The Recipients.

My breath is taken away as I consider how awesomely vast Thou art. I see pictures of outer space where explosions thousands of light-years across are happening. When I consider the power released when one atom is split, yet you are intimately involved in each one of our lives, in a uniquely personal way. My mind cannot contain it or even start to understand – yet love and appreciation flow at the thought that you made me exactly as I am, chose me, called me and are preparing me for glory.

” I am busy and I have already revealed much of myself to my creation. My desire is that it would awaken the sort of response you are showing, yet while it is good to be in awe of my might it is not good to fear me in a negative way. Remember that if I am for you – who can be against you? And that is continually true. I am always for you working towards my ultimate goal of preparing you for glory, the glory you will experience in the presence of my glory.”

We read Romans 1:6-13 today. Having introduced himself, briefly Paul addresses the recipients. This passage gives us an idea of who the people are who are going to receive the letter, but in trying to get into Paul’s head as he writes he was certainly not thinking of the millions of people who would eventually read the letter. What is he doing then?

Firstly I suggest that he is not wanting to burst in with a heavy theological treatise, before actually trying, in some way, to form some sort of connection with the recipients

Look at all the positive things he says to them: They are loved and called by God to be saints. He wishes them grace and peace. He expresses his thanks to God for all of them complementing them on the faith he has heard they show.

He expresses a personal interest in them for some time in that he prays for them regularly.

He also expresses his eagerness to visit them and impart a gift to them to encourage them.

What can we learn from this? Paul’s underlying aim is quite clear; he wants them to hear and respond to the gospel. Now my aim and hopefully each one of yours is to share the gospel with others. Often it seems a daunting task. Here Paul gives us a bit of advice: Build a positive relationship with the person you are speaking to. It is within such relationships that it becomes easier to share one’s faith. Of course one should not hide your faith. Be open about it but in a self-revelatory fashion, from the beginning. Some people will be frightened off but for others it later becomes natural to talk about your faith.

From the very beginning of this letter we can see Paul’s driving desire to share the gospel, so we, the readers can be prepared for that to be the main theme of what is to follow. And notice he does not just want to share some words, his desire is to see a great harvest (vs 13). It is interesting to remember that earlier he addressed them as saints, yet now we get a glimpse of the fact that many readers will not be saints.

We also see in vs 13 that he seems to be expecting the main recipients to be Jewish, yet throughout the letter he speaks to both Jews and Gentiles and addresses the differences these two backgrounds have in how they will receive his letter. As we get into the letter we will see how markedly different his approach is towards each group. While the basics of the gospel remain the same, the way they receive it differs. It is important to remember this in our interaction with others.

May you all have a blessed week.