July 12, 2023
“For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile” (Romans 1:16 NLT). In the apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, he announced his desire to visit them and preach the gospel. He received his wish
July 13, 2022
CREATION REVEALS THE CREATOR In the apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, he taught that all humanity was under God’s wrath because they had rejected even the most basic revelation He had given them, namely, creation itself. This is what theologians call General Revelation or Natural Revelation, which is the knowledge of God available to
July 12, 2022
PAUL’S PRAYER FOR OPPORTUNITY Towards the end of 57 AD, on his third missionary journey, Paul penned this letter to the believers in Rome while he was working in Corinth. He probably heard about the believers in Rome from his new friends, Aquila and Priscilla, who had been deported with other Jews by Claudius Caesar
July 12, 2021
NOT ASHAMED In the apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, he announced his desire to visit them and preach the gospel. He received his wish towards the end of his life, though not as he probably planned. For he was brought to Rome in chains, having appealed to Caesar. Yet for two years, he faithfully
July 12, 2020
I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL In the apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, he announced his readiness to visit them and preach the gospel. He got his desire towards the end of his life, though not as he probably planned. For he was brought to Rome in chains, having appealed to Caesar. Yet
July 12, 2019
SPIRITUALLY ENCOURAGING GET-TOGETHERS This is what “get-togethers” should accomplish–– mutual encouragement of our faith. By the way, thanks to all for the birthday greetings today. You’ve encouraged me. I look forward to encouraging you back, when we get-together again! PRAYER: Lord, help us to always share our spiritual gifts with one another, so that
October 14, 2018 | Romans 1:18-32 |
Why do we need the gospel? Is it so we can be better parents, have better marriages, experience greater happiness? Sure, these are benefits of receiving the gospel by faith. But no, they do not get at the real reason that we need the gospel. We need the gospel because we have offended God’s righteousness. We have rebelled against God and we have gone our own sinful way. That’s what sin is. lt’s an attitude of disobedience that says, “I will do things my way, not God’s way.” As a result, Paul says that God’s wrath is already upon us. The apostle Paul spent the first 17 verses of his letter to the Romans introducing himself and reminding them of the power and righteousness of God found only in the gospel. Having introduced this great theme, Paul spent the rest of chapter one explaining that the wrath of God is already being revealed against the ungodly and the unrighteous who have not received the gospel. We can faithfully respond to the revelation of God’s wrath against those who have not received the gospel.
October 7, 2018 | Romans 1:1-17 |
In the book of Romans, the apostle Paul told the believers in Rome that he was eager to reveal God’s gospel to them as it had been given to him. We can receive God’s revealed Gospel as it has been offered to us. The gospel that reveals God’s righteousness calls us to God, obligates us to share it with others, and is the power of God for salvation.
July 13, 2018
CREATION REVEALS THE CREATOR
In the apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, he taught that all humanity was under God’s wrath because they had rejected even the most basic revelation He had given them, namely, creation itself. This is what theologians call General Revelation or Natural Revelation, which is the knowledge of God available to all through the observation of His creation. In other words, many of God’s attributes may be readily ascertained by the observation and study of God’s works in creation. As a result, all humanity is without excuse for they have always had access to knowledge of Him.
Paul laid this foundational truth early in the book of Romans to prepare for his proclamation of God’s intervention through Special Revelation, that is, the word of the prophets, the Scriptures, and the supreme revelation of God through Jesus Christ, His Son.
Everyone has already received God’s general revelation, yet Christ has commissioned us to share God’s special revelation, which is most fully expressed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is so that the people of God might be ransomed by the blood of Jesus from every tribe and language and people and nation (See Rev. 5:9).
Before God inspired the writing of Genesis and all the Scriptures, He wrote large on the parchment of the earth and painted bright on the canvas of the heavens, so that every creature might know their Creator.
July 12, 2018
PAUL’S PRAYER TO PREACH IN ROME
Towards the end of 57 AD, on his third missionary journey, Paul penned this letter to the believers in Rome while working in Corinth. In the letter, he expressed his heartfelt prayer that God might allow him to preach the gospel in Rome, so that he might have “some fruit” (Rom. 1:13) among them as he had in other Gentile cities. Some three to four years later, Paul’s prayer was answered. Although, it probably wasn’t answered in the way he had visualized, it was answered none the less. For Paul’s journey to Rome was filled with trials, storms, shipwreck, snakebite, and imprisonment. Yet, he spent two years from 61 to 63 AD in Rome under house arrest, but with unhindered freedom (See Acts 28:31) to preach the gospel to all.