Romans

Romans was written by Paul during the same time period as 1 Corinthians, Galatians, and 2 Corinthians.  Though Paul had not yet personally met or visited the Christians and churches in the city to which this epistle is addressed, he still deals with profound topics that require deep, critical thought.  Who am I?  Where did I come from?  Why am I here?  Where am I going?  These very questions, and their answers, are what Paul expounds in Romans.  From start to finish, Paul’s goal is nothing less than the shaping and molding of our world views.  With deftness and sureness, Paul covers such things as the result of Adam’s sin on the rest of God’s creation, the providence of God, the predestination of men and things, the place of the Jews in God’s administration of history, and the matter of how God saves individual people.  Through it all, Paul relentlessly seeks to help us think God’s thoughts after Him. Romans 1:16-17 is Paul’s own theme statement for this epistle – that the gospel revea