Last week, we began a 23-week series through the book of Romans by looking at Paul’s introduction. We saw that the first seven verses of this letter contain all necessary elements of an introduction plus quite a bit more. Paul takes the opportunity provided by the introduction to make known to the Romans not only himself but also his message (the gospel) and his mission (the obedience of faith for the sake of Jesus’ name among the nations). This week, we will finish the introduction to the letter by looking at Paul’s commendation of, and prayer for, the Romans. Having laid out to the Romans who he is, Paul now moves to his thoughts and prayers as they regard the Romans specifically. As we walk through verses 8-17 this morning, we will see a distinct flow in Paul’s thought. First, he will lay out his prayer for the Romans – culminating in his earnest desire to see them. Second, he will lay out his reasons for wanting to see them – climaxing in the fact that he wants to speak the gospel to the people in Rome. And third, he lays out his foundational reasons for wanting to speak the gospel to them – setting the stage for the whole rest of the letter. So we will follow this flow through the text by looking at each stage in turn.
As he begins the body of his letter, Paul makes clear to the Romans the heart that he has for them. He does this by laying out for them his prayers on their behalf. And, in doing this, he lays out two main emotions that drive his prayers.
The first of these emotions is sincere thankfulness to the Lord. Paul writes, “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world” (v. 8). The first thing Paul mentions to them is his sincere gratitude to the Lord for the faith of the Romans. There are a number of things that such an attitude betrays to us. First, we should notice the very heart that drives such a statement. This is not the heart of an individual attempting to exalt himself in the eyes of others. Unlike Joshua in Numbers 11 and the disciples in Luke 9, Paul’s desire is not that he be preeminent but that Jesus Christ be all in all. Paul did not build this foundation but he rejoices in the faith of the Romans nonetheless. Second, along the same lines, this is not just an individual who is grateful for other individuals. Rather, this is the pioneer missionary to the Gentiles rejoicing that the gospel is going to every corner of the world. Thomas R. Schreiner points out that Paul is so grateful because “it was being proclaimed throughout the world that there were believers among the Romans. Paul was grateful to God for this extension of the gospel, for his passion was to see Christ named where he was previously unknown (Rom. 15:20-21; 2 Cor. 10:15-16).”1 Paul sees here a fulfillment of the promises that the gospel would be good news to all the nations. Third, we should notice that Paul’s gratitude is first and foremost directed to the Lord. The faith of the Romans is something that finds its source and origin in the Lord and so Paul directs his thanks accordingly.
The second emotion we see Paul expressing in his prayer is an earnest desire to see the Romans. Paul continues, “For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may not at last succeed in coming to you” (v. 9-10). So Paul makes clear that his prayers for the Romans are fervent – he honestly does desire to see them. Paul will go on to say in verse 13, “I want you to know, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented).” So the logical question is “why does Paul want to visit them?” and that question is answered in the next section of our text.
But before moving to that next section, we should focus our attention briefly on the heart that is evidenced by Paul in this first section. This is not merely being kind to the Romans. This is a heart-felt concern that is rooted in the gospel. As we will see later on, this is a sincere thankfulness and an earnest desire for the Romans’ growth in the faith. Paul’s heart is one that has been changed by the gospel therefore longs to see others changed and rejoices in the fruit that change produces. This is not mere civility; this is Christian love. And this love becomes even clearer in the next section of our text.
