November 13, 2014
Romans 1-3
For five days, we read Romans. I pray we read it slowly and thoughtfully. Of all Paul’s letters, it is his most complete and powerful description of the good news (gospel). And what is this good news? Sinners though we are, we can be made right with God (we can be justified) through faith in Jesus Christ, and we can live the life of love through the power of the Holy Spirit!
Now, these first three chapters don’t sound much like good news. They are somewhat depressing. Chapter 1 warns us of God’s wrath against all wickedness, and how God “gave folks over” to unrighteousness because of their futile thinking and foolish hearts. Chapter 2 reminds us that, because of the law, we sinners are without excuse! Chapter 3 gathers together the Old Testament testimonies that “there is no one righteous, not even one;” and that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
These first chapters set the stage for Paul to describe the gospel in in fuller detail. But even here, we read two brief summaries of the good news:
“I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous will live by faith.” (Romans 1:17-18)
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:23-24)
Your fellow traveler through the New Testament,
Pastor Gary
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