NEWS, ARTICLES, DEVOTIONS AND MORE FROM BttB...

Getting Started…   In his letter to the Romans, Paul, the author, reveals a mystery that had been hidden in plain sight. The salvation that Jesus provided through His death and resurrection was not meant for the Jews only, but for the entire world.     This would have been a startling revelation to the people of his day, but Paul, clearly and eloquently lays out his argument piece by piece in one of the most inspiring defenses of God’s long-abiding love for humanity. Join aut

Sent Out to Preach READ Romans 1:1-3 1 This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News. 2 God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. 3 The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line.   The custom in New Testament times was to say at the beginning of one’s letter who was writing.  Paul reveals he is the author. Likely in t

Sense of Obligation READ Romans 1:13-15 13 I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to visit you, but I was prevented until now. I want to work among you and  see spiritual fruit, just as I have seen among other Gentiles. 14 For I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized world and the rest of the world, to the educated and uneducated alike. 15 So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach the Good News.   There we

Purity READ Romans 1:26-27 26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. 27 And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.   Paul continues to tell what God did with those who knew

Day of Judgment READ Romans 2:5-8 5 But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 He will judge everyone according to what they have done. 7 He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. 8 But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live fo

Teach Yourself READ Romans 2:21-22 21 Well then, if you teach others, why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal? 22 You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples?   Paul now focuses on those who thought they were superior because they knew the Old Testament law. They were teaching others how to have proper conduct, but they did not have it themselves.

God Is True READ Romans 3:3-4 3 True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful? 4 Of course not! Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him, “You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court.”   Paul was careful to distinguish between unfaithful people and the faithfulness of God. Even if everyone should lie; God remains true. Isaiah 65:16 refers t

We Are Sinful READ Romans 3:19-20 19 Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. 20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.   From the time the law was given, as recorded in Exodus 20 and beyond, people have misunderstood its purpose. Some get into heated arguments about wheth

When We Have Faith READ Romans 3:29-31 29 After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn’t he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is. 30 There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. 31 Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.   The Jews considered they were special because of the way G

Father of the Faithful READ Romans 4:11-12 11 Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith. 12 And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham

Mankind Redeemed READ Romans 4:23-25 23 And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded 24 for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.   Having mentioned that righteousness was put on Abraham’s account because of his faith in God,

When Adam Sinned READ Romans 5:12-13 12 When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. 13 Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break.   When Adam sinned, he poisoned the life stream of humanity. As the head of the human race, all of Adam’s descendants inherited his sin nature. As a result, all die because all have sinned. None c

New Lives READ Romans 6:1-4 1 Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives

To Become Holy READ Romans 6:19 19 Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.   Paul explains why he was using a physical example of slavery to teach believers a spiritual lesson. Before salvation they had been

Released from the Law READ Romans 7:5-6 5 When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death. 6 But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. 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.   Here Paul contrasts the desires

I Do It Anyway READ Read Romans 7:18-20 18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.   Paul continues to contrast the old nature with the new nature. His old nature draws him toward things he does n

Life and Peace READ Romans 8:5-6 5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.   Paul contrasts unbelievers with believers in this passage. Unbelievers are “dominated by the sinful nature.” This does not mean they are incapable o

Adopted READ Romans 8:15 15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”   The one who believes in Jesus for salvation is not brought into God’s family as a fearful slave. Instead, believers become full-fledged sons. The word “children” in this translation literally means “son placing.” This is the time when a son becomes qualified for all the privi

The Holy Spirit READ Romans 8:26-27 26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.   Sometimes when you begin to pray, are you are at a loss for words for what you want to express? You can take

What Can Separate Us? READ Read Romans 8:35 35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?   Some live their entire lives and do not feel loved. This verse assures an individual that nothing can separate the believer from Christ’s love. When facing difficulties or even death threats, Jesus still loves those who have belie

A Promise to Israel READ Romans 9:6-7 6 Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? No, for not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God’s people! 7 Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,” though Abraham had other children, too.   Some think that God no longer must fulfill His promises to Israel, but this is not

God Chooses READ Romans 9:17-18 17 For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth.” 18 So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.   Pharaoh rejected what God wanted Him to do: to let Moses and his followers leave Egypt. So God displayed His power through Pharaoh to let the world know who

Concerning Israel READ Romans 9:27-28 27 And concerning Israel, Isaiah the prophet cried out, “Though the people of Israel are as numerous as the sand of the seashore, only a remnant will be saved. 28 For the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth quickly and with finality.”   Having mentioned the Gentiles, Paul now refers to Israel and its place in God’s program. From the masses, God will have a relative few who will believe in Him. This reference to Isaiah 11 looks

God's Way READ Romans 10:3-4 3 For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. 4 For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.   Having referred to Israel as having a misdirected zeal, Paul now tells why. They don’t understand how God makes people righ