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Romans Lesson 2 (2008)

THE RIGHTEOUS WILL LIVE BY FAITH

Romans 1:8-17
Key Verse: 1:17

“For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteous-ness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’”

“The righteous will live by faith!” (Hab 2:4; Ro 1:17; Gal 3:11; Heb 10:38) is a very famous Bible verse which inspired many people in history, especially Saint Paul and Martin Luther, a Christian theologian and a Protestant reformer. This statement is still inspiring so many people today. “The righteous will live by faith.” It is a quotation from Habakkuk 2:4. Many Bible scholars think that this verse is the main “text” of Romans, and what follows in Romans is an exposition of that Scripture text. “The righteous will live by faith” is the main theme of Romans. Although it may seem simple, in order to know the meaning of the phrase, we need to study the entire book of Romans. In the preceding passage, 1:1-7, Paul briefly introduces to the Christians in Rome about himself and his relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ. In today’s passage, Paul explains the purpose of writing his letter to them.

FIRST, “I AM OBLIGATED” (8-15)

Look at verses 8-10. “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you.” Since Rome was such an important city in the world, like NYC, the news about the new church in Rome had been a hot issue among most believers throughout the world. People everywhere kept talking about their lives of faith. Apostle Paul was a great missionary who had planted many churches in Asia and Europe. He was a champion missionary. But the church in Rome was not established by him. In fact, he had never been to Rome when he wrote this letter to them. How did Paul feel about that? Did he say, “Oh, no. I lost the chance.”? Some students suffer from the “honor student syndrome.” They just cannot tolerate of being in a secondary class. Paul didn’t covet the honor of being the first pioneer of the church in Rome. Instead, every time he heard about the church in Rome, he gave thanks to God. He wasn’t just giving thanks reluctantly. In fact, he was eager to support them in prayer. Verses 9 and 10a read, “God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times.” Why was Paul so eager to pray for them? It’s because he deeply acknowledged the Lord God who was working mightily in Rome. He was so impressed and touched by the powerful work of the gospel in Rome even before he got there. So he participated in the work of God through earnest prayer. We must know that the best thing we can do for God’s work in anywhere in the world is prayer.

Look at verses 10b. “And I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you.” Although the church had already been established in Rome, Paul was so eager to visit them. In fact, he had tried many times to visit Rome. Verse 13 reads, “I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you ( but have been prevented from doing so until now).” He said that even though he had planned many times to come to Rome, he had been prevented from doing so. What prevented him from visiting Rome? One of the obstacles that might have prevented Paul from reaching Rome was that in A.D. 49, the imperial edict was issued to expel all Jews from Rome. In fact, according to Acts 18:2, Priscilla and Aquila, a Jewish Christian couple in Rome, had to move out of Rome and live in Corinth for a while. But the main reason that might have prevented Paul from visiting Rome was that he was so involved with preaching and establishing leaders in the churches he pioneered in Asia and Europe. In fact, Paul was too busy to visit Rome. Why was Paul so eager to visit Rome?

Look at verses 11-12. “I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong – that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.” Here, we are not completely sure about what he meant by “spiritual gift.” Some might say that “spiritual gift” in verse 11 is the gifts of the Holy Spirit, as described in 1 Corinthians 12. But we cannot be sure of this. Paul said that he wanted to share some spiritual gift to make them strong, and as a result, he and the Christians in Rome might be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. So “spiritual gift” could be understood as “the contents of the gospel” or “the contents of Romans” which can strengthen our faith in Jesus. Paul wanted to visit Rome not just to encourage them but also to be encouraged by them. He wanted not just to give but also to receive and not just to teach but also to learn. In fact, everyone needs to be encouraged and strengthened. There are many ways to encourage one another. We can talk, hang out, drink coffee at Starbucks, and watch movies. But one of the best ways to encourage one another is sharing the words of God. Paul’s purpose to visit Rome had something to do with a spiritual harvest among the Christians in Rome. He said in verse 13b. “In order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.” A spiritual harvest in the Bible always goes along with spiritual growth and evangelism. (Mt 9:37; Jn 4:35). Obviously, Apostle Paul expected that through his visit many leaders, Bible teachers, shepherds, and missionaries might be established among Christians in Rome.

There is even more fundamental reason that Paul wanted to visit Rome. What is it? Look at verses 14 and 15. “I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome.” Here, we see the dynamic force of Paul’s ministry is a strong sense of obligation to all humankind. It was Paul’s ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that he would not be building on someone else’s foundation. That’s why he had often been hindered from coming to Rome. (15:20-22) However, Paul still wanted to visit Rome on his way to Spain. In fact, Paul was eager to preach the gospel to every corner of the world. How could be so zealous? He said in verse 14, “I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish.” The Greek word for “obligated” is “opheiletes”, which means “a debtor.” Therefore, Paul was saying “I am a debtor to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish.” He meant “I am a debtor to all humankind.”

Of course, we know that Paul was a great debtor to God, who forgave all his sins. But it’s really puzzling that Paul said that he was a debtor to all humankind. It’s hard to understand why he considered himself this way. According to John Stott, the author of the Basic Christianity, we become a debtor in two ways. The first is to borrow money from someone. The second is to be given money for someone by a third party. For example, if I were to borrow $1,000 from you, I would be in your debt until I paid it back. Equally, if a friend of yours were to hand me $1,000 to give to you, I would be in your debt until I handed it over. In the former case I would have got myself into debt by borrowing; in the latter it is your friend who has put me in your debt by entrusting me with $1,000 for you. It is in this second sense that Paul is in debt. Paul has not borrowed anything from the Romans which he must repay. But Jesus Christ has entrusted him with the gospel for them. It is Jesus Christ who has made Paul a debtor by committing the gospel to his trust. Paul was in debt to the Romans.

