Day 200: Romans 5:6-21

“When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.” - Romans‬ ‭5:6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Isn't it annoying when someone is consistently late? If this happens over and over, our trust in that person drops significantly. Is this how you sometimes feel about God? Perhaps He hasn't come through when you wanted Him to. Our reading for today is yet another reminder that His timing isn't flawed; He's seeing the entire picture.

Timing has always been something that has baffled humans from the very beginning. In our pride, we would like to think we have complete control over time—a little allocating here and a little manipulating there. Yet the overarching timeline is square in the control of our Almighty God.

As Daniel said in 2:21 of his Old Testament book, “He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others.”

Jesus’ coming wasn’t early, and it wasn’t late. It was right on time — and funny enough, Jesus’ birth is how we even measure time today.

It was no mistake that Jesus was born and died during Roman rule. The Pax Romana (27 BC to AD 187) gave Jews the freedom to worship and maintain their culture. Roman roads were conducive to travel. Time was given for Jewish prophecy to pile up about Jesus’ coming.

God’s perfect timing also has you in His hand today, in this time, to experience the love of Jesus.

"At the right time. That is, at the time of greatest need, when nothing but his death would help." - Bruce, F. F. (1985). Romans (Vol. 6, p. 127)

Day 199: Romans 4:13-25, 5:1-5

“...we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” - Romans‬ ‭5:3-5‬ ‭NASB‬‬

The progression Paul lays out as we tip-toe into Romans 5 immediately reveals that we're going to need to read this, again and again, to even begin wrapping our hearts and minds around it. This should be a go-to spot for us when we're confused by the difficult circumstances we have to face in this life.

Why does God allow us to face “problems and trials”? Does He take great delight in seeing us struggle and suffer through them? It can seem confusing when we match it up with the world’s definition of love.

Yet when we realize that we are living in a broken and fallen world, even as one of its participants, we know we need this process that leads to hope.

True love enables us to grow, to develop into someone who sees further, embracing hope. And hope gives us more and more reason to look toward tomorrow with anticipation of what God will do in and through us despite the difficulty.

H.C.G. Moule drives home this thought by writing, "For now the Apostle takes up that word, 'the Love of God' and holds it to our sight, and we see in its pure glory no vague abstraction, but the face, and the work, of Jesus Christ." - Moule, H. (1975). The Epistle to the Romans (p. 134)

Day 199: Romans 4:1-12

“…and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.” - Romans‬ ‭4:12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

In our reading for today, Paul lays out a masterful argument for Abraham having been justified (to pronounce and treat as righteous) before he was circumcised. This would have blown the minds of the Jews reading this from Rome. How could Abraham have enjoyed this pronouncement before he had the physical sign of circumcision?

What we can see is far different from what God can see. Abraham had two significant trust moments before his circumcision at age 99:

1. He left his home to follow God’s call to a destination he didn’t know. He went from rooted to nomadic (Genesis 12:1-4).

2. When God told him about him and Sarah having a baby, he trusted God (Genesis 15:4-6), even though he and Sarah had a relapse soon after (Genesis 16:1-4).

In both instances, statistics would have told Abraham that the odds were not in his favor. Yet he believed.

Is this how much we trust Jesus?

May we ask God today to increase our trust/faith in Him (Mark 9:24).

"God is the Father of all who place their trust in him regardless of their racial or religious background. To possess the revelation of God is of no ultimate importance apart from the walk of faith. Conduct demonstrates the reality of faith."- Mounce, R. H. (1995). Romans (Vol. 27, p. 126)

Day 198: Romans 3:9-31

“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.” - Romans 3:23-25 ESV

When we speak of the Law of Moses or the Prophets, we cover much of the Hebrew Bible (OT), but Paul also used the word law to describe God's standard of holiness. As we start to really study the Bible, we realize that our lives aren't what they should be. This is why we need God's word so much; it reveals our sin. Not only does it expose our sin, but it also provides the solution for overcoming all weaknesses.

Throwing finances, time, and energy at any problem can usually resolve any issue we may have.

