Wretched No More
Read: Romans 7 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! (v. 25) When I received Jesus at age 13, I mistakenly believed sin would no longer be tempting to me. Wrong! Maybe when I joined my local church at 18? Wrong again! And it has not ceased waging war (v. 23) on me […]
Know Your Freedom
Read: Romans 6:15-23 You have been set free . . . (v. 22) On the first Saturday of every month, hundreds of people gather in Mukono, Uganda, for an eight-hour experience called “Know Your Freedom in Christ.” There are new and old believers, seekers, and strugglers of all sorts. Throughout the day the throng praises […]
Life, Not License
Read: Romans 6:1-14 In order that . . . we too might walk in newness of life. (v. 4) One misunderstanding of the abundant grace in Romans 5 and 6 is that, because God’s grace is greater than our sin, we can go on sinning. I have actually heard a person say, “I’ve professed my […]
Uberabundance
Read: Romans 5:12-21 Grace abounded all the more. (v. 20) If reading about the spread of Adam’s sin feels a bit like a bad virus circling the globe, you’re not far off. It’s actually worse. No mask or any amount of handwashing can prevent you from getting it. Sin does not enter us from the […]
Paid in Full
Read: Romans 5:1-11 At the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (v. 6) After eating in a restaurant with our four preschool children, I was surprised to learn that our bill was paid in full. The waitress shared that someone blessed us because they were impressed by how well our kids behaved. I was, […]
What Comes First?
Read: Romans 4:1-25 In hope he believed against hope . . . (v. 18) What came first, the chicken or the egg? This is the issue of Romans 4. What comes first, our faith in God’s promise or our obedience to God’s law? Romans 3:24 emphatically declares we are “justified by his grace as a […]
How Good Is It?
Read: Romans 3:21-31 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested . . . (v. 21) The “but” of verse 21 pivots from the valley of our despair to the mountains of God’s majesty. There is so much to take in it’s hard to know where to look. Our family once brought a friend […]
How Bad Is It?
Read: Romans 3:1-20 No one does good, not even one. (v. 12) I needed a dentist. I knew I had problems, but not how bad my situation was. Dental visits can feel for me like an audit of my oral hygiene habits. Despite having access to toothbrushes and floss, I have not made good use […]
The Heart of the Matter
Read: Romans 2:12-29 Circumcision is a matter of the heart . . . (v. 29) Many people bear physical symbols of their ethnic/religious traditions. South Sudanese Dinka scar the heads of young boys. Ethiopian Mursi women use small plates to stretch holes in their earlobes and lips. Hindus place a red ink spot (a bindi) […]