1 Corinthians 3:5-23

We live in a celebrity obsessed culture. People who are simply famous for being famous capture millions of views and have influence without expertise. 1 Corinthians 3 shows us this is not a new phenomenon. In the early church people were focused on people like Paul, Apollos, and Cephas and bragged about their connection to them. Instead, attention, affection, and loyalty are to be on Jesus alone. If you think you are immune to this, do you ever find your faith affected by the falls or scandals of Christian leaders? Do you find yourself drawn to celebrity preachers more than flesh and blood people right in front of you?

Sadly, many people have tied their faith to earthly leaders who, when caught in a scandal, cause them to throw away their faith. They believe hypocrisy invalidates the gospel. We should celebrate faithful life-long examples of following Jesus but we need to ensure that our commitment is to the only faithful, perfect, and righteous one. Jesus is the one who died on the cross for our sins; no one else. Jesus is the one who sent the Holy Spirit; no one else. Jesus is the one who rose from the dead; no one else. Therefore, we need to make sure that our attention is on him. We can learn from sermons, we can be mentored by leaders, but all those things should ultimately point us to Christ. Everyone is imperfect except Christ, so our eyes, faith, and lives need to be centered around him and him alone.

Father God, help my ultimate loyalty be to you alone. Help our church to find unity in your Son and keep you at the core of everything. Amen.

How can you ensure Christ remains the foundation of everything in your life?

1 Corinthians 2:6-3:4

Paul continues to dive deep into the concept of wisdom. How would you define wisdom? How would you get it? Paul wants us to understand that true wisdom cannot be found through our own efforts but can only be revealed by God. Paul speaks of “God’s secret wisdom” in 2:7. This revealing what was formerly hidden is an apocalypse. We often use this word to speak of end times events, but the root meaning of apocalypse is simply something previously hidden that has now been revealed. In Christ we have the full revelation of wisdom and we have access to this same wisdom through the Spirit. To understand the things of God, we do not need greater intelligence, but the Spirit. The Spirit is the one who is able to help us understand Scripture and apply it to our lives by giving us "the mind of Christ."

We can think God's thoughts when the Spirit makes them clear to us. The ultimate hindrance to wisdom is sin. When we are walking in sin, we cannot walk with God. Therefore, if we want to think like Christ, then we need to live like Christ. The closer we walk with God and his Spirit, the more we will know the thoughts, will, and mind of Christ. So, if you want to have an apocalypse draw near to God and live transformed. Call out for God's Spirit to lead your thoughts and steps and he will direct you.

Father God, teach me your ways. Help me to seek your Spirit so he might lead me in paths of wisdom. Amen. 

How can you improve your relationship with the Holy Spirit?

1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5

Is your life marked by wisdom? How do you even determine this? As we read through the letter of 1 Corinthians, we will discover what true wisdom looks like and realize it is very different than what we encounter in the world.

Paul uses the words wisdom and foolishness multiple times in 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5. Paul speaks of the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God. The wisdom of the world is marked by power, success, IQs, degrees, and wealth. Paul could not be clearer that this is not true wisdom in verse 25 when he says, “The foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom.” True wisdom is sourced in God and modeled perfectly in the life of Jesus. This wisdom is marked by humility, service, obedience, and Spirit empowerment, with the ultimate display of wisdom coming through the death and sacrifice of Jesus. To the world Christ’s death was a shame and utter foolishness, but to us it is our source of life, joy, and hope. We need eyes to see the wisdom of God and not allow it to be overshadowed by the wisdom of the world. Choose to think like Jesus, not like the CEOs, politicians, and professors of our day. Choose to live in God’s wisdom even when that pits us against the common sense of our culture.

Father God, help me to walk in your wisdom. Open my eyes to the foolishness of the world and give me a heart to walk in your ways. Amen. 

Where do you see the wisdom of the world clashing with God’s wisdom? How can you ensure that you walk in God’s ways rather than our culture?

