UNDERSTANDING THE GOSPEL Romans 1:16-17 Thursday Bible Study, February 4, 2010 The Gospel is a good message. The precise nature of the Christian gospel is nowhere more succinctly stated than in I Corinthians 15:3: For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. The essential facts of the gospel include (1.) The incarnation of the Son of God, (2.) His atoning death on the cross for our sins, (3.) His victorious resurrection for our justification, and (4.) The promise of His return for His people. An additional and inevitable thrust of this gospel is the appeal to respond to these truths in repentance and faith. Paul s confidence in the power of the gospel is revealed here in two of the most powerful verses in the entire Bible. Here we have a summary the entire argument of the book of Romans and the very heart of Paul s motivation. So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also. I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes; first for the Jews, then for the Gentile. Rome was the city of the world. Her law was the foundation for all that followed, her art was borrowed but appreciated, her military system was the wonder of the world. When Paul preached at Jerusalem, the religious center of the world, he was mobbed. When he preached at Athens, the intellectual center of the world, he was called a seed-picker. When he preached at Rome, the legislative center, he was masterful. He was always ready. He was not ashamed. Why? Because it [the gospel] is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jews, then for the Gentile. We must never be ashamed! Paul said this because he knew of the human proclivity to be embarrassed or to deny what we know to be true. The wonder is that God is not ashamed of us. How does belief in the gospel of Christ bring salvation? The answer, in verse 17, is one of the most important statements in Scripture; For in the
gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith. (1.) The gospel reveals what this righteousness from God is that it is a radical, heavenly righteousness. It is not human righteousness but the righteousness of God. The righteousness of God is a righteousness originating in God, prepared by God, revealed in the gospel and therein offered to us. It is an alien righteousness righteousness from Heaven. (2.) The gospel is revealed through Christ, who suffered in our place because our human righteousness was not good enough. Through the Resurrection he offers his righteousness to us. So we see God s righteousness in the gospel. But specifically we understand this by faith: A righteousness that is by faith from first to last, an intensified phrase which means entirely of faith. Think of how the righteousness revealed in Christ motivated Paul! It is possible for men and women to stand sinless before God. It is possible to know that one has eternal life. It is possible to be free from the frustration of trying to earn righteousness and Heaven. The sole requirement is faith. Here is the greatest news ever proclaimed! THE GOSPEL IS GOOD NEWS: Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. The words of the angel, spoken not only for the shepherds but also for all of us, were wonderful, for they promised a Savior. Paul was not ashamed of this Good News because it is the power of God to effect salvation for everyone who believes. A. It was because of Christ s incarnation and his perfect identification with humanity His taking on our nature, though without sin, that He could save us. He became perfect in regard to temptation by suffering temptation as a real man and putting the tempter to flight. As Peter explained: He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness. (I Peter 2:24). B. Whatever our situation, He can deliver us. The angel said that the Good News was for all the people. Whoever you are, he can deliver you, help you, save you. Because Jesus lives forever He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them. (Hebrews 7:24-25).
THE GOSPEL OF OPPORTUNITY: And the gospel must first be preached (published) to all the nations. In Romans 1:8-17 of Paul s introduction to the book of Romans affect me, because in them he describes what is behind his own burning motivation to minister at Rome. They encourage us to go for it. (1.) The motivation, which springs from the prospect of mutual encouragement (Romans 1:11-13). (2.) The motivation, which comes from a sense of obligation (Romans 1:14-15). (3.) The motivation, which grows from his confidence in the power of the gospel (Romans 1:16-17). We need to keep in the back of our minds that everyone can enlarge his or her spiritual vision by internalizing the elements of Paul s motivation to minister to Rome. A. In this world of greed opportunities are not equal for all. Social injustice, disease, and poverty abound. Paul simply wants to help those in Rome: I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong. He simply wishes to enhance their spirituality. Paul says almost the same thing to the church in Corinth: What I want is not your possessions but you. (2 Corinthians 12:14). He is not in it for what he could do for himself, but what he could do for them. B. Paul s spirit was for all practical purposes duplicated in the life of General Booth, founder of the Salvation Army. Once when General Booth stood before Queen Victoria and she asked what she might for him. The rugged old man replied, Your Majesty, some people s passion is money, and some people s passion is fame, but my passion has been men. However, Paul also knows that the benefit would be mutual, as he goes on to say in Romans 1:12, That is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other s faith. The apostle claims that the faith of these beginners will encourage him! The Apostle John experienced the same thing: We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete. (I John 1:3-4). THE GOSPEL OF PEACE: And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things. (Romans 10:15). The beautiful feet of the preacher-teacher are mentioned because the
feet provide transportation for the herald of the gospel. Paul reminds us that if people are to be saved (1.) A preacher must be sent; (2.) The message must be preached; (3.) The message must be heard; (4.) The Message must be believed. A. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1). Faith means total acceptance and absolute trust. Peace with God, the cessation of conflict with the eternal God is achieved only through justification by faith. This peace is an objective reality and status and not simply a subjective feeling of the inner man. It means betting your life that there is a God. It means being utterly sure that what Jesus said is true and staking all time and eternity on that assurance. To all in the prison-house of sin, the truth about Jesus ministry is: He breaks the power of cancelled sin, He sets the prisoner free; His blood can make the foulest clean; His blood availed for me. Charles Wesley (1739) B. Peace with God is made through the blood of His cross. The substitutionary, atoning death is the means of reconciliation. The Christian has moved in Christ to being reconciled, holy, blameless, and above reproach in His sight. Christ on the other hand, went from being the spotless Lamb of God to being sin on our behalf. Any theology that denies the substitutionary atonement of Christ or neglects the saving power of His sacrifice and the necessity of His shed blood, no matter how impressive otherwise, is a false theology with no power to save. The cross of Christ is a constant reminder of proud mankind s inability to generate its own salvation. The substitutionary atonement is not one theory among many, but an eternal fact reflected in many scriptural metaphors. This universal offer is grounded in two Old Testament quotations: The one who trusts will never be dismayed. (Isaiah 28:16). And Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Joel 2:2). This is the way God has always operated. We must say with all gentleness and firmness, each man and woman is responsible for his or her destiny.
Love seeketh not itself to please, Nor for itself have any cure, But for another gives its ease, And builds a Heaven in Hell s despair William Blake Christ s astounding example gives mighty force to Paul s challenge to Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you. How did Christ accept you and me? He accepted us with our many sins, prejudices, and innumerable blind spots. He accepted us with our psychological shortcomings and cultural naivete. He accepted us with our provincialisms. He even accepted us with our stubbornness. This is how we are to accept one another. O the deep, deep love of Jesus, Tis a Heaven of Heavens to me. And it lifts me up to glory, For it lifts me up to Thee.