Biblical Worldview Essay
Samantha Tuz
BIBL 104-B55

In the book of Romans we learn many things about the Christian life and how the world is viewed through the biblical worldview. We learn how we should view the natural world, human identity, human relationships, culture, and much more from this book. Romans 1-8 is full of so much information if we do not look deeper into it we will not understanding the full meaning and misunderstand what Paul was trying to teach us.
Romans chapter 1:18-32 "Rome back in Paul's day, was full of every sin imaginable. We see Homosexuality, worship of the creation rather than the creator God." Just as our natural world today is full of sin of all kind as well. In our world now the same sins are being committed now that were being committed then but more so now due to things such as the internet which allows sin to happen easily and we are all connected.
In Romans human identity is described from the very beginning. Humans are God's creation, "exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles" (Romans 1:22). Most of them are sinful as "they are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents" (Romans 1:30). They forgot the word of God or did not bother to trust him and follow his word, so they lived a life of sin not allowed by God. The only help humanity can get is Faith because God can help people to understand their sin and help find forgiveness. This idea comes from Romans 8:30 "And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified".
Human relationships are the hardest part of life, they can be confusing and scary at times. Romans 1:21-32 says "Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them." In other words since we are human beings we sin and we sin against each other. We all sin our own bodies and souls, but we also sin against other people who are created in God's image. This is why killing another human being is so frowned upon, it is equivalent to killing God himself. In Matthew 7:12 it says "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."
Culture appears to be the reflection of human’s relationships. As people rejected God, their cultural norms were in decay. Social rules were broken when people started to live in a world of immorality. “Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error” (Romans 1:26-27). Humans decided to start ignoring God and deciding for themselves who and what was right and wrong. God has told that "at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgement do the same things" (Romans 2:1). In other words it means that not humans' actions but law of God is of the great importance to create a proper culture around. Also, showing relationships of Jews and Gentiles, God stated people should be nice to other people. Jews neglected Gentile's culture but "is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and uncircumcised through that same faith" (Romans 3:29-30) Culture is created by God and for all human kind. "For God does not show favoritism" (Romans 2:11). All people are equal and should be treated that way no matter what views they live by.
Since learning about Romans 1-8, and everything it teaches about the natural world, human identity, human relationships, and culture. This has changed the way I view the world and I think it would change anyone's view who reads it. After reading I have realized that every person on earth is sinful and needs God to forgive them of their sins. We are all made in God's image who created all things and I should treat them with the same respect that I treat God with. Also reading this shows me that we are all equal not one person is better or worse than another. We all know what is right and wrong because God tells us. We are so lucky to have our God to look up too and to forgive us of our sins.

References:

Bible Gateway passage: Romans 1-8 - New International Version. (n.d.). Retrieved March 03, 2016, from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans 1-8
Matthew 7:12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. (n.d.). Retrieved March 03, 2016, from http://biblehub.com/matthew/7-12.htm
Romans 1:21â32. (n.d.). Retrieved March 03, 2016, from http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Rom 1.21–32