Romans 1 - 11

 Apostle Paul’s cachet of a letter written to the Romans stands out as the four square gospel in which he laid down the foundation for victorious Christian living. He vehemently declared to the blinkered Romans, that Jesus Christ they crucified as a criminal was none other than the Son of God, whose handiwork is seen in all things visible and invisible. He was not a tad ashamed to tell them that Jesus is the author of salvation to everyone who believes in Him (Romans 1:16).

Paul convinced the Romans no holds barred, that instead of worshipping God the Creator, they denigrated to worship His creation. He laments that they exchanged the glory of the Holy and Immortal One to inglorious images resembling birds, animals and reptiles. Even in matters concerning sexuality, they twisted God’s order to give room to dishonorable passions and even exchanged natural relations to unnatural ones (Romans 1:23-27).

When sin grew out of proportion, God sent His only begotten Son Jesus to wipe the slate clean as the propitiator of sins without being partial to sinners – be it the Jew or the Gentile (Romans 2:11). He looked at us through the righteousness of Jesus Christ, - ‘Just as if we had not sinned’. Since we are justified by faith in Christ, we are saved by grace and not by works.

Finally, He has given the Holy Spirit to both the Jews and the Gentiles (all flesh) to lead a victorious Christian life in a crooked and a perverse world. The Jews and the Gentiles worshipping God together by overcoming sin is the victorious church – the glorious plan of God for mankind!

Thought for the day: If the church does not take victory over sin, how can it then save the world?