Romans 1

When the church was young and small, it was mostly Jewish and the problems in the church were related to the Jews and the Law of Moses. Now it is becoming more of a gentile church and the majority of the gentiles are Greeks whose immorality had been a form of worship. As a result, we will hear Paul's condemnation of immorality more and more often. Romans was written between 57 and 58 AD and it appears that he is writing it to prepare the Romans for his visit. Some consider Romans to be Paul's greatest theological writing. It is also one of the most difficult epistles to understand because of the style of the language and the way it has been translated. A good commentary is really helpful.

Verse 16 is an important lesson to me. "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ" isn't just a indication of Paul's deep commitment, but a reminder to me that I should let nothing take precedence over my own beliefs. I shouldn't hide them but be bold in my example of them.

Verses 23-27 are a clear condemnation of immoral homosexual activity. To me, as a nation grows in its acceptance of this kind of behavior, the importance of the family unit is undermined. It was immorality of the Roman Empire and the loss of the family unit that brought about its downfall. As we see the acceptance of immorality, abortion, and non-traditional families in our own times, we cannot but expect that our country will be greatly weakened and vulnerable to attack from within and without. All of this, was prophesied and warned against in the scriptures and we will be without excuse in the end.