Romans 1
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 9 God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you.
11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,[d] that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
16 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. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,[e] just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”[f]
Three things I am reminded in this passage to impart:
1. Impart spiritual gifts – so that the church might become strong. Move in the power of the Holy Spirit. Do not undermine the power of the Spirit rather see that if you move in the flesh, you won’t get the same results. Encourage your people to move in their gifts for mutual edification.
2. The urgency to preach the gospel – when Paul would visit the churches, he did not go on a Bible study tour, he went there to encourage the church to scatter and make disciples. You could sense the urgency in Paul’s Spirit. He wanted the church to go and make disciples and not just do Bible studies.
3. Gospel Living – I am not ashamed of the gospel not because I am such a good person but because it is the power of God. The gospel saves and the gospel sustains me. My righteousness is not based on how good I perform but on God’s performance at the cross. Thus as I live my life here on earth, I will live by faith.