Faithful in Righteousness

Romans 1:1-32


Faithful in Righteousness

Paul is writing to a church he has not seen yet but wants so vehemently to go to. For the fact that he has not meet them yet, Paul gives a quick intro of who he is by the understanding of his calling. Paul had a unique calling of being an apostle of Jesus Christ. You and I probably will never feel comfortable enough to make the same claim but we do however possess the same spirit of apostleship in that we too are the sent out ones into the world. We share the same commission that was given by Jesus to his disciples like you and I.

“And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)


“…you also are the called of Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:6)

Paul was so focused on seeing the believers in Rome that his prayers were dominated with requests to God. Ultimately Paul would be promised by the Lord Himself that he would make it to Rome and also die there. Paul’s embolden courage was a mark of awesome character that was shown in his life choices and in his writings.

“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes,…” (Romans 1:16)

Paul understood that the Gospel was the power that saves. It wasn’t his enticing speeches or his emotional pleas of repentance that gave power to the Gospel. The Gospel in its purest form given untainted is what has the power to save because it is given under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit does the work in the person that needs the message. We need to be careful how much time we put into polishing up our delivery of the Gospel to people. Emotional responses to the Gospel do not have a great percentage of lasting influence for the long walk of faith. There is a responsibility on our part to be ever ready to give an account of our faith but being sensitive to the spirits leading is what needs to be polished the most.

Once someone’s faith is established and rooted in truth, it is what makes people live justly and in righteousness. Our faith muscles are pounded into shape by real life trials not by emotional experiences. Emotions are directed by feelings and feelings can quickly lead us off the path that God has placed before us. For example if you needed $10,000 and asked me for it and I decided after hearing your story to write you a check your feelings would be so happy until you went to the bank and tried to cash the check, finding out I don’t have the $10,000. Our feelings are an emotional roller coaster but our faith must remain steadfast which then produces peace and joy knowing that God is in control.

Have you ever wondered about God’s plan to reach the whole world in knowledge about Him? Paul shows us the God has started by revealing His invisible attributes in the visible things that He has made around us in the world. From the unreached tribe in the deepest jungle to the smartest scientist God is seen in His creation. Mankind will be held accountable to that attribute of God. Man has seen the remarkable things God has done but didn’t go far enough in their worship because they began worshiping the created thing rather than the Creator of it. This world has left the physical idols of animals and elements for the most part but the worship of physical things are still ever present in the world’s day to day lives. We devote countless time and energy into a job that produces money which produces small doses of happiness which fades away and we then work all the more in order to satisfy the fix. That burden of pursuit becomes so tiring people become depressed and find out that there will never be enough happiness in the world that can produce peace and joy that’s everlasting. Jesus sustains life eternally with a burden that is light and a yoke that is easy because we are yoked up with Him, the giver of life.

Paul in this first chapter ends with the result of man’s efforts of worship. The list is full of things that many of us have either done or thought about in our lives. Maybe you think that your life has been above reproach in that list but we are always hit with Paul’s words of being tolerant to any of those things found on his list. You may think that you have never agreed with homosexuality but are you taking steps to openly opposing that sin? Are you becoming soft in your views because of the propaganda that is spread? You know history shows us that every great world power when at its end was greatly saturated in homosexuality. Be watchful as America falls prey to the same problem. It will be our faith that prevails when all else fails. Don’t exchange the truth of God for the lies of Satan.