Romans 1:16-17 NKJV – 16 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. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
V16 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.
The Greek word for ashamed is (G1870) ἐπαισχύνομαι epaischýnomai, which means to experience shame, an awareness of doing something wrong or afraid to acknowledge something. Believing and telling the Gospel of Christ can be dangerous. But, it is God’s power for someone to be saved from God’s wrath and receive forgiveness of sins. The Jews were honored to have first choice because they are God’s people and nation. Compare Mark 8:38.
Note: To be saved, nothing is needed except faith in Jesus Christ. See John 3:15-18.
V17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
God is righteous to forgive sins when one believes in Jesus. Faith is the condition, not works, not baptism, not joining a church, etc. God is the standard of righteousness. Faith to faith means it begins with faith and ends with faith. Faith is a lifelong commitment.
Self-righteousness must be set aside to make room for the righteousness of Jesus; otherwise, it can never be ours. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
From Biblical Illustrator NT: “From faith to faith indicates
- I. The exclusiveness of faith. Faith all in all in a man’s justification. Works not in the account. Not from faith to worlds, but from faith to faith (Rom 3:22; Rom 3:28).
- II. The growth of faith. From one degree of faith to another. Advance made in clearness, simplicity, strength.
- III. The many-sidedness of faith. From one kind of faith to another. From faith which saves to faith for still further blessings. From faith which justifies to faith which sanctifies. From faith of the intellect to faith of the heart. (T. Robinson, D. D.)
We learn:
- The importance of faith.
- The standard of faith.
- The message of faith.
Questions:
- Have you believed?
- Are we still growing in faith?