Word of God – Page 4 – Just Keith Harris

Romans 5 on 12/24 | NT260 — Reading & Growing in Christ

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Because we have been justified by faith, we now have peace with God through Jesus—not just a calm feeling, but a real change in our relationship with God where the hostility of sin is ended (vv. 1, 10–11). Through Christ we have access into grace and a secure place to stand, and that security produces hope—the certain expectation that we will share in the glory God has promised (v. 2). Even our sufferings aren’t meaningless for the believer. God uses them to form endurance, proven character, and deeper hope (vv. 3–4). And this hope will not put us to shame on the day of judgment, because God has already poured His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit (v. 5; cf. Eph. 1:13–14).

Paul grounds that inner assurance in a rock-solid, historical proof: Christ died for us while we were still weak, ungodly, and sinners (vv. 6–8). Human love might rarely die for someone “good,” but God’s love is in a category all its own—Jesus died for enemies (v. 10). That’s why Paul argues “much more”: if God has already justified us by Christ’s blood and reconciled us through His death, we can be confident He will finish what He started—saving us from wrath and keeping us by Christ’s resurrected life (vv. 9–10; cf. 4:25). So our boasting isn’t in ourselves; it’s in God, because we have received reconciliation through our Lord Jesus Christ (v. 11).

Then Paul widens the lens to show why this hope is so sure: everyone is either in Adam or in Christ. Through Adam, sin entered the world and death spread to all (vv. 12, 14). Adam’s one trespass brought condemnation, and the law later highlighted and even multiplied our trespasses by exposing sin more clearly (vv. 16, 20). But Christ is the “second Adam”—and His gift is not like Adam’s trespass. Where Adam’s one act brought death’s reign, Christ’s one act of righteousness and obedience brings an abundance of grace, justification, and life to all who receive Him by faith (vv. 15–19). Sin once reigned in death, but grace now reigns through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (v. 21).

🌀 Reflection:
Where do you feel most “weak” right now—tired, tempted, anxious, discouraged? Romans 5 doesn’t tell you to prove yourself to God; it tells you to look at the cross. If God loved you when you were His enemy, you don’t have to wonder whether He’ll hold you now as His child (vv. 8–10).

🎄 Christmas Reflection:
On Christmas Eve, we remember that God’s love did not begin at the cross—it moved toward the cross through the cradle. The child born in Bethlehem came for the weak, the ungodly, and the undeserving. Christmas proclaims that God did not wait for us to love Him first; He came near while we were still sinners, to make peace and give us hope that will never put us to shame (vv. 6–8).

💬 Mission Challenge:
Share Romans 5:8 with someone today and put it in plain words: “God didn’t wait for me to get better—Jesus came for me when I was still a sinner.” Invite them to receive the free gift of grace and life found in Christ (vv. 15–17, 21).

Romans 4 on 12/23 | NT260 — Reading & Growing in Christ

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Paul points to Abraham—the great father of Israel—to prove that God has always made sinners right with Him by faith, not by works. If Abraham had been justified by what he did, he could boast. But Scripture says the opposite: “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (vv. 2–3, Gen. 15:6). Paul explains the difference with a simple picture: wages are earned, but a gift is received. That’s why the gospel is so shocking—and so hopeful—God “justifies the ungodly” who stop trying to earn righteousness and instead trust Him (vv. 4–5). David backs this up by celebrating the blessedness of forgiven people whose sins are not counted against them (vv. 6–8, Ps. 32:1–2).

Then Paul tackles circumcision, because many assumed the outward sign was the doorway into God’s blessing. But the timeline matters: Abraham was counted righteous before he was circumcised (vv. 9–10). Circumcision was a sign and seal of a righteousness he already had by faith, not the cause of it (v. 11). That means Abraham is the father of all who believe—Gentiles who believe without circumcision and Jews who are not merely marked outwardly but who “walk in the footsteps” of Abraham’s faith (vv. 11–12).

Paul goes further: the promise didn’t come through the law (which arrived centuries later) but through the righteousness of faith (v. 13). If inheritance came through law-keeping, faith would be emptied and the promise would collapse, because the law exposes sin and brings wrath on lawbreakers (vv. 14–15). That’s why the promise rests on grace and is guaranteed through faith, so it can include all Abraham’s offspring—Jew and Gentile alike (vv. 16–17). Abraham’s faith wasn’t denial of reality; he faced his aged body and Sarah’s barrenness, yet trusted God’s power to give life and keep His word (vv. 18–21). That same kind of faith is what God counts as righteousness for us as we believe in Him who raised Jesus—“delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (vv. 22–25).

