The Gospel Of God
“Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 1:3-7)
In that austere beauty which marks the King James Version, Paul’s opening to the Romans contains perhaps the most compressed yet complete Christological statement in all of Scripture. Within the span of five verses, the apostle presents the gospel concerning God’s Son in terms so precise that they anticipate every major doctrinal controversy the Church would face in the centuries to come. Here, in Romans 1:3-7, we encounter not only an introduction but a doctrinal masterpiece that demands our most careful attention.
The dispensational framework that governs biblical interpretation recognizes that while God’s methods of dealing with man have varied across different epochs, His essential promises concerning the coming Messiah remain constant throughout the ages. Paul’s declaration that the gospel was “promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures” finds its magnificent fulfillment in the Person he now describes with such scriptural precision.
The Dual Nature: According to the Flesh and the Spirit
Paul’s description of Christ unfolds in careful balance, presenting Jesus “which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:3-4). This formulation, structured with surgical precision, addresses both natures of the incarnate Son with equal dignity and distinction.
The Human Nature: “According to the Flesh”
The phrase “made of the seed of David according to the flesh” establishes Christ’s genuine humanity and His rightful claim to the Davidic throne. This is no genealogical nicety but a fundamental assertion of the incarnation’s reality. Jesus possessed authentic human nature, descended through the royal line that stretches back to Israel’s greatest king.
The word “made” speaks of His entrance into human history through the virgin birth, while “seed of David” connects Him to the unconditional covenant promises given to David in 2 Samuel 7:12-16. Every prophecy concerning the coming King of Israel finds its fulfillment in this descendant who would reign on David’s throne forever. The qualifying phrase “according to the flesh” distinguishes this aspect of His nature from what follows, ensuring we understand that His humanity, while genuine and complete, does not exhaust His identity.
The Divine Nature: “According to the Spirit of Holiness”
The second half of Paul’s declaration moves to higher ground: “declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead“. Here the apostle presents Christ’s divine nature, not as something He acquired but as something that was publicly demonstrated and declared through His resurrection from the dead.
The phrase “spirit of holiness” appears nowhere else in the New Testament, suggesting Paul (under inspiration of the Holy Spirit) chose this unique expression deliberately. Rather than the more common “Holy Spirit,” this formulation emphasizes the divine holiness that characterized Jesus throughout His earthly ministry and was vindicated in His resurrection. The Spirit of holiness that sustained Him through His perfect obedience was the same Spirit that raised Him from the dead, declaring Him to be the Son of God with power.
The Declarative Nature of the Resurrection
The resurrection did not make Jesus the Son of God—He was that from eternity. Rather, it declared, demonstrated, and publicly announced Him as “the Son of God with power“. Like a royal heir whose coronation declares what was always true by right of birth, the resurrection served as Christ’s public installation into the fullness of His preexistent authority.
This declaration carries the weight of godly vindication. Every claim Jesus made about Himself, every assertion of authority, every prediction of His own resurrection—all received heaven’s stamp of approval when the Father raised Him from the dead. The tomb could not hold Him because death had no rightful claim upon the sinless Son of God.
Martyn Lloyd-Jones, whose exposition of Romans remains invaluable, correctly observed that “the resurrection proves that Jesus is the Son of God and the Messiah“. The resurrection was God’s way of saying to the world, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” with a finality that silenced every critic and vindicated every promise.
The Apostolic Grace and Commission
Paul’s exposition of Christ’s nature leads directly to his own apostolic calling: “By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name” (Romans 1:5). The connection is vital—it is through the risen, reigning Christ that Paul received both the grace that saved him and the apostolic authority that commissioned him.
The phrase “grace and apostleship” should be understood as the enabling that equipped Paul for his unique ministry to the Gentiles. This was not only unmerited favor toward his sins, though it included that, but the supernatural empowerment that enabled him to fulfill his calling as the apostle to the nations.
The goal of this apostolic ministry was “obedience to the faith among all nations“. This striking phrase, “obedience to the faith,” reveals that faith itself is an act of obedience to the Lord. To refuse to believe the gospel is to disobey God’s command; to embrace it is to render the obedience that God requires. The entire enterprise serves one supreme purpose: “for his name“—that the name of Jesus Christ might be honored and glorified among all peoples.
The Called and the Beloved
Paul’s description of the Roman believers reveals the profound doctrinal realities that characterize every true Christian: “Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints” (Romans 1:6-7).
The believers in Rome are “the called of Jesus Christ,” meaning they belong to Him by virtue of God’s effectual call. This calling is not an invitation that may or may not be accepted, but a work of God that creates what it commands. When God calls dead sinners to spiritual life, they come—not because they must against their will, but because the call itself creates the willingness to respond. The Lord said, if He be lifted up, he would draw all men unto Himself.
They are also “beloved of God,” sharing in the same love that the Father has for the Son. This love is not based on any merit they possess or good works they have performed, but flows from God’s nature itself. They are loved with the very love of God, a love that is as eternal and unchangeable as God Himself.
Finally, they are “called to be saints“—not in the Roman Catholic sense of extraordinary holiness achieved through meritorious works (a rather futile endeavor), but in the biblical sense of being set apart to God through faith in His Son. Every believer is a saint by virtue of their position in Christ, not by virtue of their performance in life.
Grace and Peace: The Double Blessing
Paul concludes this symphony with the familiar but profound blessing: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:7). A sentiment one would think is the natural attitude of one believer toward another. These are not simple pleasantries but substantial spiritual realities that flow from the work of the Christ he has just described.
Grace—unmerited favor—comes from both the Father and the Son, revealing the unity of the Godhead in the work of salvation. Peace—not the absence of conflict but the positive presence of spiritual wholeness and harmony—is the result of the reconciliation accomplished by Christ’s death and resurrection.
The fact that this grace and peace come equally from both “God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ” establishes the full deity of the Son. Only God can bestow grace and perfect peace; Paul’s formulation would be meaningless if Christ were anything less than fully God.
The Contemporary Challenge
In our day, when the deity of Christ faces renewed attack from various quarters, Paul’s crystalline statement in Romans 1:3-7 provides an anchor for biblical faith. The Jesus of Scripture is no mere moral teacher or religious innovator, but the eternal Son of God who took genuine human nature to accomplish our redemption.
The gospel Paul preached was not centered on human potential or social transformation, but on the Person and work of Jesus Christ—true God and true man, risen from the dead and reigning in power. This Christ demands our respect, admiration, and our worship.
The understanding that guides biblical interpretation reminds us that while the methods of God’s dealing with humanity have varied, His purpose in Christ remains unchanged. The same Jesus who fulfilled the promises made to David now extends His salvation to all nations, calling out a people for His name from every tribe and tongue.
The profundity of Paul’s Christological formulation in Romans 1:3-7 continues to reward careful study and faithful meditation. Here, compressed into five verses, we find the essential truths that have sustained Christian faith for two millennia: the genuine humanity of Christ, His eternal deity, the significance of His resurrection, and the grace and peace that flow to all who trust in His finished work. In an age of confusion and doctrinal compromise, these ancient words shine with undiminished clarity, calling us back to the Christ who was promised afore by the prophets and declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead. Hear ye Him!
Pastor Thomas Irvin
George County Baptist Church
Lucedale, Mississippi
