Romans 4-7 - Prayer Tents

Romans 4

The Faith of Abraham

4Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God?G5101G2046G3767G11G2257G3962G2596G4561G21472If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God's way.G1063G1487G11G1344G1537G2041G2192G2745G235G3756G4314G23163For the Scriptures tell us, "Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith."

G1063G5101G3004G1124G1161G11G4100G2316G2532G3049G846G1519G13434When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned.G1161G2038G3049G3408G3756G3049G2596G5485G235G2596G37835But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.G1161G2038G3361G1161G4100G1909G1344G765G846G4102G3049G1519G13436David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it.G2509G1138G2532G3004G3108G444G3739G2316G3049G1343G5565G20417"Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight.G3107G3739G458G863G2532G3739G266G19438Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of sin."

G3107G435G3739G2962G3049G3364G3049G2669Now, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it also for uncircumcised Gentiles?

Well, we have been saying that Abraham was counted as righteous by God because of his faith.G3778G3108G3767G1909G4061G2228G1909G203G2532G1063G3004G3754G4102G3049G11G1519G134310But how did this happen? Was he counted as righteous only after he was circumcised, or was it before he was circumcised? Clearly, God accepted Abraham before he was circumcised!G4459G3049G3767G3049G5607G1722G4061G2228G1722G203G3756G1722G4061G235G1722G20311Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith.G2532G2983G4592G4061G4973G1343G4102G3588G1722G203G1519G846G1511G3962G3956G4100G1223G203G1519G1343G3049G846G253212And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.G2532G3962G4061G3756G1537G4061G3440G235G2532G4748G2487G4102G2257G3962G11G1722G20313Clearly, God's promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God's law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith.G1063G1860G1511G846G2818G2889G3756G11G2228G846G4690G1223G3551G235G1223G1343G410214If God's promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless.G1063G1487G1537G3551G2818G4102G2758G2532G1860G267315For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)G1063G3551G2716G3709G1063G3757G3756G3551G2076G3761G384716So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham's. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.G1223G5124G1537G4102G2443G2596G5485G1519G1860G1511G949G3956G4690G3756G3440G1537G3551G235G2532G1537G4102G11G3739G2076G3962G2257G395617That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, "I have made you the father of many nations."

This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.G2531G1125G3754G5087G4571G3962G4183G1484G2713G3739G4100G2316G2227G3498G2532G2564G5607G3361G5613G560718Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, "That's how many descendants you will have!"

G3739G3844G1680G4100G1909G1680G1519G846G1096G3962G4183G1484G2596G2046G3779G2071G4675G4690G207119And Abraham's faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah's womb.G2532G3361G770G4102G2657G3756G1438G4983G2235G3499G5225G4225G1541G2532G3500G4564G338820Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God.G1161G1252G3756G1519G1860G2316G570G235G1743G4102G1325G1391G231621He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.G2532G4135G3754G3739G1861G2076G1415G2532G416022And because of Abraham's faith, God counted him as righteous.G2532G1352G3049G846G1519G134323And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn't just for Abraham's benefit. It was recordedG1161G1125G3756G1125G1223G846G3440G3754G3049G84624for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.G235G1223G2248G2532G3739G3195G3049G4100G1909G1453G2424G2257G2962G1537G349825He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.G3739G3860G1223G2257G3900G2532G1453G1223G2257G1347

Romans 5

Faith Brings Joy

5Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.G3767G1344G1537G4102G2192G1515G4314G2316G1223G2257G2962G2424G55472Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory.G1223G3739G2532G2192G4318G4102G1519G5026G5485G1722G3739G2476G2532G2744G1909G1680G1391G23163We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.G1161G3756G3440G235G2744G1722G2347G2532G1492G3754G2347G2716G52814And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.G1161G5281G1382G1161G1382G16805And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.G1161G1680G2617G3756G2617G3754G26G2316G1632G1722G2257G2588G1223G40G4151G3588G1325G22546When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.G1063G2257G5607G2089G772G2596G2540G5547G599G5228G7657Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.G1063G3433G5228G1342G599G5100G599G1063G5029G5228G18G5100G5111G2532G5111G5998But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.G1161G2316G4921G1438G26G1519G2248G3754G2257G5607G2089G268G5547G599G5228G22579And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God's condemnation.G4183G3123G3767G1344G3568G1344G1722G846G129G4982G575G3709G1223G84610For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.G1063G1487G5607G2190G2644G2316G1223G2288G846G5207G4183G3123G2644G4982G1722G846G222211So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.G1161G3756G3440G235G2532G2744G1722G2316G1223G2257G2962G2424G5547G1223G3739G2983G3568G2983G2643

