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Priscilla: Romans 1:16-17
The Gospel of Jesus Christ

16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation to everyone believing, both to Jew first, and to Greek;

17 for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; even as it has been written, “But the just shall live by faith.” Hab. 2:4

[Literal Translation of the Holy Bible]

Dear God, my Beloved Father, today I offer to You my reflection on Your Word, specifically the things that I have come to understand in Romans 1:6-17. I am grateful to You.

Dear God, I understand that the Gospel is good news from You about Your grace and salvation for mankind, achieved through the death on the cross of Christ. Christ suffered, was humiliated, and died to bear the penalty of sin for humanity. By this act, humanity is redeemed from the power of sin and the consequences of their transgressions against God. I thank You, God the Father, Jesus Christ the Lord, and the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, for saving me from the punishment of sin, bringing me out of death into life, to become a radiant child of God and to enjoy everlasting life.

“But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son, having come into being out of a woman, having come under Law, that He might redeem the ones under Law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because you are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!'” (Galatians 4:4-6).

Dear God, the Apostle Paul said, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone believing,” because he knew that the Gospel of Christ that he preached had the power to save anyone who believes in it. If they sincerely repent of their sins and believe in the redemption of sins by Jesus Christ, not only are they saved from the consequences of sin, but they are also renewed, created anew by God, given the Holy Spirit to live a new, holy, and happy life according to the Word of God.

Dear God, I understand that the Apostle Paul boldly said “my Gospel” because he had experienced the power of God transforming him from a sinner to a holy apostle, and he was given the role of an apostle to preach the Gospel. Paul once said, “I am the chief of sinners among all,” and he often said, “my God.” The Apostle Paul was not ashamed to preach the Gospel of Christ because it is good news for all humanity, a great joy for all people. The Apostle Paul believed and lived according to what he preached.

Dear God, I know that the Apostle Paul was truly a righteous man who lived by faith. He was arrested, imprisoned, beaten, and faced many hardships and trials in his life, yet he always had joy and peace. He remained faithful, unafraid of life or death, and never ashamed to preach the Gospel truthfully and wholeheartedly.

Dear God, I understand that simply believing in You is not enough, but one must truly repent, confess their sins, and turn away from wrongdoing to receive Your redemption. Only then can they be saved and escape eternal damnation in hell. Therefore, the Word of God in the Bible, specifically the book of Romans, chapter 10, from verses 9 to 11, affirms:

“Because if you confess the Lord Jesus with your mouth, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses unto salvation. For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone believing on Him will not be put to shame.’ Isa. 28:16”

Dear God, I understand that having faith means listening to and following every word of God’s teachings. Therefore, after someone truly repents their sins, confesses their faith in Christ, and accepts Him as Lord and Master of their life, they will obey the Word of God and receive baptism to demonstrate their faith. At that point, they are welcomed into God’s Church. However, if they deliberately break God’s commandments afterward, then they are not truly accepting the Gospel. Faith and repentance must be demonstrated through actions by living according to God’s Word. The Bible teaches that faith without works is dead, and dead faith cannot save anyone. Faith without works is merely an intellectual belief, not a spiritual one that produces obedient actions and results.

Dear God, I know that Your nature is love, justice, and holiness. You reward the righteous and punish the wicked, and You do not count the guilty as innocent.

Dear God, I understand that after someone accepts You, they need to read the Bible carefully and follow Your Word every day. Only in this way can they show both their willingness and good intentions to follow Your will in their lives. Through this, You will give them the strength to overcome all temptations, trials, and sins that the devil brings into their lives. Your Word promises us that:

“And He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness. Therefore, I will rather gladly boast in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may overshadow me.” (II Corinthians 12:9).

Dear God, my Father, I have experienced the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ in my life because I truly believe in the Gospel. I remember that right after I confessed my faith and received the Lord Jesus as my Lord, my heart was filled with a strange joy and peace. Thank You, God! You are the God of love and goodness who makes the best things happen for those who sincerely repent and believe in the Gospel of Salvation. They are the ones who wholeheartedly live a holy life according to the teachings of the Bible.

In the grace of Jesus Christ, my Lord.

Priscilla Christian Huynh
03/04/2023