Today, Paul’s expose’ on righteousness, salvation, and justification takes us into the realm in which faith operates.

Throughout Romans 9, Paul systematically shows that God’s sovereign election has been in force from the very beginning. Reviewing the history of Israel, Paul shows that God chose Isaac over Ishmael and Jacob over Esau. Just in case anyone thinks that God was choosing these individuals based on the faith or good works they would do in the future, he…

Lately on the media’s world stage of politics, we are confronted with the idea of sovereign nations. The Ukraine, Israel, China, and even the United States. With it, we have also learned the modern term, “Foreign Influence.” The meaning behind sovereignty comes from the French word, “souveraineté,” as a government or an entity becomes the sole ruli…

As we begin chapter 9 of Romans, Paul is heartbroken that his people, the Jews, have rejected Christ. He insists that God will keep His promises to Israel, but that not everyone born to Israel is truly Israel. God will show mercy to whomever He wishes, calling out His people from both the Jews and the Gentiles to faith in Christ.…

The Apostle Paul’s conversion to Christianity was nothing less than astounding. From a persecutor of Christians, he became an evangelist to the lost. ..

The title for today’s teaching reflects the Apostle Paul’s heartache, from the time of His Damascus Road Conversion. Having lived on both sides of the fence, first as a Jewish believer, following The Law to perfection, and then as a Believer in Jesus, enjoying the freedom of His new-found faith...

This week we are finishing up chapter eight in the book of Romans. We have learned that when God grips you by his grace, He will never let you go! No one can snatch you from Him, and nothing can separate you from His love. Romans 8 is arguably the greatest chapter in the Bible. It begins with "No Condemnation," and ends with "No Separation." Romans…

Today's look at the final third of Romans 8, brings us to one of the great promises of Jesus to every reader. Who would not want to have an assurance that everything will work out to benefit us, without the Lord’s backing it up. But this promise is spoken with two caveats: 1) that we love God, and 2) that we are the “called” of God, meaning we are …

Romans 8:14-27 focuses on the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer, highlighting how the Spirit guides, empowers, and gives assurance of adoption as a child of God, even amidst suffering, because of the future glory to come; the key theme is that those led by the Spirit are truly children of God and can confidently anticipate their inh…

Upon teaching the reader of the difference between a fleshly life, and a Spirit-Filled life, the Apostle Paul informed the readers of this Epistle, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, and walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" (Romans 8:1). The curse of the Law is undone ...…

We are in Romans 8, which is one of the most beautiful chapters in all of the Bible. Romans chapter 8 carries with it assurance of great victory found in the work of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

As we begin Chapter 8 of Romans, Paul tells us of the victory he has found: “No condemnation” for them that follow after the Spirit, in spite of the flesh demanding satisfaction.

Paul has been spending some time in Romans 6 and 7 reminding us that sin has no authority over us any longer. For those of us who are in Jesus, sin does not have any authority over our lives, no power over our will, and it does not set up a home inside our hearts. Jesus is king over our lives now! Yet, in Romans 7:14-25 we read of battles that are …

Our faith is in the Lord Jesus Christ, of Who the scriptures say, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

Romans 7:1-25 In chapter 7, Paul continues to explain why Christians are not under the Law. He also shows us why we lose our battle with the flesh even when we desire to do what is right and good. In addition, Paul is very open and honest about his own struggle with his flesh and the lessons he learned. This chapter reveals his conclusions concerni…

Paul continues his teaching on righteousness, sanctification, The Law, Grace and Mercy, freedom, and bondage. The lessons in this chapter speak of his own past and testimony, learned at the feet of the Rabbis, and how exasperating it was to seek righteousness with God, via the rules of corrupted mankind.…

Whose servant are you? As Christians, we are no longer slaves to sin. Why? Paul explains in Romans 6:17, 18. It's because in Christ we have been given a new nature, and that new nature, one that has a compelling desire to know and obey God's Word. We were once slaves to sin, but are now servants of righteousness.…

Last week we referenced the Book of Ruth briefly, the daughter-in-law of Naomi. Ruth’s homeland OF Moab held nothing for her after her husband died. She clung to Naomi because of Naomi’s faith in a living God. Naomi saw the possibility of a kinsman redeemer for Ruth because of the Law. Ruth stayed with Naomi and had hope. And as we read a few weeks…

