Opening Arguments

Romans 1:14-17

If the book of Romans was a doctoral thesis, then the first 15 verses are like the dedication and preface or introduction and verses 16-17 are the opening arguments for Paul's case (or his thesis that he will argue for the rest of the book). Verse 17b makes a good outline for the book of Romans: The just will live by faith. The actual outline is "By faith, the just will live." Some of Paul's argument is laid out just before that: the gospel displays the power and glory of God because in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed (later we'll see that this righteousness does not come from observing the law but by God's grace, accepted through faith, therefore "The just will live by faith.").
The gospel displays the power of God because it is the story of how God takes a powerless and depraved human race and offers them righteousness and restoration - not through any effort on their part but based solely on the grace of God - if they will simply believe and submit to Jesus' right to rule their lives. What is there to be ashamed of in that?
I think that if I were to honestly examine my life, I am ashamed of the gospel and so is most of Christianity. However, lets not deflect the focus off of myself. I have subtly changed the gospel to: "what are you missing from your life? Christ can meet that felt need or desire." Now the gospel is not the power of God to restore people to their true purpose for their creation but the gospel is nothing more than "God is like a more intelligent Dr. Phil; he can solve your problems without exposing them to an international tv audience." The part of the gospel that I have removed is the part about us being sinners, depraved, in rebellion against God and absolutely 100% deserving of his wrath. As Jeremiah says: "Yet I call this to mind and therefore I have hope: because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed." God's grace is lessened and cheapened and his glory and power diminished when I don't include the parts about God's holiness and righteousness, my absolute inability to meet that standard and his grace to grant me righteousness (from God) anyway.