| The Way to God |
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Where is your life headed? The Bible verses below are all taken from Romans in the New Testament, written by the Apostle Paul. Paul had thought he was heading towards God. But he was wrong! So God’s Son, Jesus, came to Paul and turned him around. From that time, Paul traveled extensively, telling people about Jesus, the Way to God. He had not yet been able to visit the church in Rome, so he wrote his message about Jesus for them in a letter. The Bad News The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. All of you who pass judgment on others are without excuse, for when you play the judge and condemn others, you condemn yourself, since you do the very same things. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.” No human being can be justified in God’s sight by law keeping; rather, through the law comes the awareness of sin. Romans 1:18; 2:1, 13, 23; 3:10-11, 20 The Good News But now a righteousness from God apart from the law has been made known, though the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it – the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, so that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. Romans 3:21-25a, 26; 4:25 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. If while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, how much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life! The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 5:1, 8, 10; 6:23 There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Christ Jesus who died and, more, who was raised, is at God’s right hand, and he is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:1, 16-17, 18, 28, 31, 34b-35, 37-39 Your Response: Believe! It does not depend a person’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on him; for “whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 9:16; 10:9-13 Your Response: Worship! From him and through him and to him are all things – to him be the glory forever, Amen! Therefore I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 11:36 – 12:1-2 Your Response: Love! Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8
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