Thesis: To teach the hearer the basic attributes of gospel, and specifically to emphasize the power therein.
Text: Rom 1:16-17
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel (of Christ; NKJV), for it is the power of God for (unto) salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Rom 1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for (unto) faith, as it is written, "(but) The righteous shall live by faith."
Introduction,
The epistle to the Romans is considered by many to be one of the more difficult portions of the NT to properly understand, and there are parts that seem to be in conflict with most doctrines of men, from faith only (as propagated by those of the Lutheran faith), to the keeping of portions of the Law of Moses (as seen in Seventh day Adventists or Armstrong’s churches of God).
The reason being is that the truth is somewhere in between these two extremes, as seen is the opening and closing statements of the epistle (1:3-5; 16:25-26).
Rom 1:3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh
Rom 1:4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
Rom 1:5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of (to the; NKJV) faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,
Rom 16:25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages
Rom 16:26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of (to the; NKJV) faith—
The faith that saves is that which leads to obedience, and obedience that saves is that which propagates itself from faith, truly faith and obedience are inseparable; In fact the words “faith” and “obedience,” and related words both occur more in the epistle to the Romans than any other NT book (faith, faithful, faithfulness – 41 times; obey obedient, obedience – 12 times).
Let us keep in mind that there is but one doctrine of Christ, and it is the sum of that which is revealed in the NT, therefore understanding Romans (part of that sum) is vital to one’s understanding God’s will for mankind today.
An important part for a proper understanding of most subjects requires some knowledge of background information, in order that a person can know “what’s going on” so to speak, and not just be walking blindly into a situation, or a conversation, the same could be said concerning Romans.
The penman of the epistle is the apostle Paul (1:1), yet we know that all scripture is “God breathed” “inspired of God” (2 Tim 3:16), as selected men were driven by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet 1:21), therefore the Author is God, who gave men the very words to record (2 Sam 23:2; Jer 1:9; 1 Cor 2:13; 1 Thess 2:13);
The date of writing has been calculated to be sometime around AD 58, the place of writing is thought to be the city of Corinth Achaia (modern day Greece), during Paul’s 3rd missionary journey, in which he was carrying the gift from the Gentle congregations to the needy saints at Jerusalem (Rom 15:26-27).
The main trust of the epistle is seen in our verses, “the gospel is God’s power unto salvation, and it is that same to the Jew and the Greek,” both are lost without it, in it is the “righteousness of God revealed” in other words it is God’s plan of justification for man, it describes “how man receives God’s righteousness through the work of Jesus Christ.”
Most 1st century churches consisted of both Jews and Gentiles, and the situation that we read about in Acts 15 (Jewish Christians putting pressure on Gentile Christians to keep parts of the Law of Moses) was taking place in most congregations, the Jews still thought that they were God’s chosen people, therefore we see Judaism creeping in, (remember they added over 1,000 traditions to the law of Moses, and the gospel was no different in that aspect, they were going to add to it likewise) and the epistle to the Romans deals with this problem to some extent (especially in chapter 14, and also it is seen in other statements throughout the epistle).
Therefore if we keep this in mind while reading Romans it will help us better to understand some of the inspired statements that are made. But the focus of the letter is that God’s love, mercy, grace and power are manifested in the gospel of Christ, and it is that which saves, not the musings of men, but that one system of salvation revealed from heaven (Ps 119:89), that which was previously loosed and bound in heaven (Mt 16:19), of which, God, through selected men in the 1st century, revealed this mystery in its entirety (John 16:13), once for all time (Jude 3).
Also keep in mind that Christianity is a learned religion, as Christ stated in John 6:44-45 . . .
Joh 6:44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
Joh 6:45 It is written in the Prophets, 'And they will all be taught by (of) God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—
Tit 2:11-14 in like manner states . . .
