Romans

Romans 1:24-32

Romans 1:24-32

“Many Christians have this dualistic worldview where, in a sense, there are two ‘gods’; a benevolent ‘good God’ who is trying his best to accomplish good things for humanity, struggling against his malevolent arch-nemesis, the devil…So many people struggle with the emphatic doctrines in Romans because they have this weaksauce view of God, where he is trying to accomplish his plans but is often thwarted in some aspects by the devil, or by the choices of human beings, and is forced to settle with whatever limited good he is able to pull off…This is a blasphemous and distorted imagination of the one true God, who actively and sovereignly rules over all his creation.”

Romans 1:18-23

Romans 1:18-23

“When we think about sins, like exchanging the glory of the immortal God for images, or dishonourable passions, or unnatural sexual relationships - it is so easy for us to hear about these things and think about ‘them’; Someone else needs to hear this message…”

You see there is a 'gothchya’ moment here. It’s not as though Paul is saying these things aren’t sins; it’s not that overt idolatry, adultery, and homosexuality are not sins - they are. But that misses the point. The point is, we sit here and nod about these things and then Romans turns it on ourselves and our own sins (see Romans 2:1). We must embrace the purpose of this first section of Romans - to bring us battered and bruised to the grace alone gospel. So that we will recognize our desperate need, that we have no righteousness of our own but must rely wholly on the undeserved favor of our heavenly Father who grants us a righteousness in Christ that comes entirely from outside ourselves.”

“That I can look at you, church, and I can’t see one worse sinner than myself. I can’t see one person that is in more desperate need to rely wholly on God’s grace alone…”

Romans 1:8-17

Romans 1:8-17

“…Any feelings of cultural and intellectual superiority are dashed to pieces by the preaching of the Gospel. The Gospel says that there is nothing special about you. In fact, God’s modus operandi is to pick those who are not wise, to pick those who are foolish, those who are least likely, least deserving.

This just breaks any pride in us. One of the most offensive things about Romans is it does not allow you a shred of pride but causes us to give all glory to our God…”

Romans 1:1-7

Romans 1:1-7

“Many, in my opinion, have avoided a verse-by-verse exposition of Romans precisely because of its distinctively doctrinal character, and the intense clarity it offers into the offensive gospel of salvation by grace alone…This offensive gospel, this biblical gospel, is at the core of Paul’s letter to the Romans, but the essential argument being made, and which is introduced here in the opening of the letter, is that the “grace alone gospel” Paul preaches is the only power which will bring about obedience in God’s people.”

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