Reading through Romans-Complete Identity in Christ

"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."

Paul's heart is revealed in these statements.  For even though Rome is a sophisticated city, and he is an intellectual man who grew up in a reputable Jewish family, he might be embarrassed by a gospel centered on a crucified Jewish savior, embraced by the lowest classes of people, but he isn't.

By preaching this gospel of Jesus, who the Romans might perceive as weak and ineffectual because of His death on the cross, Paul gives away all of his reputation and rests his identify completely on Christ.  He explains his decision by declaring that the gospel of Jesus is the power of GOD; higher than the power of any man or god in which they might place their faith.

As significant a city as Rome was, the people there recognized that they were missing something. "Philosophers knew that man was sick and needed help. Epictetus called his lecture room "the hospital for the sick soul." Epicurus called his teaching "the medicine of salvation." Seneca said that because men were so conscious of "their weakness and their inefficiency in necessary things" that all men were looking "towards salvation." Epictetus said that men were looking for a peace "not of Caesar's proclamation, but of God's." (Cited in Barclay)

And Paul clearly states that the gospel's power to salvation comes to everyone who believes. God will not withhold salvation from the one who believes; but believing is the only requirement.

God's plan was to send Jesus first to the Jews.  But through their rejection of Him, the gospel was expanded to all, and the peace in salvation that the Gentiles experienced served to make the Jews jealous and caused them to reconsider Jesus as Savior.

"I say then, Did they stumble that they might fall? God forbid: but by their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy." Rom 11:11

How grateful I am for the new creation in Christ that God has given me!

"2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."