Tit 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for (to) all people,
Tit 2:12 training (instructing, teaching, educating) us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions (lusts), and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,
Tit 2:13 waiting (looking) for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
Tit 2:14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for (to) himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
This (Tit 2:11-14) speaks specifically of the gospel, it instructs us in that narrow, straightened, that difficult way, which leads back to fellowship with the Most High, and with that, the hope of eternal life with Him, in the new heavens and new earth wherein dwells righteousness (2 Pet 3:13).
Therefore in this lesson we will look at the gospel, and . . .
1) How it brings shame (Rom 1:16a)
2) How it unleashes its power (Rom 1:16b)
3) How it reveals God’s righteousness (Rom 1:17)
I. THE GOSPEL, HOW IT BRINGS SHAME (Rom 1:16a)
A. (Rom 1:16a)
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel (of Christ; NKJV):
The word “gospel” comes from the word “eu-ag-gel-i-on” (yoo-ang-ghel'-ee-on) from which we derive our words “evangelize” and “evangelist”, and it means “glad tidings” “good news” or “glad intelligence,” specifically it refers to the good news about full salvation through Christ and all the blessings attached to Him.
Paul writing by inspiration reveals his attitude towards the gospel, and the preaching thereof, he was not ashamed of it.
The person who is ashamed of the gospel will be humiliated or embarrassed because of it, he will not bring it up in casual conversation, he will not defend it against its enemies, he will not live it before those who do not respect it, but it is written (1 Pet 4:16) . . .
1Pe 4:16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.
Some were ashamed of Christ and the good news concerning Him back in the 1st century, such as certain rulers who believed in Christ, but wouldn’t confess Him, for fear of being cast out of the synagogue, for they loved the glory of men, more than the glory of God (John 12:42-43).
Joh 12:42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue;
Joh 12:43 for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.
The same can be said today, when we don’t confess Christ verbally and by living a holy life unto God for all to hear and see (which many sadly ridicule), we in fact love the glory of men, more than the glory of God, and this type of attitude does not escape the eyes of our Creator, Whose eyes are everywhere beholding both the good and the evil (Pro 15:3), the Lord stated (Mt 10:32-33)…
Mat 10:32 Every one therefore who shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven.
Mat 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven.
And what about Peter and the rest of the apostles, who fled from the Lord when the heat was on during the night of His betrayal, Peter even denied Him 3 times when they had a chance to be exalted with Christ, sadly they fell away, yet they came back; One can fall away (Gal 5:4) and come back (Rev 2:5) today also, by complying with God’s terms in His perfect law for imperfect mankind; repentance, confession, and prayer unto God for forgiveness (Acts 8:22;. Ja 5:16; 1 John 1:9).
But if one is ashamed of the gospel, he is ashamed of God (Who originated it), of Christ (Who executed it), and of the Holy Spirit (Who revealed and confirmed it), and to be ashamed of the gospel and to leave this life in that state is to forfeit the hope of eternal blessings, Jesus said (Luke 9:26) . . .
Luk 9:26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
Remember that the Father gave Christ the words (John 12:49), He in turn gave them to the apostles and the NT prophets (John 17:8, 14; Gal 1:12; Eph 3:5), who in turn wrote them down by the power of the Holy Spirit and is that which we call the New Testament (Covenant), and are the very commands of God (1 Cor 14:37; 2 Thess 3:14; 2 Pet 3:2), and this will be the standard by which we will be judged on That Day (John 12:48; Rom 2:16; Rev 20:12), Christ Himself said concerning this chain of revelation (Luke 10:16) . . .
Luk 10:16 "The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me."
But Paul did not reject nor was he ashamed of the gospel, this fact can be seen in his ceaseless efforts to preach it and to live it, even under that harshest of circumstances, of his troubles because of the gospel he said (2 Cor 11:24-28)…
2Co 11:24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one.
2Co 11:25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea;
2Co 11:26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers;
2Co 11:27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.
2Co 11:28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.
