Archive for the ‘Romans’ Category

Scripture reading for August 3rd: Romans 16:8-27

Paul concludes his letter of introduction with some personal notes of greeting showing that although he had never visited the church at Rome, he had many connections.  The community of faith is like a family with relationship connections everywhere.  Ministry happens through relationship and when someone is born again, they come into a circle of new relationships.

The first woman mentioned was a sister in the Lord, Phoebe.  She was called a ’servant of the church in Cenchrea’. (Romans 16:1)  The word for ’servant’ is ‘deacon’.  Phoebe was a friend of Paul’s who probably took his letter to the church in Rome from Corinth.

Priscilla and Aquila were a husband and wife whom Paul met in Corinth.  Priscilla  and Aquila were originally from Italy and left Rome because of persecution from Claudius, the Roman emperor who ordered all Jews to leave.  (Acts 18:1-3)  They had evidently returned to Italy and were  part of the church there.  Paul had been a tent maker with them and worked with them in sharing the Gospel in Corinth.  These two had risked their lives for Paul.  (Romans 16:3-5) A church was meeting at their house in Rome!

Andronicus and Junias, were relatives of Paul’s who were imprisoned with Paul at some point.   Paul indicated that they were outstanding among the apostles and saved before he was. (Romans 16:7)  This is the only mention in Scripture of a woman who was part of the early apostles!

Paul listed at least 8 women who were his friends and workers for the Lord.  He also listed 19 men by name that he knew in Rome and commended them to the church there.  He spoke of them in very personal ways as ‘dear friends’ and ‘like a mother’.  He called them ’saints’ and asked that the church greet them for him with a holy kiss of affection.

Paul warned the church there to be on guard against those who would cause divisions in the relationships that they enjoyed.  Each church must be watchful because Satan loves to cause strife and division.  (Romans 16:17-19)  These who cause strife use smooth talk and flattery to deceive naive people.  Paul’s warning was part of his pastor’s heart and years of experience in spiritual warfare.  Personal relationship with Jesus Christ forms the basis of our salvation.  Personal relationships in the body of Christ are essential for ministry.  God knows each  person by name!

Scripture reading for August 2nd: Romans 15:23-16:7

Paul explained to the Roman church his calling to reach the Gentiles and to preach to those who had never heard about Christ.  He felt that this is why he had been hindered from coming to visit them.  They had already received the Gospel!  He did want to have their fellowship and invited them to assist him in going to Spain to preach the Gospel there.  This would be new territory.

Paul explained where he was headed now.  He was going to Jerusalem to bless the church there.  Paul had received offerings from the churches he had helped found in Macedonia and Achaia to help the poor among the church in Jerusalem.   Many of the Jews who had believed in Christ were cut off from their families and often lost their jobs.  They were persecuted for their faith and this resulted in poverty and need.  Because the Gentiles had shared in the Jew’s spiritual blessings through Christ, Paul told them that they had an obligation to share with these Jews their material blessings.  Paul stated that these Gentile churches had given generously and with joy!  (Romans 15:26-27)

“I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.  Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there, so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed.  The God of peace be with you all. Amen.” (Romans 15:30-33)   Paul’s great need as a missionary and apostle was prayer from the church.  Prayer is as important as giving finances in accomplishing the work of God.  Paul asked for protection from the unbelievers in Judea.  He was aware of the potential danger to his own life and knew prayer would make a difference.  He asked for God to enable him to serve the church in Jerusalem with excellence through his offerings and ministry.  Paul also anticipated coming to the Roman church and having a time of refreshing with them as well. What great insight into the heart of the apostle Paul and his ministry through these last chapters of Romans!

Scripture reading for August 1st: Romans 15:1-22

Paul concludes this letter with another admonition to the strong in  faith.  They are to bear with the failings of the weak and not just seek to please themselves.  Our goal should be to build up our neighbors, not judge them!  (Romans 15:1-2)  Jesus set the example for us by offering Himself in our place to take the penalty of our sins!  What we deserved fell on Him.

