29th January 2026

The opening seven verses of Paul’s epistle to the church at Rome powerfully sets before us the whole nature and content of the gospel. In this section of the epistle, Paul introduces himself, first and foremost, as Jesus’s bondslave (v.1). From the moment of his conversion, he placed himself at the disposal of his Lord and Saviour, and it is from this position of servanthood that he pens this critical letter. Although he has never been able to visit the church in Rome, his love for these brethren, and his desire to lead them into a fuller and clearer understanding of the nature and content of the gospel, is unquestionable.

But Paul is not only the Lord’s servant, he is also an appointed apostle (v.1), a uniquely ordained, God-inspired teacher and interpreter of the unfolding revelation that is the gospel of Jesus Christ, and all by the grace of God alone (v.5). Coming from the pen of an apostle, this letter carries a great weight of importance for his immediate readers and for all believers in subsequent ages. For the apostle, the proclamation of the gospel is the whole purpose of his life and ministry (v.9). His zeal in missionary activity is without equal and his love for the church unmatched (vv.9-11). With unsparing labour, he must preach the word to all who are able to hear, both Jews and Greeks (vv.14-15), as many as God will call. And it is to those now called, the saints in Rome, that he writes this letter (vv.6-7).

This important epistle will lay out a comprehensive exposition and summary of the gospel which has its origin, not in any ideas and philosophies emerging from human reasoning and human effort, but in the very mind of God (vv.1-2). Occupying the centre of this gospel of God, is Jesus (v.3), revealed not merely as the seed of David, so that we see him presented before us as fully human, but more powerfully declared, by this same gospel, as the incarnate Son of God. The whole focus of the gospel message is Jesus who is, for us, the righteousness of God (v.17): righteousness that comes to us by grace through faith in his person and work.  

And this is the power of the gospel that, through being preached and received, men and women are actually saved, ‘For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.’ (v.16).  

Local congregation:
Grace Communion Peterborough
Farcet Village Hall
Main Street
Farcet
Peterborough
PE7 3AN

Meeting time:
Sunday 11.00 am

Local congregational contact:
Richard Dempsey
Email:  richard.dempsey@btinternet.com
Local church website: GRACE COMMUNION CHURCH PETERBOROUGH – Landing Page

Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church