Remnant: A Daily Verse-by-Verse Devotional: Recent Episodes
Jonathan Porter
Remnant is a short daily devotional brought to you by Jonathan Porter. We look at one verse a day, going in order through Paul's Letter to the Romans. It's a light Bible study that loops in life application pointers from the text. It's a great way to start your day.
Paul concludes with the second reason he's writing this letter and spending his life in ministry: God's glory. We explore why God glorifies Himself and how we can glorify Him.
Paul reveals his first of two big purposes behind his letter, and really his entire ministry: to bring about the obedience of faith. We dig into what obedience of faith really means and why we should strive for it.
Paul begins his close-out doxology by returning to themes that he introduced in Chapter 1. We talk about the celebration that is the revealing of Jesus.
Paul sends his final greetings from those around him in Corinth. We explore the three people he mentions and what we can learn from them.
Paul identifies the scribe of the letter, Tertius, who sends his greeting as well. We talk about how we work together as teams to tell people about Jesus.
Paul now sends greetings from four of his partners in ministry. We talk about who those ministry partners were and what we can learn from their lives and work.
Paul finishes a four-verse section that warns the church of those who divide by selfish motivations by promising that God will soon crush Satan under their feet. We talk about how we can crush Satan every day.
Paul gives the secret to staying on God's path and not being led astray by false teachings: obedience. We work through some great examples of people who were obedient to the Holy Spirit.
Paul continues warning against false teachings. How can we guard our hearts against false teachings? The Word!
Paul starts one of his last sections in his letter to the church in Rome with a warning.
Paul finishes this section on greetings with an instruction to greet each other with a holy kiss. We talk about the custom Paul was referring to, and how Paul's real desire was for the churchmembers to show each other their love in some way.
Paul finishes his list of people he wants to greet. We talk about the possible impact these people could have made on the world.
Paul greets five people who we know very little about, and the brothers with those five. We dig into how everyone from every background can tell their friends about Jesus.
Paul greets Rufus, who most believe to be the same Rufus identified to be the son of Simon of Cyrene, who carried Jesus's cross. We talk about how Simon's interaction with Jesus led to his discipleship in his own home, and how we have to start discipline in our own homes.
Paul writes about three women in verse 12. We talk about how women who were enslaved overcame obstacles to become so known for their faith that Paul wants to greet them in his letter, and what we can learn from those women.
Paul greets a kinsman and a group of slaves. We dig into the man who previously owned the slaves, Narcissus, and how his life was based on earthly relationships, and ended very poorly. And we contrast that ending with his slaves, whose faith was renowned so much that Paul heard of it.
Paul greets a household and a man named Apelles. All we know of Apelles is that he was tested and passed the test. We talk about our tests in this world and how we pass them.
Paul greets two other friends in the church in Rome. These two friends have names that were reserved for slaves or freed slaves. We dig into how God lets us overcome our limits set on us by fellow man.
Paul greets Ampliatus, who he describes as beloved. We talk about the greek word we translate to beloved: agapeton.
Paul greets another husband and wife duo, who had previously been imprisoned with Paul. We talk about sacrifices.
Paul greets Mary, who we know has worked hard for the church. We talk about hard work and things worth our hard work.
Paul tells about Epaenetus. All we know about him is that he was the first convert to Christ in Asia. We talk about that legacy and how hard it is to be the first.
On this Valentine's Day, our verse describes a great model for couples in ministry: Priscilla and Aquila. We get in the weeds on everything Priscilla and Aquila did, together, for Christ.
Paul extends his first greeting to the church leaders in Rome to the husband and wife duo of Prisca (or Priscilla) and Aquila. We talk generally about the church leaders known by Paul.
Paul describes Phoebe in several ways, including that she is his patron. We explore how Phoebe's role--to finance missions--is as critical today as it was then, and how many of us are called to be Phoebes.
Paul starts in on personal greetings to begin chapter 16. We talk about why Paul extends personal greetings, the importance of connectedness between each other and our churches, and how Paul describes Phoebe in a great way.
Paul prays for peace over the church in Rome. Jesus often ended his interactions with people he'd saved with the same prayer for peace. We explore why.
Paul gives the church in Rome his desired outcome of their joint prayers: that he will arrive in Rome with joy, and that he will be refreshed in their company.
Paul now tells the church in Rome what exactly he wants them to join him in praying for: deliverance from harm and that the poor in Jerusalem will accept the Gentile churches' contribution.
Paul asks the church in Rome to intercede in prayer for him. We tell some stories of intercessory prayer.
Paul now tells the church in Rome how he's going to come to them: full of the blessing of Christ. We talk about fullness.
Paul returns to a reason for writing this letter: he's coming to Spain. Only we know that Paul's plans won't turn out that way, exactly. We talk about our plans and God's plans.
Paul explains why these Gentile churches were so happy to give to people they'd never meet: it blessed those churches to give. We dig into how and why those who give are blessed.
Paul explains that churches from two regions have contributed to the need in Jerusalem. We talk more about giving.
Paul tells the church in Rome that he's going to visit them after he delivers aid to Jerusalem. We talk about giving.
Paul gets to his big action item: he's going to Spain, and he wants the church in Rome to help. We talk about why Paul was going to Spain and how we can identify the Spains in our own lives.
Paul starts a sentence that explains why he's finally going to visit the church in Rome: (1) he wants to, and (2) he's finished his job in the region in which he'd been planting churches. We talk about how we're to do the same.
Paul explains that his ministry is the reason that he'd never visited the church in Rome before. We talk about how God's plans don't always line up with our plans.
Paul quotes Isaiah 52:15 from Isaiah's final servant song to explain that God's plan is for those who have never heard of Him will see. We talk about how God's plan comes about through us.
Paul talks about the difference between ministering to those who have heard the name of Jesus before and those who have not. We talk about how ministering to those who have met Christians before have both advantages and challenges.
Paul continues explaining what God has done through Paul's obedience. We hit on the signs and wonders that accompanied Paul's ministry, and how Paul knows that he has fulfilled his ministry.
Paul makes clear that his boldness and boasting in Jesus in no way extends to boldness or boasting in anyone but Jesus. Paul's success in ministry is through his obedience in word and deed. Period. We talk about Paul's obedience and how we each have that same capacity for obedience.
Paul boasts in verse 17. It's good boasting. We explore the difference between good boasting (boasting about God's work through us) and bad boasting (all other boasting, really).
Paul recognizes that he's offering something to God--the Gentiles--and his job is to ensure that the Gentiles' faith is acceptable to God. We talk about our offerings.
Paul acknowledges to the church in Rome that his letter is quite bold, considering that he's never met the people he's writing to. We talk about how important boldness is and why Paul felt called to be bold in his letter to the Roman church.
Paul kicks off a new section by congratulating the church in Rome on their ability to instruct each other. We talk about what it means to instruct, or admonish, each other in love.
Paul finishes this section with a prayer for the church in Rome: that they will be filled with joy and peace by believing in God, and that their belief will result in so much hope that it overflows.
Paul finishes his old testament quotations with Isaiah 11. We dig into the promises God made through Isaiah and how God kept those promises and continues to keep those promises.
Paul cites Psalm 117 to show that God's plan has been for all to praise Him. We talk about similar scripture from Revelation 7, and what it means for us today.
Paul quotes Deuteronomy to show another fulfilled promise: that the Gentiles will join with Israel to rejoice. We talk about how Jesus brought about that promise.
Paul quotes a song of David in today's verse. We talk about how David's love of God caused him to sing in praise (and sometimes in embarrassing ways), and how David accepted God's forgiveness.
Paul concludes a big section on peace within the church by a simple instruction: welcome (or accept) each other, as Jesus welcomed (or accepted) you.
Paul finishes his prayer for the church that he started in verse five with a hope that we may glorify God with one voice. We talk about the peace of the early church and how we can get that peace back.
Paul stops teaching in this verse and instead breaks out into a prayer for harmony. We talk about both harmony and prayer.
Paul tells us the scripture exist so that we might have hope. We explore what hope truly means.
Paul loops in the life of Jesus to his illustration of the strong shouldering the burdens of the weak, citing both Jesus's temptation by the Devil and Psalm 69:9 to prove his point.
Paul tells us to act in our neighbor's best interest when it comes to their faith, and to build up their faith. We explore that through the parable of the good samaritan.
