Sharing is Caring

  Day 27: Romans 1:1-17       “I am obligated”     We are debtors to the gospel (Rom. 1:14).  We owe the gospel to all people.  Therefore, we must proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We should not be ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes (v. 16).  What is the gospel?  The gospel is Jesus Christ.  It is His birth, His death on the cross, and His resurrection from the tomb.  It is the virgin birth of Jesus Christ (Mt. 1:18).  It is Jesus, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, crucified on the cross to redeem our sins (Rom. 1:4).  And it is Jesus, who rose from the dead after three days (v. 4).  The nature and holiness of Jesus Christ are the gospel (vv. 3-4).  We, as chosen ones, are appointed for this gospel (v. 1).  We must proclaim this gospel to both believers and non-believers alike, because we are debtor...

                         A debtor (2)       [Romans 8:12-17]     How should we live as debtors?     First, as debtors, we must not live according to the sinful nature.   In a word, as debtors, we should not live according to the sinful nature (Rom. 8:12). We must live by putting to death the misdeeds of the body by the Spirit of Christ (v. 13).   We must live as servants of God under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God (v. 14), obeying God's laws (commands).   The Scripture says that these Christians are “sons of God” (v. 14).   Second, as debtors, we must live like children of God.   Look at Romans 8:16 – “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.”   What does it mean to live like children of God?   (1)    God’s children call God “Abba, Father.”   Look ...

            A debtor (1)       [Romans 8:12-17]     What do you think of when you hear the word “debtor”?   When we think of a “debtor,” we can usually think of a person who has borrowed money and is in a position to pay it back.   As an example, we can take Matthew 18:24.   When a king was accounting with his servants, one “debtor” of ten thousand talents (v. 24) had nothing to pay (v. 25), so he fell on his knees and bowed before the king and said, ‘Be patient with me and I will pay you back everything’ (v. 26).   Then the master of the servant had compassion on him and let him go and forgave the debt (v. 27).   But the servant whose debt of ten thousand talents was forgiven met another servant who owed him a hundred denarius and grabbed him and began to choke him and said “Pay back what you own me! (v. 28).   His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, “Be patient with me, and...