Day #309
Scripture Reading: Romans 1-2 ...
What is going on in your
life and in the world around you? It
seems that things are going “from bad to
worse,” as the human race faces the threat of extinction through nuclear
war, climate change, disease, terrorism and an endless list of self-inflicted
destructive attitudes and behaviors.
Pretending that all is well is a foolish endeavor, given the current
state of mankind, whether in our families, our nations or the world at
large. Why is all of this happening, and
is there any hope for mankind? While
some try to save the planet, the real question is, “Can we save the human race?”
And the answer is, “NO!!” WE can’t save the human race ... but ...
the God who created this planet and who created mankind in His image can and
will save those who believe in Jesus from His coming judgment!!
That is what the Bible is about and what Paul’s letter
to the Romans is about. Romans is
written to "all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be
saints" (1:7). These words, along with the rest of the letters
of the New Testament, were written to those who believed in Jesus Christ for
forgiveness and eternal life. At the
beginning of his letter, Paul immediately explains the purpose of his writing
and of his entire ministry in Chapter 1, verses 1-4, where he says that he is "set
apart for the gospel of God ... regarding His Son ... Jesus Christ our Lord."
Then he says that the purpose of proclaiming the Gospel is "to
call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from
faith" (1:5). He speaks personally to his readers and says, "You
also are among those who are called to belong to Christ" (1:6).
God’s calling of some to Himself sets the context
for the entire letter to the Romans and reveals why you and I need to hear his
words - God's words, too. He states it clearly in Chapter 1, verse 16,
"I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God
for the salvation of everyone who believes, ..." Think about
that, the Gospel is the "power of God for the salvation of everyone who
believes!" Eternal life rests in hearing and understanding and
believing this message!! Romans is about the Gospel of Jesus
Christ and in Chapters 3-8 Paul is going to give the longest and clearest
explanation of the message of the Gospel found anywhere in God's Word.
As you read these first two chapters you will
discover Paul laying the groundwork for WHY people - ALL people - need to hear
the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The popular idea today that God loves everybody and
forgives everybody and ultimately gives life to everybody is crushed in these
chapters. Sin is sin, whether you are a Jew or a Gentile, and God's wrath
will fall on the religious and the non-religious who do not confess their sin
and their need for a Savior and who thus do not believe in Jesus Christ.
It all has to do with “righteousness.” Notice what
Paul declares in Chapter 1, verse 17: “For in the gospel a righteousness from God
is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is
written, ‘The righteous will live by faith.’” In order to live in God’s presence you must
BE righteous, good, perfect. Most people
today think that if there is a “God,” He must be loving and kind and good. Why, then, do the most primitive tribes of
people all over the darkest places of the world FEAR their “gods”? Mankind has an inner awareness that there is
a “righteousness,” a “goodness,” toward which we are drawn,
but which we cannot attain. Many people
reject what they call “the idea of ‘God’”
because it makes them feel uncomfortable.
Guilt does that!
Ignoring the truth, however, does not change the
truth. God does not lower His standard
of righteousness simply because you and I cannot attain His standard of
righteousness. In fact, Paul makes it
abundantly clear in these first two chapters that God’s judgment is the just
consequence of mankind’s foolish rebellion.
“The wrath of God is being
revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who
suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is
plain to them, because God made it plain to them” (1:18-19). God’s wrath, His just judgment, is the
inevitable consequence of sin.
What follows in verses 21-32 reveals the perilous
state in which we find ourselves and explains the condition of our world and
more specifically, of the heart of mankind.
“Although they knew God (the
truth they “suppress”), they neither glorified Him as God nor gave
thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were
darkened. Although they claimed to be
wise, they became fools ...” (1:21-22).
This is the tragedy of the human race that continues to be displayed
before our eyes today.
People often ask, “What makes people do what they do?” You read about it in the news and you see it
replayed over and over. Families,
neighborhoods, communities, cities, states and nations all experience the same
destructive power of unrighteousness, “unrightness.” Since mankind rejected the knowledge of God, “God gave them over in the sinful desires of
their hearts ...” (1:24). “Because of this, God gave them over to
shameful lusts” (1:26). “Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile
to retain the knowledge of God, He gave them over to a depraved mind, to do
what ought not to be done” (1:28).
God “gave them over,” He “let them go!”
And lest anyone think that you and I are any
better, Paul speaks to those who consider themselves “religious,” who are “righteous
in their own eyes,” and says that these pass judgment on themselves when
they judge others because they, too, are unrighteous and in need of repentance: “But
because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath
against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when His righteous judgment will
be revealed” (2:5). Sin brings
judgment, and as we will see as we go on to Chapter 3, we all deserve God’s
wrath.
Jew or Gentile, trying to be “good,” to live by
God’s law or by some other standard of good behavior or morality falls
short. Being a Jew was not enough and
being religious was not enough to avoid God’s wrath and His coming
judgment. The only sure and certain hope
is the inward work of the Holy Spirit through the Gospel (2:29). That's
why the Gospel is such good news! In the Gospel a “righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith!”
Heavenly Father, I read Your
Word and I hear Your call to the obedience that comes by faith and I long to be
righteous. Thank You for Jesus and for
the righteousness I receive by faith!
May Your Spirit circumcise my heart and make it Yours! In His name, Amen
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