In this second part of our text this morning, Paul elaborates on his reasons for being so earnest in his desire to visit the Romans. He lists a few reasons and we will look at each one in turn. First, Paul says, “For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you – that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine” (v. 11-12). So, the first reason Paul gives for wanting to visit them is his desire to build them up and be built up by them at the same time. The specific “gift” that Paul wants to impart is not elaborated on because the focus in these verses is not so much the nature of the gift as the heart of the one bringing it. Paul’s attitude in this instance is the noticeable key to this exchange, because Paul’s heart is that he and the Romans might get to spend time with one another so that they might build one another up. The thing that is revealed in these verses is Paul’s attitude about the church in general, and it is revealed in his attitude toward the Romans. This is a view of the church that sees each part as necessary and vital to the growth of the whole. Paul readily recognizes that he has something to impart to the Romans and he readily recognizes that they have something to impart to him. The goal is that the all the saints might work well so that the church as a whole is built up (Eph. 4). The second reason Paul gives for desiring to see the Romans comes at the end of verse 13 as he says, “I want you to know, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles.” Again, the language here is a bit ambiguous, but the clear thing is that Paul wants to labor among the Romans in such a way that clear fruit is seen. At this point, Paul has been to a number of cities. In those cities he has spoken the gospel and seen people brought to saving faith in Jesus Christ. In those same cities he has started churches so that these new Christians might meet together. And in those cities he has seen these new churches begin to grow and mature – he has seen a harvest from his labors. And so he desires to see that same harvest in Rome – a harvest that includes new believers as well as the maturation of the Christians who are there. Paul introduces his final, and penultimate, reason for desiring to visit the Romans by reiterating his divine call (Rom. 1:1 – the call to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel), “I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome” (v. 14-15). Paul makes clear that he is “under obligation” to do something. What is that something? It is to preach the gospel. This same idea is present in 1 Cor. 9:16 when Paul writes, “For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.” That is why Paul follows up the declaration in v. 14 of our text with his statement in v. 15. Paul is under obligation to speak the gospel, so he wants to visit the Roman Christians in order to speak the gospel to them as well.
But this idea brings up another issue – why would Paul need to speak the gospel to Roman believers? Are they not already believers? Does he doubt their salvation? The answer to this question brings the whole of the text this morning together. In fact, the answer to this question prepares us for the rest of the book of Romans. In essence, the message of this middle portion of this text could be summed up by saying that Paul desires to visit the Romans so that he can speak to them the gospel. The gospel is the foundation on which everything else rests and the soil out of which everything grows. With this view, then, the gospel becomes something that is not just reserved for those who do not believe in Jesus Christ. Rather, it is of paramount importance for every individual because – as we will soon see – it is the power of God for salvation. It is important for the non-believer because it is the only means by which their lost souls can be saved. It is important for the believer because it contains all the individual needs for perseverance and holiness. Schreiner writes, “One of the difficulties with Paul longing to preach the gospel in Rome is resolved when we realize that preaching the gospel for Paul involved more than initial conversion. His goal as an apostle was to bring about the obedience of faith among the Gentiles (Rom. 1:5; 16:26). The obedience of faith, which as 1:1-7 shows is part and parcel of the gospel, cannot be limited to the initial decision to join the Christian community.”2 In fact, so foundational is this reason that the two reasons we have already seen Paul give (his desire to impart a gift and his desire to see a harvest) seem to be rooted in this desire, and calling, to speak the gospel. Schreiner goes on to say, “Paul certainly wants to communicate a spiritual gift to fortify roman believers (v. 11) and see mutual edification (v. 12), and such strengthening and edification are part of what is involved in proclaiming the gospel.”3
This concept of the gospel being necessary for both believers and nonbelievers is seen throughout Paul’s letters. When Paul exhorts the Romans later to bear with one another instead of judging one another, he roots it in the gospel (Rom. 15:1-7). When Paul wants to address divisions in the Corinthian church, he roots his rebuke in the gospel (1 Cor. 3). When he exhorts the Corinthians to avoid sexual immorality, he roots his exhortation in the gospel (1 Cor. 6:12-20). When he instructs the Ephesians about marriage, he roots his instruction in the gospel (Eph. 5:22-33). When he exhorts the Philippians to humility, he roots his exhortation in the gospel (Phil. 2:1-11). We could go on and on, but the point is clear: the gospel is the bedrock for everything that Paul teaches. Therefore, he continues to teach the gospel to believers because if the gospel is lost, then everything is lost. Why does Paul want to preach the gospel to the Romans who are already Christians? He wants to preach it because there really is nothing better or worthier or more necessary to preach.
But what does the gospel contain that makes it so incredible? That is the subject of the last section of our text.
Here, in the last two verses of our text, we reach a key hinge in the book of Romans. These two verses together will serve as the thesis statement of the rest of the book. We mentioned last week that the basic theme of the book of Romans is the gospel in all of its glory. Thus far, as Paul has introduced himself and laid out his heart and prayer for the Romans, he has made brief, quick references to the gospel. But, beginning in 1:16-17, Paul turns the attention away from himself as such and focuses it steadily on the gospel.4 Here, in these verses is the reason for Paul’s confidence in proclaiming the gospel to the Romans as well as to everyone else in the world. So, what do these verses tell us about the gospel itself?