This is a picture of a man who, by the power of God, truly manifested biblical faith, let us pray for a fraction of such strength!
Paul preached the gospel (he applied it to present situations), as seen in the case of Felix in Acts 24:24-25a . . .
Act 24:24 But after certain days, Felix came with Drusilla, his wife, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus.
Act 24:25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, and self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified,
Vincent writes about these verses . . . “Three topics which bore directly upon the character of Felix. Tacitus says of him that he “exercised the authority of a king with the spirit of a slave;” and that, by reason of the powerful influence at his command, “he supposed he might perpetrate with impunity every kind of villany.” He had persuaded his wife Drusilla to forsake her husband and marry him. He had employed assassins to murder the high-priest Jonathan, and might well tremble at the preaching of the judgment to come.”
What do you hear being preached in most churches today? Not these sorts of things, and why? Because many that claim to be proclaimers of the Truth are in fact ashamed of the Truth (John 17:17), and the instructions given therein, which preachers are bound to convey to their hearers in (2 Tim 4:2-4) it is written . . .
2Ti 4:2 preach the word; be urgent (ready) in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts;
2Ti 4:4 and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables. (ASV)
But those that do preach a softened gospel are not doing the hearers any favors, they are just tickling their ears, in essence deceiving them into that broad way, like ravenous wolves, instead of to the saving of their souls.
I would rather hear a man read from the Bible for 45 minutes than hear a watered down gospel being preached, and it would do me and others a lot more good spiritually.
Therefore let us walk with Paul and never be ashamed of our God and His gospel, and then God will put us on His list of those of whom He is not ashamed, like those in the hall of faith, of whom it is written (Heb 11:13,16) . . .
Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth . . .
Heb 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly (one): wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God; for he has prepared for them a city.
Keeping our eyes, our focus, upon the things above, spiritual matters, instead of so much of our lives being sucked up by temporal earthly affairs (that thorny soil; Luke 8:14), and thereby not being ashamed of the gospel, and then neither will God be ashamed to be called “our God”! (Col 3:1-4).
Col 3:1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek (keep seeking; present active imperative) the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Col 3:2 Set (keep setting; present active imperative) your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
Col 3:3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Col 3:4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
II. THE GOSPEL, HOW IT UNLEASHES ITS POWER (Rom 1:16b)
A. (Rom 1:16b)
Rom 1:16b for it (the gospel) is the power of God for (unto; i.e. towards) salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
The gospel is God’s power unto salvation; in creating the universe, the “creative power” of God was used (through His Word unleashing His Spirit), in like manner in saving mankind, God’s “saving power” (through His Word unleashing His Spirit) is exercised . . .
Few today believe how the gospel works, the mechanics of it so to speak, when one hears the gospel message and believes it, they receive the Holy Spirit of promise (Gal 3:2; Eph 1:13).
Gal 3:2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?
Eph 1:13 in whom also you, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, (EMTV)
It is “the sword of the Spirit, His instrument of choice, which is the Word of God” (Eph 6:17), that Holy Spirit revealed and confirmed Word through which He (the Holy Spirit) works upon the heart of the unbeliever (Heb 4:12; Ja 1:21)
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Jam 1:21 Wherefore putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
It is that (the living and active, soul saving Word) through which we are born again (1 Pet 1:23; Lk 8:11)
1Pe 1:23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;
Luk 8:11 . . . The seed is the word of God.
The Lord stated (John 6:63) . . .
Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life.
The Lord plainly teaches in the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4-15), that the difference between those that are going to be lost or saved is the type of heart they possess, and God working upon that heart, the good and honest hearts take in the evidence given in the word of God, believe it, obey it, and bear fruit unto eternal life, letting God work in them through it, while all others fall short for various reasons.
But it is essential one “hears” or in some other manner comes to the knowledge of the gospel, the truth, and not some other gospel, which is not another, and is nothing more than the concoction of men, the doctrines of demons, which produces tares, sons of the evil one.
