The essentiality of the church body, Romans 12, 3-9a

When I look at what a lot of other preachers and teachers and commentators have said about this chapter before us, I think in some respects that many of them are guilty of dealing with  these passages out in a piecemeal sort of way.  What I mean by that is, they take them completely out of context with one another.  For instance, they look at vs1 and 2 separately from the rest of the chapter and see it as some sort of post conversion consecration of the individual believer.  Then in vs 3-8 they tend to disregard the previous verses

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An exhortation to worship, Romans 12:1,2

Last week I went through the entire chapter 11 in one sermon.  Something I normally don’t attempt to do.  Today I am only going to be looking at two verses.  Oddly enough, the sermon length should be exactly the same. I think that the two verses we are looking at today are some of the most important in Romans. They serve as the culmination of Paul’s entire epistle and his argument up to this point.  Up through chapter 11 he has examined and explained the theology of our salvation; particularly the grace and mercies of God in producing and procuring

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God’s grace in salvation, Romans 11:1-36

The previous chapter ended with the verse which says, in Rom 10:21 “But as for Israel [God] says, “ALL THE DAY LONG I HAVE STRETCHED OUT MY HANDS TO A DISOBEDIENT AND OBSTINATE PEOPLE.” And we determined last week that verse emphasizes the patience and mercy of God, in waiting for and calling to a rebellious people that are always resisting His call. It emphasizes that even though Israel as a nation rebelled against God, He is pursuing them even to this day. Yet this rebellion raises the question which Paul asked in vs 1, “I say then, God has

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Man’s response to salvation, Romans 10:14-21

A couple of weeks ago as we studied chapter 9 we learned about the sovereignty of God in salvation.  That God has the sovereign right to be merciful to whom He will be merciful and to harden those whom He hardens.  It is the doctrine of the election and predestination of God in salvation.  Then in the first section of chapter 10 which we looked at last week Paul shows us the other side of the coin of salvation; that being the responsibility of man.  Man must believe in HIs heart, he must confess with his mouth the Lord Jesus. 

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Man’s responsibility in salvation, Romans 10:1-13

Last week, as we studied the previous chapter, we learned of the sovereignty of God in salvation. Yet even though God is sovereign, and He gives mercy to whom He will give mercy, and He hardens the heart of them whom He desires, yet even so, God does not work independently of us and our desires. And so God instructs us to pray for the lost, to pray for their salvation. Paul uses himself as an example of prayer for the lost. And he uses his kinsmen, his nation, his people as examples of those whom he will pray for.

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The Sovereignty of God in Salvation, Romans 9:15-33

Today we are talking` about the sovereignty of God.  That is the title of my message, and it has been the  underlying subject of Paul’s message in the last couple of chapters of Romans.  We have not highlighted God’s sovereignty so much up to this point because there were other sub-elements of God’s character that Paul was emphasizing in those passages.  But nevertheless, the underlying principle of much of what we have studied over the past couple of chapters is the the sovereignty of God. Now what do we mean by that term, sovereignty? Sovereignty refers to the authority to

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Salvation by grace, not by merit, Romans 9:1-16

Paul has spent the first eight chapters of Romans detailing the need of salvation; because all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  He has described the means of salvation; the righteous man shall live by faith.  And He has detailed the purpose of salvation; which is to bring many sons to glory by their adoption as sons of God.  And then in chapter 8, he summarized the process of salvation by saying in vs 29 and 30, “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined [to become] conformed to the image of His Son, so that

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More than conquerors, Romans 8: 31-39

This is such an amazing passage of scripture, that it is really difficult to boil it down to just one principle or doctrine.  It really is the summary of Paul’s gospel or good news, up to this point.  In this passage he gives us a continuing string of assurances and blessings and benefits for those who have been saved. In this chapter he is actually presenting the various stages of our salvation, from justification to sanctification, to our glorification.  And this summary reaches it’s crescendo in these last verses which talk about the surety and guarantee of our salvation because

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Shaped by Suffering, Romans 8:28-31

Among Christians, verse 28 is probably one of the best known, most often quoted verses in the Bible.  But as is often the fact in such cases, it is probably misinterpreted more than it is understood correctly.  And so today I want to focus just on this verse and the two immediately following it, in hope that we can gain a correct understanding of this passage.  Because it is a tremendously important text.  It states a doctrine that undergirds our faith.  And so it’s important that we understand it.   Correct doctrine is important.  These truths of God’s word are

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Three groanings, Romans 8:18-27

Last week we looked at the blessings and benefits of what Paul described in vs 15 as adopted into the family of God, as a child of God. I would remind you that adoption as children of God is not a natural condition. Contrary to popular opinion, we are not naturally children of God, but Jesus said we were naturally children of our father the devil. Consequently we are all sinners and under the condemnation of death by natural birth. But for those who have believed in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, who have trusted in His substitutionary

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