Paul continues to give great life applications of the gospel in the next chapters. None of these are unfamiliar to us but helpful to remind ourselves. As we did yesterday, let’s remember that this is not a set of behaviors and customs to copy by rather a transformation of ourselves by God into a new person, changing the way we think and the way we live. So, as God daily transforms us and we grow in our faith, what will our lives begin to look like?

We worship God and serve Him only, but we submit and show respect to governing authorities (Romans 13:1). We do so not out of fear of punishment but because it is the right thing to do.

We give to everyone what we owe them (including love) and owe nothing to anyone (13:7-8). This includes paying any taxes we owe to the government and refers to showing those in authority the respect and honor we owe them. Owe nothing to anyone – except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of the law. For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These – and other such commandments – are summed up in this one commandment. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law. – Romans 13:8-10

We remove the dirty clothing of indulging in evil desires and put on the shining armor of right living (13:12,14b). Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy (13:13). The first part of that list seems pretty easy to avoid – I have no desire for those things. But notice how Paul lumps quarreling and jealousy in with wild parties, drunkenness, promiscuity and immoral living. We can have victory over all of these things if we “clothe ourselves with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ” (13:14a).

Paul goes on with this idea of refraining from quarreling, putting it in the perspective of not judging or condemning one another. When we are clothed in the presence of Jesus, we accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong (Romans 14:1). Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval (14:4). So God will do the judging and He will help them while we do what? Love one another – that is all we are obligated to do.

So, out of love for one another, we stop condemning each other and decide instead to live in such a way that we do not cause another believer to stumble or fall (14:13). Paul goes into the example of what we eat and drink, how followers of Christ have different opinions of what is right to put into our bodies. I think of the issue of alcohol. I feel strongly about my stand against alcohol, therefore it would be wrong for me to drink – I believe it would cause me to stumble and others who would see what I was doing. Now I have a lot of close friends fully devoted to God who do not hold my same convictions. What do I do with this? Paul makes it clear – I don’t condemn them, I don’t look down on them. Each of us will give a personal account to God and He will be our only Judge (14:10-12).

I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong. And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died. Then you will not be criticized for doing something you believe is good. 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.

Don’t tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, all foods are acceptable, but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble. You may believe there’s nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don’t feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right. But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning. – Romans 14:14-23

We do what we believe is right and avoid doing anything we have doubts about or that might cause someone else to stumble, serving Christ with a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. So I may have to give up something I have no personal convictions about simply because the Holy Spirit is asking me to put the needs of others before myself. Or, going back to our first point today, out of submission to the authorities of the Church in which I worship, I may give up something or avoid doing something.

We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn’t live to please himself…May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory. – Romans 15:1-3,5-7

The rest of his letter to the Romans, Paul applies the gospel he has just explained. There is a lot of helpful information in chapter 12 on what our life should look like but we have to be careful that we do not see it as a new set of rules to obey. Let’s start at the same place we did on Friday – the first two verses of chapter 12.

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 urgings of the world. But let’s look at this 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 and avoid being a bad person, we are just that – a good person, but 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 in us changes us into the person He created us to be. It’s not a list of rules to follow but a God to follow, not a set of socially acceptable norms but a life-altering sacrifice where our body / our life is no longer our own but 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 this chapter, 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, at the start of this new week, we offer again to you our lives. We ask that you continue to transform us into new people. Open up our hearts and minds and make us into new people by changing the way we think. Show us your will for our lives – your good, pleasing and perfect plan for our lives.

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 gift You have given us. 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 loving and truly love with 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, that is a focus on ourselves instead of on You. Help us to wrok 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 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 and we know that this requires a transformation by You into a new person. Do a work in 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 peach with everyone – but more than that! More than all we can but may we live with all that YOU can. So rather than taking revenge, we leave the righteous anger to You, God.

If our enemies our 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.

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

There’s 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.

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 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 in 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.

Scott and I have been in Amelia Island, Florida since last Friday for the Superintendents Retreat. We were blessed to have an oceanfront room with a fifth floor balcony overlooking the beach. Every morning I have sat on the balcony and had my morning coffee with the Lord while gazing at the beautiful of His creation.

I am in awe of the ocean with its strength and beauty. I could stare at the waves for hours watching the water swell and then topple over and roll into the sandy beach. The sky has been equally beautiful. I would grab my camera and take a picture of this gorgeous sunrise and then five minutes later the scene would change – different but equally beautiful!

Then there are the animals that accessorize the ocean so well. At four different times this week, I have watched dolphins playing in the wake. This morning they consistently came up wherever the pelicans were sitting on the surface, playfully sending the large birds flying away. Even now as I write, the dolphins are playing in front of me.

