A righteousness that is by faith (Romans 1:8-17)

Where: College Baptist Church

When: January 13, 2002

Why: To show that the heart of the gospel and the Christian life is the life lived by faith. The heart of the truth about the gospel is that God's righteousness becomes ours through rightly placed faith.

Text: Romans 1:8-17

Text

Romans 1:8-17.⁸ First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. ⁹ God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you ¹⁰ in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God's will the way may be opened for me to come to you.

16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. ¹⁷ For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

Introduction

If we knew the answer to everyone's deepest need, spoken and unspoken, how would it affect the direction of our lives? I suspect we would be motivated and excited about sharing the good news with everyone you could.

If we had a face-to-face encounter with the highest authority of the universe, who revealed that the direction we had been going was at direct odds with the direction He wanted us to go, what impact would that have on our journey? And if he sent us in a new direction with the good news that all that He had planned and promised for us as humanity was fulfilled, and He showed us how that plan and promise could be experienced by everyone who would receive it, what direction would we go?

In a nutshell that's what happened to Paul. It is what he begins to talk about in his greetings in his letter to the Romans. He is God's servant and apostle because God met him and sent him to all who would hear and receive the message of the gospel-the good news that God had fulfilled all that He had promised to the prophets of old through His Son Jesus. The good news is that the life of Jesus wasn't just a burp on the timeline of history, but the focal point of history. He is the Messiah, the Christ, fully human, fully God, fully qualified to be the fulfillment of the promise, fully at the heart of the good news. It regarding this good news that Paul is moved by God to "call people from among all the Gentiles to a life of obedience that comes from faith" (1:5).

Transition

In 1:8-17, Paul introduces his letter, building on the previous verses of salutation. It is personal and loving. It is encouraging. And in a natural and warm way, it introduces Romans to the great doctrines that Paul wants to clearly define and courageously defend.

Throughout the verses of introduction is woven a thread of faith that binds the verses together. We will see that faith in God is essential to understanding the gospel, this good news that Paul has been set apart to proclaim (1:1). It is a faith for which the Romans were already known. And it is a faith, rightly placed, that is at the heart of the gospel, a faith in God's good news that brings His righteousness into our lives.

Let's follow this thread of faith that ties these verses together.

The evidence of faith in God 1:8-10

In verses 8-10, we see the evidence of faith in God. ⁸ First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. ⁹ God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you ¹⁰ in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God's will the way may be opened for me to come to you.

Reason for Paul's thanksgiving 1:8

Paul has a thankful heart, and the evidence of the Romans' faith is the reason for Paul's thanksgiving. Their faith was being reported all over the world. It was a quality of faith that was noteworthy. They were known for their faith. Paul thanked God for them and for their faith. It was a wonderful thing to be known for one's faith in God. It was inspiring and an example to people everywhere.

What an incredible thing to be known for one's faith. It causes me to stop and reflect-what am I known for. Is it for my faith in God? What are we known for? Is it our faith in God? Paul thanked God for the reputation that the Romans had. A simple, natural, fundamental spiritual trait-but one which makes all the difference in the world! Lord, let us be known for our faith in you, a faith that is at the heart of the gospel, a heart of faith that causes people everywhere to give praise and glory to you.

Reason for Paul's prayer 1:9, 10

The evidence of their faith was also the reason for Paul's prayer. The apostle is saying, "God is my witness-and I serve Him with all of my heart, I don't hold back-that I pray for you all the time. I especially pray that I will have a chance to come and see you. I pray that it is God's will to visit you."

When we consider other things Paul communicated throughout his letter, he seems to want to build upon their reputation for faith in God and faithfulness to God. On the one hand, there seems to be a need build on their faith as he clarifies, defines, and defends the gospel. He also seems to be communicating a desire to continue to reach the Gentiles everywhere, perhaps hoping to use Rome, the center of the known world, as a springboard for the gospel's advance to ever more remote and needy locations. In 15:24-28, he reveals his desire to go to Spain via Rome and he even requests their assistance for the journey. Their faithfulness to the God of the gospel would help him carry the good news further still. But first, he had to go to Jerusalem, after which he would come to Rome. We know that in Jerusalem he was arrested, was sent to King Agrippa for trial, and as a citizen of Rome, he appealed to Caesar for his trial. He made it to Rome but not under the circumstances he expected. God had other plans.

The encouragement of faith in God 1:11-15

As we follow the thread of faith in verses 11-15 we see the encouragement of faith in God. ¹¹ I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong- ¹² that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. ¹³ I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles. ¹⁴ I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. ¹⁵ That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome.

The encouragement of a spiritual gift

Paul is thankful for the evidence of the Romans' faith, and he wants to offer the encouragement of faith in God. He longs to see them so that he can impart to them some spiritual gift to make them strong.

We know that there are spiritual gifts that the gifts of Holy Spirit which equip us for building up the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:7). There are some that believe that Paul was hoping to bestow on the Romans these types of spiritual gifts through the laying on of hands as did occur at times in Acts (8:14-19; 19:6) and to Timothy (2 Timothy 1:6).

