Romans 1:15

Letters to the Faithful - Romans 1:15

Berean Standard Bible

That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.

King James Bible

So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.

Greek Text:

οὕτως τὸ κατ’ ἐμὲ πρόθυμον καὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς ἐν Ῥώμῃ εὐαγγελίσασθαι.

Transliteration:

Houtōs to kat’ eme prothymon kai hymin tois en Rhōmē euangelisasthai.

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That is why I am so eager

Paul's eagerness reflects his deep commitment to his apostolic mission. This enthusiasm is rooted in his understanding of the gospel as the power of God for salvation (Romans 1:16). His zeal is reminiscent of the prophets, such as Isaiah, who were eager to proclaim God's message despite opposition. Paul's transformation from a persecutor of Christians to an apostle underscores the transformative power of the gospel, which fuels his eagerness.

to preach the gospel

The gospel, or "good news," is central to Paul's ministry. It encompasses the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, offering salvation to all who believe. Paul's focus on preaching highlights the importance of verbal proclamation in spreading the Christian faith. This aligns with the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20), where Jesus commands His disciples to make disciples of all nations. Paul's dedication to preaching is a model for Christian evangelism.

also to you who are in Rome

Rome, the heart of the Roman Empire, was a significant and strategic location for the spread of Christianity. The city's diverse population and status as a cultural and political hub made it an ideal place for the gospel to take root and spread throughout the empire. Paul's desire to visit Rome reflects his strategic approach to mission work, aiming to establish a strong Christian presence in influential cities. The Roman church, likely founded by Jewish and Gentile converts, faced challenges of unity and cultural integration, which Paul addresses in his letter.

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To all the beloved of God, called to be saints, across every land and language, in every assembly of the faithful, and in every heart that longs for truth and salvation through Christ Jesus our Lord:

Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I greet you in the name of Him who was dead and is alive forevermore, who holds the keys of death and the grave, and who reigns even now at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Blessed be His name in every place, from the rising of the sun to its setting, for He is worthy of all honor, and His Gospel is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe.

I write to you today with the urgency of the Spirit and the weight of a sacred compulsion, echoing the words of the Apostle: “So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the Gospel to you also.” O what depth is contained in this one phrase—"as much as in me is." It is not the voice of casual commitment, nor the tone of convenience, but the sound of a soul wholly consumed by a divine mission. This is not the language of mere interest or polite obligation. It is the voice of one who burns with holy fire, who is constrained by love, compelled by grace, and sent by God.

And so I ask you, dearly beloved: what is in you? Is there within you that same fervent readiness to proclaim the Gospel? Is there within your spirit a holy urgency to see the name of Jesus magnified in every tongue and tribe, to see the lost reclaimed, to see the light of truth pierce through the shadows of this present age? For this Gospel, which we have received—not from man, nor by man, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ—is not a message for silence or for private keeping. It is a treasure meant to be given, a fire meant to be spread, a word that runs swiftly and does not return void.

When Paul wrote, “as much as in me is,” he declared that all he had, all he knew, all he was, belonged to this cause. It was not mere intellectual assent, nor occasional zeal, but a life laid down entirely. Let this be our pattern also. Not part of our strength, not a portion of our time, not only our Sundays, but all that is in us—our speech, our walk, our breath, our days—devoted to the proclamation of the good news of Christ.

O Church of the Living God, has the Gospel not changed you? Has it not delivered you from death to life, from wrath to mercy, from bondage to liberty? Then how shall we remain silent? If the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation, then every soul that has not heard it stands on the edge of eternal peril. Shall we delay, when heaven calls and hell enlarges? Shall we wait for better conditions, when Christ has already gone before us, and the fields are white for harvest?

Let us then be ready, as much as in us is—not with eloquence of words, but with the boldness of the Spirit; not in our own sufficiency, but in the strength that God supplies; not for applause or acclaim, but for the glory of Him who died for us and rose again. Let us preach to the wise and to the unwise, to the strong and to the weak, to the rich and to the poor, for this Gospel is for all. Let us cross borders, endure reproach, and count no cost too great. Let us not be ashamed, for the message we carry is not of man but of God.

And let us remember that readiness is not a matter of mere desire, but of preparation and surrender. We must be filled with the Word, consumed by prayer, clothed with righteousness, and empowered by the Spirit. For the message we bring is not words alone—it is life. It is light in the darkness, it is water for the thirsty soul, it is bread from heaven for the famished heart.

