Pastor’s Pen Pulpit                                                                                                                                            Romans

October 30, 2005                                                                                                                                       #11 in series

 

GOOD NEWS FOR MODERN MAN

Romans 1:16,17

Part Two

 

For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation  for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

 

In part two of “Good News For Modern Man” I want to share with you in six areas of truth from Romans 1:16 - 17:

 

1.   What the Gospel IS – the power of God.  First of all the good news is the POWER OF GOD for salvation.  “Power” is from the Greek word “dunamis” from which we get the word dynamite.  Dynamite is a destructive power.  It blows things to pieces.  The word “dynamo” and “dynamic” also comes from this word.  Dynamo is a constructive power- it produces energy.  The Gospel, too, tears down:  It blows to pieces the old life.  But at the same time the Gospel has the supernatural power to create and construct the new life in Christ.  

 

2.   What the Gospel DOES – for salvation.  “For the gospel is the power of God unto salvaion to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek (gentiles).” Components of salvation which we will be studying in these pen pulpits:

 

1.   Redemption “to purchase out of the slave market”

2.   Propitiation  “to appease or to be  a satisfaction”

3.   Forgiveness  “to send our sins away”

4.   Election “to choose out from among the many”

5.   Grace “God’s riches at Christ’s expense”

6.   Imputaion “to put our sins to Christ’s account and to put Christ’s righteousness to the believer’s account”

7.   Reconciliation “to change our relationship to God thoroughly”

8.   Adoption “to place as a son” or a “son placing”

9.   Atonement “to cover.”

 

3.   To whom does the Gospel APPLY – to everyone who believes.  To the Jew first and also to the Greek.  Paul points out that the good news of Jesus Christ is available to everyone.  He emphasizes this by stating that God sees the human race in two divisions: the Jew and the Greek.  To the Jew first because the Gospel came through the Jews, consequently it was to the Jew first and then to the Greek or to the gentiles.  In John chapter four Jesus told the woman at the well, “salvation is of the Jews.”

 

 

4.   How is the Gospel RECEIVED – to everyone who believes.  Faith places salvation upon an equal basis for everyone – cf Eph. 2 :8,9; Titus 3:5.  No one can claim superiority bacause of works.

 

5.   What is REVEALED in the Gospel - righteousness from God.   Dr. Barnhouse has given us a brilliant explanation of the righteousness of God revealed in this verse.  It is quite a lengthy section so I will summarize his words briefly.  “It must be understood at every point in our discussions that God’s righteousness and man’s righteousness are two utterly different kinds of righteousness.  They are different in genus, they are different in species.  They are different in source, aim, scope, and equality.  Anyone who thinks that human righteousness is just a lesser form of divine righteousness, just slightly inferior but moving in the same direction, has failed to comprehend the very heart teaching of the whole of the Word of God.  When our text tells us that the gospel reveals the righteousness of God, it is saying that God must inevitably demand of man that which man can never furnish by himself.”

 

      To sum it all up, righteousness means “conformity to the right,”  that is, to the divine claims on man.  Righteousness is “that which God is, has and gives.”  He provides this righteousness in Christ.

 

6.  How is that to AFFECT our daily life -  The just shall live by faith.  That faith will be tested and challenged – sometimes to the very limit – sometimes to the point of denying it.  Just remember when that happens, it is Satan and your old sin nature who is behind that denial.  Yes, God allows it in order to draw you closer to Himself in the Word.  So stand firm in your belief and don’t allow yourself to be knocked off your laurels.

 

So this is good news for modern man and it is available only in the Person of Jesus Christ and you can receive it only by faith in His finished work on the cross.

 

God bless,