Written approximately between the late 55 and 57AD, the book of Romans is considered one of Paul’s most complete epistles in its doctrinal discussion. At the time of writing this epistle, the Christian community in Rome were confronted by external persecution from the Roman emperors and internal discords between Jewish and non-Jewish Christians. Paul was therefore eager to visit and strengthen them (Romans 1: 13-15).  Rome at Paul’s time was a major city and political center of 1 million inhabitants, where emperors and the senate resided. Its inhabitants consisted of slaves, freedmen, official Roman citizens, as well as military and political nobilities. The population was mostly polytheistic. Influenced by Greek mythology, they worshipped gods, demigods, as well as Roman emperors. Until the appearance of Judaism and Christianity, the authority tolerated most religions so long as the emperors were included in people’s worship. By 40 AD, Christianity had become a major presence in Rome. Although it was unclear how the churches first started in Roman, many believed that it began with the Jews who visited Jerusalem and brought back the gospel. Some even believed that the gospel was preached to Rome by the Jews as early as during the Pentecost.  The Christians at the time were not collected into a single congregation. They were small groups of Christ-followers that gathered in house churches to worship, such as exemplified by the mentioning of Priscilla and Aquila (Romans 16:3-5). It was also believed that the early church was mostly led by Jewish Christians. However, the Jews were banished from Rome between 49AD-54AD under the rule of Roman Emperor Claudius (1 Aug 10 BC-13 Oct 54 AD). For five years, during the banishment of Jewish Christians, non-Jewish Christians took over the church’s leadership. By the time Jewish Christians were allowed back to Rome, they found the church a different one from the one they left behind. As a result, the two groups conflicted as Jewish Christians struggled to incorporate Old Testament law into their daily Christian living, such as the practice of circumcision. Paul therefore spent a great portion of the epistle expounding on the relationship between the Jews and the non-Jews (Romans 9: 1-5, 30-32; 11: 11-16), as well as between being justified by faith and by the Mosaic law (Romans 3:22; 4: 6-12; 5: 1).  In addition to internal conflicts, Christians of Pauls’ time also confronted great persecution. Paul wrote the book of Romans during the early reigns of Emperor Nero (Dec 15, 37AD-June 9, 68AD). Despite his short reign of 14 years (54-68AD), Nero was infamous for oppressing Christians that first started with the Great Fire of Rome (18-23 July of 64AD). The fire destroyed two thirds of Rome. Many believed Nero was the masterminder who set Rome on fire in order to build a new city named after himself. However, responding to mounting political pressure, he made Christians the scapegoat. As punishment, Christians were set on fire daily as human torches to lit up Nero’s gardens. During gladiator matches, Christians were fed to lions. The oppression of Christians continued and worsened well into the reign of Emperor Diocletian (303-311AD), lasting altogether 250 years after Jesus’s death and resurrection. Christians were subject to mockery, crucifixion, decapitation, extreme torture, eaten by wild beasts at amphitheatre, and burned at the stake. John was banished to the island of Patmos, Paul was decapitated in Rome, and Peter was crucified upside down. It is then of no wonder that Paul likened Christians’ experience to that of putting on a highly theatrical entertainment, “For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men” (1 Corinthians 4: 9 and 10).  It was in these extremely inhuman circumstances, Paul repeatedly reassured the Christians in Rome, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8: 18). Despite Jesus’s physical absence, Paul comforted the believers, “…the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express (Romans 8: 26). In spite of their daily hardships, Paul pinpointed that sufferings could work for rather than against those who are faithful to God, “[a]nd we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (8: 28). Paul finally ended his exhortation with a series of rhetorical questions to profess his love for Christ, “[w]ho shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?.... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8: 35 and 37).  2,000 years after the ascension of Jesus, 5 years after the outbreak of a global pandemic, the world rapidly changes more than ever. Are we still able to boldly and confidently assert, who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Social media? Shifting paradigms? Information explosion? Artificial Intelligence? Financial adversity/prosperity? Health issues? Relationships? Loved ones? Wars and rumors of war? References

