The Gospel in Romans

a Christ-focused walk through the Scriptures

As we come to the book of Romans, we see that it is one of several epistles written by Paul, the apostle. He wrote approximately two thirds of the New Testament. This letter was written about ten years into Paul’s ministry and about ten years from his death. The foundation of the New Covenant church had mostly been laid by the other apostles; Paul was visiting and writing to various churches to make sure they were walking out what had been taught to them.

It is common in Paul’s writings for the first part of a letter to be theological and the last part to be practical, applying the theology taught to the lives of the church. Ephesians is about half and half while Romans spends two thirds on theology and one third on application. This is an important lesson in itself – one’s theology (what you think of God) will determine how you live your life. You cannot get theology right by trying to live right; you live right by having your mind renewed and transformed by the Spirit of God while you read and meditate on His Word. Our focus is not to be on how we can live in obedience to “the law” (no matter how you may define that phrase); our focus is believe and trust in Christ. This is what our Lord said when the Jews followed Him after one of the big feeding of many with little incidents. Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” (John 6:28 & 29) If we believe, we will obey.