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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

Passing Along the Message READ Romans 10:14 14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?   Paul said anyone who calls on the Lord can be saved. Now he adds thoughts to that: 1) they must believe in Him; 2) they first must hear about Him; and 3) someone needs to tell them. Some think one can believe in Jesus and just live fo

Israel Rejected? READ Romans 11:1 I ask, then, has God rejected his own people, the nation of Israel? Of course not! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham and a member of the tribe of Benjamin.   Today there are those who think God is finished with His program for Israel. That was not the apostle Paul’s opinion. Writing by the inspiration of God, he exclaimed, “Of course not!” The fact that he himself was a Jew who had been saved proves God still works with Jewish

Blessings and Snares READ Romans 11:9-10 9 Likewise, David said, “Let their bountiful table become a snare, a trap that makes them think all is well. Let their blessings cause them to stumble, and let them get what they deserve. 10 Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see, and let their backs be bent forever.”   Paul here refers to Psalm 69:22-23, “Let the bountiful table set before them become a snare and their prosperity become a trap. Let their eyes go blind so they cann

Broken Branches READ Romans 11:19-21 19 “Well,” you may say, “those branches were broken off to make room for me.” 20 Yes, but remember—those branches were broken off because they didn’t believe in Christ, and you are there because you do believe. So don’t think highly of yourself, but fear what could happen. 21 For if God did not spare the original branches, he won’t spare you either.   Notice it is not one’s ethnic heritage that makes a person right with God. It is whether

God's Gifts and His Call READ Romans 11:28-29 28 Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 29 For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.   Some think God has changed His mind about doing what He promised in the Old Testament for the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. That is not what the apostle Paul wrote. He

Transformation READ Romans 12:2 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.   Typical of his writing, after dealing with doctrine the apostle Paul applies the teaching to daily living for the believer. Chapter 12 now switches to that. Here he tells believers not to copy the ways of the world. As God transfo