My belief is that man is born into this world a sinner, so therefore we are all in need
of a Saviour. Jesus Christ is the Lord and Saviour of all who believe. The book of
Romans, chapters 1-8 provides the believer with many truths essential to living a
victorious Christian Life. The scripture that is most important to me and lays the
foundation to be able to receive the Apostle Paul’s letter in its totality is Romans 1:16.
The scripture says “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. It
doesn’t matter about my race, creed, color, national origin or socioeconomic status is.
What disqualifies me from receiving the power of God through the gospel of Christ is my
unbelief. If I don’t get that truth settled in my heart, the rest of Romans will have no
affect to me in my Christian journey.
I believe one of the most important things Romans 1-8 teaches regarding the natural
world is found in Romans 1:20, “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”. What this scripture is saying to me
is I have no excuse for not recognizing that everything that exist came out of God. No
man can justify what is visible in the natural world and not attribute it to the hands of
God. This scripture clearly states that we will be without excuse in believing that God
doesn’t exist. In other words, none of us can use ignorance as an excuse for not knowing
that God does exist. I am intrigued when it comes to atheists and how much energy they
put into trying to disprove what they don’t believe exists. Whatever we believe should
line up with our actions. When God judges man at the end of the age, the bible says it
will be on the basis of what was given to that person and how they responded (Revelation
20:11-15 NKJV). Everything I have said concerning the natural I believe is summed in
Psalm 14:1 (KJV), “The fool hath said in his heart, there is No God”…
My human identity is wrapped up in all that Jesus is. Romans 5:8-10 says, “But God
demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for
us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from
wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the
death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life”.
One of the greatest revelations I have had as man is when I understood that although my
mother birthed me, it is God who gave me life. DNA carries all the information for our
physical characteristics like a computer. We must remember that it’s God who
“programmed” our DNA computers. The bible clearly reveals that to me in Luke 12:7
(KJV) which says, “But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not
therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows”. This let’s me know that God is very
“specific”, since when one of my hairs falls He can tell which hair it is. In today’s society
there are so many people who are being “held hostage” because of who their parents were
or were not. According to John 4:24 we are made in the image and likeness of God and
God is a Spirit (John 4:24 NKJV). When we can understand our identity is in Jesus, then
we can be all that God has made us to be.
When it comes to human relationships, the passage of scripture that resonates within
me is Romans 3:21-23 which says, “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law
is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God,
through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for
all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. We are born as sinners in need of a
Saviour, so I must get my relationship with God in order first. Every human relationship
I have on earth, I try to make it a reflection of my relationship with God. Understanding
that all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God allows me to remain humble while
having a heart for people who don’t know Jesus. In today’s society, both Christians and
non-Christians don’t understand the truth that we all have fallen short. As a result, I
believe this is why so many relationships today are abusive. Abuse is wrong or improper
use of something; it can be either physical violence or emotional cruelty. When we relate
to people through our relationship with Jesus it’s a beautiful thing.
Cultural is defined as the beliefs, customs and ways of life of a particular society.
Paul tells us in Romans 1:16 that he is not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of
God unto salvation. Understanding how I am supposed to live as a Christians is clearly
spelled out in the next verse. The bible says in Romans 1:17, “For in it the righteousness
of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, the just shall live by faith.” This is
where Paul starts to lay a solid foundation of how I am to live as a Christian. As a
Christian in todays society with all the fiscal uncertainty, war going on amongst nations,
we must have a firm grasp that we must live by faith everyday because that’s our way of
life.
Roman 1-8 provides a solid foundation for victorious Christian living and truths that
are important to the Biblical Worldview. In reading those first eight chapters of the
Romans, I always gravitate to the following, Romans 8:35-39 (NKJV), “Who shall
separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or
famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: For Your sake we are killed all
day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Yet in all these things we are more
than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor
life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor
height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of
God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. We as Christians in today’s world should let
nothing separate us from Christ’ love.
