Day 13 - Romans 3:27-3:31

27 Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. 28 So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.

29 After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn’t he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is. 30 There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. 31 Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.

Tori's Comments:

"makes people right with himself"

Man, we do NOTHING.

It feels too simple. All in my head, I think, we just put our faith in Jesus? That's it?

Of course, this can be hard sometimes, but we are certainly getting the better end of the deal, if you know what I mean.

Terrie's Comments:

When we put our faith in Jesus Christ to save us we are also, at the same time acknowledge that we need to be saved... If we acknowledge that we need to be saved then we also are acknowledging that the requirements of the law needed to be fulfilled.  By putting our faith in Jesus Christ, who fulfilled the requirements of the law, we are truly fulfilling the law.  If we don't put our faith in Jesus Christ then the requirements of the law are not fulfilled for us.

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 12 - Romans 3:19 - 3:26

19 Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. 20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.

21 But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. 22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.

Terrie's Comments:I am feeling like Romans was a perfect choice as a follow up to Hebrews.  It is filling in whatever blanks were left by the writer of Hebrews and making what was already clear even more clear to us.  

It is so clear that we have been cleared from the requirements of the law.  It's purpose is simply to show us how much we need God and how much Jesus actually accomplished on the cross for us when he sacrificed himself on the cross.  

I think that it is absolutely amazing that God looked ahead to the sacrifice of His son and anyone who believed that the savior would be coming were also saved through their faith that it would happen in the future.  Verse 25 clearly tells us how to be made right with God.  It is not a mystery.

Tori's Comments:I feel like I don't meditate on the gift that God's grace is. Truly, I should be marvelling at it every day, thinking about how amazing it really is. It's no wonder how many songs use the lyrics of Amazing Grace, because that grace is so  powerful. Anyone who understands just how powerful it is lives their life in full light of that.

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 11 - Romans 3:9 - 3:18

9 Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin. 10 As the Scriptures say,
    not even one.

11 No one is truly wise;
    no one is seeking God.
12 All have turned away;
    all have become useless.
No one does good,
    not a single one.”
13 “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.
    Their tongues are filled with lies.”
“Snake venom drips from their lips.”
14     “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
15 “They rush to commit murder.
16     Destruction and misery always follow them.
17 They don’t know where to find peace.”
18     “They have no fear of God at all.”

“No one is righteous—

Tori's Comments: 

We can do nothing to earn our salvation. Christ already did everything.

I remember having trouble with this truth, still do, actually.

But it has also brought me great comfort. I don't remember who said it, but this phrase has stuck in my head: You can't 'let God down'. He's the one holding you up; not the other way around.

My too often people-pleasing heart rejoices in that. 

Terrie's Comments:

No one is better than anyone else... we are all headed for destruction without hope.   This passage clearly paints a picture of destruction for all humans no matter what our heritage is. Thankfully this letter doesn't end here.... To Be Continued

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 10 - Romans 3:1 - 3:8

3 Then what’s the advantage of being a Jew? Is there any value in the ceremony of circumcision? 2 Yes, there are great benefits! First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the whole revelation of God.

3 True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful? 4 Of course not! Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him,

“You will be proved right in what you say,
    and you will win your case in court.”

5 “But,” some might say, “our sinfulness serves a good purpose, for it helps people see how righteous God is. Isn’t it unfair, then, for him to punish us?” (This is merely a human point of view.) 6 Of course not! If God were not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge the world?7 “But,” someone might still argue, “how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory?” 8 And some people even slander us by claiming that we say, “The more we sin, the better it is!” Those who say such things deserve to be condemned.

Terrie's Comments -

I believe the reason that this portion of scripture is mind boggling is because it is describing a part of how we justify our sin to God.  It doesn't make sense.  It is like a child breaking a rule and then telling the parents that by breaking the rule they just proved that the parents were awesome and that the rule was a great idea.  So therefore the more they break the rule it just proves that the parents are really truly awesome!  So why should the child be punished if he is just proving how awesome the parents are??

So really you can see how this logic is truly stupid :-)  


Tori's Comments - 

(vs. 3) is such a comforting truth. And it's something I see in the Old Testament again and again and again... as well as in my own life. :)

His logic in vs. 7 kind of confuses me. I am ready to read how he will turn this around though!!


Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!