The Word Unleashed

The book of Romans was written by the apostle Paul and it provides an in-depth explanation of The Gospel of God. The expression “gospel of God” comes from Romans 1:1 which says, “Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God.” So in his letter, Paul makes a logical argument for and presents his legal defense of the great doctrine of justification.

Understanding justification is not optional for followers of Christ—it's the very heart of the gospel. But a dangerous question persists: Doesn't salvation by faith alone make God's law irrelevant? Today, Tom exposes four deadly misinterpretations that lead people to conclude justification invalidates the law. Then he reveals six powerful ways the gospel actually validates God's law.

If we're justified by faith apart from works of the law, doesn't that render God's commands legally void and meaningless? It's a legitimate concern—but the answer is stunning. The great doctrine of justification by faith alone in Christ alone doesn't invalidate the law of God—it actually validates it.

In Romans 3, Paul makes this clear: because there is only one God, He must be the God of all humanity—Jews and Gentiles—and there can be only one way to be reconciled to Him: justification by faith alone in Christ alone. This exclusivity challenges our pluralistic culture that claims all religions are equally valid paths to God.

As Paul unfolds the implications of justification in Romans 3:29–30, he makes a staggering claim: God is the God of both Jews and Gentiles. This isn't a casual statement—it's rooted in the foundational declaration of Israel's faith, the great Shema from Deuteronomy 6:4: "Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one!" In other words, f there is only one God, then there can be only one way of salvation for all humanity.