Biblical worldview analysis of Romans chapters 1-8

Biblical Worldview: Romans 1-8 Teaching

My analysis of Romans chapter 1-8 will cover the following areas of interest; culture, the natural world, human relationships, and human identity. Paul was inspired to write the book of Romans by the fault line, an obvious crack in the Roman society and culture which Paul adopted in framing his letter to the Romans. My view of the world is that, the sins the Romans committed since the days of Paul have not stopped even today (Ecclesiastes 1:9). I think we can learn an important lesson from Paul's letter to the Romans in that, Rome at that time was suffering severe moral decadence and the society we have today has been ravaged by total moral decay just like Rome. In my opinion, the society generally is not likely to change and that every individual needs some kind of divine intervention and revelation and salvation to be saved from such a world. This forms the basis of my worldview. The only way to escape is by Faith[footnoteRef:1]. [1: Jackson, Christopher. "Worldview essay on romans chapters 1-8." 2014. Accessed April 14, 2016 https://wordofGodGodGodGod1968.wordpress.com/2014/09/13/worldview-essay-on-romans-chapters-1-8/]

The Natural World

My opinion of the natural world as we have it today is one that constantly dwells in sin, sexual pervasion, murder and more sins are being committed today as they were being committed back in the days as mentioned in Genesis 6:5 (Romans chapter 1:18-32) Back in the days of Paul, Rome was filled with every imaginable sin[footnoteRef:2]. We see things like worshipping creation instead of God the creator. There were pagans everywhere; Moralists believed that achieving salvation and redemption without any divine help was easy. My wife's grandparents are one good example. They held the belief that simply living a good life and doing good outwardly were enough to make them see the gates of heaven which contrasts starkly with Romans 3:10. In the world today, the same type of sins committed in the past are still being committed that too with increased intensity due to influences like the internet, because sin is propagated with more ease and we are all interconnected. In the past, Rome worshipped several Gods because the more countries the Romans conquered, the more Gods they adopted and put them in temples made for all Gods. The aim of this was for the Romans to enjoy certain favors with the people they have conquered and win their minds and trusts. In Romans chapter 1, Paul covers this subject because there was a fault line or an issue, a crack in the Roman culture and society and addressed this issue using the Roman Church[footnoteRef:3]. [2: Piper, John. "The Mighty and Merciful Message of Romans 1-8." 2002. Accessed April 14, 2016 http://www.desiringGodGodGodGod.org/messages/the-mighty-and-merciful-message-of-romans-1-8] [3: Jackson, Christopher]

Human Relationships

There is no difference between human relationships today than it were in Paul's days. Whether Jews or Gentiles, we are all susceptible to sin with our entire families[footnoteRef:6]. Human relationships are still relevant because, we are created to communicate and interact with different people daily, whether family members or total strangers. If we must improve our relationships, it is better if we do so based on our Faith in Christ Jesus since he is the author and finisher of the human Christian faith and the architect of all human experience, which we humans defiled in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). (Romans 2:29) God remains so for all of mankind. Humanity does not desire to know more about God, which hinders our ability to live a productive, blessed, and spirit filled lives. Without God, there is hardly anything we can do, and the unsaved face damnation unless the people get a heart that is repentant and embraces Faith in Christ Jesus. Relationships are treated by Paul based on how God instituted the union of marriage (Romans 7:1-4)[footnoteRef:7] [6: Piper, John] [7: Jackson, Christopher]

Culture

Culture plays a very vital role in the plan of God. The culture practiced in the United States today is one that pluralizes God. The culture pluralized by God is not the Christian or the Israelite God. In Rome, Caesar named himself God and savior to all humans in his empire. The people in his empire lived in sin and debauchery freely, thinking that anything that felt right is right and appropriate. Rome's conquests of different countries resulted in the worship of several Gods and at the end the teachings, Paul helps us to understand that very little or nothing has changed in the world today.

There are still pagans, Jews, Moralists who think getting to heaven is by their power and think they can enter heaven doing their own will. Jews believe that being the descendants of Abraham made them very righteous and even the teaching of John the Baptist show their selfishness, self-centeredness, and ego believing that all they needed to be righteous was to be Abraham's seeds. According to Paul (Romans 5:12-14), the culture of man was always at complete enmity with the nature of God. (Isaiah 55:8) gives support to my world view as it concerns culture, the human identity, the natural world, human relationships, and culture due to the ungodly nature of the world[footnoteRef:8]. According to Paul to the Roman church, there is still hope. His exhortation was that everyone could attain righteous through one way-faith in Christ Jesus. But, my world view with regards to culture is that it is impossible for anything to change with reference to (Isaiah 55:8) because, in GODS eyes, we will always fall short of the righteous mark. (Romans 5:12)[footnoteRef:9]. [8: Turner, Eddie] [9: Jackson, Christopher]

Conclusion

So going by my thesis, in the context of the natural world, for societies to move ahead (meaning - human identity, culture and human relationships), God must be preached. The world is merely a system, one way of doing things. What God is saying is not that he is trying to patch up the world because the world does not have any hope. What humans must do or ought to do is to leave the way of the world and accept Jesus Christ who is the only hope for mankind to be free from the way of the world. Both, Rome and the world as we have it today, are in a total lockstep. According to Paul's message to the Romans in chapters 4-8, that world view was one of depravity and decadence and Paul clarifies it perfectly that having faith in Christ Jesus in the only sure way to escape from a world that must surely come under the LORD's judgment and condemnation[footnoteRef:10]. [10: Ibid]