Romans: A Vast Insight Into A Biblical Worldview

Without knowing it, every person develops a worldview or a particular lens through which they view the world and all that encompasses. Everyday there is the opportunity to interact with people in various settings and often there is a chance to meet someone new. How each situation and circumstance is approached by an individual will be based on experience, education, culture and values or morals that have been instilled. The book of Romans offers a vast insight into a biblical worldview. In the first 8 chapters of the longest of his epistles, Paul addresses four key elements that people incorporate into their worldview, whether consciously or unconsciously. Paul addresses the ideas of the natural world, human identity, human relationships and
culture. These few chapters provide practical advice on moving from sinful human without hope to beings that walk in faith doing good works and glorifying God through His saving grace. The natural world was called into being from the mouth of God.
The opening statement of the book from which Christians formulate their worldview says it all “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen 1:1). Paul reiterates this perspective numerous times in the first half of Romans. God shows Himself through His creation, as eloquently stated in Romans 1:20, “giving men no excuse” to deny His hand in everything. Romans 4:17 revisits the divine creation of the natural world “round[ing] out our understanding of the biblical view on creation’ (Akin 2014, 213) when Paul speaks of a God “calls things that are not as though they were” (Rom 4:17b
NIV). Human identity is something that the world at large seems to struggle with. Culture tends to color how we view humans because it tells us to see humans as individuals. While not necessarily wrong, the individual is different than the identity of humans as a species. Our identity is found in the opening chapter of Genesis. “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (1:27, NIV). Human identity evolved early with death becoming a reality of who we are because of the fall of Adam and Eve, but that death is conquered in the person of Jesus Christ (Rom 5:12-21). We are all slaves to sin (Rom 3:9), and not one of us is righteous (Rom 3:10). It is faith in God that makes us righteous before God (Rom 3:21). This redemption is only possible through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Towns and Gutierrez 2012, 135; Rom 3:24-25) who justifies, glorifies and sanctifies us (Rom 8:30). “Faith is all in all, both in the beginning and progress of Christian life” (Henry 2011).
Relationships are arguably the most difficult aspect of being human. We all carry around insecurities that will influence how we interact with others. We are all sinful and often the sins we commit are against one another, which impacts a relationship. Romans 1:21-32 describes the various sins that man fell into and the unnatural relations that occurred as a result. These sins allowed man to greed, deceit and malice. These sins have led human into a pattern of judging others. Jesus spoke to this very issue during His sermon on the mount. Matthew 7:5 says, “You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” God is the judge. We are all beloved of God, whether of the chosen people or a Gentile. All interactions should be approached with this in mind. There is no room for judgment of our fellow man, because the judgments we make of one another mean nothing in the end.
Cultures vary across the globe.
If we are to interact with and connect with peoples from differing cultures we must educate ourselves and respect other cultures. This respect of other cultures does not include conforming to the laws and traditions of that culture. Romans 3:28 says, “For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.” God is a God of Jews and all the nations of the world. Individual belief and faith in God is the route to redemption, not ethnicity or nationality. In the Roman times, the Pharisees and Sadducees had become so legalistic that those not adhering to “their” laws were automatically wrong. Romans 3:30 and Romans 4 speak specifically to the law of circumcision. Romans 4 describes the origin of circumcision with Abraham and Paul explains that faith came before circumcision. Circumcision became he outward, physical sign of faith in God’s promise. Paul uses the refresher of Abraham to remind his readers that grace is the tool God saves by, not though adherence to the cultural rules. He also reminds his readers that being an Israelite is meaningless if there is no faith in God. “The Jews could not be justified by the Law of Moses, any more than the Gentiles by the Law of Nature” (Henry 2011). When interacting in today’s culture, we must be careful not to force perceived laws on
others. As one who believes in Christ as Lord and Savior, I know that every person on this beautiful creation needs the grace of Jesus. Each individual, whether whole and beautiful or broken and ugly by the standards of the world, is made in God’s own image. We were made to have dominion over all the land and its creatures (Gen 1:26) so that we might serve Him in all things. The fall into death separated us from God and altered the human identity so that we might be elevated by Christ’s sacrifice. We should approach each interaction and relationship with a heart of openness and service. Judgment is not for humans to pass on one another “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). We are all equal in the eyes of God regardless of race or family history. My hope is in God and it is through His saving grace that I can be called a daughter of God and find righteousness in His eyes.