Romans 1:8: First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
The thanksgiving is to God in behalf of all of you. The all of you indicates a particular emphasis in Romans. All the followers of Jesus in Rome, whether Jew or Gentile, are included in the scope of Paul’s prayer. The basis of Paul’s thanksgiving is the faith of the Roman Christians, which is proclaimed worldwide. The presence of communities of disciples in the capital of the empire means a lot to Paul. 1
Word had filtered out throughout the empire that many in Rome were turning to Christ—so much so that it disturbed the emperors. Later on, persecution began. Paul mentions here that their faith was spoken of throughout the whole world. I wonder about your church, and your fellowship of Christian friends. My, what a testimony this church in Rome had at the beginning! 2
Application
- When approaching God in prayer, do you beginning by first thanking Him?
- How well known is your personal testimony? Do others speak about it?
Prayer
Lord, I want to be more excited about you, than my favorite sports team.
1. Toews, J. E. (2004). Romans. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press.
2. McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles (Romans 1-8) (electronic ed., Vol. 42). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
