◄ Romans 1 Devotional Commentary ►

Romans 1:1

In the first verse of the epistle to the Romans, we are introduced to the man who was called by God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to be the apostle to the Gentiles: set apart for the gospel of God. This bond-servant who was set apart from birth by God's grace, is the man who personally authored the thirteen epistles that are specifically directed towards Church-age believers today.

As a slave of Christ, Paul willingly delighted to read more...

Romans 1:2

Paul was a willing bond-servant of Jesus Christ, who was called and set apart unto the gospel of God. This gospel was good news for man. It was glad tidings of great joy, and it had been promised beforehand by God to mankind.

This gospel for which Paul was set apart, were the good tidings which had been foretold through an army of Old Testament prophets; a gospel which uniquely pointed to the Lord Jesus Christ.

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Romans 1:3

The gospel of God was conceived in the heart of God. It centres on the good news of God's grace towards mankind and its singular focus is the only begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ our Lord. He died for our sins and rose again the third day so that whosoever would believe on His name would not perish but receive God's free gift of everlasting life, by grace through faith in Him.

But the most significant truth that is ridiculed by read more...

Romans 1:4

Having just been reminded in the previous verse that the Lord Jesus was fully human: "Made of the seed of David, according to the flesh," which gave Him the right to the throne of Israel, we now read that Jesus Christ was also: "Declared the Son of God with power, because He was Resurrected from the dead, by God's Holy Spirit."

Isaiah tells us that Jesus was the Son of Man that was read more...

Romans 1:5

It was because of God's undeserved favour that Paul was chosen by the risen, ascended, and glorified Lord Jesus Christ, to be the apostle to the Gentiles. Although he was undeserving, he received grace and apostleship from the Lord Jesus in order to bring about the obedience of faith among all the nations.

Yes, Paul was commissioned to call men and women from every tribe and nation to faith, and to deliver to them the good news read more...

Romans 1:6

Paul was 'called' of God to be the apostle to the Gentiles. He was to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ which is freely given to all who trust in the Lord Jesus as Saviour (by grace, through faith in God's only begotten Son).

And in writing to the Christians in Rome, Paul was also addressing you and me, together with multitudes of believers down through the centuries who, for 2000 years, have trusted in His saving blood. read more...

Romans 1:7

There were a number of different church fellowships that met in Rome and Paul's letter to the Romans was written to, "ALL who are beloved of God - in Rome." We discover in the final chapters, that this epistle was not written to a particular church or group of churches but was uniquely written to all individual believers living in the province of Rome.

Unlike many early church fellowships to whom Paul wrote, read more...

Romans 1:8

Having established his official relationship as God's chosen apostle to these beloved Roman believers, Paul then grants us a peep into the window of his heart, as he gives grateful thanks to God for these precious followers of Christ.

He yearns to see them and to minister to them, and so he tells them of his eager plans to visit them shortly for their mutual edification, to encourage their spiritual development and to strengthen read more...

Romans 1:8

Paul did not found the church at Rome, but being a chosen servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, an apostle appointed by God, a preacher of the glorious gospel of grace, and a missionary to the Gentile nations who had been commissioned by God, he expressed his deep love and genuine concern for the spiritual well-being of the Christians there.

Some anonymous believer in Christ must have been responsible for teaching the people in Rome read more...

Romans 1:9

A deep and loving concern for the believers in Rome was reflected in Paul's opening message of thankful praise for each of them. Indeed, their faith in the Lord Jesus had been made known throughout the Roman empire. What a wonderful testimony of these dear saints of God, and what an encouragement to us to boldly proclaim the glorious gospel of Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe.

Paul did not want read more...

Romans 1:10

Paul had a great love for the Gentile churches that had placed their trust in the Lord Jesus and the Christians in Rome were no exception. Paul knew that the believers in the pagan city of Rome, were deeply loved by the Lord and called to be saints - for His greater praise and eternal glory.

The first thing that Paul wrote, after his characteristic greeting of "grace be to you and peace," was a grateful word of read more...

Romans 1:12

It was very important that Paul built up a rapport with the Christians in Rome, because this gentile church was one of the few Christian communities that was not started by Paul himself.

No doubt, he wanted to share first-hand some of the mysteries that had been hidden for ages and generations.. but which had been revealed to him, for the benefit of the Church. He also wanted to be sure that their doctrine was sound, their faith read more...

Romans 1:16

Paul, the servant of Christ Jesus, who was called and set apart to proclaim the gospel of God to Jew and Gentile alike, was not ashamed to take the good news of the lowly carpenter Who died for the sin of the world and rose again the third day, to the sophisticated capital of the Roman empire. He did not hesitate to proclaim the gospel of Christ to a skeptical world of fallen men, despite his message being a stumbling block to the proud Jewish nation and read more...

Romans 1:17

The righteousness of God stands in stark contrast with the sinfulness of man and describes God's holy and just character, which always dispenses that which is consistent with each of His other perfect attributes.

God could never forgive sinful man his trespasses and sins in a way that would compromise His own perfect character, and the wages of sin is eternal death to all who fall short of His unsurpassed righteousness. But God in read more...

Romans 1:18

For over two whole chapters, we find God building an irrefutable and airtight case against the sinfulness of all mankind. God is offended with man because of sin, and the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all that we have said, all we have done, and all that we are.

As fallen sinners, we are all justly condemned by God and are worthy of His righteous and everlasting punishment, and for two whole chapters we discover read more...

Romans 1:19

All humanity has sinned, and every man needs the gospel of salvation for all are dead in trespasses and sins and all are without hope in the world. But in His grace, God formulated a plan that would redeem fallen man from the kingdom of darkness and transfer him into the kingdom of His dear Son; a plan that would not compromise His perfect justice: "For the wages of sin is death," but Christ shed His blood on the Cross to pay that price in full, read more...

Romans 1:20

Humanity needs a Saviour. Mankind needs salvation, because every man is a sinner and the wrath of God is poured out on all sin. But in His grace, God revealed Himself to the human race in a number of ways. He ordained His plan of salvation before the foundation of the world so that His righteous wrath against sin could be poured out upon His only begotten Son, as sin's substitute for you and me.

At first, God revealed Himself as read more...

Romans 1:21

The gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes, for it is by faith we are saved... but how many refuse to place their trust in the very God Who created them, and Who sent His only begotten Son to be the sacrifice for the sin of mankind.

Many like to call themselves atheists or agnostics, refusing to believe in their Creator, despite overwhelming evidence in every area of God's creation. Some have read more...

Romans 1:22

The Psalmist tells us that it is the fool who has said in his heart 'there is no God' despite being surrounded by the amazing beauty of God's creation, its complex functioning, and the intricate construction of everything within it.

The fool who refuses to confess an eternal Creator, is prepared to read more...

Romans 1:25

The apostle John forewarns believers against the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, but in this chapter, Paul strongly warns against the devastating effects of engaging in the lust of the heart. This sombre warning reminds us that while we can choose to either resist or yield to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the heart is all-embracing, and God gives those who lust in their heart over to their own evil desires.

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Romans 1:28

The glory of the Lord is displayed in the heavens giving irrefutable evidence of God's creative hand, and yet fallen man rejects this vast and wonderful display of His majestic, creative power. The true Light of God that brightly shone for 33 years in a fallen world is seen in the face of Jesus Christ, Who: "Gives light to everyone that comes into the world." Yet sinful man rejects this undeniable Truth.

From the read more...