Not all ethnic Israelites were (or are) children of the promise. Isaac was; Ishmael wasn’t. Jacob was; Esau wasn’t. These men, chosen that God’s purpose of election might stand, are …
No one today doubts the importance of the nation of Israel. It sits in the Middle East and is constantly in the news. But why is Israel so important? Though …
These verses mark the climax of the first eight chapters of Romans. In this chapter, having stated the gospel plainly (with justification by faith alone at the center), Paul applies …
In one of the most extraordinary paragraphs in all Scripture, Paul argues God will use every difficulty, no matter how intense, for the Christian’s long-term good. This is not a …
In Romans 5–8, Paul describes the Christian life. Because of Christ’s work on the cross, we have “peace with God” (Rom. 5:1). We are united to Christ and able to …
Chapters 5–8 in Romans are about life in Christ. Such a life is profoundly different from a life in Adam. The Christian is freed from the condemnation of sin, freed …
Believers are free from condemnation (Rom. 8:1–11); they are empowered to put sin to death (8:12–13). The battle against sin is necessary and possible because of the Spirit of God …
Every Christian sins and will sin while he is alive or until Christ returns. The stunning fact of Christianity is that, due to the work of Christ on the cross, …
In Romans 5–8, Paul describes the Christian life. Prior to salvation, we were “in Adam” but now, reconciled to God, we are “in Christ.” The Christian is alive in Christ, …
When Christians sing God’s Word with the congregation, God is praised. It is, therefore, simply unthinkable to be an un-singing Christian. We sing because we are made in God’s image, …
King Jesus is with his people in a special way when they are gathered as his church to do his royal business of corporate worship. “Corporate worship” is what takes …
After arguing that grace produces holiness while the law arouses sinful passions (Rom. 7:1–6), Paul now clarifies the law is good. Sin, not the law, is the problem. The law …