God wants His people to dwell together in unity and hope as they follow Christ!  (Romans 15:5-6)  The Scriptures teach us how to have hope by the stories of God’s miraculous power and by the record of Christ’s example.  Jesus prayed for His disciples and those who would follow Him from their ministry.  “My prayer is not for them alone.  I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You.” (John 17:20-21)  Unity is maintained as we walk in the Spirit and allow the Word to dwell in us.  We have hope for the future because of the promises of God for those who believe.  The best is yet to come!

Both Jew and Gentile must accept one another because Christ accepted them both!  “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)    This is the practical benediction to Paul’s letter to this group of Roman believers.  What an encouragement it is to them to hear from the Apostle Paul that God is a God of hope!  He wants all believers to be filled with joy and peace as they trust in Christ for their every need.  As they are filled with the Holy Spirit, the power of God’s hope will bring them encouragement and perseverance through any and all trials.

As you think about this passage today, remind yourself that God is the God of all hope!  Hope is not found in our world or it’s leaders.  Their promises may or may not come true.  But God has the power and ability to make good on His every word!  Hope abounds in Our Lord forever!

Scripture reading for July 31st: Romans 14:1-23

The body of Christ is composed of people from different walks of life and different spiritual experience.  Some come from religious backgrounds.  Others come with no spiritual training and are eager to learn what is expected.   Paul knew that the church at Rome was very diverse, with many Jews and Gentiles of different backgrounds.  He wrote to help them understand how to practice the command of Jesus to “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  (Romans 13:9-10)

“Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.  One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.  The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him.  Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?” (Romans 14:1-4a)   We enter into pride when we judge someone else.  Some matters, such as eating meat sacrificed to idols, are disputable.  The strong person knows that the idol is nothing and that the meat is made clean by prayer and thanksgiving.  The weaker person may feel polluted by the meat and believe that they have sinned by eating it.  As long as what they do is motivated by their faith, neither one is to judge the other and cause disunity or division over eating meat!  It is not loving to bring strife over matters like this.

“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.” (Romans 14:17-18)  The Holy Spirit wants to lead us in loving our brothers and sisters, not in judging them on matters of conscience that are not clearly dealt with in Scripture.  We can please God by walking in love and faith that God will deal with each person according to their faith.

“So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God.  Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves.  But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.” (Romans 14:22-23)   Be quiet and live by faith!

Scripture reading for July 30th: Romans 13:1-14

Paul’s practical application of faith included how to relate properly to authority in our lives.  Today, it is popular to talk bad about our government, leaders, and those in authority over us.  This kind of talk leads to disrespect for authority and can reflect a rebellious attitude towards God Himself!  God is a God of order and through His word, gives us instructions on relating to government authorities.

God establishes all authority!  (Romans 13:1)  When we rebel against authority, we are really rebelling against what God established!  This brings  judgment on those who do such things!  God has given responsibility to those in authority.  They are to be a protective covering over those they are leading.  This protection is in the form of making laws and enforcing those laws.  They are to reward or bless those who keep the law, and punish those who break the laws.

Those under the law are instructed to submit to authority.  This submission is to be voluntary and means to willingly stand under the authority and serve them by obeying the laws.  If we do that, we are promised commendation from the authority and God!  (Romans 13:3)

When someone breaks the laws, God has assigned those in government power to enforce the law (even with the sword).  They are His servants, according to Paul!  (Romans 13:4) We are to pay taxes to the government to provide for the leaders over us who keep this protective covering of law and enforcement.  We are able to live in safety as long as we joyfully submit to this authority.

In America, we are blessed because our government was based, to a large extent on the Bible and God’s law.  Our founding fathers wanted to establish a righteous government that would protect life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for those who submitted to it.  Under this authority, people were to be free to own property and do business.  They were to use their talents and abilities to bless others and make a living.  They were to pay taxes to support this government and submit to it’s laws and enjoy it’s blessings.

Maintaining righteous government requires godly people voting to keep godly people in government who will guard our laws, and keep in mind the truth that all authority comes from God!  Woe to us when we depart from these basics!

