“Romans 10:4: For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”

The law can’t save us and nobody can perfectly keep the law. We know that everyone has sinned and fallen from God. Even those that try to keep the law can’t do it well. God did not plan for us to be bound to the law but trust in the grace of God. The law pointed to the Messiah Jesus Christ. Christ is the end of the law setting us free from the punishment for our sins. Jesus kept the law perfectly. Through faith and accepting Christ’s blood shed for us on the cross we are saved. Now Christ’s righteousness is given to everyone who believes in Him. While we will never be perfect until perhaps Heaven we are given grace through Christ’s atonement for us. Christ has come and given us a new relationship with God. Christ ended man’s dependence on traditions and animal sacrifices as mentioned in Hebrews 8. Amen

“Romans 9:5: Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.”

Paul is talking about the human legacy of the people of God. The Jews not only gave us the prophets of the Old Testament but also Jesus Christ Himself came from Israel. This is a clear statement that Jesus is God and blessed. Jesus took on the seed of Abraham, but still had a divine nature as God. Christ is the Lord from Heaven, and it was a great privilege for the Jews that Christ came from them. It also says that Jesus is blessed by God forever. Jesus is part of the Godhead and bridges the gap between God and humans. “For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Hebrews 2:16”. Amen

What does this mean? As Christians God has set us free from the power of Satan and brought us to new life through Christ. The spirit of slavery is replaced by a new creation in Christ and the Holy Spirit in us. However, sometimes we don’t use the spirit wisely because we fail to follow God’s Word perfectly. The act of God making us more Holy is a lifelong process that is known as sanctification “throughout our earthly life.” Christ redeemed us from the punishment of sin through us accepting His work on the cross. We are adopted into the family of God through faith in Christ. We are made whole in Christ. The work of Jesus on the cross is enough and was the down payment for forgiving us of our sins. God has promised us salvation through Christ and it is something unchanging. We have the right to come to God in prayer or cry out to Him “Abba Father”. We can be sure God hears our prayers and we have assurance of God’s undeserved grace towards us through Jesus as Savior. Amen

“Romans 7:1: Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?”
Paul is telling us that we are under the grace of God, not bound to the law but set free in Christ. He does talk about the law that it is binding as long as a person lives. He is showing that those in Christ have in fact become freed from the law of sin and death. The Apostle Paul makes it clear that the law of Moses is not what saves us, but it is Christ only. The people that read this were Romans in Rome. This includes both Jews and Gentiles (non-jews). The Jewish people he wrote to would have known the law of Moses well and so would the Gentiles. Those that have died in Christ by accepting Him have been risen with Christ and made alive in Him. Amen.

“Romans 6:3: Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?”

We should overcome sin as if we have died to it and our spirit should be alive to God through Christ. Since, we have been given the free gift of salvation if we love God truly Paul is telling us we should not keep sinning. It would be a shame to accept Christ’s atonement then take God’s grace for granted. In Romans 6 we are challenged with the question, Can we who died in Christ to our old nature keep living in sin? Pauls, answer is no. However, this may lead us to wonder what does we’ve died to sin mean? When we accept Jesus we can be given a new nature and freedom from sin. If we are true believers we ought to act like it. The verse is saying baptized into Christ doesn’t seem to be water baptism but rather a born again experience through the Holy Spirit. In the baptism a new believer is spiritually baptized into Christ’s body (1 Corinthians 12:13) through the Holy Spirit. Amen

“Romans 5:1: Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”

Through faith we are made right before God and His spirit gives us peace now and eternal life. We have the promise of life in Heaven after death through faith in Christ. God’s spirit dwells in the hearts of those that believe, proving a peace that can never be taken away. Paul in this chapter of Romans is making it clear that the laws of Moses are not what saves us. It is faith that justifies us which is something that is impossible to happen by works. Nobody follows the law perfectly or even well. The only way to escape God’s angry judgement for our sins is by faith in Jesus, and His sacrifice for our sins. Now that we have escaped the wrath of God and punishment for sins we are saved. When the term we is used in Romans it is not everyone but those that believe. He is telling us what is true and that the work of salvation through Christ is how we are born again. Amen

“If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. Romans 4:2”

We learn in this passage from the Apostle Paul that as he previously declares, ““…None is righteous, no, not one; Romans 3:10”. No one is made right before God through obedience to the law. The angry judgement of God because of personal sin is upon us unless we accept Jesus as Savior. Israel’s primary ancestor was “father” Abraham and he is an example that being made right before God is through faith and not works. He gives us the example that Abraham would have bragging-rights if he was made right before God by works. So, we know that no one can be made right before God through the law or works. God is Holy, sinless and perfect as a result God is not impressed by our works and we have nothing to boast about. Our own efforts fail to make us right before God and Jesus is the only way to Heaven. Amen

“Romans 3:7: For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?”

In this passage Paul is not justifying lying. So even when a lie further displays God’s truthfulness it is still a lie. However, our sin results in showing that God is perfect. People that accused Paul of teaching that human sin leads to God’s glory is something in which Paul refutes. When we lie we sin. God is perfect and can’t be sinful. Christ is the standard of holiness and truth. So God’s judgement of our sin is completely fair and justified. We deserve to be judged by God. However, through Christ we are forgiven. In verses after it tells that it is impossible for us to never sin. Our sin does not bring glory to God. The reason we sin is because we are sinners and fallen from God. Paul also lets us know that our salvation should not be used as a license to sin (Romans 6:1). In Romans 3:8, Paul will brush aside this criticism as rank slander (Romans 3:8). Thank God for grace through Jesus Christ. Amen

Paul talks about God’s judgment being revealed and that God will pour out His anger upon those that are profoundly wicked and he will give eternal life to those that are doing good. However, there is trouble that’ll come for those who do evil and that the Gentiles (those who are not Jews and refuse to acknowledge God) who sin will be destroyed. The laws of God are written upon our hearts. Paul proclaims the second coming of Christ who will judge every person’s secret sins. We cannot hide from God! We learn that we should not to rely on God’s law for salvation but trust in Jesus. Although, God’s law gives us both knowledge and truth, we cannot be justified by obeying it (revealed in Chapter 3; Romans 3:20,28). Paul uses Romans 2:29 to tell us that obedience to the Jewish law of circumcision is useless and that it is our hearts that matter! We know that by faith we have become children of Abraham. We must have a change of heart through God’s Holy Spirit, seeking praise of God not from people.