Grounded in the Faith: A Journey Through Paul’s Letter to the Romans | Message 1: Game Changer
This week at First Baptist Moncton, we began a new teaching series titled “Grounded in the Faith: A Journey Through Paul’s Letter to the Romans.” In this first message, Game Changer, Pastor Richard introduced one of the most influential and transformative books in the entire Bible.
For many believers, the Letter to the Romans is not simply another book of Scripture—it is a foundation for understanding the gospel of Jesus Christ and how it shapes our lives.
As Pastor Richard shared, some books we read briefly, while others require more time and reflection. Romans is the kind of book that invites us to move in and stay awhile, because of the depth and power of its message.
Why Romans?
The central question explored in this series is simple yet profound:
Is the gospel really enough?
Paul’s letter was written around AD 57, roughly twenty-five years after the death and resurrection of Christ. Although Paul had never visited the church in Rome, he cared deeply for the believers there and wrote his longest letter to help address the challenges they were facing.
The Roman church was a diverse community made up of people from different cultures, ages, and social backgrounds. They were navigating tensions, questions of identity, and pressures from the surrounding culture—challenges that many churches continue to face today.
In many ways, their story mirrors our own.
A Letter Written with Purpose
Pastor Richard described Paul’s letter as something like an intervention—a message written with urgency and love to help believers remain grounded in the truth of the gospel.
Throughout the letter, Paul addresses some of the most important questions of faith:
• Who is God?
• What is wrong with the world—and with us?
• What has God done about it?
• And how should we live in response?
Romans carefully explains what God has done through Christ and how that truth transforms our lives.
The Heart of Romans
At the center of the letter are two powerful verses that capture its message:
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes…
For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last.”
(Romans 1:16–17)
These verses remind us that the gospel is not just good advice—it is good news, and it has the power to change everything.
Enter the Story
One of the invitations Pastor Richard shared with the congregation was simple:
don’t approach this series passively.
Worship and learning from Scripture are not meant to be passive experiences. Instead, we are encouraged to actively ask:
“Lord, what are you saying to me through your Word?”
Romans is not a book we are called merely to understand intellectually. It is a letter meant to challenge us, comfort us, and ultimately transform us.
Join the Journey
Over the coming weeks, we will continue exploring this remarkable letter together as we grow deeper in our understanding of the gospel and what it means to live as followers of Christ.