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The book of Romans will change your life. Many scholars have claimed that Romans is the most important letter you’ll ever read.
- Martin Luther called Romans “the chief part of the New Testament and the very purest Gospel.”
- John Calvin wrote in the preface to his commentary on Romans: “If we have gained a true understanding of this Epistle, we have an open door to all the most profound treasures of Scripture.”
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge called Romans “the most profound book in existence.”
- William Tyndale believed that every Christian should learn Romans by heart. He wrote: “The more Romans is studied, the easier it is; the more it is chewed, the pleasanter it is.”
Unlike other letters which are addressed to a particular situation or problem, the Apostle Paul’s purpose in The Epistle to the Romans was to systematically explain the gospel message. From the day this letter was received, it has changed history:
Romans was instrumental in Augustine’s conversion to Christian faith. After reading Romans, Augustine wrote in his journal: “No further would I read, nor had I any need; instantly at the end of this sentence, a clear light flooded my heart and all the darkness of doubt vanished away.”
Romans became the cornerstone of the Reformation. Martin Luther read chapters 1-3 and wrote: “This passage in Paul became to me a gateway to heaven.”
Not that I am in the company of Augustine and Luther, but Romans also changed my life. I never fully understood the gospel until I heard Romans 5-8 taught at a college retreat. I still have the notes I took that weekend.
My prayer is that this series on Romans will change you as it has so many others.
For more detail and explanation, please listen to the podcast.