Our chapter today clarifies a key misconception in the Christian world: how we ought to look at the law. Some Christians go to the extent of describing the law as something Christians ought to avoid, justifying this with what Romans 6:14 instructs: “you are not under law but under grace”.  Given this current outcome of being “under grace”, some even think that God made a mistake instituting His law in the Old Testament in the first place. This misconception is particularly driven by the common phrase “law vs grace”, which pits them against each other.  When we take a closer look at Romans 7, we will see this is not to be so. Knowing that he was writing “to those who knew the law” (Romans 7:1), Paul set out to correct misconceptions about the law. What did Paul write about the law? How should we understand what the law is? 1. The law is not sin. “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not!” (Romans 7:7a) The law does not fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). It is not something God wishes to distance Himself away from.  2. The law sets the righteous standards of God, so that through it we understand what sin is, and by contrast, what God’s holiness is. ‘ I would not have known sin except through the law . For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”’ (Romans 7:7b) Elsewhere, the Bible states, “ the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” (Galatians 3:24) The law helps us—and the Jews—to know Jesus Christ and His holiness, that we can believe in Him and follow Him. 3. The law is not evil, wicked, or sinful. In fact, it is holy and good. “Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.” (Romans 7:12) The law is “what is good” (Romans 7:13). And again, “the law is spiritual” (Romans 7:14). Seeing how many times Paul reiterated this fact, it’s clear that he strongly believed in this. 4. God intended the law to bring life, but our sinful nature causes us to die instead.  “Did that which is good [the law], then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good , in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.” (Romans 7:13 ESV) “For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.” (Romans 7:5) The problem is sin.  5. Without the law, sin cannot exist. “ For apart from the law sin was dead .” (Romans 7:8b) Without the law, sin cannot exist, because there are no righteous standards for one to fall short of. Yet we cannot destroy the law just because we want to get rid of sin (Matthew 5:17-18). Without absolute standards of righteousness instituted by God, how then will we know if Christ is good, or if someone is evil?  All this might make us feel drab and hopeless, especially if we’re currently fighting against sin that we are struggling to overcome in our lives. But Paul speaks to our struggle, especially through the narrative frame his chapter takes.  The chapter begins with the analogy of marriage. Through her husband’s death, a woman is free from the law of her husband. Likewise, through the death of Jesus Christ, we are free from the law, yet still called to be righteous, for we must “bear fruit to God” (Romans 7:4), At the chapter’s end, Paul personalizes that analogy into his own statement of faith, where he sees his victory over sin: “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24-25) Truly, our God has a marvelous plan beyond our imagination.  He prepared the law to teach us God’s holiness and lead us to Jesus while executing just judgment on the wicked (1 Timothy 1:9). At the same time, knowing our weaknesses, He sent His own Son, Jesus Christ, to save us from a sinful nature we cannot flee on our own, so that we can still be saved (John 3:16). What can we do next? If you have not done so, repent and have your sins forgiven by (Acts 2:38).  Allow Jesus to work in your heart and circumcise it. This journey of victory over sin is a lifelong one where we keep God’s commandments, love Him with all our hearts and souls, and walk by the power of His grace (Romans 7:6; Romans 2:25-29; Deuteronomy 30:6).

Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;  To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:78-79) When the first Adam gulped down the forbidden fruit wheels of destiny began to turn slowly Man Unable to escape the shackles of time Each day that we lived Brings us a day closer to death Death’s dark tentacles writhe and sway Along destruction’s broad, decaying way Each fleeting thrill, each wild delight Draws the soul into endless night Eating only leaves you hungrier Drinking only leaves you thirstier Indulgence and wild revelry lead only to deeper emptiness O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? The last Adam sacrificed His life Through death He destroyed devil who had the power of death For us who were under the dominion of darkness He opened a path of salvation filled with light To gain life First lose life The baptism of living water washed me away to the foot of the cross The noonday sun cast its slanting rays shining upon the precious blood of Jesus Only me and Him His blood dripped down onto my heart I died But I know I’m living Died to sin But living to God Left, right, or ahead Friend, may you too find that narrow path to eternal life Grace waters the journey faith lights the path may every step led by the Lord bloom with life!