🌀 Reflection:
Romans 4 presses a hard question: are you treating God like an employer who pays wages, or like a Father who gives grace? Real faith lays down boasting, stops bargaining, and simply trusts God to do what He promised in Christ (vv. 4–5, 20–21).

🎄 Christmas Reflection:
At Christmas, we celebrate a gift that cannot be earned. Jesus is not a reward for good behavior but God’s gracious answer to human helplessness. Just as Abraham believed God’s promise against all odds, we are called to receive Christ the same way—not by working, but by trusting. The birth of Jesus declares that salvation has always been, and will always be, by grace through faith (vv. 4–5, 16).

💬 Mission Challenge:
Encourage someone who feels “too far gone” by sharing the heart of Romans 4: God justifies the ungodly who believe. Tell them you don’t clean yourself up to come to Jesus—you come to Jesus to be made new (vv. 5, 24–25).

Romans 3 on 12/22 | NT260 — Reading & Growing in Christ

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Paul continues answering objections from his Jewish dialogue partner. Yes, the Jews had real advantages—chiefly that they were entrusted with the very words of God (vv. 1–2). Yet Israel’s unfaithfulness does not cancel God’s faithfulness. God remains true, righteous, and just in His judgments, even when every human proves false (vv. 3–6). Paul also rejects the twisted logic that says sin should be excused because it “shows” God’s righteousness or “brings” Him glory; that argument is slander against the gospel, and it deserves condemnation (vv. 7–8).

Then Paul delivers the courtroom verdict on all humanity: Jews and Gentiles alike are under sin—no one is righteous, no one seeks God, and sin reaches into our words, our actions, and even our inner posture toward the Lord (vv. 9–18). The law does not provide a ladder to climb into God’s favor; it speaks to expose guilt, silence excuses, and hold the whole world accountable (v. 19). That’s why no human being will be justified by works of the law—because the law’s role is to reveal sin, not remove it (v. 20).

But now—after the guilty verdict—God reveals His saving righteousness apart from the law, though the Old Testament always pointed to it (v. 21). This right standing with God comes through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe, because all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory (vv. 22–23). We are justified by grace as a gift through the redemption found in Christ, whom God put forward as the atoning sacrifice—satisfying God’s wrath and dealing with our sins (vv. 24–25). In the cross, God shows Himself to be both just and the One who justifies the sinner who trusts Jesus (v. 26). Therefore, boasting is excluded; Jew and Gentile are saved the same way—by faith—and this faith does not overthrow the law but upholds it by fulfilling its purpose: exposing sin and pointing us to Christ (vv. 27–31).

🌀 Reflection:
Romans 3 knocks the last prop out from under self-reliance. If the law can only expose our sin, then our hope can’t be our effort—it must be God’s gift. Are you resting today in what Christ has done, or still trying to earn what can only be received by faith (vv. 24–26)?

🎄 Christmas Reflection:
Christmas reminds us that God did not wait for humanity to fix itself before acting. When every mouth was silenced and every heart exposed as guilty, God sent His Son into the world—not to condemn it, but to save it. The child in the manger is God’s answer to the verdict of Romans 3: we cannot make ourselves righteous, so God came to give righteousness as a gift through Jesus Christ (vv. 21–24).

💬 Mission Challenge:
Share the “But now…” of the gospel with someone this week: you can’t justify yourself, but God justifies sinners freely by grace through faith in Jesus (vv. 21–24).

Romans 2 on 12/21 | NT260 — Reading & Growing in Christ

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After exposing the sin of the Gentile world in Romans 1, Paul turns to those who are quick to judge others. He warns that judging does not place anyone above God’s judgment, because the judge often practices the very same things (vv. 1–3). God’s judgment is always righteous and true, and His kindness, patience, and restraint are not permission to continue in sin but an invitation to repent (v. 4). Those who refuse to repent are not escaping judgment—they are storing it up for the day when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed (v. 5). God will judge each person according to their deeds, showing no favoritism to Jew or Gentile alike (vv. 6–11).

