The New Testament
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Devotional
Weekly Bible Devotion By Books
Nov. 6-11, 2023
Enter the presence of the Lord-
(M) The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.
(W) The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.
(M) The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.
(W) The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does.
(M) The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
(W) He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.
(M) The Lord watches over all who love him,
(All) I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever.
(Selections from Psalm 145: 8-9, 13b, 17-20a,)
Scripture Reading: Romans
1:2-4 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
1: 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
3:23-25 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.
4: 15 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.
5:1-3a Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, …
7: 12, 14-15, 18 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good…. 14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. …18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.
8:1-2Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
8:22-23 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.
8:26-27 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
10:4, 9-10 4 Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes….9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
11: 1a, 2a, 11, 26, 28b-29 11a I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! …2a God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. …11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious…. all Israel will be saved. As it is written…but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.
12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
12:3 Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.
12:12-14,18-19a 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse....18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath,
13: 8, 10, 14 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law….10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law….14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.
14: 1, 17,21 Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters…. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit… 19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. …21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall….22b Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.
Thoughts to Share: : The Gospel of Jesus Christ for All
At the time when Paul wrote this letter to the Roman Christian groups from Corinth, he had already carried out the Christian movement across all types of cultural and social circumstances. On one hand, he had excitement and joy in seeing that many came to put trust in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And many churches were birthed and thrived. On the other hand, he saw a reality. Churches generally struggled with two critical areas. The first area was the relationship between Gentile Christians and Jewish Christians. The second area was how the Gospel of Jesus Christ would relate to their everyday world- human relationships, political, social, and economic institutions.
Paul was born and raised in Jewish culture under the Hellenistic and Roman cultural systems. Then he became a Christ’s follower and messenger. He assessed through those cultures in the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As he pondered to advance God’s movement to Rome, the center of the world, he wanted the Christians to know what the Gospel of Jesus Christ meant to them in their real world. In the process, he led us to see the breadth and depth of the Gospel. Many later Bible scholars have viewed this letter as the mini but comprehensive theological doctrines in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But Paul’s real interest was to make it plainly understandable that the Gospel of Jesus Christ was for all.
So, let us follow Paul’s thoughts in the book and distill some gems here. May the grace and peace of the Gospel of Jesus Christ flow to us as we walk through them.
1) The nature of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. (1:16)
2) The reality of human nature
Human beings are capable to recognize the existence of God. But Paul looked around the Gentile cultures and Jews’ history, he concluded, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Sin itself has its own marching song to progress into our body, soul and spirit, into our relations, our systems, and our cultures. (1:19-20; 3:23-27)
3) Salvation and righteousness of God in Jesus Christ
God's righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between the Jew and the Gentile. All are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness… (3:23-27)
4) The way to salvation of God: faith or work?
The way to righteousness by faith has been working even since Abraham. It is nothing new. In contrast, Jews’ history proves that the way to righteousness by work failed again and again. (4:15)
5) The blessings in Christ
Paul articulated the blessings very well. He said, “ We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." (5:1-11)
6) The Gospel over the Law
Paul explained, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. And, the law is spiritual. Yet, we are unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. Sin existed in the world long before the law was given. But sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. We would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. (7:12, 14a; 14b, 5:13, 7:7a)
The Gospel came to us for what the law was powerless to do. The good law was weakened by our flesh. God replaced the powerless law by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us. He enabled us not to live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. We who are in Christ Jesus, are not in any condemnation now. Through Christ Jesus the Spirit who gives life has set us free from the law of sin and death. (8:2-4, 1)
7) The way of the Holy Spirit
The Gospel of Jesus Christ set us free from the law of sin and death, and condemnation. Moreover, we are brought into the realm of the Spirit. The Spirit lives in us. The power that raised Jesus from the dead is in us. Our minds become able to set upon the things that the Spirit desires, which lead us to life and peace. We are the children of God- heirs of God and co-heir with Jesus Christ. The Spirit helps us in our weakness and intercedes for us through wordless groans and according to the will of God to ensure the best for us. (8:1-4, 26-27)
8) The place and hope of the Jews and the Gentiles in Christ
With no doubt, Christ was, is, and will be for the Jews. And, the grace and blessings of Christ went to the Gentiles first because of Jews’ rejection of Jesus as Christ. God will not withhold his love and righteousness to the Jews. He’ll wait and be faithful to them. They always are the beloved ones of God. So, the Gentile Christians and the Jewish Christians should accept each other, respect each other, and love each other. (9-11)
9) Present suffering and future glory
Paul did not undermine the suffering that believers experienced at the present time. He pointed out that such suffering is a result of our not- yet- redeemed creation which includes our bodies. The whole creation is waiting for the moment to be liberated from the bondage to decay and to be brought into the full freedom and glory of children of God. We will have pains and groans at the present time. Yet, in such moments and circumstances, God has provision for us. God promised us: The Holy Spirit will pray for us according to God’s good will for us. Nothing will separate us from God’s love. We will have a new, redeemed, and glorious bodies. (8:22-25)
10) Life in Christ in the real world
Christ will transform our lives and our existence. Life in Christ in the world will be naturally expressed in every realm of our existence. For examples, how we serve one another in the body of Christ, how we relate to ourselves and others, and how we relate to the authorities. Paul offers a guideline for the followers of Christ. That is: offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is our true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind. Then we will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (12, 13)
11) What to do with prevalent social customs?
It appears that food and drink caused a big fuss among the church members in Roman area. Paul gave a few guidance- (1) See big picture and put the first thing as the first. Hold on the things matter in the kingdom of God- such as righteousness, peace, joy, mutual edification, God’s work. (2) Examine one’s consciousness concerning certain issue before God, (3) Accept those in weakness and do not send quick judgment. (14:1, 7, 21)
Reading through the book of Romans again and again, I find that the mystery of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is opened so clearly. I simply could not help praising the Lord for the Gospel I received. The book answers many key questions such as: why the Gospel of Jesus Christ only? why is the Gospel for all? What is the future of God’s chosen people Israelites? and how does the Gospel speak to our real world and life? The teachings in Romans are still very fresh and applicable to us. The book helps us to understand our faith, strengthen our walking with Christ in the real world, and equip us to become effective Gospel communicators.
Prayer Suggestions
Heavenly Father, you created us and did have a plan in Jesus Christ to us. The plan is for our welfare, not for evil. The Gospel of Jesus Christ gives us the future and hope. Thank you. I know that I can put trust in you despite all the winds and trends of the world around me. Jesus Christ, I confess that you are the Lord. You are my God and my Lord. I open my self, my life, my years to you. Come, into my being and take the leadership. Use me as a communicator of your glorious gospel. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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