ROMAN CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

1ST DECEMBER, 2009.

Beloved Bro. St. Paul,

I greet you in the most powerful name of our Lord Jesus Christ. May the Peace of Christ abide
with you now and always, Amen. When your letter got to our community we received it with joy
and welcomed the message of Christ therein. We really shall make every effort within our limit
to facilitate the spread of the gospel of Christ even as you now intend to visit Spain and
Jerusalem after us (15:24-26). Thanks be to God for the great ways he assists us in our daily
journey to meeting him in his kingdom as he promised through our Lord Jesus. May he be
blessed for ever.

Your letter which elaborates that, God justifies all of us mainly by our faith in him, without any
tribal or racial boundary (1:16-17), is very ad rem to us at this point in time when there is a
certain tension between us the gentile Christians (who accepted Jesus as our Lord and savior)
and the Jews who did not and the Jewish Christian fanatics who arrogate salvation only to
themselves and regard the gentile world as doomed. This segregational attitude against us the
gentiles is not the mind of Christ who commanded his apostles to go, preach and baptize all
nations (Matt.28:19).

Thanks to your writing which highlights that the condition for this justification is beyond
artificiality. One of the things constituting problems here is that some fanatics emphasize too
much on the outward prerequisites for justification. They request circumcision from us which
some would never give. Is God saving our circumcised body or our sinful (but purified) souls?
This is exactly what your letter has answered thus: ‘it is through faith from beginning till end’,
(1:17) and that circumcision alone does not save, (2:25-29). However, you needed to emphasize
also on good works. Some myopically trumpet their subliminal faith without showing it in their
day to day lives. But it is a pity that some of us are yet to believe in Christ Jesus. We still do
everything we can to convince them. It is good too that you pointed out the moral necessity of
the laws of belief, (2:13). These fanatics mentioned above, also regard themselves very holy and
impeccable admitting of no interaction from us. This is why I appreciate the line which reads,
‘there is no one who is righteous’, (3:10), no, not even they.

I am not at all finding consolation in my weakness and sinfulness. I make concrete effort to
increase in righteousness and decrease in sinfulness. The day I accepted to be incorporated into
the church by baptism by the Holy Spirit (confirmation), I accepted to die to sin and live a new
life in Christ; deep union with Christ (7:4f). What do I stand to gain? I stand to lose nothing and
to gain all. The peace and freedom which trouble and occupy our brother-philosophers are in
Christ Jesus. But they would not understand in their stubbornness of heart.
I am happy that you never condemned the Law, (7:12). Otherwise some of us may enter into
religio-social conflicts. They may start neglecting the laws of the church and the state. This
would be absurd for even our master- Christ was obedient to his state and religion. I however
don’t understand your idea on how sin can use law against us; that, sin came with law; that, sin is
more sinful when it is read from law?, (7:8-11,13). Also, against the conflict of the flesh and the
spirit on you in the face of moral action (7:14-24), is there no way the two can be blended? Must
we just rely on Christ Jesus (7:25) or on the Holy Spirit of Christ (8:1-18) and be saved without
our human efforts? Try to explain these well in your next letter please. I however understand the
inestimable work of the spirit in us. Practically, how do we decipher the voice of the spirit in us?

Brother Paul, it is highly intelligent of you to have found a common ground for us the gentile
Christians and the Jewish. This is achieved by bringing in the eschatology (8:18-25) after the
soteriology which has since occupied us in this letter. In Christian Hope is our salvation. In the
Spirit, our hope is sustained, (8:26-27). Those who see (beatific vision) what they hoped for are
perfectly saved but those who hope for what they are yet to see (beatific vision) are in need of
perfect salvation. Creation as you pointed out is eagerly waiting for the revelation of God’s
children. This Hope is the common heritage and unifying factor of all Christians. Here, we very
much agree even with non-Christian Jews.

In this entire journey, those who love God are advantageous. God remains with them and nothing
can stand on their way against them; nothing in space and time can, (8:31-39). This encourages
us to forge ahead even when we are persecuted and rejected. Some of us daily denounce Christ in
the face of harsh problems of life or superficially attractive allurements of this world. This
portion of your letter is repeatedly emphasized so that they, who are tempted in similar manner,
can stoop to conquer.

Brother Paul, it is true that God uses us according to his purpose in creation toward salvation
(9:6-29), but is it as arbitrary as you present it? Does God call particular ones and condemn the
rest? Does he frustrate one unjustly to favor another justly as in the case of Jacob and Esau,
Israel and rival nations, etc? Is there no way we can understand God’s choice? There is a danger
of falling into determinism here. To this, some of our members now go around and teach that
God has chosen and completed the number of people to be saved. Anyway, we ostracize these
dangerous teachers from among us. I thank God that the spirit led you to cleverly add that
salvation is for all who believe and confess Jesus as Lord… there is no difference between Jews
and gentiles (10:9-13). We would have murmured if you were not inspired to say that.

It is good that you explained God’s mercy on the Israelites who inspite of all favors shown them
in history, refused be accept the salvation scheme and plan of God. God’s grace and mercy
supersede our human frailties. He chooses us inspite of us, Glory and honour to Him. Therefore,
I have understood that everyone, both Jews (11:1-11) and Gentiles (13-24); in fact all are saved,
(25-32). Our shortcoming are known and temporally permitted for the purpose of a Cosmo-
redemptive plan of God (11:32). This challenges us to hasten up to perfection and stop excusing
our frailties with our popular adage-‘to err is human and to forgive is divine’. When God is
saturated, he shall close the door of salvation against the foolish virgins and there shall be no
forgiveness anymore.

Generally, I appreciate the rest practical lessons you presented in the rest part of your letter on
how Christian life should be lived in service to God and to fellow men (12:1-8), love of God and
love of ourselves (9-18, 13:10), Obedience to God, to the state and to one another, (13:1-7)
Duties towards God and towards one another (13:8-14) which include, not judging one another
unnecessarily (14:1-12), not leading one another into sin (13-23), always pleasing others before
pleasing ourselves (15:1-3), and so on.

I will do my best to foster love, unity and peace in my community. I will always be one with the
church in the doctrine and tradition. Be assured of our support in everyway we can, as you need
it to breaking-in further into pagan communities. Today, when schism, racism, tribalism,
nepotism, rancor and the betrayal of the Gospel in materialistic pursuit of wealth and power, are
the order among Christians, your letter registers its relevance and therefore calls for action
against the invaders of God’s Kingdom. I in union with Christ, who called you, shall not fold my
hands and watch the gospel of Christ rumpled, muffled and stifled into a garbage by the anti-
Christ, anti-love, anti-truth, anti-unity and anti-peace.

Extend also my own heartfelt greetings to all those that are there with you- Timothy, Lucius,
Jason, Sosipater, Tertius, Gaius, Erastus and Quartus. May the almighty God continue to bless
you all through Christ our Lord, Amen. Remain richly blessed while I remain,

Yours in Christ Jesus,

Bro. Nwosu Raphael.