1 Corinthians 1:1-17

What is core to your identity? You might begin an introduction with your name, job, number of kids, place where you grew up, etc., but Paul tells us some of the most important aspects of our identity in verse 2. In this verse he identifies the church as those who are sanctified and called to holiness, and those who call on the name of the Lord. When is the last time you introduced yourself as sanctified? Probably never, and let us be honest, it would be rather weird, but as we think about ourselves, this is who we are. We have been set apart by God as his child, as his loved one, and as someone declared righteous. We have been made holy and only secondly are called to pursue holiness. Our identity as someone who has been sanctified should be reflected in practical ways in our lives. We do not try to earn the moniker of holy, but instead, seek to live up to who we are.

The language of “those…who call on the name of our Lord” speaks to the fact that we are in a relationship with Jesus. As in all our relationships, communication with God should be evident and prevalent. We should be calling out to him in every circumstance of life. We should live according to who we are. Our identity is not ultimately in any of the transitory things of earth but is based on our eternal relationship with Christ. He is the one we need to look to and in whom we need to remain rooted.

Father God, thank you that you have made me holy and through the work of Christ I can always draw near to you. Amen. 

How can you more deeply root your identity in Christ than the things of this world?

Romans 16:10-27

When we enter a relationship with Jesus, we also have a relationship with the church. The moment we are born again, we are born into a new family. Throughout Romans we have seen the importance and value of relationships, and Paul ends his letter by highlighting this same truth. Are you living out of this reality, that relationships with people are an essential part of the Christian life?

Notice the number of greetings in Romans 16. They are to greet men, women, Gentiles, Jews, young people and older ones, socially elite, and poor. As the church we are siblings with people who are very different from us. This diversity is a beautiful part of God’s family and should be evident in the way we love all people. Fighting against us is Satan who is always working to bring division. God calls us to unity and love, while Satan is seeking to destroy everything that is good and beautiful. Therefore, we must constantly guard against anything that destroys relationships. We need to fight against gossip, hatred, dissension, lying; instead pursue truth, love, and unity. These are the values of our family, so we should make sure they are evident in our lives and in our relationships.

Father God, help our church to experience the unity Christ died to bring. Help us to love and serve each other well. Help us be a beacon of love and acceptance of all people in a world of hatred and lies. Amen. 

What practical steps can we take to ensure our greetings make everyone feel wanted in God's family?

Romans 15:23-16:9

Generosity. We probably love the idea but find it hard to live it out. In Paul and the early church, we are confronted by a model of extravagant generosity. Paul traveled throughout the Mediterranean region and expended himself to make Christ known. He knew that his life was not his own, but rather was an instrument to be used by God. So, he willingly traveled in insufferable conditions to proclaim Jesus. He was generous with his time, his love, and his life for the sake of others. His whole life was focused on being a disciple who made disciples.

Paul was one example of generosity, but so was the rest of the church. Paul mentions the churches in Macedonia and Achia who made a monetary collection to benefit the church in Jerusalem. They gave out of their abundance to help those in need. They were also “pleased to make a contribution.” Paul did not have to guilt them into their gift; but instead, they were excited, delighted, and eager to be generous.

As you consider the examples of generosity in Romans 15- 16, how well are you displaying generosity. Are you looking to respond to the needs around you with your time, treasure, and talent? The more we recognize all that we have received from God, the more excited we should be to share all God’s good gifts with those around us.

Father God, give me a generous heart. Help me to respond to those around me by willingly giving up my time, money, and expertise for others. Amen.

How can you cultivate a life of generosity?

Romans 15:1-22

The general morality of our day is that we can do whatever we want if it does not hurt anyone else. Though this may sound reasonable on the surface, God calls us to a far higher standard than simply not doing harm. He calls us to “please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself.”

God’s ethic is to be willing to sacrifice and serve others. We are to ask ourselves whether we are helping others, not avoiding harm. Notice the major contrast between the ideas of the world and the ideas of God. One view says do whatever you want and live for your own pleasure, with only minimal restrictions. On the other hand, God tells us to love, to please, and to serve others. We are to consider what is best for others and not simply what is easiest or most convenient for us. The ultimate model for this is Jesus. He willingly laid down his life for us. The eternal Son of God came as a servant and always lived for others rather than himself. This is the attitude we are to take. We are to live for the glory of God and the good of others. So, we pursue unity, accept one another, serve, and instruct one another. May this be the way we live today and every day.

Father God, help me to live to please others for their good. Help me to seek to follow in the footsteps of Jesus by being a servant. Amen. 