This is the “power”, this is the “means”, this is the “way” that God has chose to exert His power upon mankind (1 Cor 1:18, 21; 15:1-4, 23; 1 Thess 4:16-17; 2 Pet 3:13; 1 Pet 1:3-4).
1Co 1:18 For the word (message) of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1Co 1:21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.
1Co 15:1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,
1Co 15:2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
1Co 15:3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
1Co 15:4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
1Co 15:23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first;
1Th 4:17 then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
2Pe 3:13 But according to His promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1Pe 1:4 unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
Therefore “He”(God the Holy Spirit; Acts 5:3-4) brings forth this message which unleashes His power upon us, and continues to unleash this power upon us through “our” applying “His” sword (the Word of God; Eph 6:17) to “our” lives (turn to Eph 4:17-24) . . .
Eph 4:17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk (live) as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.
Eph 4:18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.
Eph 4:19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.
Eph 4:20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!—
Eph 4:21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus,
Eph 4:22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires (lusts),
Eph 4:23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
Eph 4:24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
It is important to note that this “putting away” of our old self, and this “putting on” of our new self, are both in the “middle voice” in the Greek, which does not mean that the Holy Spirit has taken over our wills which enables this to take place, but rather the middle voice denotes that God has something to do with it, and we have something to do with it.
It denotes that it is that God has, through the Holy Spirit, revealed His will; and man believes God, and applies God’s divine instructions (living water) to his life, with the result being salvation from sin, and the hope of eternal life (fellowship with God), with the Most High forever and ever (Tit 1:2).
We should keep in mind also that the gospel contains certain essential elements, without which, there would be no gospel . . .
The gospel contains “facts” we are to believe, these include Jesus’ death for our sins, His burial, resurrection and ascension (1 Cor 15:1-4), and our living hope of following Him in this (1 Cor 15:23; 1 Pet 1:3-4), that Jesus is of the Divine nature (Mt 1:23; Jn 1:1; Col 2:9), a member of the Godhead (Jn 8:24), and that He is coming again (Tit 2:13), to take us back to our heavenly home (1 Thess 4:16-18).
The gospel contains “commands” we are to obey, these include belief (John 8:24), repentance (Acts 17:30), confession of Christ (Rom 10:9-10), and baptism for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38), which puts one into Christ (Rom 6:3; Gal 3:27), and also these commands include instructions regarding our duties before God . . .
i. How to live holy lives (1 Pet 1:15; 1 John 1:7),
ii. How to worship properly (John 4:24),
iii. The type of attitudes which we are to possess (Phili 4:8-9),
iv. And how we are to regard our brethren and fellowman (Gal 6:10).
The gospel also contains “promises” which we are to receive, among which is every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Eph 1:3), and the hope of our eternal inheritance (1 Pet 1:3-5).
And the gospel contains “warnings” that we are to heed, if we expect to be considered faithful and be saved (Luke ch 12 is just one of many places that are loaded with these warnings).
And these elements, which are designed to curry a response to God’s commands, based upon our belief (faith), are the same to all, to the Jew and to the Greek (which denotes all non-Jews/Gentiles),
There was not one plan for the Jews, and another plan for the Gentiles (even though this would have suited some of the 1st century Jewish Christians, and some denominationalists today if it were so; but the case of Cornelius teaches us differently, Peter said in Acts 15:9; YLT) . . .
Act 15:9 and (God) did put no difference, also between us and them (Jew and Gentile), by the faith, having purified their hearts; (YLT)
Thus we can see that by “the faith” “the word of God” “the gospel” that the believing one (he that continues to believe) that person who continues to apply the gospel to their lives, allows God’s power to save them from sin and from eternal separation from God (Isa 59:2),
And the gospel also changes, transforms (Rom 12:2), individuals of the world into someone who is holy like God (turn to 1 Pet 1:15ff) . . .
