“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. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.” (Romans 1:16-19, KJV)
Most are familiar with what Paul states in verse 16 about not being ashamed of the gospel (literally, the “good news,” the New Testament). Paul states that there are two things that are revealed through the gospel. The first is the righteousness of God. It is described as being delivered “from faith to faith.” This literally means “out of faith, into faith.” Therefore, the Gospel is God’s delivery of faith “out of” him, “into” us, because the just shall live by means of the faith God delivered. The gospel is God’s means of delivering to man what he needs to have faith.
Paul also says that the gospel reveals the wrath of God. It is delivered against all ungodliness and unrighteousness done by men. Just as much as God’s Word shows man how to have faith and be acceptable to God, it also shows how God will judge a man who refuses his will, and ignores his commands. Verse 19 says that God’s wrath will come upon those who refuse his will because he has showed them everything they needed, yet they refused to accept the gospel.
We must understand that the gospel, the New Testament, reveals two things: the righteousness of God, which leads us to faith; and the wrath of God upon the unrighteous. We cannot be ashamed of either, and must stand for the truth of both, otherwise we will find ourselves recipients of the latter because of our lack of the former.