PAUL, A SERVANT OF JESUS CHRIST, CALLED TO BE AN APOSTLE, SEPARATED UNTO THE GOSPEL OF GOD, WHICH HE HAD PROMISED AFORE BY HIS PROPHETS IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, CONCERNING HIS SON JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD, WHICH WAS MADE OF THE SEED OF DAVID ACCORDING TO THE FLESH; AND DECLARED TO BE THE SON OF GOD WITH POWER, ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT OF HOLINESS, BY THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD: (Romans 1:1-4)

INTRODUCTION

Once again we are seeing a period of “crisis” in our nation, as the fears of the coronavirus run rampant. We have people in positions of authority over us who are ungodly, unrighteous and suppress the truth in unrighteousness. In a time of anxiety, many are ignorantly, or, intentionally making things worse. The speaker of the US House of Representative seemingly has taken leave of her senses in an attempt to obtain funding to strengthen abortion “rights” – she has changed the proposed legislation which is intended to help treatment of and increase tests and treatment for individuals with coronavirus. By inserting abortion funding this is nothing short of the promotion of the murder of little babies in their mother’s womb while at the same time eroding attempts to prevent illness and death from the coronavirus. We have those in the Democrat party who are Marxists, or Communists. We are truly living in perilous times.

We also have people in authority all over the spectrum declaring that we will “defeat this virus” while declaring that we have the “finest doctors”, “finest medical facilities”, and “finest hospitals,” etc. and all without calling on the name of the Lord our God. At least the President has called for a day of prayer on Sunday, March 15th. We should all be praying without ceasing, in the spirit, in faith, doubting not, asking, seeking, and knocking in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Every day! We should be asking the Lord God to intervene in these matters involving the coronavirus and to intervene in our nation and turn the hearts of many to Him through the Lord Jesus Christ; in true repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We should be doing this every day, not merely on Sunday, March 15, 2020.

Now, we have also learned that we even have preachers in churches around the nation who are not preaching “Christ crucified”, but some other message. Apparently, many of these preachers are intentionally, or ignorantly, trying to bring about a One World Church. As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Church at Rome, which he set out in the very introduction of his letter that certain particular matters are key in our relationship with the Lord God. These matters are essential for Christians, and it is my fervent hope and expectation that even this brief look at these first verses- verses that are sometimes looked over or skipped- will be helpful to you and your family.

I.    THE BONDSLAVE OF CHRIST

    The great Apostle, Paul, who met the risen Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, while he was on his way with purpose at that time to kill,  threaten and injure Christians (Acts 9, 22, and 26) states clearly that he is a servant of Jesus Christ. This word “servant” is actually the word for “bond slave”. Paul states that he is a “bond slave” of the Lord Jesus Christ. All who are Christians are also “bond slaves” of the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you think of yourself as a “bond slave”? If you are a Christian, you are a “bond slave”. We are not our own, we have been bought with a price. In his letter to the Church at Corinth, this same Apostle says: “What, know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

    What was the price for you? It is the same price paid to redeem every Christian. It is the precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ! Paul states in the fifth Chapter of this letter that “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”. (Romans 5:9) We are saved (justified) by the blood of Christ! We see in Matthew  that the Lord Jesus Christ says: “Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and give His life a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28) In Luke’s writing of the Gospel, we find these words: “For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost”. (Luke 19:10) Therefore, all who are in the Lord Jesus Christ are “bond slaves” of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who came to “seek and to save” those of us who were lost, and to give HIs life a ransom for [us] many”. “Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins”. (Hebrews 9:22) Are you his “bond slave”?

    Therefore, putting these two verses together, what we see is that the Lord Jesus Christ came to “seek and to save [all] who are lost” and “to give His life a ransom for many”. Therefore, all Christians gave been bought by the blood of Christ! We are all “bond slaves” of Christ.

    We have been justified by the precious blood of Christ! What can wash away our sin? NOTHING but the blood of Jesus

    Finally, it is the glorious gospel of God that saves. God alone saves anyone. Paul says that “…For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes: to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16) Therefore, salvation is not by “being a good person” or “a moral person”, or, knowing facts about Jesus. It is ONLY by the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. “Who was delivered for our offences (sin), and raised again for our justification”. (Romans 4:25)

    It is the Gospel that Paul states that he has been called to preach. That is also what every Christian is called to do. We are to tell others the glorious gospel – the good news – of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

II.    “OUR LORD”

    Paul was called by God to be an Apostle. He was, therefore, separated unto the Gospel of God. The Truth of God is stated in this epistle in Chapter 5 as follows: “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly”. (Romans 5:6) It is when we had no strength - totally incapable, dead in tresspasses and sins, yes, ungodly - the Lord Jesus Christ died for us. We did nothing. We were incapable of doing anything. A dead person can not do anything. He or she is without strength. In Chapter 3 of this letter, the great Apostle says “being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24) God set forth the Lord Jesus Christ to be a propitiation through faith in His blood to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins…. That He might be just and the justifier of him that believes in Jesus”. (Romans 3:25-26) Saved by the blood of Christ! What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

    It is not that we know facts about Jesus that saves us. It is not philosophy. It is not even teaching. It is nothing but the blood of Jesus! It is His death! And it is His resurrection. This is the great doctrine of justification by faith only.

    Finally, notice that it is this glorious Gospel of God that saves all who are Christians. Paul says at the very inception of this letter that he has been “called” and he is to preach the Gospel of God”. Every Christian is also “called to preach the Gospel of God”. Are you doing that? Pray for me to see the opportunities to proclaim this Holy Truth and for all Christians everywhere to do so also. It is this “glorious Gospel of God”, to wit, that Christ Himself bore our sins in His own body on the cross that we may dead unto sin – (dead to sin!) and alive to God. His bond slave! His death and His resurrection save us. He gave His life a “ransom” for you and me. Indeed, He gave His Life a ransom for many. The Lord Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, gave His life for us, the sinful sons of men, that we might be made like unto Him - the Sons of God! He became OUR Lord! Not our Lord in theory, but the Apostle Paul tells, it is that the Lord Jesus Christ is our Lord in Truth. It is so. Live as becomes the glorious Gospel of God. Pray without ceasing, in faith, doubting not. Pray in the Spirit asking, seeking, and knocking in the name of OUR Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for many to come to know Him; to surrender their wills to His will, in true repentance and to place their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for their salvation that He might be their Lord and Savior.

CONCLUSION

    Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty and dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.