May 19, 2002 Northwest Bible Church
Rom. 1:1-2
The Gospel of God
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INTRO
I. PAUL WAS SET APART BY GOD (v. 1).
A. Set apart - to be separated by God for a special and holy use. The one who did the setting apart is God (passive tense). This displays the grace of God.
B. When was he set apart? We can identify 4 phases.
1) From eternity
2Tim. 1:9 who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.
2) From his mother’s womb
Gal. 1:15 But when He who had set me apart, even from my mother’s womb, and called me through His grace, cf. Jer. 1:5; Isa. 49:1.
3) By Christ at his conversion.
Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel." Cf. Acts 26:16-18
4) By the Holy Spirit at Antioch.
Acts 13:2 And while they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."
C. Set apart for what? Being set apart usually implies being set apart FROM something, and TO something. Here, set apart from sin to serve God in the gospel.
II. THE GOSPEL OF GOD (v. 1-2)
A. The meaning of "gospel". The gospel = "good news".
Why is the gospel good news? See Romans 8:3.
B. Why is it called "the gospel of God?"
C. The gospel was promised in the OT (v. 2).
1) The gospel was promised beforehand.
By rooting the gospel in the promises of the OT, Paul is making a firm assertion that the Christian faith was not opposed to Moses or the prophets. What God promises will come to pass (Isa. 14:24, 27; 46:10).
2) Through the prophets.
Prophets in the OT both forthtell and foretell. The essential elements of the gospel were all found in the OT.
3) In the Holy Scriptures.
The "Scriptures" means the "writings". They are holy because whatever God touches becomes holy, because they treat of holy things, and because they are written under the control of the Holy Spirit.
D. The gospel concerns God’s Son (v. 3-4).
CONCLUSION
A. We are to be Scripture oriented.
B. We are all to be gospel oriented. 1 Pet. 2:9; Mt. 5:14-16.
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