When Paul wrote this letter to the Romans, the church in Rome, that congregation must have already been in existence for a few years because Paul tells us that his desire to go to Rome was with whim for many years. To Him this church was strong enough to help him carry out further missionary campaigns. Remember, not only, ‘do all roads leads to Rome, but all roads lead out of Rome’.
Paul doesn’t address this church as recent converts to Christianity but he does address them as being a well organised and well-grounded congregation who are ‘filled with all knowledge and able to encourage one another’. Although he does have to explain what real ‘righteousness’ is all about throughout this letter. This was one of those unique, cosmopolitan churches which was world famous. As someone once said, ‘if you don’t get Romans, Romans will get you.’
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."