Rm12

Understanding the gospel and living it are two different things! Paul now turns his focus on "living for the gospel". This is a difficult challenge that can never be accomplished with human effort.

Living for Christ is also a product of God's mercy and grace. Just as He has given us salvation, He will also provide the power and desire to live a different life. A life that is not oriented around pleasing ourselves, but rather, a life pleasing to God.

In this chapter we are given many commands! All of which are not easy. Most are really difficult. Yet, God has given us everything we need to obey Him. Let Him live through you today. Cling to the truth of the gospel and let the love of God shine through you.

Live strong.

Rm11

If one can be saved through works, then grace ceases to be grace. Paul makes it clear. Salvation only comes through the mercy and grace of God.

Since this fact is so evident in the scripture, why do so many still believe that God will save them based on their good deeds? When I ask others if they are going to heaven, they generally respond "yes". When I ask them "Why" they generally respond with an answer rooted in their "good works". Where does that come from?

No man has ever been saved by his good works! Good works do not produce salvation. Never have, never will.

Rm10

Anyone who tries to work their way into heaven, disregards what Christ did on the cross! There is no salvation apart from faith in Jesus.

Paul continues to make crystal clear the futility of works based salvation. Salvation is through faith alone. Jesus is the way. The only way. Only through believing in and confessing Him can one be saved.

Yet Paul also teaches that this faith is compelling. Once someone actually "gets the gospel", they have a desire to tell others the good news. He poses the question: "how will others know if we don't tell them?"

Tell someone the good news today.

Rm9

Bottom line: Anyone who pursues salvation by works is lost! Salvation is by faith.

The Jews were struggling with Gentiles being saved. Why? Because the Gentiles were not keeping the religious requirements of the law of Moses. The Jews believed that salvation came through keeping the law…works. Paul taught a different message. In fact, he taught that even the Jews who were saved were saved by faith…not works!

This is the truth of the gospel. Jesus is the only One that saves. No work or any amount of works can make us righteous before God. Only Jesus. Only His work on the cross. Our "work" is to believe.

Rm8

Nothing can separate us from God's love! Yet, every sin robs the quality of that relationship with Him.

God relentlessly pursues a relationship with us. His love for us is unlike anything we experience on this earth and definitely unlike any human love. His love is not rooted in our behavior, but rather in Who He is. There is nothing that can separate us from that kind of love.

But why did Paul write about God's love immediately after talking about our struggle with sin? Was it to help us minimize our sin? Absolutely not! It was so we would choose to NOT sin. It is the guarantee of God's love that gives us the confidence to seek HIs forgiveness for sin. Our sin hurts our relationship with God but in never effects His love for us.

What a great chapter.

Rm7

How are you doing in your struggle against sin? Sin's desire is to destroy you! From Genesis 3 all the way through the Revelation, sin is looking to make victims of us all.

Even Paul struggled with sin. He was conflicted in his soul with two competing desires. On the one hand, a desire to please God, and, on the other hand, a never ending battle with sin. Such is the life of every believer! John writes, "If we say we have no sin, we are liars and the truth is not in us." And these are the writings of the disciples.

We will never be "sinless", but we certainly can sin less. God's desire is that we obey Him. Paul's writing to help us to have victory over sin, not to give us an excuse to continue in it. Through Christ we can say "no" to sin.

Live strong today. Lean into God's grace and say "yes" to righteousness.

Rm6

Anyone who gives themselves permission to sin because of God's grace and forgiveness, totally misunderstands both sin and grace!

After talking about God's unbelievable grace and His gift of righteousness apart from works, people gave the most absurd response! They said, "If this is the case, we should sin more. Because the more we sin, the more we receive God's grace." Paul's response to this statement was the most emphatic absolute NO he could write. He wrote, "ABSOLUTELY NOT!"

In other words, Paul's writes that God's gifts of grace and righteousness should keep us from sinning, not encourage us to sin more. Yet, that idea still exist today. Unfortunately, I have chosen sin with this concept in mind. It was a really bad choice. Yes, God has forgiven me. He always does. Yet, every choice to sin hurts me, my relationship with others and the advancement of the gospel.

If you chose sin because of grace, you are a fool. Chose to not sin because of grace. It is a much better choice.

Rm5

Righteousness cannot be earned! It is either given through faith or we have none of it!

Notice in this chapter how Paul describes our righteousness. He uses the words "declared righteous". When we place our faith in Jesus for salvation, we are "declared" righteous because of Him. It is not because of anything we can do, but only through what Jesus has done for us.

This is such a difficult truth to embrace. We so want to earn our own way. Somehow we want to believe that we can please God without the help of God's spirit. We often minimize grace and diminish all Jesus did for us.

Our behavior is not rooted in how good we are. It is rooted in how much we understand the grace and goodness of God. Live in HIs righteousness today. He has "given" us everything we need to love and obey Him.

Rm4

"The one who does not work, but believes on Jesus, who declares the ungodly to be righteous, his faith is credited for righteousness."

There is no clearer verse in our bibles to destroy the notion that we can somehow "earn" salvation through our good works. "Works salvation" reduces the work that Jesus did for us on the cross! If faith is a "work", then it is the only "work" that is required for salvation!

