Romans 5:12-21

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, […]

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I just wanted to say that I was greatly blessed by the fellowship of our church this past weekend.  From the sunrise service, which saw around 30 people enduring the cold, to the 11:00 service, we had a great time.  I saw people working together, caring for each other, and generally enjoying what it means […]

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If there was any remaining pride for Jews or Gentiles left with which to exalt themselves, Paul crushes it here in Romans 5:6-11
while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to […]

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Paul outlines some of the effects of justification by faith in Romans 5:1-5;
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 […]

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“He is like a tree planted by streams of water”
This is a departure from our study in Romans, but as I read Colossians last evening I was struck by the importance of these verses for the growth and health of the church.  Note Paul’s instructions in Col 3:12-17
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and […]

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Paul here explains how faith unifies not only man with God, but the Gentile nations with the Jewish nation. Romans 4:9-25
9 Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. 10 How then was it counted to him? Was it […]

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Thy righteousness is like the great mountains, Ps 36:3
Paul throws back to Abraham to get the attention of the Jews, and of anyone seeking forgiveness. Romans 4:1-8

What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast […]

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Paul is very careful to repeat one of the basics of the gospel. He does this in many places such as Ephesians 2:8 “By grace you are saved through faith, and this is not of yourselves but is the gift of God.” Note his interaction with the idea of law here in Romans […]

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Paul’s argument thus far might present a huge problem to the mind of a Jew, namely if we are all unrighteous, why hasn’t God destroyed us all in His anger before now? Isn’t God just? Paul explains the retroactive nature of the sacrifice of Christ in that it actually reaches back to past […]

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Is Paul equivocating on the value of being Jewish? No, he is just indicting the entire human race. Romans 3:9-19

9 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, 10 as it is written:
“ None […]

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