Adam and Christ Contrasted

12When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.G1223G5124G5618G1223G1520G444G266G1525G1519G2889G2532G2288G1223G266G2532G3779G2288G1330G1519G3956G444G1909G3739G3956G26413Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break.G1063G891G3551G266G2258G1722G2889G1161G266G1677G3756G1677G5607G3361G355114Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come.G235G2288G936G575G76G3360G3475G2532G1909G264G3361G264G1909G3667G76G3847G3739G2076G5179G319515But there is a great difference between Adam's sin and God's gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ.G235G3756G5613G3900G3779G2532G5486G1063G1487G3900G1520G4183G599G4183G3123G5485G2316G2532G1431G1722G5485G3588G1520G444G2424G5547G4052G1519G418316And the result of God's gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man's sin. For Adam's sin led to condemnation, but God's free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins.G2532G3756G5613G1223G1520G264G1434G1063G3303G2917G1537G1520G1519G2631G1161G5486G1537G4183G3900G1519G134517For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.G1063G1487G1520G3900G2288G936G1223G1520G4183G3123G2983G4050G5485G2532G1431G1343G936G1722G2222G1223G1520G2424G554718Yes, Adam's one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.G686G3767G5613G1223G3900G1520G1519G3956G444G1519G2631G2532G3779G1223G1345G1520G1519G3956G444G1519G1347G222219Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.G1063G5618G1223G1520G444G3876G4183G2525G268G3779G2532G1223G5218G1520G2525G4183G2525G134220God's law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful grace became more abundant.G1161G3551G3922G2443G3900G4121G1161G3757G266G4121G5485G524821So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God's wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.G2443G5618G266G936G1722G2288G2532G3779G936G5485G936G1223G1343G1519G166G2222G1223G2424G5547G2257G2962

Romans 6

Sin’s Power Is Broken

6Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace?G5101G2046G3767G1961G266G2443G5485G41212Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?G3361G1096G4459G3748G599G266G2198G2089G1722G8463Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death?G2228G50G3754G3745G907G1519G2424G5547G907G1519G846G22884For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.G3767G4916G846G1223G908G1519G2288G2443G5618G5547G1453G1537G3498G1223G1391G3962G3779G2249G2532G4043G1722G2538G22225Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was.G1063G1487G1096G4854G3667G846G2288G2071G235G2532G3866We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.G1097G5124G3754G2257G3820G444G4957G2443G4983G266G2673G3371G2248G1398G3371G1398G2667For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.G1063G599G1344G575G2668And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him.G1161G1487G599G4862G5547G4100G3754G4800G2532G4800G8469We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him.G1492G3754G5547G1453G1537G3498G599G3765G2288G2961G3765G2961G84610When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God.G3739G1063G599G599G266G2178G1161G3739G2198G2198G231611So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.G3779G3049G5210G2532G1438G1511G3498G3303G266G1161G2198G2316G1722G2424G5547G2257G296212Do not let sin control the way you live

; do not give in to sinful desires.G936G3361G266G3767G936G1722G5216G2349G4983G1519G5219G846G1722G1939G84613Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.G3366G3936G5216G3196G3696G93G266G235G3936G1438G2316G5613G2198G1537G3498G2532G5216G3196G3696G1343G231614Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace.G1063G266G2961G3756G2961G5216G1063G2075G3756G5259G3551G235G5259G548515Well then, since God's grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not!G5101G3767G264G3754G2070G3756G5259G3551G235G5259G5485G3361G109616Don't you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.G1492G3756G3754G3739G3936G1438G1401G1519G5218G1401G2075G3739G5219G2273G266G1519G2288G2228G5218G1519G134317Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you.G1161G2316G5485G3754G2258G1401G266G1161G5219G1537G2588G5179G1322G1519G3739G386018Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.G1659G1161G1659G575G266G1402G134319Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.G3004G442G1223G769G5216G4561G1063G5618G3936G5216G3196G1401G167G2532G458G1519G458G3779G3568G3936G5216G3196G1401G1343G1519G3820When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right.G1063G3753G2258G1401G266G2258G1658G134321And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom.G5101G3767G2590G2192G5119G1909G3739G1870G3568G1870G1063G5056G1565G228822But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.G1161G3570G1659G575G266G1161G1402G2316G2192G5216G2590G1519G38G1161G5056G166G222223For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.G1063G3800G266G2288G1161G5486G2316G166G2222G1722G2424G5547G2257G2962

