Not Ashamed

Introduction

Paul has been in Ephesus. While he was there he wrote 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, and the book of Romans.

While the two letters to the church at Corinth were written to people Paul knew, Romans was written to people Paul had never met. Oh he knew some of the people in the Roman church, but he had never visited Rome, nor did he have anything to do with the founding of the church at Rome.

Yet, Paul is compelled to write the church at Rome, and he is becoming compelled to visit the church.

Verses 1-7 lets us know who wrote the letter, and two whom the letter was written.

Romans 1:1–7 NIV84

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Authorship

Right there in verse one we are told who wrote this letter.

Written by Paul

Paul is identified as a Servant of Jesus Christ.

It was written by Paul

An Apostle set apart for the gospel of God

The Gospel

Promised by God before the prophets.

Promised before the Holy Scriptures

Told about Jesus!

Human in nature

Descendant of King David

Declared by God’s Spirit to be the Son of God

Declared Lord—Messiah, or Ruler—by the resurrection from the dead

Through Jesus

We receive grace—unmerited favor

Paul received his apostleship as the apostles to the Gentiles

We too are called to belong to jesus

Audience

To anyone in Rome who was loved by God

To anyone in Rome who are called to be saints

Greeting

Paul offers grace—God’s unmerited favor, and peace—The Hebrew concept of peace (Heb. shalom) did not just mean freedom from stress, anxiety, and irritation. It included the fullness of God’s blessing [Tom Constable, Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), .]

Tom Constable, Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), .

This grace and peace comes as a gift from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Roman Legacy

The Roman Legacy

Romans 1:8–10 NIV84

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you.

Romans 1:8-10

Great Faith

The Roman faith was being talked about all over the world.

Paul’s Prayers

This faith that he heard about, encouraged Paul to constantly pray for them.

Paul’s Desire to Visit

He prays that God might open up a way for Paul to visit them.

Romans 1:11-13

Romans 1:11–13 NIV84

I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.

Impart some spiritual gift

Paul wants to help make them stronger!

Mutual encouragement by the other’s faith

Paul longed to see and experience the faith of Roman believers.

Paul desires to have a harvest among them

Paul had planned a number of times to go to Rome, but was prevented

And his desire is to have some kind of harvest among them—like he had among the other Gentiles.

Paul’s obligation

Paul says he’s obligated to the Greeks—those who spoke Greek fluently, and non-Greeks (barbarians)—those areas where the Greek language was spoken well. This was a phrase that covered the entire known world. It also covered all socio-economic stratus.

Paul says he is obligated both the Greek and barbarians.

But he’s also obligated to both the wise and the foolish.

And he’s feeling the obligation to preach the gospel to those in Rome!

The Gospel

Some believe the gospel is the central theme of the book of Romans.

I will not argue that it is not at least one of the themes of the book.

However, I believe there is a larger, more relative theme. Both the lesser theme of the gospel and the greater theme are established in the final two verses that we want to look at today.

Romans 1:16–17 NIV84

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 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.”

The gospel

Right here in the beginning Paul lays out for us the importance of the gospel message. And in these two small verses Paul gives some some important characteristics about the gospel!

The Gospel is not something to be ashamed of.

The Gospel is infused with the power of God for salvation!

Salvation is available to everyone.

It is available to the Jew as well as to the Gentile.

Salvation is ONLY available to those who believe in it.

Universalism says that salvation comes to all—no matter what. This is not what the Scriptures teach.

Righteousness

The Gospel reveals a righteousness from God

Salvation—sanctification puts us into a right relationship with God. Living out this right relationship with God we see a change in our lifestyle.

We stop serving sin and self, and live for God—righteousness means “right living before God!”

The righteousness comes by faith

Salvation comes when we put our faith and trust in Jesus to put us into a right relationship with God.

That faith leads us to live out this right relationship with God—because our lives are forever changed!

The phrase “by faith from first to last” could be translated, “by faith—from faith to faith.” Our salvation comes by faith, and this faith leads to righteousness, which transforms our lives, then as we live right before God we are demonstrating our faith. So we live from faith to faith!

So the righteous will live by faith!

The Marvelous Work of God

The marvelous work of God is this: As a result of a person’s faith Jesus, a person is declared righteousness, and given eternal life!

As righteousness is seen in our lives we are living by faith.