Theology for Everybody: RomansSample

This is not the time to apologize for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul wrote in Romans 1:16, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Critics can point out problems, but there is no real solution without God’s power. If you want to see justice, to see judgment, and to see righteousness, then proclaim, preach, obey, heed, and live the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Everyone is a sinner. Jesus is the only Savior. Our hope is not in government but in God. And God is not being slow; He is being patient. He will return to judge the living and the dead. He will bring judgment, justice, and righteousness for believers and unbelievers for all eternity.

Right now, you can get right with God. Right now, you can receive Jesus Christ. Right now, you can be filled with the Holy Spirit. Before you can fix any problem, God needs to fix you because you are a problem. Before you can contribute to goodness on the earth, God needs to take the “badness” out of you and put the goodness of His Spirit within you.

Paul says, “To the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Those people didn’t like each other. They criticized one another. They judged one another. They opposed one another. But they both needed Jesus. Black people and white people need Jesus. Rich, poor, strong, and weak people need Jesus. Men and women need Jesus. Young and old need Jesus. Republicans and Democrats need Jesus, and people with a mask and people without a mask need Jesus.

Paul continues, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith’” (Romans 1:17). If you want to be righteous, then you need Jesus. By yourself, you are not righteous. You’re just heaping judgment upon yourself unless you judge yourself and give your sin to Jesus, your Savior.

Wouldn’t it be great if Romans 2:11 was true? God shows no partiality. You have two options: you can look down on others, or you can look up to God. If you look down on others, then you will be a judge. If you look up to others, then you’ll meet the Judge. You’ll see Him hanging on a cross, suffering and dying in your place for your sins, taking the judgment and justice you deserve to give you the righteousness that He has earned and you have not. And if you look up, you will see Him high and exalted, seated on a throne, coming again to judge the living and the dead. And you will know that His patience is not His indifference. His patience is your opportunity to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Today’s Reflection

In what ways does your life demonstrate that you are not ashamed of the gospel?