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With Romans we are dealing with a different genre of writing than we have seen in the first five books of the New Testament. This is not narrative writing; each “book” is actually a letter, or epistle, written to a church or an individual that the author has some relationship or association with. In the next module we will look more closely at the genre of the letters. For now, let’s look at Romans, the most theological of all Paul’s writings.

Romans was written before Paul ever visited the city of Rome; therefore the letter does not deal with the particular concerns of the congregations in that city, even though the apostle acknowledges the church there and indicates he prays for the believers there regularly and longs to visit them (1:7-12). Instead, Paul lays out the gospel message in the most systematic way of any of his letters. His subject is the meaning of faith in Jesus Christ and the salvation it brings. He considers the relationship of followers of Jesus with the Old Testament law, asserting that God’s promises to Abraham are fulfilled through Jesus, and that the Gentiles are included in those promises.

Ultimately, writes Paul, we are all guilty before God. But Jesus Christ has become the “New Adam” and has made a way for us to be restored into relationship with God-a relationship so intimate that we can call Him “Abba” (see 8:14-16). This is a term of endearment, and the nearest English equivalent would be “Daddy.” Salvation, says Paul, is not a matter of obedience to the Jewish Law or moral goodness or the result of our efforts to be righteous. It is solely based on what Jesus has accomplished through His death and resurrection; a gift that comes to us by God’s grace. That gift is received by faith. Only faith can make us right with God. And nothing, Paul assures the believers in Rome, can separate us from the love of God. Nothing.

This does not mean that it doesn’t matter how we conduct our lives. Paul emphasizes the necessity of daily showing love toward God and others. We should sacrifice our own desires to follow Him. But we do this as a response to salvation, not in order to earn it.