1Pe 1:15 But because the God who called you is holy you must be holy in every aspect of your life.
1Pe 1:16 Scripture says, "Be holy, because I am holy." (BBE)
To be “holy” is to be “specially set apart for” a certain thing, this would be in opposition to that which is “common” “unholy” “profane” therefore “not holy” (Rom 12:1-2) . . .
Rom 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship (service).
Rom 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
The person who is not allowing God through the gospel to make them holy (separated specifically to do God’s will) is not a likely candidate for heaven, as affirmed by the Hebrew writer in Heb 12:14 . . .
Heb 12:14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
Therefore let us give the more diligence to make our calling and election sure (2 Pet 1:10), not hindering God’s power (the gospel) from changing us unto a holy people unto God; by not being initially obedient to it; nor by neglecting our part in that metamorphosis (the renewal; Rom 12:2; 2 Cor 4:16; Eph 4:21-24; Col 3:8-10) which takes place through our hearing, study and application of God’s living and active word, as it is written (1 Pet 2:2) . . .
1Pe 2:2 Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation (NASB)
III. THE GOSPEL, HOW IT REVEALS/IMPARTS GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS (Rom 1:17)
A. (Rom 1:17a)
Rom 1:17a For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for (unto) faith,
The words “in it” (“therein” KJV) is a reference to the gospel, the gospel reveals the righteousness of God, this is speaking of God’s personal righteousness which is clearly manifested in the scriptures; Let us look at some verses that bring this concept forth (Rom 1:17; 3:5, 21-22; 10:3; 2 Cor 5:21; Ja 1:20)
Rom_1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."
Rom_3:5 But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.)
Rom_3:21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—
Rom_3:22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:
Rom_10:3 For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God (NASB).
2Co_5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin (a sin offering) who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Php 3:9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith:(ASV)
Jas_1:20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
The fact that God is perfectly holy and righteous is taught throughout the bible, in the gospel is revealed, brought forth, God’s plan to impute His righteousness to mankind through the work of Jesus.
This can be affirmed by our Lord’s teaching on the sermon on the mount (Mt 5:48) . . .
Mat 5:48 Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (ASV)
“You SHALL be perfect” “be perfect” is in the future tense, a lot of translations don’t hold to the tense here making it more an instructive statement in that as we do good to the just and the unjust we are perfect (complete) as God is perfect (complete), and that is true, but I believe it goes a little deeper than that; as we do good to all, as God does good to all, we are walking in the light (1 Jn 1:7), we are walking after the Spirit (Rom 8:4), being led by the Spirit (Rom 8:14), there the requirement of the law (perfection, Jesus’ perfection; Heb 4:15) is imputed to us through the gospel (2 Cor 5:21; Heb 10:14).
Heb 10:14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
This interpretation can also be reaffirmed by Paul’s inspired statement in Rom 10:1-3 . . . (turn there)
Rom 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and my supplication to God is for them, that they may be saved. (Here Paul is speaking of his non-believing Jewish brethren)
Rom 10:2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
Rom 10:3 For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.
When the Jews refused to believe and obey the gospel (Rom 10:16), instead they kept believing and following the law of Moses, they refused to subject, submit themselves to the “righteousness of God,” which is imputed to individuals through the work of Jesus, in like manner when we reject that which is taught in the gospel, whether it be its facts, its commands, its promises, or the warnings, we in fact, are attempting also to establish our own righteousness, as they did through the law, concoct our own way of salvation, which is not possible, for we are but mere creatures, the works of Someone Else’s hands (Pro 14:12; Jer 10:23) . . .
Pro 14:12 There is a way which seems right unto a man; But the end thereof are the ways of death.
