Verses 16-17 state the theme of the entire letter to the Romans:
“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. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘But the righteous man shall live by faith.'” (Romans 1:16-17)
Paul did not act out of false assumptions or misplaced confidence when he fully entrusted his life to Jesus. He completely believed that the gospel of God would never be put to shame in the face of a superior power. The Apostle knew from personal experience the transforming power of the gospel.
Like many pastors, I considered leaving the ministry. It happened in the mid-1970s when I was frustrated with church life and was offered a job at a counseling agency. I took that offer seriously and prayed about it.
The answer that God gave me came from these verses. I believe the Holy Spirit impressed upon me that the gospel is the power of God for salvation.
One of the great joys in my life has been seeing the truth of Paul’s words in Romans 1:16-17 proven true over and over again through transformed lives. The Gospel is the story of God’s saving activity through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. When people hear that story and receive it in faith, God changes them from the inside out.
One of my favorite expressions is that God defeats His enemies by making them His friends. How does He change people who were angry with Him or separated from Him? He does so by giving them the gospel message. The Holy Spirit makes it real to them, and they receive it. They are transformed from enemies to friends and partners with God.
A transformed person’s life with God begins with an initial act of faith, but the faith continues each day. Faith involves an initial beginning and a continual activity for the saving power of God in a human’s life to be realized.
In our recent study of the Gospel of Matthew, Rudy Ross and I frequently pointed out that Jesus’ message was first to the Jews and then extended slowly to the Gentile world.
Paul knew that to be true, and he saw his mission the same way. Even though he was an apostle to the Gentiles, he knew that the order was first for the Jews and then the Gentiles. This statement is more than a minor note in an otherwise dense letter.
In the years before Paul wrote to the Romans, the Jews had been banished from Rome by the Emperor but were now allowed to return. Paul wanted to unite both Jews and Gentiles in a mission to Spain. To do so, he wrote this letter, laying out the theological groundwork for them to work together as partners with God.
Righteousness of God
When we say that God’s righteousness is revealed, it is connected to His choice to remain faithful to Israel and to keep His covenant obligations to them, even when they turn their backs on Him.
Righteousness is often paired with lovingkindness in the Old Testament, representing covenant-keeping ability. It becomes synonymous with grace when God upholds His part of the agreement, even though Israel has broken theirs.
Looking at the cross and resurrection of Jesus, it becomes clear that righteousness is a relationship in which God actively draws wayward humans into a covenant relationship. Humans cannot be righteous unless God assists them and enables them through what He has done through Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit. This is how He achieves His righteousness in us.
From Faith to Faith
Paul highlights a progression of faith. We begin with faith, and we end with faith. The Gospel is not something that merely begins our journey to salvation; it is something we embrace all the way through.
Salvation encompasses the past (it happened), the present (we are being saved), and the future (we will be fully saved), all embraced in the idea of faith to faith. Our entire life is characterized by a trustful acceptance of and commitment to the gospel, which is God’s power of salvation.
Telling the Story
When Jesus told the church to make disciples of all nations, immersing them in the life of the Trinity and teaching them everything He had taught, He gave us a role to play (see Matthew 28:18-20). We have the awesome opportunity and responsibility of sharing the good news of God’s love with others.
When we do so, the Holy Spirit impresses upon them to receive His word, become friends of God, and experience a life of following Him from faith to faith.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross and I discussed this passage on YouTube today. You can find it on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 