Sometimes we Christians will forget just how different our worldview can be to one on the outside looking in. Not only do we use unusual phrases, but we see everything differently. The created world has structure, order and even purpose that have all been disturbed by our sin and rebellion against our Creator. The actions of mankind are not merely personal, nor do they only affect others, but they are ultimately judged by an absolute moral standard. However, forgiveness and transformation is available for those who place their trust in Jesus the Messiah. It’s claimed that these ideas have been consistently held by the first Christians such as the apostle Paul. However, reading one of Paul’s letters may feel at times like entering another world filled with unusual and unexplained concepts. Stephen Westerholm understands and appreciates this culture shock that many experience when reading Paul, and so he has provided Understanding Paul as a “preface to his thought that addresses the gap between his horizons and [our] own (p11). Westerholm chooses to introduce Paul to his readers by way of tracing the flow of thought in Paul’s letter to the Romans.
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