由伟大使徒所写的伟大书信
罗马书一章1至7节
1耶稣基督的仆人保罗，奉召为使徒，特派传神的福音。
2这福音是神从前藉众先知在圣经上所应许的，
3论到他儿子─我主耶稣基督。按肉体说，是从大卫后裔生的；
4按圣善的灵说，因从死里复活，以大能显明是神的儿子。
5我们从他受了恩惠并使徒的职分，在万国之中叫人为他的名信服真道；
6其中也有你们这蒙召属耶稣基督的人。
7我写信给你们在罗马、为神所爱、奉召作圣徒的众人。愿恩惠、平安从我们的父神并主耶稣基督归与你们！
信息分享
于是，保罗便写了一封信给罗马教会。保罗最初可能没有想过要写一封这样长的信，但它最终却成了历史中最伟大的基督教信仰宣言。
罗马教会是由哪位使徒建立的？肯定不是保罗。他写此信之前，从未到过罗马(13节)。也肯定不是彼得，他在那个时候也未曾到过罗马。那么是谁建立此教会呢？
可能是在五旬节信主，或是保罗带领信主的一些信徒。在本书的最后一章，保罗提及他认识该教会的27位信徒的姓名。
保罗在书信的一开始，自称是「仆人」(或奴仆)。当我们知道，当时的罗马有成千上万的奴仆，而这些奴仆都是过着受人鄙视的生活，我们就会发现保罗这个自称是很奇怪的。
然而，罗马的基督徒却会明白保罗的意思。保罗这个自称，乃是反映他完全把自己视为基督的仆人，不论基督吩咐他做甚么，他都愿意去做，即使他要为此而付上沉重的代价。
保罗极爱基督，我们可以从这几节经文体会到这种感情吗？保罗首先指出他与基督的关系，然后便向我们讲述基督──他重申基督的身分、祂的死和复活，以及服事基督所享有的各种特权。他把罗马教会的所有信徒都称为「圣徒」，并祝愿众人同得基督所赐的恩惠与平安。
反思：
保罗曾经见证说：「我活着是为了基督。」
A GREAT LETTER BY A GREAT APOSTLE
Romans 1:1-7
1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God
2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures,
3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,
4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.
5 Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name,
6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;
7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Message
So Paul wrote a letter to the church at Rome. It was possibly much longer than he first intended but it has become one of the greatest statements of the Christian faith that has ever been written.
Who started the church at Rome? Certainly not Paul. He had never been there when he wrote this letter (v. 13). And certainly not Peter. He had not been there up to this time either. Then who did start it?
Perhaps converts from the Day of Pentecost or some of Paul's converts began this church. In the last chapter Paul mentions 27 people he knew in the church at Rome.
How does Paul start his letter? He begins with his own name followed by the word 'slave'. It is remarkable that in writing to the church in a city where there were thousands of slaves and where the life of a slave meant nothing, that he should call himself a slave.
Yet the Christians would understand what he was trying to say to them. Paul considered himself the complete servant of Christ, always available to carry out his will no matter the cost.
Paul loved Christ very very much. Can't you feel this coming through as you read these verses? Firstly there is Paul's relationship to Christ, then he tells us about Christ himself. He reminds us of Christ's position, of his death and resurrection and of the privilege of serving Christ. He includes all the churches in Rome as members of Christ (v. 7) and sends his greetings to them. Even those greetings are only possible because of Christ.
Remember Paul's testimony: TO ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST.