Today’s Reading: Romans 12:9-21; Psalm 101

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 sacrifice — the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior 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. – Romans 12:1-2

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world…

That can be defined two different ways. We first think of it as the sinful and selfish ways of the world. We are given the Spirit so that we no longer have to be slaves to sin and give in to the urges of the world. But let’s look at it another way. Don’t copy what the world says is socially acceptable and good. That’s self-righteousness. If we try to be a good person to avoid being a bad person, we are just that — a good person who is still a slave to sin.

…but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.

God’s gift of the Spirit living within us changes us into the person He created us to be. It’s not a list of rules to obey but a God to follow, not a set of socially acceptable norms but a life-altering sacrifice. Our body is not our own. Our life is in His hands as we submit to His will — which is good and pleasing and perfect.

So instead of listing all the great life applications Paul gives us in Romans chapter 12, let’s pray this Scripture together. Let’s agree on these things for you and for me. I need this prayer this week because there are some situations in which the enemy is trying hard to conquer what God intends for good. I don’t know what you are facing this week, but I pray this prayer for you.

Heavenly Father, we offer our lives to you again. We ask that you continue to transform us into new people. Open up our hearts and minds and make us new by changing the way we think. Show us your will for our lives — your good, pleasing and perfect plan.

Give us a humble spirit so that we do not think too highly of ourselves but instead honestly evaluate and measure ourselves by the faith you have given us. Help us to see ourselves as part of the body of Christ with a unique gift to share. Use us and our gifts for your purposes this week.

Lord, show us when we are simply pretending to be something we are not. Help us to go beyond our human efforts to be a loving person and, instead, display a genuine love that reflects your love. Break our hearts at what breaks your heart and give us a hate for the things you hate, holding tightly to what is good. May we love each other this week with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other, rather than judging or speaking poorly of each other. Help us not be lazy or focus on ourselves instead of on you. Help us to work hard and serve you enthusiastically. When things get rough, may we rejoice in our confident hope, be patient in trouble and keep on praying. When we see that God’s people are in need, may we be ready to help them and eager to practice hospitality.

Lord, you call us to live in harmony with one another; we know that this requires a transformation by you into a new person. Do a work within us that causes us to pray blessings on those who persecute us instead of curses. May we be happy with those who are happy and sincerely weep with those who weep. Take away any pride or thoughts that cause us to think more highly of ourselves than others or to think that we know it all.

May we not pay back evil for evil but instead do things in such a way that everyone can see that YOU are honorable. May we do all that we can to live in peace with everyone — no, much more than that! May we do all that YOU can do to live in peace with everyone, knowing that you are our strength. Help us to give our righteous anger to you rather than taking our own revenge.

If our enemies are hungry, give us a heart that desires to feed them.
If our enemies are thirsty, may our first response be to give them something to quench their thirst.

We are your servants, your children. Fill us with your Spirit and do a transforming work in us in which evil cannot conquer but that evil is conquered by good. Together we ask for all of these things in your precious holy name, Amen

Today’s Reading: Romans 11 – 12:8; Psalm 8

Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?” When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have the right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? – Romans 9:20-21

Our God is so magnificent! Our Creator is so marvelous and His creation displays His glory and His power! It speaks of how BIG He is and how STRONG He is and how BEAUTIFUL He is! Who am I to question His plan? Who am I to argue with Him? I am a mere human being. I am the clay and He is the Potter.

Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice? And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back? For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen. – Romans 11:33-36

There are two ways of thinking. There is the thought that I invite God to be a part of my life when I believe and confess (Romans 10:9) and then there is the thought that I give myself to God and now I am a part of His life. I either include God into my life or I step into His. God either becomes a part of my story or I become a part of His story.

And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their descendants will also be holy – just as the entire batch of dough is holy because the portion given as an offering is holy. For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be, too. But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree – some of the people of Israel – have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree. – Romans 11:16-17

Again, two ways of thinking. I am a root with many branches — my family, my job, my hobbies, my friends and now I have a God branch and a church branch. Or I recognize that God is the root and I am now one of His branches. I am not who I used to be with a little God mixed in. I am a new creation – transformed into a new person. I am now a branch of His. I don’t fit God into my schedule by setting time aside for Him, I give Him my schedule and let Him have all of my time.

Not only am I now a branch of His tree, I am also a member of the body of Christ. Other Christians don’t suddenly become a part of my life, existing for my benefit, but I become one of many who mutually work together for the cause of Christ. Side by side, hand in hand, we do what God has called us to do. We are one body, not competing for position but sincerely serving one another as we serve Christ.

Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. – Romans 12:3-8

God does not become a part of my life to make my life better, He calls me to be a part of His life for His glory and for the benefit of His plan. It’s not about me and my life story; it’s about the Giver of Life and how I fit into His story.

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 sacrifice – the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior 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. – Romans 12:1-2

Lord, who am I to question your plan? Who am I to argue with you? I am the clay and you are the Potter. When I look at the night sky and see the work of your hands — the moon and the stars you put into place — who am I that you should even think of me? Who am I that you should care, and yet you call me to be a part of your beautiful story. Let my life be a living sacrifice; let my story be used for your glory. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Romans 9 & 10

Whether we grow up in the church or experience salvation later in life, Paul’s letter to the Romans helps us understand our salvation and the gospel of Jesus Christ. He warns us not to fall into the mindset of earning our salvation by our church attendance or the following of a set of rules. Following Christ is more than simply being a good person.

The Israelites were born with the privilege of being a child of God (Romans 9:4). They had been taught the law and the importance of following the law their whole lives. They grew up learning the prophecies of Isaiah and others who told of the coming of the Messiah. Yet, they missed it. They were so determined to keep things the way they had always been that they missed their opportunity to worship the Christ Child. They missed the chance to follow Jesus, to be healed, to grieve his death and to celebrate his resurrection.

AM I TRYING TO EARN MY SALVATION OR TRUSTING IN GOD?

But the people of Israel, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping the law, never succeeded. Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law instead of trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path. God warned them of this in the Scriptures when he said, “I am placing a stone in Jerusalem that makes people stumble, a rock that makes them fall. But anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” – Romans 9:31-33

They missed it. The promised Messiah was right there in front of their eyes and they missed it. Christ had come to accomplish the purpose for which the law was given so that those who believe in Christ can be made right with God and they chose the law instead (10:4).

I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. – Romans 10:2-3

Can you relate? Have you been the one resisting God’s way because it is hard to let go of your own way?

AM I CLINGING TO MY OWN WAY OR CHASING AFTER GOD’S PLAN?

Lord, show me if that is where I am at right now — clinging to my own way instead of chasing after yours. Reveal the ways in which I am trying to control my circumstances rather than trusting in your provision and protection. Open my eyes to my habit of saying, “I wish God would answer my prayer” or “I wish God would talk to me” or “I wish God would take care of this situation.” I want to daily recognize that you are here in my presence doing all you have promised to do. Amen.

For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all its commands. But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ (to bring Christ down to earth). And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead?’ (to bring Christ back to life again).” In fact, it says, “The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.”

And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: 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. – Romans 10:5-10

Lord, give us a fresh faith. Show us the ways in which our walk with you has become simply going through the motions of what we have always been taught. Give us a fresh understanding of what it means to believe in our heart. Reveal to us our insistence that we are doing everything we are supposed to do and open our eyes to what you want us to do. Make us a people of influence in the lives of those around us, as we praise you for those who have had an influence on us. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Romans 8:19-39; Psalm 42

What then shall we say about these things? (Romans 8:31). Paul wraps up his explanation of the gospel in his letter to the Romans before he goes on to apply the gospel. He starts out chapter 5 talking about God’s love, giving evidence of what God has done for us out of His great love, and then concludes with the strength of God’s love — that nothing can ever separate us from the love of God.

OUT OF HIS GREAT LOVE FOR US…

God gave us His one and only Son, so that we could be in right standing with Him.

But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. – Romans 5:8

So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. – Romans 5:11

…Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. – Romans 5:18b

Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. – Romans 7:24-25

We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin…and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. – Romans 6:6-7,22

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. – Romans 8:1-2

OUT OF HIS GREAT LOVE FOR US…

God gave us the gift of the Spirit so that we could have a relationship with Him.

For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love. – Romans 5:5b

And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives life because you have been made right with God…Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. But if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. – Romans 8:10-13

OUT OF HIS GREAT LOVE FOR US…

God gives us hope for the glory that is to come.

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. We can rejoice, too, WHEN we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. – Romans 5:2-5a

And since we are His children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share in his glory, we must also share his sufferings. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. – Romans 8:17-18

The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. – Romans 8:26-27

God loves us, yet we will experience trials; God has chosen us as His children, yet there will be hard times. God takes these difficulties and uses them to develop and strengthen us. He gives us the Spirit to help us in our times of weakness. When we don’t know how to pray, He gives us the Spirit to pray FOR us – seeking out God’s will and not our own, praying in harmony with His larger plan and not ours. And we can trust that what He works out will be for our good because His love for us is SO great!

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. – Romans 8:28

NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US FROM HIS GREAT LOVE!

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger or threatened with death?…No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

And I am convinced that NOTHING CAN EVER SEPARATE US FROM GOD’S LOVE. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow – not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 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. – Romans 8:35-39

God, thank you for your great love for me. I can rest in the knowledge that nothing will ever separate me from the love that was revealed to me when you gave your Son for more salvation. Teach me to trust in you when life gets hard, believing that there is a reason why you have allowed something in my life. Thank you for protecting me from all the countless tragedies and troubles that you have not allowed. You are a good God and your faithfulness continues for generations. Continue to teach me what it looks like to love you with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Romans 8:14-18; Psalm 144

The Jews felt like they had a special relationship with God simply because they were descendants of Abraham and were circumcised according to religious tradition. Paul takes this entire letter to help both Jews and Gentiles understand that we are not made right with God because of our genetic heritage, but that God Himself MAKES US RIGHT IN HIS SIGHT when we have faith in Him. Paul uses many different terms and analogies to help us understand what it means to be in a right relationship with God.

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…So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. – Romans 4:13,16a

I AM A FRIEND OF GOD.

Our relationship with God is not an employee/employer relationship in which we earn our wages. It is more of a friendship where we are truly loved by God. Out of this love for us, He gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit to do a work in our hearts (5:5,10). So my relationship with God is not transactional, but rather transformational.

So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. – Romans 5:11

But this friendship does not put us on an even playing field with God. Paul goes on to describe our relationship with God as a master to slave relationship.

Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living…Now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. – Romans 6:18,22

I AM A SLAVE OF GOD.

I love the terms of submission and the idea of being God’s servant, follower, or disciple. But I am bothered by the term “slavery” because it has negative connotations and it does not describe the relationship I experience with Christ. If we don’t go on to read more of what Paul teaches, Christianity sounds like we are trading one kind of slavery for another kind, when in fact we find freedom in Christ.

When we get to chapter 8 of Paul’s letter to the Romans, we see that he must have understood the disconnect with the term because he goes on to explain himself to his audience. He has just taken all of chapter 7 to explain what it means to be a slave to our sinful nature. He cries out, “Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:24-25a).

When we accept what Christ did for us on the cross and give our whole life over to Him, He gives us the gift of the Spirit. This life-giving Spirit frees us from the power of sin that leads to death. We no longer need to give in to its urging (8:2,12). Instead, we give control over to the Spirit living within us.

But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. – Romans 8:6

Life and peace — that describes my experience of Christ so much more than the word slavery. When I allow the Spirit to lead me, I find I am more than a slave, I am a child of God (8:14). I don’t live in fear but in a daddy-daughter relationship.

I AM A CHILD OF GOD.

So 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.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we share in his glory we must also share in his suffering. Yet what we suffer now is NOTHING compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. – Romans 8:15-18

When I give my life to God in full submission and hand over control to the Spirit, I experience freedom. When I listen to the urgings of the Spirit instead of the urging of the sinful nature, I experience life and peace. I am his child and I call him, “Abba, Father.”

