Category Archives: Stuff I’ve Been Writing

Click here for Romans 4:13-25 audio:

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Paul continues to use Abraham as the model of saving faith. Abraham was not made righteous by keeping the law—the law didn’t even exist yet—but by trusting in God’s promise (v. 13). That promise wasn’t only about land or descendants; it ultimately pointed forward to a global inheritance through Christ for everyone who believes (vv. 16–17). The law, Paul says, brings wrath, not righteousness (v. 15). But God’s promise rests on grace and is guaranteed by faith, which is how both Jews and Gentiles can be counted as Abraham’s true children (v. 16).

Even when everything seemed hopeless, Abraham believed. He knew he was old, and Sarah was barren, but he still trusted that God could give life to the dead and bring something out of nothing (vv. 18–21). That kind of faith—fully convinced that God would do what He promised—was “counted to him as righteousness” (v. 22). And the good news is that this wasn’t just for Abraham. It’s for us too—everyone who believes in the God who raised Jesus from the dead, who was delivered up for our sins and raised for our justification (vv. 23–25).

🎯 Theme: Faith in God’s promise, not human effort, is what makes us righteous before Him.

🌀 Reflection: Like Abraham, we are called to believe in the God who gives life to the dead and keeps His promises. Where are you tempted to doubt? Ask God to help you trust Him, even when it doesn’t make sense.

💬 Mission Challenge: Share Romans 4:20–21 with someone today and encourage them to trust in God’s power to do what He has promised.

Click here for Romans 4:1-12 audio:

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To prove that we are made right with God through faith and not works, Paul points to the example of Abraham. If Abraham had earned righteousness by good works, he could boast—but Scripture says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (v. 3; cf. Gen. 15:6). Justification is not a reward for effort but a gracious gift received through faith (vv. 4–5). Paul then brings in the voice of David, who also rejoiced in God’s mercy: “Blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin” (v. 8; Ps. 32:2).

Abraham was counted righteous before he was circumcised (v. 10), making him the spiritual father not only of believing Jews, but also of all who trust in God by faith—regardless of outward signs or heritage. Circumcision served only as a seal of the faith he already had. This means the way to be made right with God has always been by faith, not by what we do. Salvation is not earned; it is received with open hands and a trusting heart.

🎯 Theme: Justification has always come through faith, not works—just as Abraham was counted righteous before he did anything to earn it.

🌀 Reflection: Whether Jew or Gentile, the only path to righteousness is by trusting God—not by relying on our own efforts. The faith that made Abraham righteous is the same faith we’re called to walk in: believing God’s promises and receiving His grace.

💬 Mission Challenge: Think about someone who feels like they’ve messed up too much for God to forgive them. Share with them how God justifies the ungodly—not because they’re worthy, but because He is gracious—and how Abraham and David both found blessing by faith, not performance.

Click here for Romans 3:21-31 audio:

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After exposing the universal guilt of all people (Rom. 1:18–3:20), Paul breaks through with the most glorious words in the letter so far: “But now…” A new way of being made right with God has been revealed—not by works of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ. This righteousness is available to everyone who believes, because all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory (vv. 22–23).

We are justified—declared righteous—by God’s grace as a gift (v. 24). How? Through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, who was put forward as a sacrifice to satisfy God’s wrath and forgive our sins (v. 25). This shows that God is both just and the justifier of those who have faith in Jesus (v. 26).

Because this salvation is not earned but received by faith, boasting is excluded (vv. 27–28). Jew and Gentile alike are made right with God the same way—by grace through faith. This doesn’t cancel the law but confirms it, showing that the law’s true purpose was to lead us to Christ (v. 31).

🎯 Theme: God’s righteousness is revealed in Jesus, who justifies sinners by grace through faith.

🌀 Reflection: At the cross, God did what we never could—He satisfied His justice and offered mercy at the same time. Our salvation is not our doing; it’s all God’s grace, received by faith in Christ alone.

💬 Mission Challenge: Boldly share the heart of the gospel with someone this week: that salvation is not about trying harder or being good enough—it’s about trusting Jesus, who gave Himself to make us right with God.

Click here for Romans 3:1-20 audio:

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Paul anticipates a question after confronting Jewish hypocrisy: if Jews are just as guilty as Gentiles, is there any value in being Jewish? His answer is yes—they were entrusted with God’s Word (v. 2), which is a great privilege. Yet Paul emphasizes that God’s faithfulness does not depend on human faithfulness. Even when people fail, God remains true to His promises and just in His judgment (v. 4). Still, Paul dismisses the flawed logic of those who argue that sin somehow glorifies God or that more sin could lead to more grace (vv. 5–8). That kind of thinking only leads to condemnation.

He then brings the entire courtroom of humanity before the Judge of all the earth and presents the devastating verdict: no one is righteous—not Jew or Gentile, not even one (vv. 10–12). Through a series of Old Testament quotations, Paul shows that sin affects every part of who we are—our hearts, speech, actions, and relationships (vv. 13–18). The law doesn’t save; it silences. It reveals our guilt and shows that no one can be justified before God by works (v. 20).

🎯 Theme: No one is righteous before God; all are under sin and accountable to His judgment.

