Reading the book of Romans felt like sitting through a
master class on salvation, grace, and the righteousness of God. But it also
felt like being gently, yet firmly, stripped down—layer by layer—until all that
was left was the truth. No pretending. No church face. Just me, God, and the
gospel.
Romans is deep. There is no other way to describe it. Paul
did not come to play. He laid out the problem of sin, the beauty of
justification by faith, and the reality of what it means to be truly
transformed. At times, I had to pause. Reread. Reflect. Because this was not
just theology—it was my story. Our story.
Paul started by leveling the playing field. Jew, Gentile,
religious, rebellious—we all fall short. That truth humbled me. I can try to
dress up my life, try to do better, try to compare myself to others, but at the
end of the day, we all need saving. And Paul made it clear—salvation is not
something we earn. It is a gift. That truth is freeing, but sometimes hard to
accept, especially when I catch myself trying to earn God’s approval again.
The way Paul explained grace—unearned, undeserved,
unstoppable—it shook something in me. Especially when he wrote, “Where sin
increased, grace increased all the more.” That brought tears to my eyes.
Because there are places in my life where sin has had the upper hand. There are
parts of my past that still whisper shame. But Romans told me that grace shouts
louder.
And then came the shift—Paul did not just stop at salvation.
He walked us into sanctification. What it means to walk in the Spirit, to live
as someone who is no longer a slave to sin. That convicted me. Because grace
does not give me permission to live sloppy—it empowers me to live free. Paul
reminded me that I have a new identity, and with that comes a new mindset.
I will be honest—some chapters felt like climbing a steep
hill. Complex. Theological. Layered. But even in that, there was beauty. Paul
wrote with passion and purpose. He wanted us to know that God's plan was never
random. That salvation through Christ was not a new idea—it was the fulfillment
of everything God had always promised.
By the time I got to Romans 12, I felt like I had been
through something. And Paul knew it. He said, “In view of God’s mercy…”
and then he told us how to live. That part was so practical. Genuine love.
Humility. Serving. Honoring others. Blessing our enemies. It was like he was
saying, “Now that you know who you are—live like it.”
Reading Romans reminded me that grace is not cheap, and
faith is not passive. That God’s righteousness is not just a theory—it is the
foundation of my life. And that the gospel is not just for sinners out there—it
is for me, every single day.