In today’s section we read about:
Paul under house arrest in Rome
Paul explains to the Roman Christians about the universality of the gospel
Judgment of sin, the law and justification by faith, as demonstrated by Abraham
The contrast between Adam and Jesus Christ
The power of sin is broken, yet our sinful nature rebels
Life in the Spirit now, who intercedes for us and is the guarantee that nothing can separate us from God’s love
God’s love for Israel, who turned away from Him, and the election of the gentiles
Advice for godly living, offering our lives as living sacrifices and not being confirmed to this world
Respect authority and fellow believers, and exhortation not to do anything that could cause them to stumble
Some thoughts that stuck me today:
The progression of Romans 1-14 which we read today seems to me to be something like this:
Paul wants to preach the good news of Jesus, which is →
He is the way to be made right with God because →
Man has turned away from God and in so doing →
Faces eternal judgment, as made clear by →
The Law, which is holy and good, because it reveals to us what we should be doing but can’t. Consequently →
We deserve death, because we cannot * DO* anything to save ourselves. Fortunately →
God has made it so that we are saved by *FAITH*, and through *FAITH* we can enter into the righteousness of God through Christ’s sacrifice, because →
In the same way that sin (and the punishment for sin) came through one man, Adam, God’s gift of eternal life is made available to us through one man, Jesus Christ, whom God sent to achieve this. Because of what Jesus did, →
The power of sin in broken. Instead of being dead to God and therefore dead indeed, we are now dead to sin and alive to God in the Spirit because of Christ’s sacrifice. However, →
In this life, our sinful nature wars against the Spirit, and our human nature (the flesh) causes us to do not what the Spirit has caused us to want to do, but to sin instead. However, because of the Spirit in us →
There is now no condemnation for us, because Jesus has fully met the requirements of God. He has put his Spirit in us, who helps us in ways we cannot know and with groans we cannot express and ensures that nothing whatsoever can separate us from the love of God. →
God’s love was first revealed to the Jews, but they have turned away in unbelief, and God has grafted in the gentiles as branches, since →
His mercy is intended for everyone. So →
Let us live our lives in the light of this, as a living sacrifice, not conforming to this world, but loving each other, having no grudges. Instead →
We are to respect authority, as God has created a world of order and authority. The only thing we owe should be →
Our ongoing obligation to love one another, which means we should take care not to cause our brothers and sisters to stumble, but should bear with each other and take account of each others’ weakness, being convinced in our own minds that what we do is in accordance with God’s will and should bring him glory
Verses which leapt out at me as I went through included:
1:11 – “I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord.
1:16 – “I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes”
1:17 – “As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.””
1:20 – “ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.”
2:7 – “He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honour and immortality that God offers.”
2:29 – “And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.”
3:21-22 – “But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.”
3:24-25 – “God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.”
3:26 – “God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.”
3:30 – “There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles.”
4:13 – “Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith.”
4:16 – “the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it”
5:1-2 – “since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.”
5:6 – “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.”
5:8 – “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”
5:10-11 – “For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.”
5:16 – “For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins.”
5:18-19 – “Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.”
6:7-8 – “when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him.”
6:16 – “You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.”
7:22-23 – “I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.”
8:1 – “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.”
8:6 – “letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.”
8:15 – “you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.””
8:26 – “the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness”
8:32 – “Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?”
8:39 – “No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
9:18, 22 – “God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen… In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction.”
10:4 – “Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.”
10:9-11 – “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”
11:5 – “It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel have remained faithful because of God’s grace—his undeserved kindness in choosing them.”
11:29 – “God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.”
12:2 – “Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
12:9 – “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them.”
12:10 – “Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honouring each other.”
13:8 – “Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbour, you will fulfil the requirements of God’s law.”
13:14 – “clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.”
14:17-19 – “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.”
14:20 – “Don’t tear apart the work of God over what you eat.”
One (other) verse from today's section - "And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him." (Rom 12:1)
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