I AM HIS HEIR.

I am His heir! His heir! Having done nothing to deserve this kind of love and grace, I am the recipient of all He has to give me — which includes his glory as I share in His suffering.

Lord, help me to stay in this reality all day long. When the enemy tries to defeat, I will declare, “I am God’s child!” When the world tells me I’m unlovable, I will respond, “I am God’s friend!” When the struggles of this world overwhelm me, let me say, “I share in His suffering so that I may share in His glory!” Amen.

Praise the Lord, who is my rock.
He trains my hands for war and gives my fingers skill for battle.
He is my loving ally and my fortress, my tower of safety, my rescuer.
He is my shield, and I take refuge in him. – Psalm 144:1-2a

Today’s Reading: Romans 6:19 – 8:13; Psalm 95

I heard my husband say in a sermon that we are hardwired to be subject to something bigger than ourselves. That has definitely been my experience and I think Paul would have agreed. In Romans 6:19, Paul spoke of this weakness of our human nature. We were created with this sinful nature that demands we be subject to something greater than ourselves. At the same time, the essence of this human nature comes with a desire to be the one in charge — to be sovereign and sitting on the throne.

And so this struggle exists within you and it exists within me. No matter how hard I try to be in control, I am destined to be subject to something. I may fool myself into thinking I can handle things on my own, that I am free and can make my own choices, but the truth remains — I am either subject to sin or subject to righteousness; I am either a slave to sin or a servant of God’s. When I test my idea of freedom and do my own thing, I become subject to the consequences of my actions and end up ashamed of where I landed or embarrassed by my behavior.

When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 6:20-23

When I am a slave to sin, my life produces a harvest of sinful deeds. When I am a slave to God, my life produces a harvest of good deeds for Him (Romans 7:4-5). Paul goes on to describe the inner struggle we have all experienced — the struggle to do the right thing when our sinful nature is pulling us to do the wrong thing.

So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. – Romans 7:14-17

Can you relate to this? Sometimes I get so frustrated with myself. I want to do the right thing, but I cannot seem to do it. I want to do only that which is good, but I don’t. The last thing I want to do is the wrong thing, yet that’s exactly what I end up doing. Paul defines this pull as the result of the sin living within us.

I have discovered this principle of life – that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 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. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. – Romans 7:21-25

The devil made you do it, right? You sin because you have a sinful nature, so it is not your fault. But wait! The good news is that chapter seven is not the last chapter (another Scott Sherwood quote). Paul’s letter goes on to describe the victory we can experience over this pull of our sinful nature. We don’t have to live like Paul described in chapter seven; we can claim victory in chapter eight!

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has FREED YOU from the power of sin that leads to death…He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be FULLY satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. – Romans 8:1-4

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. – Romans 8:12-13

Now that’s freedom! By submitting my life to God, resisting my urge to be in charge (which in reality leads to becoming subject to sin), I find freedom! When I am a slave to God, he fills me with His Spirit and I am free! Praise God! I don’t have to do what is wrong because Christ has MADE ME RIGHT with God.

And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been MADE RIGHT WITH GOD. – Romans 8:10

My prayer this morning is reflected in the lyrics of the song Christ in Me by Bright City (2020). When I consider what my life would have been without Jesus, I fall on my knees in gratitude to the One who loved me enough to die on the cross. I have been forgiven because Jesus overcame sin and death. I have been set free. The power of Christ lives in me! Thank you, Jesus!

Today’s Reading: Romans 5:6 – 6:18; Psalm 84

I love today’s passage of scripture! As I read through each verse, my joy and excitement increase! Paul’s continued explanation of the gospel gives us reason to celebrate. It is by faith in God and not by works that we are made right with God, but this is only possible because of the death of Christ Jesus.

