Chapter 1

1:3  Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

seed

See note on the Davidic descent of Christ, (See Scofield "Luke 3:23") .

1:5  By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:

for obedience

unto obedience to faith, i.e. faith as a principle, or method of divine dealing. Cf. Romans 10:1-11 .

1:8  First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

world

kosmos = mankind. (See Scofield "Matthew 4:8") .

1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

salvation

The Heb. and (Greek - swthriva, deliverance, preservation, safety). Salvation is the great inclusive word of the Gospel, gathering into itself all the redemptive acts and processes: as justification, redemption, grace, propitiation, imputation, forgiveness, sanctification, and glorification. Salvation is in three tenses:

(1) The believer has been saved from the guilt and penalty of sin Luke 7:50 ; 1 Corinthians 1:18 ; 2 Corinthians 2:15 ; Ephesians 2:5 Ephesians 2:8 ; 2 Timothy 1:9 and is safe.

(2) the believer is being saved from the habit and dominion of sin Romans 6:14 ; Philippians 1:19 ; Philippians 2:12 Philippians 2:13 ; 2 Thessalonians 2:13 ; Romans 8:2 ; Galatians 2:19 Galatians 2:20 ; 2 Corinthians 3:18 .

(3) The believer is to be saved in the sense of entire conformity to Christ. Romans 13:11 ; Hebrews 10:36 ; 1 Peter 1:5 ; 1 John 3:2 . Salvation is by grace through faith, is a free gift, and wholly without works ; Romans 3:27 Romans 3:28 ; 4:1-8 ; 6:23 ; Ephesians 2:8 . The divine order is: first salvation, then works ; Ephesians 2:9 Ephesians 2:10 ; Titus 3:5-8 .

1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

did not like

refused to have. Lit. did not approve God.