Category Archives: Introduction to Books of Bible

Introduction to Books of Bible, Protector / Deliverer, Salvation

From Slavery to Freedom (Exodus Introduction)

Are you living as someone delivered — or as someone still in chains?

Key Verse:
“I will bring you out… I will deliver you… I will redeem you… I will take you for My people, and I will be your God.” —Exodus 6:6–7 NASB

Background Context:
Exodus begins where Genesis ends. The descendants of Jacob are no longer honored guests in Egypt; they are enslaved under a new Pharaoh. What began as refuge becomes oppression. God’s people multiply, but they are burdened and afflicted.

Exodus tells the story of God revealing Himself as Deliverer, Redeemer, and Covenant Lord. He brings His people out of slavery and into relationship.

But Exodus is more than history. It is a shadow of a greater redemption to come.

Reflection on Exodus (Introduction):
The heart of Exodus is not Moses — it is God. Over and over, He declares, “I will bring you out… I will deliver you… I will redeem you.” Salvation begins with God’s initiative.

Israel could not free itself. They were powerless under Pharaoh’s authority. They cried out, and God acted.

This physical deliverance from slavery in Egypt becomes one of the most powerful images in all of Scripture — pointing forward to an even greater deliverance. Just as Israel was enslaved under Pharaoh, humanity is enslaved under sin. Just as God intervened with power in Egypt, He intervened through the death and resurrection of Yeshua.

The Exodus is a shadow; Messiah is the substance.

In Egypt, the blood of the Passover lamb marked the homes of the faithful and judgment passed over them. In the fullness of time, the blood of Yeshua secures deliverance from sin and death. Israel passed through the sea into freedom; believers pass from death to life through Christ.

But Exodus teaches something crucial: deliverance is not the end of the story.

God did not free Israel so they could live however they wished. He freed them so they could worship Him and grow in a relationship with Him. Freedom was not autonomy; it was belonging.

The same is true today. Yeshua does not deliver us from sin so we may return to it. Redemption leads to obedience. Salvation leads to covenant relationship.

Exodus will reveal a pattern that still holds:

  • Bondage precedes rescue.

  • The Lamb precedes deliverance.

  • Freedom requires trust.

  • Covenant demands obedience.

  • God’s presence sustains His people through the wilderness.

The question is not whether God delivers — He does. The question is whether we will walk in the freedom He provides or drift back toward familiar chains.

Application:

  • Reflect on what God has delivered you from.

  • Reject the temptation to return to former bondage.

  • Recognize that salvation calls you into obedience and worship.

  • See the Exodus as a shadow pointing to Christ’s greater redemption.

  • Walk daily in the freedom secured through Yeshua’s sacrifice.

Closing Prayer:
Father, thank You for being a God who delivers. Thank You for rescuing Israel from Egypt and for rescuing us from sin through Yeshua. Teach me to walk in true freedom — not returning to bondage, but living in obedience and worship. As we study Exodus, deepen my understanding of Your redemption and strengthen my commitment to follow You faithfully. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Introduction to Books of Bible, Obeying God, Purposeful / Intentional, Self Control, Unteachable / Foolish, Wise

Chasing the Wind — Finding What Lasts (Ecclesiastes Introduction)

If you could hear the conclusion of life before walking through it, would you listen?

Key Verse:
“The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.” —Ecclesiastes 12:13 NASB

Background Context:
Ecclesiastes is one of the most honest and searching books in Scripture. Traditionally attributed to Solomon, the Preacher examines life “under the sun” — life viewed strictly from an earthly perspective. He explores wisdom, pleasure, wealth, work, achievement, and legacy, asking what truly endures.

The book famously begins with the words, “Vanity of vanities… all is vanity.” The Hebrew word carries the idea of vapor — something fleeting, temporary, impossible to grasp. Much of human striving, he says, is like chasing the wind.

Before we walk through that tension, we anchor ourselves in the book’s final conclusion.