🌀 Reflection: Romans 3 confronts our tendency to think we’re the exception to the rule. But when we stand before God’s standard, every mouth is silenced. We all need grace—desperately, equally, and completely.

💬 Mission Challenge: Share your testimony with someone today—not a cleaned-up version, but the honest truth about your need for God’s mercy and how He met you with grace in Christ.

Click here for Romans 2:17-29 audio:

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Paul now turns his focus specifically to the Jews, God’s covenant people. They had incredible privileges—God’s law, His promises, and a calling to be a light to the nations (vv. 17–20). But possessing the law is not the same as obeying it. Paul points out the danger of spiritual pride: when people teach others but fail to live by what they teach, they dishonor God and give others reasons to mock His name (vv. 21–24).

Circumcision was meant to be a sign of belonging to God, but it was never just about the outward mark. True belonging to God comes from inward transformation—a circumcision of the heart by the Spirit (vv. 28–29). Paul reminds his readers that God is not impressed by religious performance or heritage. He is looking for people whose hearts have been changed by His grace.

🎯 Theme: Outward religion means nothing without inward transformation by the Spirit.

🌀 Reflection: It’s possible to have all the right words, background, and knowledge—and still miss the heart of God. What matters most is whether the Spirit is at work in us, shaping us to truly follow Christ.

💬 Mission Challenge: Spend time today asking God to show you any areas where your faith is more about appearance than reality. Then talk with someone about what it means to be changed from the inside out.

Click here for Romans 2:1-16 audio:

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It’s easy to judge others, especially when their sins seem obvious. But Paul warns that when we condemn others for doing wrong while doing the same things ourselves, we’re actually condemning ourselves (v. 1). God’s judgment isn’t based on comparison but on truth, and He sees through every excuse. His kindness is not permission to keep sinning—it’s an invitation to repent (v. 4).

Those who persist in doing good show evidence of a transformed heart, while those who persist in disobedience store up wrath for the day of judgment (vv. 5–8). God will judge everyone impartially—Jews and Gentiles alike—not by what they’ve heard, but by how they’ve lived in response to what they knew (vv. 11–13). Even those without the written law have a moral compass—conscience—that bears witness to right and wrong (vv. 14–15). And on the final day, God will judge not only our actions but even the hidden motives of our hearts through Jesus Christ (v. 16).

🎯 Theme: God’s judgment is impartial and based on truth—no one is exempt.

🌀 Reflection: We all want justice for others but mercy for ourselves. Paul reminds us that the standard is not our own comparison to others but God’s righteous truth and the response of our hearts to it.

💬 Mission Challenge: Instead of criticizing someone today, pray for them. Ask God to help you examine your own heart and respond to His kindness with repentance.

Click here for Romans 1:18-32 audio:

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After declaring the gospel as the power of God for salvation (vv. 16–17), Paul explains why we need saving: God’s wrath is being revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth (v. 18). The problem isn’t ignorance—God has made Himself known. His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived through creation (vv. 19–20). But rather than glorifying God or giving thanks, people turn from Him.

Though they knew God in a general sense, they rejected Him. Their thinking became futile, their hearts darkened, and they exchanged truth for lies (vv. 21–23). Claiming to be wise, they became fools, trading the glory of the immortal God for images of man and animals. This is idolatry—worshiping created things rather than the Creator.

This passage shows how sin begins with failing to honor God. When people reject Him, God gives them over to the sin they desire and the consequences of their rebellion against God. But the gospel is still good news—it rescues us from this cycle and restores us to right worship.

🎯 Theme: When people exchange God’s truth for lies and worshiping creation rather than the Creator, God gives them over to the consequences of their sin as an expression of His holy judgment.

🌀 Reflection: This passage paints a sobering picture of what happens when people reject God. When we stop honoring and thanking Him, our hearts grow dark, and sin takes over. God gives people over to the very things they desire—and the result is spiritual and societal ruin.

💬 Mission Challenge: Share with someone this week one way God has revealed Himself to you—through creation, answered prayer, His Word, or His work in your life. Let that testimony be a bridge to talk about the truth of the gospel.

Click here for Romans 1:1-17 audio:

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Paul begins his letter to the Romans by introducing himself as a servant of Christ and laying out the heart of his message—the gospel. This good news (which is what the word “gospel” means) is not a new idea but was promised beforehand through the prophets and fulfilled in Jesus, the Son of God. Paul’s desire is for people from all nations to receive the obedience of faith (v. 5), and he longs to visit Rome to encourage and be encouraged by the church there. Most importantly, Paul boldly declares that the gospel is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (v. 16). It’s not based on our effort, but on God’s righteousness revealed through faith.

🎯 Theme: The gospel is God’s power to save, and it is received by faith—not works, not status, not strength.

🌀 Reflection: Do you live with the same boldness and confidence in the gospel that Paul expresses here? Are there areas in your life where you need to stop trusting in yourself and instead trust in God’s power to save and sustain?

💬 Mission Challenge: Share the gospel with someone this week—whether it’s your full testimony or a simple word about how Jesus has changed you. Don’t be ashamed (v. 16); be sent.