Romans Background

Background

Paul’s calling was to share the gospel and God’s plan to the church. The most extensive example of that communicatin is teh letter to the church at Rome.

written late 56 or early 57

church in Rome probably made up of Jews and Gentiles, mostly Gentiles

theme of letter Rom 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

eph 3:14-21 “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

how God illustrated Bible study through these verses. Understanding His love needs to more than knowledge, needs to penetrate the heart and soul. Paul says we need to comprehend this to be filled with the fullness of God. This is and example of studying the Bible to understand in mind, heart, soul and strength.

The church’s mission was to disciple the nations (Matt. 28:18–20). Paul’s mission was to explain the mystery of the body of Christ, the inclusion of the Gentiles into the blessings of the Jewish covenants, so that Jews and Gentiles alike would see themselves as the body of Christ on earth, continuing Jesus’ work of seeking and saving what was lost (Luke 19:101

1 Boa, K., & Kruidenier, W. (2000). Romans (Vol. 6, p. 4). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.