NT Fire Starters – Day 205: Romans 1:1-17
READ: Romans 1:1-17
THINK: “My faith is a personal issue.” You’ve probably heard someone make a statement like that. Often, this is a person’s excuse for keeping quiet about what he or she believes, or it’s an attempt to silence others who would be more vocal about their faith. Certainly, a relationship with Jesus is deeply personal, but it’s not meant to be a private issue. Christians are not supposed to keep the message of Jesus to themselves. Why would a true believer want to do so anyway? It is a life-transforming message, and it’s the only hope for spiritually lost humanity. So don’t keep your faith to yourself, and don’t be ashamed of the only message that has the power to save people for eternity.
RESPOND: What’s the significance of the title, “the Spirit of holiness,” and how did the Spirit help to confirm Jesus as God’s Son? (See 1:4 note.) What is the relationship between obedience and true, saving faith? (See 1:5 note.) What are “saints,” and what does that term imply about Jesus’ followers? (See 1:7 note.) What can you tell about Paul’s relationship with the Roman believers from the opening of this letter? How does this challenge you regarding your relationship with those whom you lead, serve and work alongside in the church? Why was Paul “not ashamed of the gospel”? (See 1:16 note.) In what way are verses 16-17 key to the entire book of Romans? How would you define or describe spiritual “salvation”? What is “righteousness” and what does it mean to be righteous? (See Glossary of Terms, beginning on p. 2265.) How are faith and righteousness related? (See 1:17 note.)
PRAY: Ask God to help you demonstrate your faith by obeying His Word. Pray that you’ll never be ashamed of Jesus’ message but that you’ll trust it’s power to transform lives as you boldly share it. Thank Jesus for your spiritual salvation.
ACT: Sometime today, read the article on Biblical Words for Salvation, p. 1577. This will give you a better understanding of what it means to be spiritually saved and how salvation affects your life. It will also help you to convey Jesus’ message to others who still need to experience salvation. Make a deliberate effort today to demonstrate that you’re not ashamed of Jesus or His message. Look for ways to instigate spiritual conversations.