My favorite book is Romans

Paul’s letter to the Romans is a Christian manifesto. Its influence has been tremendous throughout the history of the church. Romans influenced early church fathers such as Augustine and great reformers like Knox and Calvin. Martin Luther called Romans “the purest gospel.” When I was 18 I felt that God wanted me to preach to gospel. I went to college to study the Bible at David Lipscomb University. At that time I thought that my salvation depended upon me. I became discouraged and fearful because I was not able to keep God’s law. I felt so much guilt and shame that I was spiritually paralyzed. One evening I drove outside Nashville in the country and went up an old dirt road. I got out of the car, closed the door, fell down on my knees and prayed “God if this is what it takes I can’t do it. I want to be preach the gospel but I cannot be good enough. I cannot live up to this standard.” It was right after that moment of despair that the Holy Spirit began to teach me what grace is all about. I began to study the book of Romans. I was a member of the Ashwood Church of Christ (now the Woodmont Hills Church). I listened to Rubel Shelly preach through the book of Romans. I can remember sitting in the pew with my Bible in my lap, reading the book of Romans and studying along as Rubel preached and literally feeling the burden of guilt just being lifted from me. I felt like I had met Jesus for the first time. The next Semester Howard Horton offered a course in the book of Romans. I sat on the front row and I literally consumed the book. No other book in the Bible has impacted my life like the book of Romans. Jesus is on every page.