Romans 1:2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures
The gospel was not something God determined in the first century. The plan for Jesus the Son to come was already in place before Genesis 1:1. God wanted to show creation the depth of his love (see Romans 5:8). The prophets had glimpses of the message many centuries before Jesus came. They did not see every detail but believed God had a plan for the redemption of humanity and that this would come about through a special “anointed” person. The Christians in the first century believed the Old Testament bore witness to Jesus. It was their Bible since the New Testament had not been written yet. Paul has many quotations from the “Holy Scriptures” in this letter, which shows that he clearly believed that Jesus was in line with what had been taught in ancient Israel. This was not a new religion but a fulfilled religious. Jesus is what God promised.
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