THE POWER OF THE BLOOD OF CHRIST

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. – Romans 5:6-8

How humbling to consider just how unworthy we are of the sacrifice made on the cross. Think back to the history of God’s people in the Old Testament. They were unfaithful over and over again. Jesus came down and lived among them, displaying his power through his miracles and his preaching. And yet they cried out for his death. He was rejected by those he had come to save. And we are no more worthy of this gift of salvation than they were. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (3:23), yet he calls us his friend.

And since we have been MADE RIGHT IN GOD’s SIGHT by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 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. – Romans 5:9-11

I love that last sentence because that is exactly what my heart does — rejoice in my relationship with God! I am blessed by His friendship, which makes it all the easier to bow down in reverence and submission to His Lordship. I can trust in the One who loves me; I can submit to the authority of the One who has restored me by giving His Son for my salvation.

THE POWER OF ONE MAN’S DECISION

For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. 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. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. – Romans 5:15b-17

When Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, it brought condemnation to all of us. When Christ became the sacrifice for our sins, he brought new life to everyone! What a powerful contrast! HIs one act of righteousness made it possible for us to experience a right relationship with God.

Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. – Romans 5:19

Thank you, Jesus, for this new life I am experiencing because you were willing to die! I give you my life and accept the power of one man’s decision. Just as Adam’s decision to disobey greatly affects us all, I recognize that my decision to disobey could also greatly affect others around me. In the same way, just as Your decision to obey God has given me new life, I submit to God’s sovereignty so that You can use my obedience in the life of others. I am no longer a slave to my sinful nature; I have been set free from the power of sin by your blood shed on the cross. Thank you for this amazing gift of salvation! Amen.

SIN HAS LOST ITS POWER IN OUR LIVES

God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us RIGHT STANDING WITH GOD and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. – Romans 5:20-21

Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not!…We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For 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…

Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. – Romans 6:1,6-8,12-14

Sin is no longer my master, therefore I will NOT let sin control the way I live. God, who calls me “friend”, sent His Son to die for me while I was still a sinner. I was made right in God’s sight through the blood of Jesus Christ when He died on the cross. Because of His sacrifice, God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness now make me right in God’s sight.

THE POWER OF MY DECISION

Therefore, because I am living in relationship with God and have been made right in God’s sight, I will NOT let sin control the way I live. I will not give in to sinful desires. Sin is no longer my master. Neither am I the one in charge. I live under the freedom of God’s grace and He is my master, my Lord, my Savior, my friend. Praise God!!! This is the power of one man’s decision. This is the power of MY decision!

Today’s Reading: Romans 3:27-5:5; Psalm 30

Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. So we are MADE RIGHT WITH GOD through faith and not by obeying the law. – Romans 3:27-28

It is by placing my faith in Jesus that I am made right with God – not by having faith in myself or in my own ability to obey all the rules. It is not about my righteousness, but about His. It is by believing in God that I am made right with God as He clothes me in His righteousness. Paul used Abraham as an example to the Roman believers of how faith is what makes us right with God.

Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” – Romans 4:1-3

OUR FAITH IN GOD IS WHAT MAKES US RIGHT WITH GOD. THIS IS GOD’S WAY.

It is so easy for us to have the mentality that we have to earn our salvation. We grow up working around the house to earn our allowance. Parents reward their children for good behavior and good grades. We obtain jobs and work hard to meet the expectation of our employers in order to earn our paycheck. We treat others as we would want to be treated and, in doing so, earn their respect. We play games or sports in order to earn points so that we can win or be awarded with a prize or title.

The problem begins when we take this mindset into our relationship with God and assume that our good behavior is going to be rewarded by Him — that eternal life is the reward we deserve rather than a gift from God. We begin to think, “Well, I’m a good person so I’ll make it to heaven.” Abraham was a good person, but it was his strong faith in God that led him to be the father of many nations, and it was by grace that God counted him as righteous.

Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping — believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead — and so was Sarah’s womb.

Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that GOD IS ABLE TO DO WHATEVER HE PROMISES. And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous. And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to MAKE US RIGHT with God. – Romans 4:18-25

ABRAHAM BELIEVED THAT GOD WOULD DO WHAT HE PROMISED HE WOULD DO.

