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My Favorite Pauline Epistle: Romans
by Bobby Bruno My favorite epistle of Paul's is Romans. This is my favorite because it lays out what it means to be a believer in Christ. When Christ called to me to be saved, I told Him that I was just a baby who didn't know anything about love or how to live right. Having been sexually abused as a child didn't leave me the skills I needed to live a right life or how to treat others around me. I told Jesus that He would have to teach me everything. Jesus used the Book of Romans to begin to teach me the basics of what it is to be a Christian and to live a Christian life. What first drew me to Romans was chapter 3, verse 9-18, where Paul says that there is no such thing as a righteous person which, with my past, let me know that I was not the only one that God saw as unrighteous. If God says that there is no one who does good, than that meant that I was no better or worse than anybody else on earth. When Christ called me, He was willing to take me in the condition I was in even though it wasn't good. That day I found out that Jesus was real and that He wanted me with Him in Heaven and showed me what true love really was. Then Paul's talk about faith really helped me to see that it wasn't me who had to keep this relationship going all by myself, but that Jesus would be the one to solidify it with His faith so that I wouldn't have to feel as if I had to work at, to keep it close and alive. Since I had no idea about how a real relationship worked (I was divorcing at the time), Paul helped me understand that Jesus would teach me the correct way to love someone, especially Jesus. All in all, the book of Romans still helps me today on those days when I think that I just want to give up and let it all go. Paul reminds me that I am more than a conqueror because of the life of Christ that is in me. His words make my thoughts turn to Jesus' sacrifice on the cross who conquered more suffering than I would ever have to. I know who I am in Christ thanks to Paul's letter to the Romans. Bobby Bruno was saved 15 years ago in a way that left him no doubt that Jesus wanted him to reach others with His great and abounding love. He started writing at the age of 12 and hasn't stopped since. He achieved Associates Degree in Biblical Studies from Ohio Christian University in early 2014. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |