Tag: Romans

We’re Not Worthy

Re:Verse reading–Romans 5:1-11 (day two) …how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! vs. 10

We’re not worthy. Really bad movie quote from Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, but the sentiment is accurate. This is especially true when you consider the first part of that verse. “For if, when we were God’s ENEMIES, we were reconciled to him through the death of his son,”.

It is sobering to think that we will not be worthy of our own power, but it is also freeing. There is no class system in this kind of government. This kind of justice levels the playing field for everyone. The “earning” of salvation has already been taken care of by Christ on the cross. Our call is to live under that authority. Everything that follows is an opportunity to show how God continues to work through our unworthiness.

Are you trying to prove how good you are? What if you’re not, but God is? What if, rather, you openly and continually gave thanks to God for loving you in spite of your brokenness. He loved you first, might as well meet him on his terms.

 

Fully Convinced

Re:Verse reading–Romans 4:1-25 (day six)

Abraham’s story is a remarkable one. He was rough around the edges, but when it counted he did some extraordinary things. There is no wonder that God chose him to be the father of nations,…except that is not the story at all. The glorious hero in this story is not Abraham, but God. God sovereignly made a promise to Abraham, to provide him a son, make him a father of nations, ultimately blessing the whole world, and Abraham “fully convinced that God was able to do what He promised,” believed Him. This remarkable story of faith is not about God’s confidence in choosing the right person for the task, but Abraham’s confidence, or faith, in God. It was at that moment, when Abraham was “fully convinced,” before he had obeyed God even once, that God credited his faith as righteousness.

“The righteous will live by faith.” Will you? Will you follow hard after Jesus, not because you are fighting for His approval, but because you believe what he was promised? Let’s believe together, and take great steps of faith!

What does the Scripture say?

Re:Verse reading–Romans 4:1-25 (day five)

Romans 4:3- For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” In a culture where there are SO many different views and interpretations of the scripture, Paul gives us the best example for a starting place in our approach to understanding the Bible. Seems like lots of people these days “interpret” the scripture to mean whatever they want or whatever will endorse existing beliefs and behaviors. That approach often starts with “What does the scripture mean?” But the better starting point is, “What does the scripture say?” The Bible is crystal clear about SO many doctrines, principles, and prescriptions for living in relationship and fellowship with God. We need not hurriedly apply our own preferences and presumptions in interpreting the Bible. We need to start by asking the simple question, “What does the Scripture say?”

Through Our Faith

Re:Verse reading–Romans 4:1-25 (day four)

It was by faith that Abraham received the righteousness of God.  We receive the righteousness of Christ the same way…by faith.  Is it by Abraham’s faith that we are saved?  If we know and understand that it was faith, not works, that brought salvation to Abraham, is that enough for us?  If we are raised in a Christian home with Christian parents who teach us about faith, is that enough for us to be saved?  No…we cannot be saved by Abraham’s faith or the faith of our parents.  We must exercise our own faith.  It is by faith…our faith…that we are justified.  When we place our faith in Jesus, our sin is credited to Jesus’ account.  When we stand before God in judgment someday, Christ himself will testify on our behalf that He has paid the penalty for our sin.  Just as for Abraham, we have the promise of God for the forgiveness of our sin through our faith.  “Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Questions

Re: Verse reading–Romans 4:1-25 (day three)

“Abraham believed God.” Paul was conversant enough with the intellectual traditions of the ancient world that he undoubtedly knew the questions that had vexed thinkers for centuries: What is the good life? How does one become a truly good person? Paul would have asked those questions this way: What enables a man to live like God does–loving, pure, true, good, giving, and whole (in short, righteous)? In answering that question, Paul recalls Genesis 15, and points out that living like God lives starts with faith. It starts with believing what God says. Until we do that, nothing else will help us.

