THE RIGHTEOUS WILL LIVE BY FAITH

Lecture 1B

Romans 1:8-17

Key Verse 1:17

“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.’”

Today’s passage is the continuation of the introduction of Romans. It contains Paul’s world mission strategy. Paul longed to come to Rome to share the spiritual gift to make them strong. He was eager to preach the gospel to them also because he was sure that the gospel is the power of God for salvation of everyone who believes. He believed that he was a debtor to all people. He further explains the scope and necessity of the gospel. Let’s learn Paul’s world mission vision and his missionary fervor so that we may preach the gospel to all people in the 21^st century. May God bless us to live by faith and to be right with him by faith in Jesus Christ.

Part I. Paul’s longing to visit Rome (8-13)

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.” Paul began today’s passage with thanksgiving. He was thankful to God through Jesus Christ. What was his number one thanksgiving topic? It was the faith of the Christians in Rome. He was thankful because their faith was being reported all over the world. Though they were not his own flocks, Paul was thankful for their exemplary life of faith. The saints in Rome kept their faith in spite of fierce persecutions. They had hunger and thirst for the word of God. They were growing spiritually. They gave good influence to other Christians. They were the source of encouragement to all other believers. We are encouraged greatly when the faith of Chinese and Russian students is reported all over the world. The gospel of Jesus is gaining power among Moscow State University students. One missionary in China was deported by Chinese CIA but he returned to China again under a different name. According to Acts 19:21, Paul was praying to visit Rome for a long time. “After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. ‘After I have been there,’ he said, ‘I must visit Rome also.’” Paul used the word “must.” Though he was a man from a small country-a Roman colony, he was aiming at the heart of the Roman Empire. His vision was big. His heart was holding the map of the whole world. Romans 14:24 says, “I plan to do so when I go to Spain…” Spain was in his world mission strategy map. He was planning to use Rome to reach to the end of the earth. At that time Rome was the capital of the world. All the roads lead to Rome. They maintained military presence throughout the world. Strategically speaking, Rome was the most important city in the world like Washington DC which is the capital of the U.S.A, a lone super power of the world today. Though Paul pioneered many churches through his three missionary journeys by this time, there was no sign of settling down. He expressed his intense desire to pioneer Rome. His heart was set to Rome. Therefore, he constantly remembered them in his prayers. God was his witness how eagerly he prayed for them day and night. Here we see Paul’s missionary zeal and his broad-mindedness. He gave his whole heart not a partial heart to find the way to pioneer Rome. He not only prayed for his sheep but also prayed for other’s sheep. Paul knew that Rome was essential to preach the gospel to the ends of the world. Paul was right. The gospel of Jesus was carried to the ends of the world through the Roman Empire. 300 years later the Roman Empire became a Christian nation. Our center is located in a strategically important place. Spiritually speaking we are in the modern Rome. Our role will be very important if UBF wants to evangelize the whole world. Washington is called as the museum of all human races. There are more than 200 embassies here. The faith of David Brogi, a former Green Beret and Bruce Hollinger, a former marathon runner were reported all over the world in the 1980s. We were a great encouragement because many American shepherds and shepherdesses were raised up. The American shepherds outnumbered Korean missionaries because only three Korean families were here. We sent the first UBF made-in-USA missionary Wynelle Nett to Germany. Someone may ask, “What is the world mission strategy of Washington UBF?” That’s a good question. We are praying to pioneer 206 East Coast campuses and then send missionaries to five continents. We must rekindle Paul’s missionary vision and his fervor to serve the gospel of Jesus with our whole heart. I admit that these days we are lacking pioneering spirit of our early mission stage. Does our ministry experience a mid-life crisis? Should we settle down for our careers and families after we receive God’s abundant blessing or advance the gospel to the ends of the earth using God’s blessing? God gave us the task to make our center a power station for world campus mission in the 21^st century by sending missionaries who will follow the steps of Apostle Paul. All of you are included in the Washington UBF world mission strategy. These days I am greatly encouraged by the faith of “the Chosen Generation dancing team.” They are young and dynamic with pioneering spirit and powerful in drama and dancing. The second generation children are growing through their energetic singing and table tennis competition. They are young and unpredictable but at the same they are fresh and full of spirit. I pray that God may use them as the second wave of pioneering missionaries to the end of the world.

