The Power of the Gospel

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." Romans 1:16-17

Paul concludes the introduction to his letter to the Romans with this famous summary statement about the gospel and his relationship to it.

He begins with a magnificent piece of understatement - "I am not ashamed of the gospel." What Paul means is that he is very confident and proud of the gospel. This sums up all that he has already said about his relationship to this gospel message in the previous passage:

- he has been set apart for its service (v. 1)
- he serves God with his whole heart by preaching it (v. 9)
- he is internally motivated by it and eager to preach it (v. 14-15)

Now he sums up his attitude by saying he is "not ashamed" of it. No wonder he was proud of the gospel! He had personally experienced its power - having been changed from a hater of the Christians to a devoted follower of their Lord; having been transformed from a rule-keeper to a man who was overwhelmed by the grace and kindness of God.

Furthermore, Paul had seen this same gospel transform thousands of others across the Roman Empire as it had been preached in city after city and nation after nation. This gospel had broken down the age-old racial hostility between Jews and Gentiles and had brought about reconciliation between people from both groups as they believed in Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

Paul was extremely confident in the gospel.

How tragic, therefore, when those who profess the Christian faith are more impressed by other things and less impressed by the gospel!

How tragic that pop psychology is more influential in the mindset of many professing Christians than the message of the gospel. What a disaster it is when churches are more driven by marketing, management theory or popularism than they are by an overwhelming confidence in the good news of salvation!

Later, we shall see why Paul is so proud of the gospel and committed to its proclamation. For now, let's let him speak for himself: