Faith Anchor
Faith Anchor
The introductory verses of the book of Romans help anchor our faith. They remind us that the Gospel was promised by God. The promise can be found in the Jewish scriptures—what we call the Old Testament.
Romans 1:1-2
1 “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)”
In Ezekiel 36:25-29 the gospel was promised:
You shall be clean
I will cleanse you
A new heart will I give you
A new spirit will I put within you
I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh
I will give you a heart of flesh
I will put my Spirit within you
I will cause you to walk in my statutes
You shall keep my judgments, and do them
You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers
You shall be my people
I will be your God
I will save you from all your uncleanness”
In Jeremiah 31:33-34 the gospel was promised:
I will put my law in their inward parts
I will write it in their hearts
I will be their God
They shall be my people
I will forgive their iniquity
I will remember their sin no more.”
A few other examples from the early chapters of Genesis include:
Genesis 3:21 recounts God stepping in to cover the sin of the first humans by shedding the blood of animals to clothe Adam and Eve.
The events in Noah’s life as he believed God, built an ark and went inside (as we are placed into Christ), was sealed within by God (as He seals us with the Holy Spirit), and survived the judgement in safety (as there is now no condemnation for we who are in Christ Jesus).
The story of the life of Abram being chosen by God and becoming Abraham, the father of many nations. He was accepted and blessed by God despite his failures. The son he was promised was born miraculously. Abraham’s symbolic sacrifice of the son he had received through God’s promise, and God’s provision of a substitute sacrifice at just the right time, are clear pictures of the good news of redemption and salvation to come in Jesus Christ.
