The Gospel of God Concerning His Son Part 2

The Gospel of God Concerning His Son | Romans 1:5-7
In this book, God presents His Son. Those who accept the Son, get everything else in Him.
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Three pointers from the text
I. Grace and apostleship—given to Paul to advance the gospel
a. Apostleship—Christ called twelve men and they became apostles when He appointed them. They were inspired by the Holy Spirit to do the things they did - even writing the N.T.
b. Grace—the word that should interest us the most as, unlike apostleship, it is available to us even now. By this power, we can continue to bring the nations to obedience.
- The grace he is referring to here is the empowering grace that enables us to advance the Gospel.
- When we disciple our children, witness in our workplace through our conduct, serve the brethren -- we bring about obedience of faith
- We need grace to do this well.
- How do we get more of grace to do these things? James 4:6-7 says we get more grace by being humble, submitting to God and resisting evil.
II. The obedience of faith—the product of Gospel advancement
- Paul opens and closes with this phrase in the book
- By "obedience of faith", what does Paul mean? The preposition 'of' can mean different things. In 'flock of birds' the flock is made up of birds. In 'call of birds' call is not made up of birds; rather it is produced by birds. So by "obedience of faith" which is it? Is it obedience brought about by faith or obedience made up of faith?
- It cannot be the latter, because Paul contrasts faith and works very clearly.
- So, the best way to understand this is that Paul means "obedience brought about by faith."
- Indeed, faith without works is dead (James 2). True faith is accompanied by actions.
- It is NOT obedience of law, it is obedience of faith—just as there cannot be true faith without obedience, any good work apart from true faith is not true obedience.

III. For the sake of His name among the nations—the ultimate purpose of gospel advancement
- Isn't the purpose so that people would be saved or that people obey?
- The purpose is the glory of Christ among the nations
- There are wonderful reasons to preach the gospel—people needing redemption and healing and salvation from the imminent judgment—but it is not the ULTIMATE purpose
- No matter how terrible it is that people are broken and so on, the worst thing is that people are not glorifying the Son!

The Book of Romans is here before us—it is the Gospel of God concerning His Son.
Think highly of the Son.
Believe and obey Him.