Homesick for Rome . . .

It seems like a very long time ago since we stepped away from Paul, leaving him in the letter that he was writing to the church at Rome . . . we segued for good reason, to prepare our hearts for the celebration of the birth of the King, and then to consider the right thoughts we might choose to start the New Year, including the notion that right thinking must include the personal priority of studying and taking a hold of the Word of God.

I would submit to you that we cannot simply value Scripture for individual verses that fit the need of the moment, but rather, Scripture is to be valued as a whole.  (Not that reading Leviticus, Numbers, or the genealogies might be as personally applicable or near as inspiring as one of Paul’s messages’ content on higher living, but valuable for a purpose, just the same)  And so, I take you back to Paul.  Paul, long on intellect, though not necessarily of stature … long on opinion, but not necessarily on looks, a spiritual powerhouse, but not really a physical one … could see Christianity rightly lived out in his mind’s eye, though he had difficulty with his physical sight.  This man, Paul, surely the greatest individual influence on Christian life, second to Jesus Christ, not only chronicled his travels, and specifically instructed the various Mediterranean churches he had helped establish, but also outlined the tenets of the Christian faith for you and me.

Paul, who had done a 180-degree turn from his hate of Christianity to his love of the same Lord, and his total dedication to teaching and training the church in correct Christian doctrine, was one amazing individual.  Think of it… Paul paved the way with his Holy Spirit-inspired writing on Christian living.  How different history would have looked if Paul were not part of the creatively-woven fabric!  Can you imagine sitting down to share a cup of ‘jo’ with Paul?  (probably a Turkish coffee of a sort, since that is what we call most of the land to which Paul traveled today)

The year was A.D. 58.  Our Lord had ascended into Heaven just 25 years earlier—when Paul wrote this letter of Romans from the town of Corinth.  Some believe it to be the most important human document ever written, because of the impact it made on the Christian church then, and down through the ages.  It was this book that dramatically impacted Martin Luther, sparking the Protestant Reformation.  Luther’s impassioned writing on Romans spurred Englishman John Wesley’s spiritual awakening, igniting an evangelical fire in London.  With that in mind, I am quite excited to return to Romans.

We remember its start:

“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.  And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.

To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.”  

Really, that introduction is so complete—tells who he is, his mission, his authority and purpose, and to whom he is writing – the Gentiles, you and me, and all who are called to belong to the family of God.  To all of us, he offers Grace and Peace, always extending these two most glorious qualities of spirit in that order: grace, and then peace.

Yes, let’s go back to Rome … let’s see Paul’s thoughts toward her … as we look to the fifth chapter of Romans tomorrow.

[To view commentary on chapters 1 through 4, or for Paul’s preceding letters-- please go to Pastorwoman.com, and click on Morning Briefings!]

Christine