Paul starts chapter 15 by instructing the strong to bear the weaknesses of the weak. We talk about how Jesus bore the cross on the way to being crucified, and how we follow Jesus by bearing others' weaknesses too, and letting stronger followers bear our burdens when we need help as well.
Paul finishes chapter 14 by pointing out that those stumbling blocks--things that make others doubt their faith--are big problems. We talk about doubt and how we can encourage others' faith rather than making them doubt.
Paul gives us two sentences in verse 22 that help drive home the point that we're called to lift each other up rather than tear each other down.
In verse 20, Paul said everything was clean. So why is he now in verse 21 telling us that it is good to not eat meat? Because our job is to not cause each other to stumble. We unpack that.
Paul counsels to not destroy the work of God for the sake of something as trivial as food. We explore how we can display the work of God in our lives and in our churches.
Paul concludes that our job is to work towards peace with each other and mutual upbuilding. We talk about what it means to build someone up, as opposed to tearing them down.
Paul says that whoever lives in the Holy Spirit (and through the Holy Spirit has righteousness, peace, and joy) is serving Christ in a way that is acceptable to God. We dig into the root of the Holy Spirit.
My seven-year-old joins us to tell us how we celebrate what verse 16 calls good: by living with great joy.
Our new years devotional tells us to protect what we believe to be good. We explore this concept of good through the parable of the talents.
Paul says that as we minister to our brothers and sisters in Christ, the last thing we should be doing is to cause them grief. We explore how Jesus ministered to others in love.
Paul ties his big lesson for this section--do not be a stumbling block on another's walk with Jesus--to the specific problem in the church in Rome of maintaining kosher eating.
Paul starts a new section directed at the "strong," the Gentile Christians in the church in Rome, by telling them not to be stumbling blocks in the way of other believers.
Paul ends this section by telling us that every one of us will give an account of themselves before God. We talk about what that account looks like to God.
Paul quotes Isaiah 45:23 to make his point that people within the church in Rome were essentially making idols of their positions, and that judgment will come on them the same way that judgment will come on all.
Paul circles back to a concept from several verses ago: that we aren't here to pass judgment on each other.
My five-year-old joins us for our Christmas devotional that shares that Christmas is not just about Jesus's birth, but about the start of a process that gives us new life.
Our verse for this Christmas Eve reminds us that no matter what we do in this life, we are the Lord's. We reflect back on how God makes clear in Genesis that we were put here as a special creature. As special creatures, we should live our lives remembering that we are the Lord's.
Paul gives us another broad point in support of his plea for peace: that no one lives to himself. We explore what that means and how we can have peace by stopping the urge to live our lives for ourselves.
Paul makes a big statement here that applies to the two specific disputes within the church in Rome, but that applies perfectly to every church dispute: that things we do to honor God are good.
Paul now tackles a second specific issue within the church in Rome: esteeming one day as better than another. This likely refers to the Sabbath, theological experts tell us. So we explore Sabbath.
Paul makes clear that in this conflict within the church in Rome, neither side had standing to pass judgment on the other.
Paul makes clear that both the strong and the weak have an obligation to not despise or judge each other. We talk about how that applies to disputes we have in our churches today.
Paul starts chapter 14 by laying out in broad terms the problem he's about to tackle: that some people are "weak" in faith in ways Paul is going to detail in coming verses.
Paul directs the church in Rome to "put on" Jesus. We explore that unusual call to action and what it means to put on Jesus.
Paul gives a long list of things not to do in verse 13, and gives us an alternative to those things: walking properly. We talk about what it means to walk with God.
Paul starts a final paragraph in his call to action by pointing out that Jesus's second coming is closer now than when we first believed. We talk about how to respond to this fact.
Paul makes clear that the old law has been fulfilled by Jesus and replaced with one clear command: to love.
Paul concludes this section with a big statement about how followers of Jesus are to live as governed by occasionally unChristian government leaders.
Paul gives an example of something we do when we subject ourselves to government: pay taxes. We dig into why taxes were in dispute back then.
Paul tells us that, for two reasons, we must be in "subjection." We talk about that word and how it was used in a story in Luke 2, as a way of knowing how we're to live our lives--ranked under government and each other.
Paul concludes a quartet of verses about how God uses government for good by pointing out that God works through government leaders to punish wrongdoers and protect the rest of us.
Paul further tells us that rulers are in place for a reason, for God's reason, and of course God has good reasons. We explore that through the lens of Acts 16, when Paul is jailed by rulers, which was used by God for good.
Paul continues applying the general principles from chapter 12 to the specific instance of a government authority that we may not agree with.
Paul transitions from general marks of a true Christian in the face of persecution to the specific persecutor in Rome: the government.
Paul concludes chapter 12 by giving us the one major mark of a true Christian: the ability to overcome evil with good, instead of being overcome by evil. I give three ways we modern Christians can be overcome by evil, borrowing from a John Mark Comer book I just finished.
Paul tells us to never avenge ourselves. We talk about vengeance and why we ought to pray for our persecutors instead of taking vengeance.
Paul turns to conveying a message that Jesus conveyed in his sermon on the mount. We dig into the backstory of the "eye for an eye" verse that Jesus explained in his sermon.
Paul tells us to live in harmony with each other, and he tells us how to do it: by avoiding high-mindedness and instead associating with all things lowly.
My seven-year-old joins us to talk about two more things Paul calls us to do: rejoice and weep.
Paul now switches from how we deal with fellow Jesus followers to how we deal with those who do not follow Jesus, starting with a teaching of Jesus that he obeyed with his final breaths: to love and bless our persecutors.
Paul continues explaining the marks of the true Christian by remarking on how we are called to help the saints.
Paul returns to his trio of hope, endurance, and prayer. We define that word "prayer," and talk about what it ought to do in our lives.
Paul interrupts his list of things we should do (love genuinely, devote brotherly, etc.) with something we should not do: slothfulness in our zeal and diligence for God. Instead, we should serve fervent in spirit.
Paul gives us two more directives on how followers of Jesus are to live: devotion and honor.
Paul starts his section that identifies the marks of a true follower of Jesus with the most important mark: love. But not just any love: real, genuine love.
Paul finishes his list of God's gifts with four more: exhortation, generosity, leadership, and mercy.
Paul lays out a list of the types of gifts God gives His people with an instruction that if given a gift, we are called to actually use it. We dig into Paul's first listed gift: prophecy.
Paul completes his illustration of the body functioning as one with his explanation that we are the body of Christ. We dig into that by reading from 1 Corinthians 12.
Paul sets up an illustration he's getting to in verse five by noting how our body has different parts that all have different functions. We go with Paul's illustration by talking about the body.
Paul sets up his next section that talks about the gifts that God has given to his children by referencing his own God-given gifts.
Paul gave us the "what" of following Jesus in verse 1, and in today's verse he gives us the "how": by resisting the forces of this world but instead going through a transformation--something akin to metamorphosis. We dig into that "how."
How are we to respond to the fact that this world is not for us? Easy: to present ourselves to the One who this world is for. God doesn't want us to be sacrificed like Old Testament offerings, but rather as a living sacrifice, spent in worship.
Paul concludes Chapter 11 with beautiful language about how this world is not for us, but for God. And since it's for God, God gets the glory. Forever. Amen.
Paul quotes Job to continue making his point that God's ways are untraceable. We talk about Job.
Paul quotes Isaiah 40:13, a verse he'd also quote to the church in Corinth, as part of his praise of God to conclude chapter 11. We explore the comforting words God was conveying to the people of Israel in Isaiah, chapter 40, and how those words speak to us today.
Paul concludes his teachings to date with a doxology--a praise for the ways of God. We use Paul's praise to remind ourselves two things: to praise, and to trust God's ways.
Paul wraps up the big themes he's been explaining in these last three chapters with a statement that he has "consigned all to disobedience" so that he can have mercy on all.
Paul goes further in his connection between disobedience and mercy. We dug into disobedience yesterday, so today we explore God's mercy.
Paul introduces the concept of how disobedience drives mercy. We talk about an example from the world of ... trees. Yes, more tree talk.
In verse 29, Paul loops back to a similar point from the beginning of chapter 9: that God has chosen to bestow great gifts and calling on the people of Israel, and God won't change his mind just because the people of Israel failed to follow Jesus.
Paul writes that those who have rejected the Gospel are "enemies." We explore what enemies are in a Biblical sense and how we are called to respond to our enemies.
Paul continues a quote that starts in Isaiah 59 to support the fact that "all Israel will be saved."