God made King David a promise that his throne would be established forever. David's descendant would be the Messiah. I read somewhere that the Jewish people had a more detailed genealogy than any other group of people in all of world history. When we get to the New Testament it begins with the genealogy of Christ. A second genealogy is found in the…

Both Mary and Joseph were of King David’s Royal Lineage as revealed in the two studies of it in Matthew (Joseph’s) and Luke (Mary’s). Much has been written about Mary’s role in the life of our Savior, but scriptures are all but silent about Joseph after Jesus was 12 years old, and His Earthly parents went looking for Him, returning to Jerusalem, an…

Justification and sanctification are two different realities, but they must never be separated and isolated one from the other. If they become totally separated, the logical end is license. If they become merged together, a “works” oriented salvation results. Paul is moving from freedom from the penalty of sin, (1:18-5:21) to freedom from the power…

Growing up, my folks put our house up for sale. My father had finished building our house the same year I was born. The Village was looking for a new Village Clerk, and to qualify for the position, Dad would need to reside in the village. Church and school would be the same, and my friends would be just outside the village. The house did not sell, …

As we finish Romans chapter 5, verses 12-21, Paul goes on to show us how one man offers the cure for the consequences of the sin that the first man introduced to the world with his first transgression. The main point of Paul’s argument is that Christ undid for humanity every horrible thing that Adam did by first sinning. This is why Adam is a “type…

Today’s text begins with the word, “Wherefore.” It is from the Old English usage, identifying that a summary is to follow. The word takes us back to Chapter 3, verse 19, where this theme began. At the end of that opening verse, we learn from verse 23 that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”…

This week, we begin our study in Romans from chapter 5. Paul begins Romans by showing the fallen condition of mankind and the righteousness of God in revealing His wrath toward sin. He then shows how God, in righteousness, has provided for man’s salvation, through the person and work of Jesus Christ. It is as though Paul is now saying, almost liter…

Today, we learn what the Holy Spirit taught Paul by way of correction. When Paul was a “Pharisee of the Pharisees,” he lived under The Law of the Jewish faith. He believed in his faith, but missed the plain simple truth of what faith was according to God’s definition.

Paul has already written that there are none righteous. Our self-imagined goodness is already sin stained; therefore, we cannot earn our salvation through our works or religious observance. It wasn’t the law that gave Abraham the promise but the righteousness of faith. It is faith in the promise of God that has value not the law itself. Abraham is …

Holiday Message - Though Thanksgiving Day is behind us, this is still Thanksgiving weekend. Travelers are still traveling, and the Holiday Season has just begun. The hype of retailers getting the newest, most fashionable, and most fun items to the marketplace is at the forefront of their minds.

This chapter is perhaps one of the greatest chapters in the Bible on salvation by faith alone. Many religious groups claim to believe in salvation by faith, but not in salvation by faith alone. It is even common to find people in good churches who are not sure if they are saved or not because of something they may have done since they made their de…

The authority of our Court System seems to always be in question these days. Perhaps it is because there’s too many cooks in the kitchen. Or better stated, too many kitchens! We have local courts, City Courts, County Courts, State Courts, Federal Courts, and The Supreme Court. Each is overseen by a Judge, or by Judges. And if you don’t like the ver…

Paul introduces a righteousness from God that comes apart from the Law, though the Law and the Prophets testify to it (Romans 3:21). This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, without distinction (Romans 3:22). All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God but are justified freely by His grace through the red…

We have all heard the term “righteousness” bandied about, both in Churches, and in God’s Word. We learn of a righteous life, not so much by witnessing it in others (even when it is there), but by reading of it in the scriptures, the Gospels in particular, covering the Life of Christ. The Four Evangelists tell us of it, each from different perspecti…

Paul declares that all people—both Jews and gentiles—are under the power of sin and cannot be justified through the Law. Romans 3:9–20 is the conclusion of a longer section of the letter that begins in 1:18. In this section, Paul argues that all people—both gentiles and Jews—have some awareness or knowledge of God, whether through experience of the…

After last week’s study in the beginning of Romans 3, Paul asks a rhetorical question of the Jews dwelling inn Rome: “Are we better than they?” Is God unrighteous because He takes vengeance?

The Bible is clear in declaring the truth about humanity: we are all sinners and held under the dominion of sin. There is nothing righteous in us to commend us to God. Yet it is only when we acknowledge this truth, and divine assessment of us that we can find God's purpose in revealing this to us, and the ultimate solution, salvation through Jesus …

As we ended Romans 2 last week, it was a blistering critique of Judaism, and how it evolved through the years since God gave the Law to Moses. Chapter 3 begins with the question: “What advantage then hath the Jew?” If there is no difference between Gentile behaviors and Jewish, then were the Jews chosen for naught?…

Throughout this section, Paul takes the self-righteous Jew to task. But this text applies to all self-righteous people. Many people think that by keeping the Ten Commandments, they can merit righteousness before God. The problem is that one must do so perfectly one hundred percent of the time. Scripture says, “whoever keeps the whole law but fails …

The message from last week continues, and becomes more personal, more intuitive in its approach to interpersonal behaviors. As Paul continues to address the Romans, we find his Epistle having much in common with the Gospel of Matthew...

Do you believe in a coming day of judgment? The question has been asked many times, and the answers are usually the same. Some of course will answer, “Yes, of course I do.” Most others will answer like this: “I don’t believe a God of love will judge anybody” or “I’m not worried about it because I’m not as bad as others are, in fact I’m a good perso…

Paul’s second chapter of Romans brings home a point that God wants us to recognize, and have it lay in our hearts permanently...

This week, we are looking at verses 18-32 of Romans chapter 1. The title of this morning's message is, "The Road to Idolatry." Idolatry is worshipping something other than the True GOD in the True Way (Leviticus 19:4). Idolatry is the product of rebellion, not confusion. While hearts and minds darkened by sin can’t find God on their own apart from …

As we begin the Epistle of Paul to the Romans today, we must acknowledge that it is a letter to The Church in Rome. Written about 60 A.D., it is a Christian Church in its infant form during the Roman Empire. Later on, the church would grow in its influence and administration. Then 1,000 years after this letter, pride had entered into the Church, an…

When it comes to the most full, direct, comprehensive, and majestic explanation of the gospel, there is no other book in all of Scripture quite like Romans. While we believe all Scripture is breathed out by God; that the Bible is perfect, clear, and totally sufficient for life and godliness; and that every single page reveals the glories of Christ …

As we begin the Epistle of Paul to the Romans today, we must acknowledge that it is a letter to The Church in Rome. Written about 60 A.D., it is a Christian Church in its infant form during the Roman Empire.

The Book of Amos is about the Lord’s expectation of righteousness straight and true – His expectation of righteousness in our individual lives; His expectation of righteousness among the people who know His salvation; and His demand for righteousness and justice in our society at large. This morning, we are going to look at the end of the book, whi…

Think of God’s vantage point from His lofty Throne in Heaven. He sees everything in His Creation, including the several layers of “heavens” in the universe. This is the view God gave to Amos in Chapter 9: The "Long View" of God’s plan for all His creation.

This week our study begins in Amos chapter 8. Amos 8 is a solemn reminder of the consequences of turning away from God's commandments and embracing corruption, injustice, and false religious practices. While the judgment pronounced is severe, the underlying message is one of divine justice and a call to righteousness. It underscores the importance …

God’s Word to Amos comes as a lightning bolt. Israel was not prepared for it. It came suddenly and without warning. However, Amos’ previous 7 chapters should have been enough warning. They should have known that there would soon come a change in the weather. . .

This week our study begins in Amos chapter 7. The chapter opens with two symbolic visions received by Amos. In the first, a locust swarm threatens to devour the newly sprouted crops, symbolizing famine and devastation. In the second, a consuming fire engulfs the land, representing the potential destruction of Israel. In both instances, Amos interce…

The Prophet Ahijah appeared suddenly from Shilo with a message from God for King Jeroboam about 985 BC, 200 years prior to today’s passage in Amos 7, But in Amos 3:7, it says, “Surely the Lord will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets.” The prophecy of which we speak in Amos 7, is found in our reading this morning,…