◄ What Does Romans 10:16 Mean? ►

The most meticulous and thorough presentation of the glorious gospel of Christ is found in the book of Romans. It also details man's depravity, humanities estrangement from God, and man's reconciliation back to God. The book of Romans could be called the seedbed for all Christian doctrine, giving systematic, step-by-step teaching of the fundamentals of our faith.

Paul pounds home the truth that God's gracious offer of righteousness is by faith. He points out that it is equally accessible to Jew and Gentile alike, for all are sinners deserving of hell. All have the sentence of death over their heads, and without exception all need a Saviour. Paul points out that no-one is exempt from God's condemnation for all have sinned and are in need of a Saviour; all need to be justified by grace, through faith in Christ.

It baffles the mind of those that have taken up God's free gift of salvation that His offer of reconciliation should be rejected by so many. It is astonishing that so many refuse to believe on His name and be rescued from condemnation and an eternity in hell. And yet, throughout the Old and New Testaments, we discover with astonishment the foolish depravity to which the human race has fallen and man's arrogant refusal to accept God's free gift of salvation.

Prophets like Jeremiah grieved at the unbelief in the heart of man when his call for Israel to return to the Lord was treated with such contempt. Isaiah mourned at the hardness of men's heart, when he wrote: "LORD: who has believed our report?" Who has believed the saving message that God has tried to deliver through so many prophets? Who has believed the Word of the Lord and who is willing to admit that there are none that are righteous, not even one. How few see the need to turn from their sins and believe on the Word of the Lord and the gospel of grace?

Although the early chapters of Romans condemn Jew and Gentile alike and presents the glorious gospel of Christ as equally efficacious for all peoples, Paul picks up the agonising message with which Israel's prophets repeatedly challenged God's chosen people, as he spends three specific chapters reflecting on Israel: their privileges, their position, and their apostasy. Paul knew that many voices had warned them to repent of their sins, return to the Lord, and believe His message. For centuries, Israel was given the same warning until the prophesied Messiah was finally sent to save His people from their sins. But following His rejection and crucifixion, Paul joined the lament of centuries: "BUT all did not obey the gospel for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our message?"

God's truth is still rejected today, but we are called to present the saving message of salvation clearly, without fear and without compromise. We are not to undertake the convicting work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of unbelievers, but we are all called to preach the Word and to explain that man is a sinner in need of a Saviour. We are expected to present a message which clearly identifies man as a condemned sinner who is doomed to eternal separation from a righteous and holy God. We are to preach the truth, that God purposed to save mankind from their sins, by faith in Christ's finished work on the Cross, which is the one and only means of reconciliation with a God Who is offended by our sin.

Praise God that the message of salvation continues to be equally efficacious for Jew and Gentile alike, and that in his epistle to the Romans Paul presents in minute detail every aspect of God's righteous condemnation of sinful man, and His gracious offer of reconciliation through the death, burial, and Resurrection of Christ our God and Saviour.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the book of Romans and the clearly presented message of the gospel of grace, by which sinful man may be reconciled back to God, by faith in the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Help me to speak the truth in love to those with whom I come into contact. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.