Category: Romans

Romans 6:1-11 – Die With Christ

Read Romans 6:1-11

Here’s a clue. “Seeking the Kingdom of God” may not lead us to a particular place. King Jesus rules in our hearts now, just like He will in our eternal home in heaven. These verses talk a lot about dying with Christ and being united to him. It’s a lot to try and grasp.

Paul addresses the Roman church here full of many new Christians following Jesus and hungry to know more. The whole book of Romans is helpful for new believers, while it still challenges long-time believers. Paul wants to set his audience up for success as Christ followers. Continue reading “Romans 6:1-11 – Die With Christ”

Romans 6:23 – The Wages of Sin

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

When you think of “wages,” you probably envision the payment received for a job done. Following that logic then, we pay with our lives when we stay stuck in our sin without a Savior. Our sin has a very high price tag. Death becomes the end of the story when we don’t have Jesus to save us with the gift of eternal life. There’s a lot to unpack here.

Context (Romans 6): This whole chapter talks about the grip sin has on our lives and how Jesus changes everything. Paul describes how we died with Christ when we were joined with him in baptism. There is also talk about being a slave to sin when we’re not following Jesus. Because of Jesus, we are now free. Continue reading “Romans 6:23 – The Wages of Sin”

Romans 1:16 – Not Ashamed

“For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.” (Romans 1:16)

Paul’s declaration is bold during a time when it wasn’t the most popular thing to be a follower of Christ. This is the verse that solidifies for us the assurance that we, too, as Gentiles, are welcome to follow Jesus and receive the salvation he promised.

Context (Romans 1:13-17): Paul’s message to the church in Rome starts with Paul building rapport with them, sharing how eager he is to see them and share the Good News. It sounds like Rome was a Gentile community of believers for the most part. Paul’s acknowledgement would have been very powerful for the Gentiles to be sharing with the Jews in salvation. Continue reading “Romans 1:16 – Not Ashamed”

Romans 1:16 – The Good News

“ For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.” (Romans 1:16)

As Christians, we know it’s our privilege to share the “Good News” with others. What is this news, and why is it good? Well, some refer to it as the “Gospel.” That is, Jesus’ story and how it involves us all. We are written into God’s story when we believe, no matter our earthly heritage.

Context (Romans 1:8-17): This section quotes our memory verse and discusses the “Good News” to a group of Christ-followers in Rome. Paul has been welcoming his audience in Rome and applauding their faithfulness. Paul felt that the believers in Rome understood the importance of the “Good News.” The news part suggests it’s a message, and the good is something very good—that God loves us and wants a relationship with us. That’s a message everyone should know, don’t you agree? Continue reading “Romans 1:16 – The Good News”

Romans 15:7 – Be Welcoming

“Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.” (Romans 15:7)

When there’s a “therefore” that starts a verse, grammar rules tell us that that one word signifies that what follows will sum up all that has come before. It will be good to unpack what that is exactly to fully grasp the beauty and relevance of this verse.

Context (Romans 15:1-7): The preceding six verses here in Romans 15 are quite something. Each of them could stand alone as a memory verse to direct our lives. They fall in a section in the New Living Translation entitled, “Living to Please Others.” That’s a loaded question and also misleading when you think about who it is we are trying to please in this life. As a people pleaser myself, I have to regularly remind myself that I exist to please God. If people are offended by that, so be it. My nature prefers when everything is harmonious. Continue reading “Romans 15:7 – Be Welcoming”

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