Paul’s letter to the church at Rome is just one of the New Testament letters that we could spend years and years studying. The richness, the depth, the foundation for much of our faith in Christ Jesus can be found in the words penned by the hand of the apostle.
As I read through Romans, at times I feel if I am hurried along. There are other times when I feel it’s time to pull over and slow down so that I can view what is being said and soak it all in.
New Testament scholar N. T. Wright provides this description or Romans:
“Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome is his masterpiece. It covers many different topics from many different angles, bringing them all together into a fast-moving and compelling line of thought. Reading it sometimes feels like being swept along in a small boat on a swirling, bubbling river. We need to hold on tight if we’re going to stay on board. But if we do, the energy and excitement of it all is unbeatable. The reason is obvious: because Romans is all about the God who, as Paul says, unveils his power and grace through the good news about Jesus. And, as Paul insists again and again, this power and grace is available for everyone who believes.” [1]
We begin a journey. As I study through Romans, I would like to share with you a few discoveries along the way. For me, the difficulty with Romans has been finding the right pace. As my wife said, “Sometimes we can lose sight of the forest being focused on the trees.” So as we step into a journey of discovery through Romans, my goal will be to not lose sight of the forest. In this journey, I would like to keep the overall picture Paul is providing in the forethought of my mind. I hope you will enjoy the journey as well.
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notes:
Scripture citations from The New King James Version. (1982). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
1. Excerpt From: N. T. Wright. “Paul for Everyone: Romans, Part One.” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/paul-for-everyone-romans-part-one/id554073171”