Why Zealous Evangelism?

D. Scott Meadows

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Rom 1.16).

This famous verse is preceded by the apostle Paul’s personal testimony to the church at Rome concerning his sincere desire for Christian ministry among them. “As much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also” (Rom 1.15). The word translated “ready” also has connotations of being willing and eager. “As much as in me is” is an idiom of whole-hearted, earnest purpose. Paul was a zealous preacher of the gospel, that is, a zealous evangelist. That holy man of God was aflame with love for God that wanted to glorify Him and with love for people that wanted to bless and save them.

The careful reader discerns some of Paul’s motivations as a zealous evangelist from what he had already written leading up to verse 15. Evangelism (i.e., preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ) was a way for Paul to serve God (v. 9). Evangelism was an instrument for imparting spiritual gifts to Christians (v. 11). Evangelism fostered the enjoyable comforts of fellowship in faith with his brethren (v. 12). Evangelism produced spiritual fruit in his hearers (v. 13). Besides all this, Paul felt a heavy moral responsibility to evangelize all kinds of people (v. 14). In another place, he cried out, “Though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!” (1 Cor 9.16). These were, in fact, only a few of the many reasons Paul had for preaching the gospel.

These preliminary considerations prepare us for meditation upon Romans 1.16, a great statement about zealous evangelism. Paul exudes unbounded confidence in the power of that gospel to save sinners.

Confidence in the gospel’s power to save makes for zealous evangelism.

Two major parts of Romans 1.16 are obvious. First, Paul further declares his zeal to evangelize, building on the previous verse. Second, Paul accounts for that zeal by something that is true about the gospel, namely, its power to save sinners. In the first, he provides a worthy pattern of zealous evangelism for our imitation. In the second, he lays bare his own motivation as a prompt for us to have the same spirit and faithful witness.

1. A Pattern of Zealous Evangelism (1.16a)

“The gospel of Christ” is the saving message about the Person and saving work of Christ. Paul summarizes it in the first four verses of Romans and elaborates it in the rest. It concerns God’s Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. He was made the seed of David according to the flesh, and also declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection of the dead—one Person (the second of the holy Trinity) of two natures, human and divine, that died upon the cross and rose again, bodily, to immortality. Christ did all this for righteousness’ sake, to justify God in His promise to save sinners, and to justify those who believe in Him (Rom 3.26).

Of this message, Paul says, “I am not ashamed.” To be ashamed is to experience a painful feeling or sense of loss of status because of some particular event or activity (BDAG). The form here is an “emphatic negation” (Käsemann). Paul knew from persecutions the message was highly offensive to unbelievers. Still, Paul glories in this gospel (Gal 6.14; 1 Tim 1.11). That is the positive sense he intends by “not ashamed.” He knows for sure the gospel is true and he marvels at its praiseworthiness.

2. A Prompt to Zealous Evangelism (1.16bc)

Paul admired the gospel for many reasons. The one stated here is that “it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.” The last phrase, “to the Jew first, and also to the Greek,” makes the scope of the gospel’s saving power explicit and alludes to the redemptive-historical priority in time of the gospel’s coming first to the Jews.

The “power” of the gospel is its capability to do something. By calling it “the power of God,” the gospel is understood to be an instrumental cause of the change which follows in its wake, with God Himself as the efficient and principal cause. God saves; He is pleased to save through the message about Christ crucified. When the word of God in the gospel is joined to the Spirit of God at work in the hearers, we are saved by God.

The “salvation” in view is gloriously described throughout Romans. It is salvation from God’s wrath against us for our sins. It is salvation from our sinfulness that would otherwise end in our utter ruin. It is salvation from eternal death. Positively, it is to be justified with Christ’s righteousness by grace, to be sanctified in our souls by the Spirit, and to be raised from the dead to immortality and the fullness of eternal life in fellowship with God.

These stupendous blessings belong to “every one who believes” the gospel. There is no need to qualify, as if some may truly believe and not be saved. Our national identity, spiritual and religious background, previous life of sinning, are no bars to salvation. “Jesus ready stands to save you, full of pity, love, and pow’r . . . All the fitness He requireth is to feel your need of Him” (Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Wretched, Trinity Hymnal 393).

Countless times in his life as a gospel preacher, Paul had proclaimed the gospel of Christ to all kinds of people, in all kinds of venues, in large groups and small, to crowds and in private conversations, and had seen the wonderful spiritual transformation it wrought in the hearers who believed. That change Paul credited to God’s grace, powerfully working in human hearts, liberating them from the world, the flesh, and the devil, to the freedom of loving God and neighbor. Why would Paul be ashamed of such a message, then? He was ready, willing, and eager to preach it to all.

Do you feel the same way? If you also believe in the gospel’s power to save, you do. “I believed; therefore have I spoken” (2 Cor 4.13). Your evangelistic zeal is an indicator of your faith. God grant this zeal to all! Ω