Romans 7:7-12

Sitting on our couch
"Watching" Greys Anatomy
Just kissed Lynsey on her forehead

I have still been reading and studying, just not writing. Such is the pattern of my devotional life.

Romans 7:7-12

7 What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet." 8 But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. 9 I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. 10 The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. 11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. 12 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

In reality, the law of God is an act of grace. For without it, I die in my win with no knowledge to change anything. Thus comes the necessity of preaching the word of God. If it doesn't happen, people have no knowledge of a need to change. Nothing to compare themselves with except for other people. And that doesn't produce a positive result--just competition.

That's why God's law is the standard. Not the works of others. Competing against either will only result in frustration.

However, as my friend James Forlines says, frustration leads to change. If someone never gets frustrated because they can't get there, then they won't ever see a need for change.

And if you don't know the law exists, you never get frustrated.

God's law is an act of grace. The law is anything but sin. Law is grace.

Romans 5:1-8

sitting at my desk
company-wide lunch today for bosses
need to book a hotel room in Charlotte for my OS

Romans 5:1-5 (ESV)

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 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. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

The main thing I noticed about this passage is the use of "we". I love it. So often I have thought this passage applies just to me. I read it like this (subconsciously):

Therefore, since I have been justified by faith, I have peace with God through my Lord Jesus Christ. Through him I have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which I stand, and I rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, I rejoice in my sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance . . . and hope does not put me to shame, because God's love has been poured into my heart through the Holy Spirit who has been given to me.

Believers are in this thing together. We can't do it alone. I need people. And people need me.

Romans 4:1-8

Romans 3:21-31

at my desk
just got my MacBook back from the shop
listening to Aaron Keyes Psalm 62

I haven't had my MacBook since last Wednesday. That explains the lack of posts. In the meantime, I have kept up with my studying. That explains the skip in text. I read it and did as I would normally in the previous text. I just didn't write it down. Anyway, on to Romans 3.

Romans 3:21-31

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

Paul had just gotten done talking about the point of the law. He said that the law gives man knowledge of sin. Amen to that. Then he turns a corner by using the word "but."

"Now," Paul says, God's righteousness is revealed through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. There is no difference between people, he claims. Sin isn't prejudice. Everyone is a sinner and are not as good as God is.

Verse 24 makes an interesting statement when it says "being justified freely by His grace." It implies that it is a process.

Because Salvation is by grace alone, no one can boast. No Jew nor Gentile. Man is therefore justified by faith apart from works of the law. He is the God of the Gentiles.

A Little Application
Paul was not very well liked among the Jews. They were entitled to God. They are the ones who had the law, and they are the ones who were religious. If anyone claimed that the gospel was for anyone besides them then that person was a heretic. In that right, Paul was a heretic.

In what ways do I say the gospel is not for everyone? That might not necessarily be an outwardly expressed thing, but I probably do it in subtle ways.

Romans 1:18-19

at my desk
attempted to make a video devo of this yesterday but didn't like it

Romans 1:18-19

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.

I love the idea this passage presents--that it's natural for mankind to have a relationship with God. The phrase "suppress the truth" implies that the truth is in existence. It is wanting to come out. It is emerging. But unrighteous living holds the truth back. It doesn't make truth any less true. The truth is just veiled.

Compare that with the idea that God's wrath is in turn revealed from heaven against all ungodliness. So in living unrighteously (not by faith), truth is veiled, and wrath is revealed.

I might try the video post tomorrow.