Have you felt ever that you’ve sinned too much for God to love you?  Perhaps your heart feels insecure and ashamed. I’m a Christian, I serve God in church, but why am I still falling to temptation like this? Or perhaps you don’t get what it means, really means, to have a close-knit, loving relationship with a father or a friend. What does it mean that God is my heavenly Father if my earthly father is so harsh and distant? No matter where we’re at, we can cling to God’s love through meditating on God’s actions for us. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:8) God loved you so much that gave His only begotten Son to die for you (John 3:16). He loved you not after you had impressed Him with glowing obedience, but while you were still weak, a powerless sinner falling to the same darkness again. Jesus washed your feet too. He was willing to touch and clean even the dirtiest part of you. Because you’re baptised into His blood, today when you repent, He cleanses even the filthiest sins you cringe to think about (1 John 1:9). Hanging on the cross, He already knew the ways you’d fall. He loved you at your worst. Knowing how you cannot save yourself, He offers you the gift of righteousness (Rom 5:17). Knowing how easily you return to sin, the Holy Spirit makes His home in you, strengthening you in the fight against your sinful nature. Every day, God is on your side.  Knowing how your heart can lie to you, the Holy Spirit pours God’s love right into your heart (Rom 5:5). Not trickles, not drips. Pours .  Our God is rich in mercy. He knows you want to cling to His love. You can pray:  Lord, I want to experience Your love. Lord, I want to know You. Lord, pour out Your love into my heart. Keep me close to You. God loved you then. Today, He loves you still.  Gather with your family or church brethren in Jesus’ name. Together, read John 13, the Bible’s recording of Jesus washing His disciples feet. Pay special attention to John 13:1’s mention of Jesus’ deep love: the context of His actions. Prepare basins of water, towels, and chairs. Take turns to wash each others’ feet, where one person remains seated on the chair. You may wish to play some hymns in the background. Afterwards, reflect on the following questions: For a deeper analysis of this chapter, read our Bible study guide ( and ).

Be Continuously Credited Righteous By Faith How can we be continuously credited righteous by faith? Not only at the beginning, but also throughout, our life of faith? In Romans 4, Paul introduces the idea of being “credited as righteousness by faith” (4: 3). This idea is probably the most obvious when we first come to Christ. Before we have any good deeds, Jesus has already died for us. Salvation is gifted to us. By believing in God and in His power to save, we are deemed righteous before Him. Certainly, as Elder James has explained, a body without the spirit is dead, so is faith without deeds (James 2:26). To declare our faith, we must therefore receive water baptism, pray for the promised Holy Spirit, and study and practice God’s words in our everyday life.  Does that mean being ‘credited righteous by faith’ stops here? I want to further understand how this idea continues to work in our life of faith after coming to Christ. Here, I try to think through three case studies: Moses, David, and Job. What if God allowed Moses to enter the land of Canaan? After all, Moses’ merit in life far exceeded that one single venting. What if God did not spare David for his transgressions? Because they were notoriously outrageous. What if Job did get all the answers to why he suffered? After all, he was indeed just.  If all these ‘what ifs’ were true, we may forever believe that the goodness of one’s life, such as health, prosperity, and companionship, is a result of us ‘being good’. We may also believe that people suffer or ‘fail’ in life because they are ‘being bad’ or inadequate before God. Subsequently, when we encounter hardship and suffering ourselves, we question God’s faithfulness. If Christians have done their best in all things that are required of them, why do they still suffer like anyone else?  Sufferings are God’s constant reminder that we need to be credited righteous by faith everyday throughout our entire life. In sufferings, we want to continue to believe: By continuing to believe and to hold fast to God even in the face of trials and tribulations, we are credited righteous by faith in God’s eyes.

