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33a. session. Romans

Author: P Antonio Rivero LC Who would have thought that the Christian message would come and take hold in the Roman Empire? Christ also came into the fabric of this great imperial city.
136. Paul wrote this letter when he thought he had already completed its work in Asia, Macedonia and Achaia, and decided to open a new front missionary to the West, intending to evangelize Spain (cf. Rm 15, 23-24).
not know the origins of the Christian community in Rome. It is known that long before there was a large Jewish community in the capital of the Empire. The Jewish catacombs and burial inscriptions testify that it was a very large group, among whom were people who held high positions. But there are no reports of how Christianity came. The edict of Emperor Claudius (year 49), ordering the expulsion of Jews from Rome by the turmoil caused by the fault of a certain Cresto, is interpreted by many in the sense that at that time had Jewish Christians in Rome, conflict with other Jews because of "Christ." There is no definite information about the date of the arrival of Saint Peter to Rome and the letter to the Romans gives no indication that this apostle was already there.

Rome had been evangelized by others and Paul was not in principle another building where he had built (cf. 15, 20). But to go to Spain had to go to Rome, so dare to write this letter, the only written to a community not founded by him. It does to announce his visit and ask for assistance in performing the new evangelization.


II. DOCTRINAL OBJECTIVE:
know the Romans, as one of the most important letters of the New Testament.



III. LIVING OBJECTIVE: Encourage read through this letter and live their content.

IV. THESIS:
The letter to the Romans has played a unique role in history Christian thought, for being the first major test in the history of Christian theology. In biblical exegesis has occupied a privileged place and has been a stronghold at decisive moments in the history of the Church: in the V century, when the crisis occurred and the great controversies Pelagian on free grace, and in the world XVI, at the time of the Protestant Reformation

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V. EXPLANATION OF THE THESIS:





1. Author, date and target



This letter was written by St. Paul in the spring of 58, after the storms passed his second letter reveals to the Corinthians, and enjoying some peace and quiet. Direct this letter to the Roman Christians, from paganism, to prepare for his arrival to the flourishing Church that he founded, but whose faith is celebrated around the world and to greet all the churches of Christ. Paul understood that it is time to broaden horizons and undertake more ambitious projects. So he decides to take the gospel to the ends of the west, to Spain. But along the way, such as compulsory stop is Rome, the imperial city.


2. Literary characteristics


Despite its doctrinal density, Romans has features own letter.

3. Division and thematic content

The general outline of the letter can be seen easily:

Introduction: 1 A section basically doctrinal: 2-11: We have been justified and saved by faith in Jesus Christ.


A section exhortation: 12-15: If we are justified, live a decent life (duties and obligations of Christian).


Conclusion: 16
4. Theological and spiritual content



End of the letter, present the key ideas of the gospel of Christ, especially with respect to the most controversial and more likely to create difficulties within the nascent Christian communities. Present these ideas to the community of Rome is called to be a magnificent symbol of the universality of the Christian Church. Rome, the heart of paganism, is for Paul not only a new geographical center, is above all a new theological and ecclesiastical center.
theological and spiritual content, three main lines:



a)

The saving power of God works in man through faith in Jesus Christ. We call this justification by faith; and not so much by the works commanded by the Mosaic Law, as saying the Jews

. We are all sinners, but if we welcome Jesus with faith and grace, we will be justified, ie, saved, redeemed, washed. And that got faith in Jesus Christ through baptism, through which the old man die and rise sinner justified the new man in Christ, Son of God. This justification is not only the remission of sins, but also the sanctification and renewal of the inner man.

b)

The most precious fruit of salvation is a supernatural life. The process of liberation and salvation of Christ leads to a new life in which we distinguish four key dimensions:

A Trinity: through baptism we share in the intimate life of the Three Divine Persons, that is, partake of the sky. Another

sacramental through baptism we receive the other sacraments sanctify us. This Christian holiness requires an effort to identify with Jesus Christ and to bring back to God everything. Another moral: the Christian is to shine sanctified by the virtues of humility, simplicity, charity for all, honesty, obedience, purity, etc.


And finally, eschatological. This justification and sanctification is aimed at making that the whole creation, groaning in travail, manages to be free from corruption and reach God.
c) God's saving project will also reach the people of Israel. In this new life are all called. This new life is the moral advocated by Paul, who is not a moral static, ineffective and passive, but something dynamic, in constant progress and constant fighting.

VI. CONCLUSION: By this letter we realize that Paul is aware that his preaching is rejected by many that the person is not accepted by all and that are distorted versions of their teaching. So choose by detail "his gospel", ie the way he announces the message of Christ, the Romans have a licensed version of what he preaches to the heathen. Ends his letter exhorting us to have a common bond in Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and one voice, we give glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ

VII. PRAYER: Lord, thank you for saving us. They live a life worthy of You. In this way our faith in you is complemented by our works, which faithfully reflect the faith, made life. Amen.

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"Claudio was expelled from Rome the Jews who excited Cresto caused such a disturbance" (Suetonius, Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Claudius, XXV). This may Cresto Christ is for us.






Along with the letter to the Galatians, the Romans has been the main reference point in the controversy between Catholics and Protestants, to the extent you could say that the Protestant Reformation Romans has made sacred text par excellence




This
Pauline truth was made by Luther, for whom our works are not worth anything in order to salvation. This truth of St. Paul "salvation comes through faith in Christ", is completed, then another true "faith without works is dead faith" that God will inspire Santiago in his letter, as we saw and when we explained that letter.

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So said the Council of Trent: "Justification is not only the remission of sins, but also the sanctification and renewal of the inner man by the voluntary reception of justice and gifts, where the man becomes unfair in fair and foe to friend, to be heir, according to the hope of eternal life "(Dz 799)

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QUESTIONNAIRE 1. Reading this letter is not easy, but its message is clear. Words directed to the Roman community comfort us and to us, as we do not know how to pray: "The Spirit prays for us ....( Romans 8, 28-38) Read this quote and you forget your fears in prayer! What do you means the Apostle Paul about your prayer?

2. Our salvation is not a reward for being good, but a grace, a gift of God's free love. How open are you to God's grace to strengthen your faith? How much do you rely on it to live the Gospel?