Good News
ROMANS 1: 1-17 (July 12)
"EXTRA, EXTRA...READ ALL ABOUT IT!" Newspapers have been around for quite some time. I remember fondly, back in my younger years, when I had a weekly column in the local newspaper. My column revolved around the happenings in town ... meetings, birthday parties, special events, holiday events ...I reported on them all.
America's first continuously published newspaper was the Boston News-Letter. The first issue was published on April 24, 1704 by editor John Campbell, who was a bookseller and the postmaster of Boston. That was 100 years after the first newspaper ever published. Johann Carolus published the first newspaper in 1604 in Germany.
Not sure why I thought you needed this information, but there is your daily dose of "learning something new."
In Paul's time, there were no newsletters. Paul traveled to preach and teach, spreading the Good News wherever he went. But he also used another means to share his heart for the gospel with others ... he wrote letters.
As we open in the book of Romans today, we see the beginning of one of his most famous letters, written to the Roman church. It makes sense that the Epistle section of the New Testament begins with this letter, since Acts ends with Paul arriving in Rome. He is writing this letter before he visits the Christians there.
A newspaper has many sections. Maybe you want to read current events. Perhaps you prefer the comics section. It could be that you would rather look at the sales ads or real estate listings, while someone else might prefer the sports section. This letter is a classic. and there is literally something for everyone.
If you are looking in the unsaved section, it brings hope God's plan of salvation and freedom from their sin. If the new believers section is your section of choice, it gives insight to their identification with Christ and victory through the power of the Holy Spirit. In the Mature believers section, you will delight in the wide spectrum of biblical truth.
Paul begins his letter calling himself a bondservant (slave) of Christ Jesus. He explains to the readers that God has purposed his life in such a way that he is to preach the Good News. The Good News is all about Jesus: his lineage, his birth, his life, his death, his resurrection, his grace, and his power.
Paul explains that it is the power of the Holy Spirit which allows him to share this Good News with the Gentiles, letting them know what God has done for them in the hopes they will believe and bring glory to his name.
He states his thankfulness that these believers are spreading the Good News all around the world. He tells of the frequency of his prayers for them and his hopes to someday meet with them. He wants to meet them, not only to encourage them, but to be encouraged by them.
Paul writes with no shame for the Good News. As Paul explains, it is this Good News that shows the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes, Jews and Gentiles. He is proud of being able to share that it is through faith that a righteous person has life.
This is his first mention of righteousness. What exactly does he mean? Here are three uses of the word to consider:
The characteristic of God by which he always does what is right, just, proper, and consistent with all his other attributes. There is no wrong, dishonesty, or unfairness in God.
His method of justifying ungodly sinners. He can do this and still be righteous because the sacrifice of Jesus paid the price for any divine justice.
The perfect standing which God provides for those who believe on his son.
Any of these could apply to his words, though it is most likely he was describing #2.
These are the first 17 verses of a lengthy letter. We will continue on tomorrow with the wise words of Paul as he works diligently, using his writing skills to bring the Romans the most important "EXTRA, EXTRA" of their lives ... the Good News.