A Paul Type of Passion

Based on Romans 1-3

"But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;" Romans 2:10-12.

Jumping forward again! We now find ourselves in Romans in the New Testament, and Paul is passionately addressing the Romans (and emphasizing the importance of getting the Gospel out to both Jews and Gentiles!). Coming out of Leviticus, we see the importance of the Law & how it all points to Jesus & the things Paul is speaking about. Behind Paul's words is so much passion for his calling, and we should have that same fire & excitement for the things of God too!

It didn't matter who it was-Paul knew Christ's message was for everyone. Paul simply had a passion for people:

"I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also." Romans 1:14‭-‬15.

Paul owned it to God & His people to get the Word out there. There were things that both the Jews & Gentiles needed to hear. The Jews needed a fresh understanding of God's love through Jesus, and the Gentiles needed to understand that the Law was fulfilled through Jesus, and following Him writes us into the same story as the Jews!

"What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;"
Romans 3:9.

Each & every one of us today have a sinful nature, just like the Jews & Gentiles Paul was speaking to. Paul had an urgency in his passion to let people know that it didn't matter if they had been serving God all their lives, or knew nothing about God yet. Everyone needs Jesus, because Jesus is God, and He is the only way to be released from a sinful life!

"But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:" Romans 3:21‭-‬22.

There is no difference! Remember the geneology of Jesus in the beginning of Matthew? That is proof to the Jews of the Old Testament that Jesus was born of the line of David, from those who were diligent Law-keepers! God designed it that way for a reason:

"Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law."
Romans 3:31.

The law is only best understood through Jesus! The commitment toward the law is kept fresh & alive through the love of Jesus Christ! He is the WHY. He is the reason Paul had a passion. Paul didn't speak without boldness-as we will see, he witnessed to the most difficult of crowds, because at one point in his sinful past, he was part of the crowd which persecuted the first Christians. Paul knew what it was like to need Jesus, even though he came out of a past of knowing the law!

"Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)" Romans 1:1‭-‬2.

He knew what past Scriptures stated. He understood that it all points to the promise of Jesus. His eyes were literally opened (for God had made him blind, and at his baptism & conversion, he was then able to see again). Our eyes need to be opened! We need to be refreshed in His Word day by day. In reading through His law, with Jesus in perspective, a Paul type of passion will grow!