Posted on Feb 13, 2018 in Romans: A Walk From Condemnation To Grace |
Read Romans 4:1-25
The Jews were proud to be called children of Abraham. Paul uses Abraham as a good example of someone who was saved by faith. By emphasizing faith, Paul is not saying that God’s law is unimportant but that it is impossible to be saved by simply obeying it.
Verse 4 means that if a person could earn right standing with God by being good, the granting of that gift wouldn’t be a free act; it would be an obligation. Our self-reliance is futile; all we can do is cast ourselves on God’s mercy and grace.
Posted on Feb 12, 2018 in Romans: A Walk From Condemnation To Grace |
Read Romans 3:21-31
Some sins seem bigger than others because their obvious consequences are much more serious. Murder, for example, seems to us to be worse than hatred, and adultery seems worse than pride. But this does not mean that because we only commit “little” sins we deserve eternal life. All sins makes us sinners, and all sins cut us off from our holy God. All sins, therefore, lead to death because they disqualify us from living with God, regardless of how great or small they seem. Don’t minimize “little” sins or overrate “big” sins. They all separate us from God, but they all can be forgiven.
Posted on Feb 11, 2018 in Romans: A Walk From Condemnation To Grace |
Read Romans 3:9-20
Paul quotes Psalm 14:1-3. “None is righteous” means “no one is innocent.” Every person is valuable in God’s eyes because God created us in His image, and He loves us. But no one is righteous: that is, no one can earn right standing with God. Though valuable, we have fallen into sin. But God, through Jesus His Son, has redeemed us and offers to forgive us if we turn to Him in faith.
Posted on Feb 10, 2018 in Romans: A Walk From Condemnation To Grace |
Read Romans 3:1-8
The Jewish nation had many advantages. 1) They were entrusted with God’s laws (Exodus 19-20; Deuteronomy 4). 2) They were the race through whom the Messiah came to earth (Isaiah 11; Matthew 1). 3) They were the beneficiaries of covenants with God Himself (Genesis 17; Exodus 19). But these privileges did not make them better than anyone else. In fact, because of them the Jews were
even more responsible to live up to God’s requirements.
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Posted on Feb 9, 2018 in Romans: A Walk From Condemnation To Grace |
Read Romans 2:17-29
Paul explained to the Jews that they needed to teach themselves, not others, by their law. They knew the law so well that they had learned how to excuse their own actions while criticizing others. But the law is more than a set of rules: it is a guideline for living according to God’s will. It is also a reminder that we cannot please God without a proper relationship with Him. As Jesus pointed out, withholding what rightfully belongs to someone else is stealing (Mark 7), and anyone who looks at a woman with lust in his eyes has committed adultery with her in his heart (Matthew 5). Before we accuse others, we must look at ourselves and see if sin, in any form, exists within us.
