<p>2:12 <i>You were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and living without God in the world</i>- This is clear evidence that not all religious roads lead to the true God. Apart from Christ, we have no hope and are without relationship with God. Separation or Gk. distance from Christ is parallel with alienation from the community of &quot;Israel&quot;, the people of God. Paul will go on to demonstrate that therefore connection with Christ is connection with the community of believers. The covenants of promise are clearly understood by Paul as being the basis of the Christian Gospel. For the promises to Abraham are presented by him in Romans as being the foundation of the new covenant or testament. The &quot;hope&quot; in Christ is therefore the hope of Israel, salvation in the Messiah Jesus. How hard it would be for Roman citizens, or those who aspired to it, to realize that the highest honour was to be part of &ldquo;the commonwealth of Israel&rdquo;, that pokey, undeveloped, despised corner of the great Roman empire. And the call of Christ to middle class 21st century citizens is just as radical.</p>