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WEEK ONE
Day Three
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Know: Read Romans 1: 14-17
Note: Read slowly, carefully marking keywords.
Debtor, Greeks, barbarians, gospel, power, righteousness.
Observation:
When is the righteousness of God revealed in the gospel?
Where is salvation offered through the gospel?
Who can receive salvation through the gospel?
Why does the gospel have the power to save?
What is the gospel of Christ?
How does the gospel bring salvation to everyone who believes?
What does it mean to you personally that the gospel is the "power of God" and not based on your works or efforts? How does this truth shape your understanding of salvation? In what ways does understanding the full scope of sozo (wholeness, healing, provision, deliverance, and redemption) expand your view of the gospel and its impact on your daily life?
“ I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also. 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.”
Romans 1:14-17
I was on a road trip once, headed to Phoenix, AZ, from Texas. If you have ever traveled roads out west, you discover that there is not much to see except some dust devils and tumbleweeds; the lonely roads can stretch for miles- often several hours before coming to a rest stop. When a stop is made or something interesting catches your eye, it causes much excitement among travelers. On this road trip, we had ten travelers in a van, each very excited after discovering a country store with snacks and bathrooms along one of those long stretches of driving. While we were getting in the van, someone noticed a large disk hovering in the sky over a mountain peak. My father-in-law was driving the van and ignored us as he set the van moving down the road. We all kept our eye on the disk and speculated what it could be. We were, after all, in the alien capital, Roswell, NM. Eventually, the kids lost interest as we traveled for a while; the adults changed subjects, and the van quieted. Not soon after, my father-in-law began to comment on the strangeness of the road. My husband also began to notice something odder than a flying disk- the road ended up ahead. Suddenly, the excitement returned as everyone began to shout at the driver. It turned out, back at the rest stop, the driver had one eye on the flying disk and one eye on the road- he did not watch the road signs or the map and turned right instead of left, taking us down an old highway that eventually came to a dead end.
This passage in Romans is like that rest stop. A lot is happening, and we will miss the right road if we do not pay attention. If we remember that the gospel is the map, we can locate where we are by understanding the landmarks and signs. This passage alone has multiple markers that need to be understood.
Paul expounds on his reasoning for his desire to come to Rome. He has already declared his life mission—to champion the proclamation of the gospel—and he is not ashamed of it or its effects because it has the power to put to right sin and its effect’s reign of terror over humanity.
We cannot read the Bible through our modern lens. When we read that Paul was not ashamed of the gospel, our Western minds think of how we can be ashamed of the gospel and think that was the struggle Paul was facing. In first-century Rome, at the time of this writing, the world, as it were, was ruled and dominated by one man- Ceasar. Paul’s gospel claimed otherwise. When Paul declared later in Philippians that every knee would bow to the name of Jesus, He meant that even Ceasar would bow his knee to the one true God. These statements would have meant death to the one living by it, considering the political climate. This is the kind of courage Paul was calling Christians to; this kind of courage faced persecution, torture, and death boldly in the face.
Before the Romans came into power, the Greeks ruled the world. The Greeks were responsible for “Hellenizing” the world- in fact, much of American thought and culture is deeply influenced by the Greeks. They considered themselves civilized and romantic people, bringing in a way of speech, culture, and thinking that elevated the world, including those of the Jews. When the Romans came to power, the Greeks despised them- considering them barbarians with their harsh and guttural Latin. Paul just gave the Romans a jab at thier pride by calling them barbarians.
The Gospel of Christ is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.
What is the gospel? I often ask people to share their understanding of it to gauge how they perceive its truth.
The most common answers I hear are: “It’s Jesus dying for sinners,” or “It’s about going to heaven instead of hell.”
While these contain a fragment of truth, they fall short of the full gospel.
Paul tells us that the gospel is the power of God—dynamis in Greek, from the word "dynamite." This power brings salvation (sozo), which encompasses wholeness, healing, provision, deliverance, and redemption—both now and forever.
The Good News of the gospel is not just about eternal life; it’s about transformation—spirit, soul, and body.
So, where does this power come from?
Here’s where it doesn’t come from: it’s not from speaking in tongues, prophesying, giving generously, reading your Bible, or sacrificing yourself for a cause. It’s not about hearing about Jesus, loving Him, serving Him, or even dying for Him. That is not the gospel.
The power of the gospel is found in Jesus Himself.
The gospel is this: Jesus knew you. Jesus loved you. Jesus came as you. Jesus died as you. Jesus rose as you.
He was in perfect union with God and made a way for you to share in that same union. Jesus stooped down, served you, and lifted you up to be one with Him.
The gospel proclaims that His blood paid the full debt of your sin and made you righteous before God. This is the power that saves.
We are saved when we believe, by faith, that His blood has completely removed our sins and conquered death, giving us His righteousness in return.
The word “salvation” comes from the Greek word soteria, which is derived from sozo. This term means far more than a "get-out-of-hell-free card." The gospel is the power of God to heal, rescue, preserve, and deliver us from every force of darkness.
Through His blood, our debt has been fully paid, and we are now in a position to receive every blessing of heaven. We are co-heirs with Christ and heirs of God Himself!