that the gospel is (not the power that the gospel has), there can be no salvation, no deliverance, no life. Everything that God wants for us is to be found in the gospel, and Paul is going to spend the rest of his letter explaining every facet of it. So far, the apostle has said this: “(1) I am called by God to spread the gospel; (2) I am thankful for and encouraged by what the gospel has produced in the lives of you in Rome; and (3) I want to come and join you—for your benefit and mine—as we continue
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