Are You Growing? Romans 1-2

Romans 1:7 (ESV)
To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The above verse is the beginning of the book of Romans.  It tells us who the book was written to. But, it is the last verses of Romans that Paul tells us why he was writing to them:

Romans 15:14-15 (NASB Strong's Bible Text)
14 And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another. 15 But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God,

Sandwiched in between these two verses we have the letter to the Roman Christians.   It should be noted that this book is written toward the end of the 50s AD.    Probably around 57 AD.    In 65 AD we know that the Emperor of Rome (Nero) would burn Rome and put the blame on Christians.   He would also have the Temple of the Jews destroyed. Therefore, this book was written, proceeding all that government mayhem to destroy the people of the Way (Christians were referred to the People of the Way ... see Acts 9:2).   In the beginning of the book, Paul calls these people “saints.”  

The Greek word for “saints” is “hagios.”  It is where we get our thought of “sanctification.”  It means to be separate from sin and consecrated toward God.  It should be noted that even though they were “saints” (holy before God) they still needed instruction.   Paul wants them to know more about their faith.  He wants to correct some false teaching that was seeking a platform in the church (and would actually continue to become more and more dominate in the church as the church grew).   Paul knows that you and I can settle for what we know and believe we have “enough” of our faith.   Paul wanted them to know that he recognized them as saints, but that he also knew they needed growth.   There is no such thing as a non-growing believer.   It is only how we are growing.   Are we growing with intentionality or is God forcing growth on us in discipline.   Paul wanted the saints to grow more and more.    We have to asked ourselves if we are growing.  That is the purpose of the book of Romans. He stated the same thing to the church at Philippi:

Philippians 1:9 (ESV)
And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,