Righteousness in the Gospel

Lesson 4 - Romans 16-17

Sunday, January 27, 2019

4:04 PM

Paul's Epistle Theme (God's Righteousness in the Gospel) (1:16-17)Unashamed of the Gospel (1:16a) ASHAMED - to experience a painful feeling or sense of loss of status because of some particular event or activity, be ashamed.

Frederick William Danker, ed., “ἐπαισχύνομαι,” in A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Third ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "ἐπαισχύνομαι".

2 Timothy 1:8 (KJV)

Mark 8:38 (KJV) 38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. 2 Timothy 1:8 8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; [1]2 Timothy 1:12 (KJV) 12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believeda, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. 2 Timothy 1:16 (KJV) 16 The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: Romans 10:11 (KJV)

11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

"I am not ashamed," etc., he probably means, "I am proud and overjoyed to receive the opportunity to preach the gospel."

William Hendriksen, Baker New Testament Commentary – Exposition of Paul's Epistle to the Romans, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1980), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 59.

John Stott recounts a comment made by Scottish theologian James Stewart concerning this passage: "There's no sense in declaring that you're not ashamed of something unless you've been tempted to feel ashamed of it" (Stott, p. 60). We think of Paul as invincible, yet he was human. Jesus anticipated that his followers might one day be ashamed to identify with him (Mark 8:38), and Peter soon confirmed that prediction by denying him three times in one night (Matt. 26:75).

Kenneth Boa and William Kruidenier, Holman New Testament Commentary – Romans, ed. Max Anders, (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2000), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "Romans 1:1-17 - Paul and the Romans: Partners in the Gospel".

Why would Paul even be tempted to be ashamed of the Gospel as he contemplated his trip to Rome? For one thing, the Gospel was identified with a poor Jewish carpenter who was crucified. The Romans had no special appreciation for the Jews, and crucifixion was the lowest form of execution given a criminal. Why put your faith in a Jew who was crucified?

Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary – New Testament, Volume 1, (Colorado Springs, CO: Victor, 2001), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 516.

Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel. He had confidence in his message, and he gave us several reasons that explain why he was not ashamed.

Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary – New Testament, Volume 1, (Colorado Springs, CO: Victor, 2001), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 516.

Paul's confidence turns on three occurrences of gar ("for" or "because") in these two verses. The first is untranslated in the NIV, but should be, as it provides the transition from his earlier statement of eagerness: "I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome [for] I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God. . . for in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed (vv. 15-17; emphasis added).

Kenneth Boa and William Kruidenier, Holman New Testament Commentary – Romans, ed. Max Anders, (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2000), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "Romans 1:1-17 - Paul and the Romans: Partners in the Gospel".

the gospel. (This is the fourth of five times Paul used the word "gospel" in these opening verses: vv. 1, 9, 15-17.)

John Walvoord and Roy Zuck, ed., The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty, (Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications, 1985), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "C. Emphasizing Theme (1:16-17)".

Paul is giving the Roman believers a paradigm for life that the contemporary church desperately needs to understand: nothing will display the righteousness of God (and thereby his person and glory) to a needy world like the message of the gospel. Not surprisingly, it is a paradigm that Paul drew from the Old Testament and applied to the believers in Rome. We can draw on both instances and apply it to our benefit today.

Kenneth Boa and William Kruidenier, Holman New Testament Commentary – Romans, ed. Max Anders, (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2000), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "Romans 1:1-17 - Paul and the Romans: Partners in the Gospel".

I want to read a comment and then have a discussion on how you feel about this -

Although every true believer knows it is a serious sin to be ashamed of his Savior and Lord, he also knows the difficulty of avoiding that sin. When we have opportunity to speak for Christ, we often do not. We know the gospel is unattractive, intimidating, and repulsive to the natural, unsaved person and to the ungodly spiritual system that now dominates the world. The gospel exposes man's sin, wickedness, depravity, and lostness, and it declares pride to be despicable and works righteousness to be worthless in God's sight. To the sinful heart of unbelievers, the gospel does not appear to be good news but bad (cf. my comments in chapter 1), and when they first hear it they often react with disdain against the one presenting it or throw out arguments and theories against it. For that reason, fear of men and of not being able to handle their arguments is doubtlessly the single greatest snare in witnessing.

It is said that if a circle of white chalk is traced on the floor around a goose that it will not leave the circle for fear of crossing the white mark. In a similar way, the chalk marks of criticism, ridicule, tradition, and rejection prevent many believers from leaving the security of Christian fellowship to witness to the unsaved.

John MacArthur, MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Romans 1-8, (Chicago: Moody Press, 1991), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 50.

DISCUSSION - I will cut it short tonight - as this is a lot to think on -

Essence of the Gospel (1:16b-17) (Refer to Moo Lecture 1 slide )