written to the church in Rome, which Paul has never been to.  This church was unlikely to have been founded by Peter, as some postulate, but most likely by Jews returning from Pentecost who took the gospel back to their synagogues and from there to god-fearing Gentiles, then to other Gentiles. However, in AD 49 Jews were expelled from Rome (Acts 18:2) they returned upon Claudius’ death in approx AD54 when this expulsion order ended with his death. However whilst they were away Gentile leaders had led the church and by God's grace is has seemingly grown so that it is now majority Gentile. In keeping with this it is most likely a series of house churches (16:5) instead of meeting at synagogue. This background is an important factor in the letter.

The theme of the letter is ‘the Gospel’. 1:15-17 “So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of the God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”  The gospel is the dominant theme of the frame of the letter and is unpacked throughout the body of the letter.

Paul’s purpose in writing to the church in Rome is so that the glory of God might be seen in a united and missional gospel community living and relating humbly together under grace. Paul wants the church in Rome to be united in its understanding and application of the gospel in their lives together and in their passion for reaching the lost, so that they will be mission partners with him in the gospel.

Why do we need to preach and teach it today?    What ought we to aim and pray for as we look at this letter?  To say the obvious we hope to achieve what Paul wrote to achieve. That as people understand the gospel they will be both humbled and united and impassioned in living and proclaiming the gospel to others. Furthermore we pray that practically the gospel taught and applied from Romans will counteract internal instability and external defensiveness as it humbles our hearts under grace.  That it will open our eyes and set our hearts on fire to the wonder of God's gospel in Jesus Christ and radically change us and enlarge our hearts, loosen our lips and empower our tongues by his Spirit.

It is not a book of dry doctrine but one which beats in time with God's love for mankind and his desire to see us restored to a right relationship with him and living out that joyful relational reality that is ours in Christ by the Spirit with the Father.