Romans 1-8 Quotes

“Salvation is not merely professing to be a Christian, nor is it baptism, moral reform, going to church, receiving sacraments, or living a life of self-discipline and sacrifice. Salvation is believing in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Salvation comes through giving up on one’s own goodness, works, knowledge, and wisdom and trusting in the finished, perfect work of Christ.”
― John F. MacArthur Jr., Romans 1-8 MacArthur New Testament Commentary (MacArthur New Testament Commentary Series Book 15)

“God does not first ask men to behave but to believe. Man’s efforts at right behavior always fall short of God’s perfect standard, and therefore no man can save himself by his own good works. Good works are the product of salvation (Eph. 2:10), but they are not the means of it.”
― John F. MacArthur Jr., Romans 1-8 MacArthur New Testament Commentary (MacArthur New Testament Commentary Series Book 15)

“Although every true believer knows it is a serious sin to be ashamed of his Savior and Lord, he also knows the difficulty of avoiding that sin. When we have opportunity to speak for Christ, we often do not. We know the gospel is unattractive, intimidating, and repulsive to the natural, unsaved person and to the ungodly spiritual system that now dominates the world. The gospel exposes man’s sin, wickedness, depravity, and lostness, and it declares pride to be despicable and works righteousness to be worthless in God’s sight. To the sinful heart of unbelievers, the gospel does not appear to be good news but bad (cf. my comments in chapter 1), and when they first hear it they often react with disdain against the one presenting it or throw out arguments and theories against it. For that reason, fear of men and of not being able to handle their arguments is doubtlessly the single greatest snare in witnessing. It is said that if a circle of white chalk is traced on the floor around a goose that it will not leave the circle for fear of crossing the white mark. In a similar way, the chalk marks of criticism, ridicule, tradition, and rejection prevent many believers from leaving the security of Christian fellowship to witness to the unsaved.”
― John F. MacArthur Jr., Romans 1-8 MacArthur New Testament Commentary (MacArthur New Testament Commentary Series Book 15)

“another of the disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.’” The phrase “bury my father” did not refer to a funeral service but was a colloquialism for awaiting the father’s death in order to receive the inheritance. Jesus therefore told the man, “Follow Me; and allow the dead to bury their own dead” (vv. 21–22).”
― John F. MacArthur Jr., Romans 1-8 MacArthur New Testament Commentary (MacArthur New Testament Commentary Series Book 15)

“Pisteuō (believes) carries the basic idea of trusting in, relying on, having faith in.”
― John F. MacArthur Jr., Romans 1-8 MacArthur New Testament Commentary (MacArthur New Testament Commentary Series Book 15)

“God saved His chosen people “for the sake of His name, that He might make His power known” (Ps. 106:8).”
― John F. MacArthur Jr., Romans 1-8 MacArthur New Testament Commentary (MacArthur New Testament Commentary Series Book 15)

“Paul’s supreme passion was to see men saved. He cared nothing for personal comfort, popularity, or reputation. He offered no compromise of the gospel, because he knew it is the only power available that can change lives for eternity.”
― John F. MacArthur Jr., Romans 1-8 MacArthur New Testament Commentary (MacArthur New Testament Commentary Series Book 15)

“He was never deterred by opposition, never disheartened by criticism, and never ashamed, for any reason, of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Although that gospel was then, and still is today, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, it is the only way God has provided for the salvation of men, and Paul was both overjoyed and emboldened by the privilege of proclaiming its truth and power wherever he went.”
― John F. MacArthur Jr., Romans 1-8 MacArthur New Testament Commentary (MacArthur New Testament Commentary Series Book 15)