Romans

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“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32 NKJV)

July 24, 2015

God already gave us His best. Therefore, do not accuse Him of withholding any good thing from us. If we do not have it, it is because He has something better for us. Our God has given everything to Christ. We that are in Christ are already co-inheritors of “all things.” Wait for it.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1 NKJV)

July 22, 2015

“In Christ Jesus.” When judgment fell on the earth during the great flood only those “in” the Ark were saved. The rain of God’s wrath fell on the Ark, but Noah and his family were kept safe inside. Jesus is our Ark. He took our sin, our separation and our death upon Himself, so that we might receive His righteousness, Sonship, and eternal life. Jesus took our condemnation (Rom. 8:3-4). There is none left for those who are “in” Christ. God’s judgment was satisfied, His wrath appeased at Calvary’s cross.
As the hymn, “In Christ Alone” (by Getty and Townsend), says:
“Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live.”

But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter” (Romans 7:6 NKJV)

July 21, 2015

We don’t serve God by following a checklist, but by living under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Legalism does not please God as it only reveals more of our unrighteousness and prideful hearts. This “newness” of serving God in the Spirit is not about effort or earning, but believing and receiving. Those who have identified with Christ’s death and resurrection have the law once inscribed in stone, now written on their hearts. They now are able to “serve,” to worship God, in Spirit and truth in newness of heart.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 NKJV)

July 19, 2015

Love demonstrated is greater than love spoken. Yet, God has done both through Christ Jesus. He is the Logos, the greatest and fullest communication of God and God’s love to us. He is love in the flesh. He is love that left heaven to become one of us, so that He might die for us. He did all of this not because we were deserving of love, but because He is love. And His character of love intersected His character of holiness in Christ at the cross making a way for us to know and love Him in return (1 John 4:19).

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1 NKJV)

July 18, 2015

This is the doctrine of justification. One way to remember this doctrine is the saying, “Just-as-if-I-never-sinned.” This is about God’s justice and our judicial position before Him. In Christ, we are justified. By faith, the righteousness of Christ is accounted unto us, while our sin is accounted unto Him. This is more than just clearing our criminal record and getting us out of jail free. It is accounting unto us the status of righteousness, reconciling us to God and making possible our adoption as sons. The Judge has not only released us from prison, but has taken us home with Him to live in His house as family.

“being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood” (Romans 3:24-25 NKJV)

July 16, 2015

Two important words concerning salvation are named here: “Redemption” and “propitiation.” Redemption means that we been purchased out of slavery to sin by Christ offering Himself as our ransom. He took our sin and offers His righteousness to us. Propitiation means that Christ satisfied God’s judgment and wrath towards our sin by taking it upon Himself. He took our death and offers us His eternal life. These two great doctrines of salvation are worthy of our constant wonder and meditation. How great is the mercy and love of God that He has shown through Christ Jesus!

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16 NKJV)

July 12, 2015

Today is my 57th birthday. I plan to celebrate it by preaching the gospel at both Sunday services at WCC today. I can’t think of a better way to acknowledge this annual milestone than to offer the gift of eternal life to others. Perhaps someone will hear and believe today, and so this will become their birthday too.

“…Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit” (Romans 7:6b NLT)

July 21, 2014

We don’t serve God by following a checklist, but by living under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Legalism does not please God as it only reveals our unrighteousness and prideful hearts. This “new way” of living is not about effort or earning, but believing and receiving. Those who have found the “new way” have the law once inscribed in stone, now written on their hearts. This “new way” frees us to truly serve God.

“So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11 NLT)

July 20, 2014

“Consider yourselves” dead to sin. Not trying, nor working, but counting yourself dead to that sin which once enslaved you. And in the same breath consider yourself “alive to God.” Calling upon the Name of Jesus who paid the price for your adoption, be filled with the Spirit and walk in His power. Stop wearing the grave clothes. Arise, come forth! Put on clothes of righteousness and live!

“Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping” (Romans 4:18 NLT)

July 18, 2014

When there was no physical or circumstantial reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping in God’s promise. What is hope? It is the feeling of expectation that a desirable outcome will take place in the future. But Abraham had more than just a positive feeling. He had hope in God. Having his hope anchored in God’s promises and God’s goodness, Abraham never stopped believing, in fact his hope and faith increased as the years went by.