Identity is in Christ
For I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized world and the rest of the world, to the educated and uneducated alike. So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach the Good News. For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” Romans 1:14-17
From the text, the apostle Paul expressed why he was persistent in sharing the gospel. He told the Christians at Rome that he had this obligation to people of all backgrounds that they hear the message of salvation for he could never repay what Christ had done for him when He saved him from sin. He was obliged to Christ, not because He demanded to be repaid for the debt but Paul felt compelled to express his gratitude and love for Christ’s free gift of eternal life. He never got over of the thought that God loved him so much that His son was sent in this world to give His life as payment for his sins. This is what should be the attitude of those who claim they have received eternal life because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. His perspective in life is what should permeate the mind of every follower of Christ that we are bondservant of the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 1:1). Without the gospel and the power the gospel have we will not experience salvation. We will not be freed from our old self and will always be in the bondage of sin. It is the gospel that reveals that we do not have any righteousness of our own. It is only by embracing the gospel that we receive the righteousness that comes from God alone. God placed you where you are so you could show the power of the gospel working in you. We need to feel within ourselves the obligation Paul felt so that just like him we will find ways to talk to others about our faith and the reason why we trusted Christ as our Lord and Savior. The Lord Jesus Christ knowing that His disciples will have the tendency to be ashamed of their relationship with God, He gave them this admonition: “Is anything worth more than your soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:37-38). Paul wrote the Book of Romans to encourage Christians who were disheartened because of the persecutions brought upon to all the followers of Christ. Though they seemed to be powerless over the rulers of the Roman Empire but this power was no match to the power of the gospel for it is alone could change people’s lives. We may feel the same way in our time, but just like what Paul told Christians in Rome, “the righteous will live by faith” regardless of the circumstances. If you identify yourself as follower of Christ then do not be ashamed of the gospel for it is “the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes.”
Blessings,
Noel De Guzman
www.my-wbc.com
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