Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Introduction to the book of Romans

Paul wrote this letter to the church in Rome. Neither he nor the other church leaders had actually stepped foot in Rome. Most likely, the Roman church had been established by believers who had been at Jerusalem from Pentecost and travelers who had heard the Good News in other places and had brought it back to Rome. Paul wrote the letter to the Romans during his ministry in Corinth (at the end of his 3rd missionary journey just before returning to Jerusalem.) He wanted to encourage the believers and to express his desire to visit someday. The church there had no New Testament because the Gospels were not yet being circulated in their final written form.

This may have been the first piece of Christian literature the Roman believers had seen. Written to both Jewish and Gentile Christians, the letter to the Romans is a well defined presentation of the Christian faith. Paul says in 1:16 "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes." This message has great meaning throughout the world today.

Follow along these next 16 weeks as we spend time in understanding the great truths written in this powerful book of Romans.

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