Why is it so easy to live to please ourselves rather than God and others?

Romans 14:1-23

Paul continues in Romans 14 with the theme of relationships. In this chapter we are challenged to consider how we respond to people with whom we do not see eye to eye. When we interact with someone with whom we disagree on non-Biblical commands, we are to respond with humility, sensitivity, and love. The issues may range from schooling, entertainment, use of free time, ways we spend money, or, as in Romans 14, the food we eat or the days we consider special. Our initial response to these people can be to argue and try to prove that we are right. Instead, God tells us to agree to disagree (on things to which the Bible does not speak clearly) and choose love.

This may seem like post-modern relativism, but on nonmoral issues, two different answers can both be right. What is right for someone else may not be right for us. What is essential is that all people look to God and live to please him. Verse 19 says, "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.” We are to live in a way that pursues harmony and the maturity of others. We are to be more concerned about others than about us asserting our rights or being right.

Father God, may your Spirit clearly lead me in every area of life. Help me to obey what you have clearly told me and, in areas where you have not spoken, help me to walk in the freedom and guidance that your Spirit gives. Amen. 

Why do we so often want to prove we are right on areas where the Bible does not clearly speak? How can we actively work on responding with love and humility in these situations?

Romans 13:1-14

In the middle of a section describing our relationships, Paul comments on our relationship with "governing authorities" (v.1). For many of us, we may vacillate between apathy, love, and hatred toward the government, but we do not see those options laid out in Romans 13. Instead, we are to be subject to and submit to them.

When Paul wrote Romans his government was heinous. Nero was the emperor. A man who was considered corrupt, thought to have started a fire that killed at least hundreds to clear land for himself, married a young boy, and intensely persecuted Christians. Yet even in the face of this, Paul challenges Christians to live in submission to the government. There are many in the Bible who cannot do what the government is asking of them (see Daniel, the apostles, etc.), but even these acts are done with gentleness, humility, and submission. There are exceptions, but our general posture should be one of obedience to the government God has placed over us. So, as you consider how you feel about your local, state, and federal government, consider how well you are obeying the commands of Paul. In every relationship we represent Christ, including our relationship with the government. So, pray for and submit to those who are governing authorities over you.

Father God, help me to submit to the governing authorities. I pray for authorities who are wise and love you, but regardless, help me to respond to them in the way you call me to respond. Amen. 

How did Romans 13 challenge or correct the way you view your relationship toward the government?

Romans 12:1-21

Our thoughts control our actions. The way we think controls our destiny. So, what consumes your thoughts? Do you think like the world or think like God?

Romans 12 challenges us to make sure that our thoughts reflect those of God. Rather than being conformed to the thinking of the world we instead should be “transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Our thoughts should be different when we have a relationship with Christ. We should think differently about ourselves because we can embrace humility rather than pride. We understand we need other people as part of the body of Christ. Thus life is about God and others, not about us. Further, we think differently about others because we see them as people to love instead of competition. We are to be devoted to others, serving people, and practicing hospitality. We learn to think about our enemies as people to love rather than those we want to respond with vengeance, hatred, and animosity.

God’s work in our lives should transform the way we think about everything. Then, as we think differently, we will find our hearts changing and conforming more to the likeness of Christ.

Father God, help me to think your thoughts. Help me to conform my thinking and my life to you. Amen. 

What is one way your thinking still needs to be transformed to reflect Christ?

Romans 11:13-36

God is faithful. How have you seen this in your life? What has caused you to doubt this? The challenge of believing comes from our need to gain God’s perspective. There are always going to be circumstances which cause us to doubt what God is doing, so we need to learn an eternal perspective. Romans 11 helps us to see a glimpse of what this looks like.

One of the questions Paul addresses is how can God be faithful when so many Jewish people have rejected Jesus as Messiah. Many wondered whether God had simply cast aside the Jewish people and moved on. Had he given up on his promises to Israel? We see Paul making the point that God still has a plan for them because his "gifts and his call are irrevocable" (v.29). As we have seen previously in Romans, when God makes a promise, he sees it through to the end. This means that a day will come when "all Israel will be saved" (v.26). Prior to Christ's return, a huge throng of Jewish people will come to saving faith in Christ as the one and only Messiah who came into the world to fulfill all of God's promises. Today it may seem like God is ignoring Israel, but the perspective of Romans 11 is that God still loves them and will bring a huge number to salvation. So, in our own lives we can embrace this same concept of faithfulness. Whenever our circumstances are confusing, we should remember God’s unfailing faithfulness to Israel and his faithfulness to us.

