Romans 6 shows how things work out when we're saved by grace and how Christians are called to live transformed lives by the Spirit. We certainly should not, says Paul, exploit freedom in Christ. He asks: "Shall we go on sinning so that grace may abound? By no means!" "We were baptized into Jesus' death... and buried with him... and raised with him... so that we may live a new life... for our old self was crucified with him... so that we do not remain slaves to sin... for if we died with Christ we also live with him... so count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus... don't offer your body to sin but offer yourselves to God... you used to be slaves to sin but now you whole heartedly obey God... you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness... for now that you are set free from sin and are slaves to God... this leads to holiness.. for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord!"
Wednesday, 9 September 2026
Romans 5 (résumé): Peace & Joy
Romans 5 explains the blessings of being justified by faith and compares Adam with Jesus. The chapter starts with the beautiful and famous verse: "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ... and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God... we also rejoice in sufferings... and God has poured his love into our hearts... for just at the right time Christ died for the ungodly... for God demonstrates his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us... and now we are reconciled we shall be saved through his life... and we rejoice in God through Christ". "As sin entered into the world through one man... the gift is not like the trespass... the gift of God's grace overflows to the many!... by the trespass of one man death reigned... how much more will God's abundant provision of grace reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ... and just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also through the obedience of one man the many will be made righteous... and where sin increased grace increased all the more... bringing eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
Romans 4 (résumé): Abraham justified by Faith
Paul starts chapter 4 stating that Abraham was not justified by works, which would give him something to boast about, but was justified by faith. "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness". (Genesis 15:6) "He who trusts God his faith is credited as righteousness. And Paul says that Abraham's faith and justification came before he was circumcised, so Abraham is father of the faith of circumcised and uncircumcised Christians. So, says Paul, Abraham received the promise of his heir, not through the law but by faith... the promise comes by faith... by grace... He is the father of us all, Jews and Gentiles... He is the father of many nations... because he never wavered in disbelief despite being a 100 years old and he believed in the promise... so God credits righteousness to us who believe in Jesus!"
Romans 3 (résumé): God's Faithfulness
The wonderful message of Romans 3 is that "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God... but can be justified freely by his grace through the redemption of Jesus Christ". Never, says Paul, should the Jew lose sight of the honour and privilege of being the custodian of the word of God. However all men are sinners and "there is no-one righteous, not even one". The law reveals our sin and need of God. So God has revealed righteousness that comes apart from the law and exclusively through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Through Christ, says Paul, God reveals his justice and the justifier! And Paul concludes the chapter making it clear that there is now room for boasting because "a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law... the God of the Jews and of Gentiles too who justifies the circumcised and the uncircumcised by faith".
Romans 2 (résumé): God's righteous Judgement
Paul now condemns that who judge others whilst they themselves are practicing the same things. God's judgement however is perfect and impartial, and "God's kindness leads you towards repentance". People should respond to God's love and turn from sin. God, says Paul, will judge everyone impartially and "will give to each person according to what he has done" citing Psalm 62:12 and Proverbs 24:12. God will give eternal life to those who seek immortality, but those who are self-seeking they will receive wrath and anger. For God will judge according to a person's heart. Paul then cautions the Jew about just having the law not making you righteous... you have to practice it and obey it! "If you call yourself a Jew... if you rely on the law... if you brag about your relationship with God... if you are a light for those in the dark... you teach others but don't teach yourself!... so circumcision must be of the heart and not just external... by the Spirit and not by a written code!"
Romans 1 (résumé): God's wrath against Mankind
The Book of Romans is a clear presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ initially explaining the link between God's righteousness and the Gospel, then going on to discuss peace with God, freedom from sin, Israel as part of God's plan and finally Christian living.
In chapter 1 Paul initially presents himself as "a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle... who writes to all the Christians in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints". Paul next expresses his longing to visit Rome so clearly the Book of Romans was written before Acts 28. He says: "I long to see you that I may impart some spiritual gift... and I am eager to preach in Rome". Paul then goes on to say: "I am not ashamed of the gospel... for the salvation of Jew and Gentile... for the righteous shall live by faith!" Paul them goes on to show why man (Jews and Gentiles) need salvation because God had revealed himself through creation but man chose idols instead of the true Lord. God therefore turned man over to his sinful desires because he had turned away from God. "God gave them over to the sinful desires of sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies... they exchanged the truth of God for a lie... and men and women ended up practicing same-sex relationships... so God gave them over to depraved minds... and they are gossips, slanderers and God-haters".
Acts 28 (résumé): Ashore at Malta & then on to Rome
Once safely ashore they discovered they were on the island of Malta and the people welcomed them around a fire where Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake but suffered no ill effects. Paul then healed all the island's sick in the name of Jesus and the people gave them supplies prior to them leaving. On the trip to Rome they spent a week with brothers at Puteoli and Paul was encouraged to see brothers in Christ upon reaching Rome who had heard he was coming. In Rome "Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him". For 2 years Paul stayed in Rome in his own rented house and boldly and without hindrance he preached the Gospel. "Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe".