So I've decided to start with Romans 1:1-17. Romans 1:1-17 is typically divided into three parts in the Bible, and this 'division' helps us to understand that passage better.
1. The content of the Gospel
Romans 1:1-7
Greeting
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 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, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,
7 To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans was written by Apostle Paul (v1) and was addressed to the Christians of the church in Rome (v7, and of course it is still applicable to us today).
We see in this part of the passage that the gospel is:
- good news (v1)
- from God (v2)
- promised in Scripture (v2)
- about Jesus Christ (v3)
- for all nations (v5)
- to bring about the obedience of faith (v5)
- for the sake of God's name (v5)
2. The Centrality of the Gospel
Romans 1:8-15
Longing to Go to Rome
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you 10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
In the second part of the passage, Paul is thankful for the faith of the Roman saints which is being proclaimed in the entire world (v8).
Paul also writes that he desires to go to Rome (v10) for three reasons:
1. To impart to the people some spiritual gifts to strengthen them(v11)
2. To encourage them (v12)
3. To teach the people of the church in Rome about the gospel (v13-15)
3. The Power of the Gospel
In the third part of this passage, Paul says that he us not ashamed of the gospel. It is because he knows exactly what the gospel is - the power of God for salvation to all who believes; where God's righteousness is reveals from faith for faith.Romans1:16-17
The Righteous Shall Live by Faith
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. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
It is through faith that a person has life that makes him righteous (in right standing with God).
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