Father God, thank you that you are faithful to me, to the church, and to Israel. Help me to follow you with my life. Amen. 

How should God’s faithfulness to Israel impact your life?

Romans 10:14-11:12

How do you feel about sharing Christ with others? Does this excite you or leave you petrified? Are you already starting to get sweaty palms and butterflies in our stomach? Regardless of how we feel, Christ has called us all to be participants in this work. There are no spectators when it comes to the work of evangelism.

God’s plan for people coming to faith in him is regular, ordinary people sharing Christ with others. There is no back-up plan, no alternative, there is simply us. Notice the progression in verses 14-15. No one can call on God if they do not first place their faith in him, and no one can trust in Christ without hearing the gospel. They cannot hear the gospel unless someone preaches to them, and no one will preach unless they have been sent. God’s solution to people needing to place their faith in him is to send people out to preach the gospel, namely you. You are the means which God has chosen to save the world. So, go! Realize that you are sent today to go out and preach the gospel so that people might hear, believe, and call out to God. They might not respond as chapter 11 describes, but our responsibility is not to somehow save people (that is God’s job). Our responsibility is to share the gospel message. To do this work helps us to live in light of our ultimate mission of being disciples who make disciples.

Father God, help me to live for the mission you have given to me. Help me to get over my fears and insecurities so I can more effectively share you. Amen. 

How does knowing that you have been sent by God to share the gospel impact how you feel about evangelism?

Romans 9:25-10:13

Jesus is the great equalizer. He is the way, the truth, the life, and the source of salvation for the world. It is through him that anyone regardless of their sins, ethnic background, or education can find life. Since Jesus is the only way to God, he is either our way to God or the “stone that causes men to stumble.”

Paul wrote Romans roughly 30 years after Jesus’ death and resurrection. During this time a massive number of Gentiles had come to faith. What began as a largely Jewish movement, has now become a multi-ethnic reality. In many places the number of Gentiles was much higher than Jews, which caused people to wonder what would happen to Israel. Did God still care about them? Did he still have a plan for them? In Romans 9-11, Paul helps to deal with these issues, but first he begins by clarifying the reality of the gospel. All people are saved by faith in Jesus. Many Jewish people struggled with accepting Jesus as the Messiah, seeing him as the end of the law, and submitting to God’s plan. Yet salvation for all people, Jews and Gentiles, comes through faith. This was true in Paul’s day, and it is true in ours. So, our response should be to ensure we believe and proclaim Christ to everyone we can.

Father God, help me to proclaim the message of Christ to everyone I can. Thank you for offering salvation to sinners like me. Amen. 

What causes people you know to stumble over the idea that Jesus is their savior?

Romans 9:1-24

How well do you love people? Paul, in living out God’s love, gives us a powerful model of what love looks like. Romans 9:3 says, “I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers…” Paul would be willing to go to hell and be separated from God for all eternity if that meant Jewish people would come to faith. That is love! He would be willing to give up heaven in order that others might be with God. Do you have even a fraction of that sacrificial love in you? If we have experienced God’s love, grace, mercy, and salvation, then it should well up within us powerful displays of love and sacrifice for others.

This love which Paul has for his people is ultimately a shadow of the love which Jesus has for everyone (though the focus of chapters 9-11 is on Israel). Jesus was willing to be forsaken by the Father, die a gruesome death, experience death for three days, and take the weight of the sins of the world upon himself out of love. He essentially experienced what Paul described in verse 3. He was cut off from the Father for us. What powerful love Jesus has for us and what powerful love we are called in response to the love we have received.

Father God, thank you that I am loved by you. Thank you that through your sovereign election I am part of your family. Help me to love others in a way that reflects your love. Amen. 

What will it look like for you to embrace a sacrificial love for others today?

