Romans 1:1-7 – A Passionate Introduction of the Gospel

This is the passionate introduction by the Apostle Paul of the greatest Gospel treatise ever written.  It is longest greeting of all of the apostle’s letters = 93 words of greeting.  You will notice how already in the first 7 verses of the letter, everything in his greeting surrounds and is infused with the gospel itself. In the very first words of greeting in this letter, Paul is already talking about the gospel of grace.

Romans 1:1-7 – Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, 7 To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our study will hopefully show you: just how radical the gospel of grace is and just how radical are the claims of truth which Paul presses here.

1. And in the passage before us today, in particular, I want us to begin looking at the gospel immediately, and if you look at the passage in three parts, in verse 1, I think you’re going to see Paul telling you something about him and the authority of that gospel.
2. Then if you look at the end of verse 1 and all the way down to verse 6 you’re going to see Paul telling you something about the nature of the gospel itself. The gospel is rooted in the Old Testament. The gospel is Christ-centered. The gospel is for all the nations.
3. And then if you look at the end of verse 5 and all the way down to verse 7 you’re going to see Paul saying that the gospel is radically transforming. It defines who we are and what we are for.

So let’s look at these verses together today.

I. Who is Delivering this Treatise of the Gospel -  (Romans 1:1 – Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,)

Paul is introducing himself to the Roman Christians.

A. Paul is a Servant of the Messiah

• I don’t come in my own authority = the gospel wasn’t written by men, it is not a man-made religion.
• This is important b/c of the next thing he says

B. Paul is an Apostle

• Paul’s authority comes from the fact that Jesus personally talked to Paul and called him into this life of service.
• Apostle = comes from a word that means “to be sent”
  • Like an ambassador from God
  • In a way, all Christians are apostles
  • But Christ chose 13 men (Twelve, with Matthias replacing Judas and Paul)
  • All of these men had personally talked to Jesus after his resurrection
  • Direct revelation from God.
  • Had sign gifts to prove it.
  • According to Eph. 2:20 their teachings became the foundation of the church
  • Paul was set apart called by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself to be an authoritative messenger and representative of God. And so Paul says, I’m a servant of Christ. I’m not here, as it were, to Lord it over you. But you need to know at the same time that I am an authoritative messenger, a called apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ.
  • And Paul gives us some inkling of what that means in I Thessalonians 2:13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.
    • when you heard me proclaim the truth you understood that my words were not just men’s words, they weren’t just my opinions, my thoughts, my reflections, my experience. It was God’s word. You accepted it for what it is.
    • And in this way the apostle is saying here to the Roman Christians, I am an authoritative messenger, a representative of God.

And then he goes on to say, and I’m a man wholly devoted to proclaiming God’s good news.

C.  Set Apart to the Gospel of God – (1:1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,)

• When a man realizes that he is “set apart” that man is dedicated.

Radical truths in this first verse:

• We live in a day and age where people are uncomfortable with authority and with truth.
• because the world is afraid that that’s going to restrict its freedom to do as it pleases.
• Now, of course, it’s right. It is going to restrict to a certain extent its freedom to do as it pleases. But let me tell you something, authority is the only thing that will save you from authoritarianism. It is only the belief in a transcendent truth that does not change, that saves you from the tyranny of the fifty percent plus one majority.
  • If a man tolerates you only because he believes that there is no truth, or that what truth exists is relative, he can change his mind tomorrow.
  • But if a man tolerates you on transcendent principles that cannot change, you have a relationship which can have some endurance to it. But you take away belief in transcendent truth, you are in trouble.
  • And the apostle Paul comes with truth and authority.
    • It has consequences:
    • It’s freeing.
    • It will affect the whole world.
    • It will affect your whole life. = thoughts, lifestyle, your eternity
    • Not man’s religion or a church’s religion = this is from God.
      • That is why we should embrace this!
      • And we live in a day and age that is not comfortable with truth. We’re much more comfortable with well that works for me. But that’s not how Paul presents the gospel. He doesn’t present the gospel as one of many options that might work for you. He presents it as the one and only truth of how God relates savingly to sinners.
        • If it’s rejected, it means eternal damnation.
        • If it is embraced, it means eternal bliss. It’s that simple. That’s not popular, but that’s what Paul is saying.
        • And I want you to feel something in the force of that in this relativistic, pluralistic age in which we live. Paul is laying down the gauntlet, and he is saying, this is God’s message for you.
        • There’s one way, one gospel, one hope, one Lord.
        • And so the gospel that Paul preaches is authoritative.

II.  What is the Nature of the Gospel — ( 1:1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,)

Looking at vss. 1-6, you’ll see the three great things that Paul says that those Roman Christians need to know about the gospel. Three great things that we still need to know about the gospel:  (A) The gospel is rooted in the Old Testament Scriptures. (B) The gospel is Christ-centered. (C) The gospel is for all people groups.

