Romans 1
Romans 1:1-32
1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God
2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures,
3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,
4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.
5 Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name,
6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;
7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers,
10 making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you.
11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established—
12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
13 Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles.
14 I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise.
15 So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,
25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.
27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,
30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;
32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
There was in Paul a strong passion to not just get the message to those in Rome, but to encounter something that apparently required his actual presence with them. There was a growth in faith that he implied required them being together. In sharing this passion, though, there is an understanding imparted that faith in the blood of Jesus has a very dangerous adversary in ways of thinking that, instead of being Spirit inspired, are driven by the flesh and natural human thinking. The knowing of God that is inevitable in the observing of His works is not the same as knowing Him through the work of the cross. This is known by the long list of behaviors and attitudes that are a direct result and fruit of the evil surety of the mind left to its own determination. In this description of evil’s ways, there is inclusion of many things that effectively describe what is raging in the world around us, parading itself as enlightenment and wokeness, while really it is just a recurrence of an ancient pattern of what happens when the mind is released to think on its own. Like all paths of sin and wickedness, there may be periods of prideful pleasure, but progress down that road leads to the very wrath of God. To associate and agree with those spouting the God-defying ways of our society in any way is to be positioned for destruction, no matter how postured as religious. God resists the proud, their flags, their months, and their death demanding ways, not because He hates them, but because He loves them and hates the wages of their choices apart from Him. There is a much needed joining together with those who are more impressed with the righteousness from above than some random thought that is birthed from a fleshly passion. And, it will be known if it is God that is really the pursuit by the fruit that comes from that joining together – either holiness in that of the Spirit or wickedness in the gratification of the flesh. What is feasted upon will be clearly observed in behaviors produced.
Romans 1:16-17 in The Passion Translation says,
“I refuse to be ashamed of sharing the wonderful message of God’s liberating power unleashed in us through Christ! For I am thrilled to preach that everyone who believes is saved—the Jew first, and then people everywhere! This gospel unveils a continual revelation of God’s righteousness—a perfect righteousness given to us when we believe. And it moves us from receiving life through faith, to the power of living by faith. This is what the Scripture means when it says: “We are right with God through life-giving faith!””
Out of all the things in the Bible that needs to be preached and shared, the foremost thing is the gospel of Jesus. That message is what will bring change to people, break down the chains and bandages that have tried to hold them, and truly demonstrate the unfathomable love of God toward us. It is a message that we should not be ashamed to share with anyone we encounter, because we know beyond a shadow of a doubt, the joy, the peace, the change, and the hope that this message brings to all who need it.