Paul now clearly moves to express the incomparable benefits of being credited with the Righteousness of God by introducing three words that all in Christ must know: Peace, Love and Reconciliation.  We are now in a state of peace with God, because He chose to love us.  For God’s love is proved by the undeserved and unprovoked move of the Cross.  He does this for us, who are His enemies, so that we would have a restored relationship with Him who made us for this very purpose.  In Jesus, we now ‘belong’ with Him, forever secured, reconciled and at peace.

This Week’s Bulletin: https://thechapelingreen.cdn.prismic.io/thechapelingreen/aEndarNJEFaPX4V8_06.15.25Rm51-11PeaceSecuredOutline.pdf

Paul concludes his case that we are saved by Jesus Christ, by His grace (unmerited favor) as a gift (no payment) received through faith alone.  And since this is so, our salvation (life in Him) rests entirely upon God’s promise, not on our performance.  Our assurance of all that He has given, and of all that is yet to come rests solely upon Him. In this Promise of God, we have hope!  And this ‘God-Hope’ is an unshakeable, unwavering guarantee, that teaches us to ignore the broken circumstances of this broken world. Do you take Him at His Word?  That is to say, do you believe on Him, resting in/on His guaranteed grace in your life, forever?

This Week’s Bulletin: https://thechapelingreen.cdn.prismic.io/thechapelingreen/aDh0ISdWJ-7kSr-J_06.01.25Rm413-25PromiseKeeperOutline.pdf

Now Paul takes the argument of salvation by God, received by faith alone all the way back to Abraham, the father of the Jews.  This ‘righteousness from/of God’ came to Abraham by faith, and not by the works that Abraham would do.  So, Abraham is not just the father of the Jews, but in God’s way of salvation that comes by faith, he is the father of us all.  God only saves unrighteous and ungodly people who have faith in Him, upon which he credits to them His righteousness.  This is salvation!  And James adds that when faith in God is alive, it will ALWAYS be accompanied by good works.  Do you have true faith?  Do you trust that God is 100% of your standing before Him?

This Week’s Bulletin: https://thechapelingreen.cdn.prismic.io/thechapelingreen/aCZUcydWJ-7kSLSd_05.18.25Rm41-12AbrahamFaith-FatherOutline.pdf

Paul now begins his deep dive into the blessing of GRACE, which if understood correctly, locks-out all religious boasting.  It is grace (unmerited favor) that makes the argument for ‘all’ people being saved: ‘There is no difference.’  For if the rescue from the pit is a gift of declared righteousness from and of God, then all pre-qualifications are gone.  A gift can only be a gift if it involves no merit and no payment.  In this way, the ‘unity’ of God is demonstrated: for there is One God and One gift of Life, and One Salvation, and One people who are rescued. Do you understand grace?  Or are you hanging onto a version of  mock grace that diminishes the very essence of God?

This Week’s Bulletin: https://thechapelingreen.cdn.prismic.io/thechapelingreen/aB3_jydWJ-7kR1MJ_05.11.25Rm327-31Grace-NoBoastingOutline.pdf

Considering one of the most succinct and comprehensive declaration of the Gospel (Romans 3:21-26) from the Apostle Paul, today we take some time to be reminded of what we are called to do. Go into the whole world and see that the Gospel is shared. Live it, teach it, take it everywhere you go. Let’s celebrate together as we hear from God’s Word and hear how His Church is growing around the world.

This Week’s Bulletin: https://thechapelingreen.cdn.prismic.io/thechapelingreen/aBPWfPIqRLdaBzMp_05.04.25Rm113-16IntentionalGospelOutline.pdf

BUT NOW!  Having finished the most comprehensive description of how all mankind is lost to God because of our unrighteousness, Paul now gives us the evidence of hope for all.  Here we find the fulfilling description of that to which his thesis statement in 1:16 and 17 had pointed: The Righteousness of God, revealed.  This paragraph has been described by some as the most important single paragraph in the Bible.  The source of the Righteousness of God is revealed, by which salvation of all can be received… all who believe in Jesus.  He is our redemption, our justice, our mercy, and the source of our grace.  He is God’s wrath satisfied against unrighteousness, and he is God’s mercy given.

This Week’s Bulletin: https://thechapelingreen.cdn.prismic.io/thechapelingreen/aAqLQPIqRLdaBlte_04.27.25Rm321-26RighteousnessRevealedOutline.pdf

This is THE DAY that we were waiting for… in the pit.  For this is THE DAY of resurrection, which is life after the pit of death.  In truth, Jesus enters the pit of unrighteousness and satisfies the only way out… the cost of death endured by taking the wrath of God against unrighteousness.  And then, on Sunday, He came to physical life again in His glorified body.  He is Risen!  And when by faith on Him we die with Him and live with Him, we gain by Him, life forever.  That is joy after the pit!  And that, not just in the future, but now and forevermore.  He is Alive!  And in Him, we too are Alive!

This Week’s Bulletin: https://thechapelingreen.cdn.prismic.io/thechapelingreen/aAFQH-vxEdbNPNRS_04.20.25Rm321JoyAfterPit-EasterOutline.pdf

Paul’s summation describing the condition of all mankind is finally delivered, that is, all of us are wholly and desperately lost in and under our sin and thus, we are all unrighteous before a Holy God.  There are no possible exceptions among all mankind… not one.  If you are willing to accept this bad news for you, then the Good News is available for you too.  This is the need for Palm Sunday, as the humble King is hailed and then rejected by Jew and Gentile alike. And this is the need for Good Friday, where the bad news of you is taken, so that on Sunday, the Good News of Jesus can be given.

This Week’s Bulletin: https://thechapelingreen.cdn.prismic.io/thechapelingreen/Z_f2HOvxEdbNO3Rq_04.13.25Rm31-20AllFallenAllDead-PalmSunday-Outline.pdf

Paul has shown that those who make-up their own gods are lost, and those who seek to live by their own moral conscience are lost, so now he explains that those who have the very Law of God and see themselves justified by keeping it, they too are lost.  The Jews were given the Law of God, but it was never intended to save them, but only to help them be aware of sin, that they might walk in holiness. Salvation was always and only by faith in the God who gave the Law, and never by keeping the Law.  For the Law was intended to shape the heart, not qualify the soul before God.  If you aim to justify yourself before God by keeping the Law, you will fail; guaranteed.

This Week’s Bulletin: https://thechapelingreen.cdn.prismic.io/thechapelingreen/Z-7eK3dAxsiBwS_e_04.06.25Rm217-29FailureofReligionOutline.pdf

As Paul continues to craft the description of unrighteousness, he now moves from those who practice unrestrained sensuality, to those who believe themselves to be good on the basis of their own conscience.  As Image bearers, God has made us to be moral beings with a moral conscience, that is, our conscience.  It is like a ‘law’ that is written on our hearts, and it serves to excuse us at times and will also accuse us when the secrets of our hearts are exposed.  And those who desire to be vindicated by their own conscience, while they conveniently condemn the unrestrained sinners around them, will only find that they too are unrighteous before God, and the law written on their hearts will be their accuser.

This Week’s Bulletin: https://thechapelingreen.cdn.prismic.io/thechapelingreen/Z-WFh3dAxsiBwAMD_03.30.25Rm21-16AccusingConscienceOutline.pdf