Why did Paul want to see the saints in Rome? Did he want to have sight-seeing or eating fellowship? He wanted to impart some spiritual gift to make them strong. 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.” Paul wanted to share his life testimony with them so that they might receive the grace of God’s forgiveness and apostleship like himself. He might have said to them, “Once I was a murderer but now I am a missionary for the Gentiles.” Paul was eager to share the gospel of Jesus with them. Romans 15:29 says, “I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.” Paul’s presence would uplift the spirit of the saints in Rome. Paul had many personal coworkers like Priscilla and Aquila. His coming would encourage them greatly. Paul regarded them very highly by saying, “You and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.” Paul was humble enough to be encouraged by their faith. Fellowship among believers is always encouraging because of the presence of faith. That’s the reason why the early Christians met every day and ate together with glad and sincere hearts (Acts 2:46). There were joy and laughter among them.

Another reason to visit Rome was to have a spiritual harvest among them. Look at verse 13. “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) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.” As we know, Paul had a fruitful ministry wherever he went. In the same way, he expected to have successful gospel work in Rome. Paul says in Romans 15:24b, “I hope to visit you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while.” Paul expected the saints in Rome to support his mission trip to Spain. Though the church in Rome was young, he wanted them to assist his pioneering work. He might have regarded their contribution or their growing gospel ministry as the spiritual harvest. When we support other ministry, we grow spiritually. Acts 20:35b says, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Like Apostle Paul we can have a harvest among students when we help them overcome their selfishness and teach them the spirit of giving.

Now Paul reveals his personal reason to visit Rome. He was not hitting the air aimlessly but had a clear point in visiting Rome. So he explained to them that his longing to visit Rome was not out of his human ambition. His visit to Rome was consistent with God’s plan. Paul was following God’s will in coming to Rome. It is important to follow the will of God in our mission life. If God prevents us from doing a certain thing, we have to wait for God’s time. How did Paul come to Rome then? He became to Rome with free transportation under the protection of the Roman army because he appealed his case to Caesar when he was arrested in Jerusalem. When God’s time came, God opened the way for him to come to Rome. Proverb 16:9 says, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” Our plan will be successful when we follow the plan of God. Here we learn that Paul’s vision to come to Rome was God’s vision. It was a part of God’s world salvation plan. Paul had a clear calling to be an apostle for the Gentiles according to Acts 9:15 which says, “..This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.” His vision for Rome was his obedience to the will of God for the Gentiles. Paul knew well that he was an instrument of sin and terror when he did receive God’ calling. When God called him, he became an instrument of God. He became a holy vessel of God for the Gentiles. As a chosen instrument for the Gentiles, Paul had to come to Rome, the capital of the Gentile world. It was not an option but a must if he wanted to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. Without God’s clear calling we cannot preach the gospel to campus students. Without a clear divine calling for campus mission it is very difficult to have fruitful gospel ministry. People leave our ministry when they do not have God’s calling for campus mission though they may cite many excuses. God’s calling for world mission makes our life very special. M James Park heard the voice of his deceased mother and felt emptiness of life. He was suicidal and lost his appetite. But he received God’s special call for world mission. Through his prayer God saved Dr. Harvey who established a fruitful house church in Chicago. It is time for us to renew God’s special grace for young college students and obey the will of God for world campus mission.

