Theology for Everybody: RomansSample

Good Gifts: New Freedom

We can get diverted in any season, especially when there is a lot of distraction. Like a military campaign, when there is a strategic target, one tactic is to have a diversion distract from that which is the priority. There are constant distractions and diversions in life, as bad news never stops. Now is a good time to focus on yourself. You can’t make a difference in many things, but you can make a difference in your life. There are many things you’re not going to stand before God and give an account for, but you will give an account for yourself.

The apostle Paul shifts focus from the many things that could distract us to the God who can help us. He’s going to talk about the grace of God. Let me start with a little good news.

"To all those...who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 1:7).

God loves you, and He never changes His mind about His love for you. He calls you a saint, a holy person, and He has grace for you. He’s not upset with you. He’s not going to punish you. He’s not out to get you. He’s for you, not against you.

"And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 'Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin'" (Romans 4:5–8).

God takes care of your biggest problem—sin. If you belong to Jesus, all your sins are totally forgiven and replaced with his righteousness. Paul quotes the adulterous murderer King David in Romans 4:7–8 as a case study. If God could love, forgive, and use David, then He can certainly love, forgive, and use you. That’s good news!

"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Romans 5:1–2).

The whole world is filled with evil, conflict, and fear, but we have peace with God through our Lord, Jesus Christ. We can rejoice because our God rules from Heaven over everyone and everything on the earth. There’s a God who loves us. He forgives us, He’s for us, and He’s with us. He gives us the grace to stand in. Grace is unmerited favor; it’s undeserved love. God’s grace is limitless and bottomless.

"Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign" (Romans 5:20–21).

No matter how great your sin is, grace outweighs and outruns it. God gives more grace where there’s more sin. If you’re in Jesus, God’s grace reigns over your entire life.

Today’s Reflection

In what ways have you experienced God’s unmerited favor and undeserved love?