Tag: Romans 1

Encouraging Fellowship

Acts 20:1-3, Romans 1-3

Devotion by Merry Peterson (Canada)

Have you ever wondered what makes Christian fellowship oh so sweet?  Paul in this passage has expressed his earnest desire to be among his fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.  His heart aches to be present with them, instead he finds himself writing a letter to them.  He states in Romans chapter 1, verse 12 so “that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith”.  What he is expressing is his desire for the encouragement that comes from fellowshipping with one another.

When we get together as Christians to worship, sing, hang out together, share a meal, or other activities where we truly interact is when fellowship is sweetest.  For an extended period of time I lived on the west coast.  Let me tell you it is a very long way away from most of our churches in our conference of churches.  I loved our 2 local congregations but it was ever so sweet when I would get to attend a camp or conference activity with other like-minded believers back east.  I always found it encouraging and always had the opportunity to encourage and minister to others as we fellowshipped together.  It was rejuvenating.  The Apostle Paul is longing for that same rejuvenating fellowship. 

Notice he mentions by mutual faith – that is why it is so important that we should fellowship together as believers.  In Proverbs 27:17 we read “As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”  To sharpen iron it must be rubbed against another piece of iron.  This picture reminds us that by fellowshipping together – sometimes literally rubbing elbows – we are strengthening and encouraging one another providing the most mutual benefit. That is why Paul in other writing mentions not to forget the assembling of ourselves together – so we don’t lose the mutual benefit of encouraging one another.  In our technological age of on-line church and digital meeting spaces let’s not forget what the Apostle Paul really yearned for, and felt was most beneficial – fellowship with other Christian believers.  Let’s remember that meeting together is for mutual benefit in the faith – uplifting, encouraging, and helping to rejuvenate our brothers and sisters in the faith so they too can have joy for the journey.

For Reflection:

 How can I be more diligent in taking part in opportunities to fellowship with other believers?

Have I taken this sweet, refreshing gift for granted that Paul longed for?

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Go and Tell

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 11 & 12

Poetry: Job 33

New Testament: Romans 1

He is risen indeed!  I write this devotion to you on the heels of celebrating Resurrection Sunday with our church family.  What a joyous celebration, as we celebrate the victory that Jesus had over death and what that means for us today.  The first people who heard that Jesus has risen from the grave were the ladies present when the angel rolled the stone away.  The angel told them that Jesus “is not here, for he has risen” (ESV Matthew 28:6).  The angel then gave the ladies simple instructions: “go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead” (Matthew 28:7). Go and tell.  That’s what the ladies were to do; they were to go and tell others that Jesus is alive.  If there has ever been a bona fide star of someone who simply goes and tells others about Jesus, it would have to be the apostle Paul.

From the moment that Paul placed his faith in Christ Jesus, his whole life seemed to revolve around spreading the gospel message of the king and the kingdom.  He took a few missionary journeys and wrote many letters seeking to advance the gospel message of the king and the kingdom.  What we have here in Romans is another example of Paul’s innate desire to go and tell others about Jesus and what was important to him.

Romans 1:1 identifies Paul as the author of this letter: “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God.”  I would say that is a pretty good summary of who Paul is.  Paul served Jesus from the moment that Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus, and Paul was sent off to advance the gospel message of God.  Romans 1:7 identifies the target audience of this letter: “To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints.”  Paul was writing to all of the saints in the city of Rome.  A saint is simply someone who, like Paul, is set apart from the world around them.  Paul is writing to those in Rome who have set themselves apart from the world by putting their faith in Christ Jesus.

It is believed that Paul wrote this letter around 56-58 AD – less than 30 years after the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.  The Roman Empire is nearing its peak in power.  In 49 AD, the Roman emperor Claudius banished all Jews from the city of Rome.  This decree lasted until Claudius’ death 5 years later.  Thus, at the time of the writing, the Jews were just able to reenter the city of Rome.  Around 56-58 AD, Nero would have just become the emperor.  He would eventually wreak havoc on the Christians in the city of Rome, but this would not have come until after Paul’s letter to the saints in Rome.  The saints in Rome would have consisted of both Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians.  I am sure they experienced similar tension that other groups of Christians experienced as well.

