Reading through Romans-God's righteous judgment

"Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2 Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God."

This was their prime privilege, that they were God's library-keepers, that this heavenly treasure was given to them.

"3 What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 By no means!" 

The fact that the Jewish people as a whole to that point had rejected the gospel did not mean that God's faithfulness to them was in vain. It did not mean that God's work was futile or without effect.

"Let God be true though  every one were a liar, as it is written,

“That you may be justified in your words,

and prevail when you are judged.”"

If God says one thing, and every man in the world says another, God is true, and all men are false. God speaks the truth, and cannot lie. God cannot change; his word, like himself, is immutable. We are to believe God's truth if nobody else believes it. The general consensus of opinion is nothing to a Christian. He believes God's word, and he thinks more of that than of the universal opinion of men. (Spurgeon)

"5 But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.)"

It is true that God will use even the unrighteousness of man to accomplish His work and bring praise to His name - Judas' betrayal of Jesus is a perfect example. Nevertheless, part of the way God glorifies Himself in man's sin is by righteously judging that unrighteousness.

Dear God, even though it illuminates my sinfulness I glorify your righteousness!!!

Reading through Romans-God’s requirement of righteousness

“For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.  13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.

People will be condemned, not because they have the law or do not have the law, but because they have sinned.

“14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.”

Paul explains why the Gentile can be condemned without the law. Their conscience (which is the work of the law written in their hearts) is enough to condemn or justify them.  On the day when God will judge the secrets of men, no man can find refuge from God’s judgment by claiming ignorance of His written revelation; violation of God’s internal revelation is enough to condemn us all.

“17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God 18 and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; 19 and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth—21 you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. 24 For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

25 For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. 26 So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who havethe written code and circumcision but break the law. 28 For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.

If a Gentile were to keep the righteous requirement of the law (through his conscience, as Romans 2:15 shows) within his heart, would he not be justified, instead of the circumcised Jew who did not keep the law? The point is emphasized: having the law or having a ceremony isn’t enough. God requires righteousness.

I bow down today in humble admission of my lack of righteousness.

Reading Through Romans-My Sinfulness

“He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.”

Will render to each one according to his deeds: This is an awesome and fearful thought, and it condemns me as I do not patiently do well.

Eternal life to those: I wish I could say that I genuinely did good at all times, but that is not true, because in some way or another I am often self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness.

Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil: Because I fall short of this standard of God’s constant goodness, God’s wrath will come to all who do evil – me – without respect to whether they are Jew or Gentile.

I humbly kneel before God today admitting my sinfulness in light of His Holy standard.

Reading through Romans-We are all sinners

“Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things.”

We are all guilty of something, so we should not judge other people.

“You say, ‘We know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is in accordance with truth.  Do you imagine, whoever you are, that when you judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself, you will escape the judgment of God?"

Everyone sins, so no one should be pointing fingers.

"Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?"

If we judge others, we are showing contempt for God’s mercy — not only his mercy toward them, but also his mercy and patience toward us. God’s patience toward sinners should make us have a change of mind and be patient toward sinners, too.

I pray Micah 6:8 over my life today:

"8 He hath shown thee, O man, what is good: and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"

Reading through Romans-My Holy God

"For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things."

It is our natural tendency to want to be in charge (or be the God) of our own lives.  But when we do not honor God as the Controller of our lives, we have to put something else in His place.  For me it is most often myself.

But not bowing to God's Holy Sovereignty alienates us from Him.  The sins that we commit are results of that self-chosen alienation from God. When we cut ourselves off from God, the things we want are sometimes bad for us, and if God lets us do what we want, we end up doing things that are bad for us.

I pray dear Lord that I wil lift my eyes to you and declare your Lordship of my life!

Reading through Romans-No excuse

"Against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse"

His invisible attributes are clearly seen: God has shown us something of His eternal power and divine nature through creation, by the things that are made. He has given a general revelation that is obvious both in creation and within the mind and heart of man.

"because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man; and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things."

Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God: The problem is not that man did not know God, but that he did know Him - yet we refuse to glorify Him as God. Therefore, mankind is without excuse. We didn't glorify God; we transformed our conception of Him into forms and images more comfortable to our corrupt and darkened hearts.

We can't seem to resist the temptation to create God into his own corrupt image, or even in an image beneath us. One great tragedy in this is that we inescapably become like the God we serve.

God is a jealous God, as He should be!  He declares His glory and will not share it with anyone:

"I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images." Isa 42:8

I pray that I keep my eyes focused on God and His infinite glory and that I sing my praises to Him, and no other each day!

Reading through Romans-The wrath of God:our need for salvation

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth."

Paul spoke of salvation - but what are we saved from? First and foremost, we are saved from the wrath of God that we righteously deserve.

"Unless there is something to be saved from, there is no point in talking about salvation." (Morris)

We all deserve God's wrath.

We sometimes object to the idea of the wrath of God because we equate it with human anger, which is motivated by selfish personal reasons or by a desire for revenge. We must not forget that the wrath of God is completely righteous in character.

"Wrath is the holy revulsion of God's being against that which is the contradiction of his holiness." (Murrary)

This is my prayer today:

"Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psa 139:23-34

Knowing myself as I do, that is a bold prayer!