The Gospel On Trial (Rom. 1:16-17)

Romans 1:16 NKJV

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

The Gospel On Trial

Romans 1:16-17

So far in our study, Paul has given the Romans his credentials. Remember, he wanted then to know he was saved, surrendered, sent, and separated to the gospel. (vs. 1)

He then gives an overview of the gospel message and how Jesus is the hero of the gospel. (vs. 2-7)

Then last week Paul shared his heart for the Romans and we saw that he was thankful, prayerful, sensible toward them, and also humble and flexible in his ministry.

Now we come to an important “hinge” in the Book of Romans. Paul is going to give to us the overall main theme of the book in two verses.

I want you to think about the book now as Paul is in a “courtroom” setting, and he is going to give his opening statements as the defense attorney for the gospel.

We need to remember one of the purposes of the letter is to bring unity to the church because of the Jew/Gentile makeup.

No doubt the false teachers had already gotten to Rome and were seeking to poison the Christians against Paul (see Rom. 3:8).

Some would accuse him of being anti-Law; others would say he was a traitor to the Jewish nation.

Still others would twist his teaching about grace and try to prove that he taught loose living. No wonder Paul was eager to get to Rome! He wanted to share with them the fullness of the Gospel of Christ.

But would the Gospel of Christ work in the great city of Rome as it had in other places? Would Paul succeed there, or would he fail?

The apostle no doubt felt these objections and raised these questions in his own mind, which is why he was trying to forge a link between himself and his readers.

I Paul’s Confidence in the Gospel (vs. 16)

Paul begins with an unusual statement. He says “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.” We all know he was not ashamed of the gospel. Why didn’t he say it in a positive way?

He could have said “I am proud of the gospel.” But he chose to speak about something positive in a negative way.

Some commentators are so offended by the thought that Paul could feel ashamed of the gospel that they pronounce his statement a case of litotes, that is, an understatement made for rhetorical effect, especially the use of a negative in place of a positive1

1 John R. W. Stott, The Message of Romans: God’s Good News for the World, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001), 60.

litotes. n. The negation of something in order to affirm the opposite; or understatement in order to give emphasis (λιτότης, “simplicity”). E.g., “Sheryl’s not a bad swimmer.” Also called meiosis. See Acts 14:28; 15:2; 21:39; Romans 1:16.1

1 Matthew S. DeMoss, Pocket Dictionary for the Study of New Testament Greek (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001), 81.

I don’t think Paul is using this literary device here. He was known to use metaphors and similes frequently, and he was a master with words. I think being ashamed was a true temptation.

Jesus himself warned his disciples against being ashamed of him, which shows that he anticipated they might be, and Paul gave Timothy a similar admonition.

You see, there’s no sense in declaring that you’re not ashamed of something unless you’ve been tempted to feel ashamed of it.

And without doubt Paul knew this temptation. He told the Corinthians that he came to them ‘in weakness and fear, and with much trembling’.

He knew that the message of the cross was ‘foolishness’ to some and ‘a stumbling-block’ to others, because it undermines self-righteousness and challenges self-indulgence.

So whenever the gospel is faithfully preached, it arouses opposition, often contempt, and sometimes ridicule.

By the pagans it was branded as atheism, and by the Jews it was abhorred as subverting the law and tending to licentiousness,

while both Jews and Gentiles united in denouncing the Christians as disturbers of the public peace, who, in their pride and presumption, separated themselves from the rest of mankind.

Is the situation different in our day? The world is still the world, and hostility to God is always present.

If you have never been ashamed of the gospel, the probable reason, as D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones suggests, is not that you are “an exceptionally good Christian,” but rather that “your understanding of the Christian message has never been clear.”

So, what are some reasons we may be ashamed of the gospel today: See DJ

1 Intellectual Reasons

2 Philosophical Reasons

3 Social Reasons (1 Cor. 1:26)

4 Moral Reasons (Gal. 5:11)

I want to suggest eight reasons why we should not be ashamed of the gospel based on Rom. 1:16-17 as Paul begins his defense statement for the gospel.

1 It is the Proclamation of Good News (1 Cor. 15:3-4)

2 It is the Explanation of Salvation (See table)

3   It is the Declaration of God’s Purpose (Rom. 8:3-4)

4   It is the Demonstration of God’s Power

5   It is the Incorporation of all men

6   It is the Revelation of God’s Plan

7   It is the Imputation of Christ’s Righteousness

8   It is the Affirmation of Faith (the gospel is shared and received by faith)