We have to understand that...
GRACE is rooted in God's Gospel message of Jesus Christ (verses 2-4)
GRACE is received by faith in Jesus and results in obedience to God (verse 5)
GRACE is realized by the saving power of God and is available to all, it's so NOT exclusive (verse 16)
GRACE is the only way to a God, to a right relationship with the living God (verse 17)

The Message of Romans: GRACE FOR LIFE

Vs. 1: Paul introduces himself and shares his heart as he defines his role as a servant and an apostle. He was a man who, out of love (no longer duty) for his Master, made a decision to serve His Savior for rest of his life. Paul was an apostle and an apostle was a special title given to only 13 people, 13 people who "saw" Jesus: the 12 chosen by Jesus (Matthias replaced Judas), and Paul. An apostle is one Jesus sent out, one He released to officially represent God and God's plan.

Vs. 2-5: Paul introduces grace that is found in the gospel message of Christ. There are over 300 messianic prophecies concerning Christ in the OT and Paul shares that the gospel, is the good news people had been waiting for. We receive grace from God. Grace means unmerited favor and Paul stresses we can receive the unmerited favor of God.

Vs. 6-10: Paul introduces the receipiants of his letter, the church in Rome, a people following God where called to be saints and who were known to live by faith. The word saint = hagious = "holy" or "set apart". Just like the Temple, the Tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant were "holy" things of the OT, today's holy things are God's people in His modern day temple (the church). Their faith was being reported all over the world. It wasn't because they had this famous traveling pastor, or some sought after worship band. They made an impact on their culture as a community of faith by the way they lived in grace for life.

Vs. 11-15: Paul introduces his heart. When he writes "I long to see you" he communicates his intense passion so that he may share and impart spiritual gifts, because he knows the influence this church as already had, and since Rome was the center of the world, he knew that it would be highly influential.

Vs. 16-17: Paul introduces the theme for the book of Romans. God offers the fullness of life (John 10:10) and it is the power of God to save all who believe in Him. Power = dunamis = the "dynamite" of God. Salvation = soteria = deliverance/rescue from the power of sin, which leads to what? Death. Believes = pisteuo = the idea of trusting in, relying on and having faith in God and this is not a one-time thing, the verb tense implies an ongoing action and that's important to remember as you read "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes". Paul quotes from Habakkuk 2:4 when he says "the righteous will live by faith." The righteous are those found faultless in God's eyes and to live by faith is the abundant life that is experience by trusting in God.

Who needs grace? The relegious (verse 1), the educated, civilized & sophisticated and the uneducated, uncivilized and unloveable (verse 14). All nee God's grace.

Romans 1:1-17