Paul wrote this letter to believers in Rome before he ever visited them. Rome was the proud center of a mighty empire. To many people there, a message about a Jewish teacher who died on a Roman cross sounded weak and even foolish. Yet Paul boldly says he is not ashamed of it. These two short verses state the theme of the whole letter. Many of us feel shy about our faith at work, at school, or even among relatives. Paul shows us why the gospel deserves our confidence, not our silence.
The Gospel Is God’s Power
Paul calls the gospel "the power of God unto salvation" (Romans 1:16). The gospel is not just good advice or a set of religious ideas. It is God Himself at work, rescuing people from sin and death. That is why Paul was not embarrassed by it. He had seen it change cruel men, broken women and whole households. To people who are perishing, the message of the cross looks foolish, but to us who are being saved, it is the very power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18). Paul later urged young Timothy not to be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord (2 Timothy 1:8). We do not need clever words to make the gospel strong. It is already strong. Our job is to trust it, live it and share it, and let God do what only He can do.
Where do you most often keep quiet about Jesus, and what is one simple thing you could say there this week?
For Everyone Who Believes
Paul says this power works for every one that believes, "to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16). The gospel came first through Israel, but it was always meant for the whole world. No nation, tribe or language is outside its reach. Peter learned this in the home of a Roman officer when he saw that God shows no partiality and welcomes people from every nation who fear Him (Acts 10:34-35). In Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for we are all one in Him (Galatians 3:28). This is good news for a church like ours, where Nigerian, Ghanaian and Texan families worship side by side. The ground is level at the cross. Nobody earns a better seat, and nobody is too far gone to be welcomed.
Who is someone from a different background than yours that you could greet, encourage or invite to church this week?
The Righteous Live by Faith
Verse 17 tells us what the gospel reveals: a righteousness that comes from God and is received by faith from start to finish. Paul quotes the prophet Habakkuk, "The just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:17). Habakkuk spoke those words in a time of fear, when enemies were coming and nothing made sense (Habakkuk 2:4). God’s answer was to keep trusting Him. Paul shows that this is how we are made right with God and how we keep walking with Him. We do not earn righteousness by keeping rules. We receive it as a gift through faith in Christ (Philippians 3:9). Faith is not a one-time decision we leave behind. It is the way we live every day, trusting God with our sins, our worries, our families and our future.
What worry are you carrying right now that you need to hand over to God in faith, and how will you do that each morning this week?
Conclusion
Paul was not ashamed of the gospel because he knew what it is and what it does. It is God’s own power to save. It reaches every person who believes, no matter where they come from. And it brings a right standing with God that we receive and live by faith. At the center of it all is Jesus Christ, who died and rose again. When we keep our eyes on Him, shame gives way to holy confidence and a desire to tell others.
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