Romans
Below is a brief summary of what I found in Romans concerning each of my four questions. The full evidence and commentary are available in the Romans Study Bible linked above.
Summary: Insights from Romans
1. Who is God?
God is the Father, Creator, Judge, source of life, mercy, righteousness, salvation, and resurrection, and the ultimate source and goal of all things. Paul ultimately directs glory to God and describes Jesus as the one through whom God’s purposes are accomplished.
Specifically, who is the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is God’s personal, indwelling Spirit who gives life, leads God’s children, testifies that they are His children, helps them in weakness, and intercedes with a mind of Her own according to God’s will. Romans therefore gives strong evidence for the Spirit’s personhood and divine identity, though it does not explicitly identify Her as Mother.
2. What is God's plan for the world?
In my reading, Romans presents God’s plan as universal salvation and restoration. Christ’s righteous act brings justification and life to humanity; creation itself will be liberated from decay; and Paul concludes that God has bound all to disobedience so that He may have mercy on all.
3. Who is Jesus?
Jesus is not God. Romans presents Jesus as God’s human Son, Messiah, Lord, Savior, mediator, and risen/interceding King. God raises Jesus, reconciles humanity to Himself through Jesus, and places Christ at His right hand. The repeated pattern is from God, through Christ, to God.
4. Who are Christians?
In Romans, Christians are God’s children who are being conformed to the image of His Son. Jesus is the “firstborn among many brothers,” and believers are fellow heirs who suffer and are glorified with him.
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