The book of Romans was written by the apostle Paul, an author who knew his stuff firsthand. Paul was not only a non-believer, but a hater or Christ and all who followed Him. Saul (as he was called at the time), was on his way to Damascus as a bounty hunter in with a letter from the high priest authorizing him to gather up and arrest anyone belonging to the Christian movement with intent to kill them and wipe the country clean of the new wave of faith in Christ that was sweeping through the land.Can you imagine Saul, the ultimate Pharisee, gentile-hating and literally believing that only the Jews were worthy of sanctification, being told by Jesus, the One he was out to destroy, that he would be God's messenger of Jesus Christ? Paul experienced ultimate grace He experienced transformation that was only possible through the saving power of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. He was commissioned by Jesus Himself to guide the gentiles to Him. And Paul's response was obedience, the response of the redeemed.