Faith Anchor
Faith Anchor
The introductory verses of the book of Romans help anchor our faith. They remind us that the Gospel was promised by God. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Gospel. He is the Good News!
Romans 1:1–4
“Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord” (NASB 2020).
As Paul pointed out, the promise can be found in the Jewish scriptures—what we call the Old Testament. It came through the prophets, such as Ezekiel and Jeremiah.
In Ezekiel 36:25-29 the gospel was promised:
I will sprinkle clean water on you
You will be clean
I will cleanse you from your filthiness and idols
I will give you a new heart
I will put a new spirit within you
I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh
I will give you a heart of flesh
I will put my Spirit within you
I will cause you to walk in My statutes
I will cause you to keep my ordinances
You shall live in the land that I gave to your forefathers
You shall be my people
I will be your God
I will save you from all your uncleanness
In Jeremiah 31:33-34 the gospel was promised:
I will put my law within them
I will write it in their hearts
I will be their God
They shall be my people
They will all know Me
I will forgive their wrongdoing
I will no longer remember their sin
A few other examples from the early chapters of Genesis include:
Genesis 3:21 recounts God stepping in to cover the sin of the first humans by shedding the blood of animals to clothe Adam and Eve.
The events in Noah’s life.
He believed God, built an ark and went inside
(as we are placed into Christ)
He was sealed within by God
(as He seals us with the Holy Spirit)
He survived the judgement in safety
(as there is now no condemnation for us in Christ Jesus).
The story of the life of Abram being chosen by God and becoming Abraham, the father of many nations.
He was accepted and blessed by God despite his failures.
The son he was promised was born miraculously.
Abraham’s symbolic sacrifice of the son he had received through God’s promise, and God’s provision of a substitute sacrifice at just the right time, are clear pictures of the good news of redemption and salvation to come in Jesus Christ.
