Romans – Sin and the Law

Paul says that Christians can expect to triumph over sin, but that it remains possible that some may still sin, but some may incorrectly interpret this that Christians will never sin, or never be tempted to sin, or conversely, that no one can ever triumph over sin. Paul is joined by I John in this…

Read More

Romans – Grace versus Sin

Grace is just another name for the Holy Spirit. When we live under grace, our lives are transformed by Him, and we must not be idle, but rather keep embracing Him and bringing grace into our lives. Paul laments the fact that he is still in the flesh, sold into slavery to sin. As such,…

Read More

Romans – The Spirit versus the Flesh

If we are in Christ, then we cannot be subject to condemnation, since Christ’s death had taken on all that we could be condemned for. To say otherwise would mean that Christ’s death was not effective. Jesus took on the likeness of sinful flesh, that is, the appearance of Christ’s flesh was that of the…

Read More

Romans – Hope

After you have entered into life in Christ, returning to the life of flesh will only result in condemnation. Even though our bodies are dead, our spirits will remain alive, and the body will arise on the last day. We have become heirs to God, provided that we suffer with Him. Flesh is subject to…

Read More

Romans – Sonship of the Jews

Paul is troubled by the fact that the Jews have not come to Christ, and he says that if it were possible, he would cut himself off from Christ to save all of them. To the Jews belong sonship of God, still to this date. The covenants and the law belong to them as well.…

Read More

Romans – Vessels of Wrath

God has allowed some people throughout history to become vessels of wrath so as to make examples out of them, as He did with Pharaoh. Even in such cases, however, God does not make such a person commit evil: it is still his own choice. It is for this reason that God still finds fault…

Read More

Romans – All who Call upon the Name

Paul’s desire is for all to be saved, both Jew and Gentile. This would not seem to have been accomplished, since there were many who tried to kill him when he returned to Jerusalem. Paul tells us that the Jews were not reckoned the promised land for their own righteousness, but that this righteousness comes…

Read More

Romans – Mission

People cannot know Christ unless men are sent to preach His gospel to them. This must convict us to proclaim the Gospel to the world. Mission cannot exist without striving to convert the people. God says in Torah that He will stir Israel, a foolish nation up to jealousy to those who are not a…

Read More

Romans – The Elect

So has God rejected His people? No, God has used a people (or rather, a group who are no people) to provoke them to jealousy. The Psalms declare that God will not abandon His people. Paul notes that God had preserved a remnant in Elijah’s time, and God is doing that at the time of…

Read More

Romans – Will Israel be Saved?

God foreknew some of us who would be saved. These are people who are granted salvation through God’s grace, not through any other means. Paul declares that he is an apostle to the Gentiles and that he magnifies his ministry in order to stir his fellow Jews jealous and thus to save some of them.…

Read More