The following is a compilation of the Wednesday Class Article from 3/29/20 & 4/5/20.

The Gospel According to Paul

The origin of the church in Rome is not given in the scriptures. However, by the time Paul writes his letter to the church in Rome (AD 57) they were full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to teach one another (Rom 16:14). They were a well established church.

And yet to this established church Paul wanted to preach the gospel (1:15). Because Paul says: …[ the gospel ] is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes… For in it the righteousness of God is revealed…as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” (1:16,17)

The gospel is God’s POWER to save. POWER, Grk: dynamis – force, power, mighty work, strength, miracle, might, from which we get the english word: dynamo.

The dynamo that God uses to save us is His gospel. And this dynamo is available to those who believe. But our belief, our faith, is not the dynamo, it only makes us available to God’s dynamo. The dynamo is the gospel in its entirety.

And that begs the question: What is the Gospel? Romans is God’s answer to that question through Paul by the Holy Spirit.

The Gospel

  • Promised through the Prophets in OT, (1:2)

  • Jesus human ancestry (1:3)

  • The Son of God according to HS (1:4)

  • By His resurrection from the dead

  • The obedience of faith (1:5)

  • An Apostle imparts spiritual gifts (1:11)

  • The power of God for salvation (1:16)

  • Reveals the righteousness of God (1:17)

  • The righteous shall live by faith (1:17)

  • God’s wrath to all those unrighteous (1:18)

  • God’s judgement rightly falls on ungodly (2:3)

  • God’s kindness leads to repentance (2:4)

  • There’s a day when God judges all (2:16)

  • The Holy Spirit performs the circumcision of the heart (2:29)

Notice that in the 1st two chapters of Romans Paul references five of the six elementary teachings about Christ: Repentance, Faith, Laying on of hands, Resurrection of the dead, and Eternal Judgement – Hebrews 6:1,2 Paul’s gospel includes the elementary teaching about Christ AND righteousness.

– More to follow… maybe –

— Scott R