Some Key Words (6/1/00-6/2/00)

Ashamed (epaischunomai [1870]):

 Nothing in the Greek, here. However, the dictionary: cast down or dejected by conscious guilt, abashed by a sense of indecorum.

Power (dunamis [1411]):

inherent power, capability; strength, ability, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, power for performing miracles, moral power, the influences of wealth, power in numbers or armies; force, miraculous power

Salvation (soteria [4991]):

deliverance, preservation - either material or spiritual; deliverance from the molestation of enemies, Messianic salvation - the present possession of all true Christians, and the future blessing of redemption at Christ's return; rescue or safety

Believes (pisteuo [4100]):

to believe, give credit to, have a mental persuasion, be of an opinion; to think to be true, be persuaded of, credit, place confidence in, used of the conviction that brings man to a higher law, and for saving faith in Jesus; to have faith with respect to something or someone, to credit or entrust (as we entrust our spiritual well-being to Christ)

Righteousness (dikaiosune [1343]):

justice or righteousness, that which fulfills God's claims, conformity with the claims of higher authority, to all His commands, God's uprightness, God's standard to which we are to conform, God's rights over His creation; a state of being as one ought to be, the condition acceptable to God, the doctrine of how one may be approved of God, integrity, virtue, purity of life, correctness of thought, feeling, and action; equity, justification

Revealed (apokalupto [601]):

From cover, to remove a veil or covering, to expose to open view what was hidden, to make manifest, reveal a secret; to uncover, lay open, disclose, make bare, to make known what was unknown; disclose, reveal, take off the cover

Faith (pistis [4102]):

being persuaded, belief - implying knowledge of, assent to, and confidence in divine truth, false faith - as knowledge and assent unaccompanied by works, miraculous faith, the doctrine promising salvation to faith in Christ, Christian religion, fidelity, assurance, proof; conviction of the truth, belief regarding our relationship to God and divine things - with the idea of holy fervor conjoined, belief in God as existent creator and ruler of all things, and as the source of salvation, belief in Jesus as Messiah, and the means of salvation, Christian beliefs, trust or confidence springing from faith in God and Christ, fidelity, reliable character; persuasion, credence, moral conviction of truth, reliance upon Christ, constancy in belief, the system of religious truth

Live (zao [2198]):

to live, be warm, have life, be alive - naturally or spiritually; to be among the living, to enjoy real life - life worthy of the name, active blessed, and endless in God's kingdom, one's manner of living with regard to morals and character, living water, to be in full vigor, fresh, strong, efficient; to live

 

Paraphrase: (6/1/00)

16 There's nothing to be ashamed of in the message of Christ, for the message is the means of God's salvation to all who will hear it and believe - whether Jew or Greek. 17 Why? Because it is the means by which God reveals the way to righteousness, delivered by faithful men to faithful listeners. For it declares: "But the righteous shall live by faith."

Key Verse: (6/1/00)

1:17 - Again, this is the point of the whole letter: God's righteousness - by which we attain to life - is revealed to us in the Gospel, empowering those of us who accept the revelation by faith to believe unto life.

People Mentioned: (6/1/00)

N/A

Some Parallel Verses (6/2/00)

1:16

Mk 8:38 - Christ will be ashamed of those that are ashamed of Him. 2Ti 1:8 - Timothy is not to be ashamed of the Lord, or of Paul's imprisonment and suffering. 2Ti 1:12 - Paul is not ashamed of them, because his trust is in Jesus. 2Ti 1:16 - Onesiphorus was not ashamed of Paul's status as prisoner. 1Co 1:18 - The cross is the power of God to those who are saved. 1Co 1:24 - Christ, also, is the power of God to the believer. Ac 3:26 - Jesus was sent to the Jews first, to bless them and bring them to repentance. Ro 2:9 - They are first in salvation, so also in judgement. Jn 7:35 - The people wonder if Christ means to disappear by going into the Diaspora amongst the Greeks.

1:17

Ro 3:21 - God's righteousness is now revealed beyond the Law of Moses. Ro 9:30 - This righteousness, the Gentiles attained by faith, Php 3:9 - because righteousness comes of faith in Christ, not of our attempts to live by the Law. Hab 2:4 - Pride is not right, for the righteous live by faith. Gal 3:11 - Since man lives by faith, the Law cannot justify man before God. Heb 10:38 - The righteous live by faith, and don't shrink back from their calling - for that would be displeasing to God.

 

New Thoughts (6/3/00)

One or two things really jump out at me this morning. First, that to have a life that is worthy to be called living requires righteousness - conformance to God's standards. And this, one can only do by faith - being persuaded of, and having confidence in divine truth, which has revealed to us the salvation made available in Christ Jesus. How often the days seem not to be worth waking up for. Yet here is the answer to that dullness! Oh, God, help us to grasp on to the sheer joy of walking in the righteousness You have made available to us. Help us to truly have confidence in Your Son, in Your Word. Let there be no more doubt as to whether You have called us or not. Let our lives so speak of us that we can be certain. Let us do those works You have put before us, that our membership in Your family might be evident.
The other thing that caught my eye was to do with God's power. The Gospel is the power of God to save, news of the cross - regarding what was accomplished there is the power of God to those who are being saved, and Jesus is the power of God - being the one who accomplished the work of salvation, the work of perfection. Three views of the same thing, aren't they? The Gospel is the message of hope; a hope that became possible because Jesus had done the work of the Father fully and completely. He spoke only that which God desired, did all that God required, being sinless and life and faithful unto death. Without that death, and the cross on which He made our atonement, there would be no Gospel, no good news, no hope. Yet we are reminded over and over again - and can see it still for ourselves, if we care to - that this great work remains nothing but foolishness to the mind of man until and unless God chooses to open our hearts to see the reality. God, here in itself is the answer to any question that remains regarding our estate. Do I sometimes wonder if indeed I'm in Your church - that invisible church we've been reading of in the evening? Here is confidence for me in those times. The very fact that You have taken me from seeing nothing but foolishness in the message of Christianity, to a wholehearted acceptance of that great news speaks of my being chosen by You. I thank You, Lord, for accepting such as me as Your child. God, I've nothing to commend myself to You. Even now, there's so little of me that manages to measure up to Your standards. But, oh, how I've seen You at work in me; adjusting an attitude here, shedding a sinful habit there, ever so gently prodding me onto the path You have ever had for my life. Would that You would give me a brief glimpse of where You are leading me, a hint as to what these preparations are meant to prepare for. I know, I know. If I saw it, I'd likely react either in fear or in pride - either way spoiling the whole thing. I must remember to trust You to light my path, to show me the next place to plant my feet. I must remember that You are in control, You know the way, and You are faithful. Praise be to You, oh Lord.! All praise! I rejoice in this reminder that I am in Your hands and on my way to Your house! See You soon.