Hi and thank you for listening today. When I first started this study of Romans, I said it was going to be a bird’s-eye view. But, that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Every time I read a verse I feel that we need to talk about it. So I guess what I’m trying to say is that this study is going to be more in depth than I originally thought.
There may be a verse here and there that doesn’t get as much attention, but that doesn’t mean that verse has less meaning or impact to you or me. It just means that verse may be repetitious or is similar in content from a previous study.
So let’s pick up where we left off in chapter one with verse 16.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
I just want you to think about the life you were living before you came to know Christ as your Lord and Savior.
We were living sinful lives. Lives that were filled with addiction, anger, pride, lust and a multitude of carnally minded sins. After you got saved all of that changed. Maybe not all at once, but things started changing. You became more spiritually-minded and less carnally minded. You started thinking about others more than yourself. Your whole attitude changed.
If you can relate to what I’m saying, then why on Earth would you want to keep this good news to yourself?
What a selfish thing to do. If you are a true believer, you will want to shout the gospel from the mountain tops.
That is why Paul made a point of saying he is not ashamed of the Gospel. Paul must have felt that there were others who were not as open with their faith as they should be.
We need to be shining lights for Christ. A hidden faith is no faith at all.
Take a look at, Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Continuing on in verse 16 we read for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes,
That is it tells how God by his power saves everyone who believes on His Son. This power is extended equally to Jews and Greeks.
But as we read on in verse 16 it states the order was, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
The gospel is intended for all people.
But it was first brought to the Jews and then later to the Greeks. Fast forward to today and the gospel is meant to be spread equally among all people.
Matthew 28:19-20 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Again we are called to share this good news with everyone. We need to be bold in our faith.
Romans 1:17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed —a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
This verse is the very cornerstone of Romans.
It is this verse that brought Martin Luther to a saving grace. To understand this verse is to understand Romans. We can never attain the perfect righteousness of God. The righteousness of God is not what God requires.
“The righteousness of God” is the free gift of God to those who believe in Jesus Christ.
What God requires, He gives without cost or merit in the gospel.
We can’t earn our way into heaven. Our good works by themselves mean nothing. The outward deeds we perform for our own justification have no merit in the eyes of almighty God.
Matthew 7:21-23 Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? 23 And then will I declare to them, I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.
And we read in Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
One thing I have found is that if you ask most people if they think they’re a good person they will without hesitation say, “yes I’m a good person.” But it is their moral standard that brings them to this conclusion.
They will justify their position by saying that they live their lives by the Golden rule or that they’re always there for their friends and family.
But, if you confront them with the moral law, the ten commandments, they will quickly see that they are far from being a good person and that their own good works are not enough to earn favor with God.
As Christians it is imperative that when we share the gospel that we make others aware of their need for the Savior, that we confront them with the moral law, the ten commandments.
It is only then that they will realize that they are not good and that they have sinned and are just like the rest of us. Once they come to that realization, and have a sincere desire to repent. Then and only then will they feel the need for the Savior.
We’re going to stop here for now. I just want you to know that I’m going to have cataract surgery this Monday. So I’m not sure if I will be able to see well enough to read. That being said, I may or may not be able to do a podcast next week. So I’d like to ask you to pray for me and to pray specifically that I will be able to do this podcast without interruption.
Thank you for listening and may you be a blessing in someone else’s life today.