I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes

[Reformed]

Romans 1:16-17

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

What is the gospel of God’s grace according to the Apostle Paul?

http://christianmystics.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/sunrisecross.jpg

The Light of the Gospel

Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2 Cor 4

 

[adstrinity]

We know St. Paul wrote the truth because he was a Catholic writing for his fellow Catholics! I invite all to pray to Saint Paul, he’s such a great Saint and has written some of the greatest things in our Bible such as, ‘Look what large letters I write with my own hand!’ and, “But I will show you a still more excellent way.”

 

[Reformed]

We know St. Paul wrote the truth because he was a Catholic writing for his fellow Catholics! I invite all to pray to Saint Paul, he’s such a great Saint and has written some of the greatest things in our Bible such as, ‘Look what large letters I write with my own hand!’ and, “But I will show you a still more excellent way.”

Thanks for the first post. However, the topic is the gospel of God’s grace according to the Apostle Paul. What do you think is the gospel of God’s grace according to the Apostle Paul? Please feel free to quote the Scriptures in explaining the gospel which saves sinners. The Apostle Paul wrote about half of the New Testament; therefore we have much to quote from. I suggest you check out bible.com and do a word search under “gospel”.

I really don’t expect many Roman Catholics to freely post on this thread. This is a great opportunity for all of us. If I am wrong, please enlighten me by quoting the Apostle Paul. BTw… don’t expect prayers to the Apostle Paul will change what has been written.

 

[adstrinity]

It is not about what St. Paul writes about grace but about the context of God’s grace as found throughout The Bible and tradition in salvation history. One must not make Paul an entity to himself but read his work within the context of God’s Will in the Bible.

 

[Reformed]

It is not about what St. Paul writes about grace but about the context of God’s grace as found throughout The Bible and tradition in salvation history. One must not make Paul an entity to himself but read his work within the context of God’s Will in the Bible.

Please look at the opening post again. We are discussing the gospel of God’s grace according to Paul. Heck, the Apostle Paul is credited in writing about half of the New Testament. I did a similar thread on an all religious forum with LDS Christians. They never once tried to support the Mormon gospel with the writing of the Apostle Paul. The thread was very very popular. I don’t think the official Roman Catholic gospel can be supported by the writings of the Apostle Paul. Remember, Paul wrote about half of the books of the New Testament depending on your position in Hebrews. Just try it if you dare? I would say the writings of Paul were foundational for the Protestant Reformation.

1 Corinthians 1:17

For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

 

[Tonks40]

St. Paul is just one of the many saints in the Early Church that gave light and wisdom to the teachings of the Gospel with guidance by the Holy Spirit. His words and deeds help bring many into the belief of Christ.

In the Church, this is the year of St. Paul, so your post was quite appropriate!

 

[Reformed]

St. Paul is just one of the many saints in the Early Church that gave light and wisdom to the teachings of the Gospel with guidance by the Holy Spirit. His words and deeds help bring many into the belief of Christ.

In the Church, this is the year of St. Paul, so your post was quite appropriate!

That’s great. Nothing ever happens by chance. I am looking forward in reading your quotes from the Apostle Paul to support the official Roman Catholic gospel of God’s grace.

 

[Lev23]

Romans 1:16-17

…to the Jew first and also to the Greek."…

The Church needs more believers to follow this rule. Many today are satisfied with charts, statistics, rumors, their own traditions, etc. on why they don’t need to go to the Jew first, and more sadly, to Jews at all.

 

[Reformed]

The Church needs more believers to follow this rule. Many today are satisfied with charts, statistics, rumors, their own traditions, etc. on why they don’t need to go to the Jew first, and more sadly, to Jews at all.

Thanks for your post. What do you think is the gospel of God’s grace according to the Apostle Paul?

Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— and all the brothers who are with me,

To the churches of Galatia:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

No Other Gospel

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. - Gal 2

 

[adstrinity]

Please read all St. Paul has written and then all the other letters in the N.T. Those are my favourite and most illuminating quotes about grace! I can’t pick just a few, everything St. Paul wrote is good!

 

[Tonks40]

In all actuality, it would be really silly of us to play your game of “let’s see which Christian ideology has the corner on grace according to St. Paul.” No doubt that the Church has always acknowledged justification through grace. This is also shared by by both side of the reformation (with certain exceptions, course, i.e. sola fide). I really don’t understand (and I’m sure the Mormons on the other site you mentioned) why you’re using Scripture to try and cast a divide in areas where there shouldn’t be a divide.

Rom 5:17:
For if, by the transgression of one person, death came to reign through that one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of justification come to reign in life through the one person Jesus Christ.

Rom 5:19:
For just as through the disobedience of one person the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of one the many will be made righteous.

 

[Pug]

the gospel

according to the Apostle Paul?

You don’t mean to say you are for Paul and we are for Apollos (or Peter or James or John). Was either crucified for us? There is only one gospel. It doesn’t matter who brought the message. There is no gospel according to Paul, as if it were some separate thing. He is just a servant through whom we come to believe the *one *gospel.

But perhaps you only mean, what are some themes that come out clearly in Paul, or some scholarly question like that? Or, maybe you are talking about Paul’s use of the phrase “my gospel”? Though, I would have expected you to quote that if you specifically meant that. Here is an example

*Romans 16:25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past,

*I guess I don’t really know what you mean. One gospel-related topic that I specifically associate with Paul is stuff about circumcision and uncircumcision (Jews and Gentiles) and how

*Ephesians 2:12 remember that you [Gentiles] were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ…
16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross…

*That is not to say Peter, James, and John do not agree with Paul or anything. Just that I especially associate this type of topic with Paul. Given that I am not Jewish, you can see how this plan/mystery/Gentile thing that has been manifested now might have struck me as something pretty nice to hear about.

 

[Pixie_Dust]

Romans 1:16-17

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

What is the gospel of God’s grace according to the Apostle Paul?

http://christianmystics.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/sunrisecross.jpg

The Light of the Gospel

Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2 Cor 4

Is there a reason why only the Apostle Paul’s writings are fit for discussion? What about the words of Jesus?

Matt 7:13-23
13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it.
14 "For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it.
15 "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
16 "You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn {bushes,} nor figs from thistles, are they?
17 "Even so, every good tree bears good fruit; but the bad tree bears bad fruit.
18 "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.
19 "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 "So then, you will know them by their fruits.
21 "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.
22 "Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’
23 "And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’
(NAS)

Every tree: doesn’t eliminate “Christians” from the group. “By their fruit” - how we’re supposed to recognize other Christians. If they are not producing fruit, they are recognized as not belonging to Christ. Verse 21 says it just about as plainly as it can be said. ONLY he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Looks like works need to accompany salvation. Turning your back on the faith (or willfully sinning) is not the “will of my Father”, so it would follow that they will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Mark 11:24-26
24 "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be {granted} you.
25 "And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your transgressions.
26 “But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.”
(NAS)

If I am a non-forgiving Christian, then I can’t expect to be forgiven by my Father. Looks like the sin of non-forgiveness can cancel my forgiveness by God.

Luke 10:25-28
25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?”
27 And he answered and said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”
28 And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”
(NAS)

Peter?

Acts 2:37-38.
[37] Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?”
[38] And Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Ananias?

Acts 22:16
[16] And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

Are you a Paulician or a Christian?

 

[ryanoneil]

Romans 1:16-17

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Indeed, faith is essential to the gospel message.

**But without faith it is impossible to please him, for anyone who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Heb. 11:6 **

Paul also says:

eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality through perseverance in good works, but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth and obey wickedness. Yes, affliction and distress will come upon every human being who does evil, Jew first and then Greek. But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good, Jew first and then Greek. (Rom 2:7-10)

 

[BlestOne]

There is alot written about grace in the CCC. Perhaps you may want to read it?
Catechism of the Catholic Church:

II. GRACE
1996 Our justification comes from the grace of God. Grace is favor, the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to become children of God, adoptive sons, partakers of the divine nature and of eternal life.
1997 Grace is a participation in the life of God. It introduces us into the intimacy of Trinitarian life: by Baptism the Christian participates in the grace of Christ, the Head of his Body. As an “adopted son” he can henceforth call God “Father,” in union with the only Son. He receives the life of the Spirit who breathes charity into him and who forms the Church.
1998 This vocation to eternal life is supernatural. It depends entirely on God’s gratuitous initiative, for he alone can reveal and give himself. It surpasses the power of human intellect and will, as that of every other creature.
1999 The grace of Christ is the gratuitous gift that God makes to us of his own life, infused by the Holy Spirit into our soul to heal it of sin and to sanctify it. It is the *sanctifying *or deifying grace received in Baptism. It is in us the source of the work of sanctification:
Therefore if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself.
2000 Sanctifying grace is an habitual gift, a stable and supernatural disposition that perfects the soul itself to enable it to live with God, to act by his love. Habitual grace, the permanent disposition to live and act in keeping with God’s call, is distinguished from actual graces which refer to God’s interventions, whether at the beginning of conversion or in the course of the work of sanctification.
2001 The preparation of man for the reception of grace is already a work of grace. This latter is needed to arouse and sustain our collaboration in justification through faith, and in sanctification through charity. God brings to completion in us what he has begun, “since he who completes his work by cooperating with our will began by working so that we might will it:”
Indeed we also work, but we are only collaborating with God who works, for his mercy has gone before us. It has gone before us so that we may be healed, and follows us so that once healed, we may be given life; it goes before us so that we may be called, and follows us so that we may be glorified; it goes before us so that we may live devoutly, and follows us so that we may always live with God: for without him we can do nothing.
2002 God’s free initiative demands man’s free response, for God has created man in his image by conferring on him, along with freedom, the power to know him and love him. The soul only enters freely into the communion of love. God immediately touches and directly moves the heart of man. He has placed in man a longing for truth and goodness that only he can satisfy. The promises of “eternal life” respond, beyond all hope, to this desire:

