Tag: Spirit of Holiness
Called to belong to Jesus!
Scripture reading for June 13: Romans 1
“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 was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by 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, to all those who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 1:1-7
The opening paragraph of Paul’s letter to the Roman church is one sentence in English! From this introductory sentence, we can gain insight into Paul’s world view and his calling and the Gospel message that he was given to preach. Paul received this calling in a personal encounter with the risen Christ while on the road to Damascus with warrants to arrest followers of Christ. He was included as an apostle through this special vision and the evident call and anointing to preach the Gospel among all nations.
Paul got to Rome through God’s providence and direction. His path was laid out for us in the last chapters of Acts. Paul received much grace as he endured several years in prison after false accusations by the Jews. He appealed to Caesar and was transported by ship during the stormy winter season. His ship wrecked, but God spared him and nearly three hundred others on the ship. Paul personally knew of God’s grace and calling and his love. He preached this grace through the Gospel of Jesus Christ to Jew and Gentile, seeking those called by God to become saints–set apart for God’s will.
What aspects of Paul’s opening sentence have you personally experienced in your life? How would you describe your calling to become a saint, belonging to Jesus Christ? How would you describe Jesus Christ and the Gospel message? How does vision from God affect Paul’s world view and calling?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for personally calling each of Your children to belong to Jesus Christ. Thank You for Your great love demonstrated in the life and death of Your Son. Continue to unfold vision to me and each follower of Jesus Christ that empowers us and directs us to fulfil Your will. Amen.
Declared the Son of God in Power!
Scripture reading for May 24th: 2nd Samuel 15-17, Psalm 3, 63, Romans 1
Romans 1:1-6 “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 was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of Holiness by 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 nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.”
As Paul set about to write this letter to Roman believers, He declared Jesus Christ as the prophesied Son of God, descended from David through his flesh, but declared to be God’s Son by His resurrection from the dead. The power of God raised Him up through the Spirit of Holiness–God’s Holy Spirit. Resurrection life had entered Jesus’ body and brought resurrection after three days and three nights in the grave. This same Jesus had met Paul on the Damascus road and called Paul to believe and appointed him an apostle to share the Gospel with all nations. God had done it all and was now calling all men to salvation and holiness through the powerful Holy Spirit.
Psalm 3:8 “Salvation belongs to the Lord, Your blessing be on Your people!”
Psalm 63:2-3 “So I have looked upon You in the Sanctuary, beholding Your power and glory. Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise You.”
Prayer: Father, Thank You for the amazing salvation brought to us by Jesus Christ, Your Son! Your power displayed in raising Jesus from the dead humbles me and makes me thankful and willing to follow You all the days of my life and for eternity. Use me to declare Your Son to all nations and call all to salvation in the power and anointing of Your Holy Spirit. Where You are my King, there will Your servant be!
2nd Samuel 15:21 “But Ittai answered the king (David), “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be.”
Not ashamed of the Gospel!
Scripture reading for June 15th: Romans 1
Paul wrote a letter to the church at Rome from Corinth during his third missionary journey to help them understand the Gospel and to clear up some issues between Jewish believers and Gentile believers. He longed to visit them but had not yet done so.
“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God–the gospel He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding His Son, who as to His human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Through Him and for His Name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.”
Paul introduced himself to the church as a ‘servant of Christ Jesus’. God had called him and set him apart to preach the Gospel–the good news of Christ Jesus the Son of God. Jesus was a descendant of David–the Jewish king as foretold in the Scriptures through the prophets. However, Jesus was declared with power from God to be His Son by resurrection from the dead as Christ the Lord! Through God’s grace in Christ, Paul became an apostle and preacher to the Gentiles, as well as the Jews!
“I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes; first for the Jew and then for the Gentile! For in the Gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”” (Romans 1:16-17)
Proud of the Gospel!
Scripture reading for July 12th: Romans 1:1-17
Paul’s letter to the Romans is a wonderful exposition of the gospel message and salvation by grace through faith. Paul wrote this letter from jail to a Roman church that he had never visited. The term ‘gospel‘ is used twelve times in the letter and is used six times in first seventeen verses!
I was out sharing the gospel in the park with a team from our church. There was a man with a tee shirt that quoted Romans 1:16: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes. . .” I asked this young man if he knew what the term ‘gospel’ meant and he said he would have to go look that up. That opened the door for me to share with him and his friends the gospel message!
Paul loved the gospel. The gospel was promised by God through the prophets concerning the Son of God who was to be a descendant of David. This Son was none other than Jesus Christ, “who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by resurrection from the dead.” (Romans 1:4) The gospel was good news for both Jew and Gentile. They could receive grace and forgiveness of sins by faith.
Paul considered the gospel of Jesus Christ the power of God for salvation. He was not ashamed of that message, but instead was bold to share it whenever and where ever God would open the door. This gospel revealed the righteousness of God that is received by faith in both Jew and Gentile. Paul quotes Habakkuk 2:4 in saying, “The righteous will live by faith.” (Romans 1:17b)
Paul declared how the gospel saved him from working to try and earn righteousness through the law! He knew the futility of his own works and how this good news brought him rest and grace. He wanted everyone to know that grace and believe in Jesus Christ! (Acts 26:29)
If you were asked to explain what ‘gospel’ means, would you be able to? Have you experienced the power of the gospel to save you? Are you able to say with Paul, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel!”? Sharing the Gospel is the duty and privilege of every believer in Christ!