Day 80: Acts 28:17-Romans 14:23

Romans


Ah, Romans. I could talk about this book forever. I love every verse, and I'm only slightly embarrassed to admit that my highlighter was starting to run dry by the end of today's reading. Rather than creating a dissertation, I'll just focus on a few key points from today's reading. 

You may have noticed that quite a bit of the first chapters focused pretty heavily on circumcision. The circumcision is a symbol of sacrifice (we'll talk about that later), and was also used to distinguished Jews from Gentiles. But when Christ came, there was no longer a distinction between Jew and Gentile, all are welcome to be saved by Christ. What is still important is a circumcision of the heart. Cutting away all of the sin and negativity and evil within us, in order to make room for the Holy Spirit. 

Romans 5:6-8

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

I feel that this verse really put the crucifixion into perspective. I think each of us has a certain few people we'd be willing to put our lives on the line for--people we love, people who have had an impact on the world, etc. But Jesus sacrificed his life for every single person. He sacrificed for the worst of sinners the same way he sacrificed for the most righteous person. His love for all of us was and is so completely infinite. 

There's so much for me to say on Romans 8. It's my favorite chapter of the entire Bible. I implore you all to read it, and see how God's love for us surpasses anything else. I'll leave you with Romans 8:35-39 to summarize it: 

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  

Nothing. Not one single thing. Not any sin. Nothing could separate us from God's love for us. That is incredible. 

The note I'd like to end on today is Romans 12. 

We've all been given different gifts by the grace of God--and it's our duty to use those gifts to glorify his name. Also, we should live in harmony with one another. Don't take revenge, but leave room for God's wrath. And do not let yourself be overcome by evil, instead, overcome evil, with good. 

Tomorrow's reading: Romans 15:1-1 Corinthians 14:40
Have a wonderful day!
Jill Jafarace
Director of Student Ministries
New Leaf UMC

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