Page 104 - Romans Student Textbook.doc

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for power of God it is unto salvation to all who believe, to the Jew
first and Greek. For righteousness of God in it has been revealed out of faith unto faith, just as it is written,
‘Now the righteous, out of faith they will live.’” 137

Paul’s focus in this summary is on the message he carried with him as he served the church of Jesus Christ.
He calls it the “gospel” and he proclaims that he is proud to have been chosen by God to carry it to
people. At this point in the letter, he has already used the word “gospel” three times. When we look back
at them, we learn that this gospel is “the gospel of God,” 138 “the gospel of His Son,” 139 which is the
subject of Paul’s preaching. 140 It is good news about a wondrous God who has provided salvation from sin
through His Son who makes people right with God once again when they put their faith — trust — in Him.
In this quick piece of praise Paul revealed his vision for his ministry among them saying, “I am not
ashamed of the gospel of Christ which powerfully grants salvation and righteousness before God to all
those who trust in Him.”

Nothing can separate those who trust in Christ from the love of God that has been shown to them in
the life and work of Christ.

Romans 8:31-39

31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who
did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously
give us all things? 33Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who
justifies. 34Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was
raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35Who shall
separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness,
or danger, or sword? 36As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded
as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am sure that
neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor
height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ
Jesus our Lord.

Immediately after his first doxological conclusion, Paul launched into an extended time of instruction in
which he took the Roman believers through an exposition of the wonder of the salvation in Jesus Christ
which is at the heart of the gospel. That exposition is the longest section of this letter and extends from
Romans 1:18-8:30. It established the foundation that Paul intended to have firmly in place before he
approached giving commands about the issues that were polarizing the Roman churches. As he finished
his exposition and before he started to show how the example of God’s relationship with Israel illustrated
God’s saving work, he broke into another summarizing expression of praise.

It is the practical application of the truth that he has just expounded that drove Paul to erupt in this flurry
of questions that make us ponder deeply just how much God loved us through the person and work of
Jesus. His point is simple, but so profound, “Nothing can separate those who trust in Christ from the love
of God that has been shown to them in the life and work of Christ.” This truth provides everyone who is
redeemed with a secure place from which to minister with the gospel to others around them, no matter
what pressures the cultures, the societies and the politics of this world might exert on them.
God’s glory is displayed by the inscrutability of His wisdom, knowledge, character and actions.

137 Romans 1:16-17, Author’s translation.
138 Romans 1:1.
139 Romans 1:9.
140 Romans 1:15.
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