“For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you.” -Romans 1:9–10
Paul here makes a solemn affirmation of the truth, literally an oath, of two things to which only God has knowledge. The first being that he prays for them consistently and the second being that he desires—if it be God’s will—that he can go to Rome to see them.
One particularly noteworthy consideration is that Paul sees the gospel of God’s son (Jesus) as central to his service to God. The gospel is defined by Paul in verses 2-4 as relating to the fulfillment of God’s Messianic promise through the line of David and confirmed by the power demonstrated in resurrection.
The resurrection of Jesus is the chief event regarding the gospel of God—the good news that the Kingdom of God has come in the person of Jesus Christ. In other words, for Paul, everything depends on the resurrection. He further confirms and expounds on this precept in his letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 15:1-58).
If the resurrection of Christ is true, there is nothing else worth living for. If it’s not, then we (who proclaim Christ) are of all men most miserable.
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