"Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh." Romans 1:3

THE HEART OF THE GOSPEL

What may we say is the centre or the heart of the Gospel? Without hesitation Paul would proclaim and defend this truth.

"Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord,
who was born of the seed of David according
to the flesh"
Romans 1:3

1. A truth that was initially rejected

This was not a truth that Paul easily embraced. When he first heard the Gospel message, he fought it with all his might. He persecuted Christians at random because he rejected this message of the Gospel (Cf. Acts 9).

2. An encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ

All the fight went out of Paul when he encountered the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus (Cf. Acts 9). There was no denying the truth now. Paul came to full and fervent faith in Jesus.

3. Paul's understanding of Jesus

In this text, Paul presented Jesus in the following manner:-

a) Jesus was the Son of God

This was a truth that many Jews could not accept! But the Scriptures do indeed speak of Jesus as the Son of God (Cf. Psalm 2:7; Matthew 3:16, 17; John 10:30, 37, 38).

b) He was the Christ

The word "Christ" is a title in itself. It literally means "Messiah" or "The Anointed One". Paul understood Jesus as the Messiah spoken of by the ancient prophets of Israel.

c) He was to be acknowledged as Lord

The word "Lord" was not used loosely here! This was a title that befits the status of Jesus as the Christ!

d) He had come in the flesh

There were many who struggled with the thought of Jesus coming in the flesh! Paul astutely defended the doctrine of the Incarnation! He had indeed put on human flesh that He might be able to redeem mankind (Cf. John 1:14; 1 John 4:3).

e) He was from the royal line of David

Paul believed in the prophecies that hailed Jesus as the special Messianic King, that would come from the line of David (Cf. Zechariah 9:9; Jeremiah 33:15).