ROMANS 1:16 – FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, FOR IT IS THE POWER OF GOD TO SALVATION FOR EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES, FOR THE JEW FIRST AND ALSO FOR THE GREEK.

FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, - Not is the first word in this declaration, which places emphasis on the word. Ashamed has an intensive prefix (epi) which also strengthens the phrase. We might say this today: “I am emphatically not ashamed of…” Paul was very “ready” (v.15) to preach in Rome. But what “shame” was he referring to? And why bring shame into such a declaration as we are about to read? I think the answer to these questions may be found in the center of the Gospel: a cross! To the Jew, the cross of Jesus represented a curse: If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, 23 his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God (Deut.21:22-23).
To the Jews, the shame identified with a crucified person would be a stumbling block to accepting Jesus as their Messiah (cf. 1 Cor.1:23; 1 Pet.2:8). To the Romans (i.e., Greeks), the crucified person represented a criminal who was receiving a legal and just punishment. Therefore, the cross was an offensive element in the culture to which Paul was directing this letter. (More about this in Romans, chapters 5 & 9.) Yet Paul, having been “redeemed…from the curse of the law,” through Christ, turns his feelings around and now, with intensity, says I am NOT ASHAMED… Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”) (Gal. 3:13; quote from Deut.21:23).
To place a cross in the center of a “good news” declaration would, indeed, take some boldness. Yet this is exactly the message of the gospel of Christ. In Christ, Paul could now see why Jesus became “a curse for us” (Gal.3:13). He was fitting the puzzle pieces of the Old Testament mystery together. He now understood that to have redemption (salvation) from God, there must first be a sacrifice. Every Jew knew that. Only the Son of God could present such a sacrifice that would have eternal, life-changing significance. The Jews could accept this as “good news” as long as it carried the power to overthrow the Roman Empire. Their “Messiah” was pictured as the Deliverer from their physical oppression.

FOR IT IS THE POWER OF GOD TO SALVATION FOR EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES, FOR THE JEW FIRST AND ALSO FOR THE GREEK. - The Gospel does have power. Power is the first word of this phrase, once again, denoting emphasis. It is the Greek word, dunamis, meaning inherent power (capable power from within; cf. v.4). It literally reads, “Power (for) of God, it is, to salvation…” This points to the origin of the Gospel and reminds the hearer that it carries with it the redeeming power of God to salvation—i.e., to deliverance! The Jewish message of a Messiah would be that God would empower Him to deliver them from their oppressor. God’s salvation is a message of deliverance; but this deliverance would be beyond physical oppression. It would be far greater than that. And this was Paul’s presentation of the “gospel of Christ.”
The Jews, however, had basically forgotten that their sins had interfered with God’s first promise of deliverance from the Egyptian pharaoh (cf. Exodus). In Egypt, they were told to listen to His message of deliverance (via the messenger), look at where they were (realize their position), believe in His power and plan to deliver, turn (repent) from their current status, and follow (obey) their deliverer (Moses), who spoke the words of God. There was even blood shed from an innocent, sacrificial lamb to mark them from God’s judgment of sin as He passed over their dwellings (Exodus 12). Then, as now, they had to obey and follow by faith. Although they saw many preliminary miracles from God, they were not forced by the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night (Ex.13:21-22, in part). They had to listen, look, believe, turn, and follow. Simply put, if they would trust and obey, they would not rust and decay in their sins.
As previously stated, salvation is synonymous with deliverance. Soteria means to rescue, to save. It also is used to describe preservation and healing. The “power of God to salvation” means that God’s presence would abide among the followers as a Deliverer, a Preserver. God’s presence meant salvation to everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. “To everyone who believes” is a present active participle that means God’s constantly saving (delivering) power is engaging any and all who place their trust (belief, faith) in Him. It began with the Jews first and continued to the Greeks. Thus, salvation in Jesus Christ has the present-tense and continual backing of the power of God’s presence.

APPLICATION: Paul had no shame in proclaiming the good news of the cross of Christ. He knew the power of the Roman Empire was no match against the power of God. Although the gospel was offensive to Paul’s culture, he believed in God’s power to save the Jew and the Gentile. But he would have to explain the reason for the cross as the means to the deliverance—to salvation.
How confident are you in God’s power to save? Are you confident enough to tell someone about God’s powerful salvation through Jesus Christ? In the Exodus, how quickly did the Hebrews (Jews) forget the power of God’s deliverance from their oppressor? What was the outcome of their disbelief? (Cf. Exodus 32) What interferes with trust and obedience? Is the message of the cross explained clearly in your presentation? Is it powerful enough to deliver your culture? How can you (or your church) get better at sharing the Gospel?

