To appreciate what Paul is saying in Romans 8:5-17, a quick review of what’s he’s said so far is helpful. In chapters 1-4, Paul has been concerned with showing us God’s fulfillment of the promises to Abraham through the gospel of Jesus.That’s a mouthful, but it lays down the foundation for Romans by showing us howContinue reading “Life in the Spirit”
Author Archives: A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green
The Beauty of Baptism
Baptism is beautiful—not as something to be exalted in and of itself (it’s meaningless in that sense), but as it is used by God to unite us with Christ. 1. Baptism is where a dead person comes alive. (Colossians 2:12-13). . . . having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised withContinue reading “The Beauty of Baptism”
Roots and Fruits
In Romans 6, Paul is dealing with a couple of objections he must have encountered more than a time or two in sharing the good news of Jesus with people. The first objection is in v. 1: What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? This goes back toContinue reading “Roots and Fruits”
Gloriously Ever After
Seriously Paul? The fifth chapter of Romans begins with a celebration of the peace we have with God through Jesus and “the grace in which we now stand” (v. 1-2). And just when you think it can’t get any better, Paul goes on to speak of how “we boast in hope of the glory ofContinue reading “Gloriously Ever After”
Stepping into Romans 4
One of the challenges of Romans is that it was written by a man who was essentially a Jewish rabbi before he came to Christ. Then after he surrendered to Him (Acts 22:12-16), he had countless discussions with Jewish people about how Jesus was the fulfillment of everything God had promised through the prophets (26:22-23).Continue reading “Stepping into Romans 4”
Romans and the Atonement
How does God make the world right while maintaining His righteousness? How does He treat a person as if they’ve never sinned when in fact, they have sinned (over and over)? How can He treat the violator of His law the same as the one who keeps it and still maintain both the law andContinue reading “Romans and the Atonement”
Why Did God Create Man?
God created man to bless him—richly, fully and deeply! In the creation account we hear words like blessed, fruitful, fill, subdue, rule over and I give all made in reference to him (Genesis 1:28-29). The highest expression of his favor lies in the fact that he is made to be an image-bearer of the Trinity (v. 27). He may choose something less forContinue reading “Why Did God Create Man?”
Blessing or Burden?
When we think about obedience, it’s helpful to recognized that there’s the common definition of it and the biblical definition—and the two are not the same. Dictionary Online tells us obedience is “the act or quality of being obedient.“ And obedient is “complying with or submissive to authority.” We might be obeying a traffic law,Continue reading “Blessing or Burden?”
A look at Romans 1:14-17 (1)
Why aren’t more people more enthusiastic about the gospel (i.e., the gloriously good news about what God has done for us through Jesus)? How does this revolutionary message become secondary, peripheral and ho-hum? I suppose there are many reasons. Here are a few. All of these things (and you can think of more), can getContinue reading “A look at Romans 1:14-17 (1)”
A Look At Romans 1:14-17 (2)
Paul wrote to disciples living in the heart of the Romans Empire and told them: I am obligated (1:14). Who was he obligated to? Those who were Greeks and non-Greeks (barbarians). In other words, he was obligated to those regarded as cultured and sophisticated and to those who were not. He was obligated to the wiseContinue reading “A Look At Romans 1:14-17 (2)”
A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green 