While doom-scrolling on Tik Tok (don’t follow my example!), there was this video I saw of an old TV series where they had a kindly, elderly judge who would carry out judgements in his small courtroom.   And the people that stood before him had always interesting reasons as to why they are being charged in court and how he dealt with each one of them was very entertaining. There was one particular episode - where his childhood friend stood before him, charged with an offense. The courtroom held its breath. Would the judge show mercy? Or enforce the law? He did both. He pronounced the man guilty—because he was. But then he stepped down from the bench, took off his robe, and paid the fine himself. Justice. Mercy. One act. One heart. That story echoes the very heartbeat of Romans 3:25–26 (NIV) : “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith… so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.” Let that soak in for a moment. God is the judge. And He’s also the one who takes the punishment. The law had to be fulfilled. Sin had to be dealt with. If God had ignored it, He wouldn't be just. But if He destroyed us because of it, how would we ever know His love? So, in an act that still makes angels rejoice in awe, God did both. He upheld justice and unleashed mercy. He sent Jesus to the courtroom— not as the lawyer, but as the one who would stand in your place . Can you imagine that courtroom scene? The gavel pounds. Guilty. Your list of charges is long: pride, envy, impatience, every time you rolled your eyes in traffic or withheld forgiveness one more day. The law is clear. The fine is steep. The sentence is death. But just as you’re led away, Jesus stands. “I’ll take it,” He says. And the Judge—who is also your Father—lets Him. Justice is satisfied. Mercy is magnified. And you? You walk out free. Who does that? Who both judges and justifies?  Only God. Only grace. You were guilty. But Jesus stood in. You were condemned. Now you are called righteous—because the Judge took your sentence and gave you His Son. And that changes everything.

There is a colleague in my office.  He can spot the flaw in every one else - except the one in the mirror. Let's call him Rick.  Rick was the kind of guy who could tell you what was wrong with your plan while not coming up with anything new.  He critique's everyone's work - except his own.  If someone was late to a meeting, it was disrespectful.  But when Rick was late?  "Traffic!" of course! We all know of a Rick. Some of us are Rick, on Tuesdays. Paul, in Romans 2, had something to say about this. “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things” (Romans 2:1, NIV). It’s as if God holds up a mirror—not to shame us, but to show us. He’s not asking for guilt-trips or self-loathing. He’s simply saying: Take a look. A real one. No filters. No excuses. Just truth. And here’s the kicker: God doesn’t hold up a mirror to mock you. He holds it up to free you. We judge others by actions, but we want to be judged by intentions. I snap at my wife and say, “Sorry, long day.” But when someone snaps at me? “Well, someone skipped their morning prayers.” We excuse ourselves with grace, but hand out judgment like a judge on Britain's Got Talent. Romans 2 says that when we judge, we condemn ourselves because we’re doing the same things — just maybe not as loudly. It reminds me of the time my daughter caught me sneaking a Coke Zero after telling that it's not good for her. “Is that a can of Coke in your mouth, Father?” she asked, eyebrows raised. “It's just that I am thirsty,” I mumbled sheepishly. Caught. Mirror, meet Father. God asks us to be perfect. He also asks us to be honest. He knows that judging others builds walls, but examining ourselves builds bridges.  God wants us to act differently.  One where we lose the lecture and speak with love.  One where we choose humility over hypocrisy. One where we admit that sometimes the biggest work God needs to do isn’t in them — it’s in me. When we read Romans 2:1-3, let us not look at it as if it is a finger pointing at you.  Look at it as if it's a hand reaching toward you. God’s kindness doesn’t expose to shame you — it exposes to save you.  He doesn’t bring truth to rub it in, but to rub it out.  And when we stop trying to fix everyone else and start letting Him fix us? That’s when the real miracle begins. So next time you’re tempted to judge someone else’s mess, remember this: You might be looking through a window. But God is holding up a mirror. And hopefully and thankfully, in that mirror, He sees not just what’s wrong — but what He’s making right.

Have we ever felt ashamed of the gospel? Paul certainly didn’t - he makes that clear not only in his writings in Romans, but in his very life and how he chose to lead it.