Romans 8:26-39

I was talking with someone recently who experienced fear because they did not have eternal security. Our conversation led to the conclusion that either our salvation has been secured through the work of Jesus, or it is up to us. If it is our responsibility to hold on to our salvation, then there is lots of room for fear and uncertainty. If it is based on the finished work of Jesus, then we can have absolute assurance and confidence.

This is the argument Paul makes in Romans 8. God wants us to understand that regardless of our present circumstances our salvation is secure. We do not need to walk in fear because of God’s unchanging character and his work. Verse 27 tells us the Holy Spirit is continually interceding on our behalf. Verses 28-30 remind us that God will finish the work of salvation he has begun. Verses 31-39 say God is for us; therefore, we do not have to worry about anything separating us from him. Since salvation is initiated by God, available through him, and completed by his power, we are secure. No earthly security matches the confidence we can have in knowing we are God’s child and saved.

Father God, thank you that I am your child because of what Christ did for me on the cross. Help me to live in response to the eternal security I have in you. Amen. 

How can the security we have in Christ impact our mentality?

Romans 8:9-25

We have all probably driven a remote-controlled car. We have the controller in our hands as we attempt to steer a miniature car. Our ability to manipulate the tiny controls determines where the car goes. In the same way we see in Romans 8:9-21 the person who controls our lives will determine our destiny. So, who has the controls of your life?

Paul tells us that there are two potential drivers of our lives. The first is us. If we live according to our sinful nature, we will find our destination is death, our motivation fear, and our attitude frustration. In contrast, when we give the Spirit control of our lives we will find a radically different reality. When the Holy Spirit steers us, we will experience life. We will enjoy a close relationship with our Father and have our eyes set on the future glory that awaits. As we consider these two different roads we can go down, it should be obvious that “we have an obligation” to live by the Spirit. We can drive our lives into a ditch, or can give control over to God and live in freedom and joy. So, which will you choose? Will you live in the way of death, or enjoy the experience of life?

Father God, help me to walk in hope, joy, and peace, and not in fear. May I experience the life your Spirit and Son have made available to me. Amen. 

What will it look like for you to give control over to the Spirit?

Romans 7:14-8:8

Have you ever done something you wish you had not done? Have you ever committed a sin and afterward wondered why you did it? Of course you have! This is a reality of living in our fallen world but this does not have to be the way we live.

Romans 7:14-8:8 describes the spiritual battle which wages inside each of us. We find ourselves constantly failing to live a righteous life, and Paul says this is due to the war within us. Even as believers our flesh/sinful nature and our longing to obey God are constantly in tension with each other. On our own we could never please God, but thankfully Christ has done all that is necessary to free us from condemnation. Since we are free from under the cloud of guilt and shame, we can now choose to live "according to the Spirit” (8:4). On our own we will fail, but we can overcome through the Spirit. We can walk victoriously, set our mind on what the Spirit desires, please God, and experience the life and peace which Christ died to give us. Freedom is available and victory is possible, but this is only possible through a continual yielding to God’s work.

Father God, help me to be empowered and filled by your Spirit so that I can live in a way that pleases you and allows me to walk in the fullness of life. Amen. 

What would it look like for you to set your mind on what the Spirit desires and live yielded to the Spirit?

Romans 7:1-13

How are we as New Testament believers supposed to interact with the Mosaic Covenant? Are we still supposed to follow the laws given to Israel or can we ignore them? These are questions that often puzzle people. Paul in Romans 7 wants us to understand the purpose of the law so we can know what we should do with it. The purpose of the law was largely to magnify sin. It was meant to be a tutor that pointed out our extravagant sinfulness. It could not save; it could only condemn. In fact, every rule it provided only added to the tally of sin. Thankfully, because of Jesus this no longer needs to be our situation. Once we are under Christ, we are forgiven and can live in a new way. We are no longer condemned by the law but freed to live in godliness and holiness. Verse 6 puts it clearly that “we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.” Using the marriage metaphor of verses 1-3, we are no longer married to the law since it has died, so now we can be joined to Christ. A new, better, more beautiful way has been opened for us. So, let us choose to not be simply a rule follower but a Spirit-led individual who walks in the power of the Spirit in every situation.

Father God, thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Help me to be led by him into ways that glorify you. Amen.

What are some of the ways the Holy Spirit is superior to laws/rules? What would it look like for you to be led by the Spirit?