Part II. I am not ashamed of the Gospel (14-17)

Look at verses 14-15. “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.” According to the King James version, “obligated” is written as “debtor”. Paul felt he was a debtor to all unsaved people. Why? His sense of debt came from the fact that his debt of sin was forgiven by the grace of Jesus and he received God’s call for preaching the gospel. He has a strong sense of obligation to pay off the debt he owed to Jesus. He said in 1 Cor. 9:16-17, “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. If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.” Paul knew the good news of the gospel. He felt a woe would come upon him if he remained silent. He was uneasy if he did not preach the gospel. Therefore, he had a compelling obligation as a debtor to his personal Savior Jesus. The best way to pay off the debt was to preach the gospel to all kinds of people. When we remember how Jesus saved us while we were terrible sinners, we can have a sense of obligation for the many unsaved souls in America. What is the scope of the gospel? It is both Greeks and non-Greeks. It is for both the wise and the foolish. Though they may be different in culture and language, one thing was universal to them. They needed the gospel. The scope of the gospel is all people whether they are the wise or the foolish. That’s the reason why Paul was ready to preach the gospel to the Romans also. Let’s think who am I obligated to preach 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.” Why should we not be ashamed of the gospel? The answer is it is the power of God for everyone who believes. Why are people ashamed of the gospel then? The Jews were ashamed of the gospel because it was unfit to God’s plan. The Greeks were ashamed of the gospel because it did look like the wise stuff. Jesus said in Mark 8:38, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” People are ashamed of the gospel because they are sinful and adulterous. People avoid the gospel because they don’t want to be changed. Some people avoid the gospel because they cannot enjoy their sinful life. Other people avoid the gospel because people will reject them as politically incorrect person or label them as religious extremists. But the main reason people are ashamed of the gospel is that they do not know the power of God. The gospel has the power to save people. What can save us from the power of sin? Money cannot buy our salvation. Nobody can save us from the condemnation of sin. The gospel can save us from the power of sin and death.

Who could have changed Paul? It was the power of the gospel. Who could have changed S. Rusty Smiroldo? It was the power of the gospel. Anyone can changed by the gospel of Jesus because it is the power of God for everyone who believes. Though students give him cold shoulders and dirty looks, Steve keeps on visiting campus for finding new sheep because he knows that the gospel is the power of God. 1 Cor. 1:18 says, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” The gospel is the power of God to save sinners under the power of sin and death. Let’s be proud of the gospel and be a servant of the gospel.

Part III. The Righteous will live by faith (17).

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.’” The main theme of Romans is to have the righteousness of God. How? It is revealed in the gospel. To have a right relationship with God was man’s constant effort since the fall of man. The Jews tried to have a right relationship with God by keeping the law. But the problem was that they could not keep all the laws. They failed to be right with God. No one could meet God’s high standard. No one can reach God’s righteousness by human efforts or goodness. The Jews believed that if they saw God, they would die because they were not right with God.

We cannot be self-righteous but there is a righteousness from God. Abraham was regarded righteous when he believed in God in a hopeless situation. Genesis 15:6 says, “Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” Abraham was declared righteous by faith. God knew that we cannot be right with him by our own human efforts because we are sinful and weak. So he revealed his righteousness in the gospel. How? The only requirement was to believe in Jesus. God made us right with him by offering Jesus as the way of salvation. The righteousness is not the work of man but the gift of God so that no one can boast of their work. Here we see the wisdom of God. Since we cannot do it, God did it for us. It is a pure grace of God. All we have to do is to live by faith. People still ask which is important? Law or grace? Work or faith? Martin Luther worked hard to earn the righteousness of God by crawling 25 stairs on his knees. He made many trivial confessions and his chief monk tired of his confessions and told him, “Don’t come to me until you commit a big sin.” He begged money for the poor. But he did not earn the righteousness of God. There is a difference between self-righteousness and God’s righteousness. He still felt wretched due to the wrath of God for all ungodly. One day the voice of God echoed to his soul, “The righteous will live by faith.” Suddenly the peace of God came into his heart like a heavenly sunshine. From that time on he began the Christian reformation movement and became the father of the reformed church. How can we live by faith in this unbelieving generation? We must believe in the promise of God. We must trust God in our daily lives and seek his will daily. We must accept the blood of Jesus for ours sins and believe his resurrection for our eternal life. May God bless you to live by faith for the glory of God. Let’s read the key verse 1:17.