For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16-17 ESV)
For the longest time now I have been captured by the majesty of Paul’s letter to the Romans. Romans is the only book of the Bible which I have attempted to preach through in consecutive expository fashion (lectio continua).  It was both challenging and invigorating. Additionally, several years ago I published a series of articles by the title Spotlight on Romans. Back then I was a Wesleyan-Arminian. Now I am Reformed and would like to try my hand at it again. My goal is to offer relatively brief (yes, really…) commentary on this tremendously significant book of the Bible.
In this introductory post I want to touch upon the historical significance of Paul’s letter. Almost every reformation or renewal movement within the history of the church has had some connection with a rediscovery of the significance of the letter. Three heroes of the faith who usually come in for mention when the profundity of Paul’s epistle to the Romans is considered are Augustine of Hippo, Martin Luther, and John Wesley. Augustine was born to a Christian mother, Monica, who prayed regularly for him. However, he was in his thirties when he came to faith in Christ. Augustine was struggling with his sexual sin in the garden of a friends’ home when he heard children playing nearby who said, “Tolle lege, tolle lege,” “Take up, read.” With that he picked up a copy of Romans at hand and found freedom in Christ. Martin Luther was as fastidious a monk as you could ever find. Struggling with his fear of and anger with God, Luther came to see the centrality of justification by grace through faith in Christ in the pages of Romans and so the Protestant Reformation began. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, was a dry and lifeless Anglican minister (not to mention failed missionary to Georgia) when came to faith in Christ through hearing the preface to Martin Luther’s commentary on Romans read aloud at a meeting at Aldersgate Street in London. Now that is powerful. Wesley’s heart was “strangely warmed” when he heard about the gospel from the pen of Luther. These and scores of other accounts retell the power of the gospel found in the words of Paul to the church at Rome.
The whole Bible is divinely inspired. Of that there is no doubt. And it is infallible, inerrant, and splendidly holy in all its parts. But Romans has played such a significant role in the life of the church that another look at its contents is worth taking. Over the next few weeks I hope to touch upon what I believe to be the high points in this Pauline treasure trove.  The truth of Romans 1:16-17 has been discovered over and over again in the life of the church. Won’t you rediscover it too?
I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naïve. (Romans 16:17-18)