Don't mess this up. This is the gospel. It is totally unfair! It is all about God' grace. If "fair" was the standard by which men were saved, we would all be lost forever. God's justice would be in question if He did not condemn all of us because of sin. It is His grace and mercy that saves us, NOT any work or any amount of works that we do.

Believe the gospel. 

Rm3

God is righteous and declares righteous those who have faith in Jesus. There is no other way to become "right with God". No work or amount of works can ever justify anyone or cover their sin. Only Jesus. 

God has provided a way to have righteousness. That way is through faith in Jesus alone. The purpose of the law was to reveal our need for Jesus. For those who have faith in Jesus, works are not our way of gaining favor with God, but rather the evidence of our relationship and love for Him.

Be grateful that we don't have to "earn" favor with God! It would have been impossible! Through Christ we experience the favor of God. Have faith in Jesus.

Rm2

Strong words for those who are self-seeking today! Encouraging words for those who are persistent in doing good because of their desire to please God.

Every day is a challenge to truly follow Christ. Not in the big picture, but rather in the subtle moments of each day. My heart and mind automatically are self-serving and self-seeking. Aren't yours?

Paul is encouraging believers to be intentionally seeking to please Jesus with their thoughts and actions. It is a daily challenge! It is a challenge in every moment! These little things make a big difference.

Ac28

If you share Christ with others, some will believe, others will not. Don't let those who won't believe keep you from sharing with those who will.

The pattern of Paul's life was that he shared the gospel with everyone he encountered. He knew God would save some and he knew many would also reject the message. He never let those who challenged him or those who didn't believe keep him from sharing with those who would believe. In fact, failure seemed to encourage him to share more.

Most of us rarely share with anyone. That is a tragedy.

Ac27

Even Paul could not resist the "I told you so!" moment. He said, "if only you would have listened to me". I actually think Paul blew it at this point. 

First, it was God who was speaking to him and his desire should have been for them to listen to God. Secondly, God had spoken to him again about the safety of the men, so he could have communicated that message without using the "I told you so" comment. What do you think?

Too often we see Paul as infallible. He wasn't. In fact, he told us that he was the foremost of sinners. His sinfulness did not end at his conversion. He was changed and transformed, but he still had to deal with his old nature that was prone to sin. Nevertheless God continued to use him powerfully because he was fully devoted to God's work and will.

God does not expect our perfection. He does want our obedience.

Ac26

To embrace the gospel is only the first step of obedience. Step two would be to live for the gospel. Step three would be to share the gospel with others. So many of us have chosen to "believe" in Jesus. So few of us have chosen to "obey" the gospel or "share" it with others.

Paul's commission was to be a witness and a servant. He was to testify about the gospel of Jesus and faithfully serve Him with his life. Shouldn't that be the goal for all of us who know Christ?

Why do so few who believe actually obey or share the gospel?

Ac25

How do you respond in the face of accusation? Do you feel like you are "on trial" sometimes before others? Paul's response in this chapter gives us clear guidelines to live by. I am challenged by his example.

The greatest example is the reality of his life! He not only claimed that he had done "nothing wrong", he had actually done nothing wrong! He lived with a clear conscience before God and others. Generally, when people are accused of wrong doing, that might not have done exactly what they are accused of, but rarely have they done "nothing wrong".

Paul remained full of courage and faith. Even when things were going poorly, he stood strong for the gospel. His circumstances did not determine his attitude. His current situation was not the determinant of his daily reality.

These are two great lessons we can learn from Paul's example.

Ac24

Paul's gospel presentation was about "righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgement". Generally today we share a gospel that is only about the love and grace of God! Who do you think is getting it right?

When Felix heard the gospel that was shared by Paul he was afraid and convicted! He would regularly send for Paul to hear him speak about Jesus, but apparently never repented and believed. Paul never compromised the message and Felix never believed.

Who do you continue to share the gospel with? Don't stop! Don't change the message. Keep sharing the truth.

Ac22

The most powerful witness is a personal testimony! The best tool one has for sharing with others is the story of how God has changed their life.

Paul never stopped telling the story of his conversion. Even after many years of ministry, the first thing he wanted to share was how he personally met Jesus. It was a dramatic meeting, but all of his life and ministry were marked by amazing acts of God! Yet, the most important to him was the day he repented and believed.

Our stories might not be as powerful or dramatic, yet they are the truth about how God has changed our lives. Don't ever hesitate to tell your story to those who don't know Jesus yet. Be a witness.

Ac21

Is there anything that God would ask you to do today and your response would be "no"? Can you see the foolishness of such an answer?

I believe what truly separates someone who experiences God's power in their life is their response to God's will. Paul was ready to suffer and die for Jesus. He was also willing to "do" whatever Jesus asked of Him.

I believe many of us would die before we would deny Jesus. The harder thing is to say "yes" to Him in our daily lives! I know very few christians who are actually in the habit of not saying "no" to Jesus. 

Often, even in my heart, I want to tell Jesus what to do for me rather than say "yes" to what He wants me to do for Him. That is a foolish way to live life! Wouldn't you agree?

Ac20

Life's greatest work is to testify to the gospel of God's grace. If God has changed your life, it would be a shame to not share His love with others.

Paul said, "I count my life of no value to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God's grace."

Paul lived his life to serve Jesus. He set an example for all of us to follow. What is the task that God is calling you to today? It would be a great idea to simply obey.