There is but “one Faith” (Eph 4:5) “the Way” (Acts 9:2; 19:9; 23; 24:14, 22 )“the Faith” (Jude 3) which when believed in and submitted to, results in the righteousness of God being given to us through Jesus (Rom 8:1-4; 2 Cor 5:21), which God so graciously offers to all (1 Tim 2:4; Tit 2:11; Rev 22:17); but it can’t be deviated from, or added to; it must remain pure, and unadulterated, as originally delivered by the Holy Spirit (in its entirety in the 1st century; Jude 3), if we expect it to work as God purposed;
And that in a nutshell, is the main problem which we see today, individuals are not becoming righteous God’s way through the Way, the Faith, but there is no other (Acts 4:12; Gal 1:6-9), it is just a case of the blind leading the blind, the wrong seed is working in the hearts of those that hear a perverted gospel (one where sin is redefined by man), and it can’t save, as the Lord affirms in Mt 15:13-14 . . .
Mat 15:13 . . . Every plant which my heavenly Father planted not, shall be rooted up.
Mat 15:14 Let them alone: they are blind guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both shall fall into a pit.
Back to our verse (Rom 1:17)“From faith (un)to (for) faith” literally states “out of (“ek”) faith” “towards (“eis”) faith” therefore in keeping in harmony with the context, the phrase likely means “out of faith, the faith, the gospel, (that system of faith), faith is induced, or produced within (towards) the hearts of its adherents.”
Faith comes from God’s word (hearing, reading, etc., Rom 10:17),
Rom 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
The gospel contains all the information and confirmation needed to create faith in those who possess good and honest hearts (Luke 8:15), who sincerely consider its message (John 20:30-31).
Joh 20:30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;
Joh 20:31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
God put just enough in His word to draw those to Him who are the good ground, who have honest and good hearts, those who need more proof to believe, God rejects, because of the self imposed condition of their hearts (Pro 4:23), which is also taught in the account of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:27-31) . . .
Luk 16:27 And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house—
Luk 16:28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.'
Luk 16:29 But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.'
Luk 16:30 And he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'
Luk 16:31 He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'"
The gospel is a system of faith (opposed to a system of works, such as the Law of Moses), God speaks, man considers, upon belief one receives the Spirit (Gal 3:2; Eph 1:13), which through the sword of the Spirit produces faith, which leads to the obedience of faith, which leads to eternal life (Phili 3:9 YLT; look there) . . .
Phi 3:9 not having my righteousness, which is of law, but that which is through faith of Christ--the righteousness that is of God by the faith,
6. It (God’s way of making mankind righteous) is thereby in this manner “from faith (un)to (for) faith”
B. (Rom 1:17b)
Rom 1:17b as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
This is a quotation from Hab 2:4, which is probably better translated as the marginal reading in the ASV where it renders it “but the righteous shall live in his faithfulness” (Hab 2:4; ASV margin) referring to biblical faith, that faith which invokes action in its possessors.
Belief and obedience are always coupled together, if not, it is simply that demon type belief (Ja 2:19), which produces trembling, but not the action required by God, which is loving obedience of faith (Jn 14:15; Gal 5:6; Ja 2:19-20)
Joh 14:15 "If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
Gal 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
Jas 2:19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
Jas 2:20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless (dead)?
To be righteous in God’s sight, according to the gospel, we must be free from the practice of sin, and to be free from the guilt associated with sin (for all accountable have sinned; Rom 3:23, and even the faithful sin on occasion; 1 John 1:8), this is only possible through the faith which invokes obedience, “obedience from the heart” to the gospel (look at Rom 6:16-18)…
Rom 6:16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?
Rom 6:17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard (form, pattern) of teaching to which you were committed,
Rom 6:18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.
“Faith” is that entity that keeps us in line with God’s will, it invokes in us adherence to His Divine directives, walking in the light of His word (1 John 1:7; Ps 119:1-5) walking after the Spirit (Rom 8:4), but we must be determined to “do” God’s will if we expect to “live” spiritually, for it is not something that will just take place (turn to Heb 10:14, 19-23, 35-39) . . .
