Hearts and Minds Together
Opening Prayer
My Father, there is so much to learn and understand in these readings. Teach me more today, I pray.
Read Romans 5:1-11
[1] Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, [2] through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. [3] Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; [4] perseverance, character; and character, hope. [5] And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. [6] You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. [7] Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. [8] But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. [9] Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! [10] For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! [11] Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What benefits of "justification" in Christ are given here?Romans 5 reads almost like a glossary of the profound teachings of Christianity. “Justified,” “faith,” “grace,” “reconciled”: each of the ideas is vital to a proper understanding of our faith. There is a special challenge studying a passage as packed with truth as this. Each phrase is so deep and majestic: the concepts can almost swim across our minds. Paul was a genius; but for me, at any rate, it can be hard to get more than a superficial understanding as I read. The way to access all this teaching is through the person of Jesus himself. Look again at how his practical life and terrible but triumphant death weave in and out through the verses. The wonder of Romans is that Paul is so passionate about Jesus and his unjustified love, while also ensuring that his writing is firmly rooted in reasoned argument. Our faith is about hearts and brains. Because of Jesus’ sacrificial, inexplicable love for us, even leading to his death on the cross, believers have an entirely reasonable right to stand before God. Christians should hold their heads up in the debating chambers of this world. We can rejoice (11) because our faith makes perfect, intellectual sense.
Apply
If you were challenged to explain to someone how your faith made perfect, intellectual sense, what would you say?
Closing prayer
Lord, thank You for giving the Bible to explain and strengthen my faith. Help me grow in understanding.
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