Paul would eventually find his way to the city of Rome in chains, but at the time of his writing, he had not yet been to Rome.  Verses 8-15 detail Paul’s desire to go to Rome.  We learn that Paul was “eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome,” (Romans 1:15).  Paul wanted to go preach the gospel to them in person, but in the meantime, he would write a unifying letter to them about the gospel message.  That is largely what the letter of Romans is – Paul’s presentation of the gospel message.  I like to break down Paul’s presentation of the gospel message in Romans into three parts: 1. Our sin and need of salvation. 2. God’s plan of salvation for us. 3. How to live a Christian life.

After Paul’s introduction in the first 17 verses or so, Paul transitions into the topic of our sin and our need of salvation.  It is not a fun section to read though, but it is needed to get to the fun sections.  Why talk about salvation if we have no need of being saved?  There would be no point!  However, as we will see in the next couple of chapters, Paul does a pretty stand-up job of expressing mankind’s desperate need of salvation.

I look forward to progressing through this letter with you.  In the meantime, I encourage you to consider Paul’s task and desire of going and telling others about the risen savior. Just as the ladies present at the tomb of Jesus and the apostle Paul himself, I implore you to go and tell!

-Kyle McClain

Reflection Questions

  1. Where and to whom might God be directing you to Go and Tell? Paul used both letters and visits to tell the gospel message of the king and kingdom. How could you share the message with those you know – and those you have yet to meet?
  2. What is the importance of each part of Paul’s message: 1. Our sin and need of salvation. 2. God’s plan of salvation for us. 3. How to live a Christian life? What happens when any one of those are not shared and taught?
  3. Pray for the God’s wisdom, words and direction as you follow Paul’s example. Then Go and Tell!
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Holiness and Thanksgiving

Theme Week – Thanks: Romans 1

Old Testament: Ezekiel 41 & 42

Poetry: Psalm 109

Yesterday, we learned that giving thanks to God is a part of our duty as those saved by grace through faith in Jesus. Today in Romans we see what happens to our souls when we don’t give thanks to God. 

In the magnum opus that is Romans, Paul lays out the case that Jews and gentiles both are redeemed by grace through faith in Jesus, that we are all members of Israel made new and we all can be grafted into the people of God. But to get to that point, Paul has let us know there is some bad news ; people are unrighteous. To be clear, God is angry at sin and those things that oppose his good will upon the Earth. God’s desire for humanity has been “made clear” by his creative action and people are without excuse to worship him. (Rom. 1:18-20)

Then we get to the point : “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Rom. 1:21)

Read that again : Paul seems to be connecting what they did not do and what happened to them. When people who could know God do not honor him or give thanks to him, they THEREFORE become futile in thinking and have darkened hearts. Which could also mean that if we want to not become futile in our thinking, if we do not want our hearts to remain in the dark, we need to honor God as God and give thanks to him. 

Now, let’s be clear about Paul’s point : we are not going to give thanks to God enough to be saved. Romans presents a powerful case that we can’t save ourselves! “We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23) and “the wages of sin is death.” (Rom. 6:23) However, we also remember what God gave: “the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23) 

Rather than simply “being thankful”, today give thanks to God for Jesus Christ our Lord, through and in whom we have salvation : “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord… There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 7:25-8:1)

Application and Reflection

Paul gives us a number of different ideas of what to be thankful for today : 

  1. Paul gives thanks to God for the church in Rome. (Rom. 1:8) When was the last time you gave thanks to God for your local church? Your local youth group or youth pastor or pastor? Take a moment to give thanks to God for that today.
  2. Paul gives thanks to God for the salvation of others! (Rom. 6:17) Look around at your mom, dad, brothers, sisters, and other family. Think about those people around you who know the salvation of God found in Jesus. Thank God for those who know Jesus around you. If you have some people who need to know more about Jesus and God, how can you share the gospel message of salvation by grace through faith with them?
  3. Paul says that we should give thanks for our food (Rom. 14:6) Will you take the time before every bite of food today to remember that God has given you this food? Will you make sure that God is honored by your thanks today?