Paul then explains that judgment is based on response to the light a person has received. Gentiles without the written law are still accountable because God’s moral law is written on their hearts, witnessed by conscience (vv. 14–15). Jews, though privileged with God’s law, are not justified by hearing it but by doing it (vv. 12–13). Ultimately, God’s judgment reaches beyond outward actions to the hidden motives and secrets of the heart—and it will be carried out through Jesus Christ (v. 16).

Paul goes on to address Jews directly, exposing the danger of religious confidence without obedience. Having God’s law and teaching it to others is meaningless if it is not lived out (vv. 17–24). Circumcision, the covenant sign, has value only when joined with obedience; without it, the outward sign is empty (v. 25). True belonging to God is not marked by outward identity or ritual but by an inward change—a heart transformed by the Spirit (vv. 28–29). What matters most is not human approval but praise from God.

🌀 Reflection:
Romans 2 presses us to examine not just what we know or how we appear, but who we truly are before God. Where might you be relying on spiritual knowledge, background, or reputation instead of humble repentance and a heart changed by the Spirit (vv. 4, 29)?

💬 Mission Challenge:
Repent intentionally today—thank God for His kindness, confess areas of hidden pride or hypocrisy, and ask the Spirit to keep shaping your heart to match your confession of faith (vv. 4–5).

Romans 1 on 12/20 | NT260 — Reading & Growing in Christ

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Paul opens Romans by introducing himself as a servant of Christ Jesus, called and set apart for the gospel God promised long ago in the Scriptures (vv. 1–2). That gospel centers on God’s Son—Jesus, the promised King from David’s line and the risen Lord declared to be the Son of God in power (vv. 3–4). Paul writes to believers in Rome (whom he hasn’t met yet) with gratitude for their faith and with a deep desire to visit so they can strengthen and encourage one another (vv. 8–12). He feels a holy obligation to take the good news to all kinds of people, and he’s eager to preach it in Rome too (vv. 13–15). Then he states the heartbeat of the letter: the gospel is God’s power to save everyone who believes, revealing God’s righteousness from start to finish by faith (vv. 16–17).

Right away, Paul also explains why the world needs saving. God’s wrath is being revealed against human sin because people suppress the truth and refuse to honor and thank the Creator, even though God’s power and divine nature are clearly seen through what He has made (vv. 18–21). Instead of worshiping God, people exchange His glory for idols—created things in place of the Creator (vv. 22–25). As an act of judgment, God “gave them up” to the consequences of their rebellion, and the result is deep moral confusion and a flood of many kinds of evil—both in actions and in approving what is wrong (vv. 24–32). Romans 1 leaves us with no room for pride: we need rescue, and only God can provide it.

🌀 Reflection:
Where are you tempted to be quiet, careful, or “ashamed” of the gospel—not necessarily in what you say, but in what you avoid? Ask the Lord to renew your confidence that the good news isn’t your power to fix people; it’s God’s power to save (v. 16)—and it starts by turning us from worshiping created things back to worshiping the Creator (v. 25).

💬 Mission Challenge:
Share one simple, gospel-centered sentence with someone this week—who Jesus is and what He does to save—and invite them to read Romans with you (vv. 16–17).

2 Corinthians 13 on 12/19 | NT260 — Reading & Growing in Christ

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As Paul closes this letter, he reminds the Corinthians that he is coming to them for a third time, and this visit will not be casual (v. 1). Like a careful judge, he says that every matter will be established by “two or three witnesses,” and warns that if those who continue in sin do not repent, he “will not spare” them when he comes (v. 2). Some have questioned whether Christ is really speaking through Paul, but Paul turns this around: if Christ truly lives in them, they should be able to see His power at work through Paul too (vv. 3–4). The same Jesus who was crucified in weakness but now lives by the power of God is the One working in and through Paul—even when he looks weak on the outside (v. 4).

Paul then gives one of the most searching commands in the New Testament: “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves” (v. 5). Instead of spending their energy judging Paul, they need to look honestly at their own hearts and lives. Are they walking in obedience to Christ, or clinging to sin (vv. 5–7)? Paul’s great desire is not to “win” against them but to see them restored—to see them strong in the truth, even if he looks weak or unimpressive in the process (vv. 7–9). His authority from the Lord is given not to tear them down but to build them up (v. 10).

He closes with a warm, pastoral call: rejoice, aim for restoration, listen to his appeal, agree with one another, and live in peace so that “the God of love and peace” will be with them (vv. 11). He reminds them that they are part of one family in Christ, greeting one another with a holy kiss and sharing in the unity of all the saints (vv. 12–13). Finally, Paul ends with a beautiful Trinitarian blessing: the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with them all (v. 14). This is the life he wants for them—a church humbled, examined, restored, and living together in the love and presence of the triune God.

🌀 Reflection:
It is easy to evaluate everyone else—leaders, churches, friends, even culture—but Paul calls us to turn the mirror on ourselves. Are there places where you resist correction, cling to hidden sin, or excuse patterns Jesus is calling you to lay down (13:5–7, 20–21)? Ask the Lord to help you see yourself truthfully—and to lead you toward real repentance, restoration, and peace.

💬 Mission Challenge:
Invite a trusted, mature believer to gently “help you examine yourself” this week—ask them where they see Christ at work in you and where they think He may be calling you to grow.

2 Corinthians 12 on 12/18 | NT260 — Reading & Growing in Christ

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Paul continues his “foolish” boasting by describing an astonishing experience from fourteen years earlier, when a “man in Christ” was caught up to the third heaven—Paradise—and heard things too wonderful to repeat (vv. 1–4). He is clearly talking about himself, but he only tells the story to show that even such great revelations are not the real foundation of his ministry. Instead, he points to a “thorn in the flesh,” a painful, ongoing weakness allowed by God to keep him from becoming conceited (v. 7). Paul begged the Lord three times to take it away, but Jesus answered, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (vv. 8–9). Because of this, Paul chooses to boast in his weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on him, learning to be content even in insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties—for when he is weak, then he is truly strong in Christ (vv. 9–10).

Paul reminds the Corinthians that they have already seen the marks of a true apostle in his ministry among them: steadfast endurance, and “signs and wonders and mighty works” done in their midst (vv. 11–12). The only way they were “treated worse” than other churches was that Paul refused to be a financial burden, like a spiritual father who gladly spends and is spent for his children (vv. 13–15). He firmly denies any accusation that he or his coworkers used the collection or their visits to take advantage of the Corinthians, pointing instead to their shared integrity (vv. 16–18). As he prepares for a third visit, Paul is concerned he may find ongoing sins—quarreling, jealousy, anger, gossip, and sexual immorality—that would require painful confrontation rather than joyful encouragement (vv. 20–21). Even here, his desire is not to win an argument but to see them strengthened in genuine faith.

🌀 Reflection:
Most of us want God to remove our “thorns”—the weaknesses, limits, or ongoing struggles we feel. Paul reminds us that sometimes God’s answer is not to take them away but to meet us in them with sufficient grace (vv. 7–9). Where do you feel weak today? How might that very place become a platform for Christ’s strength to shine through you?

💬 Mission Challenge:
Share 2 Corinthians 12:9 with someone who is struggling, and send a short note or message reminding them that Jesus’s grace is enough—even when the thorn stays.

2 Corinthians 11 on 12/17 | NT260 — Reading & Growing in Christ

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Paul opens this chapter with a “godly jealousy” for the Corinthians, like a father who has promised his daughter in marriage and longs to present her as a pure bride to Christ (v. 2). He fears that, just as the serpent deceived Eve, their minds may be led astray from simple, pure devotion to Jesus by teachers who preach “another Jesus,” bring a “different spirit,” and offer “a different gospel” (vv. 3–4). Out of love, Paul reminds them that he is not inferior to these so-called “super-apostles,” even if he is not a polished speaker, because he has true knowledge of the gospel (vv. 5–6). He also defends his choice to preach the gospel “free of charge,” supported by other churches, so that the Corinthians would see the difference between his sincere ministry and the greed of the false apostles (vv. 7–12). These men are not true servants of Christ but “false apostles,” disguising themselves as messengers of light just as Satan does (vv. 13–15).