Romans 6:1-23

Dead to sin? Alive in Christ? What does it mean? It means we have the power of his resurrection at our disposal to resist sin. The Greek word for power is dunamis, the root of the word dynamite. We have available to us dynamite power to resist sin. The imagery of baptism speaks first to the fact that we proclaim our sinful nature dead with Christ. Then as we come out of the water, we state we are alive in him with the same power that raised him from the grave. Through him we have life and the dynamic power to resist sin. The Greek word baptizo (to dip, plunge, or immerse) translated baptism was used for dyeing clothes. The cloth was dipped into the bowl of dye and the material absorbed the dye. When the cloth was lifted from the dye, it changed. It had taken on the properties of the dye and possessed a new identity.

As Christians our sins are forgiven by Christ’s death, therefore, we have his resurrection dynamite power to resist sins in our life. We do not resist sin by trying harder or gritting our teeth and overcoming sins in our own strength. No, we overcome our sins by asking God to empower us to not yield to the sin, relying on the Holy Spirit to resist the sin, and yielding to our changed life in Christ.

Father God, help me to claim your resurrection power to resist sin and become transformed into your likeness. Amen. 

What sin(s) can you surrender to his resurrection power?

Romans 5:6-21

How do you know God loves you? What causes you to not see God as an angry tyrant in the sky who is constantly trying to punish you? A universal human longing is to know we are loved. We often spend our lives trying to earn love from people and to merit love. We try to perform so people will love us, we try to love others hoping to receive it back, and we attempt to be found lovable. Yet as Romans 5 points out we often live unworthy of love. We all sin and therefore deserve punishment, not love.

Thankfully God’s love is a counter to our sin and is based on grace, not our performance. God loved us when we were opposed to God, rebelled against him, and failed to worship him. He proved his love for us through Jesus’ death. There are moments when we may feel alone, unloved, or unwanted, but in these moments, we need to turn back to the truth of Romans 5:8. We need to turn back to Christ and remember that we are truly loved by God. Nothing we do can remove his love, and nothing we do can make him love us more. No matter our feelings, we need to embrace the truth presented in this passage—we are definitively loved by the God of the universe.

Father God, thank you for your love. Help me to rest in your love and live from this place of being loved. Amen. 

What makes you doubt God’s love for you? How does the cross definitively prove you are loved?

Romans 4:13-5:5

The Bible is filled with God’s promises. In Romans 4 Paul zeroes in on one specific promise, God’s promise to Abraham. One of the promises which God made to Abraham is he would have children like the sand in the desert and the stars in the sky. Yet when he was 99, he still had zero children of promise. Abraham’s response to this seemingly absurd situation was faith. He continued to trust God even when it seemed impossible for him to come true. Abraham could do nothing to bring about the fulfillment, but God could. So, Abraham simply trusted God, and as always, God came through.

This promise given roughly 4000 years ago continues to impact us today since Jesus is the ultimate child of promise. God was faithful to Abraham, and he is faithful to us. We need to simply cling to our faithful God. Sometimes circumstances can make faith difficult. When we go through suffering and need perseverance, it can be hard to cling to God as Romans 5 describes. We want comfort, happiness, and ease, but God has a greater purpose for us. This ultimate purpose is for us to dwell with God forever, a promise we are still waiting for its fulfillment, but one that will certainly come true. So, let us remember how God has been faithful, how he is presently faithful, and embrace the hope that comes from knowing he will be faithful into the future.

Father God, thank you for your faithfulness. Help me to trust you regardless of my circumstances and live fueled by hope. Amen. 

What makes it hard for you to trust God? What would help to increase your faith?

Romans 4:1-12

If you grew up going to Sunday School you probably remember the song “Father Abraham”. A cute song which comes right out of Romans 4. On the surface it may seem slightly cryptic, but it helps us to understand that Abraham is the paradigm and “father” of faith in the Bible. Abraham believed God when he was told to leave his land and family for the Promised Land. He did this when he knew very little about God and before he entered a covenant with God where circumcision was the sign. This faith then becomes an example for everyone who is not circumcised (all Gentile people). Just like Abraham they can have righteousness credited to their account through belief. Paul then goes on to argue that Abraham is also the father for Jewish believers as well. Salvation/righteousness comes to every single person simply by faith.

