Romans 1:16-17 - Part 1

Please take your Bibles and join me in Romans chapter 1.

Romans 1 · chapter mention

Our text for today at long last is Romans chapter 1, verses 16 and 17.

Romans 1:16

!

Verse 16 and 17 state the thesis or the theme of the entirety of the letter, and we must be careful to get these verses rightly understood.

I'm grateful that over the coming, let me suggest, years, we will be unpacking the content of these two verses.

The pastor, Martin Lloyd-Jones, in his preaching of these verses, which he preached four sermons on, said,

I suppose that, in a sense, there are no two verses of greater importance in the whole of Scripture than the two verses which we are now considering.

You see, if we misunderstand these verses, then we will find ourselves misunderstanding the gospel itself.

If we don't get these verses right, our evangelism will go awry, and we will lose our ability to be effective witnesses to our great salvation.

We will either get the message itself wrong, or we will get the methodology of preaching that message wrong, and likely both.

However, if we, by the power of the Spirit, can rightly understand these two verses and Paul's expounding of them over the next 16 chapters,

then perhaps we can be used of God to see his kingdom advance, and there is no greater joy for the Christian than to be joined in God's purpose in the world.

So, with the weight these two verses deserve, and with the favor of our God, let's read them and work to wrap our minds around their meaning this morning.

Before I read just these two verses, let me remind you, beloved, that this is God's word to us.

It was written for his glory and our good, and so we would do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises, to obey its commands.

Paul writes,

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for our salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith.

As it is written, the righteous shall live by faith.

These two verses contain the theme of Paul's letter to the Roman believers, which I've stated before.

Justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

If we are ever to be declared before God as a righteous judge, justified, forgiven, found righteous,

this will happen by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

Before we consider these verses at length, I would like to point out the logical progression of Paul's writing.

Note the word for at the very beginning of verse 16.

Paul's writing is full of for's and therefore's.

One assertion building on the next.

We have in our text today a four at the beginning, another halfway through verse 16, another at the beginning of verse 17,

and then we will see one at the beginning of verse 18, verse 19, and verse 20.

A therefore at the beginning of verse 24, and two fours in verse 26.

All of these are just the fours and therefore's that begin in verse 16 and go through the end of the chapter.

And I point this out to you simply to show you the logical progression of Paul's case.

And this is the way that he most regularly wrote and ministered the gospel.

Acts chapter 17, beginning in verse 2, we see the record that Paul went in as was his custom.

Acts 17 · chapter mention

And on three Sabbath days, he reasoned with them from the scriptures,

explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead and saying,

this Jesus whom I proclaim to you is the Christ.

And then Luke records for us in verse 4 of Acts 17,

and some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas.

This was his regular habit.

He reasoned with people.

The great reformer Martin Luther would say to those who disagreed with him,

show me from the scripture and plain reason.

Help me to think and to understand.

Now, from time to time, Paul seems to become enraptured with some glorious truth of God

and erupt into praise in the form of a doxology.

I'm thankful for those texts.

But most often, he progresses neatly from one assertion to the next,

which means we must be careful to pay attention to the entirety of his argument if we want to understand it.

And it's a danger with all the Bible to take it out and selectively look at passages,

little texts here and there.

People have erred greatly across history in doing so.

I think especially with Paul and especially with Romans,

we need to see the progressive argument that he is making.

This is going to become increasingly important as our study through this letter continues.

How do we rightly understand Romans chapter 9 and 10 and 11 in light of chapter 1, verse 16 and 17?

Romans 9 · chapter mention

We need to work to get this correct today.

In the case of this very first four in verse 16, in light of all that I said,

let's note what precedes it in verses 14 and 15.

Paul says there,

I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.

So I'm eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

He speaks in verse 5 of chapter 1 of being sent to bring about the obedience of faith

for the sake of his name among all the nations.

And he sees this as an obligation, as stated in verse 14.

But it's not an obligation he takes up begrudgingly,

but with eagerness, he tells us in verse 15.

So why?

Why is Paul so eager under this obligation to preach the gospel to all peoples?

He tells us, verse 16,

for, because I am not ashamed of the gospel,

for it's the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes,

to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Paul says,

I have been sent to the nations, so as a servant of Christ Jesus,

see verse 1.

I am obligated to Jews and Gentiles, verse 14.

And I am eager to preach to everyone because

the gospel is the power of God

for salvation.

Paul is eager to see the power of the gospel

on display amongst those

in Rome.