Reflection on Ecclesiastes (Introduction):
Ecclesiastes will challenge us. It will expose how repetitive life can feel — generations rise and fall, the sun rises and sets, people labor endlessly, yet nothing ultimately satisfies. Success does not silence emptiness. Wealth does not guarantee contentment. Even wisdom has limits.

The Preacher’s observation is sobering: when life is lived only “under the sun,” disconnected from eternal perspective, it feels like chasing the wind.

But Scripture does not leave us in despair.

After examining every earthly pursuit, the conclusion is clear: “Fear God and keep His commandments.” Meaning is not found in accumulation or achievement. It is found in relationship with God expressed through obedience.

To fear God is to live in reverent awe — recognizing His authority over our lives. To keep His commandments is active submission, not mere agreement. Ecclesiastes makes it clear that knowing about God is not the same as walking with Him.

Earthly pursuits are not evil in themselves — but they are empty when they become ultimate. Work, pleasure, influence, knowledge — all fade if detached from obedience to God. Only what is rooted in Him endures.

Ecclesiastes does not dismiss life; it redirects it. It strips away illusions so that we can build on what lasts.

Over the coming weeks, we will wrestle honestly with the Preacher’s observations. We will confront the temptation to chase the wind. But we do so knowing the destination: reverence and obedience to God bring true meaning.

Before we examine life under the sun, we lift our eyes above it.

Application:

  • Reflect honestly on where you may be chasing the wind.

  • Examine whether your pursuits are rooted in eternal perspective.

  • Cultivate reverent awe toward God in daily decisions.

  • Treat obedience as central to faith, not optional.

  • Commit to walking through Ecclesiastes with humility and openness.

Closing Prayer:
Father, as we begin this journey through Ecclesiastes, anchor my heart in what truly matters. Expose where I have chased what cannot satisfy. Teach me to fear You rightly and to walk in obedience. Give me wisdom to see beyond what is temporary and courage to build my life on what lasts. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Introduction to Books of Bible

Living in Truth, Love, and Assurance (1 John Introduction)

What anchors your faith when the world around you questions what is true?

Key Verse:
“These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.” —1 John 1:4 NASB

Background Context:
The book of 1 John, written by the Apostle John near the end of his life (around A.D. 85–95), is one of the most heartfelt and pastoral letters in the New Testament. John, often called “the Apostle of Love,” writes as a spiritual father to a community of believers struggling with false teachings and growing confusion about what it truly means to follow Christ.

Unlike many New Testament letters, 1 John doesn’t follow a strict structure. Instead, it reads like a deeply personal message — weaving together key themes of truth, love, light, obedience, and assurance. John emphasizes that genuine fellowship with God must be reflected in how we live and love others.

The letter was written at a time when early forms of Gnosticism had begun to spread — a belief that denied the true humanity of Jesus and separated spiritual truth from moral living. In response, John boldly proclaims that Jesus is both fully God and fully man, that sin is real, and that authentic faith is proven by obedience, love, and perseverance in truth.

Reflection on 1 John (Overview):
At its core, 1 John is about fellowship with God — walking in the light as He is in the light (1 John 1:7). It’s not merely a call to belief, but to a transformed way of living rooted in God’s love and truth.

John begins with what he personally witnessed: “What we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life.” (1 John 1:1) His testimony grounds our faith in reality, not myth. Jesus — the eternal Son of God — came in the flesh, lived among us, died for our sins, and rose again. John writes as an eyewitness, urging believers to remain anchored in that truth.

Three major themes flow through this letter:

  1. Truth — John urges believers to test every spirit and teaching against the truth revealed in Christ. To know God is to walk in truth, not deception (1 John 2:21–27; 4:1–6).

  2. Love — God’s love is not sentimental but sacrificial, demonstrated supremely in Yeshua’s death. Those who are born of God will love as He loves (1 John 3:16–18; 4:7–12).

  3. Assurance — John writes so believers may know they have eternal life (1 John 5:13). Our confidence before God comes not from perfection, but from walking in His light and abiding in His Son.

