Cam,
When you come to Romans, it is Paul’s emphatic cry for the necessity of evangelizing the world. Sounds odd but that is the content of the book. It would be wrong of you to begin the book with that in mind, for that is quite literally the opposite of Inductive (reading stuff into the text), but hey if you want help that would be the mother of all helpful hints. The book divides in two parts neatly – 2 sections.
- Chapters 1-11 tells you how to think about God.
- Chapters 12-16 tells you what to do for God.
The second segment begins with a causation which is significant because it implies that your behavior will change as you change the way you think about God… Pretty radical stuff!
- The first half speaks of the power of the Gospel to set people free, the wrath of God revealed against the suppression of truth through unrighteousness and self-righteousness, Justification through what we are believing not because of what we are doing, the ongoing struggle with sin in the process of Sanctification, defining walking in the spirit in terms that we can apply, and the burden we should have for the lost- those that are chosen to be invited but unbelieving.
- The second half is about the mindset of mercy as it is lived out within the context of real life, the difference between those that are weak or strong in faith and how that works out practically in a manner that can be mercifully ministered to, and finally building relationships based on serving.
That sums up the book in a nutshell. I would say the part that merits the greatest degree of attention is probably the first few paragraphs of the second segment. they are so life changing that it will leave you reeling.
Leep