July 18, 2016

Romans 1:16 NKJV - "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek."

Commentary:

Have you noticed that in verses 14, 15, and 16 you read the "Three I Am's) of Paul?  He said, "I am a debtor", "I am ready", and now, in verse 16, "I am not ashamed."  All three have to do with the Gospel of Christ.  Paul felt he owed it to the world to preach the Gospel.  He was eagerly ready to do so and now, he was clearly not ashamed to preach it!  Could you and I say the same thing?  That's something to think and pray about.

In today's Daily Verse Paul wanted it to be clear that he knew the Gospel of Christ was POWERFUL!  He knew the impact on his life.  If you haven't read his testimony in 1 Timothy 1:12-16, do so.  He saw how the Lord could save him, he who was the "chief of sinners."  And if God could do that for him, well God could save anyone!  Paul knew the Gospel worked because he knew the God behind the message!  And he knew the powerful work Christ did on the cross and the power of Christ's resurrection.

Paul also made clear this salvation for "everyone".  Just like John 3:16, 17, God not only loved the world, He sent His Son to save all the world!  No one was outside the effect of Christ's work on the cross.

Also, note how Paul saw his responsibility was to go to the Jew first.  He was a Jew and it would be only natural that he would want his own people to be saved.  But he also knew God's great work with the Jewish people, how God had called them to Himself, and how Jesus came, first to the Jew, but also to the world.

Then Paul spoke of the "Greeks" which is just a New Testament expression for Gentiles.  I'm so glad that's there!  I'm a Gentile and I'm not ashamed to say so.  But I'm thrilled that God's love reached to me and also to my family.

May you enjoy sharing this precious Gospel with the world around you.  In these dark days people really are looking for help and for hope.  Only in Jesus Christ can they find that Hope for their eternal salvation.  Let us not be ashamed to share that with anyone God puts in our path.