The Gospel of God Concerning His Son Part 1

The Gospel of God Concerning His Son
(A Series on "The Greatest Letter Ever Written")
Romans 1:1-4
- When Martin Luther read this book, it seemed to him that the gates of heaven had swung open.
- He learned that the righteousness of God talked about here is not for our judgement; rather it is grace, for our salvation.
- Other theologians and fathers of the faith, like Augustine, John Wesley, John Calvin, and J.I. Packer, have found this book very theologically rich.
- Relationship and context: It is the only letter he wrote to a church he hadn't visited yet, so he needed to lay out the structure of the gospel carefully, unlike the other epistles.
I. The Gospel Messenger (Paul) v.1
- The way Paul referred to himself as a slave of God, rejoicing in it, by way of introduction to his letter tells a lot!
- His slavery to Christ is his identity—Christ bought and owns him, dictating his way of living.
- What about the phrase "Christ has set you free"? The modern mindset may react to the talk of slavery negatively, but we should look at it the way Paul sees it—beautiful and glorious.
- First Grace, second Apostleship—do we tend sometimes to get it the wrong way around? Paul didn't think himself first as apostle. He is first "in Christ" and an apostle only second.
II. The Gospel Maker (God) v.1
- Paul is set apart for the Gospel "of God"
- Why the Gospel "of God" (not "gospel of Christ")? He wants to tell the full cosmic story of God's gospel—Christ may be the central focus of the Gospel, but there's more to the picture
- The very beginning of the Gospel is when the Father and the Son elected a people, and the Father sent His Son to redeem them. It doesn't finish with us entering the heaven. It does with the story of the Father handing us to the Son.
- Paul wants to emphasise the good news of God—the love of God to save sinners.
III. The Gospel Connection v.2-3
- While the gospel is good news, it's not new news. It's promised to Adam & Eve, Moses, David, etc.
- The kingdom of God is under the kingship of Christ—the fulfilment of the promise
- Cults also do this. They claim to be the true people of God—maintaining the continuity—in keeping with all the other previous prophecies. So does Christianity.
- We are a people of the Book—Gal. 1:8 "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed."
IV. The Gospel Character v.4
- The pinpoint focus here is on the resurrection of Jesus Christ—that by it, Christ is declared the Son of God in power.
- Why is this? Paul is wanting to give the Gospel of God "concerning His Son".
- When Christ died on the cross, he didn't look like "a Son", rather a criminal, punished by the Father.
- But God did on the third day the most fatherly thing a Father could do—He took hold of His Beloved Son, lifted Him up and declared Him His Son! For the Beloved Son, the grave is not His Home.
- The same reason that those who believe will not stay dead nor will the grave be their final home. He will one day resurrect us into glory, like He did for the Son.
If you got a letter in the post, that started like Paul did, you will relish every word and read again and again.
Praise God for the book of Romans!
Praise God for the good news concerning His Son!