A spiritual gift is a gift from the Holy Spirit. We are familiar with the "gifts of the Holy Spirit." These types gifts of service and power primarily referred to 1 Corinthian 12, Romans 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter 4. In this case it is more likely that Paul is referring to a spiritual blessing that comes as a result of the Holy Spirit's work in and through his own life for building up the church-his teaching, encouragement, the spiritual direction he can give. And this is consistent with the thrust of the letter-seeking to clarify, define, and defend the true meaning of the gospel and how that works out in life. Paul has a nurturing heart and he longs to help these Christians in Rome whom he has never met to grow in God's grace.

The encouragement of participation

Paul also talks about the encouragement of participation. He states in 1:12 he longs to see them because of the mutuality of the encouragement of the life of faith- ¹² that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith.

Even though Paul is the apostle, the world renowned theologian and church planter, he says he longs to see the Romans because he too would be encouraged by their faith. Paul's attitudes elevates each one of us to ministry. The insight, strength, joy-the faith-that each of us has as a follower of Jesus Christ is an encouragement to others. It reminds us of 1 Corinthians 12:7-we have been graced by God, spiritually gifted, for the common good of the body, for the mutual blessing of the body.

The encouragement of proclamation

Paul's faith also reveals the encouragement of proclamation. ¹³ I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles. ¹⁴ I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. ¹⁵ That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome.

Paul's obedience of faith to His Lord had sent him to many places proclaiming the gospel. Over and over he had experienced a harvest of souls among the Gentiles. He longed for that same experience among the Romans.

Paul says he is obligated to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. That is, I have an obligation to proclaim the good news to the cultured and the uncultured-to all people everywhere.

In reference to this sense of obligation, Jack Cottrell notes, "In this text Paul says he is a debtor not to God but to the Gentiles themselves. His commission put him in debt to the latter as well. He owed it to the Gentiles to preach the gospel to them. How was this the case? Consider this scenario: a very wealthy man dies and bequeaths his estate to a distant relative. His lawyer is entrusted with the task of tracking down this relative and transferring the estate to him. In a real sense the lawyer owes it to the relative to make sure he receives the inheritance" (Cottrell).

Paul says he was eager to proclaim the gospel. He owed them the opportunity to hear the good news, the inheritance they can have in Christ through faith. He proclaimed the good news joyfully out of faithful love and obedience to Christ to whom he belonged and served.

The righteous life by faith in God 1:16, 17

1:16, 17. ¹⁶ I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. ¹⁷ For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

1:16, 17 is like a transitional statement between the introductory remarks and the meat of the message. And it holds the central thought that Paul puts forth in the book of Romans: the heart of the gospel is a righteousness that is from God and it is ours when received by faith.

The gospel is of God and is powerful

The first point of emphasis in this transitional statement is that the gospel is of God and it is powerful. The gospel is effective because it is made so by God's power.

That's why Paul says he is not ashamed of the gospel. "Dunn points out that 'shame' is 'the consequence of being shown to have acted on a false assumption or misplaced confidence' (I:38). Thus Paul is saying that he will never have to worry about having devoted his life to a false cause. He is confident that the gospel is everything it claims to be, and that he will never have to apologize or be sorry for believing it and preaching it" (Cottrell).

As we shall see in the following verses in the coming weeks, it has become natural for people who do not place their faith in the truth of the gospel to view God's good news as weak, mislead, and false. If that were really the case, Paul would have reason to be ashamed. But it is not the case. It is God's good news and it is made so by God's unlimited omnipotence.

The gospel for everyone who believes

This gospel power-this good news power-has purpose. It is for the salvation of everyone who believes. It saves. In the letter that follows this transitional statement, Paul will make it clear that it saves us from the consequences of God's wrath against our sin (5:9) and it saves us to something-to the blessed state of God's grace and to His glory (5:2).

Think of it! God's unlimited power on our behalf for our salvation to His glory! Could there be better news? No wonder Paul was not ashamed!

The gospel reveals righteousness from God by faith

Herein lies the heart of the gospel. Righteousness from God is revealed. It is a righteousness that is provided by God as a response to faith in God's good news. And, indeed, this is good news for Paul will show us that our righteousness, our efforts at reaching God's standard of salvation, falls far short. Any and all good that we would attempt is insufficient and is marred by our own unrighteousness.

Paul will make it starkly clear that without God's righteousness that we receive by faith, we are utterly without hope. And it is not just a one time squirt of faith that saves us. It is an "obedience of faith" (1:5), a faith that works itself out in a life of obedience to God. To have a "faith" which is not evident in a maturing obedient life that is growing in submission to the Lordship of Christ is to not have faith. That's a pretty strong statement-but we know it is true: faith without works is dead (James 2:17, 26).

A righteousness that is by faith from first to last. This faith is not a just general faith in the existence of God. Rather it is faith rightly placed. It is faith placed in the truth of the gospel and the One who established the gospel-it is faith in Christ as Savior and Lord, in His blood (5:25), and in His resurrection (10:9). It is agreeing with the truth of the gospel and trusting the Christ of the gospel.

Conclusion

We have seen a thread of faith woven throughout these verses. With Paul, I rejoice at the evidence of faith in our lives. I know that it is our desire to grow in that that faith and be encouraged in our faith all the more. As we encourage each other with our faith and encouraging spiritual gifts that build up the body, may we also know the joy and encouragement of spreading of the good news of Christ. It is the power of God to salvation. Our faith is not misplaced and we are not ashamed. We are saved from the consequences of sin and to the blessings of a life saturated by the grace of God and to His glory! This is indeed good news-a life graced with God's righteousness obtained and experienced through faith.

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