1 John challenges us to examine whether our lives reflect the truth we profess. It warns against hypocrisy — claiming to know God while living in darkness — and reminds us that genuine faith always bears the fruit of obedience and love. Yet through it all, the tone remains tender and pastoral. John is not condemning; he is calling his spiritual children back to intimacy with the Father and confidence in His grace.

Application:

  • Stay anchored in truth. In a world of deception, measure everything against the Word of God and the character of Yeshua.

  • Walk in love. True faith expresses itself through love — not just in words, but in action and compassion.

  • Abide in fellowship. Fellowship with God is not a feeling; it’s a lifestyle of obedience, honesty, and humility before Him.

  • Rest in assurance. Your salvation is secure not because of your performance, but because of His faithfulness.

John’s letter is both a mirror and a lamp — it reveals where our hearts stand and lights the path back to genuine relationship with God.

Closing Prayer:
Father, thank You for the message of 1 John — a reminder that truth and love are inseparable in Your kingdom. Teach me to walk in Your light, to love as You love, and to hold fast to the truth revealed in Yeshua. Strengthen my assurance in Your salvation and help me to live each day in joyful fellowship with You. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Introduction to Books of Bible, Jesus Christ / Yeshua

Closing Reflection: The Gospel of John — That You May Believe

From the first words — “In the beginning was the Word” — to the closing line — “The world itself could not contain the books that would be written” — the Gospel of John invites us to behold the greatness of Yeshua: not only as a teacher or miracle worker, but as God in the flesh, the Creator who became our Redeemer.

Across every chapter, John reveals who Yeshua truly is — the Bread of Life, the Light of the World, the Good Shepherd, the Resurrection and the Life, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. These are not poetic titles; they are living truths. Each miracle, each conversation, and each act of compassion draws us deeper into the revelation that eternal life is found only in Him.

John’s Gospel is unlike any other. It doesn’t simply record events — it unveils meaning. It shows us Yeshua’s heart: His love for the lost, His obedience to the Father, His willingness to serve even after rising from the dead, and His call for each of us to “Follow Me.”

Along the way, we’ve seen the full picture of divine love:

  • In John 3, the invitation to be born again.

  • In John 10, the Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep.

  • In John 13, the Messiah who kneels to wash feet.

  • In John 18–19, the Lamb who willingly drinks the cup of suffering.

  • In John 20–21, the risen Lord who restores, provides, and sends His followers to carry His mission forward.

The Gospel closes with two final truths we must never forget:

  1. John’s testimony is true. We can trust every word of Scripture, knowing it was written by those who saw and believed.

  2. We’ve only seen a glimpse. What we hold in the pages of the Gospel is a summary — a glimpse of infinite glory. Yeshua’s works are so vast that eternity itself will be the ongoing revelation of His majesty and love.

John wrote these things “so that you may believe that Yeshua is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:31)
That purpose remains true today. Every verse, every promise, every act of mercy calls you to believe — and to keep believing — that Yeshua alone is life.

As you finish this Gospel, take a moment to reflect:

  • What has Yeshua revealed to you about Himself through these words?

  • How has your understanding of faith, love, or obedience grown?

  • And how will you now live out His final command — “Follow Me.”

May the same Spirit who inspired John to write also inspire you to live — fully convinced, fully surrendered, and fully alive in the risen Messiah.

Closing Prayer:
Lord Yeshua, thank You for the gift of this Gospel and for revealing Yourself through every word. Thank You for being the Light in my darkness, the Shepherd who calls me by name, and the Savior who gave everything to bring me home. Strengthen my faith that I may follow You daily with courage and love. Let my life be one more testimony of Your grace — a story written not in ink, but in obedience. In Your holy name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Introduction to Books of Bible

The Power and Action of Jesus: Exploring the Gospel of Mark and its Timeless Message

We are going to read through the book of Mark.  As a way to get started, I like to share just a touch of backstory, or context. I am referencing my Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible (NASB), whose Executive Editor is Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D. This is an excellent resource and I highly recommend it. It is a very high-quality Bible that I enjoy having in a form I can hold in my hands.

