Today’s Passage: Romans 10 Paul has loaded this passage to the gills with Old Testament quotations, largely drawing from Isaiah 52-53 and Deuteronomy 30 and 32. Let’s take a closer look at how he uses Deuteronomy 30:11-14 to contrast the righteousness from law and the righteousness from faith: For Moses writes that the man who practices […]
Today’s Passage: Romans 9 I fell into a trap. Instead of sharing my thoughts on the daily passage, as I originally intended, I started summarizing it. I begin each post by linking to the entire passage specifically so that you can read it without relying on me to summarize it! So, I apologize for falling into the trap. […]
Today’s Passage: Romans 8 In this chapter Paul develops the contrast between the Spirit and the flesh. The hallmark of the flesh is that it fails to measure up to the Law, and consequently is mired in death; the Spirit, of God, conversely, brings life and peace and righteousness. As the chapter progresses, Paul gets into our […]
Today’s Passage: Romans 7 “May It Never Be” Total: 7 (+2, verses 7 and 13) In this passage, Paul further develops the idea that coming to Christ entails a form of “dying.” His first point is that the law only applies or holds power over those who are still living. He uses the example of a […]
Today’s Passage: Romans 6 Paul’s got two points to make here, and he uses his catch phrase to present both of ’em: Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! (vv. 1-2) Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! (vv.15) […]
Today’s Passage: Romans 5 In this chapter, Paul begins to dig in detail into justification by faith. The first half (vv.1-11) gives a purpose for the tribulations that we experience, and casts Jesus Christ’s death on the cross as an expression of God’s love. The second half (vv. 12-21) concerns Christ’s righteousness imputed to us, and […]
Today’s Passage: Romans 4 Today’s passage, one-sentence summary edition: Abraham was justified by faith, not works. Paul here hinges his case on Genesis 15:6, “Abraham believed God; and it was credited to him as righteousness,” arguing to his Roman-Jewish audience that Abraham, beyond being the “forefather according to the flesh” of the Jews, is more broadly the spiritual father […]
Ah, we’ve reached the “May it never be” part of Romans. Every time you turn around, Paul is asking a rhetorical question, then answering himself: “May it never be! Rather, this other thing.” He seems to be anticipating arguments, but to be honest, I can’t imagine any sane human making these objections. Why would a human’s unfaithfulness nullify the faithfulness of God? Why would a person do evil in order that good may come, when they could be doing good that good may come? As the chapter opens, it appears that Paul is addressing the question of what good it is to be a Jew, if Jews and Gentiles alike have failed to keep God’s Law as revealed to the Jews, but then he starts going all over the place and I can’t follow his line of thinking.
Today’s Passage: Romans 2 Today’s Chocolate: Mocha (Swiss Miss mix + Folgers Instant Coffee) Romans 2 helps put Romans 1 in context. As I understand him, Paul is saying that his purpose earlier wasn’t to point out particular sins such as faithlessness, but to show that everyone’s guilty of something. We can judge each other for […]
Today’s Passage: Romans 1 Today’s Chocolate: Dove Giant Valentine’s Day Heart Verses 18-23 jumped out at me. Let’s take a closer look at 19-21: 19 …[T]hat which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal […]
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