Paganism is making a comeback in the secular western world, and the subsequent licentiousness has invaded the culture of large segments of Israel and the church while at the same time the opposite error of legalism compounds itself in other sectors (legalism also influences the beliefs of many Muslims). Some think we have come full circle back to the perversion and confusion of the "Roman Times" that were close to their zenith when the Apostle Paul wrote to all that are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints.... This letter, along with other key passages of Scripture, undoubtedly played a major role in the fall of pagan Rome and its conversion to Christianity while at the same time helping to neutralize legalism and win Jews for Jesus Christ.
The finely balanced message contained in this letter is desperately needed today. Key terminology used by Paul has been subject to a continual attack by the enemy as, over the centuries, Satan and his cohorts attempt to redefine the vocabulary of God and meddle with every doctrine (Proverbs 18:1). The faith of a true believer is not just a "head" knowledge of historical facts along with the dry letter that kills, it is a sustained "heart" commitment to total dependence upon God. Grace is much more than "unmerited favor;" it is the power of God to change and transform us so that in Christ we may overcome sin, the flesh, the world, and the devil.
About the Author
Russell Stendal, a former hostage of Colombian rebels, is a lifelong missionary to that same group in the jungles of Colombia. He is an influential friend to military and government leaders in Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Venezuela, and the United States. Russell's ministry shares the gospel via twelve radio stations, hundreds of thousands of Bibles, books, and movies distributed through airplane parachute drops, and numerous speaking engagements for groups of leaders, prisoners, and individuals. Russell goes wherever the Lord leads, whether it's to speak with a president or to go deep into the jungle to help an individual in trouble. He has witnessed thousands commit their lives to Christ.