Scripture reading for July 29th: Romans 12:1-21

Paul’s thoughts now turn to the practical aspects of living out what we truly believe, the truth in Jesus Christ!  Chapters 12-16 are the practical application of the first eleven chapters.  “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship.  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing, and perfect will.” (Romans 12:1-3)

As Christians, our bodies are now the property of God to be used for His purposes and glory!  We are not our own, we were bought with a price, the precious blood of Jesus!  We must offer our bodies willingly to God.  They are not dead, but living sacrifices, ready for the Master’s use.  This is an act of faith and it pleases God.  (Hebrews 11:6)  It is a spiritual act of worship, on par with singing, prayer, or tithing!

Practical offering of our bodies included using whatever gift we have received from God to serve others.  (Romans 12:4-13)  A short list of gifts and their benefits include prophesying, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leadership, and showing mercy.  All members are to bless others with their gifts and they will find their own needs met.

We must also renew our minds by studying God’s word and allowing our thinking to be transformed from the world’s ways to God’s word.  Spiritual worship includes the mind as well as the body.  Transformation takes time and study.  We must apply ourselves to this purpose.

Attitudes of our minds were also practically listed by Paul.  We must learn to love each other and honor one another above ourselves.  We must share with those in need and practice hospitality.  Troubles will come but we must maintain our joy and hope.  We must act righteously towards those who mistreat us, not react in a worldly manner.  This included blessing our persecutors and associating with the lowly.

We must learn not to hold grudges or seek revenge.  All vengeance belongs to God.  We learn to bless our enemies and do good towards them.  In doing so, we overcome evil with good!  (Romans 12:19-21)  What a joy to be a living sacrifice with a transformed mind!

Scripture reading for July 28th: Romans 11:13-36

Olive trees were common in Israel.  They were a source of food and of oil for cooking and light.  Olive trees live for hundreds of years and are tough enough to survive in the harsh climate and endure periods of little rainfall.  The olive tree had deep roots that went into the rocky soil to anchor it and nourish the branches.

Paul used an analogy of a tame olive tree representing Israel. (Romans 11:16b-24)   Gentiles were ‘wild olive shoots’ that God grafted into the ‘Israel olive tree”.  Those Jews who hardened themselves from Israel were likened to tame olive branches or shoots that were pruned or broken off  by God because of their lack of faith.  Paul warned the Gentiles who had been grafted in not to become arrogant and think that somehow they had earned their place and the Jews were inferior.  They should live in holy fear of God who could also remove them from this special tree!  (Romans 10:20-21)

Paul also encouraged the Gentiles and Jewish Christians in Rome that God was also able to graft the broken natural branches of the Jews back into this tree.  In fact, this is God’s plan after the full number of Gentiles are saved!  (Romans 11:25-27)  God loves the Jews and they will again have opportunity to be grafted in because of God’s faithful promises to the patriarchs!  (Romans 11:28-29)

God is so amazing!  His ways are above our ways and we our response should be worship!  Paul worshiped God for His amazing plan to save Jew and Gentile through the Gospel!  “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out!  Who has known the mind of the Lord?  Or who has been His counselor?  Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.  To Him be the glory forever! Amen!” (Romans 11:33-36)

Have you taken time lately to praise God for His mercy to you?  Have you thanked Him for His mercy to Israel and through Israel by sending Jesus Christ as our Savior?  Today is a great time to write or speak a personal doxology of praise to our amazing Lord and Savior!  There is none like Him!

Scripture reading for July 27th: Romans 10:13-11:12

God’s plan for reaching His people, the Jews, was the same as reaching the Gentiles.  “Everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved.”  “How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in?   And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard?  And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (Romans 10:13-14)  Both Jew and Gentile must believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and One who took their penalty for broken law.  They must call on Jesus in faith and they will be saved.

It is a very simple Gospel message that must be heard by those who need it.  The way God chose to send this message was through those who did believe.  These would go and preach this message to the Jews and Gentiles who did not know about it.  “For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.” (1st Corinthians 1:21)

But hearing the message alone was not enough for salvation.  Many Jews heard the message but did not accept it.  Faith comes by hearing the message, but believing is a choice, not something forced upon people.  God sent His messengers throughout the world to preach the message.  Jews heard it, but they were stubborn and obstinate and refused to believe and act on it.  (Romans 10:16-21)  God opened the hearts of the Gentiles and many of them received.

