Epaggelia

Paul wrote this letter for many different reasons, but here are three.

• Romans 1:11-15, to make a personal gift.

• Romans 4:1, 6:1, 7:7, 8:31, 9:14-30, 16:17, to help them understand the difference between truth and error in The Faith.

• Romans 1:17 & 12-16, to help empower them to live by faith and imitate Christ. See Habakkuk 2:4.

Paul begins and ends his message with the phrase, “for obedience to the faith”, 1:5 & 16:26. Everything in between is like fuel for our faith. Now we need to fill our tanks, then we can go and do what is right in God’s eyes.

Paul addresses Christians with the following descriptions:

“The Called”, 1:6, this is fulfilling the prophetic desire of God from Isaiah 48:12. The Spirit of Christ calls us, “the called”, Rom. 8:28. See 1^st Cor. 1:9 & 1^st Pet. 2:9.

“Beloved of God”, 1:7. Duet. 33:12, has a clear inference to this affection of God. See Colossians 3:12.

“Saints”, 1:7, in the New Testament, this word is always in the plural. Showing us that God views us as holy when we are together in fellowship. We can not stay separated long and stay holy and pure. See Acts 9:32, there are many more verses that call Christians “saints”. The Catholic idea of only a select or exhalted Christian being called a saint is not God’s view of SAINTS.

Paul knew that Christians must have a correct and focused view of the environment they live in. Rome was morally polluted and God had given up on many people around them, 1:24-28, this is one of the saddest verses of the entire Bible. But with Christ in the middle of Rome, hope was present and alive. What put their neighbors at such a disadvantage with God? Vile passions and debased minds, 1:25, 28. Our friends in the world have a shining light amongst them, in you! Keep yourself away from anything that is immoral, 1^st Cor. 6:9. We must fill ourselves up with God’s righteousness, Mt. 12:4-45.