²⁰ And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man’s foundation; ²¹ but as it is written, “They who had no news of Him shall see, And they who have not heard shall understand.”

With the Gospel at center stage in the Christian life, Paul affirms its proclamation as the focus of his ministry. Just as Jesus “steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51 NKJV) where He would carry out His mission of dying on the cross for the world, so Paul sets his face to go preach that good news to unreached people of the world, those who have not heard. His writing to the Romans was to lay out clearly the specific aspect of justification accomplished on the cross together with its ramifications. The full orb of justification applies not just to coming into salvation (being made righteous through faith), but also to living as saved people (living righteously by faith). For as he earlier quoted Habakkuk 2:4, “The righteous man shall live by faith” (Rom 1:17).

We have seen how living righteously affects (or should affect) our relationship with other Christians in the so-called gray areas of life, to live a life of humble service because of what Christ has done for us. The good news is not just how to get saved. As great as that is, it is only the beginning, like a child being born into the world is only the beginning. He has his whole life ahead of him. So also with the Christian life. Justification by grace is the beginning, but the Christian life is all about living out our justification, in humility and service to others.

This whole message motivated the apostle Paul. Unfortunately, many see salvation as the end in itself, with justification as something in the past only. However, the same truths that saved us apply also to our Christian walk. We are to continue walking by the same faith involved in our salvation. Paul wrote in another place, “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him” (Col 2:6).

As an aside, we note that Paul was committed to “not build(ing) on another man’s foundation.” His primary strategy was not to go to places already evangelized by someone else, but to focus on the unreached. In light of the fact that he had not yet been to Rome (Rom 1:13) and he was eager to preach the Gospel there (Rom 1:15), the church in Rome was probably settled by Paul’s converts. There is no evidence that Peter had been there yet, and therefore we disagree with the Catholic tradition that Peter founded the church there.

Lord, help me bring the Gospel of living righteously by faith into my daily life.