Romans 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.
We are instructed to diligently add temperance to our faith, virtue, and knowledge. In this passage, Paul is admonishing us how we are to live our lives if we are not going to make […]

Romans 15:14 And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
How could a preacher preach unless he first took the time to add knowledge of God’s ways to his life? Until he added knowledge, he would not […]

Romans 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
It does not matter if you spend 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year for the next 1,000 years to study the ways of […]

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Bad things happen to good people. Good things happen to bad people. It is important to understand that God is in control and that HE has a plan. If […]

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
This world is trying to conform you so that you look just like the world. The world understands that if you look […]

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

What does it mean to be called according to God�s purpose? What is God�s purpose for your life? In the next verse, Paul shows us that we are �to be conformed to the image of his Son�. God�s purpose for your life is simple; He did not hide it from you. Instead, God has made His purpose for your life very clear, the decision that you have to make is whether you are going to fulfill that life purpose or whether you are going to continue to live for yourself.

Romans 16:26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

Christ is made manifest to the entire world by your obedience to HIS instructions for your life. By faith you hear God and by faith you will do those things that God desires you to do. When you whole-heartedly follow God�s instruction for your life, HE will lay a burden upon your heart as to where you are to go and what you are to do. As you follow HIS direction, HIS name is lifted up to those whom HE has prepared to draw closer to HIMSELF. Your obedience of faith brings HIM glory.

Romans 14:22 Hast thou faith? Have it to thysef before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

Paul had just discussed the fact that different Christians had different beliefs when it came to the Lord�s Day, the eating of flesh and drinking of wine. He commanded the brethren not to do something that would cause another Christian to stumble. While Paul recognized that unclean meat did not necessarily make one unclean, he commanded you to abstain if your behavior caused another to stumble because you must give an account to God for every action you commit.

Romans 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.

Just because a brother or sister in Christ is weak in the faith, it does not give you the right to avoid fellowship with that individual. In this verse, Paul commands the church to receive those who are weak in the faith. However, you are not supposed to receive those who are weak for the purpose of honing your debate skills. Remember how Paul taught you in I Corinthians 13 that the most important thing is love.

If you are receiving your weaker brother or sister for the purpose of debating them and showing them the higher calling of God, then your lack of love will probably be evident to them and they will be more likely to reject the truth that you are attempting to share with them. Instead, when you receive a weaker brother and sister, you have an obligation to demonstrate to them your love for them.

Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Pride has a way of creeping into your life. The sin nature of man is such that you desire to have others recognize you for the good things that you do. While you may be a humble individual, there will come a time when pride will well up within you and you will actually be proud in your own humility. While you may be active in serving the Lord, the sin nature of man will often cause you to desire the praises of man for your good deeds.

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Do you desire to increase your faith? Have you have read the stories of individuals from the Bible who have demonstrated great faith and wished that God would bless you in a similar manner? Have you read biography of Christians who did great things for God because of their faith and wished that your life would have a similar testimony?

Scripture tells you what you must do in order to live a life of faith. The instructions are actually rather simple. If you desire to have faith, then you must hear God. Once you hear God, all you have to do is trust in HIM and obey that which HE has commanded you to do. When you live your life simply obeying God, you will quickly find God working through you in ways you never expected.

Romans 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

How many times have you heard someone say that because we live in the age of grace, the law is of no effect? In Matthew 5:17, Jesus told us, �Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.� The simple truth is that Jesus never said that the law was over and neither did the Apostle Paul. God no longer requires the sacrifices outlined in the Old Testament. These sacrifices are not necessary because God made the Perfect Sacrifices that made the need for animal sacrifices no longer necessary. The main difference between before Christ and after Christ is that instead of us making a sacrifice to appease our guilty conscience, now one only needs to turn to Jesus Christ and ask HIM to blot out all your sins.

Romans 3:30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

God created everyone in this world. God created the Americans, Mexicans, Canadians, Asians, Africans, Indians, Europeans, and every other tribe, nation, or people. The same God that created you is the same God that created Karl Marx. While God loves HIS creation and desires to have fellowship with HIS creation, the sin nature of man has prohibited God�s desire. However, God�s gift to mankind opened the door so that all who believe in the Son might have eternal life and renewed communication with God.

Romans 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

In this verse, Paul reminds us that it is not the toiling of the law that makes one innocent before a Holy God, but it is the faith that sets one free. Remember the young ruler came to Jesus and asked HIM what he should do to obtain eternal life. Jesus told the young ruler that he needed to obey the law. The young ruler replied that he had obeyed the commandments from his youth. Jesus then replied that the young ruler needed to sell all that he had and to come follow Jesus. This young ruler may have followed the law, but he left that day a condemned man because he did not have the faith to follow Jesus.

Romans 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

The sin nature of man causes you to desire to live by your own strength. If you look at all other religions, they are all centered on works. They are all centered on what you can do to go to heaven. They give one something to boast about to those who are of the same religion. However, God does not desire that your works save you, but instead, HE has laid forth a plan by which it is your faith that saves you.

Jesus Christ already did the work that is necessary for you to be saved. Jesus came to this earth and lived a life without sin. HE willingly offered HIMSELF as a living sacrifice so that all that believe on HIM shall be saved. Since Jesus already did the work that enables you to be saved, what makes one think that it is by their works that they are saved?

Romans 3:3 For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

God is faithful, what HE has promised will come to pass regardless of your belief or unbelief. A good example of this principle is demonstrated by the life of Noah. Noah was told that God was going to destroy the earth with a flood. Just because no one believed God except for Noah, it does not mean that God was not faithful to fulfill HIS word. The world was full of unbelief but God was faithful and HE fulfilled HIS promise and because Noah believed, he was spared.

Jesus died upon the cross and we are instructed that if we believe on HIM, we shall be saved. How many millions of people have rejected the gift of salvation? Their rejection of Jesus as their personal Savior does not mean that Jesus did not die for all who will accept HIM. God is faithful, and just because some choose to reject the truth of the gospel, it does not mean that the gospel is untrue.

Romans 1:11-12 For I long to see you , that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

It is the faith in Jesus Christ that units the body of Christ. This faith that binds is what enabled Paul to teach spiritual things to the Christians knowing that they would receive his words and grow thereby. Paul understood that when he taught the Christians, they would be able to hear his words and be established in their faith. This mutual faith enabled Paul and the church at Rome to comfort each other.

Romans 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

Paul had traveled the world and he was able to write to the church in Rome about their reputation. The church at Rome lived their lives for God and God used them in a mighty way. The world knew that the church at Rome lived by faith. The world understood that many miraculous things occurred by members of the church at Rome. The world comprehended that there was something different about the church at Rome.

The church at Rome was not sitting back wondering what God could do for them. Instead, by faith, they were living their lives for the glory of God. Because as a congregation they were living their lives for God, God ensured that the world knew that the church at Rome had great faith.

Romans 1:5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:

Paul starts out his letter to the church at Rome with this phrase �obedience to the faith�. In the second to last verse of this letter, Paul states �But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:� Romans 16:26. The phrase obedience of faith is used only twice in this letter, but the placement of the phrase at the beginning and the end of the letter is telling as to the significance of the principle.

Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith.

Are you ashamed of the gospel of Christ? You are a Christian and thus you replied that you are not ashamed. However, you can say that you are not ashamed with your mouth but your actions will always speak louder then your words. Do your actions demonstrate that you are not ashamed of the gospel of Christ?