If at the end of your very good works . . ., you rested on the seventh day, it was to foretell by the voice of your book that at the end of our works, which are indeed “very good” since you have given them to us, we shall also rest in you on the sabbath of eternal life.
2003 Grace is first and foremost the gift of the Spirit who justifies and sanctifies us. But grace also includes the gifts that the Spirit grants us to associate us with his work, to enable us to collaborate in the salvation of others and in the growth of the Body of Christ, the Church. There are sacramental graces, gifts proper to the different sacraments. There are furthermore special graces, also called *charisms *after the Greek term used by St. Paul and meaning “favor,” “gratuitous gift,” “benefit.” Whatever their character - sometimes it is extraordinary, such as the gift of miracles or of tongues - charisms are oriented toward sanctifying grace and are intended for the common good of the Church. They are at the service of charity which builds up the Church.54
2004 Among the special graces ought to be mentioned the graces of state that accompany the exercise of the responsibilities of the Christian life and of the ministries within the Church:
Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; he who teaches, in his teaching; he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who contributes, in liberality; he who gives aid, with zeal; he who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

 

[BlestOne]

continued:

2005 Since it belongs to the supernatural order, grace escapes our experience and cannot be known except by faith. We cannot therefore rely on our feelings or our works to conclude that we are justified and saved. However, according to the Lord’s words “Thus you will know them by their fruits” - reflection on God’s blessings in our life and in the lives of the saints offers us a guarantee that grace is at work in us and spurs us on to an ever greater faith and an attitude of trustful poverty.

A pleasing illustration of this attitude is found in the reply of St. Joan of Arc to a question posed as a trap by her ecclesiastical judges: “Asked if she knew that she was in God’s grace, she replied: ‘If I am not, may it please God to put me in it; if I am, may it please God to keep me there.’”

 

[Nickkname]

Romans 1:16-17

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

What is the gospel of God’s grace according to the Apostle Paul?

http://christianmystics.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/sunrisecross.jpg

The Light of the Gospel

Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2 Cor 4

In order to understand exactly what the Apostle meant, you have to understand what the word “gospel” meant in the Roman Empire.Contrary to popular belief, gospel dose not equal “good news”. It’s a nice way of describing the gospel, but it’s not the correct definition.

Gospel was the words that the Roman Emperor spoke. Basically, he would speak to the people of glad tidings (this is where we get “good news” from) and it was believed that, because he was a god and the savior of mankind, his words changed the world for the better. Whether he spoke of ill or of good things, it didn’t matter: His words were glad tidings and they changed the world for the better. His words were not simply viewed as speech but as action, as power, as saving power.

When Jesus preached the gospel of God, or when the Apostles speak about the gospel, they mean precisely this: the saving power of God, the redemptive work of Christ. God, NOT the Emperor of Rome, is the true God and Savior of mankind and His Word is the true power of salvation. That is, Jesus is the Salvation of mankind: He, the Word, is the Redeemer of man, which the whole ancient world was waiting for and which God had promised to man after the fall from grace.

 

[Reformed]

Please read all St. Paul has written and then all the other letters in the N.T. Those are my favourite and most illuminating quotes about grace! I can’t pick just a few, everything St. Paul wrote is good!

I am simply asking you to post the gospel of God according to the Apostle Paul. I really think you cannot do it. Focus on the word “gospel”.

 

[Reformed]

In all actuality, it would be really silly of us to play your game of “let’s see which Christian ideology has the corner on grace according to St. Paul.” No doubt that the Church has always acknowledged justification through grace. This is also shared by by both side of the reformation (with certain exceptions, course, i.e. sola fide). I really don’t understand (and I’m sure the Mormons on the other site you mentioned) why you’re using Scripture to try and cast a divide in areas where there shouldn’t be a divide.

Your silence and lack of attempt appears that the Roman Catholic gospel cannot be supported by the Epistles of Paul (over half of the NT). Please give it a try. I don’t think the Protestant Reformers thought it was a silly game when they left the Roman Catholic Church for the gospel proclaimed by Paul.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

Romans 1:16-17

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

What is the gospel of God’s grace according to the Apostle Paul?

http://christianmystics.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/sunrisecross.jpg

The Light of the Gospel

Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2 Cor 4

The gospel (good news) of Paul is that Jesus, the Son of God, lived, died, and rose from the dead so that those who believe and follow Him may have eternal life. This is God’s gift, a free grace, to those who accept it.

Is there some specific point you are trying to make? If so, would you be more clear about it.