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"He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man Whom He hath ordained,
whereof He hath given ASSURANCE unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the
dead" (Acts 17: 31).
"Therefore let all the house of Israel know ASSUREDLY, that God hath made that
same Jesus, Whom ye crucified, both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2: 36).
"Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted . . . . . He hath shed forth THIS"
(Acts 2: 33).
Now all this is involved in the title, "His Son Jesus Christ our Lord"; and all this is of
necessity involved in the gospel of God which is concerning His Son. The preaching of
"Jesus, a man approved of God" is not sufficient, and, despite popular evangelism, to
determine to know nothing among men save Jesus Christ and Him crucified does not
fulfil the requirements. The gospel of God concerns His Son Who died and was buried
and rose again according to the Scriptures.
The gospel.
His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
The apostle.
If the gospel is seen to be so full by reason of Him Who is its glorious subject, the
apostleship of Paul also grows in dignity as we realize the One Who sent him.
"By whom we have received grace and apostleship."--The apostle never seemed to be
able to think of his office unmoved. The glory of it made him marvel at the grace that
could save and commission one such as he had been. Speaking not merely of his
salvation, but of his ministry, he said, "To me, who am less than the least of all saints, is
this grace given" (Eph. 3: 8). This apostleship was
"For faith obedience among all the Gentiles for His name."--How are we to
understand the words "obedience of faith"? Some refer to Acts 6: 7, "A great company
of priests were obedient to the faith". In Rom. 1: 5 there is no article, whereas in
Acts 6: 7 there is. The gospel is often designated "the faith". The same expression
"faith obedience" is repeated in Rom. 16: 26. There it is not believing the gospel that is
in view, but the "stablishing" of those who had already believed and moreover had
knowledge of the mystery there revealed. A comparison of Rom. 1: 8 with Rom. 16: 19
suggests the true meaning:--
"Your FAITH is spoken of throughout the whole world."
"Your OBEDIENCE is come abroad unto all men."
Or again, in Rom. 10: 14 and 16 he says:--
"How shall they BELIEVE in Him of Whom they have not heard."
"They have not all OBEYED the gospel, for Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath
BELIEVED our report?"
Faith obedience is set in vivid contrast with legal obedience. The one is grace, the
other works. The sphere of one is spirit, the other flesh. Christ is the head of one, Moses