Romans – Chapter 1

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16 – Starting the book of Romans and only spending one day per chapter is like trying to see all of Disney world in an hour, you just can’t take it all in! Here though we see such a central passage to not only the chapter but the whole book of Romans. Paul declares he was not ashamed of being connected to the Gospel of Jesus. He was writing to Rome, the world power of the day who condemned Christians and saw them as a plague on their society. Jesus was to the Roman people a failed Jewish teacher who was crucified. Rome was a mecca of sinfulness, the things that Jesus followers were called to cut all ties with. Yet Paul makes it clear upfront that he was unashamed to be connected with Jesus. The Roman people may view Jesus as a failure, they may view Jesus’ teachings as ridiculous, and they may view Jesus’ followers as radical fools, yet Paul boldly proclaimed His devotion still to Jesus. In our culture Jesus isn’t always respected as someone worthwhile to follow. Often Jesus is trashed and His teachings are mocked and those who follow them are looked at as stupid, hate-filled bigots. And even in that sort of space, we know Paul would have confidently stood up and announced He was with Jesus for all to hear. How about you? Does the way the world might think of you hinder you from declaring you follow the ways and person of Jesus? Be unashamed of Jesus and the power of salvation. The escape from the wrath of God on our sin is found in the Jesus this world mocks. Are you willing to let go of how the world thinks of you to declare your allegiance to Jesus? Jesus and His Gospel is worthy to live unashamed of. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3424

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Romans 1:19-21 – The first few chapters of Romans was written to help the reader understand their situation with sin. As with this passage we see that God made Himself and His life known to mankind, but we chose to chase after something else. I know that was every person’s story, including those who now follow Jesus, but if you have chosen to place your faith in Jesus don’t let that be your story any longer. God has made Himself known to you, don’t set all that aside to simply pursue selfish desires. God deserves better than that and you need better than that. How then does your pursuit in life need redirecting? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1049

Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. Romans 1:32 – Paul had just gone through a list of different sins that often are what people pursue when God allows man to chase after his sinful desires. We see things like envy, slander, murder, homosexuality, gossip, and even disobedience to parents. Sinful deeds and ways of living that are contrary to God’s desires but fully within the desires of sin. What’s even crazier is how the verse ends. They themselves do these sins, but they also become cheerleaders of those who commit such acts. Applauding the choice when someone tears down another individual and celebrating the killing of a person. This is our world without God. While is tempting to sit here and look down upon the lost world for their vileness, as we enter into chapter two and three of Romans, we are reminded of a humbling truth. We too were once sinners, caught up in the same trap of sin like everyone else. And it wasn’t out efforts or goodness that changed our story, no, if it was on us, we’d still be in the sinful behaviors of our past. It’s only by the grace and saving of Jesus that our story isn’t like that anymore. So yes, let’s not downplay the serious of people’s sin and let’s not grow numb to the vileness that is the sin in our world. Let us though not find ourselves in a position of pride over the lost of the world because we’ve been rescued and they haven’t yet. Our role is now to be throwers of the life preserver of the Gospel not throwers of shade and shame. How then can you today embrace the freedom from sin you have because of Jesus by sharing the means of freedom with someone else? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2410