Romans 1:16-17 The Gospel of Christ
Have you ever been “haunted” or harassed by a verse of scripture? I have been haunted by the fact that I hardly know the “Power of God” that is the Gospel. I Timothy 3:16 is the “enfleshment” of that Gospel, but what does it mean that the Gospel is the Power of God? That will be our pursuit in the next several studies. Romans 1:16-17 will serve as the Biblical Anchor and loose outline for our search.
Vs 16 “For I am not ashamed// of the Gospel of Christ// for it is the Power of God unto salvation// for everyone who believes// for the Jew first and also for the Greek// Vs 17 For in it the Righteousness of God is REVEALED// from faith to faith; as it is written, the Just shall live by faith.” The slash marks will give you a rough idea of the “outline” of our study.
Nothing to be Ashamed of !!
Why would Paul even mention such an idea, shame regarding the Gospel of Christ? He certainly had no “issues” with the Gospel, but perhaps he had heard questions or was anticipating second thoughts about this Gospel. The Gospel of Christ “flies in the face of usual Gentile philosophies as well as Jewish, that is Pharisaical traditions. What does the Gospel have to offer in the face of such “vaunted” thinking, it’s just “words”. Consider the following "negatives" that might influence the "wavering believer."
I. Consider the reception to the Gospel of Christ in Paul’s experience:
In Damascus Acts 9:20-25: At the very outset of his calling, Paul was to be told that "he is a chosen vessel of mine to bear My Name before Gentiles, kings and the children of Israel." Now that is pretty impressive--if only his "ordination" had stopped there. But it goes on, "for I will show him how many things he must suffer for My Names sake." And so begins this "glorious ministry". His first foray into ministry was such a success that the Jews plotted to kill him and he had to be let down over the wall of Damascus to safety! I leave it to you to explore his other successes in Jerusalem Acts 9:29; in Antioch Acts 13:46-52; in Iconium Acts 14:1-7; in Philippi Acts 16:19-25; in Thessalonica Acts 17:5-9; in Berea Acts 17:13-15; in Athens Acts 17:18-20, 32; in Corinth Acts 18:6; Back in Jerusalem Acts 21:28. And then there is Agrippa’s estimation of Paul’s Gospel and sanity–“you are mad.” Really successful ministry, just like they teach you in seminary!
II. Consider the “glorious” ministry of the Apostles:
I Corinthians 4:9-13 They were fools for Christ’s sake, “made as the filth of the world.” So much for nice "deputation trips" to friendly folk to support the ministry in your best suit and tie, speaking your most glorious sermons. The Apostles missed that lecture.
III. Consider the “attractiveness” of the Gospel to its “hearers”.
I Corinthians 1:18-25 “The message (word) of the cross (the Gospel) is foolishness to those who are perishing.” It is foolishness to those who need it most, dead hearers!
Note: This passage implies that the Gospel itself, the “foolishness of the message preached” (vs 18), is God’s attack on the wisdom of this world. The wisdom of this world has its roots in the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and the forbidden tree is cursed from the very beginning. Human intellect, apart from a new creation, a new mind born of the Spirit of God, will never bring anyone to God!!! (I John 5:20-21) As Romans 1 & 2 teach us, human intellect would sooner create its own god out of sticks and stones than fall before the Lord of Heaven and Earth!
Vs 23 The crucified Christ is an offense to the proud legalism of the Jew. All of his effort is futile! The crucified Christ is foolishness to the Gentile philosophers and intellectuals.
II Timothy 3:7 Remember Paul’s “last days” warning to Timothy (vs 1-9). Men will have a form of godliness, but will deny its power. Now notice vs 7, “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” That is the tree of knowledge run amok among professing christians.
Vs 25-31 “Because the Foolishness of God is Wiser that men, and the Weakness of God is Stronger than men.” Its as though God is arm wrestling humanity with only His Fingertips.