This isn't true when it comes to the sin that has attached itself to our souls. The blood of Jesus Christ alone can clean unrighteousness, and this forgiveness can only be activated when we place our faith/trust in His sacrifice and resurrection.

So many people thrive on exposing wrong. We love talking about it and discussing its origins.

Jesus can not only identify our sin; he can also drive it out permanently.

"But in this way of righteousness apart from the law, the procedure is reversed: God pronounces believers righteous at the beginning of their course, not at the end of it. If he pronounces them righteous at the beginning of their course, it cannot be on the basis of works which they have not yet done." - Bruce, F. F. (1985). Romans (Vol. 6, p. 108)

Day 197: Romans 2:25-29, 3:1-8

“What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! 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.’” - Romans 3:3-4 ESV

Just because the Jews blew it doesn't mean that God has blown it or is somehow haphazardly fumbling with the destiny of humanity. God had snagged Abraham for the sole purpose of bringing the nations to Himself (see Genesis 12:3). This plan, even though many in Israel tried, was not derailed. God saw it through all the way to Joseph and Mary in Bethlehem, as they helped bring the Lord Jesus into the world.

"God is always reliable, faithful and true to his word. He always keeps his promises, both for blessing and condemnation. Because of His very nature He cannot lie (Titus 1:2)."  - Cottrell, J. (1996). Romans (Vol. 1, Ro 3:4)

Hypocrisy among Christians is noted as one of the main reasons many want nothing to do with Christianity.

Perhaps they are looking in the wrong place. We are the cracked mirrors, many times poorly reflecting God's glory. The good news is that it only takes a sliver of God's majesty to show someone just how amazing He is, worthy of our worship.

We lie.

God doesn't.

This means that the more we become like Jesus (sanctification), the more we will align with the truth. And we already know that it's the truth that sets us free (see John 8:32).

Day 196: Romans 2:1-24

“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 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.” - Romans 2:15-16 ESV

There was no shortage of sin taking place in Rome during the first century. Even a quick look at the death penalty shows us that they buried the convicted alive, impaled them, or used crucifixion. When it came to sexuality, things were even worse. Pedophilia was often practiced, along with the frequent abuse of women.

It would be easy to sit in judgment over their behavior as a Jew would compare and contrast their lives. In the spirit of Jesus (see Matthew 5:21-48), Paul is showing them their own guilt. Romans 2 communicates that just because someone is among the nations (a Gentile) doesn't mean that some weren't genuinely seeking after the one true God.

It can be so easy to generalize and dismiss people as hopeless. That is until we take a long hard look at our own lives and remember all the crimes Jesus has absolved for us. God's kindness, through Jesus Christ, allowed us into His family, not our good behavior.

This should give us a great amount of patience with those we're trying to reach with the Good News about Jesus.

"Until one has submitted to the saving work of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, and has allowed the truth of biblical revelation to reinform his original moral database, the conscience will at times, perhaps most of the time, yield false results. 'Always let your conscience be your guide' is bad theology. Actually, the conscience itself needs a guide or standard, and the only sure guide for sinners is the objective Word of God, the Bible." - Cottrell, J. (1996). Romans (Vol. 1, Ro:15)

Day 195: Romans 1:18-32

“Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.” - Romans‬ ‭1:24-25‬ ‭ESV‬‬

As Christians, we believe that God is the ultimate Designer of all that we see and do not see within our seemingly ever-expanding universe. Because He is the One who initiated and brought about everything, He also knows how everything is supposed to function.

• Sexuality

• Family relationships

• Dating

• Marriage

• Singleness

• Ethics

• Love

• Vocation

• Purpose

You will not find any area beyond God’s expertise.

This is why when we read passages like this in Romans 1, we have to remember that God is not just giving us a preferred future. He knows what is going to be best (or worst) for us in the long run.

Still, God will give us what we want, and if we truly want to resist His purpose and His ways, we can do that. It just won't end well for us.

