Romans

Two well-known Protestant reformers, Martin Luther and John Calvin, shared their views about Paul’s letter to the Romans. Luther called the book “the clearest gospel of all.” Calvin said, “If a man understands [Romans], he has a sure road opened for him to the understanding of the whole Scripture.”[1] I hope that as we continue studying Romans, you will agree with these two statements about its significance in your own understanding of the gospel and the Bible.

How should a Christian respond to the government? Is it necessary to obey all laws, pay taxes, and show respect to governing officials? Are we to submit to authorities when there is blatant corruption?

In today’s passage, Paul becomes very specific. I count more than twenty concise, direct exhortations in Romans 12:9-21. Rather than analyzing each verse one by one, I’ll organize Paul’s instructions into five main points. Let’s look at these qualities of a true follower of Jesus.

All theology is practical. Everything we learn about God should be applied in real life, including our daily activities and challenges—such as dealing with sickness, the busyness of toddlers and teenagers, marriage struggles, financial hardships and successes, job stress, and more. There are moments of laughter and tears, but God always meets us exactly where we are. 

I want us to revisit “the kindness and the severity of God” (Rom. 11:22a). We discussed this verse in our last teaching time. As J. I. Packer insightfully notes, the important word here is “and.” The Christians in Rome were not to focus only on God’s kindness or only on his severity—both are crucial for understanding who God is.

Weekend Recharge

Weekend Recharge

Let’s revisit Paul’s statement about what the gospel is. Notice that he says the gospel is “the power of God for salvation” and is available to “everyone who believes,” then adds, “to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” In today’s passage, Paul reminds the Romans that the Jews had rejected Jesus; now God’s focus is on the Gentiles. As a result, the Jews are witnessing God's power at work in other nations. 

God has always had a people for himself—even in the darkest days and most difficult times. Yet, as we see in Paul’s letter to the Romans, many Jews were confused about who truly belonged to him.