But note,

he inserts a curious phrase before declaring

that the gospel is the power of God

for salvation.

He could have simply said that,

but he says,

I am not ashamed of the gospel,

for it is the power of God

for salvation.

I am not ashamed

of the gospel.

Paul here uses a literary technique

that he uses

elsewhere.

I'll spare you the details

of that technique.

But what he does is he makes his point

in stating the negative

of that point.

He says,

I am not ashamed of the gospel,

by which we understand

that he is instead

proud of the gospel.

But why not simply say that?

Why not just say,

I do this,

I am eager to do it,

because I am proud of this gospel message

in which I preach.

The opposite is true.

He is proud of it.

But why state it in the negative form instead?

He says,

I am not ashamed

of the gospel.

Now, it is, of course,

difficult to know

the mind of Paul,

but I wholeheartedly believe

he does so

because we tend toward

being ashamed,

not toward being proud

of the gospel.

Perhaps he had heard

that the Roman believers

needed to be encouraged

in this way.

But I think more likely

he knew

that his tendency

and ours,

the Roman believers' tendency,

is toward shame,

towards feeling ashamed

of the gospel

rather than towards being

proud

of the gospel.

And I can think of at least

two reasons

that this may be the case,

why we might

tend towards feeling ashamed

of the gospel.

Number one,

the gospel doesn't speak

to the world

using the world's economy.

It begins metaphysically,

a baby born to a virgin.

It is saturated

with humility,

a baby born

to insignificant people

in an insignificant place,

laid in a manger,

worshipped by shepherds,

a savior trained

as a carpenter

with nowhere

to lay his head,

traveling around

with an insignificant,

bumbling band

of men,

saying things

like this,

blessed

are the poor

in spirit,

for theirs

is the kingdom

of heaven.

Blessed are those

who mourn,

for they

shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,

for they shall inherit

the earth.

Blessed are those

who hunger

and thirst

for righteousness,

for they

shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful,

for they shall receive

mercy.

Blessed are the pure

in heart,

for they

shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they shall be called

sons of God.

Blessed are those

who are persecuted

for righteousness' sake,

for theirs

is the kingdom

of heaven.

Jesus came

and flipped

the logic

of the world

upside down.

And they were

looking for him

to be a Christ

that would come

and ride victorious

and defeat Rome

on behalf

of Israel.

But instead,

our Savior

was a Savior

who was crucified

on a cross.

The world

is inclined

to listen

to messages

that are about

self-worth

and about pride.

Messages that tell

people that they

are valuable

and worthy

and generally

just okay.

But beloved,

the gospel

does not begin

with this message.

The gospel

begins

with humility.

It begins

with brokenness

over sin.

It begins

with offense.

The good news

at first

is bad news

apart from the

saving work

of Jesus Christ

by grace alone,

through faith alone,

in Christ alone.

We are

utterly wretched

of no spiritual worth,

rebels against

our maker.

The gospel

begins

with

humility.

It becomes

good news

to people

who are broken,

humbled

because of their sin.

the Puritan

Thomas Watson

once said,

until sin

be bitter,

Christ

will not

be sweet.

If a

quote-unquote

gospel

is being preached

that agrees

with the carnal man,

then we must

become very

suspect

of that gospel

because it is

likely not

the gospel

at all.

The gospel

first

offends

the unbelieving

person

because it

strikes

at their

pride.

But if it

has

its good

effect,

then it

brings him

low

that God

might

exalt

him

in Jesus.

The gospel

first

breaks

that it

might

build

up.

So the

world

is not

inclined

to like

this message

and it's

inclined

to push

back

against

this

message

which

can

in our

hearts

make us

ashamed

of this

message.

The second

reason that I

can think

of that we

might become

ashamed of

the message

is that the

gospel isn't

a philosophical

system designed

to be mused

over.

It's not just

ideas to be

thought about.

It demands

obedience,

decision,

allegiance.

It requires

something

of us.

The world

loves to

speak and

think about

things that

have no

real bearing

on life.

Those of

you who

have taken

a philosophy

course have

been exposed

to this.

You maybe

take the

easy A,

but you

think,

what are

we doing?

Paul

certainly

had been

exposed to

this.

This is

not a

new thing

in our

day.

In

Acts chapter

Acts 17 · chapter mention

17,

again,

we see

recorded,

now,

while Paul

was waiting

for them

at Athens,

his spirit

was provoked

within him

as he saw

that city

was full

of idols.

So he,

here he

again is,

reasoned in

the synagogue

with the

Jews and

the devout

persons and

in the

marketplace

every day

with those

who happened

to be

there.

