Refuge Audio Podcast

In order to believe & receive the good news, we need to understand & acknowledge the bad news: we all have sinned & fallen short of God’s glorious standard of righteousness. Paul demonstrates this reality in three different categories of people. In this study, we considered the overtly immoral—those who have rejected God and are running the other way on purpose.

We might be tempted to alter or edit God’s word to make it more palatable or acceptable, but we must resist and deliver God’s word unedited and unaltered! It is only God’s unedited and unaltered word that has the power to save souls. There is nothing dishonorable, improper, or ridiculous about the Gospel. We can have compassion, courage, and holy confidence to deliver God’s word unedited and unaltered.

In the opening of his letter to the Romans, Paul expresses his desire to go to Rome. He is eager to build up Roman believers and tell everyone in that city that they are not only loved by God, but that they are the beloved of God, and this same God is calling them out of the darkness into the light to be set apart for a good good work.

There was once a man named Mephibosheth. He became crippled because of a fall and lived a life of isolation because he misunderstood the character of the king. One day, this king sent for him—not to kill him, but to show him kindness because of a covenant. On the surface, this is a beautiful story, but when we consider the context, there is even more in the life of this man named Mephibosheth.

In his letter to the Roman church, the Apostle Paul describes himself as a bondservant of Christ—a servant of Jesus under his own choice rather than compulsion—and called to be an apostle, set apart for a specific purpose. It’s Paul’s calling we considered in this study—along with our own calling. For we too have been called. Now, what do you think that we have been called to be wholly set apart for?

On the first Sunday of every year, we review the history, vision, purpose, and practice of Refuge so that we can confidently answer these questions: What are we doing? Why are we doing it? What does it look like? We turn to the Bible to find the answers to those important questions so we can understand God’s vision for His church.