ROMANS 1

PAUL ENCOURAGES THE ROMANS TO LIVE BY FAITH

Paul writes to the believers in Rome, reminding them of his role as an apostle of Jesus. Wanting to always further the message of Jesus, Paul prays for the success of the Church in Rome and thanks God for their faith. Paul is eager to travel to the Romans, believing they would both be encouraged from the visit. As Paul boldly proclaims the news of Jesus, he states that he is not ashamed of the gospel and encourages the righteous to live faithfully in a way that honors God.

Paul offers a warning to those who know of God, but do not regard or praise Him. Many who claim to be wise are actually foolish and trade God’s eternal gifts for temporary things. Paul warns them not to worship the creation itself more than the Creator of all things. For those who ignore God, God will allow them to be consumed by their worldly passions.

Instead of relying on the power of the Holy Spirit, those who reject God are left to their own devices. Paul lists many unrighteous qualities of those who do not acknowledge God, many of them are directly opposite the qualities produced by the Holy Spirit. Paul emphasizes the downward spiral of those who suppress the truth about God and continually indulge in unrighteousness, and warns the Romans to remain steadfast in faith.