◄ What Does Romans 2:16 Mean? ►

In a day when a sugar-coated gospel is proclaimed by so many, the fundamental truth of the pure gospel that Paul lays out so systematically in his epistle to the Romans is rejected, ignored, ridiculed and disregarded by many in Christendom today. But Romans is the seedbed of our faith, giving the fullest presentation of the good news of Christ from the pen of Paul, God's great apostle who was chosen to deliver much of the Church-age doctrine which had been hidden in times past.

A thorough knowledge of Romans will ensure a correct understanding of the efficacy of the atoning blood of the incarnate Son of God. It is like a shining laser-beam that pin-points false doctrine and exposes apostate teaching while clarifying the truth.

Romans contains good news sent from God to man regarding our salvation, and outlines the gospel of God which He promised beforetime through His holy prophets. And the gospel that Romans declares is the power of God unto salvation to all who believed, for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith as it is written: "For the righteous will live by faith."

Romans is also identified as the gospel of Christ, for the Lord Jesus effected it by His sacrificial death and glorious resurrection. Christ Jesus accomplished the good news of God, which was determined in the eternal council chambers of heaven, and Christ will complete it when He returns in power and great glory to set up His eternal kingdom.

But the apostle Paul also calls the good news of the glorious gospel of grace his gospel, for he received it directly from Christ and was instructed to teach it to Jew and Gentile alike. And in Romans, he details how the wrath of God will be poured out against all unrighteousness and clearly outlines the eternal consequences of sin. Paul does not sugar-coat the truth about the wrath that is to be poured out on a Christ-rejecting sinful world and the fast-approaching judgement of mankind; when man's own conscience will be a criteria that will either accuse or excuse each one.

Paul does not pull his punches when describing the wickedness of man and the judgement that must inevitably fall upon every man. And in this verse, we discover that a day is coming when God will judge the secrets of men's hearts through Jesus Christ, the man appointed as God's righteous judge. To those who believe there will be no condemnation, but to those that did not choose to believe, there will be eternal condemnation and eternal separation from all that is good and all that is holy.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Paul’s gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe. But Lord, we live in a world where the truth of the glorious gospel of grace is being sugar-coated, the consequences of sin ignored and the need for salvation is being twisted, ridiculed, disregarded, and diminished. I pray that You would use me to speak honestly to those that are under condemnation so that by Your grace some will be plucked from the fiery brands. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.