Likewise, we who are saved by God’s grace are also debtors to the people of the world. If the gospel has come to us, we have no right to keep it to ourselves because we are given the treasure of the gospel so that we may share it with those who are not saved. So until we paid the debt we owe, we remain as a debtor to them. Generally to leave a debt unpaid is regarded as a dishonorable thing. That’s why Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:16, “Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.”

So when we go out to campus or street, we should not just say, “Would you like to study the Bible?” Instead, we might say to people, “Hi. Did you know that I owe you something?” Then they would respond, “What do you owe me?” “You know your friend gave me a treasure sometime ago so that I can hand it over to you.” “Oh, really!” Look at verse 15. Paul did not regard his opportunity to preach the gospel as a heavy burden. Rather he was willing and eager to share the good news with everyone. (15) He was always humble and eager to share the gospel because he knew that he was a debtor to everyone.

SECOND, THE GOSPEL – THE POWER OF GOD (16)

The second reason that Paul was so eager to preach the gospel in Rome was his confidence in the gospel. Look at verse 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.” Paul might have said that he was not ashamed of the gospel because he was often tempted to be ashamed of the gospel. Why would he be ashamed of the gospel? It’s because whenever and wherever the gospel was preached, it often aroused contempt, opposition and even ridicule. For example, whenever Paul preached, he preached Christ who was crucified and rose again, the message of the cross, first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. In general, the response from both was very cold. The Jews were offended by it because they were seeking miracles and signs, and the Greeks despised it because the gospel message didn’t sound sophisticated compared to their philosophical wisdom.

But how did Paul overcome the temptation to be ashamed of the gospel? First of all, Paul himself experienced the power of the gospel in his life. The gospel changed him from a sin sick soul into a new person. He was changed from a narrow-minded and proud Pharisee into a man of love, compassion, humility and hope. Paul had been a very exclusive religious man as an orthodox Jew. But the gospel changed him to be a very inclusive person who could embrace people who were very different from him. He also knew through his ministry that those who believed in the gospel message experienced the amazing power of God’s redemption and transformation in their lives whether they were a Jew or a Gentile. The Greek word translated “power” is “dunamis”, which the word “dynamite” is derived from. Paul was eager to preach the gospel not only because he had a sense of obligation but also because of his confidence in the power of the gospel.

How can we overcome the temptation to be ashamed of the gospel in today’s world? It is only by remembering that the gospel is the dynamic power that brings true salvation to everyone who believes. Salvation restores people to what they cannot experience because of sin. When Paul said “for the salvation of everyone”, he meant the restoration of the wholeness of God and all aspects of deliverance, such as justification, redemption, reconciliation, sanctification and glorification.

The fact is, we cannot change ourselves. But the gospel can and does. All we need to do is to share the gospel message. God has the power to deliver us physically and spiritually. We know that we cannot change anybody. We cannot change ourselves. But this is not our job. God changes people through the gospel. The great evangelist D. L. Moody said that the gospel is like a lion. All we have to do is to open the door of the cage and get out of the way. We are not to be ashamed of the gospel but be confident in it. All we need to do is to preach the gospel, and God will take care of the rest.

THIRD, THE RIGHTEOUS WILL LIVE BY FAITH (17)

There is another reason that Paul was not ashamed of the gospel. Look at verse 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 this verse, Paul explains what makes the gospel so powerful is its content. What is in the gospel? In the gospel God’s righteousness is revealed. What did Paul mean by “God’s righteousness”? We may have to study the whole content of Romans in order to understand the meaning of this verse. However, for now, let us dissect the meaning of verse 17 in two segments: the righteousness of God and the righteousness by faith. Read verse 17 again. “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.’”

First, in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed. It’s hard to summarize the meaning of the expression “the righteousness of (of from) God.” Some scholars say that the righteousness of God is a divine attribute or quality. Other scholars say that the righteousness of God is a divine activity, which is God’s action for the salvation of his people. We may think both. We can say that the righteousness of God is God’s righteous character and behavior. In the gospel, God’s righteous character and His righteous action have been revealed. Romans 3:25 and 26 read, “God presented him (Jesus Christ) as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.” The content of the gospel is not invented or discovered by a group of smart and wise men and women in history. The gospel rather reveals God’s design and plan to save sinful humankind. Therefore, the righteousness of God that is revealed in the gospel is Jesus Christ himself or what God has done or achieved through him. In fact, the righteousness of God is a gift to us. It’s the best gift we can ever receive from God. Maybe that is why Apostle Paul said earlier in verse 11 that he wanted to impart some spiritual gift to the Romans.

Second, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last. The righteousness of God that is revealed in the gospel is offered to us through faith. Paul didn’t simply say “a righteousness that is by faith.” Instead, he uses an interesting expression “a righteousness that is by faith from first to last.” According to another translation, it meant “from faith to faith.” What did Paul mean when he said, “by faith from first to last”? It can just mean “only by faith.” Some scholars say that it means “from God’s faith (or from God’s faithfulness) to our faith.” It means from the faith of God, who makes the offer, to the faith of men who receive it. God’s faithfulness or His righteousness becomes ours through our simple trust. Second, it may also mean “from one degree of faith to another.” Our faith should grow like a tree. There are different levels of faith as 2 Corinthians 3:18 describes, “And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as through reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.” Saint Paul confirms his emphasis on faith by quoting from Habakkuk 2:4, which reads, “The righteous will live by faith.” In Romans, we learn that those who are saved by faith in Jesus (chapters 1-4) must also live by faith in Jesus (chapters 5-8). The gospel is the power of God because in it the righteousness of God is revealed. The power and the righteousness of God in the gospel truly brings salvation to everyone who believes and completes the salvation in us through its transforming power. May we learn to live by faith.

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