Romans Introduction
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The origin of the Roman church is unknown. It may have started as a group of Jewish believers and may even have begun not long after Pentecost. Over the years it had grown and was made up of sizeable Jewish and Gentile constituencies.
This important letter gave Paul the opportunity to instruct the believers in the essentials of salvation. Some specific issues existed among the mixed racial makeup of the church, so he spoke both to Jews (2:17–4:25) and Gentiles (e.g., 1:13-15; 11:13; see 14:1–15:13). Yet the message of salvation is the major theme of Romans. From 1:18–8:39, Paul described the human condition from God’s perspective and set forth what God has done to forgive and restore human beings to right relationship with himself. Not only that, God has given his Spirit to those who trust his grace. Through the Holy Spirit those who have been justified by faith are able to live holy lives, walking in ways that are pleasing to God. After discussing how Jews and Gentiles fit into God’s overall plan for the ages (chaps. 9–11), Paul spelled out some ethical implications of salvation in Christ (12:1–15:13).