Paul wrote this great letter to various Greek-speaking churches that met in homes around the city.

He hoped they would co-operate together in providing help he needed to go to Spain to announce the Good News about Jesus. But there was a problem. The churches had started by some Jewish followers of Jesus that traveled to Rome and won converts from the non-Jewish families that participated in Jewish community life in the Synagogues. A public disturbance took place that caused the Roman Emperor Claudius to kick the Jews (including the Jewish followers of Christ) out of the city of Rome. In a few years, Nero became emperor and Jews began to return to Rome. In the mean time, the non-Jewish followers of Christ were left on their own to continue to find ways to follow Jesus without the help of Jewish followers of Christ. Some of the returning Jews began to criticize these non-Jewish followers of Christ. At least one of them was a teacher. He tried to convince the non-Jewish believers that to be true followers of Christ, they must practice Jewish customs (like circumcising males, obeying Jewish food laws, and observing Jewish holidays such as the Sabbath day of rest). This teacher taught that the non-Jews had no excuse for not knowing the most important teachings of the law of Moses. They should already know from nature that there was one God. They should already know how to live in a basic morally right way, but they did not live the correct way because they rebelled against God. The teacher taught that God was very angry with the non-Jews. Only if they fulfilled certain conditions did they chance to be saved from Gods wrath. In order to be saved, they must believe in Christ and accept certain parts of Jewish tradition so that Jews and non-Jews could practice fellowship. Paul wrote to show that this way of understanding the message of Jesus is non-sense. Making the non-Jews try to live like Jews would never lead to the kind of unity in Christ that would be Good News to a divided world. To prove his point, Paul writes his letter as if it were a debate between himself and the teacher so that the believers in Rome can see that Pauls understanding of the Good News is correct and the teacher who is scaring the churches is wrong. Paul begins his letter by saying the Good News is Gods power to save Jews and non-Jews (1:1-17). But this positive statement is interrupted in 1:18-32 with the teachers voice. The teacher makes a very stern speech condemning the corrupt non-Jewish world. Then Paul responds to the teacher in 2:1, So do you think you can say those people are guilty? You are wrong, whoever you are. You too have no excuse for what you do. You accuse them of doing wrong, but you do the same things they do. The debate continues in chapters 2-3, and in chapters 9-10. But the main presentation of the Good News is found in chapters 5-8. This is a message that no one could really prepare for. A message of Gods kindness toward his enemies. Praise God! He is the one who can make you strong in faith. He can use the Good News that I teach to make you strong. It is the message I tell people about Jesus as God's Chosen King. That message is the secret truth that was hidden for ages and ages but has been made known. 26 And that truth has now been shown to us. It was made known by what the prophets wrote, as the eternal God commanded. And it has now been made known to all people to bring them to

obedience through faith in God's Chosen King. 27 Glory forever to the only wise God through Jesus his Chosen King. Amen. Paul writes this letter to show that God the Father sent his Son to the world to save the world because of his unconditional love. In fact, the Good News is that God sent his Son to fulfill the promises he made long ago to Abraham. All the nations are included. The Good News reverses death that came through Adams disobedience. Just as every person was dead in Adam, every one who is in Christ will be made alive because of Christs obedience. The Good News tells how Gods has begun to gather everyone into Christ. Everyone is included. The message of the Fathers faithfulness and the power of the Spirit is causing more and more people to put their trust in Christ.

Outline 1. Pauls opening statement: the Good News about Christ is Gods power to save the world (1:1-17) 2. The teachers opening statement: The people who have rejected God have no excuses. God is very angry with the people who have rejected him. 1:1-32 3. Paul debates the teacher 2:1-3:31. God is right to save the whole world through Christ. 4. God saves Jews and non-Jews by his kindess, just as he saved Abraham chapter 4 5. Pauls Good News about Gods kindness in Christ, 5-8 6. Even if many Jews have rejected Christ, God is still merciful and is working to save them through Christ chapters 9-11 7. The people God has saved through Christ live together to show the world a new way to live chapters 12-14 8. Pauls mission and his plans, chapter 15 9. Paul greets various house churches and closes the letter