Romans is the greatest letter ever written. The epistle is a clear, compelling, and comprehensive argument for justification by faith alone – the doctrine upon which the church stands or falls. But Romans is not just about what Christians believe. It is also about how Christians behave. Romans 12 shifts the focus of the letter from doctrine to duty. How should Christians live?  Romans 12:1 says we should act like Christians: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”  Romans 12:2 says we should think like Christians: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you...

A small town was selected for the site of a hydroelectric plant. A dam would be built across the nearby river, submerging the city. When the project was announced, the citizens were given ample time to arrange their affairs and relocate. During those months, a curious thing happened. Home improvements, neighborhood upkeep, and infrastructure repairs ceased. The city looked and felt abandoned long before the citizens moved away, and the waters came. One resident explained: “When there is no hope for the future, there is no power in the present.”  That’s a life lesson worth remembering: Hope for tomorrow produces strength for today. There are three types of people. Some have no hope. Circumstances have made them downcast, defeated, discouraged, depressed, and desperate....

I remember the first time I heard John MacArthur preach in person. I had listened to his messages and read his books for some time before visiting his church. Romans 8 was his text, which he said was about the eternal security of the believer. I was blown away by the message. I knew many verses from Romans 8. I had not put them together to see the grand truth of the chapter: When God grips you by his grace, he will never let you go.  Romans 8 is arguably the greatest chapter in the Bible. It begins with no condemnation and ends with no separation. Romans...

The Ultimate Prayer Partner (Romans 8:26-27)

The Transformed Life (Romans 12:1-2)