Who reigns is in control

Romans 6:15-23 15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience,

Justification to Sanctification

Romans 6:1-14 In chapters 6 through 8, the emphasis switches from the positional truth of justification to the practical truth of sanctification. To be sanctified means to be set apart. Because we are justified positionally, we are sanctified practically. Meaning, we are set apart to be used by the Lord, and to become more like

One bad decision reconciled

Romans 5:12-21 This weeks section has been rightfully defined as one of the hardest sections in the book of Romans to grasp, fully-understand and explain. The ideas are fundamental, but the wording and how the message is poured out to us can be hard to comprehend in one fell swoop. We will do our best

Redeemed with Hope

Before we move into the next section, it is vital that we fully understand the foundational thoughts laid out for us at the beginning of this chapter.  We learned that we were justified, made right with God, by Jesus role in the good news.  We cannot really appreciate the next section, unless we fully grasp

Justified, at Peace with Hope

Justified, at Peace with Hope Romans 5:1-5 1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not

No one is righteous

No one is righteous Romans 3:9-31 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become

When God gives up

Romans 1:18—3:20 WHEN GOD GIVES UP As we learned last week, God still induces wrath on the world today. We learned last week also that he will allow his people to use their free will and experience the consequences of their decisions. Verse 18 can be viewed as the opening of a courtroom setting where

Gave it all away

Romans 1:18-23 Gave it all away For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible

Romans 1:8-15

Romans 1:8-15 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s

Greeks, barbarians & Hellenists

This week in our Romans study we bump up against a cultural statement that we just don’t always fully understand.  The following section is expanded from Matthew Henry’s commentary and some material from Wikipedia on Hellenistic Greeks. I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians,[a] both to the wise and to the foolish