Romans
It is Impossible to Be Neutral
It is impossible to be neutral in life. Every person has a master – God on Satan. A Christian is not someone who has no potential to sin, but someone who is no longer a slave to sin. You are free to choose between the two masters, but you are not free to choose the consequences. Each of these …
Reasons for not being ashamed of the Gospel
Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel because he knew that it came from God (v. 16). He was taking to sinful Rome the one message that had the power to change men’s lives. He had seen this Gospel work in other wicked cities, such as Corinth and Ephesus, and he knew that it would als …
Paul’s Plan to Visit Rome
Paul had not been hindered in going to Rome because of Satanic opposition or physical obstacles, but by the challenge of completing his work right where he was. He was the type of person who finished one job before he started another one. Paul had a desire for many years to go to Spain (v.
From Suffering to Glory
Sin caused the creation to fall from its perfect state (vv. 18-21). As Christians we can see the world physically decaying and spiritually degenerating with this sin. However, we do not need to be pessimistic, because we have a blessed hope. Brighter days indeed lie ahead for the whole creation …
Repay No One Evil For Evil
These verses in this passage summarize the core of Christian living. In this day of constant lawsuits and demands for legal rights, Paul’s command sounds almost impossible. When someone hurts you deeply, instead of giving him what he deserves, Paul says to befriend him (vv. 17-21). We are …
The secret of heart to heart ministry
There are three prevailing myths concerning the ministry:
It is Impossible to Separate Us From Christ
The verses in the closing part of this chapter contain some of the most comforting promises in all of Scripture. Believers have always had to face hardships in many forms. These could cause us to fear that we have been abandoned by Christ. However, Paul explains that it is imposs …
Avoid Devisive People
As Paul comes to the end of his message, he warns them about false teachers who, instead of preaching the truth, spread their own religious propaganda (vv. 17-18). These evildoers are not Christian teachers who have fallen into error, as some teach, but are ungodly men. They are not …
From Slaves of Sin to Slaves of God
In the remaining verses in this chapter sin is set before us in two graphic illustrations: It is likened to an old king who is now defeated (vv. 12-14) and it is likened unto an old king who is now deposed (vv. 15-23). Three words in this chapter summarize the secret of making the principles of …
God’s Indictment of All Hypocrites
It seems that this passage describes God’s indictment of all hypocrites, regardless of race or religion, culture, or creed. Both Jews and Gentiles are included in this discussion, but the Gentile often appears in a better light than the Jew. Verse five points out the fact that the wrath of God is …