The book of Mark is the shortest of the four Gospels. About 93% of the material in Mark is covered by Matthew and Luke, but Mark does give more vivid details in his brief account. The Gospel of Mark emphasizes the superhuman power of Jesus. Christ is presented as God’s Son in action, demonstrating His divinity by His miracles. Mark tells more of what Jesus did and less of what Jesus said. Like a motion picture camera, the author rushes from one dynamic scene to the next. he uses “immediately” about 40 times to make the transitions. Judging from only a few references to the Old Testament, his translations of Aramaic expressions, and the themes of power, it is safe to say that Mark’s gospel was aimed at those who lived outside Palestine. 

Very early tradition states that Mark, the son of Mary of Jerusalem (Acts 12:12), wrote this Gospel. We know that since John Mark was a cousin of Barnabas (Col 4:10) he may have been a Levite (Acts 4:36). Many scholars believe that Mark was the young man described in Mark 14:51, 52. Mark traveled with the Apostle Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey (Act 12:25), but Mark turned back (Acts 13:13). For this reason, Paul refused to consider taking him along on the second missionary journey (Acts 15:36-39). Since both Paul and Barnabas had strong opposite feelings about the matter, they decided to go different directions, Paul with Silas and Barnabas with Mark. However, much later, Paul felt differently about Mark (II Tim. 4:11).

As we read and study the Gospel of Mark, we will not only seek to understand the word in context of the times, but also seek the timeless principles that apply throughout time to any period, like today… and beyond.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please let Holy Spirit open up our minds to fully understand the depth of the knowledge you have captured in these scriptures. Prepare us to receive, learn and grow. Help us to understand Your word in proper context and also how to apply it to our lives today.  Thank You that Your word is more than just text on a page, but a history of Your relationship with man and the instructions You want us to receive to direct all aspects of our lives. In the name of Yeshua, our Messiah, we pray. Amen.  

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Introduction to Books of Bible

Introduction to Galatians

We are going to start a walk through Galatians.  As a way to get started, I like to share just a touch of backstory, or context. I am copying from my Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible (NASB), whose Executive Editor is Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D. This is an excellent resource and I highly recommend it. It is a very high-quality Bible that I enjoy having in a form I can hold in my hands.

Galatia was a Roman province… It is now southern Turkey. The purpose of this Epistle was to eradicate the doctrinal errors which had been recently introduced by hostile Judaizers and to urge the Galatian Christians to hold firmly to what they had been taught by Paul at the beginning. The people were generally impressionable, fickle, and quick-tempered… Paul had started these congregations on his first missionary journey (Acts 13 and 14) with considerable success, proclaiming “a door of faith” open to them (Acts 14:27). Then he revisited them on his second missionary journey (Acts 16:1-6) and again on his third missionary journey (Acts 18:23). In the meantime, Judaistic teachers had subverted his work by teaching a new type of legalism to these innocent Gentile believers. 

I will caution that what Paul was addressing in Galatians is often misunderstood, consistent with his other letters and with Peter’s warning in 2 Peter 3:15-16.

15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. 

We need to take caution jumping to popular conclusions people claim about what Galatians has to say about our relationship to the Law of God through Moses. (Read more… Understanding the Law – What Does It Mean Today?)

As we read and study Galatians, we will not only seek to understand the word in context of the times, but also seek the timeless principles that apply throughout time to any period, like today… and beyond.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please let Holy Spirit open up our minds to fully understand the depth of the knowledge you have captured in Galatians. Prepare us to receive, learn and grow. Help us to understand Your word in proper context and also how to apply it to our lives today.  Thank You that Your word is more than just text on a page, but a history of Your relationship with man and the instructions You want us to receive to direct all aspects of our lives. In the name of Yeshua, our Messiah, we pray. Amen.  

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Introduction to Books of Bible

Introduction to the Book of Jeremiah

We are going to start a walk through Jeremiah.  As a way to get started, I like to share just a touch of backstory, or context. I am referencing my Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible (NASB), whose Executive Editor is Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D. This is an excellent resource and I highly recommend it. It is a very high-quality Bible that I enjoy having in a form I can hold in my hands.

Jeremiah came from a priestly family in Anathoth, a suburb of Jerusalem. He is the author of the longest prophetic book and his career lasted more than 40 years during the reign of Judah’s last five kings and continuing on after that. Jeremiah was called at an early age to confront people who chose false gods ahead of God. They refused to repent despite his warnings. Ultimately, the temple was destroyed along with Jerusalem and the people were brought to Babylon. Jeremiah had a very difficult and turbulent life. It was characterized by conflict and rejection by the people he was trying to lead back to God. His life is a great example of complete faithfulness to God despite personal desires or circumstances. 

As we read and study, we will not only seek to understand the word in context of the times, but also seek the timeless principles that apply throughout time to any period, like today… and beyond.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please let Holy Spirit open up our minds to fully understand the depth of the knowledge you have captured in this book. Prepare us to receive, learn and grow. Help us to understand Your word in proper context and also how to apply it to our lives today.  Thank You that Your word is more than just text on a page, but a history of Your relationship with man and the instructions You want us to receive to direct all aspects of our lives. In the name of Yeshua, our Messiah, we pray. Amen.  

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Introduction to Books of Bible

Introduction to 1 Corinthians

We are going to start a walk through 1 Corinthians.  As a way to get started, I like to share just a touch of backstory, or context. I am copying from my Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible (NASB), whose Executive Editor is Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D. This is an excellent resource and I highly recommend it. It is a very high-quality Bible that I enjoy having in a form I can hold in my hands.

Corinth was an important cosmopolitan Greek city located on a large isthmus about fifty miles west of Athens. It was one of the largest cities in the Roman Empire. Only Rome, Alexandria, and Antioch had more people. Corinth was on a major trade route and had a thriving economy, and the vices of East and West converged there. Greeks, Romans, Jews, and a mixed multitude of sailors and merchants flocked to this crossroads… By the end of the second century, Corinth had become one of the richest cities in the world. 

Paul believed that Corinth was a strategic center o influence and there was already a large Jewish presence (see Acts 18:4). But Corinth was full of sin. It was one of the most wicked cities of ancient times. Degradation, immorality, and heathen customs abounded…

Paul stayed in Corinth for eighteen months (probably A.D. 52-53). The congregation was established by Paul during his second missionary journey (see Acts 18:11; 1 Cor 2:1-2)…

After about three years, Paul was in Ephesus, approximately 200 miles due east, across the Aegean Sea. Both cities were on a busy trade route. Communication flowed freely between them. Paul received unfavorable news about the Corinthian congregation from members of the household of Chloe (1 Cor 1:11) and other friends (1 Cor 16:17). They reported that there were divisions and much sin in the congregation. There was gross immorality (an incestuous relationship), lawsuits between Christians in front of unbelievers, many practical problems in living the Christian life, marriage problems, difficulties concerning meat offered to idols and matters of conscience, abuses in taking the Lord’s supper, disorderly conduct in the formal assemblies for worship, confusion about the role of women in the church, and heresies about the afterlife, which produced a tremendous response from Paul to teach the truth about the resurrection…

As we read and study 1 Corinthians, we will not only seek to understand the word in context of the times, but also seek the timeless principles that apply throughout time to any period, like today… and beyond.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please let Holy Spirit open up our minds to fully understand the depth of the knowledge you have captured in 1 Corinthians. Prepare us to receive, learn and grow. Help us to understand Your word in proper context and also how to apply it to our lives today.  Thank You that Your word is more than just text on a page, but a history of Your relationship with man and the instructions You want us to receive to direct all aspects of our lives. In the name of Yeshua, our Messiah, we pray. Amen.  

