Romans 8:1-11 — Life in the Spirit
Romans 8:12-39 — Heirs with Christ, Future Glory
Romans 9 — God’s Sovereign Choice
Romans 10 — The Message of Salvation to All
Thoughts about serving others
This link includes a list of posts about Serving the Least, the Lost, and the Lonely.
My prayer is for you to join me on this journey. Subscribe to this blog below to get an email when a new post is available.
Let the Word evoke words. May your life encourage lives.
Paul speaks clearly to many people, even in this present age, when he affirms: “Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:8). Some misinterpret this statement to imply we Christians cannot enjoy human pleasures by missing the point that we must be Christ-centered in our thinking, led by the Spirit and therefore children of God, heirs to his thrown and all the glory he has planned for his children. “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves” (Romans 8:15). Paul will repeat this theme in 2 Corinthians 3:17, “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
One of the most famous verses here is also very difficult to appreciate much of the time: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Difficult because there are many times when we are going through trials that don’t seem to have any purpose, much less a divine purpose. In my life I have looked back time and time again and seen how God has indeed been in the fabric of the design, yet in the moment, it was not so clear. The concept of predestination here has divided many churches. I pray we will remain united in these days as the body of Christ gets tested over and over again. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons…we be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (8:38). Amen!
Paul makes a strong case for the Israelites and appeals to them to change their hearts: “For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge” (10:2). It’s hard for them to believe, even to this day, but “Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes” (10:4). Here’s the proclamation we should memorize: “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (10:13).
Called to Preach. “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?” (Romans 10:14-15). Therefore we preach. We preach the Word of God and testify to his greatness. It is Sunday morning and today we will hear the Word of God preached. Lord help us to hear your Word clearly this morning. Amen!