Stories and Promises

Re:Verse reading–Romans 4:1-25 (day two) ..yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. vs. 20-21

Stories and an unbelievable promise. These are the things that Abraham had available to him. Stories that he had heard of creation, the corruption of men and the flood. Nothing written, no law, no system of religion, and now came this far-fetched promise that God would bless the offspring of a centenarian! What did in Abraham’s world gave him the courage to follow this absurd promise?

Faith.

Something in those stories he had heard as a child resonated in him when he was issued this promise. Something in the presentation of the messengers gave him a taste of the authority of God, but it was his faith that was credited to him as righteousness. We have so much more of a broad picture than Abraham could have ever imagined, but all that is truly necessary is trusting in the Almighty to deliver on his promise. Can we throw away all that would hinder us from seeing with Abraham’s eyes. Trust and believe.

All

Re:Verse reading–Romans 3:21-31 (day five)

Romans 3:23 is a good reminder that God looks at the human race far differently than I do. It is easy is to compare my sins to the sins of others. I imagine that some sins are worse or more deplorable than others. The scripture leaves NO room for that kind of thinking/reasoning. There are no “unsatisfactory, poor, satisfactory“ levels of sin. I remember asking a group of students how many of you are included in the group “all”. Everyone raised a hand. Of course that’s the point isn’t it? All of us, each of us, belong in this group!! No grades or progress reports are given. Everyone has failed- a discouraging thought indeed.

But, the despair of the “all” in verse 23 finds great hope in the “all” in verse 22. (Look it up). The righteousness of God needed by all (Romans 3:23) “who have sinned”, is offered to all (Romans 3:22) “through faith in Christ”.

By Grace Through Faith

Re:Verse reading–Romans 3:21-31 (day four)

It is not often we see a snowflake in Texas, but it is said that there are no two alike.  God is a creative genius.  Flowers, stars, animals, and people…God has endless creativity.  One thing though is common with all people…we have all sinned against God.  We have all disobeyed His commands and have chosen our own will rather than His.  Something else is common to man, forgiveness for our sin is available by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.  It is the only way we can be justified and it is available to all men.  Jews, Gentiles…rich, poor…good, bad…God’s grace reaches to every man, woman, or child who places their faith in Jesus Christ.  There is nothing…absolutely nothing…that we can do to earn our salvation.  It is a gift from God.  Faith in Christ is the key to the grace of God.  Have you received His forgiveness?

Speed Limits

Re:Verse reading–Romans 3:21-31 (day two)

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. vs. 21

What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have know what sin was except through the law. Romans 7:7

70, 75, 80, 85 – don’t you just love Texas highways? Somebody seems to have figured out that if you have 800+ miles of interstate from East to West, you will be helped to get where you are going if you can get on down the road. For this, I am grateful. But why do those signs exist? Clearly they are they to remind, or sometimes simply inform you of how fast you are legally allowed to go as you travel. So, if you are at or below those speeds does that make you a good driver? No, it just means you obeyed that particular law. Good driving is about courtesy, defensive driving, awareness in addition to abiding by the rules of the road. The idea of abolishing those rules would be foolish.

The law continues to be our guide for moral behavior, but it is insufficient on its own to guarantee salvation. Keeping the law is an essential step in nourishing our faith. Together they build our story of being a good driver, or Christian.

Work

Re:Verse reading–Romans 2:1-29 (day six)

But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God. Romans 2:29

Paul makes it increasingly clear that we are all in trouble. We are idolaters, all of us; and even those of us who look the part, we too have rejected God for the praise of men. He then introduces the type of person that God seeks, one who is concerned more about the affections of their heart, then the one putting on airs. This one doesn’t live for the approval of men, but lives to worship God in all of life. Finally he tells us how such a person takes shape, “by the Spirit.” The Spirit of God does the work of reshaping the human heart through faith in the Gospel. The key to living a life of faith is just that-faith! It is not working harder, or beating yourself up over past sins (penance), it’s not adding another Bible study to your schedule, no, it is none of those things. Live from faith to faith forever resting in God’s approval of you because of the work of His Son! Have faith in the Gospel, and let the Spirit of God do the hard work of reshaping your heart!