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”
Author Archives: A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green
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)”
What Jesus Didn’t Say
Considering the circumstances they were facing, Jesus’ words to the seven churches in Asia in Revelation 2-3 are surprisingly brief. They obviously deal with the most vital issues facing those communities. But sometimes it can also be instructive to think about what isn’t said. Is there something omitted that we thought would be there? I can think of three thingsContinue reading “What Jesus Didn’t Say”
Laying Down
In 1 John 3, John has a lot to say about disciples loving one another. He tells us that the call to love each other . . . 1. Is embedded in God’s love for us. In 3:1 John writes: See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called childrenContinue reading “Laying Down”
Swollen Nets and Shattered Hearts
They had been fishing all night and had nothing to show for it. That meant nothing to take to the market and no wages for their long night’s work. That’s the way it is with fishing sometimes— every fisherman knows that. Peter was a little disappointed and more than a little tired. They were washingContinue reading “Swollen Nets and Shattered Hearts”
Mrs. McArthur and the Power of Encouragement
She passed away on March 20, 2010 and I was honored to say a few words at her funeral. She had quite an impact on my life years ago when I was a seedling in life and faith. I guess she was the closest thing I had to a “mother in the faith.” I wasContinue reading “Mrs. McArthur and the Power of Encouragement”
A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green 