A. The Gospel is Rooted in the Old Testament Scriptures. – v2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,

• He’s telling us that the New Testament gospel is rooted in the Old Testament Scriptures.
  • Where as the Old Testament is the Old Covenant that was promising the New Covenant – the New Testament is the New Covenant = fulfilling the Old Covenant
  • The New Covenant presentation of the grace of God in Jesus Christ in the gospel is the fruition of, the fulfillment of, what God had already set forth in the Old Covenant Scriptures spoken through the Old Covenant prophets.
  • Paul really is picking up right where Matthew left off as he presents to us the gospel.
  • So the gospel is something rooted in that Old Testament revelation. He’s saying to these Gentile Christians that you can’t just ignore the Old Testament.
    • You can’t say, oh, it’s wonderful, we’ve got these New Testament revelations, and we’ve got these New Testament books and we’ve got these gospels, we don’t need to bother with Genesis anymore. We don’t need to bother with Isaiah any more.
    • Paul is saying, no, the gospel that I am preaching is rooted in the Old Testament.
    • You can’t forget the Jewish History of Christianity.

B. The Gospel is Christ-centered – vss. 3-5

• And then he goes on to say, the gospel is supremely about God Himself. Notice that it’s concerning His Son. It’s the gospel of God concerning His Son. It’s supremely about God Himself, and especially His redemptive plan as it’s revealed in the person and work of Jesus Christ. And that’s a message that we need to hear today.
• So often you ask a person, “Well what is the gospel?”
  • The gospel is that you’re to repent and believe in Jesus Christ.
  • Nope. You’ve started with a response to the gospel.
  • The gospel is, though you are under the righteous condemnation of God by virtue of your sin and rebellion and your participation in Adam’s original rebellion, God in His mercy and grace has sent His Son to die on your behalf, that you might become righteousness in Christ.
  • Until you understand that the gospel is about God and His initiative, you don’t have a full view of the gospel. And so Paul begins by saying the gospel of God concerning His Son.

And notice the things that He says that it concerns about His Son.

First of all it’s about His Son’s person. 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh

• He says that His Son is truly human, and that according to the flesh, He is descended from King David. And therefore, even genealogically,
• Son of David: He is rooted in the Davidic hope and promises and all those promises of the Messiah to come through the line of David.

Secondly, in verse 4 he speaks of Christ’s exaltation. 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,

• He was revealed who He claimed to be the very Son of God by the resurrection, by the testimony of the spirit of holiness, the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity.
• He was exalted in our eyes – Jesus is again called LORD. = very important in the Book of Romans

C.  The Gospel is for all People Groups – (5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,)

And Paul again is announcing something radical here.

• The Gospel (which means Good News) is good news not only to Jews but everyone.
• For all nations, all people groups
• It is for everyone.

III.  What are the Implications of the Gospel - From end of v.5 – v.7

• This Gospel is rightly understood will radically change our lives.
• It is not something to add to your current life – but something that gives you a new life.
• The gospel transforms you. It infuses your reality. It changes who you are.
• Notice four specific changes:

First, The Gospel changes your place in the world

• 5 … to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,
• Paul makes it clear that we are part of a united body that includes both Jew and Gentile, slave and free.
• We are now united by gospel bonds. God is doing a great work to bring the Jew and the Greek, the religious and irreligious — uniting us across all the things that separate us in an absolute unwavering conviction and confession of the Lord Jesus Christ in the gospel so that we have this gospel bond now which transcends every other distinction and differentiation.
• We are part of the united body. That’s who we are. The gospel redefines it. It changes the way we look at one another. It changes the way we look at the world.

Second, The Gospel changes your identity

• 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,
• He mentions specifically that we are called by Jesus Christ Himself. You are the called of Jesus Christ. You belong to Jesus Christ!!!!!!!!!!
• You’re not only brought into this body a Jew and Greek, all united in gospel bonds, you are a CHRISTIAN.

Third, The Gospel changes your relationship with God

• 7 To all those in Rome who are loved by God
• Think how important that would have been for those Roman Christians. They were hated by the world around them. Many of them would die for their faith.
• They were thought to be part of a sect, a cult, a superstition, to believe incredible things. They were accused of all sorts of immoral behavior. They were hated by their contemporaries.
• But Paul is determined to prove to us just how much God loves us!

Fourth, The Gospel changes your lives

• 7 To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
• The love of God has radically changed us!  You are Saints!
• Saints = holy = set apart = called to be saints
• You and I are living apostles, walking Bibles, having received the Gospel from God through the Bible
• Paul wants us to become as passionate about this Gospel as he is
• You can’t be indifferent about the gospel. It’s an all or nothing proposition.
• Not one foot in and one foot out
• The gospel claims every area of your life. Gospel grace transforms every area of your life.

So for those who in this culture, have bought into the relativism of this culture, which says everything is relative, there’s no absolute truth, there are many ways up the mountain, the most important thing is that we not think that we have found absolute truth so that we can tolerate one another. The apostle Paul says that is the sure road to hell. That is the sure road to hell.

No, the only way into eternal saving fellowship with God is to recognize that there is one truth represented in one Savior who is the Lord Jesus Christ and having embraced the gospel of what He has done you find life eternal in the only way that there is to find it.

Paul’s words to the Romans are radical. And I hope that in the weeks to come we will see our own lives transformed by the radical grace of the gospel and so come to a new appreciation of what it means to be a Christian.