The Opening of the Letter: Romans 1:1-17

Last week we looked at v2, we got half our planned sermon covered. In the first part I felt there was
a real need to cover the full meaning of what Paul was saying about the Old and New Testaments,
and how they related to each other. So we covered this relationship between the two testaments
and how they have spoken and do speak of the same gospel. By virtue of this same gospel promise
the both are inseparably joined. I believe this doctrine to be a very important lesson to learn. For
three reasons:

1. The lack of preaching in this model

2. That it is essential to understanding the whole Bible
3. The error that surrounds a misunderstanding of this one view of the Bible

So what have we already determined about V2?

-We noted that it seems like a statement we could do without. Within parenthesis is looks
insignificant or at least secondary.

-We wondered if with the 400years between the Old and New revelations, the closing of Malachai
and birth of Jesus Christ, was there included a theological division? We then asked the question: “If I
lived in the Old Testament, would I be saved in the same way I am saved today.”

-I heavily pressed the necessity to bring that statement “the gospel of God” with us because it is
given as the subject of introduction and even lays the foundational subject for the whole of Paul’s
treatise. Thus we noted:

“Romans is ultimately a book about God: How he acted to bring salvation, how his justice is
preserved, how his purposes are worked out in history, how he can be served by his people.” 1 Leon
Morris

So, “the gospel of God” is an amazing and powerful move of God, as a juggernaut destroying sin and
as a jumbo jet, God lifting sinners up to himself. Thus, as we investigate V2 it is paramount that we
take account of these important words of Paul: “the gospel of God, which he had promised afore by
his prophets in the holy scriptures.”

One promise that joins two dispensations V2

We spoke at length on:

1. The Gospel Promise is efficacious in OT and NT

-Scriptural evidence of the essential link. Note Luke 24:25-32 and 44-49.

-Romans’ evidence of the essential link. How Paul in Romans appeals to the OT foundational (we
quoted at length from Romans)

-Concluded with the agreement and harmony of the Old and New with one promise and one way of
salvation. These two parts of one book speak of one way to be saved, through Christ alone.

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 2. The Promise is provided in the “Holy Scriptures”

We have looked at the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures on a previous occasion over four weeks. We
investigated different areas where inspiration was a factor to be debated. What inspiration meant,
inspiration and the critics, Christ’s view of inspiration, and why the world needs the bible, were just
some of the subjects covered. The importance of being in agreement with inspiration is, as
evidenced in these words “by his prophets in the holy scriptures,” a matter of divine importance. “he
had promised” should be connected to “the gospel of God.” The promise, that is, the Covenant of
Grace that God has made to save sinners, is found in the Old Testament. Therefore the OT became
the basis for Paul’s authority on this “promise.” We must see, therefore, that the inspiration of the
Bible as the Word of God directly affects the quality and genuineness of the promise of God. The
gospel, the promise of salvation, the covenant of grace etc. all this is only as strong as inspiration is!

‘The Bible is the Word of God and the Word of God reveals to us salvation in form of a promise or a
covenant of grace.’ Any delineation in this statement will destroy or at least cause havoc in the
church. It is interesting to note that the two great errors of modern times are within this statement!

1. The error of liberalism in their view of the Word of God as full of errors.
2. The error of Arminian/Dispensationalists in refusing the Reformed Covenant view of the
gospel. Exchanging one gospel with up to seven gospels in the scripture.

Paul in this verse brings a definitive answer to these two errors and proves not only the purity and
authority of God’s Word but also the nature of the covenant, that it is single and continual.

-Confirmation of the OT as the Word of God

So Paul drew divine authority from the OT as he expands the theology of the New Testament in
Romans. This shows that the OT is God’s Word and contains his will for our salvation. Moreover, he
uses two terms that proves this in the text:

1-Prophets: προφήτης, which signals men who God spoke through or who God used to make his
message known. In the Old Testament every writer of the scripture was a prophet detailing God’s
will. From Moses, who wrote Genesis, to Malachi, who closed the canon before the four hundred
year silence, God spoke through these men. They were prophets of the divine will of God revealing
his saving covenant to sinners.

