Biblical Worldview
Introduction
Paul addresses several issues that can been seen in today’s society. Taking from the scriptures we can see that Paul’s understanding of God’s plan for his people is very clear. If we look at how our own lives we can relate to these eight chapters in Romans that we can see they have just as much meaning in Paul’s time as they do today. The letters that Paul writes to the Roman’s seems they are harsh, but if we look at them closer we can see it is God’s plan given to Paul for his people to follow.
The Natural World
Paul states mankind can easily know the nature and attributes of God from looking at the natural world. God’s eternal power and divine nature are clearly expressed to man through his creation of the natural world. Mankind therefore has no excuse for becoming foolish and godless in their thinking and reasoning. Paul states mankind became senseless and darkened in their minds after refusing to honor and glorify God for his majestic handiwork. Furthermore, people professed themselves to be wise because of their consequently errant imaginations, reasoning, and speculation. They made their images of God look like that of men, and animals of the earth. God, in return, allowed mankind to be overwhelmed by lusts to act with sexual impurity. This elevated to the level of men and women abandoning natural sexual attraction and functions completely for unnatural and opposite ones. People did not acknowledge or approve of God by perceiving the creation of the natural world. God therefore gave people over to a low, condemnable mind to perform improper, loathsome acts, and be filled with all unrighteousness. Paul says that although people know of God’s expression that such acts deserve death, and voice approval for others doing likewise (Romans 1:18-32).
Human Identity
In Romans chapter 2 and 3, Man is a creation that God will judge. If a person judges and condemns others for something they practice themselves, they are condemning themselves before God. Paul states God’s kindness and patience is underestimated or treated presumptuously by those who act with hypocrisy. Mankind is a creation that is entirely seen by God within and without, and hypocrisy and evil only stores up wrath and repugnance with God. However, God is said to be impartial to all people. Those who do what is in the law of God are justified whether they are Jew or Gentile. Those who do not have Jewish law available to them can fulfill it by paying attention to the righteous instinct that writes God’s law in their hearts. Therefore, circumcision does not justify a Jew with God by itself. There also must be an inward circumcision of the heart to uphold Jewish law. All people, including Jews are said to be weak and controlled by sin. However, people can be justified to right standing with God’s judgement through faith in Jesus Christ, and works of the Law.
Human Relationships
Throughout Romans 1-8, there are several references of human relationship. Paul expresses that human sexual relationships are to be natural; as in between male and female adults. Men and women are to seek praise from God for their keeping of the Law of God, rather than praise from others. Since all people have sinned and cannot help but fall short of glorifying God properly, they are all equal in that respect. All mankind were enemies of God because of sin. However, everyone can be reconciled equally by the death of the Son of God. We are admonished by Paul to treat ourselves as equal servants to righteousness, as we were slaves to sin before. Paul illustrates the death of the Law through the crucifixion of Christ using the Law concerning marriage. The Law allowed no divorces, but held a married woman bound to her husband as long as he lived. People are portrayed as children of God if they have received the Spirit of God and follow His leading, and share in both His joy and suffering.
Culture
Paul acknowledges that Christians are to make disciples of people among all nations. It is stated also by Paul that he has an obligation to preach salvation to those more cultured, as well as those less cultured. Paul expresses an equality of human beings as those he equally owes a duty and a debt to preach the gospel. As mentioned before, some cultures of mankind arose from the refusal to glorify and acknowledge God with purity and righteousness. As a result, they developed cultures of darkness, shamefulness, and foolishness. Furthermore, such cultures of humanity caused their people to lose moral attributes and to grow wicked, selfish, and cruel (Romans 1).
As mentioned before, some cultures of men were said by Paul to show that men have an inherent instinct for what is in the Law of God. Paul stated that when such cultures do by instinct what is contained in the Law, they are a law unto themselves without having the written Law. They show that the Law is written in their hearts and consciences. This phenomenon reinforces Paul’s stance that mankind is without excuse because the nature of God is clearly understood by looking at His creation (Romans 2).
Conclusion
Looking at our personal lives we can see that he bible relates to us today just as it did when Paul wrote the letters to the Romans. God inspired Paul to share his plan to his people, so that Christians can be examples of what God’s love and plan for us yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Christian’s need to accept the demands that our creator gave us to be ready for his return. The world has temptations that causes us to fall, but giving God the honor and glory he deserves will help us to fight those temptations.