Not Ashamed of the Gospel.

 

(Excerpt)

 

The Book of Romans.

 

This book is one of the most wonderful in the Bible. In the sixteen possible lessons before us we shall be able only to touch, in the briefest manner, upon the general outline of the book. We shall expect to find things we cannot understand, even as we cannot understand how the infinite God upholds the universe by the word of His power. We believe that which we cannot understand, because God says so. Approaching the study of the Bible thus, we place ourselves where God can unfold and explain to us the mysteries of His word.

 

Romans-

 

Chapter 1:1-15. These fifteen verses are introductory, the first seven comprising the salutation, the remaining eight being personal explanations. Yet in these verses are some of the richest passages in the Bible, as in verse twelve, wherein Paul states that he expected not only to minister to the church on his visit but to be ministered to by it. both were to be comforted by their "mutual faith." This does not contemplate a condition of the church in which the minister must spend his energy in combating error and settling differences between brethren.

 

Rom 1:1  Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 

Rom 1:2  (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 

Rom 1:3  Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; 

Rom 1:4  And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: 

Rom 1:5  By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: 

Rom 1:6  Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: 

Rom 1:7  To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Rom 1:8  First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. 

Rom 1:9  For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; 

Rom 1:10  Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. 

Rom 1:11  For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; 

Rom 1:12  That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. 

Rom 1:13  Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. 

Rom 1:14  I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. 

Rom 1:15  So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. 

 

Verses 16 and 17.

 

Rom 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 

Rom 1:17  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 

 

Here we have the text of the epistle. The entire book is but an expansion of these verses.

 

In the remaining verses of the chapter, we have a statement of God's justice in punishing wicked men and of the consequences of a separation from God. We are liable to get an idea something like this; namely, that we have the third angel's message, consisting of a system of truth comprising such subjects as the law, the Sabbath, nature of man, advent, etc., and that to this we have superadded a little gospel, the idea of justification by faith. There is but one doctrine we have to preach, that is the gospel of Christ. Mark 16;15, 16.

 

Mar 16:15  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 

Mar 16:16  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 

 

This commission is to us. Those that believe the gospel will be saved. Is there nothing besides the gospel to teach? "It is the power of God unto salvation." What do we want besides salvation? What more can we ask for?

 

The gospel brings righteousness. The righteousness of God is what God does; it is His way. To be in harmony with Him is to make His way our way. The gospel reveals this way to us (Romans 1:17), and not only this but it is the power of God to work out His way in us.

 

The Bible is a statement of God's way, and this is summed up in the ten commandments, which are a declaration of His righteousness. Isaiah 51:6, 7. In Matthew 6:33,

 

Isa 51:6  Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished. 

Isa 51:7  Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. 

 

Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 

 

Christ declares this righteousness to be the one thing needful. Why?

 

Righteousness is life, and the man who has God's righteousness has everything in this world and in the world to come.

 

Verse 17. Here we have righteousness by faith. "The just shall live by faith."

 

Nothing else? By faith and works?

 

"Add not thou unto His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar."

 

To be just is to be righteous, and a righteous man will do righteous acts. That is the fruit of righteousness. But how does He do these works? By faith. John 6:28, 29. "This is the work of God, that ye believe."

 

Possibly we have had a narrow idea of what faith is.

 

"The just shall live by faith."

 

Here is the whole thing. Nothing can be added to the preaching of the righteousness of God by faith of Jesus Christ. What about these doctrines, as the Sabbath, immortality, etc.? Since the "kingdom of God and His righteousness" is the one thing needful and since there is nothing unimportant in the Bible, all of these doctrines are simply division lines depending upon that one thing--all summed up in the doctrine of righteousness by faith. We can preach nothing else, for everything outside of this is sin.

 

Verse 18. Rom 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness

 

Wrath is revealed against those who "hold (or restrain) the truth in unrighteousness."

 

Connect this verse with chapter 10:3.

 

Rom 10:3  For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 

 

God is a living God. His throne is a living throne. There is the water of life and the tree of life--everything is life. Therefore His righteousness is active, is life.

 

Some men, ignorant of this righteousness, refuse to submit themselves to it and resist it. God will punish men. Why? Because they identify themselves with unrighteousness. They are permeated by it and when that is gone--for sin must be destroyed--it takes them with it. It means simply that God is no respecter of persons.

 

Verses 19 and 20.

 

Rom 1:19  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 

Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse

 

Is God unjust? No, for ever since the creation His works have testified of Him.

 

Many do not know that the world could not create itself, but it "may be known."

Verses 21-32.

 

Rom 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 

Rom 1:22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 

Rom 1:23  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 

Rom 1:24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 

Rom 1:25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 

Rom 1:26  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 

Rom 1:27  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 

Rom 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 

Rom 1:29  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 

Rom 1:30  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 

Rom 1:31  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 

Rom 1:32  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. 

 

How does it come that men do not know? They know so much. "Professing themselves to be wise they become fools."

 

The most unreasonable thing in the universe is human reason. It is utter foolishness with God. 1 Cor. 1:19-31.

 

1Co 1:19  For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 

1Co 1:20  Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 

1Co 1:21  For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 

1Co 1:22  For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 

1Co 1:23  But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 

1Co 1:24  But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 

1Co 1:25  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 

1Co 1:26  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 

1Co 1:27  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 

1Co 1:28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 

1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence. 

1Co 1:30  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 

1Co 1:31  That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 

 

Paul says those who do the things described in the latter part of the chapter under consideration know that they are worthy of death and you cannot find a people who do not know it. The heathenism Paul was speaking of, as represented at Athens and elsewhere was not ignorance of things of this world. It embraced men whose work in the arts and sciences is studied today. A man may know without God, just as the beast may know, and where is the difference save in degree? There is no wisdom apart from God. This is what Paul means when he says, "Beward lest any man spoil you through philosophy . . . after the rudiments of this world, and not after Christ."

 

So also in 1 Cor. 1:18 and Col. 2:3.

 

1Co 1:18  For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 

Col 2:3  In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 

 

We hear a good deal of "natural morality" and "scientific morality"--morality common to all men. This is what Paul is describing. It is heathenism. The popular idea of heathenism is an incorrect one. The heathen is the man who doesn't know God. He may be a religious man but God is not the source of his wisdom.

 

Mar 7:22  Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 

Mar 7:23  All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. 

 

In Mark 7:22, 23, Christ describes the source of "natural morality." The hearts of all are alike; we are made of one blood to dwell upon the earth. The heathen are the people who do the things spoken of in Paul's first chapter, wherever they live. Men who in the United States or in England follow the leadings of the natural heart (Galatians 5:19-21) are no better than those who do the same things in China.

 

Gal 5:19  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 

Gal 5:20  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 

Gal 5:21  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 

 

Compare 2 Timothy 3:1-7 with the latter part of Romans 1.

 

2Ti 3:1  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 

2Ti 3:2  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 

2Ti 3:3  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 

2Ti 3:4  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 

2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 

2Ti 3:6  For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 

2Ti 3:7  Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

 

They are almost identical. It means that men in the last days shall be open heathen--giving themselves up to the works of the flesh.

 

This helps to explain many references in the Old Testament in which God speaks of judging the heathen. It means that all who will be destroyed will be heathen. Who are the heathen? Romans 2:1.

 

Rom 2:1  Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

 

 "Thou that judgest doest the same things." Did we ever do anything we would be ashamed to speak of? Wherein were we different from the heathen? Here is broad enough ground for the gospel. It is a shame to speak of those things that have been done by us all in secret, but "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth."

 

1891 General Conference Sermons- Study #1 A.T. Jones.