Next, Paul addressed the concern that because of their stubbornness, God had rejected His people.  Paul stated that God had not and that a remnant was saved by grace through receiving the message of Christ.  Those that closed their hearts were made blind and dull.  They could always repent and turn back.  God’s plan was to save the Gentiles and through their blessing, provoke the Israelites to jealousy and a return to faith through Jesus Christ.  (Romans 10:11-12)

The Church should always pray for the Jews and be ready to share Christ with them.  God has not rejected Israel.  They have a blindness that can be cured by faith in their Messiah, Jesus Christ.  We have received the riches of God’s grace because of their stubbornness, but not to boast!  May God bring peace to Jerusalem!  (Psalm 122:6-9)

Scripture reading for July 26th: Romans 9:25-10:12

It has been noted that Paul quoted from ten different Old Testament books in chapters 9-11 of Romans.  Paul’s thorough knowledge of Scripture enabled Him to write thirteen of the letters in the New Testament and be used by God as an apostle and missionary church planter all over the known world of that day.

Paul had a first-hand encounter with Jesus Christ and learned that Jesus Christ was Lord on the Damascus road.  (Acts 9:3-5) He was a pious Jew who was zealously persecuting Christians and having them put to death!  He had a zeal that was not in accordance with knowledge.  (Romans 10:1-4)  Just like his own past life, Paul’s own countrymen were seeking to establish their own righteousness through zealously trying to keep God’s law instead of submitting to God’s righteousness through Christ.  “Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness of everyone who believes.” (Romans 10:4)

Faith in Christ is God’s prescribed path of righteousness for all men.  “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and heart,” (Deuteronomy 30:14) that is is the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with  your mouth that you confess and are saved.” (Romans 10:8-10)   None of our works can save us.  It is faith in our heart that Jesus Christ is God’s way of righteousness because of His sinless life and sacrificial death for us that is our way of salvation.  This is expressed by a verbal confession: “Jesus is Lord!”

It is simple and easy to become righteous in God’s sight.  “Anyone who trusts in Him will never be put to shame.” (Romans 10:11) (Isaiah 28:16)    Both Jew and Gentile have the same way of faith.  “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13) (Joel 2:32)  (Acts 2:21)  Paul preached from the same text that Peter used on the day of Pentecost!  Salvation has been made available universally to all who declare: “Jesus Christ is Lord!”  He alone is able to save us from the power of sin and the penalty of sin which is eternal death in the Lake of Fire.  Make that declaration today with your mouth!

Scripture reading for July 25th: Romans 9:1-24

“For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel.  Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.  Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised!  Amen.” (Romans 9:3-5)  The apostle Paul had great concern for his own countrymen.  They had great privileges through being part of Israel and their heritage through Abraham.

But Paul recognized that it was not just a blood tie that made a person part of the true Israel.  “For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.  Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children.  On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” (Romans 8:6-7)  (Genesis 25:23) God’s sovereign choice of Jacob from Isaac’s offspring through Rebekah, the twins Jacob and Esau,  shows that blood relation was not the criteria for belonging to the true Israel.  God’s mercy through election chose Jacob as the one to carry the blessing.

God has infinite knowledge of what was, what is, and what will be.  From this knowledge He is capable of choosing  who He will use and will fulfill His purposes.   He is the ‘Potter’ and we are the ‘clay’.  (Romans 9:20-21)   We must trust by faith that God knows what He is doing.

Because of sin, we were all objects of God’s wrath.  How come God shows mercy on some and not others?   Paul offers a possible answer by posing  two questions: “What if God, choosing to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the objects of His wrath–prepared for destruction?  What if He did this to make the riches of His glory know to the objects of His mercy, whom He prepared in advance for glory–even us, whom He also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?” (Romans 9:22-24)  God’s glory is related to His mercy.  He has shown great mercy to those who have not repented and embraced Christ, particularly the Jews who were blinded.  This opened the door for both Jew and Gentile to find God’s mercy!  Praise the Lord for God’s patience towards us!