Power of God, Part 2

 Hey Everyone.

We will continue our examination of Romans 1:16-17.  In my previous post we looked at the first two of four clauses in these verses and today we will ook at the other two.  Here is a reminder of the passage: 

16  I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for the salvation of all of those who have faith, first to the Jews, and then to the Greeks, 17 for in the Gospel the righteousness of God has been revealed to the faithful from the beginning to the end, for as it is written, “The righteous will live by faith.”

We have seen how discusses the how he was not ashamed of the Gospel, because the Gospel is the power of God for salvation.  Here is our look at the other two:  

“In the Gospel the righteousness of God has been revealed to the faithful.”

Romans was actually written before any of the Gospels had been written, so when Paul talks about the gospel, what is he referring to?  He is talking about the ‘good news’ message of Jesus, the Cross and God’s grace.  Now, we have just seen in verse 16 that this message is the power of God for the salvation of those who have faith.  The clause that we are examining now elaborates on this power.  It tells us that God’s righteousness has been revealed, where it is revealed and to whom it has been revealed.  

So, we see that this gospel message reveals God’s righteousness.  The question becomes then, “What does Paul mean by “the righteousness of God’? Some possibilities (Moo, 70-71.): 

• Righteousness as an attribute of God.  
• Righteousness as a status God gives to the faithful.  
• Righteousness as an activity of God. 

Two of these possibilities involve who God is and what He does, while the other possibility involves what God confers upon His people, He makes us righteous. Any of these, or all of these could be what Paul means here.  All of these can be revealed in the message of God’s grace. The context, “it is the power of God for salvation”, could apply to all three. We don't really have to choose one.  All three work and have a valid meaning. The important part of this is that this righteousness is revealed to the faithful.  

Paul has been battling against works-oriented righteousness.  The message of the gospel is grace through faith, not obedience.  It is our faith, not works, that allows us to see God’s righteousness. 

In the Greek Paul uses the phrase  ἐκ πίστεως  εἰς πίστιν  (ek pisteōs eis pistin).  A literal translation would be ‘out of faith into faith.”  John Harvey explains that the two prepositions indicate a starting point and an ending point. Like ‘first to last,’ or ‘beginning to end.” (Harvey, 30.) We should to our faith throughout our Christian walk. 

“It is written, ‘The righteous will live by faith.’”

Paul supports his statement about the gospel revealing the righteousness of God by quoting Habakkuk 2:4.  In Habakkuk, it is God who says this to Habakkuk, teaching the prophet that it is indeed God who is in control, and if you trust Him, you are considered righteous. Habakkuk learned to trust God even when the crops fail and there are no cattle in the stalls.  (Hab. 3:17-18.)  

Paul had quoted from Habakkuk 2:4 in Galatians, as well. In Gal. 3:10-11, he says, “For those who base their righteousness on works of the Law are under a curse.  It is written, “Those who fail to obey all that is written in the book of the law are under a curse.” 11 It is obvious that the Law does not make anyone righteous before God, instead, “the righteous will live by faith.” (Harvey, 30-31.) 

Paul is making the point in Galatians that righteousness before God is not based on our performance or obedience.  In fact, trusting in our own obedience is a curse.  Obedience does not make us righteous, faith does.

Here, in Romans, Paul is saying that if we are faithful, we will see God’s righteousness, and that our righteousness has always been based on faith, from the beginning to the end. Thomas Schreiner says, “Like Abraham, the people of God are summoned to trust in Yahweh when circumstances aspire against such trust. Thus the fundamental call of Habakkuk is to trust in the Lord.”  (Schreiner, 80-81.) As he did in Galatians, Paul is presenting a message that a right relationship with God is gained through faith and not through obedience to the law. 

