Gospel The word gospel is found thirteen times in Romans (1:1-2; 1:9; 1:15-17; 2:16; 10:15-16; 11:28; 15:16; 15:29; and 16:25), and the context in which gospel appears in this letter describes the process of God creating a single people for Himself, consisting of Jews and Gentiles, in union with Christ in redemption (Rom 4:1-25), which is made possible through Jesus' death on a cross, his resurrection, subsequent gift of the Holy Spirit and his ongoing intercession-all by grace (God's initiative/Rom 5:8) appropriated through faith in Christ Jesus (Man's Response/Rom 10). Paul begins the letter identifying himself as a servant of Jesus Christ, an apostle set apart "for the gospel of God" and points out the continuity of the gospel saying "the gospel he promised beforehand, through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom 1:1-4). The gospel, he continues, is "the power of God unto salvation of everyone who believes," Jew or Gentile "For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed," a righteousness that is apropriated "by faith" (Rom 1:16-17).

   Before explaining precisely what this "righteousness that is by God" is, and how to appropriate it by faith "unto salvation," Paul presents the universal need for the righteousness that comes from God since all, Jew and Gentile, are disadvantaged by sin (Rom 1:18-3:20)-"All have sinned an fallen short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace though the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" (Rom 3:23-24). In an effort to explain the relevance and universal nature of the gospel to those from a Jewish background Paul points out that Abraham (Abu'Raheem), meaning the "Father of many nations," was justified by faith by looking ahead to the futuristic fulfillment of the covenant promises made by God and apart from the Mosaic law that came well after Abraham's death. In so doing, Paul is alluding to the Jewish and Gentile covenant connection with Abraham (equal access), Jesus' messianic connection with Abraham, and how Abraham was justified by faith apart from the law. Likewise, Paul argues that those living after Jesus' ressurection, Jew or Gentile, and looking back to the fulfillment of the covenant through Christ Jesus in faith are justified saying, "God credits righteousness for us who believe in whom raised Jesus our Lord from the dead-He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification" (Rom 4:24-25). Thus, Paul provides scriptural/historical evidence supporting why none were, are, or will be justified by keeping the law whether Jew or Gentile. All must live by faith in and by the righteousness from God. Subsequently, Paul describes the universal blessings, and means of justification, which is by grace (God's initiative) through faith in Christ Jesus (Man's response) (Romans 5). Here Christ Jesus is not only identified as the "righteousness that comes from God" (Rom 5:17-21; cf Rom 10:3-4), but Paul explains how this is so in God's economy (Rom 5:12-20). It is noteworthy that Paul not only presents the universal need to appropriate the righteousness that comes from God by faith from Abraham's life, but he points out that this was "revealed by God beforehand by the prophets" living after Abraham and the institution of the law of Moses as well showing continuity, and that this notion of justification by God's grace through faith did not originate with Paul (Rom 3:25-29).

The prophets living before Paul such as Moses (Deuteronomy 30:1-5), Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:31-34), and Ezekiel (Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26; 37:1-14) noted the inability of the law to deal with the inherent sin problem declaring God would one day circumcise the heart (cf. Daniel 9; Isaiah 53). Jesus also taught the inability of the law to deal with the inherent sin problem of the inner man (Mat 5:27, and others). This is a primary reason Paul explains the universal need for the "righteousness that comes from God" in this letter. That is, the fall of man (Rom 3:23) wages for sin (Rom 2:12; 6:23), and the remedy for sinful man (Rom 4:25-5:1-9, 19; Rom 8:3b) applies to all except Christ Jesus, and was described in order to not only explain the means of the Holy Spirt's provision, but central role of the Holy Spirit's empowering effects in the hearts of those, Jew or Gentile, embracing the "righteousness of God" in fulfillment of the Torah by the new covenant (Rom 6:6-7; 6:18; 6:22; 7:1-6; Rom 8). And, having established the universal need, and universal means of Justification in accordance with prophetic covenant fulfillment, Paul is in a position to answer the four questions about the relationship of justification by faith in Christ Jesus to sin, death and the law (Romans 5:1-8:39): "Shall we go on sinning that grace may increase?" (Rom 6:1); "Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace?" (Rom 6:15); "Is the law sin?" (Rom 7:1); and "Did that which is good, then, become death to me" (Rom 7:13). In due course, Paul affirms that the law of Moses is good in "arousing" sin on one hand (Rom 3:20b; 7:7), but it fails in doing anything about the sin it aroused on the other (Rom 3:20a; Rom 8:3a). All of this was in responding to the misunderstanding that justification by grace through faith means free license to not only continue in sin, but increase in sin (Rom 3:8; Rom 6:1). The Holy Spirit is God's empowering presence enabling one to do what the letter of the law was unable to do "unto salvation" (Rom 6:22-23; Rom 8:10). Put another way, God does not empower one to practice sin leading unto damnation. Rather, he justifies us (something religious law can not do/Rom 8:3-4), and empowers us to practice righteousness with newness of life (something religious law can not do) unto salvation (something religious law can not do/Rom 8:3-4)-All of this by grace (God's initiative) through faith (man's response) in the Biblical Christ Jesus of this gospel that clearly asserts his sinless nature , incarnation, ransom, exhalation, and glorification. That is why gospel means "good news" as it is written "But God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

