Romans: The Glory of the GospelIhe Nhụchatụ

Righteousness Revealed

The most hope-filled word of all time is gospel, and for good reason: it means “good news.” Maybe that’s why this beautiful word permeates Christian lingo. There are gospel conversations and gospel-driven ministries, and particular situations marked as gospel issues. But there’s a danger in using this lovely word in such varied ways. Over time, such varied uses of the word gospel risk obscuring its true, biblical meaning. The gospel of the Bible is about one specific thing—salvation in Christ Jesus for sinners. This gospel is the one that the apostle Paul was so passionate about sharing far and wide. His passion is evident from the very beginning of the letter. In these opening verses, we discover a lot about the apostle’s heart, not only for God’s gospel, but for people and, more than anything else, for the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul’s heart is evident in his greetings—the longest of any in his letters—and in his desire to come to Rome and visit these fellow believers face-to-face. He rejoices in all God has done through the gospel to save sinners, and as we study his words, we can’t help but find ourselves rejoicing along with him. His passion for the gospel is contagious!

Paul’s overarching point about the gospel is that it’s all about God’s Son, Jesus Christ. The name Jesus means “God saves.” Christ isn’t his last name—it’s his title. It’s the same as the Old Testament term messiah, which means “anointed one.”

Although Jesus Christ is God’s Son, he’s not inferior to God the Father. He is equal in power and being and might and has always existed. At the appointed time, the Son of God was born into the world, taking on a human nature without ever losing his divine nature. The Old Testament promises made clear that this Savior-Son would descend from the royal line of Israel’s King David, and that’s exactly what happened. After Jesus died on the cross, he was raised from the dead, which marked the beginning of his glorious reign as the God-man for all eternity.

Reflection: The apostle Paul was motivated by love for the gospel, for people, and primarily for Jesus Christ. In what ways does your love for Jesus reflect Paul’s, and in what ways does it fall short? Our true love for Christ grows as we realize the depth of our sinfulness. Contemplate why this is true.