Paul quotes Isaiah 59:20 in support of his promise that there will come a time when all Israel will be saved.
Paul sets up a new section by acknowledging that there is a mystery behind Israel's rejection of Jesus, and that God may be at work in the mystery by hardening the heart of Israel.
Paul gives us a second verse about how all branches can be grafted into God's tree, so the Porter boys talk about a tree that we just planted.
Paul talks about tree grafting doesn't just apply to wild olive shoots--it also works with past branches. We explore how God celebrates when the lost come home.
Paul spoonfeeds us his point: that God is both kind and severe with us. We explore that truth.
Paul carries on his tree-grafting analogy in verse 21 by pointing out how easy it would be for God to not spare the little sapling that's been grafted to his trunk.
Paul acknowledges that branches were broken off so that we wild olive shoots might be grafted in, but makes clear that our response to that shouldn't be pride in ourselves, but fear of the powerful God who grafted us in.
Paul makes two critical points in verse 18: that two branches fighting each out other is a ridiculous image, and that the branches don't support the roots, but instead the roots support the branches.
Paul now digs in deep on his olive tree grafting illustration. We get started in this illustration by talking about olive trees.
Paul offers two illustrations that both sum up his prior points and set up his coming analogy.
Paul concludes the point he started in verse 12: that God uses the bad times to teach us things, and that God's plan has amazing things coming; life-from-death things!
Paul explains that he's focused his ministry on the Gentiles in order to make his fellow Jewish people jealous of the Gentiles' relationship with God. We dig into what Paul means by this jealousy.
Paul switches the targeted audience of his letter from the Jewish members of the church in Rome to the Gentiles, and tells the Gentiles that he was called to bring the Good News to them. We explore some of Paul's backstory to explain his calling.
In this verse, Paul talks about how great, or rich, our world will be when all of Israel and all the world follows Jesus.
Paul kicks off his next section by making clear that God works through our stumbles, and that his works lead to salvation.
Paul continues quoting Psalm 69 to show two more ways that humans insist on keeping hardened hearts: through blind eyes and burdened backs. We talk about why humans insist on these things and the alternative offered by Jesus.
Paul quotes Psalm 69:22 to give an example of what happens when our hearts are hardened. We talk about Psalm 69 and what David means when he writes about consequence.
Paul quotes Deuteronomy chapter 29 and Isaiah chapter 29 to support his point that humans have been choosing to ignore the God right before their eyes for centuries.
After interweaving in verse six the topic of grace, Paul interweaves another past topic into his teaching on the remnant: that many of us are hardened.
Paul gives us a brief interlude in his point in this section to tie his point back to a big theme: that those of us who are chosen for the remnant aren't chosen by works, but by grace. We go through some examples of people who didn't deserve to be used by God through works, but that were chosen by grace.
Paul says that just like in Elijah's time, there was a remnant of people who God had chosen to work through to remind people of what God offers. We talk about how we can be part of a remnant in the here and now.
Paul provides God's answer to Elijah in verse four: that even though Elijah couldn't see them, God had his people who He would work through along with Elijah. We talk about how Elijah wasn't alone even though he felt alone, and how we're not alone when we feel alone.
Paul quotes 1 Kings and the story of Elijah in making the point that when we feel like God has forgotten His people, we just need to remember that God is at work, in some way beyond our vision.
Paul answers his question from verse 1 with the premise of the point he's making in this section: that God has not rejected His people. He introduces his example here of Elijah, and he'll quote scripture about Elijah in coming verses.
Paul starts chapter 11 with a question, and then offers up himself as an example as why God has not rejected His people. Implied in Paul's answer is that God is fulfilling his promise by using Paul for Kingdom purposes, the highest calling there is.
Paul ends chapter 10 by explaining that even though people reject God, God is still waiting for those rejecting him with hands held out, all the day long.
Paul quotes a third straight Old Testament verse to finish his point that the Jewish people's rejection of Jesus and the Gentiles' acceptance of Jesus was foretold in the Word.
Paul cleverly quotes from Deuteronomy in explaining to the church in Rome that Moses himself foretold that the Jewish people would be disappointed that God would act through a people who are not of a nation (the Gentiles).
After having said that faith comes from hearing, Paul returns to the major issue in these chapters: the unbelief of the people of Israel, who despite having heard (and even seen) the good news, rejected Jesus.
Paul sums up the point he's trying to make with a simple verse: that faith comes from hearing the Word. We talk about faith.
Paul again quotes Isaiah to make the point that not all will respond to the free offer of salvation.
Paul finishes his reverse roadmap here in verse 15, stating that we're called to go, to be sent. And Paul quotes Isaiah as proof. We dig into verses that make clear that our proclaiming is supposed to be on our audience's turf.
Paul starts a roadmap to salvation in verse 14 by asking three questions. We dig into Paul's reverse roadmap and how it aligns with our calling from the gospels.
Paul cements his point of salvation to all by quoting a verse from Joel. We dig into Joel and what Paul meant by quoting Joel 2:32.
A critical corollary of Paul's point that we obtain right standing with God by faith is that that faith is available to all humans, regardless of lineage.
Paul again quotes Isaiah 28:16 to make the point that God will reward our faith with love instead of shame. We explore the concept of shame and how that's not God's plan for us on judgment day.
Paul gives us a second verse that clearly paints our path to being saved: through belief and confession.
Paul gives us a gift of a verse, which tells us how simple it is to be saved. It doesn't involve works. It just involves faith.
Paul quotes a third straight verse from Deuteronomy to let us know that the Word is near us. The Word of truth is Jesus. We explore that concept as it was used by Moses and now used by Paul.
Paul carries on his quotes from Deuteronomy and remarks that Jesus has actually fulfilled the prophesy of Deuteronomy by being raised from the dead.
Paul quotes two verses from Deuteronomy in his contention that righteousness has always been based on faith. We dig into the context of those two verses.
To start this next section, Paul summarizes a verse by Moses in Leviticus that he will contrast in the coming verses. We explore how we are incapable of living by the law as Jesus did.
Paul explains why efforts to work your way into right standing with God always fall short: not only are we incapable of abiding by the law, but Jesus also came to end or fulfill the law.
Paul makes a hugely important point in verse three: that when we seek to establish our own right-standing with God, we're attempting to inflate ourselves to God's level. We talk about how so many of us try to do this through works today.
Paul vouches for the Jewish people's zeal for God in verse two, but that zeal alone is insufficient for salvation. We explore how our zeal can get in the way of relationship.
Paul kicks off chapter 10 with his key point from these chapters: that his people of Israel would be saved. We explore salvation and its simplicity, and the Jewish people's rejection of it.
Paul ends chapter nine by quoting two verses from Isaiah that foretold that the houses of Israel would reject the cornerstone that God had promised. In other words, the church in Rome shouldn't be surprised that their family were not accepting Jesus.
Paul asks and answers "Why?" in verse 32, explaining how the people of Israel had gone wrong. We talk about the stumbling stone analogy and other stone and rock analogies in the New Testament.
Paul gives the flipside of verse 30, which is that while the Gentiles received a righteousness they did not endeavor pursuing, the people of Israel failed to reach the law they valued greater than faith.
Paul asks his frequent question to start verse 30 of "What shall we say then?". But instead of a question, he offers a true conclusion: that the Gentiles received righteousness by faith, despite not striving to attain it.
Paul quotes Isaiah again in today's verse to make the point that none of us deserve God's mercy, but instead deserve to be wiped off the planet for our sin.
Paul continues his quotation of Isaiah to make the point that not everyone will be saved. We talk about that truth, and how we, the remnant, should respond.
Paul quotes Isaiah in telling us that though God's calling is open to everyone, only a remnant will respond. I finally get to dig into the namesake verse of this devotional and why I feel strongly about our role as God's remnant here on Earth.
Paul offers a second quote from Hosea to make his point that God is always seeking to reconcile and restore His called people. We explore the point Paul makes through Hosea.
Paul quotes a verse from Hosea to help make his point about calling all walks of people to Him. We talk about Hosea and the verse that Paul quotes, and what it means for us.
In verse 24, Paul finishes the sentence he started in verse 22, but he really is introducing the next topic he intends to cover: our calling. We back up and talk about us calling to God, and introduce how he calls us too.
Paul gives the counterside to God's wrath that was discussed in verse 22. We explore how much greater God's mercy is when we know we deserve only wrath.
