2022_07_27 Insight Post- Rusty Coram
This week’s reading- Romans 7-8
Chapters 7 and 8 in Romans contain so much truth and hope that a once-over reading just cannot convey. In chapter 7, Paul clarifies the purpose of God’s law and commands – to show us what righteousness looks like and how far away from it we all are. Also, in chapter 7, we read how this works: “Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.” Romans 7:7
By having a clear standard, we can see just how far off the mark we are. God doesn’t do this to shame us but to show us our situation and how desperate we are. If this were all there was, we would be hopeless: “Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?” Romans 7:24
And then Paul goes on to tell us the amazing reality – that God has provided exactly what we need: “Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 7:25. Chapter 8 explains what this amazing gift of God is like starting with: “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1. In His great love, God wants us to understand the seriousness of how lost we are and that there is no excuse for our sin – we are all personally responsible and guilty. But by surrendering to Jesus, we are freely forgiven and are not under any condemnation. Wow! This is astounding news that nothing else can compare to.
This is the “good news” that we have to share with everyone around us: “And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” 2 Corinthians 5:18–21 (NLT)
Rusty Coram
Senior Pastor