First, Paul writes, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation” (v. 16a). Why is Paul so bold in speaking the gospel? Why is he so confident? He makes clear that his confidence rests not in himself but in the message that he carries. Let us make sure that we understand this truth: the power of the gospel lies in the message itself and not in the person carrying the message. Schreiner writes, “The preaching of the Word does not merely make salvation possible but effects salvation in those who are called.”5 It is not as if the effectiveness of the gospel is dependent upon the one who speaks it. Sinful human beings are dead in their sin, and they need to be made alive. This giving of life is accomplished by the word of truth as it pierces to the heart and turns it from a heart of stone to a heart of flesh. The power of the gospel does not reside in us because we are frail and sinful people. The power of the gospel lies in the Savior who is its object because of the work he accomplished. Paul writes elsewhere, “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power” (1 Cor. 1:17). The power of the gospel comes from the Spirit who applies it to the heart. It is the gospel that, above all else, should be held up by us as Christians because in holding up the gospel we hold up our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. John Calvin, writing on this verse, says, “If, in the first place, the power of God ought to be extolled by us, that power shines forth in the gospel; if, again, the goodness of God deserves to be sought and loved by us, the gospel is a display of his goodness. It ought then to be reverenced and honoured, since veneration is due to God’s power; and as it avails to our salvation, it ought to be loved by us.”6
Paul goes on to finish verse 16 by saying, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Notice that Paul does not stop and simply say that the gospel is the power of God for every individual on the earth – as if even those who hate the Lord until they die will be saved. This gospel is only the power of God unto salvation for those who believe. To those who do not believe, this gospel is foolish and ridiculous. But to those who believe (in 1 Corinthians 1, Paul will say, “to those who are called…”), the gospel is the power of God for salvation. In order to be saved, one must believe that the gospel is true and place their faith in Jesus Christ and follow him as their Lord. And this is true of everyone, whether they be Jew, Gentile, or whatever.
Paul, in the last verse of our text this morning, writes, “For in it [the gospel] the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith’” (v. 17). So Paul, having pointed out that the gospel – in and of itself – is powerful, makes clear that this power comes from the fact that God’s righteousness is revealed in it. There is much debate about the core meaning of this phrase – to what exactly does \"the righteousness of God\" refer?7 It seems, in the context of the gospel’s power, that Paul is referring to the righteousness of God in the gospel as a whole. The truth of the gospel is that the perfectly righteous God, who does not sin or let sin go unpunished, has made a way for wicked sinners to be both declared righteous and made righteous. There have been no moral absolutes breached. God did not bend any rules or violate his character in any way – he remained perfectly righteous. And yet, while doing that, he justly judged sin while simultaneously making a way for the doers of that sin to live and be made righteous. This is power – this is a problem that is beyond hope for us as sinners. But hope has come in the form of the gospel, and it is this gospel that is powerful for salvation because of God’s righteousness that is revealed in it.
Paul goes on to reiterate the point about faith that he made in verse 16. The ambiguous phrase “from faith for faith” means nothing more than this: the right response to the gospel, in any walk of life, is faith. It is in faith that the gospel is rightly received. It is in faith that the gospel is held onto. It is in faith that perseverance comes. The gospel itself is a declaration rather than an offer. Nonetheless, this declaration necessitates a response, and the correct response – from beginning conversion to final deliverance – is faith.
This is driven home by a quotation from Habakkuk 2:4. In the book of Habakkuk, the northern kingdom of Israel has already fallen and come under the dominion of Assyria. God reveals to Habakkuk that he is raising up the Babylonians to judge the Assyrians for what they did to God’s people. But Habakkuk complains to the Lord because the Babylonians are even more wicked than the Assyrians. In response to Habakkuk’s complaint, the Lord says, “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end – it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith” (Hab. 2:2-4). So, in context, God tells Habakkuk to have faith that the Lord will ultimately deliver his people. Even if it seems long in coming, those who continue in their faith until the end will see the Lord’s deliverance and be glad. Returning to Romans, Paul’s purpose in quoting this text becomes clear: he is reinforcing the centrality of faith as the only right response to the gospel. The gospel centers on a past event, but the culmination of God’s redemption has not yet come. Initial faith does not result in our immediate rapture from this earth. We wait, and we wait in faith, because the righteous shall live by faith.
