Romans And The Christian Worldview

Paul’s letter to the Roman church was not meant to be a systematic theology. It was an occasional letter that contained a very systematic presentation of the Gospel. This makes Romans a very important book when it comes to the Christian Worldview. It covers a wide array of topics that are essential for a believer to understand and to live by. These topics include: creation, sin, salvation, eschatology, ethics, and theology. It will be shown what Paul teaches about these topics and how they apply to a Christian’s worldview.

Paul teaches that in creation, God has given a testimony of himself and his goodness in Romans 1:19-20. This passage says that what can be known about God is made plain and that His “invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20) It also speaks about how believers should have relationships with the opposite sex and not with the same sex in Romans 1:26-27, because this is the natural way. In one’s human nature one chooses to rebel not wanting to be under any kind of authority, whether it is that of another person or God himself. So since humans would much rather choose to live under their own control, Paul teaches that God gives those who would reject Christ over to lust in Romans 1:28-32.

Sin is another topic that Paul covers in his letter to the Roman Christians. Sin at one point is described as anything not done from faith, in Romans 14:23. In Romans 6:23 Paul says, “For the wages of sin is death…” Sin is not something that God takes lightly and it is important for Christians to understand that they are sinners and to avoid it at all costs. In Romans 1, Paul gives his readers a list of sins that mankind was committing in Romans 1:29-32. In learning that everyone sins from Romans 3:23 and need a savior, one also learns that there is salvation. [2] 

SALVATION

Salvation does not lie in anything that a person can do for themselves; Paul teaches that it is the power of God and God alone in Romans 1:16-17. In Romans 3:24-25, Paul tells about the work of Jesus Christ as the redeemer, who was put forth as the propitiation for the sins of the world. Also including the surrounding verses of 21-21, Paul continually uses the word faith when dealing with God’s righteousness and justification. When it comes to sanctification and living a life empowered by the Holy Spirit, Romans 8 gives one of the strongest sections on how one can live apart from the flesh and live in the Spirit. [3] 

ESCHATOLOGY/ETHICS/ THEOLOGY

One can learn about God and some of his ultimate goals by reading Romans 11. In this chapter Paul teaches about the last days and what Christians can expect during these times. Chapter 11 lays out the plan and process by which the Gentiles are saved and how the people of Israel will be saved in the last days. It is important to know our place in all of this. Romans aslo speaks directly as to how we should live as Christians. It begins in chapter12, being told to live as a “living sacrifice”, “holy and pleasing to God” in Romans12:1. Paul continues instructing people to renew their minds, basically telling them to think differently than they did when they belonged to the world. Throughout the book of Romans one can gather glimpses of what God is truly like; starting in chapter one verse twenty, his power and divine nature have been clearly seen. Throughout chapter two and parts of three Paul teaches about how God is righteous. In 3:25 one learns about his forbearance with previous sin, all while learning how much he loves his children. In chapter eight and nine Paul teaches of his sovereignty and that all things are in his control. Through it all Paul teaches that believers can trust God to do what he promises, according to Romans chapter 4. [4] 

CONCLUSION

The Book of Romans is full of teachings that are essential to a Christian’s walk. With all of the talk about evolution and the big bang theory one needs to know what God teaches about creation and what he wants to get across. Sin causes death in a believer and God has provided away for each human to be saved from this death. That comes through salvation from Jesus Christ. In the end times God’s ultimate goal is to see all his children come to a saving knowledge of His Son, Jews and Gentiles. Christians should operate in a righteous fashion while in this world and God will always be there to help and support each and every one of them.