God’s entire “Gospel Method” is designed to destroy every fragment of fleshly glory. No human effort, no matter how polished, no matter how vaunted by humanity, even moral humanity, can exist in God’s Holy Presence. Christ Jesus alone, His Wisdom, His Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption alone, this is the only Humanity allowed in God’s Presence.(vs 30) And as Colossians 2:10 says, “and you are complete IN HIM.”
IV. Consider the manner of it’s presentation–the “dynamic” of the speaker.
I Corinthians 2:1-5 Vs 1 Paul “did not come with excellence of speech.” The orators and philosophers in Athens considered him a “babbler”, untrained, plain speaking, no booming oratory. People wern’t drawn to the Gospel because Paul held them “spell bound”.
Vs 3 His physical presence “was in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.” I would imagine Paul did most of his teaching sitting down–so his knees didn’t knock together.
Vs 4 His “speech and preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom.” No polished oratory from the lips of Paul.
Why such a frail presentation and messenger? “That no flesh should glory in His Presence” Such a description doesn't quite fit with our usual concept of Paul. How can such a giant in the faith be so weak? So we create an imaginary Paul to fit the fiction of our "success god". No Paul wanted his hearers to know only one thing--Christ and Him crucified!!
More than just words, what the Gospel Is.
I Corinthians 2:4, 6-15 Vs 4 First of all, the Gospel preached must be “in demonstration of the Spirit and of Power.” Jesus must be seen, not the vessel. Jesus alone can save, and that is in His Bloody Form, not tidied up with flowery speech.
Vs 7 The Gospel is the Wisdom of God in a Mystery. Fallen humans have no capacity to understand this mystery. (Vs 9)
Vs 10 The Gospel is revealed! Everything in the Gospel is a revelation from God. (Rom 1:17)
Vs 11-14 The only Agent of that revelation is the Holy Spirit. The dead man (the natural man) “does not (can not) receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him.” Remember I Cor 1:18?
John 3:6-7 Jesus told Nicodemus, “That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said unto you, ‘You mus be born again”.
John 6:63 “It is the Spirit Who gives life: THE FLESH PROFITS NOTHING.” I might add, either in the preaching or the reception of the Gospel, the flesh profits nothing.
Have you ever been “haunted” or harassed by a verse of scripture? I have been haunted by the fact that I hardly know the “Power of God” that is the Gospel. I Timothy 3:16 is the “enfleshment” of that Gospel, but what does it mean that the Gospel is the Power of God? That will be our pursuit in the next several studies. Romans 1:16-17 will serve as the Biblical Anchor and loose outline for our search.
Vs 16 “For I am not ashamed// of the Gospel of Christ// for it is the Power of God unto salvation// for everyone who believes// for the Jew first and also for the Greek// Vs 17 For in it the Righteousness of God is REVEALED// from faith to faith; as it is written, the Just shall live by faith.” The slash marks will give you a rough idea of the “outline” of our study.
Nothing to be Ashamed of !!
Why would Paul even mention such an idea, shame regarding the Gospel of Christ? He certainly had no “issues” with the Gospel, but perhaps he had heard questions or was anticipating second thoughts about this Gospel. The Gospel of Christ “flies in the face of usual Gentile philosophies as well as Jewish, that is Pharisaical traditions. What does the Gospel have to offer in the face of such “vaunted” thinking, it’s just “words”. Consider the following "negatives" that might influence the "wavering believer."
I. Consider the reception to the Gospel of Christ in Paul’s experience:
In Damascus Acts 9:20-25: At the very outset of his calling, Paul was to be told that "he is a chosen vessel of mine to bear My Name before Gentiles, kings and the children of Israel." Now that is pretty impressive--if only his "ordination" had stopped there. But it goes on, "for I will show him how many things he must suffer for My Names sake." And so begins this "glorious ministry". His first foray into ministry was such a success that the Jews plotted to kill him and he had to be let down over the wall of Damascus to safety! I leave it to you to explore his other successes in Jerusalem Acts 9:29; in Antioch Acts 13:46-52; in Iconium Acts 14:1-7; in Philippi Acts 16:19-25; in Thessalonica Acts 17:5-9; in Berea Acts 17:13-15; in Athens Acts 17:18-20, 32; in Corinth Acts 18:6; Back in Jerusalem Acts 21:28. And then there is Agrippa’s estimation of Paul’s Gospel and sanity–“you are mad.” Really successful ministry, just like they teach you in seminary!
