Romans 4:16-25 Dear RTB’ers, More history and theology today, with Paul (seemingly, to me) repeating his few main points. A different item popped out to me, however – the words “faith” and “grace” in the same sentence: That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to …
Category Archives: RTB 2024 – Search the Scriptures, Part 1
September 24 / Romans 4:1-15
Romans 4:1-15 Dear RTB’ers, Paul makes a strong case that Abraham was found righteous by faith while he was still uncircumcised. That is, Abraham did nothing (works) to earn God’s granting righteousness to him, only that he believed. Then Paul makes the case for Abraham being the father of both the Jews (the circumcised) and …
September 23 / Romans 3:21-31
Romans 3:21-31 Dear RTB’ers, Summarizing yesterday’s reading (and my post), one of the more oft-quoted verses in all of Scripture, especially in the context of sharing one’s faith: …for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God… (v. 23, formally known as Romans 3:23), one of the first memory verses for believers …
September 22 / Romans 3:1-20
Romans 3:1-20 Dear RTB’ers, None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. (vv. 10-12) Paul, the universalist? In this case, yes. Everybody, all, the entirety of humanity – you and me included. No, …
September 21 / Romans 2:17-29
Romans 2:17-29 Dear RTB’ers, For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter… Romans 2:28-29a Paul is talking to Jews in today’s …
September 20 / Romans 2:1-16
Romans 2:1-16 Dear RTB’ers, We pick up today on the heels of yesterday’s last verse, reflecting back to all the evil practices mentioned in Romans 1:28b-31: …although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also approve of those who …
September 19 / Romans 1:18-32
Romans 1:18-32 Dear RTB’ers, …that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without …
September 18 / Romans 1:1-17
Romans 1:1-17 Dear RTB’ers, I’m back!! Thank you, John, for covering for me these past three weeks during Carol’s and my transition to Slovakia. I loved reading your comments; I could have and should have commented on a number of occasions, but as is common among us, I failed to do so. Also, by way …
September 17 / Proverbs 31
Proverbs 31 Take a few minutes to think about how you, deep down, might describe an excellent wife. (Pr. 31:10) Knowing that your perspective has been shaped by a variety of forces — for example, your parents and the home you grew up in, societal shifts and expectations over your lifetime, your own marriage (if …
September 16 / Proverbs 30
Proverbs 30 This is the way of an adulteress:she eats and wipes her mouthand says, “I have done no wrong.” Proverbs 30:20 If that doesn’t sound like our current culture, I don’t know what does. Our culture calls evil good, and good evil. It does not confess sin; rather, it proclaims its sin with pride, …