Paul starts a critical question here in verse 22 that he'll carry on for the next couple of verses. That question compares God's wrath with God's mercy. We start by talking about God's wrath, God's purpose for wrath, and how we deserve nothing but His wrath.
Paul carries forth his potter-clay analogy in verse 21. We look at that and step back to explore the predestination hints in Paul's message in general, and what it means for our lives.
Paul begins to answer his question from verse 19 by extending an analogy that has been made famous by Isaiah and Jeremiah. We talk about the clay-potter analogy and how Paul means it to answer the question he's asking.
Paul anticipates an objection at this point from some readers that, if God sets our steps, why does God find fault with those steps? We set up that question that we'll answer in the days to come.
Paul concludes his examples of Moses and Pharoah by stating that God chooses to have mercy on some and to harden others. We briefly cover that conclusion.
Paul quotes Exodus in yet another example of how God uses all of us differently. We dig into the story of Pharoah and how God hardened Pharoah's heart.
Paul loops back to an earlier point about earning salvation to merge the concepts of mercy, justice, and the fact that none of us can earn God's love through works.
Paul explains God's just ways by citing to God's response to Moses's intercessory prayers on behalf of the people of Israel. We start by exploring who Moses was, why God chose him, and how Moses interceded for Israel, along with God's response.
Paul is transitioning from Jacob to Moses, but before he does, he voices a potential objection some readers may have from the Jacob v. Esau example. Does God's favoring Jacob over Esau before their births mean God is unjust? We answer that and preview Paul's explanation coming in the next verses.
Paul finishes his example of Jacob and Esau by quoting Malachi. We dig into the context of this seemingly harsh verse and what Malachi meant by it.
Paul continues his Jacob-Esau example in verse 12, and we talk about how Rebekah must have felt when her family was split by the Jacob-Esau rivalry, and how good came out of that for God's kingdom. We explore another case of seeming disappointment in the line of Jacob and how it teaches us to be patient and trust.
Paul carries on his example of Jacob and Esau here in verse 11. We go over the backstory of Jacob and Esau from Genesis 25, and we talk about how God isn't constrained by our earthly sense of time, and how the things that happen in this world aren't because of our good works, but because of God's plan for us.
Paul now switches to a second example of his point that God's love doesn't spread about on people in a perfectly even manner. Today, we set up the example of Jacob and Esau by first talking about how Isaac became married to Rebekah.
Paul closes his first example with the Word of the promise, showing that from Genesis God never promised to spread his promise to each and every descendent of Abraham. We talk about what this means for us today.
Paul further explains his Isaac v. Ishmael example here in verse eight by making clear that faith beats lineage in the eyes and ears of God. We explore that concept and its roots in Abram's righteous moment from Genesis.
Paul introduces his first example of the point he makes in verse six by citing the case of Ishmael v. Isaac. We dig into that example and how it proves that salvation isn't guaranteed by birth, but through each individual's choice.
Paul tackles an issue with the ethnic Jewish people head on: there were grumblings from ethnic Jewish people that if Jesus was the only way to God, then God's word must have "failed." That's a concept Paul will dig into in coming verses, but we start by making clear that Jesus is the way to God. Period.
Paul continues listing all of the ways that his kinsmen, the Jewish people, have been special to God through generations, as a way of addressing disappointment among those ranks in the church in Rome. We address the heart of that disappointment, and preview the pivot Paul will make tomorrow with the word "But."
Paul continues identifying with the Jewish people, explaining that he knows that the Israelites were and are special to God in ways that Paul lists in verse four. But we talk about how we exist to be a blessing, not to merely be the recipient of blessings.
Paul writes a verse here that we can all identify with: that we would trade places with our loved ones if we could so that they might be rescued from being lost. We talk about what we can do to save the lost, since we cannot trade places with them.
Paul tells the ethnic Jewish members of the church in Rome that he shares in their anguish over their family members who have rejected Christ. We explore the promises of anguish-filled prayers in Pslams.
Paul starts a three-chapter rebuttal to what he surmises as a big objection from the ethnic Jewish members of the church in Rome. We start today by talking about Paul telling the church that he's speaking the truth.
Paul concludes chapter 8 by assuring us that nothing in all of creation can separate us from the love of God through Christ Jesus. We sum up where we are in Paul's letter and what Paul's practical wisdom means for us today.
Paul starts a well-known duo of verses by telling the church in Rome that he is sure of something. Tomorrow's verse ends the thought, but today we focus on how Paul, a Pharisee who persecuted Christians, could be sure of his faith.
Paul answers all of the possible feelings we might have towards God that he lists in verses 31-36 with interesting language in 37 that we are more than conquerors. We talk about that unique verse and what it means.
Paul quotes Psalm 44:22 in an effort to show that tribulation, distress, persecution, famine and other disasters aren't a new thing. But he does so to make his point that when we know God is for us, the things of this world cannot stop us.
Paul asks a final question that is the key question he's driving at. Given the love Paul has described in Romans, who are we to at times feel like God's love has left us? We talk about that love.
Paul rephrases his question from verse 33 here in verse 34, but this time answers with four actions Jesus has taken and continue to takes on our behalf. We dig into those four.
Paul asks another question and answer in verse 33, a variant on verse 31's "If God is for us, who can be against us," but this time with a litigious tinge. The answer is that God makes things right. We explore the ways that God makes things right.
Paul writes a critical verse here that if God loves us so much that He gave His only Son for us, He of course will, with Jesus, graciously give us all things. But the "things" he wants to give us aren't always what this world want. We talk about what it means to receive the things God wants to give us, as opposed to what the world wants to give us.
Paul turns to summarize the entire Jesus experience in these next nine verses, starting with the question, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" We talk about how the early church lived like no one was against them, and how today's Americans live anxious of everything.
Paul explains how we are conformed to Jesus's image with a chain in verse 30. We work through every link in that chain and talk about how that should impact our daily lives.
Paul follows the iconic verse 28 with two critical verses that explain the promise of "good" in verse 28. We learn in verse 29 that the "good" is to be conformed to the image of Jesus.
Paul further explains how God helps us in our weaknesses with this iconic verse. We dig into the promises of this verse and what it means for those who love God.
Paul follows up verse 26's explanation of how the spirit helps us in our weakness with another way the spirit helps us: by interceding for the saints in God's will. We explain who these saints are that the spirit is interceding for.
While Christians join all of creation in groaning, waiting for the second coming, Paul writes that God Himself is helping us with groans too deep for words. The key example in this verse of how He helps us is in knowing what to pray for.
Paul writes that as we wait for what we cannot see, we wait for it patiently. I talk about how I'm bad at being patient but how the new heaven is worth being patient.
After writing about our eager waiting in verse 23, Paul turns that into hope in verse 24, noting that our hope is special because it is in something not seen. We talk about that basic facet of faith and its importance.
Paul says that it's not just the creation groaning, but us as well. Why are we groaning? Because we've seen what's the come by its firstfruits.
Paul gives us another verse about creation, this time writing that the whole of creation is groaning together for fixing. We talk about what it means to groan.
Paul continues to talk about creation and how it is bound to corruption or decay. We talk about our world's decay, and how it will one day be set free.
Paul continues writing about creation, in this verse describing how creation feels the futility of this world since the fall. We talk about that futility.
Paul's first verse about the glory to be revealed delves into creation, which he says is eagerly longing for the revealing of the sons of God. We talk about how creation can sense things we can't and what that means for future glory.
Paul launches into this fantastic section on future glory by making the point here that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory to come. We talk about the fact of suffering in the world.
Paul reveals a benefit of being children of God: being his heir. We dig into how profound that was back then and how profound it is today.
Paul anticipates some questions here from people in the church in Rome who can't tell if they're filled with the Holy Spirit and can't tell if they're children of God. Paul writes that God's spirit that dwells within us acts together with our own spirit to answer that question for us.
Paul deepens his explanation of our becoming sons of God here in verse 15 by likening it to adoption. We talk about adoption in Rome and how the metaphor fits our relationship to God.
Here in verse 14, Paul introduces the concept of those who live by the Spirit becoming sons of God. We talk about how Jesus invited all of us to join Him in that Holy title.
Verse 13 gives the recipe for putting sin to death, and it includes one important phrase that is absent from the problem Paul explains in chapter seven. That added phrase is living life "by the Spirit."
