Three times in Romans chapter 1 Paul states that God gave them up! Abandoned by God to a heart without God, a soul without God and a mind without God. We need God for meaning, truth and satisfaction. Rejecting God in our sin is a big mistake. At times God backs off and leaves us to our own devices. When God gives us up it is an ever decreasing spiral, a race to the bottom of moral depravity and despair.
Dr J Stewart Gillespie
Romans chapter 1 presents the character of God in His righteousness, justice, and truth. He is everything man needs. Without God we are nothing, our minds and empty and longing for peace, our hearts and souls are empty and longing from something, anything to fill lifes painful void! God's demand is that we should love the Lord our God with all of our heart and soul and mind! It is the sinful rebellion of man that we exclude God from heart, soul and mind and lie dead and empty before Him.
Dr J Stewart Gillespie
God has good reason to be angry with sinful man. God's wrath is in response to my ungodliness and unrighteousness, these two great pillars of Moses 10 commandments; neglect of God and neglect for moral behaviour and truth. Creation declares the eternal power and Godhead leaving us without excuse! God does not believe in atheists! If we hear the opening of God's wrath or the echo of the judgment of God drawing near we do well to flee from that wrath to the righteousness of God, found in Jesus Christ.
Dr J Stewart Gillespie
The cross of Jesus Christ lies between the righteousness of God (Romans chapter 1 verse 17) and the wrath of God (Romans chapter 1 verse 18) as surely as the cross of Jesus Christ stood between the two thieves on the cross, one lost under the wrath the God, rejecting Christ and the other made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ! The righteousness of God flows from the character of God, through the conduct of God to the conclusion of God's work in the Gospel. His righteous attributes, activities and achievements are all seen in the Gospel, not only removing sinful man but removing sin from man.
Dr J Stewart Gillespie
Paul prayerfully desires to visit the Christians at Rome, bringing a spiritual gift to build them up and establish them in their faith. Paul wants these Christians to have a solid foundation in the Lord Jesus that is able to withstand the attack of doubt, deception, discouragement and despair. Stading firm on the Lord Jesus, clear on the matter of salvation, undefiled by sin and undiscouraged by spiritual attack Paul seeks fruit from the Christian life. Fruitfullness depends upon my relationship with Jesus, anything weakening that relationship will affect my fruitfulness for God.
Dr J Stewart Gillespie
The Gospel of Jesus Christ, the book of Romans, the bible are all about Grace!
God's riches flow through the Gospel, which is the Gospel of His Son (Romans 1:9). The whole of the bible echoes with the cry for the lost son! From Abraham and Isaac to David and Absalom to Jacob and Joseph we feel the pulse and the passion of God for His Son! All we have in the gospel is given to us by Grace! All we have is Christ! The apostle Paul reminds us in Romans chapter 1 that just as the Christian life begins with grace so too the Christian life and all the resouces needed for service continue with Grace, grace drawn not only from the gift but supremely from the giver.
Dr J Stewart Gillespie
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the core bible message which declares to us:
1 - Who Jesus is
2 - Why I need Jesus
3 - What Jesus has done
4 - How I receive Jesus
These four basic Gospel points form an outline for the first 5 chapters of Romans. Paul begins to lay the foundation for the Gospel in Romans chapter 1 verses 1 to 5 by presenting 3 core truths concerning Jesus Christ:
1 - He is the Subject of the Bible (verse 2)
2 - He is the Son of Man (verse 3)
3 - He is the Son of God (verse 4)
In this study we explore the many statements in the bible which establish the truth that Jesus Christ is God.
Dr J Stewart Gillespie
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is no new invention. Paul draws from the Old Testament teachings, prophecies and patterns in the book of Romans to present God's master plan of the ages, the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ. We find Jesus in prophecy and type and pattern in the Old Testamant. We find ourselves exposed as sinners in the Psalms, the way of salvation by faith alone in Habakkuk, the sacrifice of propitiation in Leviticus and justification by faith in the experience of Abraham and David. The fullness of the Gospel is now preached since the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ but the truth of this transforming event has always been there.
Dr J Stewart Gillespie