"An impressive modern statement of this principle of divine retribution is provided by C. S. Lewis in The Problem of Pain (1940), pp. 115f.: The lost, he says, ‘enjoy forever the horrible freedom they have demanded, and are therefore self-enslaved.’” - Bruce, F. F. (1985). Romans (Vol. 6, pp. 91–92)

Day 194: Romans 1:1-17

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” - Romans 1:16-17 ESV

Yesterday we left Paul on house arrest in Rome, unhindered. Today, with the beginning of Romans, we've traveled back in time, before Paul made it to Italy. He is both inspired and hopeful about the faith of this church in Rome. Their faith was famous (see 1:8), and as we continue to read this masterful letter, we will see that Paul intends to drill down even further, helping to make their faith more secure.

For Paul, being a person of faith and also ashamed couldn't coincide.

It is no mistake that later on Matthew, Mark, and Luke quote Jesus using the same Greek word for ashamed (ἐπαισχύνομαι epaischynomai): "For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." (Mt 8:38, Mk 8:38, Lk 9:26)

Our faith in Jesus is something to proclaim for all to hear.

Remember when your parents would embarrass you as a teenager? What was so scarring about that experience? Deep down, you felt like your parents were misrepresenting your brand to your friends. Jesus will never misrepresent you. He is a truth-teller. He is a life-giver. Not to mention He's the one who alone has the words of life (see John 6:68).

We will regret many of our actions in this life. We will never regret, not now or in eternity, identifying with Jesus.

"We should note, however, that just as 'righteousness' involves transformation, so the term pistis (faith) includes the sense of 'faithfulness'—loyalty and allegiance—and not simply an intellectual acknowledgment. Genuine dependence on Christ invites genuine loyalty to him, not simply reciting a statement about him as if nothing is truly at stake." - Keener, C. S. (2009). Romans (pp. 29–30)

Day 193: Acts 28:1-31

“He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.” - Acts 28:30-31 ESV

The open-ended conclusion of Acts is sure to bother those who enjoy a good, resolved ending. The story Luke tells here in his second writing effort is obviously leading up to this moment of Paul being in Rome. He starts (1:8) with Jesus making the command to be His witnesses to the nations, and he ends with Paul declaring to the Jews that he was turning to the Gentiles (nations, see 28:28), whom he said would listen.

So, why such an abrupt ending?

Why not give us more details about the end of Paul's life? We learn from a lot of Christian tradition (outside the New Testament) that he was decapitated by Nero around 67 AD (near Peter's martyrdom).

We do know Luke was a sucker (more than any other New Testament writer) for the details. Names, places, and times were his thing. This has led many to believe that he refused to record Paul's execution as a way of letting us know we are carrying on the work he started for the nations.

May we carry out the unfinished business of these first-century missionary efforts.

I love the way I. Marshall Howard finishes his commentary on Acts:  “Whatever be the truth, the fate of Paul is secondary to that of the gospel. The final picture is of Paul preaching to the Gentiles the same message which he had preached throughout Acts with boldness and without hindrance. All the emphasis lies on that last phrase. The implication is that the charges against Paul were false and that God backed up his proclamation. Nothing that men can do can stop the progress and ultimate victory of the gospel.” - Marshall, I. H. (1980). Acts: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 5, p. 447)

Day 192: Acts 27:21-44

“For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. But we must run aground on some island.” - Acts‬ ‭27:23-26‬ ‭ESV‬‬

What is it going to take to get you from here to there? Will it help to promise that nothing bad will happen to you or your family? What about the affirmation that you are fine just the way you are (no growth needed)? Both of these are not helpful. They sound good but don’t translate well when real-life goes sideways.

God gave Paul the assurance that he, and everyone on the boat, needed to hear. They needed to know that they would survive; that they would make it. Jesus will always give us what we need to accomplish what He's asked us to do (see 2 Thessalonians 1:11).

But here’s the hard part of the assurance: They were still going to run aground. A shipwreck was still going to happen. There was no easy way.

In life, it seems that (in this fallen world) all the worthwhile things God calls us toward are difficult, not easy. Yet still, God will see us through, and it will have a positive effect on many.

"This speech is, in character and rhetorical function, quite the opposite to what we find in the literary speeches during this time period. In those speeches the message is about the danger of the situation and preparation for impending doom. Here the message is one of hope in the midst of despair. - Witherington, B., III. (1998). The Acts of the Apostles (p. 767)