2-Holy: ἅγιος, which reveals the divine nature of the message contained in the scripture. It is Holy
Scripture by virtue of its divine origin. Of course, if it contains “the gospel of God” or “the promise”
the OT must be holy. God has revealed himself and his salvation in his Son through the OT. We could
say that God’s voice is as holy as his character. Therefore this immediately overthrows the
dispensational viewpoint! The OT is the foundation or seat of the promise: (certainly not a different
promise or gospel)

Simply, “The old is by the new explained; the new is in the old contained.”

The dispensational viewpoint tells us that Jesus Christ provides a new way to be saved in the New
Testament. In different degrees dispensationalists will see little to no place for Christ in the Old
Testament. But in a brief study of v1-2 of Romans this view is seen as erroneous and on occasions
those who preach such a gospel of division are spreading heresy. Romans brings light to the issue
showing one gospel drawn from the Old Testament and further explained in the New Testament.

-Confirmation of the NT as the Word of God

By consequence of establishing the OT as the Holy Word of God, Paul stamps the NT as of the same
nature. For Paul having already proclaimed himself as separated unto this “gospel of God;” and we
have referred back to the Damascus road to show that it is in relation to his justification by Jesus
Christ that he views this “gospel of God;” we can also look at V3 and same the same idea taken up,
that this promise in the Old Testament is now fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The NT as far as it brings in the
fulfilled message of the Messiah found in the OT is also from God, the writings of the apostles as
they describe and explain this fulfilment of the OT are holy scriptures. “The gospel of God” which
Paul claims to be presently engaged in, which is by his writings and ministry, was in the form of
promise in the Holy Scriptures of Ot, but now is with us in fruition by the Holy Scriptures in the NT.

-The only way to understand the bible is by Covenant or by one promise

Our confession speaks of this fact:

WCF 7.4: “This covenant of grace is frequently set forth in Scripture by the name of a Testament, in
reference to the death of Jesus Christ the Testator, and to the everlasting inheritance, with all things
belonging to it, therein bequeathed.”

It should be clear that there is unity between the OT and NT. An unbreakable bond adjoins these two
dispensations of time; different in many ways, but centrally the same ‘in Christ.’ They speak of the
same Christ, they direct the same way to Christ, and they are all about our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Whether it is King David penning Psalm 51 in repentance or the apostle John caught up by the Spirit
in a rapturous vision in Revelation, Christ is in and through it all. As much as he is unfolded in the NT,
Christ is embedded in the OT: Here our confession directs us to the same truth,

Explaining the Old Testament

WCF 7.5: “This covenant was differently administered in the time of the law, and in the time of the
gospel; under the law, it was administered by promises, prophecies, sacrifices, circumcision, the
paschal lamb, and other types and ordinances delivered to the people of the Jews, all fore-signifying
Christ to come: which were, for that time sufficient and efficacious, through the operation of the
Spirit, to instruct and build up the elect in faith in the promised Messiah, by whom they had full
remission of sins, and eternal salvation; and is called the Old Testament,”

Explaining the New Testament

7.6: “Under the gospel, when Christ, the substance, was exhibited, the ordinances in which this
covenant is dispensed is the preaching of the Word, and the administration of the sacraments and
the Lord’s Supper: which, though fewer in number, and ministered with more simplicity, and less
outward glory; yet in them it is held forth with more fullness, evidence, and spiritual efficacy, to all
nations both Jew and Gentiles; and it is called the New Testament. There are not therefore two
covenants of grace, differing in substance, but one and the same, under various dispensations.”
To say that to understand the covenant of grace is the only way to understand the bible is the least
we could say about this one promise; for this promise or this covenant is the bible! To sum it up in
conclusion what we have is ‘One marvellous promise in one magnificent book offering free salvation
in Christ to millions and billions of sinners.’