NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL
ROMANS 1:16-17 NKJV
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. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."
There are so many wonderful truths in this epistle. Many people consider Romans to be Paul's greatest letter.
In our verse for today, Paul declares he is not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Then he tells us why.
The good news of Jesus and what he did for us in His death, burial, and resurrection is the power of God to salvation. And salvation involves more than simply heaven when we die. Salvation means deliverance, welfare, and prosperity. Salvation involves deliverance from the curse of the law and sin. Salvation is a big word in the scriptures and includes healing and victory. No wonder Paul is not ashamed of this gospel.
However, there is a condition to salvation. This gospel of Christ is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. Salvation is available to all men and women. But salvation is accessed by faith. This is why Paul would write the church at Ephesus and tell them by grace we are saved through faith.
The wonderful thing about salvation belonging to all who believe in Jesus is that we do not have to work our way to God.
Paul goes on to state that in the gospel of Christ, the righteousness of God is revealed. Righteousness, in simple terms, means being made right in God's sight.
Once again, being made right with God is through faith in Jesus Christ. We are not righteous through our own efforts. But by believing in Jesus, a huge door is opened to us.
Our faith in Jesus opens the door to God's salvation, and that leads to more faith. Paul declares that the just, those made right with God, live by faith.
APPLICATION:
This is a great confession to make about our lives today. We are not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.
The gospel of Jesus is still the power of God to salvation for everyone who will simply believe. By faith, we enter into God's Kingdom, and by faith, we continue to live and walk in His Kingdom.
We have not exhausted the depths of God's salvation in our lives. We can always grow more, learn more, gain insight, see more light.
We are not ashamed.
PRAYER:
Lord thank You for what You have done for me. I am thankful now and will remain thankful throughout the ages to come for my salvation.