Embracing the Gospel Appropriating the righteousness from God unto Salvation is by grace through faith. What does grace and faith mean in the biblical context as it is presented? Grace is a multi-faceted term. In the general sense grace is God's unmerited favor in that it can not be appropriated based upon human merit, deed, or works of righteousness (Rom 11:6). That was Paul's point in showing the universal sin and helplessness of man to justify himself in the sight of a Holy God in this letter as we stand condemned as sinners unto damnation apart from the righteousness from God unto salvation. However, grace is merited favor in the sense that it is based upon Christ Jesus' passive/active obedience. Who Christ is, his sinless nature, sinless life, how he lived, and died on earth qualified him as redeemer as the penalty for sin had to satisfied for our justification to be possible. In other words, Jesus himself would need to be delivered from the wrath of God, and be redeemed from the penalty of sin if he was a sinner. But, he is sinless by nature, sinless under the law, did not need to be justified, and/or redeemed. That is why Jesus is identified as God's gift of grace in this letter (Rom 5:15-17)-"the righteousness from God unto salvation." Therefore, justification, turning God's wrath away and right standing is the sight of a holy God, is grace based upon the merits of Christ Jesus, and Him alone. On the other hand, grace is also considered the power and ability to do God's will from God, through Christ, by the Holy Spirit(Rom 6:7; Rom 8, 2 Corinthians 12:9). Human effort apart from God's grace is futile before and after justification. Said another way, grace is necessary to do what the law was unable to do even having been justified. Faith is also a multi-faceted term. In the most general sense it has been defined in the Bible as "being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1), and specifically agreeing with God's Word in advance of its realized fulfillment. It isn't the absence of fear, but pressing forward in spite of it. It isn't denying current experience, nor is it indicitive of the absence of suffering and hardships. In the context of this letter, faith describes man's yielded/willed response to God's redeeming initiatives as it relates to appropriating the righteousness from God unto Salvation in accordance with the gospel. Taken together in the context of this letter, the grace of God unto salvation is appropriated by all, Jew or Gentile, who will receive the righteousness from God, clearly identified as Jesus Christ in this letter, by faith. Having established these facts, Paul explains how to personally receive justification and the empowering presence, "the righteousness that comes from God," by grace through faith saying, "If you will confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and will believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9). That is the practical beginning of embracing this gospel, and describes when one who was not a son originally or by nature receives adoption as sons of God (Rom 8:8, 8:15-17; cf Gal 4:5-6 & Gal 3:26-29). However, the grace/faith of/for justification's provision, and the grace/faith of/for the empowering presence needed to persevere in the gospel is based upon the selfsame grace, and appropriated through on-going faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the other point Paul makes in this letter, which has practical implications that are noted in the next sections.

God in Christ paying the penalty for our sin debt once is the central hinge-point of the gospel. What is not "main and plain" apart from an independent Biblical analysis in context is all that Christ Jesus' one time redemptive sacrifice on the cross effectually actuates. These effects are not merely effects of the gospel, but are considerd a part of the gospel itself. Not only does Christ Jesus' finished work on the cross effectively divert God's wrath away from those once condemned by sin apart from Christ Jesus, but it effectively diverts God's wrath present and future from those who remain in union with Christ Jesus by grace through faith. Not only does Christ's finished work on the cross divert God's wrath away from those in union with Christ, but it also effectually actuates God's empowering presence in the lives of those, Jew and Gentile, embracing/persevering in the gospel by grace through faith as mentioned above, and with God's goal of creating a single people of God in union with Christ Jesus (Rom 4:1-25; Rom 4:17). In light of this, Romans 9-11 is in harmony with what is written before and after this section in this letter regarding the gospel.