Heb 10:14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified (PPP).
Heb 10:19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,
Heb 10:20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,
Heb 10:21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
Heb 10:22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
Heb 10:35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.
Heb 10:36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.
Heb 10:37 For, "Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay;
Heb 10:38 but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him."
Heb 10:39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed (unto perdition; ASV), but of those who have faith and preserve their souls (unto the saving of the soul; ASV).
Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10), He came not to condemn, but to save (John 3:17), for without the gospel the whole of mankind was doomed, it is like that life saver which one throws to the drowning man, if that man refuses to grab it, he drowns, it seems foolish to think a drowning person would reject such, it surely does to me.
But the same could be said about the gospel, all who are accountable are drowning in the waters of sin, (Rom 3:23), and the person who hears the gospel, yet refuses to have demonstrate that degree of faith which would obey, to grab that lifesaver, is resisting the Holy Spirit and basically committing spiritual suicide, and thereby intensifying his guilt all the more, as the Lord confirms in (Luke 12:47) . . .
Luk 12:47 And that servant, who knew his lord's will, and made not ready, nor did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes;
And what is His will? That all be saved (1 Tim 2:4), and that takes place when one believes and submits themselves to the righteousness of God revealed, the gospel of Christ, wherein . . .
One is to . . .
Hear the Word of God (Acts 2:37; Rom 10:17)
Rom 10:17 . . . faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
This is how the Father plants His Word within the good ground, the good, honest and open heart
One is to . . .
Believe that Jesus died for our sins, was raised from the dead (1 Cor 15:1-4), and ascended into heaven (Mk 16:19; Lk 24:51; Acts 1:9-10), He is the first-fruits of the resurrection unto eternal life, we must believe that we will follow (1 Cor 15:23; 1 Thess 4:16-18).
1Co 15:23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; then they that are Christ's, at his coming.
Belief (faith) is the crossover point wherein one enters to the process of “being saved” (Lk 13:23; Acts 2:47; 1
Cor 1:18; 15:2; 2 Cor 2:15), Jesus puts it this way (Jn 5:24) . . .
Joh 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
One is to . . .
Repent of sins, (Acts 17:30; Luke 13:3, 5) Jesus stated . . .
Luk 13:3 . . . except you repent, you shall all in like manner perish.
And He meant exactly what He said, repentance is a change of mind that results in a changed life aligned with
the gospel
One is to . . .
Confess Jesus as the Christ before men (Acts 8:37; Rom 10:9), the eunuch said . . .
“I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” So should you
Confessing Him day by day to others in your life of service unto God and others
One is to . . .
Be baptized (immersed), which doth also now save us (1 Pet 3:21), it washes away our sins (Acts 22:16) immersed into Christ (Gal 3:27) into the death of Christ (Rom 6:3) where His precious blood was shed (John 19:34) unto (for) the remission of sins. (Acts 2:38); baptism is the point wherein one is to determine to be dead to sin and alive unto God (Rom 6:1-11)
And finally one is to
Continue living a life that is holy according to the gospel of Christ (1 Pet 1:15), separated from the ways of the
world and to the Way of God, not perfect but faithful, for none but Christ is perfect (Heb 4:15; 1 Pet 2:22),
through Whom we receive God’s righteousness (2 Cor 5:21), God’s perfection (Mt 5:48; Heb 10:14), for the
righteous shall live by his faith-filled-ness unto God (Hab 2:4). Being renewed day by day, by the Spirit through
study and application of His sword, God’s ever abiding word (1 Pet 2:2).
1Pe 2:2 Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation (NASB)
Putting off that old man, and putting on the new, being constantly in a state of spiritual growth (2 Pet 3:18)
2Pe 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Showing forth God’s love through your life as a Christian (only; 1 Pet 4:16), as the Bible teaches,
Walking faithfully in the righteousness of God revealed, the gospel of Christ.