What are you going through right now that leaves you needing the kind of faith Abraham had? What current circumstances are causing you to need God’s gift of faith more than ever? Even when there is no reason to hope, we can believe in God’s promise and allow Him to grow our faith. We can stand fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises!

Therefore, 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.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love. – Romans 5:1-5

WE ARE MADE RIGHT WITH GOD BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH WHICH LEADS TO PEACE, JOY, HOPE AND LOVE.

If I live a good-works-religion and rely on my own righteousness to earn my salvation, I will fall apart when bad times come. Because bad things can still happen to good people. I can do everything right and live a good life and tragedy can still strike.

But if I build my relationship with God on the foundation of faith, I can trust in Him through any situation. I can experience peace because I have a reason to hope, not wavering in my faith but experiencing joy and inner strength each day. The impossible is now possible because God has given us the Holy Spirit. Now our hearts can be filled with love instead of fear. By his power at work within us, we can stand strong — fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He has promised!

Lord, I stand this morning in the place of undeserved privilege. Forgive me for the moments when I have placed my confidence in anything other than you. I want to stand strong on your promises, confident that you will do what you said you would do. I want to joyfully long to share in your glory rather than seeking glory for myself today. When life gets complicated, thank you for giving me the strength to endure, which is developing in me a strength of character which in turn develops a confident hope in salvation. Thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit who fills my heart with love and turns my mourning into dancing. Amen.

Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning…
You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.
You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,
that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever! – Psalm 30:5b,11-12

Today’s Reading: Romans 2:17 – 3:26; Psalm 39

Paul warned the church about unrighteousness but he also warned them of the dangers of self-righteousness — the danger of seeing all of the good things we are doing and making our salvation about what WE have done right in light of how wrong others are.

IT IS BY HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT WE ARE SAVED, NOT OUR OWN.

You who call yourselves Jews are relying on God’s law, and you boast about your special relationship with him. You know what he wants; you know what is right because you have been taught his law. You are convinced that you are a guide for the blind and a light for people who are lost in darkness. – Romans 2:17-19

You are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God’s Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people. – Romans 2:28-29

We can do all the right things and obey all the laws set forth by God and still miss out on His purpose for our life. Why? Because it is not about us but about Him.

IT IS NOT BY OUR OWN GOOD WORKS THAT WE ARE MADE RIGHT WITH GOD.

For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. – Romans 3:20

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.

For everyone has sinned, we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet 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 a sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood…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. – Romans 3:22-26

What can I take from these words of Paul to the church in Rome? When I make a mess of my life, God can take all that I have done wrong and make something right out of it. He can take my life, which is totally surrendered to Him, and make me right in His sight.

But I cannot start looking at the unrighteousness of others and think too highly of the new me. I am not SO righteous that I am better than them or acceptable to God. It is about how righteous the Lord is and how He has made me right with Him. I am called not to judge the sins of others and not to continue in my own sin, but to submit to His sovereignty in my life. It is by placing my faith in Jesus that I am made right with God — not by having faith in my own abilities.

WE ARE MADE RIGHT BY FAITH — BY BELIEVING IN JESUS.

In 2014, we spent a week in Williamsburg, Virginia for a conference. During some free time, we chose to drive over to Virginia Beach for a few hours. On the way there, we passed Mount Trashmore Park. This 165-acre park is a trash landfill made into a park. There are two mountains of trash, covered in soil and grass, now complete with a playground, two lakes, a skate park and lots of walking paths. This park is just a few short miles from the beautiful sandy beaches of the Atlantic Ocean.

Unrighteousness is like living in a big pile of stinky trash. Self-righteousness is like covering the trash pile with a beautiful park and considering myself renewed, even though the trash remains just under the surface. I know that God’s best for me is to move away from the landfill, where the trash is still hidden neatly under the surface. His plan is to do more than hide or cover the sin in my life; He wants to wash me in the ocean of His righteousness so I can fully experience what it means to be made right by Him.

When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life. – Titus 3:4-7

I HAVE BEEN DECLARED RIGHTEOUS BY THE RIGHTEOUS ONE — MADE HOLY BY THE HOLY ONE.

