Still in Paul's introduction, we start to see the basis for his letter and yet also the great care he takes in executing the letter to the Roman believers. We'll see this great care repeated in the final chapter, but for now we see the amount of praise and love he has for the Roman brethren in that their faith is being proclaimed (1:8) throughout the whole world. Indeed, the fire of the gospel, which was sparked in Jerusalem , burned outward at such a tremendous rate that the entire world was set ablaze with the message of good news from God. Elsewhere Paul mentions that the report of the Roman obedience to the gospel has reached all ears and this is where he finds great rejoicing over these brethren—and yet he wrote to them so that they would be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil (16:19).

He wished to cultivate fruit (1:11-13) among the Roman brethren so that they may be edified in the faith and that he would be encouraged together with them—each of them feeding off of each other's faith.

It is actually quite a tremendous thing that the use of a spiritual gift to impart edification to other believers results in a mutual strengthening. If you momentarily take a look at Ephesians 4:16 where Paul goes into an explanation of the body is being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies. The edification of the body isn't reliant on any single member or a council of members, but on each individual member using the gift supplied by the very Lord Jesus Himself on His exalted throne.

Not Ashamed of the Gospel...?

But that, after all, is an aside from the topic at hand, for in the following verses he begins the ground work of why this Jew is writing to these Gentiles. He is, after all, a believer like they are believers, in the truest sense of the word...but His calling was different than other believers. As a Jew, He was called by the very Lord Jesus Himself, an act of tremendous mercy and grace for the purpose of making Paul into a walking advertisement of mercy and grace. It is for this reason that Paul was called out to the Gentiles as this very public example that if the Lord could take a proud man such as Saul of Tarsus, a man who stood like Pharoah in his stubborn resolve, and show such mercy on him, how much more mercy would he show the Gentiles who have never heard of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The slave Paul, called to do the work of apostle, this ambassador work, is a debtor to Greeks and barbarians—rather people who speak some foreign non-understood language. Both to the wise (such as the philosophers) and the foolish he was willing to preach to.

Here lies the foundational step to understanding verses 16 and 17. Paul underscores how he is eager to preach the gospel to them in Rome and then goes onto say that he is not ashamed of the gospel, this good news.

Is he saying that he is not afraid of persecution from men? After all, Paul was a walking example of a person who just wouldn't give up. One need only look at that long list of accomplishments, as it were, in the name of the Lord (2 Cor 11:23 -33).

Or could it be that he is saying that he has a reason to have shame towards the gospel because it's so unsophisticated in a sophisticated world? How often have we heard this verse used to engender in us some odd version of faith. "Go preach the gospel to your atheistic friends," they may say "You have faith and you are not to be ashamed of this gospel...the just shall live by Faith!"

Let's not have a weak understanding of this gospel, brethren. Paul is not here stating either of those aforementioned things. He was speaking to the very capitol of the world where philosophers ran in circles and scientists, if you will, argued their thesis daily. There were theologians aplenty in Rome , be it for different religions and there was acceptance of each others practices. Ancient Rome had many similarities to Modern Day Europe and America . They would decry any belief system that proclaimed itself to be the only true way as foolishness and complete nonsense. They perhaps would hear of this resurrected Jesus and point out the foolishness of such a statement and arguing that there may be a historical Jesus, but He surely didn't resurrect—merely a wise philosopher or moralist.

Paul was pointing out that he was eager to do this preaching because this gospel was from God Himself (as we have already established a contrast to the Human Government in Rome ) and this gospel makes sense! This isn't some idea or belief system based on some blind faith but based on witnesses and proofs. This wasn't some contrived philosophical argument but made sense to the level that Paul could stand with the wise and the foolish both apologetically defend the gospel!

This gospel is the very power of God for salvation to everyone who believes to the Jew first and also to the Greek! Paul doesn't have any shame at all for this gospel but is completely confident in this gospel for it is the means and power of God unto saving men.

"The Just Shall Live by Faith"—what does THAT mean?

This is why Paul quotes a certain verse from Habakkuk when he points out that the very righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith in that "The Just shall live by Faith"

People take this entire portion to support this idea of faith as if relying on something blindly, but this is not how Paul is using it at all. We are inevitably drawn to look into the book of Habakkuk under Paul's own encouragement later on in the book of Romans that the things of the past are given for our own instruction (15:4).

Therefore, we turn to the book of Habakkuk and note the context of the verse. Habakkuk the prophet stands in the City and notes the violence and wickedness all about him. He cries out to the Lord wondering why the law is ignored and justice never upheld. He cries out that Justice is being perverted (Hab 1:1-4).

The Lord then answers Habakkuk that He is raising up a people, the Chaldeans no less, who will do things that even if the prophet were explicitly told, He would not believe. These people will swoop into the very homes of the children of Israel and seize the places that are not theirs, collecting captives like sand. They mock kings and laugh at fortresses and rely on their own laws. In effect, this horrendous calamity about to overtake the people was raised up by God, the role given to a people who were just as bad as the offending children of Israel . (Hab. 1:5-11)

The prophet finds himself confused and upset, pointing out to God that he is eternal and too good to approve evil. How is it, he wonders, that the Lord brings unrighteous men to judge the people of God? How is it that wicked men are being allowed to do such a thing to those who are less wicked than them? (Hab 1:12-17).

As Habakuk waits for an answer (and also for chastisement—2:1) God tells him to get stone tablets so that others may be warned. He points out that this horrendous event is for a future date, an appointed time (2:3) but though it hasn't happened as of yet, wait...it most definitely will. He then gives Habakkuk tremendous words of comfort that the proud man, His soul not being right, but the righteous man will survive this calamity by his faith in God. God then goes onto expand on this sifting by means of highlighting the wicked man and proclaiming woe to the those who have wicked gain in their house for they are sinning against themselves and not placing themselves so high as to escape the oncoming calamity (2:9-10). This oncoming calamity will befall the wicked like a wave and the Earth will fall silent before Him. ( 2:20 ).

This subsequently leads to Habakkuk's prayer where he asks that the Lord revive His work and also that the Lord trampled the nations and went for the salvation of His people ( 3:12 ,13). Habakkuk has been comforted in such a way that his prayer is in the past tense although the events have not yet happened!

So when Paul makes reference in verse 17 of chapter 1 to the just living by faith, he is not referring to some daily walk that is confident on God (although the thought may definitely be included as an outworking). He is referring to the fact of judgment and how the just shall survive the calamity of great and furious judgment. It is by no means, but their faith in the eternal God.

It is therefore not surprising that the subject delves into the very wrath of God in the following verses and chapter.

-r-