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Introduction to Books of Bible

Introduction to the Book of Isaiah

We are going to start a walk through the book of Isaiah. As a way to get started, I like to share just a touch of backstory, or context. I am copying from my Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible (NASB), whose Executive Editor is Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D. This is an excellent resource and I highly recommend it. It is a very high-quality Bible that I enjoy having in a form I can hold in my hands.

Isaiah is one of the longest and most important books of the Old Testament. The prophet began his career during a time of relative peace and prosperity under Judah’s kings, Uzziah and Jotham, but before long, conditions deteriorated, especially on the international scene. During Ahaz’s reign Assyria became a superpower and deported Judah’s sister kingdom, Israel, in 722 B.C., but Ahaz saw Syria and Israel as greater threats. Isaiah tried to reassure Ahas, asking only that he have faith in God, but Ahaz refused. Later, in 701 B.C., during Hezekiah’s reigns, Assyria ravaged the Judean countryside, and Jerusalem itself almost fell. Again, Isaiah preached a message of hope for a repentant Judah who would trust in the LORD. 

… [skipping a few lines]

To view Isaiah merely as a preacher about events during his lifetime is to have only half of the picture, because he is perhaps best known for his prophecies about the intermediate and distant future. Isaiah 1-39 deals primarily with events during the prophet’s lifetime, but the latter part of the book is all concerned with the future. Isaiah 40 begins a major section that looks ahead to Judah’s return from Babylonian exile in the sixth century B.C. The later chapters also peer beyond Isaiah’s day, but the time period covered is more difficult to determine. The New Testament finds in many of these passages, including some in the first part of the book, prophecies about the Messiah. The most striking of these relate to Jesus’ miraculous birth (Isa. 7:14) and His suffering and death (Isa. 53). 

As we read and study Isaiah, we will have to keep in mind the combination of prophecy and preacher, present day and future, that is recorded in this valuable book of history. We will also seek the timeless principles that apply throughout time to any period, like today… and beyond.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please let Holy Spirit open up our minds to fully understand the depth of the knowledge you have captured in Isaiah. Help prepare us to receive and learn and grow. Thank You that Your word is more than just text on a page, but a history of Your relationship with man and the instructions You want us to receive to direct all aspects of our lives. In the name of Yeshua, our Messiah, we pray. Amen.  

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Introduction to Books of Bible

Introduction to the Letter to the Romans

We are going to start a walk through the letter to the Romans. As a way to get started, I wanted to share just a touch of backstory, or context. I am copying from my Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible (NASB), whose Executive Editor is Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D. This is an excellent resource and I highly recommend it.

Paul wrote this letter to the Christians in Rome from Corinth, knowing that he would soon come their way. He had always wanted to visit Spain (Rom. 15:28) to the west. However, he also knew that he would visit Jerusalem first (Rom. 15:31), and that was a foreboding thought! Paul was summarily arrested in Jerusalem, and after a long, involved process, was forced to appeal his case to be heard in Rome by Caesar himself. After all, it was only fitting that the Apostle to the Gentiles should appear in the capital of the world. 

The Epistle to the Romans above everything else is an explanation of how God justifies the sinner. 

… [skipping a few lines]

The verb [justify] is a legal term meaning to declare someone as just or righteous and to recognize him as such.   It refers to one who is not subject to condemnation. 

One thing to keep in mind with all of Paul’s letters, however, is that Paul is often misunderstood. He is probably one of the most misunderstood people in all history, and certainly in the Bible. While he clearly taught about being justified by God, he did not teach against the law of God as many accuse him. In fact, he was quite often defending himself to that end during his ministry.  Read carefully and test what scripture is really saying. Test what you have been taught by pastors and churches against what the scripture actually says. Test scripture against scripture. Do not redefine what scripture says to fit in the perspective you may have been taught previously.

2 Peter 3:14-18

14Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found spotless and blameless by Him, at peace, 15and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which there are some things that are hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unscrupulous people and lose your own firm commitment, 18but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help us to have discernment and wisdom in reading and testing scripture. Let the Holy Spirit guide our thoughts and minds in understanding properly Your word. Help us rely on Your word rather than the many opinions of men. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.