Why is Romans called the Gospel of God?

    Have you ever heard  that Romans is the gospel of God?  That's actually in the very first verse of this book, listen:   "Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, a called apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,"   Once again the footnote on this verse in The Recovery Version of the New Testament helps to explain the significance of this:

...The gospel of God, as the subject of this book, concerns Christ as the Spirit living within the believers after His resurrection.  This is higher and more subjective than what was presented in the Gospels, which concern Christ only in the flesh as He lived among His disciples after His incarnation but before His death and resurrection.  

What I learned from my reading is the book of Romans shows us the scope of God's salvation which includes not only Christ's redemption and our regeneration but sanctification, transformation, conformation, glorification, and living as members in the Body of Christ! It's like our salvation brings us into the gate of a life where we're daily sanctified, experiencing an ongoing transformation that ultimately causes us to be conformed.  I really liked this paragraph in chapter 2 of the  Life Study of Romans:  

Paul opens the book of Romans in the way he does because Romans has a goal.  This goal is to produce many sons of God.  This goal of producing the many sons of God requires redemption, the imparting of life, and the living by this life.  As fallen man and sinners, we need redemption, we need the divine life, and we need to live by the divine life that we may be regenerated, transformed, and fully glorified as sons of God.  Eventually, we all shall be the sons of God in full (Lee, Witness. Life Study of Romans. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1974, Print).

In the first few chapters of Romans you really see that in God's eyes all men are sinners (Romans 3:23), but in Romans 8:29 you see God's plan is to take these very sinners and conform them into the image of His Son.  And I just checked the last verse of the book of Romans, and it gives God all the glory for doing such a marvelous work!

 "To the only wise God through Jesus Christ to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen."  

You can listen to live portions of Witness Lee's sharing on the Life Study of Romans with helpful commentary on the Life Study of the Bible with Witness Lee. 

Other Blogs on the Life Studies of Romans:

 Why is Romans Called the Gospel of God?
What's the Connection Between Romans 4 and God's Calling of Abraham?
What is Sanctification in the Book of Romans?
Have You seen the Gospel in Romans 8:3?
Seeing God's Sovereignty in Romans 8:28
What Was Man Created For in Romans 9:21?
What is the Focus of Romans 12?
What Does Romans 14 Say About Receiving Believers & Why Does It Matter?
Have You Seen the Practical Church Life in Romans 16?
What are the Three Laws in Romans 7 & 8 All About?
What Does Being Saved in Life Mean in Romans 5:10?
How Do Carnations Illustrate a Believer's Glorification in Romans 8:30?
Why is God's Righteousness the Power of the Gospel in Romans 1:16-17?
From the Life Study of Roman - Why is God Triune?