Romans 1:16-17 – The Goodness Of The Good News

Harry McSween • April 14, 2025

Romans 1-7 Bible Study (Intro)

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

What a glorious truth for the believer! The words of Romans 8:1 are so simple yet so profound. The condemnation of sin, the weight of sin, the feeling of shame, the reality of our guilt—all of these are no more in Christ. But to truly understand the magnitude of this verse we need to look at the seven chapters that came before it. That is what we are going to do in this short study.

This summer at SWO25 we will be working through the eighth chapter of Romans in a study we are calling His Glory, Our Good. Romans 8 is thirty-nine verses long and contains some of the most important, foundational teaching in the whole Bible. Our goal in this study is to work through the first seven chapters of Romans to better understand all that Romans 8 says to and about the believer.

During this study, you will be challenged to read, memorize, and think through the Scriptures. Each section is meant to be done in a day and should only take around fifteen minutes, but feel free to take your time. The goal is not to get to the end or check the box; the goal is to learn from the Scriptures and grow in godliness. There are also reflection questions, talking points, and prayers throughout the study; it can be done by yourself or with a small group.

And don’t just read the specific Scriptures we are studying on a given day; read all of Romans. Read it multiple times. Have your Bible open and with you as we look through these passages in Romans. We pray the Lord will use this study to equip you and grow you, and we fully believe that spending time in God’s Word will encourage and challenge you.

Day 1 – Romans 1:16-17

“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.'” – Romans 1:16-17

What’s The Point?

This study is short, so we are jumping right into the thick of it. This passage has been made popular by Christian culture and is somewhat of a battle cry for Christians. “I am not ashamed of the Gospel!” should be something that we can say in every situation and season of life. If we truly understand the Gospel we are proclaiming, if we truly realize what it promises us, then we will never be ashamed.

But before we get into these verses, let’s look at what Paul says leading up to this. The first seven verses are Paul introducing himself, who he is, and what he is about. Paul is all about Jesus and he finds his identity in Christ.

Then he tells these Roman Christians how thankful he is for them and how badly he has wanted to come and visit them. He is thankful for those that have faith in Christ, and he longs to visit them to encourage them and see more people come to faith.

He longs to visit them because he believes the Gospel is effective to change people from death to life. That is the main point of this passage. Did you know that the word “Gospel” literally means good news? This makes perfect sense because the Gospel is the best news—salvation has been made available to everyone! You might take this for granted if you grew up in the church, but Paul says that this was one of the greatest mysteries that has now been revealed.

Verse 17 tells us that God has revealed himself and his righteousness to us. God has made himself known and knowable through the person of Jesus Christ, but this can only be revealed through faith. This is why so many people saw Jesus heal and heard Jesus preach but didn’t believe. When Peter confesses Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God,” Jesus says, “flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 16:16-17). The revelation can only come “from faith.”

But why does Paul say, “From faith for faith?” This is another way of saying the faith that revealed Christ to you is the same faith that will keep you in Christ. Keeping our eyes on Christ and having faith in him is the only thing that will stop us from drifting back into sin. As we look at Christ and know him better, our faith in him will grow.

Paul finishes this point with a quote from Habakuk 2:4 saying, “The righteous shall live by faith.” The faith that was revealed to us by Jesus, the faith that is authored by the Creator, the faith that shows us God and gives us his righteousness, this is the faith that we must live by.

Do not be ashamed of the Gospel, it is the only reason you have life. Do not be ashamed of the Gospel, it is the only source of hope. Do not be ashamed of the Gospel, it gives us purpose in this life. Do not be ashamed of the Gospel—cling to it, preach it to yourself every day, and proclaim it to a world that desperately needs what only it can provide.

Scripture Memorization

Romans 1:16

“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

Prayer

Lord Jesus, help me to continually be unashamed of your Gospel. When the world around me judges me, or I have a desire to give in to what the culture tells me is right and good, remind me of the goodness of the good news. Help me remember and know in the depths of my soul that you have saved me from sin and death. Let me not be satisfied with the superficial offerings of the world, but let me be eternally satisfied in and by the faith you have given me. You have revealed yourself to me, and because of that, I can know life and joy. Thank you, Jesus.

Reflection

Are there people or places that make you less confident in proclaiming or living out the Gospel? Bring that before the Lord and pray for boldness.
Think about what your faith looked like when you first became a believer. How has your faith grown and changed since then?
Paul spoke of the “power of God for salvation.” What are your favorite stories from Scripture that show God’s power?

Discussion Questions

In verses 15-16 Paul says he is “under obligation” but also “eager to preach the Gospel.” How should this be an example to us? In what ways is proclaiming the Gospel a responsibility and a joyful opportunity?
What are some practical ways we can live by faith?
If we are truly living lives that are not ashamed of the Gospel what kinds of things will we be doing? What should an unashamed life look like today?

If you have any questions feel free to reach out: harry@swoutfitters.com. All of the Scripture referenced in this study is from the English Standard Version (ESV) unless otherwise noted.