Here is a quick summation of Romans 1:16-17:

• Paul takes ‘pride’ in the Gospel, as he says he is unashamed of it.  (v. 16a) 
• The reason for Paul’s ‘pride’ in the Gospel is that it ‘contains or mediates’ the power of God for our salvation for all who believe.  (v. 16b.) 
• The Gospel brings salvation because in it we can see the righteousness of God. A righteousness based on faith. (v. 17a.)
• Finally, the connection between righteous and faith is backed up with scripture, as Paul quotes Hab. 2:4.  (v. 17b.)

       John Harvey, Exegetical Guide to the Greek: Romans, B&H Academic, Brentwood, Tennesssee, 2017. 

        Thomas Scheiner, Romans, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Baker Academic. 1998. 

Power of God

Greetings everyone. 

Today, we will start examining Romans 1:16-17, a passage that Douglas Moo calls in his commnetary on Romans, "The Theme of the Letter."  (Moo, 63.)  Here is my translation:

16  I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for the salvation of all of those who have faith, first to the Jews, and then to the Greeks, 17 for in the Gospel the righteousness of God has been revealed to the faithful from the beginning to the end, for as it is written, “The righteous will live by faith.”

As we move forward we will see whether or not this idea that gospel of Jesus as the power of salvation for those who believe is the theme of Romans.  Moo goes on to explain that these two verses contains 4 clauses that build on the those come before.  (Moo, 63-64.)  We will look at two of  those clauses today, and two in my next post.  

“I am not ashamed of the gospel” 

Paul declares that he is not ashamed of the Gospel. This clause reminds us of Mark 8:38, where Jesus says, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” 

Back in verse 15, Paul has just said, “I am eager to proclaim the good news to those of you in Rome.”  He follows in verse 16 with a statement that he is not ashamed of gospel.  It is his ambition to spread the gospel everywhere.  Also, he is not ashamed as he understands the power of the Good News.  It is God’s power for our salvation.  

The Greek here that is translated as ‘ashamed’ is ἐπαισχύνομαι (epaischunomai). The Lexicon defines this word as ‘to experience a painful feeling or sense of loss of status because of some particular event or activity.”  Paul does not fear losing status or anything else because of his association with the Gospel of Jesus.  He does not fear such things because he understands its value, it is the power of God for our salvation.  

We don't want to ashamed of the gospel, either. A good way to avoid being ashamed of the Gospel is to remember what the gospel does.  It brings salvation to those who believe. 

“For it is the power of God for salvation for all of those who believe.” 

Δύναμις Θεοῦ (dynamis Theou) - The power of God. Paul declares that the gospel, or good news of Jesus Christ, is the power of God.  Thomas Schreiner says this about the ‘power of God’: “The Δύναμις Θεοῦ in the gospel signifies the effective and transforming power that accompanies the preaching of the gospel.  God’s power is expressed in the proclamation of Jesus as risen Lord.” (Schreiner, 64.)

More to the point the  Δύναμις Θεοῦ is the power of God for a specific purpose.  It brings slavation to those who believe.  So there are two things in play here:  God’s power and our faith.

Note: Like Galatians, the book of Romans preaches a gospel of salvation by faith, and not works.  Paul does not say, “for it is the power of God for salvation for all who obey.”

John Stott, in connecting these two phrases makes the point, “In the long run, only because we have experienced its saving power in our own lives.  Has God reconciled us to himself through Christ, forgiven our sins, made us his children, put his Spirit in us, begun to transform us and introduced us into his new community?  Then how can we be ashamed of his gospel?” (Stott, 44-45.) 

It is important to remember that salvation comes entirely due to God’s power and not any of our own.  As much as I want to be saved, be righteous or be transformed into the likeness of Jesus, I remain powerless to do any of these things on my own.  He is the one with the power, and my role is to trust Him.    

      Douglas Moo,  The Epistle to the Romans, Eerdman's Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1996
       Thomas Schreiner, Romans, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1998.
       John Stott, The Message of Romans, InterVarsity Press. Downers Grove, Illinois, 1994.