Romans 7 is as difficult to grasp as Romans 6 is easy to understand. It would have been fine with me if Paul had gone straight from chapter 6 to chapter 8. But of course had he done that the first four verses of chapter 8 wouldn’t mean nearly as much as they do. It’sContinue reading “I Fought The Law And Sin Won”
Category Archives: Opening the Bible
Good News And Gratitude
Romans 1:18ff is a downer in a book of good news. It is the longest list of sin in the Scripture and it ends with God giving the people mentioned over to self-destruction (v. 24, 26, 28). How does this descent into darkness begin? “Although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God norContinue reading “Good News And Gratitude”
Father Abraham
The theme of Romans is the righteousness (faithfulness) of God (1:16-17). Specifically, it is how God has been faithful to the world generally and the Jewish people specifically by fulfilling His promise to Abraham and bringing mankind together through Jesus. And the rub for many of the Jewish people of Paul’s time was that HeContinue reading “Father Abraham”
Creation, Rebellion, And Redemption
Paul’s discussion in Romans 1:18ff is about more than Gentile rebellion—it concerns Gentile rebellion as it related to creation. Man was made to rule over creation in a way that would glorify and image God (Genesis 1:26ff). Adam and Eve fell short of this by failing to honor Yahweh’s and sentence was pronounced upon them,Continue reading “Creation, Rebellion, And Redemption”
A God Honoring Choice
Chick-fil-A was in the news not long ago in connection with the new Mercedes Benz stadium in Atlanta that will be home to the football Falcons, Atlanta’s professional soccer team as well as other venues throughout the year. The story was about the fact that Chick-fil-A is a vendor there but would nonetheless be closedContinue reading “A God Honoring Choice”
Exhausted Yet Keeping Up The Pursuit
After Gideon and his three hundred men have thrown the Midianite army into panic with their trumpets, jars, and torches (and the help of the Lord—Judges 7:22), they set out in pursuit of those who have survived and fled. In 8:4, we’re told that they are “exhausted yet keeping up the pursuit”. If there had been social mediaContinue reading “Exhausted Yet Keeping Up The Pursuit”
Work And The Image Of God
Of all the things that were created, Moses tells us there is nothing like man. Only man is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). I understand this phrase to be speaking about not what man is made of, but what he is made for. Notice the language of verse 26, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness,Continue reading “Work And The Image Of God”
When God Weeps
Judgment is something most people (believers and unbelievers), would rather not hear or think about. I understand that. It’s kind of like hearing about income taxes or estate planning— even though we might understand the inevitability and importance of such matters, they’re never going to be something we are eager about. And while judgment shouldn’t be something disciples major in, we’re doing no one any favorsContinue reading “When God Weeps”
This Is Where Kings Come From
As you read through the early part of the book of Ruth, you get the impression that Naomi wants nothing to do with anything or anyone connected with her life in Moab. She has lost her husband and two sons during her decade there and her thinking seems to be that going to Moab was a tragicContinue reading “This Is Where Kings Come From”
The Hope Powered Life
He was from a family of 12 other siblings along with a father and four mothers—and all of them living together under the same roof! At 17 he became the victim of human trafficking (sold into such a situation by no less than his brothers). By the grace of God he landed on his feet in aContinue reading “The Hope Powered Life”
