Romans 1:16-17, Living by Faith

Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Romans 1:16-17 are the key verses that summarised this epistle. The righteous shall live my faith. This righteousness of the believer is a gift from God that is appropriated by faith. It begins with faith and continues in faith, beginning to end.

Dr. Albert B. Simpson said well, “The epistle to the Romans is the greatest of Paul’s epistles. It is the most compact system of theology in existence. Its great theme is the gospel of Christ, of which the apostle declares, in introducing this epistle, that he is not ashamed, and of which the whole epistle is a beautiful, logical and deeply spiritual unfolding.

It may also be called a treatise on the life of faith in its successive states – as he himself expresses it, “by faith from first to last” (Romans 1:17)…First, there is the faith that saves us, in the third, fourth and fifth chapters. Next, there is the faith that sanctifies us, in the sixth, seventh and eighth. Then we have the faith that consecrates us to the service of God, in the closing chapters of this precious epistle.

It reveals to us the successive stages “from faith to faith.” The same faith that saves you, when rightly applied, will sanctify you and also bring you the power of the Holy Spirit, with all the fullness of a consecrated life. It is a little lever which God puts into your hand and which will lift you up above all that harms and hinders into all the fullness of His great salvation.”

He further elaborated the five themes that undergirded the overarching theme which is the gospel of Christ – 1. Sin (1:18-3:20) 2. Salvation (3:21-5:21) 3. Sanctification (6:1-8:39) 4. The Coming of the Lord (9:1-11:36) 5. Consecration (12:1-16:27).

Indeed, we are blessed with insight to understand who we really are and God’s intended purpose for our lives. Our life finds its meaning in the pages of this epistle. May we take time in this study so that our spiritual life be enriched forever. Amen.