Paul’s Magnum Opus

This week we begin reading what is probably St. Paul’s greatest work, his letter to the Romans. At the time of writing (probably Spring AD 57) he had not yet visited Rome, but he planned to visit, and hoped to use Rome as a launchpad for mission to Spain (see chapter 15). The church in Rome had a mix of Jewish and Gentile Christians and it seems the relationship between the two groups was strained. Paul addresses this issue in chapters 9-11 and 14-15.

But before that, Paul wants to explain his understanding of the good news (or ‘gospel’) – the message that his whole life is now dedicated to proclaiming. It’s good news about God’s Son (1:9), it has the power to save everyone who believes (1:16) and it concerns God’s justice, or righteousness (1:17). And to show just how vital it is, Paul first has to establish the problem that we all share (both Jew and Gentile) - God’s wrath at our sin. Once he has established that, he can reveal God’s solution – we can be made righteous (or justified, or put right with God) through faith in Jesus. This is the subject of the first three chapters, summarised in 3:23-24. In chapter 4, Paul demonstrates that what God has done through Jesus is in perfect continuity with his dealings with Abraham (his righteousness was by faith, too, just like ours). This is not some new departure. And in chapters 5-8 Paul outlines all the blessings that come from being justified through faith in Jesus, not least the Holy Spirit, who enables us to know God as our ‘Abba’, father.

This is dense theology. But it is also right at the core of what it means to be a Christian. Grasp this, and we begin to understand the amazing way God has shown his love to us in Jesus.