“Since we have been united with Him in His death, we will also be raised to life as He was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives.We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with HIm. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and He will never die again. Death no longer has any power over Him. When He died, He died once to break the power of sin. But now that He lives, He lives for the glory of God. So you should also consider yourselves be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6: vv. 5-11, NLT)
Author: cackywalker@yahoo.com
Adam and Christ Contrasted
“For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.
Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.
God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, given us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 5:vv.17-21, NLT)
Faith Brings Joy
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“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know the they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confidence hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.” (Romans 5: vv. 1-5, NLT)
Christ Took Our Punishment
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“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. 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.
For everyone has sinned; we fail short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous . He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins. 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 push those who sinned in times past, for He was looking ahead and including them in what He would do in they present time. God did this to demonstrate His righteousness, for He Himself is fair and just, and He declares sinners to be right in His sight when they believe in Jesus.”(Romans 3: vv. 21-26, NLT)
God’s Judgment of Sin, Part II
“But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will judge everyone according to what they have done. He will give eternal life to those who keep doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. But He will pour out His anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil- for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good-for the Jew first and also the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism.” (Romans 2: vv. 5-11, NLT)
God’s Judgment of Sin, Part I
“You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. And we know that God, in His justice will punish anyone who does such things. Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things? Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t yo see that His kindness is intended to turn you for your sin? (Acts 2: vv. 1-4, NLT)
God’s Anger at Sin, Part II
“So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired.”
(Romans, v.24, NLT)
“Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, He abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are back stabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. They refused to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.” (Romans 1: vv. 28-32, NLT)
God’s Anger at Sin, Part I
“But God shows His anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature. So they have norexcuse for not knowing God.
Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship Him as God or even give Him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, every-living God, they worshiped idols made to like like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.” ( Romans 1: vv. 18-23, NLT)
God’s Good News
“Let me say first that I thank my god through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in Him is being talked about all over the world.” (Romans 1: 8, NLT)
“I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that I planned anytime to visit you, but I was prevented until now. I want to work among you and see the spiritual fruit, just as I have seen among other Gentiles. For I have a great sense of obligation to the people in both the civilized world and the rest of the world, to the educated and uneducated alike. So I am eager to come to you in Rome, to preach the Good News.
For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. IT is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes – the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in His sight. This is accomplished from the start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, ‘It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” (Romans 1: vv 13-17, NLT)
Paul on the Island of Malta
“”Once we were safe ashore, we learned the we were on the island of Malta. The people of the island were very kind to us. It was cold and rainy, so they built a fire on the shore to welcome us.
As Paul carried an armful of sticks and was laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, bit him on the hand. The people of the island saw it hanging from his hand and said to each other, “A murderer, no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live.” But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed. The people waited for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw that he wasn’t harmed, they changed their mindsand decided he was a god.
Near the shore where we landed was an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and treated us kindly for three days. As it happened, Publius’s father was ill with fever and dysentery. Paul went in and prayed for him, and laying his hands on him, he healed him. Then all the other sick people on the island came and were healed. As a result we were showered with honors, and when the time came to sail. people supplied us with everything we would need for the trip.”” (Acts 28: vv. 1-10, NLT)