Paul Of Tarsaus Analysis

#1. Ch. 1:1-17 Prologue

In this portion of the letter to the Roman's church known as the Prologue, we get a very unique formal introduction from it's author, Paul of Tarsaus. The way you introduce yourself when you first meet a person leaves a very lasting affect. Though he never saw them physically, Paul was meeting these young Christians through this very passionate letter for the first time.

In the opening few verses he explained to him who he was and what he was. He gave them the lasting image of him, a slave to Christ. This is a very sharp contrast to the image he once held as a zealous and blood thirsty Jew who loved the law of Mosses as if it were his God. Even going so far as to kill Christians in an attempt to destroy the movement Jesus Pioneered.

Besides Paul's humble and radically changed image found in his introduction, he also explains that he is one who is "called". His apostleship wasn't a man apointed thing, but a matter fully bestowed upon him by God. Paul was chosen and sent on a mission, and he had authority to represent God. Reading this gives great hope to us, the believers of today

But now, in Christ, he deeply knew the one and only man who could fulfill it. Now Jesus, the gospel, God, were what he wrapped his heart

The revelation of God's righteousness is the Gospel. To accept the sheer grace of God, not to come to him with the idea that you can earn rightstanding on your own. As Tim Keller once put it, "The Christian Gospel is that I am so flawed that Jesus had to die for me, yet I am so loved and valued that Jesus was glad to die for me. This leads to deep humility and deep confidence at the same time. It undermines both swaggering and sniveling. I cannot feel superior to anyone, and yet I have nothing to prove to anyone. I do not think more of myself or less of myself. Instead, I think of myself less."