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- What attributes of God’s character does this passage reveal?
- How does the passage point to Jesus?
- How should the truth of this passage change me?
- How do the events of today’s reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture?
Rom 7-8
“But now we have been released from the law, since we have died to what held us, so that we may serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the old letter of the law.” (Rom. 7:6). I saw something interesting in that statement this morning. Paul makes it clear that, whether we believe in God’s promise or not, we all serve something. Some don’t care and wantonly serve the desires of the flesh. These are clearly on the path to death. Others, however, have some kind of conviction and try to be good, serving the letter of the law, or whatever other moral code guides and convicts them. Unfortunately, their efforts are in vain and still lead to death, since whatever they serve cannot save.
Then there are those who believe, by faith, in God’s promise. For us, the good things we do are now in service to God, by His Spirit, rather than in an effort to save ourselves. Thus, our efforts, by God’s grace, become life-giving. For, “there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.” (Rom. 8:1-2). How grateful I am to be able to serve that which produces life!
Rom. 9
Once again we see that God used the Jews to show us that we can’t achieve righteousness on our own. He did this by giving them the Law, by which, if they obeyed it, they would live. Not only did they fail to achieve righteousness by the law, but they also failed to recognize the righteousness of faith God offered them through Christ. Yet those who did not pursue righteousness obtained it by faith. Bottom line? We need God and He has made Himself available to us. We need only to acknowledge and accept.