Grace and Apostleship

Romans 1:1-7

Key Verse 1:5

This passage shows us: Paul's prayer to practically conquer the Roman Empire (the whole world) with the gospel faith. So, we want to think about the gospel faith as a means to preach the gospel to all nations. 

1. Read v. 1. How does Paul introduce himself? What can we learn here about the position of a Christian? 

* a) A servant of Christ; b) called to be an apostle; and c) set apart for the gospel of God.

* a) His servantship: he had an Old Testament background. He was thoroughly trained as the Pharisee of Pharisees, in regard to the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. During the Old Testament period, they could not even pronounce the word 'God', so they used sign language. Jesus humbled himself to the point of a servant of all, yet, this does not mean that we can regard Jesus carelessly. Jesus is equal with God. Many people think Jesus as a mere friend, or even a servant, regarding Jesus as if Jesus is his personal 'gofer', asking Jesus to do this or that for them. But, Paul was different. He understood that Jesus is God, and he finds himself as a servant serving Jesus who is God. In those days, the servant's position was no different than that of a working machine. 

b) He had a clear sense of calling: calling comes from God. This calling makes man to be immovable in serving the mission under all circumstances. The word 'apostle' means 'the one sent by God (Jesus)'. To be called by such a man as the President of a nation, is good, but to be called by God is an absolute blessing. It provides man with an opportunity to be used by God. Apostle Peter encouraged us to make our election and calling sure. Cf. 2 Peter 1:10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall... At first Peter wasn't sure of this calling, so he fell for a while saying, "Man, I am going out for fishing." (John 21:3 But, later he realized that he did not choose Jesus, but Jesus chose him. Then, he no longer lived for himself, nor before men. He lived before God, being loyal to God alone, not fearing men, but fearing God alone. 

c) He had a clear definition of mission: this may be called 'spiritual job description'. The expression 'set apart for the gospel of God' shows that he knew what he was called to do. Once one has a clear sense of mission, he can concentrate his efforts on what he is called to do. Many people struggle to serve Jesus in one way or another, such as helping the poor with humanitarian services such as medical services, food services, etc. We need to help the poor, but even if we did many humanitarian services, when we neglect preaching the gospel of God, we are not fully doing the job to save a soul. Humanitarian services are emphasized by all other religions such as Buddhism, etc. But, only Christianity comes with the gospel of God, and Apostle Paul knew what he was called to do. As a result, wherever he went, he always strove to serve the gospel of God, in the best way possible.

2. Read vs. 1-4. What does this passage show us about: a) the 'origin' of the gospel; b) the foundation of the gospel, and; c) the contents of the gospel? 

* a) The origin of the gospel: it came from God. This shows that Gospel is not a man made story. Many people say many bad things about God saying that God is cruel, sadistic etc.. But, God's message to us is neither cruel nor sadistic, for God's message to us is summed up in the gospel, which is the good news of Great joy that will be for all peoples' on earth. 

b) The Holy Scriptures are the foundation of the gospel. There are many books published in human history, but no books ever published to this date talks about the gospel, but only the Bible talks about the gospel. Mainly, it is in the form of the promise recorded in the Old and New Testament Scriptures. The Old Testament tells us the promise about Jesus coming, and the New Testament tells us the promise about Jesus' second coming. Specifically, the promise about Jesus traces back to Gen. 3:15, then to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, to King David, and so on. This promise was handed down from generation to generation, until finally Jesus was born in Bethlehem at God's right time. 

This practically means that this gospel is truly trustworthy, and therefore believable. The universe may disappear, but the word of God recorded in the Holy Scriptures would never disappear. 

Romans 1:2 The gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures

* a) His Son Jesus: This is the best gift God can give to us. Jesus is the only Son. Yet, God gave his one and only Son for us. He could have crushed us for our inequities, but he rather gave his one and only Son on whom he put all of his wrath for our sins. (Cf. Isaiah 53:4,5)

b) Jesus' uniqueness is found in vs. 3 and 4. He is unique in that i) he is of royal descent, that is, he came from the line of King David as promised in the Bible i.e. as in 2 Samuel 7:13-16, and ii) he is the only one who rose again from the dead, for God proved Jesus' being the Son of God, by raising Jesus from the dead. 

The expression 'through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead' means 'the Holy Spirit worked to raise Jesus from the dead, for it is the greatest miracle of miracles. Important: people (Sanhedrin members) killed Jesus for Jesus' claim that he was the Son of God, charging Jesus with blasphemy, but God proved that Jesus was right, and the Sanhedrin members were wrong, by raising Jesus from the dead. 

Cf. Luke 22:70,71: They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?" He replied, "You are right in saying I am." Then they said, "Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips." Subsequent to this event, Peter said later in Acts 2:36 that the very one they killed was established by God as the Christ, the Lord of all. 

 

c) The Christ, the Lord of all: This means that for those who believe in Jesus, Jesus will be the source of salvation, but for those who do not believe, Jesus will be the stumbling block, as in 1 Peter 2:8 And, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message--which is also what they were destined for. Cf. Phil. 2:10,11 which shows that whether we like it or not, we will have to face Jesus. I Peter 4:5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 

3. Why is it important to know that Jesus is the son of God and Christ our Lord? (Cf. John 20:31)

* a) Jesus is the only way for us to be saved from the power of sin and Satan. Cf. John 20:31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. See also Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

b) Jesus also declared that he is the way, the life, and the light. (Cf. John 14:6)

c) In order to drive a car, you need to know how to drive it. Likewise, in order to be saved from the power of sin and Satan, you need to be taught the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of sins. Sin separates man from God, so man in sin is like a flower cut from the root and put in a vase. To be connected to God the source of life, one must solve their sin problem, and no one except Jesus can solve our sin problem. That is why Luke said in Luke 1:77 To give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins...

4. Memorize v. 5. What does this verse teach us about: a) the purpose of a Christian life and b) the contents of our calling as a Christian?

* It is to live for Jesus' name's sake. Practical way is to preach the gospel so people would repent and turn to God in and through Jesus. Magnify the name of Jesus! That was Apostle Paul's motto, in words, and in action, and in his whole life. (1 Peter 2:9  But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.)

Eating, sleeping, studying, or in everything, do it for Jesus' name's sake. 

2 Corinthians 3:3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

* Romans 1:5 Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.

Notice: a) the coverage is 'all Gentiles'; b) the ultimate purpose is to lead people to the obedience to God even as Jesus obeyed God to the point of death. Consider therefore obedience as the end product of our struggle, noting that only by faith in the gospel, can we achieve obedience to God and his precepts. 

5. What does the expression "And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ" show about the blessed position of the recipients of the Epistle addressed to the Romans? 

* They too are called to be like Paul. In fact, Christians are all called by God. We are called to be Christ’s person, carrying out Jesus' will on earth.

6. Read v. 7. What further truths does this passage reveal about the blessed position of a Christian? 

* a) we are loved by God; b) we are called to be saints; c) we have access to the grace (rather than legalistic treatment like from step parents) and peace (rather than anxiety, and sense of guilt) from God.

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