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Paul’s letter to the Romans is a full reciting of the Good News of Christ. To fully grasp the love, mercy, and beauty of what Christ did for us on the cross—dying to pay for our sins—we first need to understand that we are, in fact, sinners who deserve God’s righteous judgment. That’s hard to hear. We don’t like it. But deep down, we all know it’s true.
We know it’s true because God placed it in our hearts. We can see him in all of creation, and creation reflects his character: the sun rising each day reminds us of God’s faithfulness; a rainbow after a storm shows that he keeps his promises; the vastness of space points to his power and greatness beyond what we can imagine.
Paul’s letter tells us that, as humans, we try to make other gods. We want a god we can control. A god we can understand. In ancient times, people worshipped gods made of wood, stone, and marble. Today, we might not bow to carved idols—, but we can still elevate our work, money, position, family, hobbies, or celebrities above God in our lives. If we continue down the path, refusing to acknowledge Christ’s sacrifice, God may let us go our own way—but we’ll miss out on the life he offers now and the eternity with him that he promises.
Paul closes this section on a serious note, but he’ll bring it around to the joy of salvation. In the meantime, have you accepted the sacrifice Christ made for your sins? If that’s your next step, let us know! We want to celebrate with you.
Pray: Dear God, I can see your work all around me, in nature, in people made in your image, and in the Scriptures. I’m grateful for the blessings of work, family, and other things that bring me joy, but help me to keep you first in my life. Amen.