Week 12 of the Bible in 90 Days Challenge

Having never just sat and read through the whole book of Romans before in one sitting, I finally realized why it is so many people’s favorite book of the Bible. I loved not only reading all these amazing verses in context, but I found myself again and again being cut straight to the heart by Paul’s words. Right off in chapter 2 I felt convicted by Paul’s description of those who pass judgement on others. Without meaning to, I do this all the time! I may think badly of someone’s actions and am in fact doing the exact same thing!

¹ You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.

We all need saving by Jesus, no matter if we have realized it yet or not!

²² This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

The best part of all, is that our God, Jesus Christ, did not come to help those who could help themselves. He came for those of us who are struggling, who are sinners, who are powerless.

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.

This is not a new concept for me, but it is one that I may not take to heart as much as I should. There’s nothing I can do that will make God love me more. Looking down on others who haven’t found Jesus yet is such a silly idea. Because we’ve all been there. Thankfully, God doesn’t care about our past or even our present, but He does care about our future. Romans 8:

 ¹ Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

¹⁸ I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³ Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

The above photo is from Flickr,
text added by me from Lost Type.