Beloved, the hour is late and the need is great. The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are still too few. Let every believer rise and say, “As much as in me is, I am ready.” Let no one say, “I am too weak,” for His strength is made perfect in weakness. Let no one say, “I am unworthy,” for it is grace that makes us able ministers of the new covenant. Let no one say, “I am afraid,” for the Spirit we have received is not of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Therefore, I urge you by the mercies of God, present yourselves as living sacrifices. Let your hearts be altars, your lives be sermons, your mouths be trumpets of truth. Whether in the public square or the quiet room, whether to many or to one, be ready. Whether in season or out of season, be ready. Whether received or rejected, be ready. As much as is in you, give all to the work of the Gospel.

And may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ empower you, may the love of God sustain you, and may the fellowship of the Holy Spirit embolden you, until the whole world hears and the Lord returns in glory.

The One who called you is faithful. Be found ready.

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O Most High God, Eternal Father of glory,

You who sit enthroned above the circle of the earth, whose dominion knows no end, whose word runs swiftly, and whose mercy is from everlasting to everlasting—we come before You with holy reverence and joyful trembling. We bow our hearts before the One who was, who is, and who is to come. You are the Lord of heaven and earth, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Author of the Gospel that saves our souls.

We thank You, Lord, for the unspeakable gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ—the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, the Righteous One who bore our sins, the Redeemer who conquered the grave. Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations. Through Him we have passed from death to life, from darkness to light, from wrath to reconciliation. It is by His stripes we are healed, by His blood we are cleansed, and by His Spirit we are made alive.

And now, O Holy One, with gratitude in our souls and fire in our bones, we lift up the prayer of the ready—ready to preach, ready to go, ready to serve, ready to suffer, ready to declare that Jesus is Lord. As it was written by the apostle of old, so let it be true in us: “So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel.” O God, make us ready. Remove from us every hindrance, every hesitation, every distraction. Strip away the love of comfort, the fear of man, the idleness of complacency, and let there rise in us a holy resolve to make known the Gospel of the kingdom to all creation.

You have called us not to silence, but to proclamation—not to safety, but to surrender—not to popularity, but to truth. Let the Spirit that stirred Paul stir us. Let the same urgency seize us. Let the same burden rest upon us. Let the same boldness fill our mouths and ignite our feet. May we never be ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe. Let us proclaim it in the cities and in the villages, in the pulpits and in the prisons, in the streets and in the homes, in every place You would send us.

O Lord, awaken in us the cry of the harvest. Let the fields that are white with readiness draw forth laborers who have been refined by grace and equipped by Your Word. Let there be a shaking in the Church and a stirring in the earth. Let no heart among us say, “Send another.” Let no soul delay with excuses. But let every man, every woman, every young and old, rise and say, “Here am I, Lord—send me.”

Father, pour out the spirit of readiness. Not a readiness of the lips only, but a readiness that dwells in the innermost being. Let it consume our ambitions, redirect our desires, reframe our priorities. Let us be ready to preach whether it is convenient or costly, whether in welcome or in rejection, whether before kings or before beggars, whether before many or before one. Let us speak with truth and walk with love. Let us carry Your Gospel in purity and proclaim it in power.

Let every heart that has tasted grace testify boldly. Let every soul that has been forgiven proclaim forgiveness. Let every captive who has been set free declare freedom to the bound. Let every healed declare healing. Let every reconciled proclaim the message of reconciliation. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, and may the sound of the Gospel fill the earth as the waters cover the sea.

We pray not in our strength, O Lord, for it is not in us to do this great work apart from You. But You have not left us orphans. You have given us Your Spirit, who empowers, who teaches, who convicts, who emboldens. We do not go alone. We go in the power of the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. We go in the authority of the name that is above every name. We go with the Gospel that has never failed, that has never lost its power, that has never been broken by the resistance of men.

And now, O God, fill us again. Let every dry well be filled with living water. Let every weak vessel be made strong by grace. Let every cold heart be set ablaze. Let the embers of mission burst into flame. Let the fire of Pentecost descend anew. Let our cities be shaken, our homes be filled with Your presence, our mouths filled with Your word. Let the Gospel ring out in this generation as it did in the first. Let there be revival. Let there be awakening. Let there be transformation.

So we say, as much as in us is—whatever strength, whatever breath, whatever life remains in us—we are ready. We are ready to preach. We are ready to go. We are ready to live, and we are ready to die, that Christ may be known, that souls may be saved, that heaven may rejoice.

All for Your glory, O King eternal. All for Your name, Lord Jesus. All for the advance of Your Kingdom, Holy Spirit.

In the matchless and mighty name of Jesus Christ our Lord,

Amen.