So, with that understanding of the text as Paul laid it out, how does this text apply to us? Beginning next week especially, we will enter the doctrinal meat of Romans in which we will be looking at timeless truths. There is a bit of that this morning, but there is also some “application by example” in which we can look at Paul’s attitude and actions as examples of the way that we should act as well. So, with that in mind, we will work backwards through the text in seeking out our application.
Again, as it may be every week, this is perhaps the clearest exhortation from the text. As we have seen, the only right response to the gospel is faith, so if you have never believed, then respond with faith. God is perfectly righteous and will judge sin – you can count on it. But that perfectly righteous God has made a way for you to be declared righteous and have your sins dealt with in a way that does not obliterate you in the process. You must believe, so believe!
For those who have placed their faith in Christ, the first question I would ask you from this text is, “Do you know and believe the things Paul said about the gospel this morning? Have you meditated on the fact that God’s perfect righteousness is revealed in the gospel and all that that means? Do you understand exactly what God did for you in sending his Son to die on the cross? The perfectly righteous God made a way for you as a sinner to be both declared and made righteous. You did not deserve it, and there was nothing you could do to bring it about. Meditate on that until it moves your heart. Meditate on that until you love it.
And live as if the gospel truly is the power of God for salvation. If it truly is the gospel that is powerful, then we will in no way seek to hide the gospel or move it to a back cupboard somewhere. We will labor to make sure that the gospel is front and center in everything we do – both as individuals and as the church. In sharing with people, they do not need our wisdom or our thoughts; they need the gospel – because the gospel is powerful unto salvation. If we truly believe the gospel is powerful, we will share it often. We will share it boldly, because we know that nothing else will accomplish what the gospel will accomplish. And we will continually exhort ourselves to believe. Repent and believe is something we all need to hear – not just those who are not Christians. Thing about your struggle against sin – the thing that you need to hear in the midst of sin is “repent and believe.” This is the gospel! Faith is not just our entrance into eternity but our walking staff along the way. Faith is always and ever present – and it must be.
Like Paul, our hearts should burn to speak the gospel to everyone around us. Paul understood that the people in Rome needed the gospel: nonbelievers needed it so they might be saved and believers needed it so they would persevere. Our situation is the same. Speak the gospel to the lost because it is their only hope for salvation. Speak the gospel to believers because it is their only hope for perseverance. Listen to Hebrews 3: “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end” (Heb. 3:12-14). We are to encourage one another so that we do not end up falling away and proving that we never believed. What do we encourage each other to do? Believe!
Paul understood that he could impart some gift to the Romans and they could impart some gift to him. He understood that they could mutually encourage one another. Such an attitude is sorely lacking in the church – we should have such confidence in one another. Calvin writes, “…there is no one so void of gifts in the Church of Christ, who is not able to contribute something to our benefit.”8 We should never lose sight of the fact that every part is necessary and every part has something to contribute to the whole.
Paul understood that the gospel was the power of God unto salvation. Therefore, he spoke it boldly to those around him. He spoke it boldly because he understood that it would be of benefit to all those who heard it – believer and nonbeliever alike. He wanted to benefit others because he understood that the goal of life was not to exalt himself but his Savior. And this genuine desire for the good of others drove him to pray for them “without ceasing” (v. 9). Do we pray in such a way? If we do not pray, perhaps it is because we do not care. If we do not care, perhaps it is because we do not truly understand the gospel.
The great problem of all humanity is that we are sinful people and God is perfectly holy. It seems that the only way this situation could end is either for God to rightly condemn everyone or for God to overlook some sins so that people can be saved. As we come to the table today to celebrate communion, we celebrate the fact that – in the gospel – God chose a different way. He chose a way in which we as sinners could be made right with him because his wrath was poured out on another who bore our sins. Our judgment fell on that other and that other’s righteousness was given to us. That “other” was Jesus Christ and we remember his sacrifice in communion. As we take it, may we meditate again on why Christ died and what he accomplished. May we rejoice that the “righteousness of God” has been revealed in a way that brings salvation for all who believe. Amen.