Paul transitions here in verse 12 by concluding that because we are alive in Christ, we are in debt to Christ for that life. But Paul is sure to clarify that such debt is to the Spirit, and not to the flesh.
The Spirit isn't just a different way of thinking; it's powerful enough to raise Jesus from the dead. And it lives in you. It's lived in you since you first believed, and will always live in you.
Paul expands on verse nine here in verse ten by making clear that the believers have life in the spirit because they are made right with God.
Paul gives us perhaps the key verse in this section here in verse nine, assuring those reading his words that they are not in the flesh if the Spirit of God dwells within them. We talk about how we know whether the Spirit of God dwells within them.
Paul writes a simple verse here by stating plainly that those who are in the flesh cannot please God. That's an important concept, and so we explore what does and does not please God.
Paul expands his point even more in verse seven, writing that those who keep their minds on the flesh are living lives hostile to God. We talk about how that lines up with points made by James as well.
In verse six, Paul restates his point from verse five, but he changes out and develops the verse five concepts in important ways. We discuss how a life in the spirit leads to life and peace.
Paul makes clear that we control the direction of our lives (living with the flesh or living with the spirit) by what we set our minds to. We explore that and what can happen when we set our minds to the spirit.
Paul channels Matthew 5:17 in Romans 8:4 by writing that the law is fulfilled in us when we walk according to the spirit. We talk about what that means.
Paul gives us in verse three a critically important passage: that walking in the spirit is made possible because God made the ultimate sacrifice to put us back in right-standing with Him. And that allows us to live life in the spirit. We reflect on that.
Chapter eight is all about living life in the spirit. We go back to the gospels to see how they talked about the spirit, along with how the book of Acts talked about the spirit, so that we know what it is to live life in the spirit.
Paul starts chapter eight by telling the church in Rome that the fate of those living in the flesh is not the fate of those in Christ Jesus. We talk about what it means to be condemned and not condemned.
Paul wraps up chapter seven with thanksgiving, but then throws in the towel on his ability to avoid servitude to sin. Does this make sense? Yes, and we explain why throwing in the towel is exactly the mindset needed as we enter into chapter eight.
On the Fourth of July, we talk about deliverance, or rescuing. Paul, after writing a dozen or so verses about the endless sin that lies in the path of Jesus followers, asks who will deliver him from his life of sin. The answer is coming in chapter eight, but we spend a few minutes on Fourth of July talking about some things we typically turn to for rescuing, only to be disappointed.
Paul starts to sum up chapter seven here by describing the conflict within his fleshly body as a war--a war between his mind that wants to obey God's law and his body that wants to do other things. We talk about that war and how so many of us pretend that there is no war.
Paul starts a sentence in verse 22 that he'll finish in verse 23, but that start makes clear that he delights in the law that he is incapable of upholding. We talk about the greatness of God's law.
We are nearing the end of chapter seven, and this verse starts a transition from the problem (sin, even when we really don't want to sin) to the solution (Jesus and the Spirit).
Paul wraps up a series of verses here in verse 20 by concluding his big point that we are going to sin in this life. We talk about how if Paul isn't immune from sin, then we can't be either. And we preview where we'll go with that fact in chapter eight.
Paul re-states his point from verse 15, that he continues to sin even after accepting Christ. We talk about the root of how we fall short: our desire to control our lives.
Paul gives us in verse 18 the core argument he's trying to make: that no matter how hard we try to not sin, we can't help but slip up from time to time. We talk about what that really means for us.
Paul writes that sin dwelling within us can make Christians do things we don't want to do. We explore that concept by once again channeling Dwight L. Moody.
Paul makes the point here in verse 16 that when we recognize that we fall short, we acknowledge and agree with the law.
Christians still struggle with sin. Paul writes here about his own struggle, that he does the very thing he hates (sin). We explore that concept and preview the fix.
Paul changes tenses and perspective here in verse 14, and now addresses the ongoing struggles that Christians have with sin in our day-to-day lives.
Paul offers a transition here in verse 13 that both restates his question from verse seven, and then introduces where he's going for the remainder of chapter seven. The takeaway is that the law is good because it puts a label on sin and lets us know that sin leads to death.
Paul begins this verse with the word "so," signaling a conclusion flowing from the prior verses. But his conclusion isn't what we'd expect, though it's the correct conclusion. We talk about Paul's conclusion.
Paul restates his point from verses nine and ten again here in verse eleven. We talk about how our fallen human minds can't help but be "deceived" when given the opportunity.
Paul restates his point from verse nine but adds the irony of the situation--that a verse promising life produced death. We talk about backfiring laws.
Paul offers in verse nine a curious verse that has theological scholars debating its core meaning, a topic I am ill-suited to tackle. But I talk about Paul and his experiences in life.
Paul writes that there's a part of us that rebels and seeks perversity in the face of laws. We explore that through Augustine today.
Paul launches an explanation of the relationship between law and sin here in verse seven with the example of coveting, writing that he would not know what it is to covet without the law.
Paul concludes a major theme on sin, law, and our release from sin here in verse six by telling us that we have been released, and that we now serve in the new way of the Spirit.
Having talked about lives that bear fruit for God in verse four, Paul gives the opposite in verse five: lives consumed by our personal passions that bear fruit for death. We explore that concept.
Paul introduces his death-marriage analogy in verse four, writing that we are dead to our old ways and free to follow new ways in Jesus. And following new ways is meant to bear fruit.
Paul is setting up an analogy about how death changes one's legal status from adulterer to not, but we use the lead-in to talk about adultery in general.
Paul cites marriage as an example that the law of marriage exists during life but ceases at death. We use this example as an excuse to touch on marriage.
Paul starts chapter seven by noting that the law is binding only on the living. I take a little detour by talking about that legal concept.
Romans 6:23 is one of the more well-known verses in the Bible, and for good reason. Paul encapsulates first first six chapters of Romans in this one verse, writing that we earn death by sin, or we can accept the free gift of eternal life from Jesus Christ.
Paul now talks about the good fruit we get from loving God, and how that fruit leads to sanctification. We talk about sanctification and how we grow more like Jesus over time.
Paul asks what type of fruit were our lives producing when we were slaves to sin. We talk about the link between this verse and Jesus's instructions to identify false prophets by their fruit.
Paul continues his streak of excellent use of logic in verse 20, pointing out that when we were sinners we were free of righteousness, setting up a coming point that we should now be free of sin. But today we talk about that word that we translate to "righteousness."
Paul starts verse 19 by acknowledging that he's trying his best to find an analogy our flawed human minds can understand, and then hammers the point that while our prior sin led to more sin, our new righteousness leads to sanctification.
Paul sums up his point by making clear that we are no longer slaves of righteousness, but slaves of righteousness. We talk about the words Paul uses here and how they were used in the gospels too.
Paul thanks God in verse 17 that the pattern of sin has been replaced in our hearts by the "standard of teaching" or the "pattern of teaching," depending on the translation. We talk about what that teaching is, and how it is so much better than following the pattern of sin in this world.
We are hard-wired to worship. That's a fact. The question is whether we will worship things of this world, or God. We talk about what comes of worshipping things of this world.
Paul sets up the next eight verses to close our chapter six with another question--one that tweaks the question asked in verse one of chapter six. We'll answer that in the coming days, but we give a short answer today.
Paul writes that sin no longer controls us, using words that parallel verse nine. We talk about that parallel, and the new life we have under grace.
Paul offers us a long verse that says we are to offer every part of ourselves to God instead of allowing any part to be offered to sin.
Paul writes that we consider ourselves dead to sin because we need to stop sin from reigning in our mortal bodies. We talk about what it means to reign and let sin reign.
Paul writes that since Jesus died to sin, we must consider ourselves dead to sin. It's not enough that we are in fact dead to sin--it's important that each day we credit that death to sin to ourselves so that we remember our status.
Paul includes three words in the middle of verse ten that are so impactful: that Jesus died to sin "once for all." That echoes what Paul wrote in Chapter 5, that Adam disobeyed God's command once and it impacted all. We talk about those three powerful words, "once for all."
Paul follows up his transition from death to life with a verse that further fleshes out the vacuum that death now is.
If we are dead to sin, then what are we? Paul answers that in verse eight by saying that we who have died to Christ are therefore alive with Him. We talk about stories of people alive with Him.
Paul provides a succinct summation of the point he's trying to make in the first part of chapter six here in verse seven: that when we die in Christ we have been set free from sin. That's a powerful concept.
