Romans 1:16

Romans 1:16 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.

Jesus said that when He returns, He will be ashamed of whoever is ashamed of Him and his words. The gospel message, of universal human sin and the power of divine redemption, offends the world and the world hates the message. The world has no problem with a Jesus who was a great teacher of ethics and morals or with anyone being a follower of Jesus through self-effort, but does not want to hear about the sin of a human race they consider to be basically good. Not only are they offended by the truth of their sin; they are also offended by God’s solution for their sin, the cross of Calvary. If that were not enough, they are offended further because the gospel message does not include salvation through man made gods and false religions of their imagination. How should Christians handle these objections in explaining the gospel?

Paul tells us in this verse that he is not ashamed of the gospel and that he will proclaim it as it was delivered to him directly from Jesus Christ. Therefore, he rejects sugar coating the gospel so as not to offend the world. Unfortunately, Paul’s gospel is a gospel that many today, that claim Christ, do not proclaim. Instead, they edit, discard, ignore, reinterpret, and minimize portions they are ashamed to preach to the world. There is currently a movement that denies Christ’s death as atonement for the sin of believers. They call themselves followers in the way of Jesus and they are ashamed of the gospel as Paul lays it out in Romans. Other highly educated professing “Christian” scholars assert that redemption and salvation can be obtained by religions other than Christianity. They are ashamed of the gospel as presented in Romans and by the words of Jesus (John 14:6). Other false teachers fill huge mega-churches and preach a message of using Christianity to achieve health and wealth. They are ashamed of the true gospel that might cause a mass exodus from their services and collection plate.

Praise God that Paul was not ashamed of the gospel and presented it in great detail in the Book of Romans!

Romans 1:7-15

Romans 1:7-15 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. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine. I want you to know, 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. I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

Just as Air Force pilots are under obligation to the Air Force due to their very expensive training, Paul asserts in verse 14 that he is also under obligation. In this epistle to the Christians in Rome, Paul states that he is under obligation to preach the gospel of God. After beginning this epistle by explaining his call, role, and purpose, Paul in these verses turns to addressing the recipients of his call to apostleship. By addressing this letter to the saints in Rome he is, by extension in scope, including all future believers. What is the gospel of God that Paul referred to in verse 1?

The gospel is the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ, and Paul says he is under obligation to preach it to the believers in Rome. What reason would he have to preach the gospel to believers other than to insure that they understood it correctly? While salvation comes from faith and not knowledge, it is obvious that Paul, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, asserts the importance of correct doctrinal knowledge. In the Epistle to the Romans, Paul thoroughly explains the gospel of God for both believers and unbelievers. This is a gospel that is in eclipse in our day as many claim Christ but refuse to believe parts that go against worldly principles. Others claim that the gospel is not valid at all or if it is valid, the details are not important. Praise God that Paul has thoroughly explained it for those who have ears to hear both now and forevermore.

Romans 1:6

Romans 1:6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

Paul, in this verse, tells the Romans they are included in those who are called to the obedience of the faith. They are also called to belong to Jesus Christ. What does it mean to belong to Jesus Christ? This is made clear by Paul later in Romans 8:9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. Therefore, those that are called by Christ, have faith in Christ, belong to Christ, and have the Spirit of God dwelling in them.

Believers, through regeneration and faith, have the Spirit of God dwelling in them and belong to Christ. They have been called for the purpose of belonging to Christ. That is why Jesus said in John 10 that my sheep know my voice and listen to me. Jesus has equipped his sheep to know His voice, listen and follow Him. While His sheep will sometimes lose their way and get lost, He has promised that He will not lose or permit anyone to snatch His sheep from His hand.

Praise God that being called to faith in Jesus Christ means a believer belongs to Christ and is secure from all dangers. Believers are also enabled to follow Christ and, through the POWER of the Holy Spirit, they will succeed even though they stumble along the way to their eternal home.

Romans 1:5

Romans 1:5 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,

Paul acknowledges in this verse that his apostleship, like all the other apostles, came directly from the call and grace of Jesus Christ, and none of those called responded by telling Jesus they would think and pray about it and get back to him. No, this grace was applied to Paul and the other Apostles with divine POWER and they obeyed and followed immediately. This power enables humans to willingly abandon their bondage to the flesh and follow Christ. For Paul this happened on the Road to Damascus. There have never been or will there ever be any other apostles but these, and anyone else that claims to be an apostle or prophet of God is a false apostle or prophet.

Next in this verse Paul tells the purpose for which he was called. This purpose was and is to bring about the obedience of faith to all nations. God called and made known His gospel to Paul. In His gospel, righteousness is required and the only way for human beings to obtain this righteousness is through obedience. However, the obedience needed is not one of works or law keeping, but is an obedience of faith in Jesus Christ. Through faith, the righteousness of Jesus Christ is credited to the person exercising this faith.

Lastly, Paul tells us why God has provided grace to planet earth. It is for the sake of His name. This is another way of saying it is for His glory! Praise God that He called Paul, in a very dramatic way on the Road to Damascus, to save sinners in a manner that does more than make salvation possible. It secures salvation for those God calls.

Romans 1:4

Romans 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,

The many prophets and founders of all the false religions throughout history share one thing in common. They all died when their bell tolled and stayed dead just like everyone who has ever lived except for one person. This proved they were peddling a false, powerless religion. In contrast, Jesus Christ demonstrated, through many miracles and his resurrection from the dead, that he was indeed the Messiah that the prophets of the Old Testament predicted would come and deliver his people. Jesus told his disciples exactly what was going to happen with His crucifixion before it happened and then met with them after his resurrection to prove he had risen and to give them their instructions. In addition to these Apostles, He was seen by over 500 witnesses. Paul, as recorded in Acts 17:30-31, explained why Jesus was raised from the dead:

“The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

God demonstrated His power by declaring that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and He is commanding all people everywhere to repent. Notice that Paul does not say that God is inviting and asking people to let him come into their hearts. No, God is commanding people everywhere to repent and believe because the times of ignorance is over.

Romans 1 Photo Devotionals

1. Romans 1:1
2. Romans 1:2-3
3. Romans 1:4
4. Romans 1:5
5. Romans 1:6
6. Romans 1:7-15
7. Romans 1:16
8. Romans 1:17
9. Romans 1:18
10. Romans 1:19-20
11. Romans 1:21
12. Romans 1:22-23
13. Romans 1:24-25
14. Romans 1:26-27
15. Romans 1:28-32

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Caution Loons at work!

CAUTION LOONS AT WORK!
The global warming hysteria lunacy will soon begin to cost America in an extreme way if this government is handed over to democrats……………

Obama said in January, 2008:
”So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can; it's just that it will bankrupt them because they're going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that's being emitted.”

Since 50% of our electricity is generated by coal, this is very serious. Oh, by the way these extremists do not want to use nuclear either. They want to rely on things that might be developed by and by. Instead of developing these things first and then doing an orderly transition, they want to press on full steam ahead.......

America, I know you are mad at George Bush, but do we really want to turn our prospertity and well being over to these LOONS!!!!!