Romans 1:1-31, “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.”
In vs. 5, we come to learn how Paul’s journey began and how our Journey in Christ begins. He says, “Vs. 5 Through Him we have received grace and apostleship /for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;”. I break vs. 5&6 in sections.
First, “..Through Him we have received grace and apostleship …” Salvation is through Christ alone and through Him we have received grace. Grace is the unmerited favor which God shows guilty sinners (we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone). There is nothing we could do of OURSELVES to get saved. Convincing, Convicting, Converting, Containing is ALL from God. That is why salvation is the greatest miracle a person can experience. John MacArthur says, “Grace is the divine power that brings justification in order that the promise may be certain to all descendants (those who are saved).
Paul writing to Timothy about His servant hood to Christ takes it another level calling himself His prisoner says, “8 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel”, 2Timothy 1:8-10 (NIV). We recently talked about Amazing Grace, we see this grace in operation in Paul’s life. He could be and do what he could do because of the grace given in Christ Jesus.
Not only did he receive grace, he also received the calling of apostleship. This is a special calling by Christ, a call he joyfully received because of Christ love for him. In 2 Corinthians 5:14-16, tells us what drives him to answer the call, “14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again”. This defines the Christian life, this is not a life for SELF HELP but SELF SACRIFICE.
Vs. 5&6, “.. for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ …”. True saving faith always produces obedience and submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (obedient). Why should a sinner give up all his sins? Why should he be challenged to do it, because God deserves the obedience that He demands” Through obedience we bring Glory to His name, NLT version puts it this way, “So that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to His name.”
The tragedy of our modern gospel, little is taught about the means by which men receive grace. There is little talk about laying down your life, dying to self. “ Many of today’s gospel is Me (man) centered instead of Christ centered, gospel that appeals to the selfish, instead of honoring God, it places the sinner in the hand of god’s loving plan”. Keith Green. It is the gospel of humanism that declares, “the chief end of all beings is the happiness of man”. Where God is a means to an end rather than the Glories End He is. Martin Luther called it “the theology of glory” how can I climb the ladder and attain the glory here and now after God has promised us after we suffer.
In these two verses we learn 1. The means by which we are saved, 2. The response to the call of God through the means of salvation we’ve received, and 3. The motive behind God’s salvation and the call. Blessings Ev
He Has Magnified His Word 