Romans

I'm somewhat scared, but I'll be starting Romans. Romans is beast. Well, the entire bible is beast, but Romans is quite scary to me. Scary in a good way. It's so scary that it's awesome. It's so scary because of the truth it speaks of and how it may change and bless those who read it. Often when studying the bible, I'll look to commentaries. For Romans, I've chosen to follow John Piper's sermon series on Romans. In his introduction to Romans, he brings up these two quotes.

"I think St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans is the most profound work in existence..."

(Samuel Tayloer Coleridge)

“[Romans] is unquestionably the most important theological work ever written.”

(John Knox)

Does that not get you excited?

So what is Romans? This is a letter written by the apostle Paul to the believers in Rome. Who is Paul? You may already know who Paul is. He wrote many of the New Testament letters. he was a former Pharisee. In fact, looking at Philippians chapter 3, we find a respectable resume of Paul and his accomplishments as a Pharisee. If anyone wanted to boast in anything of their own flesh, he would be able to top them by boasting in his own flesh.

What else do we know about Paul? Well, he hated Christianity. He breathed out murderous threats against them and went out persecuting the church. He even participated in the killing of the first Christian Martyr, Stephen. Fortunately, the story doesn't end there. On his way to persecute Christians, Jesus Christ appears to him. He is blinded and God uses a follower of Christ, Ananias, to restore Paul's sight. Through this experience and God's work in Paul caused Paul to change his trajectory. I don't know how to explain it other than simply God. How else or why else would Paul or could Paul change in such a way? It was by God.