Daily Scripture Reading Romans 1:1-23
Secular society believes the tenets of Christianity are foolishness. The existence of God is dismissed. The idea that Jesus is God and rose from the dead is also derided. Our culture mocks the claim that Jesus is the only way to heaven.
These cultural realities cause Christians to be apologetic and embarrassed to speak the truth about Jesus and the resurrection. However, as we start reading the book of Romans today, we will see that Paul was not ashamed of the gospel, even though it was considered foolishness in the 1st century. Paul boldly proclaimed the gospel because it is true. We should do likewise.
Rom. 1:1 ¶ Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, having been set apart for the gospel of God,
The name Paul tells us who wrote this book.
Look at the word “slave”. Paul called himself a slave of Jesus. There has been a trend in evangelicalism to call God our heavenly Daddy, in an attempt to believe that humans can have an intimate relationship with God. However, slaves do not have intimate relationships with their masters, they serve them. Likewise, humans serve God, He is not a pal or someone we hang out with. He is our Master.
Rom. 1:2 which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures,
The word “beforehand” indicates the term “holy Scriptures” refers to the Old Testament, meaning the gospel was promised in the Old Testament. Knowing how the Old Testament promised Jesus is a test of how well a person knows the Old Testament.
Rom. 1:3 concerning His Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,
Rom. 1:4 who was designated as the Son of God in power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
This verse tells us the resurrection of Jesus designated Him as the Son of God in power. Our society scoffs at the idea the Jesus rose from the dead. Many so-called academics have tried to disprove the resurrection. Some Christians shy away from proclaiming the resurrection to the general public because they don’t want to appear to be foolish. However, it is the resurrection that proves Jesus is the Son of God. We must declare that Jesus rose from the dead.
Rom. 1:5 through whom we received grace and apostleship for the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of His name,
Rom. 1:6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;
Rom. 1:7 ¶ to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul wrote this letter to those in Rome.
Rom. 1:8 ¶ First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world.
Rom. 1:9 For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how without ceasing I make mention of you,
Rom. 1:10 always in my prayers earnestly asking, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you.
According to Acts 19:21, during Paul’s third missionary journey, while he was in Ephesus, his goal was to pass through Macedonia and Achaia, go to Jerusalem, and then travel to Rome.
Rom. 1:11 For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be strengthened;
Rom. 1:12 that is, to be mutually encouraged, while among you, by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.
Rom. 1:13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far) so that I may have some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles.
Rom. 1:14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.
Rom. 1:15 In this way, for my part, I am eager to proclaim the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
Rom. 1:16 ¶ For 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.
Look at the words “not ashamed”. Paul was not ashamed to declare that Jesus was crucified as a common criminal, but that He rose from the dead. Both of those facts were hard to accept. It was shameful to be crucified, so asking people to revere a man who had been crucified was a hard sell. People normally don’t rise from the dead, so Paul was asking people to believe something preposterous. Regardless, Paul was not ashamed to proclaim that message because he knew it was true, and he knew that his message is what leads to salvation.
Likewise, in our modern world, the conventional wisdom is that the tenets of Christianity are foolishness. The existence of God is dismissed. The idea that Jesus is God and rose from the dead is derided. Our culture mocks the claim that Jesus is the only way to heaven.
These cultural realities cause Christians to be apologetic and embarrassed to speak the truth. However, the truth about Jesus is the only path to salvation, so we should imitate Paul and refuse to be ashamed of the gospel message.
Rom. 1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS WILL LIVE BY FAITH.”
This is a quotation from Habakkuk 2:4. Habakkuk had asked Yahweh why He tolerated the sin of the Israelites. Yahweh responded by saying He was bringing the Chaldeans to punish Israel. Then Habakkuk asked why Yahweh was using unrighteous Chaldea to destroy Israel when Chaldea was even worse than Israel. Yahweh acknowledged that the heart of Chaldea was not right and promised that the Chaldeans would also face justice. Meanwhile, the righteous man lives by faith, not by human power. Amidst the invasion of the Chaldeans, the righteous men needed to focus on obeying Yahweh.
Paul quoted this verse as he told the Romans that, amidst the cultural opposition to the gospel message, righteousness is only found in the gospel message; therefore, the righteous men needed to focus on obeying Jesus.
Rom. 1:18 ¶ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
Look at the word “suppress”. People who do not believe the truth are not ignorant of the truth, they are suppressing the truth. The truth is apparent to them, but they do not want to believe it, so they reject it.
Rom. 1:19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
The existence of God is evident to everyone.
Rom. 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, both His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
The existence of the world and everything in it is proof that God exists. When we see a collection of drones that hover in the air and move around in a regular, predictable pattern, we assume an intelligent being built those drones. Likewise, the solar system is a collection of objects that hover in space and move around in a regular, predictable pattern. Should we not assume an intelligent being built the solar system?
If we would find a biosphere on the moon that can support human life, we would assume an intelligent being created it. The earth is a biosphere that supports human life. Should we not assume an intelligent being created it?
If we saw a robot that can pick up a ball and throw it, we would assume an intelligent being created it. When we look at humans pick up balls and throw them, should we not assume an intelligent being created the humans?
Look at the phrase “they are without excuse”. Modern society rejects intelligent design, so some Christians or so-called Christians shy away from using the intelligent design argument. However, Paul said those who do not believe in God are without excuse, and intelligent design is why they are without excuse. If God gave intelligent design as the sole reason atheists are without excuse, then should not intelligent design be the only answer Christians give when we are asked why we believe God exists?
Rom. 1:21 For even though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom. 1:22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
Rom. 1:23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the likeness of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
Paul was not ashamed of the gospel because it is the truth. Our society wants us to be ashamed of the truth, but we should boldly proclaim it anyway because Jesus is the only way to heaven.
In what ways have you been deceived into being ashamed of the truth regarding Jesus and the resurrection?
How do you need to think and act differently in light of Paul’s refusal to be ashamed of a message that the world thinks is foolish?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”