Romans 1:8

Rom 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. NASB

Paul first thanks God through Christ for the church in Rome. Christ is the channel in which we speak to God the Father. We attain by this right by becoming children of God because of Christs work on earth by first becoming a man, and then fulfilling the Fathers plan through Christs work on the cross, then being raised on the third day by God the Father and the Holy Spirit, thus defeating death, being taken up and placed at the right hand of the Father.

Second we see that Paul is thanking God, because the faith of the Roman Church is known throughout the entire known world at that time. We also know that this work of faith is being done before Paul has gotten the chance to be there with them face to face.