-Jake Ballard

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The Truth & Lies

Romans 1

May 17

After lovingly greeting the Romans and assuring them that he plans to visit them and find mutual encouragement from each other ASAP, Paul spends the entire second half of Romans chapter 1 expressing God’s wrath on unrighteousness, providing multiple examples of what turning away from the LORD looks like, and warning against such evil. Paul does not take the neglect to honor God (despite knowing Him) lightly, and thoroughly affirms that God does not either.  

It is abundantly clear that we are living in an age in which right = wrong and wrong = right, in a world where people are living not for the Father, but rather for their own selfish desires – even daring to call them “good,” and encouraging us to do the same. However, we know how God has called us to live, and what will lead to true joy and fulfillment. 

“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God continues to live forever.” 1 John 2:15-17

Sadly, we are often guilty of failing in this regard in one way or another, as noted by Paul,

“They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever.” Romans 1:25

We constantly make the mistake of trading a relationship with God for the temporary satisfaction of giving into worldly temptation, worshiping possessions/desires rather than the One who provided us with them. But we are called to rise above the evil and temptation of this world, for there is nothing here that is worthy of worship except the one true God. 

It is reiterated multiple times in these passages that there is no excuse for those who know God and yet choose to turn away from Him to live an ungodly life. The last verse of chapter 1 says: “Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” I pray that we may have the wisdom and discernment to not fall for these false claims that evil is good, though we are surrounded by such lies everyday. Guard your hearts, that you may live in this world as a light, and not of this world, trapped in darkness. 

-Isabella Osborn

Discussion Questions:

  1. In what ways have you found yourself exchanging the truth for a lie, choosing the creature over the Creator? 
  2. What’s a change you can make this week to keep God at the forefront of your life? How does putting God first in everything you do determine what your life looks like/how you spend your time?

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Belief vs Unbelief

Romans 1 8

Romans 1

As we start to look at Paul’s letter to Rome, it is obvious Paul is writing to the church.  However, in the first chapter we see a message about the believers, and a message about the unbelievers.  Let’s look at both of these.

The beginning of chapter 1 begins similar to other letters Paul has written, with a greeting to the church.  Following that in verse 8 we read:

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world.”

The faith of the church in Rome is being proclaimed around the world.   That is an impressive statement about the church in Rome, and must have been very encouraging to hear that their faith was making an impression to people around the world.  Paul continues with this encouragement in verses 11 and 12:

“For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.”

I love that while Paul wants to see them to impart some spiritual gift to the church and to encourage the church, he also wants to spend time with them to be encouraged himself.  As we know, Paul was spreading the gospel to as many people in as many places as possible. It probably felt like an impossible task, but hearing of the faith of the church of Rome from around the world, it had to be an encouragement to Paul to know that the message would be spread even when he was unable to do it himself.

Paul concludes his message about the church in verses 16 and 17:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘But the righteous man shall live by faith.’ “

This is an example of how the church should act, both then and now.  We need to live by faith and never be ashamed of the gospel.  We should share it everywhere we go, to everyone we meet.

Then Paul turns his letter to speaking about the unbeliever.  Obviously, there were unbelievers in Rome, as there are unbelievers all around us today.   Paul tells us that there is no excuse for not believing in verses 19 and 20:

“because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.”

God is evident in the world around us, so unbelief must be a choice. The choice of unbelief is when we don’t honor God or give Him thanks.  Instead we rely on our own knowledge and understanding.  So, even if we admit God is real and in control, if we do not honor him and rely on him, it is still unbelief.  Paul continues to say that those who did not believe were turned over to their degrading passions and depraved minds.  In verse 32, Paul points out that this is all worthy of death.

We are shown two very different lives.  The first is one of faithfulness, and the second is one of unbelief.  The first is one of encouragement and spreading the gospel.  The second is one of sin and death.  We need to each examine our own lives.  Although we probably all belief in God, are we honoring Him, giving thanks to Him, encouraging and uplifting others, and preaching the Gospel?

-Andrew Hamilton