Isn't Romans a Really Hard Book?

Welcome to Romans - the book in which God clearly reveals his plan of salvation through Jesus. Many people think Romans is a confusing or hard to understand book, and are discouraged from reading it.  

I think that is bunk.

The apostle Paul wrote this letter introducing his gospel to the church at Rome, whom he had not planted and had not yet visited.  He wrote to lay down the basics of the gospel, so that when he did arrive at Rome, that foundation would have already been laid.  The church at Rome, like any other city, was likely a mixed group from different socio-economic spheres with a good proportion illiterate.  And Paul expected them to be able to understand his letter.

Moreover, Christians believe that God inspired Paul to write the book - that is, He moved Paul to write every word, so that we can say that the ultimate author is not Paul, but God.  Can God not communicate his Word clearly?  Granted, there might be deep things in the book that you don't understand immediately, but on your first few reads through the book, don't focus on what you can't understand, but what you can, and you will find you understand more than what you thought you would.