Book of Romans (Essay Sample)

Book of Romans
Name
Institution
Book of Romans
Introduction
The book of Romans was written by Paul for several reasons that include missionary, pastoral, and apologetic. He wanted to document the solidarity, and his experience with the churches in Achaia, Damascus, and Galatia, before going back to the church in Jerusalem (Thomas & Constable, 2015). The book of Romans, however, covers more than Paul experiences. This essay examines the components of the biblical worldview that relates to the natural world, human identity, human relationships and culture as elucidated in Romans chapter 1, to eight. The opinion of the author on the topics will also be incorporated.
Natural world
Natural world consists of God’s creations that constitute human beings. Paul states that every human being has to know God because He has revealed Himself through nature (Romans 1:20). The man has the duty to obey and honor God (1:21-23). God has provided His Laws to be followed by all humans; however, man has disobeyed God’s commands and has committed sin. The man has rebelled against God through ignorance, idolatry, and impurity; man has committed "unnatural acts" such as homosexuality that are against God’s will (1:26). Paul says that "all men have sinned”, and the purpose of the law is to bring judgment to all, justify no one, and show how sinful human beings are (3:9-20). Paul intends to show how hopeless and helpless human beings are since all have sinned and deserve the penalty of the law.
Human identity
Human identity is depicted as sinful (3:9); human beings are enslaved under the power of sin. Even though the Jews had the advantage of the Mosaic Law, they are all sinners like any other person since they substituted the trust and obedience of God with a divinely revealed religion (2:17-29). According to Paul, the Jews failed God inwardly like Gentiles since they did not fear Him. Paul believes that man can move away from sin to righteousness by dedicating himself to God (6:15-23). According to Paul, the dedication to obedience is righteousness. Since man must be a slave of something, being the slave of righteousness is preferred since one becomes close to God (6:18). In this case, although human identity is sinful, human beings can become sanctified by knowing certain facts about their union with God; they must dedicate themselves to God as His slaves and obey him (6:3-23).
Human relationships
Human relationships with God had been renewed when Jesus Christ paid the penalty of sin at the cross (Thomas & Constable, 2015). Therefore, God provides righteousness to anyone who trusts in Jesus Christ (3:22a). Jesus Christ died for all the sins committed by humans; because sin is death, all the claims were ended (6:7). According to Paul, a sinful lifestyle is not desirable to anybody who is now living under the Grace of God (6:15). Since the believers are now under the grace of God, they are not under the law; hence, not the slaves of sin since man has been united with Christ (7; 6:1-15). The verse implies that the relationship that had existed in the Old Testament bounding the Believers to the Law had died (7:4). Paul does not imply that people should sin because Christ has already paid the price of sin. He means that the consequence of sin that was death has been waived and people, although sinful, can be accepted before God because of the grace that Christ provided. The believers should struggle to stay away from sin as Paul did (7:24-25). God will not condemn them for an eternity that is separate from Him, for their sins because they have a new relationship with Jesus Christ (Constable, 2015). Believing in Christ brings the Holy Spirit that makes life full (8:2). Therefore, God fulfills his purpose to the believer through the Holy Spirit, who dwells in him/her. The life of the believer becomes governed by the Holy Spirit, and God will appear to him/her through the spirit. (8:14-17; 27).
Culture
Paul has demonstrated that human culture is the contributing factor that stray human beings from understanding the nature of God, and hence, believing in Him. For instance, Paul says that rabbis taught that Abraham experienced justification because he was obedient, rather than being faithful to God (4:13). The Jewish community believed that righteousness could be obtained through circumcision since Abraham was circumcised; they practiced circumcision without realizing that it was a sign of faithfulness to God (4:9-1...