The Just Shall Live by Faith

“The Just Shall Live by Faith”
Romans 1:1-7

Wayne J. Edwards, Pastor

The Apostle Paul wanted his readers to know that his message was not of him, but from God – it was the Gospel of Christ.

• He said his message divinely inspired, which meant it was “God-breathed” (2 Peter 1:20-21)
• He told Timothy that all scripture was divinely inspired and able to make the reader “wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:15-16)

1.  Paul Was God’s Servant – Vs. 1 – “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ.”

The first thing Paul called himself was a servant of God.

• In this context, “servant” meant “slave” – a “bond slave,” one who served other by his own free will.
• Paul served God out of his love for Him and not his fear of Him.
• He used the same term for servant in 1 Corinthians, but it is translated “diakonos” which means “table water.”
  • “Diakonos” is the root word for “deacon.”
• He used the same term for servant in 1 Corinthians, but it is translated “huperetes” which means “under-rower” – those who served in the lower galley of the large ships.

2.  Paul Was God Sent – Vs. 1- “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called an Apostle.”

God called Paul His Apostle, which meant Paul was a God-Sent man on a God-established mission.

• Acts 9:15 – “Paul is my instrument to take my message to the nations.”
• Acts 22:14 – “The God of our fathers has chosen you to know His will and to see the Messiah, and to hear Him speak.”
• The qualification of an Apostle was they had to have seen the resurrected Lord Jesus!
• Acts 26:16 – “Stand up, for I have appeared to you and appointed you as my servant and my witness.”
• Acts 26:19, Paul said, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.”
• 1 Corinthians 9:16, Paul said, “Woe is me if I preach not the gospel.”
• Galatians 1:10 – Paul said, “The gospel which was preached by me is not after man, for I neither receive it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the divine revelation of Jesus Christ.”

3.  Paul was God Separated – Vs. 1 “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called and Apostle, separated unto the gospel of God.”

• In the Old Testament, God told the Israelites to set apart for Him the first-born of men and of beasts, for they were holy unto Him.
• In Galatians 1:15, Paul said God had separated him from his mother’s womb and called him to reveal His Son through him.
• In Acts 13:2, The Holy Spirit separated Paul and Barnabas as the first two missionaries.
• Paul cut the cord with the world and its lusts.