December 8, 2017

Insights on Today's Reading

Romans 4 - Paul dwells on the subject of justification, which basically means "to be declared righteous."  Paul uses Abraham as an example of faith and that he trusted God long before he was circumcised, verses 9,10.  Justification also is seen as being before the Law of Moses was given, verse 13.  And Paul emphasizes that Jesus was raised from the dead in order to make justification effective because He died for all our sins and they are no longer held against us, verses 7,8.

Romans 5 - Because we are "justified by faith" verse 1, we have peace with God.  And we stand in God's grace, verse 2, and enjoy all the blessings of spiritual growth.  The Holy Spirit pours God's love into our hearts, verse 5.  We are saved from facing God's wrath, verse 9.  Paul reminds us that death came into this world because of sin, verse 12.  Paul goes on to use Christ over against Adam to show that though Adam brought sin and death on to all people, verse 15, Christ brought life and righteousness to all who are saved, verses 18,19.

Romans 6 - This is a chapter worth studying over and over again.  The baptism spoken of in verses 1-3 is not only water baptism, though being immersed in water gives a clear presentation of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.  Baptism refers to the work of God in including us in what Christ did on the cross.  We died with Him, verse 3, and we were raised to newness of life, verse 4.  Christ's death not only covered our sins, but also our sin nature.  We are to know these things are true and to reckon them to our lives, verses 6, 11.  Then we are to present our bodies to Christ for Him to control so we can be instruments for God to use, verse 13.  The chapter ends with the great contrast:  sin brings death, Jesus brought eternal life, verse 23.

Romans 7 - This chapter makes clear the freedom we have to live godly lives because we have been delivered from the requirements of the law, verse 6.  But Paul reminds us that we have to remember, that there is nothing good coming out of our fleshly nature, verse 18.  Paul speaks of Christians living carnal lives, verses 19-24, but finding victory in  Christ, verse 25.