Romans 1:16, 17 - Power of the Gospel.
Romans 1:16, 17 - Power of the Gospel.
Romans 1:16, 17 (NIV) I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it
is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes:
first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a
righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from
first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by
faith."
Romans 1:16, 17 (TEV) I have complete confidence in the gospel;
it is God's power to save all who believe, first the Jews and also
the Gentiles. For the gospel reveals how God puts people right with
himself: it is through faith from beginning to end. As the scripture
says, "The person who is put right with God through faith shall live."
Romans 1:16, 17 (EAV) For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good
news) of Christ, for it is God's power working unto salvation [for
deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal
trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first
and also to the Greek, For in the Gospel a righteousness which God
ascribes is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith
[disclosed through the way of faith that arouses to more faith]. As it is
written, The man who through faith is just and upright shall live and
shall live by faith.
Romans 1:16, 17 (CWR) I'm not ashamed of the gospel. Through it
comes the power of God to save everyone who believes. It came to the
Jews first, then to the Greeks. For in the gospel the righteousness
of God is revealed, a righteousness that begins and ends by faith.
As the Scriptures say, "The righteous live by faith in God and He
declares them just."
The theme of the entire book of Romans. [NIV SB]
Paul's main theme is the righteousness of God, but he presents
it against the dark background of the judgment of God, which is
going on right now. Men know God from creation and conscience (vv.
19-20) but refuse to honor Him as God. They live for the creature, not
the Creator, and make themselves into gods (v. 25; Gen. 3:4-5). So,
God gave them up (vv. 24, 26, 28) and let them suffer the
consequences. The greatest judgment God can inflict on us is to let us have
our own way. But the same God who delivered up sinners to judgment
delivered up His own Son for lost sinners (8:32)! That is the gospel. Do
you believe it? Are you sharing it? [Chapter by Chapter Bible
Commentary by Warren Wiersbe]
Martin Luther and John Wesley, two of church history's towering
figures, came to Christ through Romans 1:17. [The 365-Day Devotional
Commentary]
Through all the ages the great truth of justification by faith
has stood as a mighty beacon to guide repentant sinners into the way
of life. It was this light that scattered the darkness which
enveloped Luther's mind and revealed to him the power of the blood of
Christ to cleanse from sin. The same light has guided thousands of
sin-burdened souls to the true Source of pardon and peace. For the epistle to
the church at Rome, every Christian has reason to thank God. {AA
373-374}
Martin Luther's horror at the corruption of the church led to
the Protestant Reformation. His ninety-five theses, written in 1517,
were his attempt to bring reform to common church practices such as
the selling of indulgences, or pardons for sins.
Martin Luther is also remembered for the rallying cry Sola
Scriptura, "the Scriptures alone," meaning that God's Word alone is
authoritative for the faith and practice of the Christian. That belief fueled
Luther's commitment to making the Bible available to the common people,
not merely interpreted for them by the religious leadership.
A defining belief for Luther centered around his own study of
the New Testament book of Romans, particularly Romans 1:17. The
biblical certainty that righteousness comes through faith rather than as
a result of good works was a forgotten or disregarded concept in a
subculture where faith had often become about ceremony or about "being good
enough" to get into heaven.
The understanding of justification by faith in Christ alone
is evident in these words of Luther, spoken half a millennium ago:
"One drop of Christ's blood is worth more than heaven and earth."
Martin Luther (1483-1546), German theologian and founder of the
Lutheran church, was the husband of Katharine von Bora and the father of
six. [The One Year Bible Live Verse Devotional v. 17]
When I was in college, I accepted a bet to prove that
Christianity was a lie and that most Christians had pretty much lost their
brains. I even accepted a challenge from one group of Christians to
examine the claims of Christ intellectually. I took a hard look at the
reliability of the Scriptures, the archaeological evidence, and the
fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. The verdict: The Resurrection was
real, and that meant Jesus is everything he claimed to be.
A few years later, at Talbot Theological Seminary, I became
known as the guy who would share his faith with anybody at any
time--strangers, addicts, and especially youth. In my first weeks in organized
ministry, I typed Romans 1:16 on a card and hung it over my desk. When you
know the power source, you really have no choice but to be bold! Josh
McDowell, a speaker, apologist, and youth evangelist, is the author of
More Than a Carpenter, Evidence That Demands a Verdict, and Why Wait?
What You Need to Know about the Teen Sexuality Crisis. [The One Year
Bible Live Verse Devotional v. 16]
Whether or not you are a sports fan, you are undoubtedly
familiar with braggadocio, or empty boasting. Many in our society-in
particular athletes and their rabid fans-have made this an art form. "We're
Number 1" signs and childish antics pop up everywhere. Even those who
can back up their words are often full of hot air.
For those who think they are the greatest, Paul has some
sobering news: You are not as great as you may think. Paul reminds us
that we are all great at one thing: sinning. But that is not all that
Paul has to say. The good news of Paul's letter to the Romans is that
God has a great message of hope and forgiveness. Now that is
something to really brag about!
Paul knew how thoroughly kind God had been to him. He called
himself and everyone else in need of Christ's forgiveness "terrible
people" (Romans 2:1). That's why he had no trouble obeying God's call to
travel all over the Roman Empire preaching and spreading the good news
about Christ. It only made sense to him that he would share the
message of God's forgiveness with others after all God had done for him
(1:5).
Being a Christian is a privilege. God has taken away more of
our sin than we can realize, more sin than we deserve to have
forgiven. The more we appreciate the depth of this, the more we'll
understand Paul's gratitude here.
If you have received Christ's forgiveness, you have an
important story to tell. You don't have to be a clone of Paul, just
motivated by the same gratitude, driven by the same love, committed to the
same end: God's greater glory. In what way can you share the news
about God's goodness today? [The One Year Through the Bible Devotional
by Dave Veerman re Rom. 1:5-9]
CLOSING THOUGHT
Religions are man's search for God; the Gospel is God's search
for man. There are many religions, but one Gospel. E. Stanley Jones
[Chapter by Chapter Bible Commentary by Warren Wiersbe re Rom. 1:1-16]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY:
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2006/20060616-0754.html
EXCELLENT VIDEO PRESENTATION of Real Life Stories Illustrating
the Power of the Gospel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUVyxqAV3-Y&feature=youtu.be