Some of

the Epicurean

and Stoic

philosophers

also conversed

with him

and some

said,

what does

this babbler

wish to

say?

Others

said,

he seems

to be a

preacher

of foreign

divinities

because he

was preaching

Jesus

and the

resurrection.

And they

took him

and brought

him to

the

Oropagus

saying,

may we

know what

this new

teaching is

that you

are presenting

for you

bring some

strange thing

to our

ears.

We wish

to know

therefore

what these

things

mean.

Now all

the Athenians,

Luke tells

us,

and the

foreigners

who lived

there would

spend their

time in

nothing except

telling or

hearing something

new.

Later on in

the chapter,

Luke records,

now when they

heard the

resurrection of

the dead,

some mocked.

Some mocked

Paul.

His message

was just getting

a little too

weird for them.

And he

expected something

of them.

in verse

30,

he stated,

the times

of ignorance

God

overlooked,

but now

he commands

all people

everywhere

to repent.

Gospel

message is

not merely

a thing

to be thought

about and

mulled over,

but something

to respond

to.

It demands

something

of us.

The gospel

doesn't pull

any punches.

It calls

people to

repent

and believe.

Turn from

your sin,

dear sinner,

and throw

yourself on

the mercies

of God

in Christ.

The world

thinks itself

wise,

and it

wants to

take up

ideas that

have no

real

consequence.

The gospel

has consequence.

Paul writes

to the

Corinthian

believers

in 1

Corinthians

3,

18,

let no

one deceive

himself,

if anyone

among you

thinks that

he is wise

in this

age,

let him

become a

fool

that he

may become

wise.

I had a

conversation

with family

members a

couple of

days ago

who were

wrestling with

how to best

love their

lesbian

neighbors

with the

truth.

A couple

who had

lived together

and were

quote unquote

married for

some years

brothers.

And their

well-meaning

concern was

the gospel's

offense at

their identity

as a couple.

And they

asked the

question,

how should

we approach

them?

The concern,

I think,

well-meaning

concern was

that they

would be

offensive to

them and

that maybe

they wouldn't

be able to

talk to

them again.

And I

just replied,

simply say,

we love

you.

And because

we love

you,

flee from

the wrath

to come.

This life

is but a

vapor,

and it

will be

over in

a moment,

and then

you'll stand

before God

in judgment.

Flee from

the wrath

to come.

To withhold

this from

them is

altogether

unloving.

Each and

every one

of us

have heard

and need

to hear,

flee from

the wrath

to come.

Flee to

Christ.

Find the

salvation of

your soul,

your justification

before God

by grace

alone,

through faith

alone,

in Christ

alone.

Beloved,

for the good

of all

mankind,

we must

join with

Paul in

declaring we

are not

ashamed of

the gospel.

The gospel

is powerful

to save,

but it will

offend.

It will

offend.

And we

must be

aware that

the temptation

in our

hearts is

to be

ashamed of

it,

to shrink

back when

we should

press

forward,

to boldly

proclaim

this truth.

This world

is in

desperate

need

of the

gospel.

Paul

continues

to build

his

argument.

He's not

ashamed of

the gospel

for,

because,

it is

the power

of God

for salvation

to everyone

who believes.

God's

word in

the

gospel.

The great

trouble of

the

Christianity

of our

day

and our

culture

is

pragmatism.

It is a

cancer in

the bones

of the

church.

And that

is,

I think,

well-meaning

people,

wanting to

see people

respond in

faith to

the gospel

will justify

any means

to get

people to

that

ends.

They've

abandoned

God's

ways.

They've

abandoned

his

word

in

order

to

convince

people

to

follow

Christ.

And the

concern

becomes,

are people

truly

following

the

Lord

Jesus?

Have

they

repented

and

believed

if we

haven't

preached

to

them

the

gospel?

If

we've

said

to

them,

you're

generally

okay,

and what

you need

is a

little

extra,

a little

additive

to your

life.

If we

haven't

said

to

them,

you

are

altogether

unrighteous,

and what

you need

is what

the

reformers

called

an alien

righteousness,

a righteousness

that comes

from someone

else,

the righteousness

of Christ,

then aren't

we just

damning

them to

labor

harder,

to do

more,

that they

might gain

their way

to God?

The

gospel

message is

the means

that God

uses to

bring about

the salvation

of his

people.

You

were

desperately

lost

apart

from

Christ.

Christ

lived the

life

that's

required

of

you.

