Text: Romans 1:16-17, “The gospel, the power unto salvation”
Summary of the text
If you want a verse that focuses on the nature of the gospel and how it brings salvation, Romans 1:16-17 is the best choice for you. Paul expresses his firm confidence in the gospel, declaring it as God’s powerful means to bring salvation to all people, regardless of their ethnicity or background (v. 16), and therefore it is not something to be embarrassed about or hidden, because it is the source of divine power that changes lives. This does not mean there was no good reason for Paul to be ashamed of the gospel since he proclaimed the crucified Christ, “a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles” (1 Cor. 1:23). Paul, however, is not embarrassed by this gospel, which he identifies as the “message about the cross” (1 Cor. 1:18), because he knows from personal experience that the gospel is “God’s own power resulting in salvation.”
Verse 17 reveals that this gospel also unveils God’s righteousness, which is not something humans can achieve on their own through works or the law. Instead, it is a righteousness given by God through faith. This righteousness is not based on human merit but is received through trust in Jesus Christ. The phrase « the righteous will live by faith » (Hab. 2:4; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38) emphasizes the foundational truth that justification before God is obtained through faith alone (Gal. 2:15-16) and in Christ alone. Romans 1:16-17, therefore, encourages us to both recognize and proclaim the gospel as the power that transforms lives, motivating a life lived in faith, dependent on God’s righteousness alone. It is not only a call for us to rejoice in the glorious gospel of grace through which we have been reconciled to God, but also a clear reminder that we should not be ashamed of it no matter the adversity or opposition we may face. We are called to bring it to all people without any distinction, fully confident of its transforming power unto salvation.