As we go verse by verse through the book of Romans, we learn how God wants to display His righteousness which is revealed to us from faith and for faith.
Is your life is filled with anxiety and trouble? Do you often wonder whether anyone loves you, much less God? Are you surrounded by hurt and broken relationships? Some of it you blame on others, but if you’ll admit it, you blame yourself for most of it. Where’s the love?
That’s the question that Paul closes this powerful chapter with, it’s the question of God’s love. In fact, the final verses of Romans 8 are made up of 5 questions, each progressing like stair steps up to the 5th and highest step, which is this question, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” In Romans 8:31-39, the apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Rome that they could rest in the fact that nothing could separate them from God’s love. We can rest in the fact that nothing can separate us from God’s love.
Our future glorification of ultimately becoming like Christ will make the difficult journey worth it all. In Romans 8:18-30, the apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Rome that in spite of the suffering in this present world they could be encouraged by hope in God’s ultimate purpose for their future glorification of becoming like Jesus. We can be encouraged by hope in God’s future glorification of becoming like Jesus.
How do you view God? Does He seem distant and far away? Do you see Him as a Judge? Or do you see Him as near and close? How many of you see Him as your Father, your ever present Abba?
That’s where Paul is taking us today. As he continues to talk about how God is making us holy like Jesus, which is our sanctification, he saves the best for last. That we can relate to God as Father changes everything! In Romans 8:12-17, the apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Rome that they had received the Spirit of adoption which enabled them to live as God’s children. As believers, we have received the Spirit of adoption enabling us to live as God’s children.
Do continue to do what you hate? You’ve received Christ, but you have feelings of guilt and shame because you want to do what pleases God, but you continue to give in to your old sin nature? Or maybe you’ve never received Christ, but you’re sick and tired of living life on your own. You’re ready to admit you need help.
What the apostle described in Romans 7 is the futility of trying to live the Christian life without the Spirit of God. Just as it’s impossible to earn God’s favor apart from faith, so it’s impossible to please God without depending on His indwelling Spirit. In Romans 8:1-8, the apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Rome that overcoming the flesh is only possible by a total reliance on the work of God’s Holy Spirit for their sanctification. We can understand why overcoming the flesh is only possible by relying on the work of God’s Spirit for our sanctification.
Who’s winning the wrestling match inside of you? The truth is, no matter how long you’ve been a Christ- follower, in this world we will never be so mature in Christ as to no longer see sin in ourselves. The accusation that the church is full of hypocrites is only true if we claim to be without sin.
No, we are sinners saved by grace! We are no longer under law, but under grace. And having been saved by grace, we are being sanctified, made holy by God’s grace too. So, again we ask, “What good is the law?” In Romans 7:7-25, the apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Rome that the purpose of the Law for the Christian was never to deliver them from sin, but to expose their sin and drive them back to total dependence on Christ. We can understand that the purpose of the law is not to deliver us from sin, but to expose our sin and drive us to total dependence on Christ.
Law-keeping doesn’t set us free from slavery to sin, nor does it empower us to keep from sinning after being set free. This brings us to Chapter 7 where Paul shows the necessity of being released from under the law in order to overcome our “sin problem.” Because as it turns out, law-keeping does not make us righteous, but more apt to sin.
In Romans 7:1-6, the apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Rome that their new way of life was not about law-keeping, but loving and serving the risen Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. We can understand why our new way of life is not about law-keeping, but loving and serving the risen Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.
In Romans 6:1-14, he charged us to remember “who we are.” We are “in Christ.” Now, in Romans 6:15-23, he will challenge us to remember “whose we are.”
In Romans 6:15-23, the apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Rome that they must choose who would be their master, would they continue under sin’s authority or would they surrender themselves completely to God’s lordship through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We can surrender ourselves completely to God’s lordship through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
For the first 5 chapters of Romans, Paul has worked this gospel message out for us, showing how: (1) We are all sinners in need of salvation (Rom. 1:18-3:20), and (2) The only way to be saved is to receive God’s justification by faith in Christ apart from works (Rom. 3:21-5:21). Now, we turn to Romans 6, where Paul will move from the theme of the salvation of the sinner, to explaining the sanctification of the saint.
In Romans 6:1-14, Paul wrote to the saints in Rome that having died to sin with Christ, they were set free to respond to God’s sanctification through faith in Christ. As believers, we can respond to God’s sanctification through faith in Christ.
Wouldn’t you like to experience peace, hope, joy, love, and reconciliation in your life? Many of us search far and wide just to find one them.
Is your life full of anxiety and care? Do you need peace? When you think about the future, are you filled with hope or despair? Do you need some hope? How about love and reconciliation? Is your life filled with broken relationships? Wouldn’t you like some help restoring them? In the book of Romans chapter 5, Paul wrote to the believers in Rome that they should rejoice in their justification by faith in Jesus Christ. We can rejoice in our justification by faith in Jesus.
Are you right with God? Every religion asks this question. And all of them but one, give the same answer–– it depends on your spiritual report card. If you have good moral and religious grades, then God will accept you. But this is not the answer given in Christianity. Authentic Christianity actually informs us that we are not right with God and that there’s no way that we can get right with Him on our own. So, God sent His Son Jesus to take the test of life and got a perfect score. His spiritual report card has straight “A”s! And God offers to exchange Christ’s perfect report in place of our failing one. In Romans 3:21-31, the apostle Paul told the Romans that the only way to receive the righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ. We can understand why the righteousness of God can only be received by placing our faith in Jesus Christ.