ROMANS 1:17 – FOR IN IT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IS REVEALED FROM FAITH TO FAITH; AS IT IS WRITTEN, “THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”

FOR IN IT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IS REVEALED FROM FAITH TO FAITH; - For in [the Gospel] the righteousness of God is revealed… The Gospel’s “power” (v.16) is that it can lead a person “into (eis) salvation” (v.16). It is there that a person meets God for who He really is, in His glory, power, and righteousness. In salvation, God’s righteousness is revealed (apokalupto = to disclose that which has been hidden or covered; an unveiling).
What is God’s righteousness? Let’s think in the context of the Jewish Temple (or Tabernacle) for a moment. In the Temple, the act of the saving power of God was revealed behind a curtain—a veil. Only the High Priest could enter this place where God “revealed” His act of righteousness. If you chase this word back through several layers of the Greek root words (Strong’s nos. 1343, 1342, 1349, 1166), you find that it is speaking of God’s act of self-disclosure—the revealing of His holiness which produced His righteous (fair, just) act against man’s sin. Behind the veil, God’s justice was performed against the sinfulness of man. In a sense, God’s holiness collided with man’s sinfulness and a sacrifice was presented and consumed (accepted) by God.
In the Gospel, God’s holiness and justice are combined, and therefore God’s righteousness is revealed. In salvation, Jesus Christ became the acceptable sacrifice that satisfied all sin for all time (propitiation). As Jesus, the Son of God first revealed sin, then became sin on behalf of man, and finally presented Himself as the accepted sacrifice. The Gospel’s power is only through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ on an old rugged cross on Mount Calvary. The power of the cross of Jesus became evident that day when darkness fell during midday and a great earthquake occurred. The veil of the Holy of Holies was ripped from top to bottom and numerous graves let loose some of the spirits of the saints of old. All these events turned the mystery of God’s righteousness from a hidden, mysterious place of encounter, to the Person who became the Sacrifice. (Cf. Matt.27:45, 51-53)

Now man can receive the power of salvation from that same Sacrifice if he receives it the way in which it was revealed: from (ek = origin; from out of) faith to (eis = into) faith; that is, from a reliance, a conviction, a trust (faith) in salvation’s origin (Christ) that places a person into a position of salvation by believing in (acting into) the power of salvation’s origin, Jesus Christ. Salvation is in Christ and in Christ alone because no other being or person has met God’s requirement as an accepted sacrifice. And none other has been resurrected and received into the Father’s presence as an Eternal Testament of God’s righteousness. A person has salvation (deliverance) from his sin if he is now in Christ. In Christ, a person is justified.

AS IT IS WRITTEN, “THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” – (a quote from Habakkuk 2:4) Salvation’s revelation has an Old Testament history. This verse, from Habakkuk focuses on the channel by which it is revealed (received). It literally reads, “The (but) just by faith shall live.” It is written; therefore it is final. There can be no add-ons to the cross of Calvary. When the accepted sacrifice was consumed, there was nothing left behind. The only place where a person is just (justified) is in Christ. IN CHRIST is where the just shall live by faith. The verb tense is future middle, signifying eternal living on the basis of the subject’s action. Some may confuse this with man being the subject, but he is not. It is man IN CHRIST! The position of the justified ones is in Christ. It is there that “by faith” becomes an innocent trust and reliance upon Jesus to meet all needs and fulfill all spiritual promises. Real spiritual living is one faith experience after another in the revelation of God’s word, “as it is written,” and reveals the reality of a life of faith.

APPLICATION: Do you believe that Jesus Christ bore your sins on the cross? Do you understand how the cross of Christ reveals God’s righteousness and His holiness? What makes the Gospel powerful? How does that power affect the everyday follower of Christ? What does it mean to you when you read that salvation is IN Christ? (Emphasis intended)
The justified ones shall live by faith. How do you define the phrase, “shall live by faith,” in your lifestyle? That is, what does it mean to live by faith? Are you living by faith now? If “Yes,” write down an example or two. Next, take your example into the Scriptures to see if they match up with any of faith’s hall of fame, described in Hebrews 11.

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