Paul again broadens his message in this verse, writing that Jesus was crucified to free us from being enslaved to sin, and that as He was crucified, our old selves were crucified with Him.
Paul broadens the message from verse four here to apply to our deaths in general--both our spiritual death and the physical--stating that since we are united with Christ in death, we shall be united with him in resurrection.
Paul analogizes our baptism with the death and resurrection of Jesus, writing that when we go underwater it is like we are buried, and when we come up it is like we are risen. All of this is so we can experience a newness of life.
Paul asks a rhetorical question in verse two, but he answers it anyway in verse three by pointing to our baptism. How does our baptism mean that we have died to sin? We lay out the meaning of baptism today, and will get to how it means we've died to sin tomorrow.
Paul answers his question from verse one here by saying that we simply cannot live in sin because we have already died to it. We unpack that major concept of dying to sin.
Paul starts chapter six by posing a question he's likely heard before from those trying to poke holes in his and Jesus's radical theology of received righteousness. We set up the question by zooming out and showing where we are in Paul's letter and where we're going.
Paul closes out chapter five by stating that not only does grace always outmatch sin, but that grace leads us to eternal life. We talk about man's quest for eternal life.
Paul is closing out chapter 5 by circling back to the concept that God gave us the law to increase the trespass. We talk about what that means, and then we talk about Paul's solution to the increased sin in the world: a superabundance of grace.
Paul writes that we have been appointed to the station of sinners, but points out the alternative path of classification: righteousness through Christ's obedience. We talk about the decision we have to move about classifications.
Paul both sums up his prior verses and pivots to new verses in verse 18, noting that one act led to our downfall and one act led to our salvation. We talk about one person can do.
Paul identifies another difference between death flowing from Adam's sin and grace flowing from Jesus's sacrifice, and shows how much greater grace is than death.
Today we get nerdy with greek word definitions and talk about how the free gift of grace, given by one man, that we have is so much more powerful than universal condemnation.
Paul quickly explains the comparison of Adam to Jesus by contrasting the effects of the two here in verse 15. Paul writes that the free gift is so much greater than the sin of Adam. We talk about that free gift.
Paul packs a lot into verse 14, including noting that Adam's transgression was unlike any other pre-Moses humans because Adam disobeyed a direct command from God. We talk about Adam's transgression and how Adam made a mark on humanity in a way that Jesus would later make a mark.
Paul supports his contention that all sinned by clarifying here in verse 13 that sin was in the world before the law, but that sin wasn't counted against the sinners.
Paul at this point realizes that he has just made a very bold claim: that we are to be so confident in our future judgment that we are to rejoice over it. He explains that confidence in the next ten verses, by examining the entrance of sin into our world through one man, Adam.
Paul concludes this grouping of verses by adding another thing to his tales of justification and reconciliation from prior verses: he adds rejoicing. Not only are we made right in our relationship with God, but we are to even rejoice in it.
Paul restates his point from verse nine here, but changes the word "justified" to "reconciled." We talk about what it means to be reconciled, and how Jesus called on us to be reconciled to those with whom we are at odds.
Paul follow up the famous verse eight with a technique where he compares a weighty thing with a light thing, in order to show that if God chose to die for us before we believed in Him (the weighty thing), how easy must it be to celebrate us at judgment day now that his wrath has been redirected (the light thing).
Paul writes one of the key verses in his letter to Christians in Rome here in verse eight. We focus in on how the verb "shows" is present tense, meaning God continues to show his love for us even today.
Paul inserts a verse here in verse seven about how humans judge morality, and how we might be willing to die for a good person, with the implication being that we would not be willing to die for a person we think of as bad. We talk about our moral code, and how God's love surpasses our humanly morals.
Paul expands on the depth of God's love for us for explaining that he sent Jesus to die not for the greatest of us or the strongest in faith, but for the ungodly.
Paul writes that our hope for judgment day shouldn't put us to shame, and the reason he gives for that is God's love. This is the first of many mentions of love in Paul's letter to the church in Rome, and we celebrate that.
Paul completes his chain in verse 4 by writing that endurance produces character, and character produces hope. We talk about how God uses suffering to mold us into tested people, which drives us to hope in Him.
After writing in verse two that we should rejoice in the glory of God, Paul starts verse three by saying we rejoice in our sufferings. How about that for a transition? We explain why we rejoice in our sufferings.
Paul tees up a series of verses on hope, so we tee up what exactly Paul meant by hope. The greek word that we translate to hope is so much more robust than how we use the word hope, and we talk about what we are to hope in.
Paul starts chapter 5 with a big word: Therefore. All of the things Paul wrote before leads up to this consequence, that through faith in Jesus, we can live in peace with God. We talk about how that differs from the peace of God, but how powerful peace with God truly is.
Paul closes chapter 4 with the central point that all of this righteousness is made accessible to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We talk about what Paul has covered in his first four chapters and where he's heading in the next four.
Paul writes that the same credit that Abraham stored up is available to us. How do we get this credit? How do we go from zero to one in the bank of Heaven? And does God then debit our account when we sin?
Paul shifts to conclude chapter 4 with several critical verses: that the right-standing with God that was credited to Abraham is not just there for Abraham; it's there for us too. How do we live with bold faith?
Paul writes that because Abraham has this genuine, unwavering faith, it was counted to Abraham as righteousness. We talk about genuine, unwavering faith, and we tell a George Muller story as an example.
Paul write that Abraham was fully convinced in the promise of God, even though his human mind initially thought it to be impossible. We talk about living lives of that kind of faith.
Paul writes that no unbelief made Abraham waver in his faith. But we know that Abraham also laughed when God first told him that he would have a son by his 90-year-old wife, Sarah. We talk about how that makes Abraham's faith genuine.
Paul writes that Abraham's faith did not weaken when he thought of how old he was and how old Sarah was, because his faith in God was so strong.
Paul writes that Abraham, when he had lost all earthly hope, had hope in God. We talk about hope.
Paul packs a lot into verse 17. He cites Genesis 17 to say that Abraham was the father of many nations. He notes that Abraham received his promise in the presence of God, in whom Abraham believed. And he praises God for giving life to the dead and creating things out of nothing. We unpack it all.
After presenting his argument for why the law cannot be the basis of the promise realized in the last several verses, Paul now presents the only solution: that faith brings about the promise, and that this promise is given freely.
Paul writes that law brings wrath. We unpack that and insert sin into that equation. And then we unpack the second half of the verse about there being no transgression without law.
Paul flips the script in verse 14 and imagines a world where we could adhere to the law and achieve right-standing before God. It nullifies some central pillars of our faith and God's word, and we talk about this great point made by Paul.
Paul starts a new section by turning to the Law itself, writing that Abraham's promise did not come through the Law but through Abraham's faith.
Paul writes that righteousness is open to anyone who follows in Abraham's footsteps of faith. We talk about faith and footsteps.
Paul writes in verse 11 that Abraham's circumcision was a sign of his faith. We talk about signs of faith and how sometimes we allow the external signs to become more important than the internal faith.
Paul answers his question from verse nine by pointing out the basic timeline of Abraham's life from Genesis: Abraham's righteousness came from his belief in God, which all came before God established His covenant with Abraham. In other words, righteousness came from faith, and not from works, in Abraham's life.
Paul asks in verse 9 whether this blessing--the blessing David wrote about in Psalm 32 of righteousness and the ability to have our sins "covered"--is available to everyone. The answer comes in verse 10, but today we talk about what it means to be blessed and to bless.
Paul quotes a second verse from Psalm 32 in support of his argument that David's life proves that we are made right through faith, rather than works. We talk about the greatness of David's faith.
Paul quotes David from Psalm 32 in today's verse. We talk about what it means to be forgiven, and how Jesus rose from the dead and overcame death as a gift of forgiveness for you.
Paul invokes a second example of his statement that we are justified by faith: David. We talk about who David was--the good and the bad.
Paul gives the counter to verse 4's explanation of wages, writing that the faith of the one who does not work but just believes is counted or credited as righteousness.
Paul follows up the brilliant use of Genesis 15:6 in verse three with a great analogy in verse four: that if works earned salvation, then God's provision of righteousness is no longer a gift, but just transferring something earned or owed.
Paul cites a key verse from Genesis that had long been misinterpreted by Jewish leaders. We unpack the major implication: that Abraham's belief was counted to him as righteousness.