II. Consider the “glorious” ministry of the Apostles:
I Corinthians 4:9-13 They were fools for Christ’s sake, “made as the filth of the world.” So much for nice "deputation trips" to friendly folk to support the ministry in your best suit and tie, speaking your most glorious sermons. The Apostles missed that lecture.
III. Consider the “attractiveness” of the Gospel to its “hearers”.
I Corinthians 1:18-25 “The message (word) of the cross (the Gospel) is foolishness to those who are perishing.” It is foolishness to those who need it most, dead hearers!
Note: This passage implies that the Gospel itself, the “foolishness of the message preached” (vs 18), is God’s attack on the wisdom of this world. The wisdom of this world has its roots in the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and the forbidden tree is cursed from the very beginning. Human intellect, apart from a new creation, a new mind born of the Spirit of God, will never bring anyone to God!!! (I John 5:20-21) As Romans 1 & 2 teach us, human intellect would sooner create its own god out of sticks and stones than fall before the Lord of Heaven and Earth!
Vs 23 The crucified Christ is an offense to the proud legalism of the Jew. All of his effort is futile! The crucified Christ is foolishness to the Gentile philosophers and intellectuals.
II Timothy 3:7 Remember Paul’s “last days” warning to Timothy (vs 1-9). Men will have a form of godliness, but will deny its power. Now notice vs 7, “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” That is the tree of knowledge run amok among professing christians.
Vs 25-31 “Because the Foolishness of God is Wiser that men, and the Weakness of God is Stronger than men.” Its as though God is arm wrestling humanity with only His Fingertips.
God’s entire “Gospel Method” is designed to destroy every fragment of fleshly glory. No human effort, no matter how polished, no matter how vaunted by humanity, even moral humanity, can exist in God’s Holy Presence. Christ Jesus alone, His Wisdom, His Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption alone, this is the only Humanity allowed in God’s Presence.(vs 30) And as Colossians 2:10 says, “and you are complete IN HIM.”
IV. Consider the manner of it’s presentation–the “dynamic” of the speaker.
I Corinthians 2:1-5 Vs 1 Paul “did not come with excellence of speech.” The orators and philosophers in Athens considered him a “babbler”, untrained, plain speaking, no booming oratory. People wern’t drawn to the Gospel because Paul held them “spell bound”.
Vs 3 His physical presence “was in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.” I would imagine Paul did most of his teaching sitting down–so his knees didn’t knock together.
Vs 4 His “speech and preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom.” No polished oratory from the lips of Paul.
Why such a frail presentation and messenger? “That no flesh should glory in His Presence” Such a description doesn't quite fit with our usual concept of Paul. How can such a giant in the faith be so weak? So we create an imaginary Paul to fit the fiction of our "success god". No Paul wanted his hearers to know only one thing--Christ and Him crucified!!
More than just words, what the Gospel Is.
I Corinthians 2:4, 6-15 Vs 4 First of all, the Gospel preached must be “in demonstration of the Spirit and of Power.” Jesus must be seen, not the vessel. Jesus alone can save, and that is in His Bloody Form, not tidied up with flowery speech.
Vs 7 The Gospel is the Wisdom of God in a Mystery. Fallen humans have no capacity to understand this mystery. (Vs 9)
Vs 10 The Gospel is revealed! Everything in the Gospel is a revelation from God. (Rom 1:17)
Vs 11-14 The only Agent of that revelation is the Holy Spirit. The dead man (the natural man) “does not (can not) receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him.” Remember I Cor 1:18?
John 3:6-7 Jesus told Nicodemus, “That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said unto you, ‘You mus be born again”.
John 6:63 “It is the Spirit Who gives life: THE FLESH PROFITS NOTHING.” I might add, either in the preaching or the reception of the Gospel, the flesh profits nothing.