As we walked the beach, we saw several jellyfish washed up on shore waiting for the high tide to come back and get them. How fascinating to stare closely at this mysterious life. Even the pesky seagulls and other birds have posed in gorgeous fashion for my camera this week.

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!

I read through chapters 9 through 11 this morning and listened to all God had to say through Paul. But as I stared at the sunrise over the ocean, there were a few verses in this passage that intensified with the backdrop God provided for me as He showed off in all His glory.

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

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 everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen. – Romans 12:33-36

What then shall we say about these things? (Romans 8:31). Paul is wrapping 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, gives 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 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 (5:8).

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 (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 (5:5b).

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…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 (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 (5:2-5a).

The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But he 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 (8:26-27).

God loves us, yet we will experience suffering. God has chosen us and calls us his children, yet there will be trials and problems. 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 sit back and 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 (8:28).

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

Confession time: I’ve always been a little uncomfortable with the term “slave of God.” Even when I wrote it on Friday, I found myself bothered by the description of our relationship with God. I stopped and asked God to reveal any issues in my heart that cause me such discomfort with the idea of being God’s slave. I love the terms of submission and the idea of being God’s servant, follower, disciples…but not slave.

But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. – Romans 6:22
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. I am bothered by the term “slavery” because it has negative connotations and it does not describe the relationship I experience with 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. 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 has freed 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 (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 relationship.

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 (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! 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, let me say, “I am God’s child!” When the struggles of this world overcome, let me say, “I share in His suffering so that I may share in His glory!” Thank you, God, for the privilege of serving you – of being your slave – because, in that moment of submission, I experience life, peace and freedom.

“We are hard wired to be subject to something bigger than ourselves.” This is what I heard my husband say as he was preaching in Galesburg, Illinois last Sunday. I’m reminded of his statement as I read through Paul’s letter to the Roman Christians.

“Because of the weakness of your human nature…” (Romans 6:19). It’s so true, isn’t it? We were created with this human nature that demands we be subject to something greater than ourselves. At the same time, the essence of this sinful nature comes with a desire to be the one in charge – to be sovereign and sitting on the throne of my life. But I am weak. 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.

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.

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.

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 7:14b-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 – thanks, honey!) 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…

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 8:1-4,12-13

Now that’s freedom! By submitting my life to God, resisting my urge to be in charge which in reality leads to my 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 8:1

I love Romans 5! As I read through the chapter, my joy and excitement increases! 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 saved but the emphasis in this chapter is on the blood of Christ – how his death is what makes it possible for us to be MADE RIGHT WITH GOD.

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. 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 5:6-11

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.

For the death 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.

Yes, 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. – Romans 5:15b-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 will for my life and choose to obey You so that You can use my obedience in the life of others.

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

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 faith in myself, not by obeying all the rules. It is by believing in HIM that I am made right with God. Paul used Abraham as an example to the Roman believers of how faith in 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

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 rewarded 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 our reward rather than a gift from God. If 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, His belief that God would fulfill His promises, that led him to be the father of many nations.

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

Even when there was no reason to hope…
Abraham never wavered in believing God’ promise…
His faith grew stronger…
He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises!

What are you going through right now that needs that kind of faith? Does your relationship with God need that kind of faith to survive your current circumstances?

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

Bad things can still happen to good people. I can do everything right and live a good life and tragedy can still strike. If I live a good works religion and count on my own righteousness for my salvation, I will fall apart when bad times come. If I build my relationship with God on the foundation of faith, I can trust in Him through any situation. I can have a reason to hope, not wavering in my faith but growing stronger – fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He has promised!

Paul starts out his letter to the Romans saying – this is MY identity and this is MY purpose. He goes on to say – this is YOUR identity and YOUR purpose. You have been called! 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. 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 sin in hopes that HIS righteousness will cover us. Some choose to do their own thing and walk away from the sovereignty of God, from HIS purpose for their life. Paul spoke of the unrighteous who know what they are doing is wrong, yet they do it anyhow. He used homosexuality as an example but spoke of all 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 with its painful consequences (1:18-32).

They know the truth about God because he has made it known to them…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…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…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 also (Romans 1:19,21,24,28,32).

He goes on to warn the church to not judge the unrighteous too quickly. He challenges his readers to see the ways in which we also deny the sovereignty of God and do what we want to do instead of what God calls us to do. Are we in complete submission to God? 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. Jesus did not die on a cross to save us from our sins so that we could keep on sinning – He called us to a much higher purpose!

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 (2:7-8).

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, forgetting that it is by HIS righteousness that we are saved and 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…

For 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 2:17-19, 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 because it is not about US but about HIM. It is not by our own good works that we are saved or 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…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 (3:20,22-26).

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 of what I have done wrong and make something right out of it. He can take my life, 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 HE 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 faith in myself. It is by believing in HIM that I am made right with God.