Many people know about the gospel, that the word means ‘good news’ and that it is something which Christians believe and want to tell others about. Very few people, however, really grasp the wonder of the message. This passage, which is the final part of the first section of Paul’s letter to the church in Rome, shows more of the ‘how’ of the gospel …… how this free gift was achieved by Jesus ….. how people were saved before He came …. how to respond to this ‘good news’ by trusting, by not boasting, and by living right.

There are many ways in which people try to justify themselves. It can be the things a person has accomplished ….. work success, important positions, athletic achievements. It can be possessions or relationships. But the gospel is entirely different. It does not require anyone to try to justify themselves. It ‘justifies the one who has faith in Jesus’. It’s all about what HE accomplished at the cross as a substitute. In this way it can be offered to people who are poor or rich, people who are from all nationalities and all ages. It sets a person free and is truly ‘good news’.