The 8Ps of the Gospel of Salvation - Romans 1:16-17

The main theme of the epistle of Romans is the Gospel. After the initial greeting, Paul, with unsurpassed skill, begins the exposition of the great Gospel message. These two verses introduce the Gospel theme of the epistle to the Romans.

1. The Praise for the Gospel
"I am not ashamed of the gospel". Culture and modern philosophies (which are just old philosophies in new clothes) do not change the greatness of the Gospel and no one ever needs to be ashamed of the Gospel. It is the greatest blessing known to man.

2. The Person in the Gospel
"Gospel of Christ". Christ is the central key to the Gospel message. Leave Christ out and you have no Gospel. Some may claim to preach the Gospel, but if they do not preach Christ as the central key to the Gospel, they are not preaching the Gospel of Christ. Christ is what makes the Gospel different than any other religious belief or message.

3. The Power of the Gospel
"It is the power of God". The word translated "power" is the root word for our English words dynamic and dynamite. Nothing has the power to change men like the Gospel. Look at Paul as an example. The Gospel changed him from a brutal anti-Christ persecutor to the greatest of ambassadors for Christ.

4. The Purpose of the Gospel
"...unto Salvation...". The purpose of the Gospel is to save people from the damnation of judgment. The Gospel is the good news that salvation is available in Jesus Christ. The greatest need of man is salvation. No other need compares. Salvation through the Gospel of Christ satisfies the greatest of need of man for all eternity.

5. The Possessing of the Gospel
"Believeth". One can possess the blessing of the Gospel by faith in Jesus Christ. Salvation is not of works. "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves... not of works" (Ephesians 2:8, 9). Some think money will buy them a ticket to heaven, and these folks are willing to shell out great amounts to avoid eternal condemnation, but it is only faith in Jesus Christ that will keep one out of the eternal condemnation and get one into the glories of heaven.

6. The People for the Gospel
"To the Jew... also to the Greek". The Gospel is for everyone. The Gospel message is universal in application. It is not limited to any race or nationality. Anyone, be he Jew or Gentile, who by faith believes in Jesus Christ will be saved. "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13). The rich and the poor, the famous and the obscure all need the Gospel and are all included in the Gospel invitation.

7. The Purity of the Gospel
"Therein is the righteousness of God revealed". The Gospel, like nothing else, tells man what is right and what is wrong. The Gospel comes to save sinners — therefore man needs to know what is wrong, what is sinful, and the Gospel will inform man of God's righteousness which is a contrast to sin. If men preach the Gospel, they will preach the righteousness of God. To claim to preach the Gospel but not declare the righteousness of God exposes one as a fraudulent witness of the Gospel. The Gospel message will clean up society as nothing else.

8. The Performance From the Gospel
"The just shall live by faith". When a person becomes saved, he will live a different life which will be a better and holier life. "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (II Corinthians 5:17); "Put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness" (Ephesians 4:24). Salvation sanctifies. It changes ones lifestyle. Lack of change in a person's lifestyle after salvation can justify suspicion that there has been no salvation in that person.