Articles
The Power of the Gospel at Rome
"For I am not ashamed of the GOSPEL OF CHRIST: for it is the POWER of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16, emp LS). Today we will look at another example of the POWER of the GOSPEL OF CHRIST to save.
CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE. Paul said the Romans "were the servants of sin" (Romans 6:17). Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin" (John 8:34). Those that are servants of sin are followers of the Devil. Jesus also said, "No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon" (Luke 16:13). Those that serve sin therefore do not serve God.
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST IS TAUGHT. Paul says that the Romans were taught the Gospel of Christ. "But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have OBEYED from the heart that form of DOCTRINE (teaching NASB, emp LS) which was DELIVERED you" (Romans 6:17). Notice that Paul later uses the phrase "call upon the name of the Lord" for the phrase "obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine": "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord SHALL BE SAVED. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not HEARD? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things" (Romans 10:13-15)!
One obeys the Gospel of Christ when he has faith and Paul says, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). When the Romans heard the Gospel of Christ taught, they learned that they were servants of sin.
THE RESULTS. After being taught the Gospel of Christ and learning that they were servants of sin, the Romans were baptized into Christ "for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38). Notice what Paul says to the Romans, "Know ye not, that so many of us AS WERE BAPTIZED INTO JESUS CHRIST were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in NEWNESS OF LIFE. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection" (Romans 6:3-5, emp LS). Paul says further, "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that THE BODY OF SIN MIGHT BE DESTROYED, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is FREED FROM SIN" (Romans 6:6-7). Paul says that the Romans had their sins forgiven after they had obeyed the Gospel of Christ in baptism!
WHAT THE ROMANS BECAME. "Being then made FREE FROM SIN, ye became the SERVANTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Romans 6:18). Have YOU obeyed the Gospel of Christ, the POWER OF GOD TO SAVE?