Persevering in the Gospel In Romans 9-11 Paul is talking to Gentile believers about the nature of the gospel as it relates to Israel's election as a nation as well as to Jews on an individual basis, and Gentile believers on an individual basis (Rom 11:13). It is clear God not only has a remnant of individuals from a Jewish background that recognise Christ Jesus as fulfilling the gospel preached by earlier prophets and that abide in "the root of Jesse," Christ Jesus (Rom 11:4-5), but God will keep his promises to Israel as a nation through Christ in the future as well (Rom 11:25ff). In due course, Paul identifies Israel as a natural olive tree whose root is Christ Jesus, and individual Jews as branches-many of whom were "cut off." Nevertheless, in the immediate context of Romans 11, some natural branches (plural) belonging to one nation (singular) remained in belief. On the other hand, Paul explains that those natural branches/Jewish individuals (plural) belonging to one nation/Israel (singular) that were broken off, were broken off because of unbelief (Rom 11:20). Paul then applies the analogy to the Gentile believers he was addressing who are "grafted in" on an individual basis and "stand by faith" on an individual basis warning, "Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you will also be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree" (Rom 11:20-24). See also Covenant: Remnant Versus Individual.

It is important to realize that Paul is talking about persevering belief/trust in the gospel he received/passed down by grace through faith, which is plain in the immediate context, the letter as a whole, and in light of what is said in his other letters regarding misplaced motive and faith in another gospel. Paul already established if we fail in one point of keeping God's commandments we fail in all, and "by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight" (Rom 3:20). This principle also applies to doing works with the motivation of maintaining one's justified staus after confessing Jesus is Lord and believing in their heart that God has raised him from the dead (Rom 10:9-10). Paul makes this clear stating,"Are you so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are you now made perfect by the flesh?" (Gal 3:3; cf Gal 5:4, Rom 3:27, Eph 2:8-9). He was talking to people who "have believed"(Gal 5:4). Yet, they have "fallen away" and have been "alienated from Christ." It is clear one must perservere in THIS GOSPEL- not another gospel (Gal 1:7-9). Moreover, intillectual assent alone does not describe abiding belief in the New Testament, ecspecially Romans 11. Abiding belief by grace through faith produces fruits of righteousness as the result of yielding to God's empowering presence predicated upon justification. Yeilding to the empowering presence of God, "The Holy Spirit," is a matter of the will, or faith. Therefore, the admonition is not to "now be made perfect by the flesh," but "having begun in the Spirit" by grace through faith continue in the Spirit by grace through faith unto salvation. This distinction is as relevant in our dispensation as it was in Paul's as some people are still led away from the only sufficient "righteousness that comes from God unto salvation" in pursuit of their own righteoussness leading unto damnation - even among some professing Chrsit. That does not neccesarily mean you are evil if that describes you upon honest reflection. Whether unaware, and/or deceived-It means you are wrong. The problem with being wrong regarding this issue is that it will cost you your soul. The more important question-Are you willing to trade your so-called gospel/relgion for the only righteousness coming from God unto salvation?

Paul not only answers the four questions about the relationship of justification by faith in Christ Jesus to sin, death and the law, but answers the quesions showing the relationship with respect to God creating a single people of God, consisting of Jews and Gentiles, in union with Christ. This is why Paul urges his "dear brothers" who abide to continue in this gospel partnership with God in union with Christ by grace through faith worked out on an individual basis, and in the context of the local community of believers, consisting of Jews and Gentiles, in the final chapters of the letter. Click Here for more about the relationship of those, Jew and Gentile, in union with Christ through the gospel.

Not only does the gospel include God's empowering presence and the ongoing intercession of Christ Jesus as a present reality for those justified by placing their faith in the Christ Jesus of the Bible, but Paul explicitly links the finality of redemption in futuristic terms and with the gospel (Rom 2:16; 8:23-24). Thus, the gospel emphasis in the letter to the Romans maintains the necessity of Christ Jesus' finished work on the cross in effecting justification (righteousness from God), effecting the provision of the Holy Spirit's empowerment (righteousness from God), and explains the necessity of the Holy Spirit as the means of appropriating the life of the righteousness from God lived out on earth by grace through faith in this redemptive process of God creating a single people for Himself, consisting of Jews and Gentiles, in union with Christ unto the final consummation.