The Chosen Key Word in this Chapter is “Ashamed” it comes from the Greek Word “epaischynomai” which means “to be ashamed.”
Paul opens his most theologically rich letter with a bold declaration of exactly what he believes. Welcome to Bible Life Basics Chapter Reviews, I am Chris and this is Romans 1.
Paul introduces himself as “a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,” writing to believers in Rome he has not yet personally visited, expressing his longing to come see them and be mutually encouraged by their faith. He declares his readiness to preach the gospel even in Rome itself, “for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.” The Greek word for ashamed is “epaischynomai.” Paul explains why, since the gospel “is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
Paul states his central theme plainly. “The just shall live by faith,” a righteousness from God revealed from faith to faith. He then describes humanity’s deep need for this gospel, since God’s wrath is revealed against all ungodliness, because though God has made Himself plainly known through creation itself, people have suppressed this truth, becoming futile in their thinking and exchanging the glory of the incorruptible God for idols and images.
Because of this willful rejection, Paul explains, “God gave them up” to the corrupting desires of their own hearts, exchanging truth for a lie and worshiping created things rather than the Creator. He lists a wide range of resulting sinful behavior, flowing from hearts that no longer wanted to retain God in their knowledge, closing this list with a sobering observation that people not only do these things themselves, but approve of others who do them as well.
Paul’s confidence in the gospel wasn’t naive optimism. It was rooted in a clear-eyed understanding of exactly how desperately humanity needed it, a world that had willfully turned from obvious truth toward self-destructive idolatry. Real gospel confidence, this chapter suggests, comes from taking both human brokenness and God’s power completely seriously.
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