Hans Sangtoki Bible Reading: Romans 1:1-7
“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness be his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.” (Romans 1:1-6)
What is the true gospel that we believe in? In this prologue that Paul gives for the whole epistle of Romans, he summarizes the true gospel. So often, we think of the gospel as a cliche. However, let us savour and value the truths of the gospel once more.
Firstly, the gospel is the good news of the Messiah, who was promised beforehand and prophesied by the prophets. Thousands of years before Jesus came to earth; God had already promised through His prophets that a Saviour was to come. Take Jeremiah 23:5, for example, “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.” Pay close attention to all the detail that was prophesied in Isaiah and the Psalms as well. The coming of Christ as a Saviour has been God’s plan from the very beginning. God is in control of history, and He is also in control of His story of salvation for His people.
Secondly, Jesus is a descendant of David but at the same time is the Son of God who was raised from the dead. For Jesus to bear our sins and take our place for the punishment we should have received, Jesus needed to be fully man. On the other hand, for Jesus to raise from the dead, Jesus needed to be fully God. Jesus was both fully God and fully man, and so He is a true Saviour for those who believe in Him, and He proved it by rising from the dead and defeating it.
Lastly, the gospel brings grace to those who are called from among all nations and plants fruits of obedience. The gospel changes lives and changes history. The work of Christ on the cross reconciles sinful men to God. It unites us once again to be able to have a relationship with God. The gospel gives us a right standing before the Father through Christ because previously, our sin separates us from the holy God. Because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, the Spirit works new hearts in us. We can obey Him, and He plants in us fruits of obedience and renewal. More than that, the gospel is not only for us. The gospel is for all nations, and it has the power to change all nations. The gospel is God’s ultimate plan to bring sinful humanity back to Himself, who is the true source of life and peace and happiness. Praise be to God!
Lord, thank You for a reminder of Your true gospel. Your works are amazing, and You deserve all our praise. Please stamp into our eyes a vision of Your gospel always so that every step we take in our lives may reflect the glory of Your gospel. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Hans Sangtoki (18) is the coordinator of RE Generation Z. He has a passion for serving his generation and sharing hope in Christ. He also has an interest in classical music and dreams of conducting an orchestra one day.