Can you explain Romans 1:17?
To answer your good question, let’s read 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. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”
We read the words of the Lord Jesus in Luke 9:26, “For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.” The Apostle Paul makes his bold statement in Romans 1:16, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ…” He also instructs us in 2 Timothy 1:8, “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God.” To say we are not ashamed of the Lord and His Gospel is more than simply words, but it is in being “partaker of the afflictions of the gospel.” It is found in boldly standing for Christ and enduring what persecution or afflictions may come upon us because of our testimony of words and actions.
Speaking of the Gospel, Paul states here that it is “the power of God unto salvation” and “therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith.” He is not speaking of God’s essential righteousness (which is His alone), but the righteousness which he gives to sinners through their faith in Christ. We read in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that WE MIGHT BE MADE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM.” We also read in James 2:23, “And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was IMPUTED UNTO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS…”
Let’s read Romans 1:17 in the Darby translation (a very accurate translation of the Word). That says, “for righteousness of God is revealed therein, on the principle of faith, to faith: according as it is written, But THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” The righteousness of God is revealed (and imputed unto us) on the principle of faith, to faith…from God’s faithfulness to our individual faith. It is upon this principal that the Lord teaches us that “the just shall live by faith.” Originally, this truth was given to us in Habakkuk 2:4, “Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright within him: but THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY HIS FAITH.” We have this principal repeated to us three times in the New Testament: Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38. THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.
Of course, this principal is in opposition to any who would say that the righteousness of God is gained through the keeping of the law. A few verses that make that absolutely clear are:
- Romans 3:20, “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”
- Galatians 2:16, “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”
- Galatians 3:11, “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.”
It is the Gospel, the GOOD NEWS that tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ gave His life an offering to God for our sins that we might be saved. Are you ashamed of that Gospel which saved you from eternal death? That wonderful Gospel is the power of God to save. You can’t save yourself. Keeping the law can’t save you. Through this Gospel the righteousness of God is revealed to us and we learn that the just (those who have been justified through faith in the Lord Jesus) live by faith! (254.10)