When you heard that BSF would be studying Romans, how did you react?
Romans!!! – brimming with anticipation and wonder?
Or Romans?!? – sinking into concern, uncertainty, or even dread?
As I talked with friends about the study, and considered my own misconceptions, I noticed excitement blended with three concerns: Romans can feel hard to understand. Paul can feel unrelatable. Paul’s applications challenge us to change.
If you can relate, keep reading. I’ll unpack some baggage we commonly carry and offer insights to lighten the load.
Romans is Written in Layers: We Don’t Have to Understand Everything at Once
Paul’s layered theology can make Romans feel dense and difficult for today’s readers. He frequently quotes and alludes to Old Testament passages many of us don’t know well and boldly addresses controversial topics in his day and ours. But Paul was writing to local believers in Rome, not professional theologians, which offers us hope.
Paul’s lifetime of learning positioned him to show how Jesus fulfills Old Testament promises, pictures, and prophecies. Paul trained as a Pharisee—an expert in the Law and Prophets. He understood the gospel’s Old Testament roots. He shows us how Jesus fulfilled God’s long-planned work to redeem and restore His creation. God always intended to bless and adopt people from every nation through Abraham’s offspring–Jesus.
When you see that Paul typically states a truth, then proves and illustrates it across chapters rather than paragraphs, his argument becomes easier to follow. Watch how he declares a truth, supports it with other Scriptures, adds illustrations, and even answers objections along the way. Like a guide, Paul leads his readers–you and me–to behold the life-changing gospel.
Romans is Deeply Personal: Remember Paul’s Reason for Writing
From our 21st-century view, Paul can feel like a formidable legend rather than a compassionate pastor, Christian brother, and fellow disciple. Yet Paul’s passion is clear: he longed to offer practical help, to say something that would encourage and strengthen the faith of believers in Rome.
If you skip ahead and read Romans 16 first, you will see Paul’s heart on display. Without reservation or formality, Paul gushed with love, honor, respect, concern, and appreciation for his friends and coworkers in Rome. Romans contains his longest list of greetings, including aristocrats and slaves, men and women, Jews and Gentiles. He even honored Rufus’s mother, who had been like a mother to him (Romans 16:13).
As Paul wrote to beloved believers in Rome, he pictured their faces and specific struggles. Can you relate to that? When you do your Bible study, do loved ones or friends come to mind? I often think about how the truth I am learning could help a friend, encourage my husband, or mature my son. As you study, remember how Paul’s passion for Christ and compassion for people spurred him on to share the gospel, serve the Lord, and write this letter.
Romans Expands Our View of the Gospel: Expect to Be Challenged and Changed
Paul’s teaching can feel intrusive when we desire to rule our own lives. Paul begins his letter by exposing sin’s full impact on our minds, hearts, and lives (Romans 1:21), then presents the gospel’s equally comprehensive solution–renewed minds that impact every aspect of life (Romans 12:2).
Paul opens Romans 12 with a call to surrender our whole lives to God without reservation (Romans 12:1). Then, Romans 12–15 shows how faith in Jesus reshapes everything–family, church, work, friendships, enemies, and even civic life. We see this played out in Paul’s own transformation: before his encounter with Jesus, he violently persecuted Christ’s church. After his conversion, he worked tirelessly to build it. Faith in Jesus changed Paul’s passions, purpose, and perspectives.
Why did Paul share the gospel in 11 detailed chapters with people who were already saved? Because they still had more to learn about how to apply it, and so do we! Do you have living for Jesus figured out? I do not, and anyone know knows me well will confirm it. Most of our relationships reveal where we still need growth—especially with people who do not think or live exactly like us. The gospel’s enduring truths offer help and the only hope for people to experience restoration with God and unity with believers today and forever.
Paul wrote Romans to strengthen ordinary believers, just like us. He wrote with a heart full of love. He pointed to the gospel’s power to move people like you and me from guilt to grace. Ask God to deepen your understanding of the gospel and its power to change your life. Join a BSF group so you can study in a supportive community. This is a study you won’t want to miss.