He

died

the

death

that

you

deserve,

that

in

him

you

might

be

forgiven

of

your

sins

and

you

might

have

his

righteousness.

The

great

exchange,

double

imputation,

!

This

wonderful

doctrine

that we

can be

restored

to

God

in

Jesus.

God

will

bear

up

under

the

weight

of

a

world

that

is

hostile

toward

the

gospel

if

we

don't

believe

that

it

is

the

power

of

God

for

salvation

to

everyone

who

believes.

If

we

think

somehow

our

methodology

will

convince

people

to

follow

Christ

in

a

world

that

is

vastly

and

rapidly

becoming

post-Christian.

Paul

had

certainly

had

his

allegiance

tested.

He

did not

live in

an easy

time

to

proclaim

this

gospel.

He

tells

the

Corinthian

believers

in

2

2 Corinthians 11:24

Corinthians

chapter

11

verse

24

and

following

five

times

I

received

at

the

hands

of

the

Jews

the

forty

lashes

less

one

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

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

in

often

without

food

in

cold

and

exposure

and

none

of us

can

identify

with

Paul

in

this

way

and

yet

Paul

says

I

am

not

ashamed

of

the

gospel

for

it

is

the

power

of

God

for

salvation

to

everyone

who

believes

and

he

just

kept

right

on

preaching

it

why

why

would

we

be

ashamed

Paul

knew

that

the

gospel

was

powerful

to

save

and

that

it

must

!

preached

he

says

later

in

the

book

of

Romans

Romans 10 · chapter mention

chapter

10

and

verse

14

how

then

will

they

call

on

him

in

whom

they

have

not

believed

and

how

are

they

to

believe

in

him

whom

they

have

never

heard

and

how

are

they

to

hear

without

someone

preaching

Paul

didn't

separate

himself

from

the

means

of

God

using

the

gospel

powerfully

to

save

people

now

evangelicals

have

been

historically

good

at

guilting

congregants

into

being

shares

of

the

gospel

and

this

is

not

my

goal

here

let me

remind

you

that

Paul

expresses

his

obligation

in

verse

14

but

also

his

eagerness

in

verse

15

his

task

was

a

joyful

task

because

he

was

not

ashamed

of

the

gospel

because

it

is

the

power

of

God

for

salvation

to

everyone

who

believes

so

we

have

a

message

that

we

ought

not

be

ashamed

of

right

a

message

that

it

ought

to

be

a

great

joy

for

us

to

share

with

others

to

call

to

others

to

repent

and

believe

to

flee

from

the

wrath

to

come

to

turn

from

your

sin

and

turn

to

Christ

I

have

found

the

salvation

of

my

soul

the

gospel

is

the

power

of

God

to

save

me

and

I

want

joy

of

a

Christian

ought

to

see

others

turn

in

faith

to

Christ

to

see

the

power

of

God

alive

and

active

in

their

lives

as

well

this

good

news

is

the

driving

motivation

of

the

Christian

life

it

is

the

theme

of

this

great

letter

and

the

theme

of

Paul's

life

it

was

the

theme

of

King

David's

life

he

declares

in

Psalm

Psalms 40:9

40

verse

9

and

10

I

have

told

the

news

of

deliverance

in

the

great

congregation

behold

I

have

not

restrained

my

lips

as

you

know

oh

Lord

I

have

not

hidden

your

deliverance

within

my

heart

I

have

spoken

of

your

faithfulness

and

your

salvation

I

have

not

concealed

your

steadfast

love

and

your

faithfulness

from

the

great

congregation

the

gospel

ought

to

also

be

the

theme

of

our

lives

for

our

good

for

the

good

of

others

to

the

glory

of

God

we

ought

not

be

ashamed

of

the

gospel

oh

my

look at

what

time

it's

gotten

to

be

we

going

to

stop

at

this

point

perhaps

the

Lord

wants

us

to

consider

this

over

this

next

month

and

we'll

pick

back

up

the

rest

of

our

study

of

this

text

when

we

come

back

together

off

of

Advent

season

to

Romans

let

conclude

with

a

quotation

from

Charles

Spurgeon

he once

wrote

if

sinners

be

damned

at

least

let

them

leap

to

hell

over

our

dead

bodies

and

if

they

perish

let

them

perish

with

our

arms

wrapped

about

their

knees

imploring

them

to

stay

if

hell

must

be

filled

let

it

be

filled

in

the

teeth

of

our

exertions

and

let

not

one

go

unwarned

and

unprayed

for

let's

pray

together

as