Title: We Are Worthy Romans 1:1-7
Who is your son? Look at verses 3-4 in the main text. “As for this Son, who was of the line of David according to the flesh/ was declared the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead, our Lord Jesus Christ.” In other words, the gospel is “the word about Jesus,” and that word was already promised in the Old Testament.
The Apostle Paul explains the significance and principle of the gospel well and concisely through the short sentences in the text. How are you explaining it? First, there are God's promises in the gospel, second, those promises are received by grace, and third, grace is given when we believe in the Lord. Let's take a look at the significance and principles of the gospel one by one.
1. There are promises from God in the gospel
In verse 2 of the text, it says that the gospel is what God promised in advance in the Bible. Those words, after all, show just how great God's love for mankind is. God is a God of promise. Those who believe in the gospel have a hint that the future will be better than the present. So, believing in God's promises has many benefits, but the greatest benefit is to have a clear vision.
If the vision is clear, our poor environment and situation are not a problem. Rather, the insufficient environment and situation will become a stepping stone toward maturity. A person's happiness and unhappiness do not depend on circumstances, but on the attitude of how I see myself in the Lord and in the holy will of God. With that attitude, our weaknesses are never weaknesses, and our obstacles are never obstacles.
A person with a vision is like a river that goes to the sea. If the right is blocked, go left. If the left is blocked, go right. If both are blocked, you can wait a bit and move on. No obstacle can break the holy vision unless we give up the holy vision in our faith in God.
Martin Luther King was black and didn't have much, but there was one thing that surprised him. That's the vision. he always said “I have a dream.” Although he had little fortune, he had a vision that was most valuable to him. After all, it was his vision that made him the greatest black man of the 20th century. If we keep our vision until the end, we will surely become blessed saints.
2. God's promises are received by grace
What do people who do God's work need the most? That is 'grace'. There is nothing in this world more important than grace. Grace is more important than any spirituality I have, more important than any gift, more important than any ability.
Jesus said in Luke 10:20: “Do not rejoice that the demons surrender to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” It means that God's free grace of salvation is more precious than the great power that causes Satan to surrender. That grace is the foundation of all offices.
3. Grace comes from trusting in the Lord
Look at the second half of verse 5 and verse 6 of the text. “For the sake of his name, it leads to obedience among all the Gentiles, of whom you also are the called to belong to Jesus Christ.” By the grace of God, we become the things of Jesus, that is, the possessions of Jesus. This means that you will eventually become children of God.
How is that grace given? It is given when you believe in Jesus. And in the second half of verse 5, the phrase “believe and obey” clearly shows that faith is obedience. In fact, faith and obedience are not separate things. When we believe in the Lord and obey the will of God according to the principle of that faith, amazing grace will be given to us.
<Never despair>
In today's text, the Apostle Paul greets after emphasizing the importance of faith and grace from the beginning while writing the book of Romans. Look at verse 7 of the text. “Grace and peace to all who are in Rome, loved by God and called to be saints, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Simply put, it means “I want those who believe in grace and peace”, and if interpreted more positively, it means “Grace and peace are given to those who believe”.
We believe in Jesus. Then, under no circumstances should you despair and enjoy peace of mind. We have already been given God's promises and grace through faith, and we become God's children. Therefore, our future will be much more blessed days than now. In any case, God will surely open the way for you to live. Even if you realize that fact and are in a difficult situation, you should realize your worth and not despair.
Even if everyone in the world opposes us, if God gives us grace, no one will be able to take away our joy and peace. We are the treasures of the Lord, purchased by the shed blood of the Lord. We must never forget how precious and valuable we are.
If you look at 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, you will find similar words to verse 6 in the main text. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not yours/ You were bought with a price; therefore glorify God with your body.” If we are to be recognized for our own strength alone, we will have to despair someday. However, we who have received the gospel only by the grace of God are already the most valuable beings.
God made us in the image of God and decided to save us before the ages, so He sent Jesus to be crucified in our place. That is how precious and valuable we are. Some items cost a thousand won, and some items cost ten thousand won. However, we can say that we are Jesus Christ because we are saved by paying the life of Jesus.
We must live a worthy life as a worthy life. The God who planned our salvation before the ages will have a wonderful plan for our future as well. We must believe that we can be used before God and prepare to be used. The most important question in life is, “How much do you have? What position are you in? It is not a question of “how much do you know?” but “Are you really being used by God? Are you worthy to be used?”
Our lives are worthwhile and we can be happy only when God uses them. Therefore, we should always say, “God's plan can be accomplished through me! We must strive to live a life that is used before God with the conviction that God has promised blessings and that I am the object of that promise!” I hope that you will always think of God's will for me and become people who pursue a more valuable life.