After the relentless exposure of God’s wrath against all unrighteousness in Romans, Paul now returns us to the very core of the Christian faith: the Gospel. This is not a mere introduction for beginners, nor a side note in the Christian life. The Gospel is the ongoing, unchanging power of God for salvation—God’s own righteousness revealed and offered to all who believe, apart from any work of the Law.
The Gospel: God’s Power for Salvation
Paul does not hesitate or apologize for this message. He declares:
“I am not ashamed of the Gospel of God, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’” (Romans 1:16-17)
This is not a sentimental slogan or a motivational speech. The Gospel is the very means by which God unleashes His saving power. It is for everyone—Jew and Greek alike—without distinction. The only requirement is faith. The result is nothing less than salvation itself, a positive outcome that God Himself guarantees.
The Revelation of God’s Righteousness
What does the Gospel reveal? Not our potential, not our resolve, but the righteousness of God. This righteousness is not a standard we must reach, but a gift God provides. It is revealed “from faith to faith”—from start to finish, the entire Christian life is sustained by faith in what God has accomplished, not by a return to self-effort or Law-keeping. To substitute anything for this faith is to forfeit the very power of God for salvation.
Christ: The Fulfillment and the Manifestation
The Gospel concerns God’s Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. He was born as the Seed of David according to the flesh, fulfilling every prophetic promise concerning the Messiah. But the decisive proof—the validation that He is the Son of God—came by His resurrection from the dead:
“And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” (Romans 1:4)
Here is the unassailable foundation: Jesus is not merely a teacher or an example. He is the risen Son of God, and His resurrection is the public declaration of His divine Sonship and the guarantee that His work is accepted. This is not just good news; it is the only news that matters for justification and sonship.
Righteousness Apart from the Law—Yet Witnessed by the Law
Paul insists that the righteousness of God is now manifested apart from the Law:
“But now the righteousness of God without the Law is manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the prophets.” (Romans 3:21)
This is not a break with the Old Testament, but its fulfillment. The Law and the prophets always pointed forward to this righteousness, testifying in advance to the day when God would justify the ungodly by faith alone. To insist on Law-keeping now is to deny both the witness of Scripture and the finished work of Christ.
What Is Lost If This Is Rejected?
If you set aside this Gospel—if you add Law, works, or self-effort as a basis for righteousness—you do not merely lose a point of doctrine. You lose the very power of God for salvation. You forfeit justification, sonship, and inheritance. You undermine the resurrection’s declaration of Christ’s sufficiency and nullify the witness of the Law and prophets. There is no neutral ground here: to compromise on this is to abandon the only basis for assurance, blessing, and true Christian living.
The Only Foundation for Assurance and Inheritance
The Gospel removes the crushing burden of self-qualification. Your standing before God is not built on your performance, but on Christ’s finished work. He Himself is your righteousness, sanctification, and reward. The Spirit who raised Him from the dead now works in you—not to help you keep the Law, but to apply the benefits of Christ’s resurrection to your life.
This is not a set of rules to follow, but a Person to receive. As you rest in the Gospel, you discover that Christ is your qualification for every promise of God. To turn from this is to return to futility and condemnation; to stand in it is to possess the very righteousness of God, witnessed by Scripture, secured by Christ, and guaranteed by His resurrection.
Do not settle for anything less. The Gospel is not one option among many—it is the only power of God for salvation, the only revelation of His righteousness, and the only ground for your assurance and inheritance.