Lord, I am a sinner, unworthy of all that you have done for me. I am unrighteous, incapable of saving myself from this wretched sinful nature. But God you bestow on me this unearned favor called grace. Even though I do not deserve to be loved by you, you call me your child and give me a beautiful purpose in life. When I place my faith in you, believing that Jesus died for my sins, I am made right with you. Thank you, Lord, for this amazing grace! Amen.

I said to myself, “I will watch what I do and not sin in what I say.
I will hold my tongue when the ungodly are around me.”
But as I stood there in silence —
Not even speaking of good things —
The turmoil with me grew worse…
We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing.
We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it.
And so, Lord, where do I put my hope?
My only hope is in you. – Psalm 39:1-2,6-7

Today’s Reading: Romans 1:18 – 2:16; Psalm 38

Paul starts out his letter to the Romans saying — You belong to Jesus! You are loved by God and called to be his own holy people; you have been set apart and consecrated for His purposes. Your identity isn’t about who YOU are but about who HE is. Your purpose in life isn’t about YOU but about HIM. So, when He makes YOU right, it’s not about how right YOU are but about how right HE is. This, however, is not an excuse to intentionally sin in hopes that HIS righteousness will cover us.

Romans is one of my favorite books of the Bible to study. If you consistently follow this blog, I hope that you remember this core truth that Paul weaves through all of his writings — that we are made right with God by faith, and this relationship with God frees us from the power of sin. It is important for us to distinguish the difference between unrighteousness, self-righteousness, and God’s righteousness. Understanding these concepts gives us a new lens through which we grasp the salvation of God. Let’s look first at unrighteousness.

But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. – Romans 1:18-19

Paul described the unrighteous as those who know that what they are doing is wrong, yet they do it anyhow. He was not talking about those who have never heard the gospel, but about those who abandon God to do their own thing. God gives them the freedom to make that decision and allows them to walk away from Him and into the life they choose, even with its painful consequences (1:18-32).

Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks…So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. – Romans 1:21,24

THEY TRADED THE TRUTH ABOUT GOD FOR A LIE.

When Paul speaks of the unrighteous in his letter to the Romans, he is speaking of those who have allowed themselves to wander away from the truth. They begin thinking up foolish ideas of what God is like, and their minds become dark and confused. They trade the truth about God for a lie. And from the arrogance of their foolish thinking comes a long list of unrighteous behaviors that begin creeping into their lives, including homosexuality (1:26-27).

Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too. – Romans 1:28-32

Paul goes on to warn the church not to judge the unrighteous too quickly, but to see the ways in which we also deny the sovereignty of God when we do what we want to do instead of what God calls us to do. We may not blatantly walk away from God, but we still choose to do and say what we want instead of submitting to God’s ways and His Spirit. We allow foolish thinking to make its way into the church and are slowly pulled away from the truths found in scripture, giving ourselves permission to start seeing sin as acceptable.

THEY STARTED SEEING SIN AS ACCEPTABLE.

When Christians give themselves permission to sin, they start looking like everyone else in town except that they have this additional social circle known as the church. Jesus did not die on a cross to save us from our sins so that we could keep on intentionally sinning. No, He called us to a much higher purpose! You belong to Jesus! You are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people — set apart and consecrated for His purposes.

But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will judge everyone according to what they have done. He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. – Romans 2:5-8

Like we talked about yesterday, when God makes me right in His sight, it’s not about how right I am but about how right HE is. In the same way, it’s not about how wrong I have been but about the perfect blood of Jesus shed on a cross for my sins. I can never be good enough to earn my salvation, and I can never wander so far from God that His forgiveness is no longer available to me if only I will repent and allow Him to sanctify me through and through.

Father God, please reveal to us any foolish thinking we have allowed to creep into our theology. May your truth be written on our hearts, and may your Spirit reveal any sin in our lives. Forgive us for our arrogance and pull our focus back on you. Help us to clearly see right from wrong, so that we can be a light for those living in darkness. Amen.