Romans 7

No Longer Bound to the Law

7Now, dear brothers and sisters

—you who are familiar with the law—don't you know that the law applies only while a person is living?G2228G50G80G1063G2980G1097G3551G3754G3551G2961G444G1909G3745G5550G21982For example, when a woman marries, the law binds her to her husband as long as he is alive. But if he dies, the laws of marriage no longer apply to her.G1063G1135G5220G1210G3551G435G2198G1161G1437G435G599G2673G575G3551G4353So while her husband is alive, she would be committing adultery if she married another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law and does not commit adultery when she remarries.G686G3767G1437G435G2198G1096G2087G435G5537G3428G1161G1437G435G599G2076G1658G575G3551G846G1511G3361G3428G1096G2087G4354So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God.G5620G3450G80G5210G2532G2289G3551G1223G4983G5547G1519G5209G1096G2087G1453G1537G3498G2443G2592G23165When we were controlled by our old nature

, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death.G1063G3753G2258G1722G4561G3804G266G3588G1223G3551G1754G1722G2257G3196G1519G2592G22886But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.G1161G3570G2673G575G3551G599G599G1722G3739G2722G5620G2248G1398G1722G2538G4151G2532G3756G3821G1121

God’s Law Reveals Our Sin

7Well 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."

G5101G2046G3767G3551G266G3361G1096G235G1097G3756G1097G266G1508G1223G3551G1063G5037G1492G3756G1492G1939G1508G3551G3004G1937G3756G19378But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power.G1161G266G2983G874G1223G1785G2716G1722G1698G3956G1939G1063G5565G3551G266G34989At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life,G1161G1473G2198G5565G3551G4218G1161G1785G2064G266G326G1161G1473G59910and I died. So I discovered that the law's commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead.G2532G1785G3588G1519G2222G3427G2147G3778G1519G228811Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me.G1063G266G2983G874G1223G1785G1818G3165G2532G1223G846G61512But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good.G5620G3303G3551G40G2532G1785G40G2532G1342G2532G1813But how can that be? Did the law, which is good, cause my death? Of course not! Sin used what was good to bring about my condemnation to death. So we can see how terrible sin really is. It uses God's good commands for its own evil purposes.G3767G18G1096G2288G1698G3361G1096G235G266G2443G5316G266G2716G2288G3427G1223G18G2443G266G1223G1785G1096G2596G5236G268

Struggling with Sin

14So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin.G1063G1492G3754G3551G2076G4152G1161G1473G1510G4559G4097G5259G26615I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate.G1063G3739G2716G1097G3756G1063G3739G2309G5124G4238G3756G235G3739G3404G5124G416016But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good.G1487G1161G4160G5124G3739G2309G3756G4852G3551G3754G257017So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.G3570G1161G3765G1473G2716G846G235G266G3611G1722G169818And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature

. I want to do what is right, but I can't.G1063G1492G3754G1722G1698G5123G1722G3450G4561G3611G3756G18G1063G2309G3873G3427G1161G2716G2570G2147G375619I want to do what is good, but I don't. I don't want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.G1063G3739G18G2309G4160G3756G235G2556G3739G2309G3756G5124G423820But if I do what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.G1161G1487G3739G4160G5124G1473G2309G3756G2089G3765G1473G2716G846G235G266G3611G1722G169821I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.G2147G686G3551G3754G1698G2309G4160G2570G2556G3873G169822I love God's law with all my heart.G1063G4913G3551G2316G2596G2080G44423But there is another power

within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.G1161G991G2087G3551G1722G3450G3196G497G3551G3450G3563G2532G163G3165G163G3551G266G3588G5607G1722G3450G319624Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?G5005G444G1473G5101G4506G3165G1537G4983G5127G228825Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.G2168G2316G1223G2424G5547G2257G2962G686G3767G3563G1473G846G3303G1398G3551G2316G1161G4561G3551G266