If Abraham is not enough of an authority, Paul quotes David to show that righteousness has always been received by faith and not through works. Every generation struggles to embrace the truth of salvation by grace through faith, but when we come back to the Bible, we rediscover that grace has always been God's method of saving people. So let us embrace God's grace and ensure that those around us are placing their confidence in Christ's finished work; not in their own ability to perform enough works.

Father God, help me to walk by faith and share what Christ has done with all you have placed in my life. Amen. 

Why do we struggle with embracing salvation by grace through faith rather than works? Why is this essential for us to know and communicate?

Romans 3:9-31

What are the essentials of the gospel you would want to share with someone? This is one of the most important things to think through in the process of making disciples. Thankfully, we do not have to make it up, the Bible tells us what the important things are to share. Romans 3:23-24 provides us with a great summary of the gospel. These verses give us the key truths that we need to communicate. First, we all need righteousness. Since everyone has sinned, we cannot earn our own salvation. We need forgiveness, grace, and mercy, and therefore cannot work our way to eternal life. Second, righteousness can only be received through faith. We receive grace as a gift from God through faith. It is not about our morality or religious activity, but simple faith. Third, the object of our faith must be Jesus. Jesus alone offers us grace through his death on the cross. A vague belief in God is not what provides righteousness, instead it is faith in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. So, the next time you strike up a conversation with someone who is far from Christ. See, if you can help them to understand our sinfulness, our need for grace, and the sacrifice of Christ.

Father God, thank you for the gift of salvation. Thank you for redeeming me. Help me to proclaim what Christ has done for others. Amen. 

Which one of the three truths in Romans 3 do you find hardest to communicate? How can you more effectively communicate this truth to our world?

Romans 2:25-3:8

If salvation is by grace through faith, why do anything at all? Why not just sit back, sin a bunch, or be apathetic toward God when you have placed your trust in Jesus? If you have ever thought these things, then Romans 2-3 is for you.

As Paul points the church in Rome toward the truth that they are saved by grace through faith, he addresses the purpose of religious activities Paul uses the test case of circumcision to make his point. This is not an issue we are concerned with today, but it was an essential issue for the Jewish people Paul was writing. As we work our way through his argument, it may be helpful to substitute Bible reading, prayer, church attendance, obedience, etc. Paul makes the point that external activities only have value when they are connected to the heart.

When we have life in Christ, this life should be revealed through our behavior. For Old Testament Jews physical circumcision had no value by itself, but it had value as an act of obedience in response to salvation. If we do things to earn God's love or our salvation, then they are empty and vain, while anything we do as an act of love and obedience to God has value. So, let us walk in transformed lives flowing out of new hearts instead of just dry external deeds.

Father God, help me to follow you with all that I do. May all I do be a response to the grace and love I have received from you. Amen.

Why do we often think that we must earn God's love and thus live never knowing if we are good enough?

Romans 2:1-24

We cannot live without making judgments. We daily make moral judgments about what is right and wrong, and we constantly make judgments about how to spend our lives. Further, we constantly evaluate others based on our understanding of truth. Romans 2 points out that all these judgments may be incorrect and even when they are accurate, we may be guilty of the very judgments we make of others. There is only one accurate, perfect judge, God.

Since God is the ultimate judge of all things, we need to ensure we will receive the verdict of innocence rather than guilt. For, there are only two possible outcomes in eternity. All people will receive either eternal life or wrath and anger. If we only had Romans 2:5-10 and not the rest of the Bible, we might think that eternal life is dependent on our morality, but it is clearly not. Those who live by faith will reveal it in the way we live, but ultimately, we are saved by grace through faith. Faith is what saves, but true faith is never without works. Paul and James remind us of this reality. So let us share Christ with those who are currently headed to wrath, let us live in a way that reflects our salvation, let us walk in humility that comes from knowing that we did not earn or deserve eternal life, and let us live with assurance that comes from knowing God’s judgment over us is that of vindication and eternity.

Father God, thank you for the gift of salvation and that I can know that I have eternal life and do not have to fear final judgment. Amen. 

Why do people ignore the fact that people go to heaven or hell based on what they do with Jesus?