Exposition by Max A Forsythe
Christ Covenant Reformed (PCA)
We
live in a world where spin doctors have a calling, far and wide, to set ideas
and products in the most favorable light.
Indeed, men with an understanding of such business principles have been
busy repackaging the Gospel of Christ to make it more palatable for the American
market.
In fact, one expert in these matters once told me that we needed to put
away, as quickly as possible, any taint of old world denominations with their
creeds and confessions.
After all, he argued, the American market was more interested in home
grown concepts and understandings.
Did he believe Jesus was an American?!
While
we may not agree with all of the principles that are currently popular, we still
feel an obligation to present the eternal Word of God in the very best light so
that we might not be responsible for affronting any possible candidate for
salvation.
As we work towards developing our witness for this American market, I
believe that we need to focus more upon systematic apologetics than upon market
understanding and customer satisfaction.
We have to remember that the growth of Christ’s church has more do do
with delivering the absolute truth than upon tickling the fancy of a consumer
minded generation.
Perhaps
this is a small thing, but I would like to illustrate this necessary idea by
comparing several translations of the first phrase of verse sixteen.
In the original Greek text, it is very clearly written, “For I am not
ashamed of the gospel.”
And most translations carry this idea through to our English tongue.
However, several translators put a slightly different spin to it.
James Moffat’s translation reads:
“For I am proud of the Gospel”; William Barclay’s translation
reads: “I am quite sure that the good news will never let me down”;
and Today’s English Version reads: “For I have complete confidence in
the gospel.”
What
kind of presupposition is reflected in these renderings?
Is there some thought that the gospel truth is better presented without
using the word “ashamed”?
John Murray comments that “we might think that the negative way of
expressing his estimate of the gospel, is scarcely consistent with the confident
glorying which appears on other occasions or...later in these same verses.”
However, like our own society, the wise and worldly of Rome would not
necessarily be impressed.
John Calvin observes that, in Paul’s phrasing, “he takes the
opportunity of commending the merits of the Gospel,” and hints “that it was
contemptible in the eyes of the world, when he says that he is not ashamed of it
himself.”
How many eager new converts have had to learn the lesson that the world
neither understands or appreciates the power of the gospel to transform their
lives.
Could not Paul’s admonition here better prepare us for the contempt of
the wise and worldly?
Just
as there was much in the first phrase of our text for today, so is there more in
the second as well, “because it is the power of God for the salvation of
everyone who believes.”
This clause refers back, of course, to the word “gospel.”
“The power of God”
here is not merely a descriptive phrase. The
intent of the Greek wording is that the power is authored by and derived from
God, through the gospel.
Calvin marvels at “how much Paul attributes to the ministry of the
word, when he declares that God exerts His power there for our salvation.
He is not speaking here of any secret revelation, but of preaching by
word of mouth.
It follows from this that those who withdraw themselves from hearing the
Word preached are willfully rejecting the power of God.”
For this reason, we should not be ashamed to own our Lord, or to speak
truthfully about Him whenever and wherever we can.
And the reason?
Because the gospel is the power of God for salvation!
But there is a limitation here, as our orthodox commentators well note.
“Of everyone who believes”
is the limiting phrase.
By this we understand that salvation is not accomplished irrespective of
faith.
Faith is a most necessary condition in the salvation process.
There
can be no second birth or regeneration without the fact of faith.
As we well know, Jesus did not come and die for the sins of every person
who ever lived, but only for those who acknowledge their need for His atonement
and believe that He is indeed our Lord and Savior.
There is so very much in these few words, and more still as we move on to
the seventeenth verse.
But first, Paul notes that the message has a priority.
Every
once in a while, I receive some mail that notes it is for me or the current
resident.
Well, in this sixteenth verse Paul assures God’s elect that the Jewish
people will not be neglected.
The gospel is first for them and then for the pagans. Hmmm,
what can we make of this?
A year or two ago I read an article about the growth of our Presbyterian
Church in America.
Very much of our growth has been by realignment.
One denomination and many individual congregations have come into our
fellowship.
More has been accomplished in this manner than through adult conversions.
While many of the fast-growth people emphasize that they are taking the
gospel primarily to the lost, however, they will not turn away Christians who
simply change churches.
In the same way, Paul went first to the Jews in any city where he
visited.
From the Jewish congregations some would follow him and to these would
then be added pagans from the local culture.
In
the next verse we see why “the gospel is the power of God for salvation.”
It is because righteousness from God is revealed in the gospel.
Of course this message is nothing new.
The coordination of the power of God, salvation, revelation and the
righteousness of God are also taught in the Old Testament,
especially in Psalm
98, but also in six places in Isaiah alone.
In the language of the Old Covenant, the salvation of God and the
righteousness of God are virtually synonymous.
Notice the emphasis on the righteousness of God that rings throughout the
sacred pages.
This righteousness is divine, John Murray tells us.
As a “God-righteousness,” the emphasis is upon God’s alone and must
be contrasted with what what little mankind can accomplish.
Luther
compares the righteous ethics of man, as Aristotle defines it, with the true
righteousness revealed by God.
In the third book of his Ethics, Aristotle describes righteousness as
that which follows man’s works and is brought about by them.
But Luther shows that God’s judgment is different because righteousness
precedes works and good works grow out of it.
Thus, all that we are and all that we believe and do has its root in the
very righteousness of God which is revealed in the work of Jesus Christ.
Through Him we believe and by that faith we live forever in Him, just as
Paul notes and Luther grasps it in the great text of Habakkuk 2:4:
“The righteous will live by faith.”
So may we all know and experience the saving relationship between faith
and the gospel.
Because the just live by faith, Paul maintains that such a life is
received by the Gospel.
As we receive the Gospel message today, may we be assured that by that
faith we are saved.
Amen.
Resources Used: The Holy Bible, New International Version
Places Preached:Bruce, F.F. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries: Romans. Dodd, C.H. Moffat New Testament Commentary: Romans. Hodge, Charles. Romans. Mackenzie, R. Calvin's New Testament Commentaries: Romans. Mueller, J.T. Luther: commentary on Romans. Murray, John. New International Commentary: Epistle to Romans.
Christ Covenant REFORMED (Presbyterian Church in America) Post Office Box 13926 - Columbus, OH 43213-7926
Rom01d.htm 23 April 95
To Subscribe or Unsubscribe go to: http://www.tulip.org/trf-list - Permission granted to redistribute unedited versions with this notice.