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”

1 Corinthians 3:16 – What’s Inside?

“Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16)

Don’t you know what’s inside your body? Paul’s question might take us by surprise. Initially, we think of what’s tangible, like our heart, lungs, and other body organs. Where does the Spirit of God fit in?

Context (1 Corinthians 3:10-17): Paul counseled the Corinthian believers to understand more about faith and the role of the Holy Spirit. The foundation Paul talks of is Jesus, and our faith begins with him. Paul wanted his audience to be prepared for judgment day by not putting our trust in the wrong building materials. By reminding us we are the temple of God with the Spirit of God dwelling inside us, Paul wanted to empower us. Continue reading “1 Corinthians 3:16 – What’s Inside?”

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”

Mark 12:30-31 – Two Commandments

“And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31)

This is one of those verses that you see repeated in several places in Scripture—it’s that important. But when Jesus says it, shouldn’t we pay attention? When you think of these two commandments, you can’t help but realize that this world would sure look a lot different if everyone listened and followed.

Context (Mark 12:28-34): Jesus had just encountered questioning by the Sadducees about the resurrection. Then, a religious leader stepped out and asked Jesus directly about which commandment was the most important. Was it like a test? Our memory verse is Jesus’ response. Continue reading “Mark 12:30-31 – Two Commandments”

Isaiah 35:4 – What Are Your Fears?

“Say to those with fearful hearts,
“Be strong, and do not fear,
for your God is coming to destroy your enemies.
He is coming to save you.” (Isaiah 35:4)

For me, one fear I can’t shake is my fear of heights. I’ve gotten past my fear of spiders by living in Mexico. That’s a good thing – they’re giants down here! But this verse isn’t limited to fears of that nature, but to our overall dread of the testing and temptation we will face in life.

Context (Isaiah 35:1-10): As a remedy for fear, Isaiah was given such a beautiful prophecy picturing the day of the Lord when all will be restored. We don’t have to fear when we remember what God’s victory looks like. For the Israelites also hearing of the coming doom, words of hope and everlasting joy would sound great. Isaiah’s own heart would be rejoicing from the promise. Continue reading “Isaiah 35:4 – What Are Your Fears?”

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