Because the Corinthians have tolerated these deceivers, Paul reluctantly engages in “foolish” boasting to show the contrast between himself and his opponents (vv. 16–21). He matches their claims of heritage—Hebrews, Israelites, offspring of Abraham—and then goes far beyond them in the things that truly mark a servant of Christ (vv. 22–23). Instead of boasting in power and comfort, Paul lists his many sufferings: floggings, beatings, shipwrecks, dangers on the road, sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, exposure, and continual anxiety for all the churches (vv. 24–28). On top of these, he recalls his humiliating escape from Damascus in a basket as one more example of his weakness (vv. 32–33). Paul concludes that if he must boast, he will boast “of the things that show my weakness,” because it is in that weakness that God’s strength and grace shine most clearly (v. 30).

🌀 Reflection:
Paul’s love for the churches shows up not in comfort or applause but in costly concern, daily prayer, and a willingness to suffer for their good (vv. 23–29). Where might God be calling you to a deeper, more sacrificial love for His people—even when it is unseen, misunderstood, or hard?

💬 Mission Challenge:
Pray by name today for at least three fellow believers (or church leaders) who are struggling, and send one of them a short message or note of encouragement that points them back to Jesus.

2 Corinthians 10 on 12/16 | NT260 — Reading & Growing in Christ

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Paul shifts his focus to the rebellious minority in Corinth, appealing to them “by the meekness and gentleness of Christ” even as he prepares to confront ongoing disobedience (vv. 1–2). Some accuse him of being weak in person but strong only in his letters, yet Paul explains that his ministry is a spiritual battle, not fought with worldly tactics but with God’s powerful weapons that tear down strongholds, demolish arguments, and take thoughts captive to obey Christ (vv. 3–6). His authority, though often questioned, was given by the Lord to build up the church, not to tear it down (vv. 8–11).

Paul then exposes the folly of his opponents who commend themselves and measure their success by comparing themselves with one another (v. 12). In contrast, Paul refuses to boast beyond the limits of the ministry God assigned him, reminding the Corinthians that they themselves are proof that he truly was sent by God to them in the first place (vv. 13–14). His desire is to see their faith grow so that his mission can extend to “regions beyond” where Christ has not yet been named, and he closes by insisting that true boasting is only in the Lord and that real commendation comes from God, not from self-promotion (vv. 15–18).

🌀 Reflection:
Paul reminds us that real spiritual warfare is fought with truth, prayer, and obedience, not with image management or human cleverness (vv. 3–5). Where are you believing “lofty opinions” that oppose God’s Word, and what would it look like to bring those thoughts under Christ’s authority today?

💬 Mission Challenge:
Identify one lie or false narrative you’ve been believing, write down a specific Scripture that counters it, and pray that God would help you take that thought captive to obey Christ this week.

2 Corinthians 9 on 12/15 | NT260 — Reading & Growing in Christ

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Paul continues talking about the collection for the believers in Jerusalem and explains why he sent brothers ahead of him. He doesn’t want his earlier boasting about the Corinthians’ eagerness to give to prove empty, so he wants their gift to be ready as a willing offering, not something squeezed out of them at the last minute (vv. 1–5). Their readiness matters, because their generosity is both a proof of God’s grace at work in them and a public witness to others (vv. 3–5).

Then Paul gives a powerful picture: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully (v. 6). Each believer should give as they have decided in their heart—not reluctantly or under pressure—for God loves a cheerful giver (v. 7). God is able to make all grace abound so that they will have what they need and can abound in every good work (v. 8). Using the image of seed and harvest, Paul says that God supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, and He will also supply and multiply their resources and increase the harvest of their righteousness (v. 10). As they are enriched in every way, they can be generous in every way, and this generosity will produce thanksgiving to God (v. 11). The result of this gift is twofold: it meets real needs among the saints and overflows in many thanksgivings to God, as believers praise Him for the obedience and generosity of the Corinthian church (vv. 12–13). Those who receive the gift will glorify God and pray for them, seeing the “surpassing grace of God” in their lives, and Paul ends with a doxology: “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” (vv. 14–15).

🌀 Reflection:
Paul reminds us that giving is an act of trust—one that shows whether we believe God will supply what we need (vv. 8–10). When we give cheerfully, we not only meet needs but also cause others to thank and glorify God (vv. 11–12). Ask yourself: Does my generosity reflect confidence in God’s grace?

💬 Mission Challenge:
Prayerfully choose one specific way to give generously this week—whether to a person in need, your church, or a gospel ministry—and do it deliberately, cheerfully, and in faith that God will use it to stir up thanksgiving and glory to Him (vv. 7–12).