Paul answers his question from verse 1, saying that if Abraham could been justified by his works, then he would have boasted about it, right? As the church in Rome knew, Abraham certain did not boast in his works, and so it fits Paul's point. We talk about how our "works" impact our lives today too.
Paul begins chapter four with a question that shows he's going to consider Abraham as a test case, or as proof of his point that we are saved by faith instead of works. We talk about Abraham's background.
Paul concludes chapter 3 by clarifying that the Law is still of value, a necessary clarification given how he hammered home how great faith is over the law in preceding verses. We talk about why the law is of critical importance.
Paul writes that God is one. That was specially written for the Jewish members of the church in Rome as a central line in a daily Jewish prayer. We talk about how one true God means he's everyone's God, and not just those who value the works of God.
Paul makes what I think is a brilliant logical argument in verse 29, that if the promise that Abraham would bless all nations is true, then God must be the God of all nations, which means that works of the law cannot be the vehicle of salvation. We talk about how God is an also God.
Paul announces a holding--a pivotal decision for the church--that we are justified by faith alone, apart from our works. We talk about what it means to be justified, and how we can receive that justification from God. (Spoiler alert: it's faith, and only faith.)
Paul circles back to the problem of the Jewish converts in the church in Rome valuing works over faith, and boasting in their works. Paul writes that boasting is out.
Paul writes what might be the central verse of the Bible here in verse 26: that at the cross God's justice met God's love. God is both just and the justifier. He is justice and love. He judges us and provides the means to gain right standing before him. And it's offered to those who have faith in Jesus.
Paul writes that God sent Jesus to turn aside God's wrath--not to lessen the wrath or compromise the wrath, but to turn it away from us and toward Himself. And it's turned away by the blood of Jesus, which is yours to receive. We talk about the difference between receiving and taking.
Paul writes that we are justified by God's grace, and that that grace comes free to us as a gift. It's not something that needs to be earned, but comes freely.
Paul has a way with words. He sums up pretty much the first three chapters of his letter in this one verse: that all of us sin and that all of us fall short of the glory of God.
Paul went chapters without identifying the fix to the problems of this world that he's spent great efforts to lay out. Now he reveals the fix: faith in Jesus Christ.
Paul starts a paragraph that Grant Osborne called the core paragraph of Romans with the words "But now." After spending around 60 verses convincing the church that they couldn't gain righteousness on their own, Paul introduces the solution: righteousness manifested on the cross.
Paul concludes his first big part of his letter to the church in Rome in verse 20 by crushing what the church in his time viewed as a means of salvation: works. People couldn't work their way into good standing with God in Paul's day, and we can't do it today. We talk about works as a barrier between ourselves and God.
The response to knowing God's law should not be a full-throated defense of our goodness, but a silent mouth that acknowledges that we fall short and need God's grace. I bank on the words of Timothy Keller and John Gerstner to make this point clear.
Paul's final old testament quote to support his contention that we are all under sin states that we have no fear of God in our eyes. We talk about the root of the fear of God, and how we should not fear anything else in this world.
Paul goes back to Isaiah to tell the church in Rome that man does not seek the way of peace. We talk more about that Isaiah verse he quotes, what it means to have straight paths, and how your life can result in divine appointments if you seek God's way.
We start with a little fun (to me, at least) -- reading some other new testament 3:16s. And then we talk about how the human experience is just one big highway to ruin and misery. Why? Because we weren't made for the things of this world. We were made for a relationship.
Paul switches from mouth, lips, tongue verses to action verses, quoting Isaiah in saying that humanity's feet are swift to evil. We carry on with the sheep herd metaphor I started the other day by talking about bison and water buffalo. Listen to try to make sense of my animal metaphors.
Paul gives us another verse about the power of our mouths, citing to Psalm 10:7 by lamenting those whose mouths are full of curses. We talk about the power of our mouths and the power of curses, and our choice between the two.
Paul cites to two verses from the Psalms to further his point that we are all under sin by talking about how we use our throat, tongue, and lips. While the Word is God-breathing, our words can be like open graves.
Paul writes that all have turned aside. We compare that to Isaiah's Fourth Servant Song, and compare our inclinations to those of sheep.
Paul continues to anchor his argument in pearls of wisdom from the Old Testament by citing Psalm 14:2 for the fact that none of us understand--we don't understand the magnitude of God's power and love.
Paul grounds his argument that all of us are under sin with a string of pearls from the Old Testament. He begins with what commentators believe to be a legal argument: that none of us have righteous standing before God.
What started in 1:18 is being concluded in 3:9-20. Verse 9 starts Paul's conclusion by stating that all of us are "under sin." We talk about what it means to be under sin.
Paul finishes his logic pretzel section with the logical conclusion that was being made by his opponents at the time: a claim that Paul's theology essentially promoted evil. We talk about that claim and the tribulation Paul faced, and that we face today.
Paul asks another pretzel-logic question in verse seven, asking if God gets glory by forgiving our sin, shouldn't we go about the world sinning, to magnify God's glory? The answer comes in verse eight, but we spoil that by talking about how we best glorify God.
Paul answers the logic pretzel questions in verse five with an emphatic "no," and says that if that were true, God couldn't act as judge. We talk about how a righteous God must exercise judgment when faced with evil.
Paul starts anticipating his words will be warped by the more argumentative members of the church in Rome, so he twists his logic into a pretzel in verse five so he can answer potential concerns. But today we mainly talk about repentance and its importance.
Paul answers the questions from verse three with the strongest words he knows for "no." God is forever faithful. But he's justified in judging a faithless people, and he cites a well-known psalm for support in that. We talk about that psalm and how we cleanse our hearts.
Paul asks another couple of questions that the readers in Rome are likely asking. Does human unfaithfulness nullify or render powerless God's promise to be faithful to his people?
Paul answers his question from verse one by telling the Jewish members of the church in Rome that they're at a huge advantage: they were entrusted with the Word of God, or the Oracles of God. We talk about the Word as God-Breathing in the here and now.
One of Paul's strengths is anticipating objections and questions from various audiences receiving his letters, and Paul shows that strength here in the start of Chapter 3 by answering the question of the Jewish readers in Rome: aren't we special? We talk about that human need to feel special.
New? Missed the first two chapter? Catch up quickly here, and then join with us to start Romans, Chapter 3.
Paul closes Chapter 2 by writing that outward expressions of faith are meaningless without inward transformation. We talk about how this applies to us today.
Paul continues telling the Jewish members of the church in Rome that their covenant is meaningless if they don't follow God's commands. He does so by saying it doesn't count if they're "merely one outwardly." We talk about how we escape from following Jesus "merely ... outwardly."
Paul tells the Jewish members of the church in Rome that they will be condemned by the Pagans if they do not keep the law. We talk about condemnation and what our role in condemnation is.
Paul writes that those outside the covenant are viewed as inside the covenant if they keep the precepts of the law. We unpack that concept and talk about how God loves everyone in ways we cannot fathom.
Paul pivots his message to the Jewish audience in Rome here to talking about the Jewish covenant with God, and how that too has been voided by their unwillingness to keep the law. We talk about how this applies to us today.
Paul finishes his dressing down of the Jewish leaders of the church in Rome by quoting a verse from Isaiah about how God's name is blasphemed because of their acts. We talk about how our churches today may be blaspheming God's name through our acts.
Paul writes that a lot of those who are boasting in the law are actually breaking the law. We talk about hypocrisy and how it pairs with what Jesus said in Matthew, Chapter 6.
Paul asks the church in Rome if they, after preaching against idol worship, rob temples. What does that mean? We talk about how this may be similar to Jesus's extension of adultery to lust, and how this applies to us.
Paul arrives at the moment when he reveals the hypocrisy of the leaders of the church in Rome. Those who are so caught up teaching others like children are revealed to not practice what they preach. We're guilty of the same today, and we talk about that.
Paul notes how the Jewish members of the church in Rome prided themselves on teaching the Gentiles, who they reduced to children-level in terms of their knowledge of the law. We compare that with Jesus's comments on children, joined by two children to opine on the matter.
Paul writes about those who consider themselves to be guides to the blind and lights to those in darkness, but challenges them to think of their own hearts. What can we take from this about our own faith?
Paul continues listing all of the ways that the Jewish members of the church in Rome were overextending good things in a way that led to their perceived superiority. What does that mean for us today?
Building off of the theme of God judging our secrets, Paul begins a sentence pointing out the hypocrisy of the church leaders in Rome. We talk about how this applies to us today.
Paul writes that we will be judged by the secrets we have. We are joined today by Rev. David Donnan, the pastor of Glennville Methodist Church, to talk about what that means. For more of Rev. Donnan, check out www.daviddonnan.com, which has links to his podcast and his social media platforms. Or visit www.glennvillemc.com for information about Glennville Methodist Church and to watch Rev. Donnan Sunday mornings via livestream.
Paul is addressing how the Jewish converts to the faith are not superior to the Gentiles within the church by noting how the Gentiles sensed the basics of the law and obeyed them, which is something the Jewish converts were failing to do because they caused strife. We talk about what it means to have the Word written on your heart.
Paul continues in this section intended for the Jewish converts to Christianity by further explaining why all will be judged, and that there's no real distinction between those from particular backgrounds.
Paul writes that hearing His Word is not enough to be justified. God wants us to hear and then "do." How do we go from hearing to doing?
Paul starts his next section by making clear that regardless of whether you had the law of Moses or not, all have sinned and all will be judged by God. We talk about some historical context to understand why Paul had to spend so much time making this point.
Paul closes this section on God's just judgment by telling us that God shows no partiality. We talk about how humans are partial even when we try not to be, but how God's impartiality is perfect.
The flip side of verse 9 (trial and tribulation for the evil) is found in verse 10 (glory and honor and peace for those who do good).
Paul writes that for those who do evil, God brings tribulation and distress. We talk about what that means and how we can avoid that fate.
After writing about the destination of those who seek God's glory, Paul then writes about what happens to those who choose the other path--those who are self-seeking are bound to suffer God's wrath.
Paul tells the church in Rome how they can receive from God eternal life, and it harkens back to the parable of the talents told by Jesus in Matthew 25. We talk about how to live a life that results in hearing "well done, good and faithful servant."
Paul writes that on judgment day, we will be judged. How we'll be judged, as we'll read in coming verses, is according to our works. We'll talk about the interplay between this verse and other parts of the Bible that say we're not saved by works but by faith alone.
Paul switches from God's kindness in verse 4 to talking about God's coming wrath in verse 5--from carrot to stick (which I boneheadedly refer to as a switch for some reason). We talk about how we store up wrath by not being honest with God.
Paul writes about the presumption that so many of us make when we experience God's blessings--that the blessings are the end-point of God's love. But really those blessings are meant to drive us closer to God and to repent.
Paul writes in verse 3 perhaps his most pointed attack on the hypocrisy of the Jewish members of the church in Rome, noting that hypocrites will not escape the judgment of God.
Paul continues his flipped script by noting that God's judgment will come on those who judge others. We talk about the parallel between this verse and Matthew chapter 7.
Paul flips the script in chapter 2 by changing the pronoun "them" to "you." He stops talking about the actions of the Gentiles and starts talking about the thoughts of the religious folks, the Jewish people. And he's talking to us, the folks who take their faith seriously, today.
If you're just checking us out or if you dropped off at some point, you can start here with a short explanation of the daily devotional and with a short recap of Chapter 1 of Romans.
Paul ends chapter 1 by explaining that we are doubly to blame for God's wrath, because we feed unrighteousness on earth by not only sinning ourselves, but giving approval to others who sin. We're still approving of sin today. How can we fix that?
Paul finishes his list of ways that we are unrighteous here in verse 31. We talk about how serious sin is, and why we have to acknowledge sin in our lives.
Paul continues his list of ways in which we act unrighteously, including being boastful.
Paul writes in verse 29 that the unrighteous were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, and then lists ways that people are unrighteous. We dig in on the final one listed in verse 29: gossiping.
This verse has the third of three times where Paul writes that God "gave them up" to some consequence. We talk about what this verse means and why God lets us suffer consequences.
Paul continues to call out one way that the Greco-Romans were dishonoring their bodies. We talk about sin and the best way to handle sin in ourselves and others.
Paul gives an example of what he wrote about in verse 24, how we dishonor our bodies, by writing in verse 26 about one specific way that the Greco-Roman world was dishonoring their bodies. That's what we're talking about today.
Paul gives the second of three "exchanges" in this section, the exchange of truth for a lie. We talk about what truth is and how we trade it for the lies that continue to this day. And we talk about Paul's exuberance for his Creator by throwing in a phrase, "who is blessed forever! Amen." We talk about how we can reflect Paul's exuberance in our lives.
Verse 24 starts with the word "Therefore," which means "consequently." Everything that Paul has been writing about has a consequence, and Paul writes in verse 24 is that the consequence is becoming consumed with our lusts, or over-desires. We talk about the difference between desires and over-desires.
Flowing from the fork-in-the-road verse about choosing between God and futile thinking, Paul gives three "exchanges" we make, and this is the first of those "exchanges." This verse talks about how we exchange God for images of mortal man, and we talk about what that means in today's terms.
A seven-word verse follows the big fork-in-the-road verse we discussed yesterday. Paul cuts down the so-called wise philosophers in the culture at the time. We talk about that.
In the ESV translation, Paul has six verses in a row that start with "For." This is the last of those six verses--the verse they all build to. And this final verse perfectly encapsulates a fork in the road for humans and each of us: honoring God and futility. We talk about that fork and which ones humans have chosen.
Verse 20 picks back up with Paul's contention that the Gentiles should have sought God just from seeing his world, ending by saying that all are without excuse.
After writing that God's wrath comes to all, Paul anticipates an objection by the Gentiles in the church in Rome that they didn't know any better. Paul counters that objection by pointing out that God is plain to all. We talk about what that means.
After writing about the righteousness of God, Paul flips to the unrighteousness of men, which Paul writes draws the wrath of God.
One of the most profound, complex, and debated verses in Romans is verse 17. I do my best to unpack double meanings and talk about how we might meditate on this verse to help us realize that all righteousness we receive in God is for one reason: faith.
There's a reason this verse is underlined in my old NIV bible. Paul packs two big messages into this verse: (1) that the gospel may be offensive to some, but that he is not ashamed of it; and (2) that the power of God for salvation is available to everyone who believes.
Paul ends his section on his longing to visit the church in Rome. To whom is Paul eager to preach the gospel? To everyone, including you.
Paul writes that he is "under obligation" to Greeks and barbarians. Why does Paul use the word "obligation"? We discuss that today.
Paul writes that he wants to be encouraged by the church in Rome, and in this verse he tells the Romans that he wants to enjoy the harvest at the church--to see how it has grown through the word.
Paul writes that he wants to impart some spiritual gift to the church in Rome so that they might be mutually encouraged--meaning Paul hopes to encourage and to be encouraged. We talk about how we might encourage each other today.
Paul tells the church in Rome that he wants to visit them so that he might share some spiritual gift with them so that they might be strengthened. We touch on what spiritual gifts are and we might use them in our lives.
We pick back up with ceaseless prayer in today's devotional by talking about what Charles Spurgeon wrote on what it means to pray without ceasing.
In verse 8, Paul wrote that the church in Rome was proclaimed in all the world for its faith. Now in verse 9, Paul writes that he prays without ceasing for the church in Rome. I think the ceaseless prayer causes the faith proclaimed in all the world.
My six-year-old son Gray joins us to read today's verse and tell us about what our churches should be known for.
Paul ends his salutation to the church in Rome by wishing them peace from God. Today's devotional digs into what peace from God really means and how we can achieve it.
We're been reading Paul's greeting to the Romans and how Paul identifies himself first and foremost in Jesus Christ. In this verse, Paul tells us that this identity in Christ isn't just for apostles--it includes you.
Paul's greeting packs nearly every new testament theme into his greeting, including three themes in verse 5 alone: grace, apostleship, and obedience of faith.
Paul's greeting to the Romans, who he had never met, is unconventional by today's standards, but it shows that Paul identified himself first and foremost as a servant of Jesus. Today's devotional talks about how we identify ourselves.
Paul continues talking about how the gospel fulfils old testament promises, specifically that God's throne would endure forever through the offspring of David. Today's devotional talks about that promise and what it meant when God became flesh.
Paul's second verse in his letter to the Romans makes clear that the gospel was promised beforehand in the old testament. Today's devotional talks about God's fulfilled promises.
Paul begins his letter to the Romans by telling them that he has been set apart for the gospel of God. But what does it mean to be set apart for the gospel?
This introductory episode explains what this daily devotional is and what to expect going forward.