Today, we continue with the Apostle Paul in Romans 2. Towards the end of yesterday’s devotion, did you “ask the Holy Spirit to help you to stop hiding excuses and start living for Christ’s glory”? It was the very last line before the prayer. If you can’t remember, or if you didn’t read yesterday’s devotion, or maybe you feel like you have no excuses…well, I assure you that there are NO secretes that you and I can hide from Almighty God. So, let’s start with prayer before we read today’s passage.
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for Your Word which causes hearts to soften, eyes to open, ears to hear, and lives to be changed. You are coming to judge every aspect of every heart. So, please reveal all sin with our lives that needs to be confessed and laid down at Your feet. Forgive us for thinking that we can hide things from You. You know all, and You want us to be honest within ourselves so that we can ultimately be honest with You. Please allow this Word to speak to us today, allow us to become even more transparent with You, and ultimately closer in our oneness with You. We ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.
Romans 2:12-16 (VOICE)
12 If one lives life without knowledge of the law—the teachings of the Torah—he will sin and die apart from the law. If someone else lives life under the law, his sin will be judged by what the law teaches. 13 Here’s my point: just because a person hears the law read or recited does not mean he is right before the one True God; it is following the law that makes one right, not just hearing it. 14-15 For instance, some outsiders who are not required to follow the law often live quite naturally by its teachings. Even though the law wasn’t given to them, in themselves they have the law. Here’s the thing: their lives demonstrate that God has inscribed the law’s teachings on their hearts. On judgment day, their consciences will testify for them, and their thoughts will both accuse and defend them. 16 This good news given to me declares that this affirmation and accusation will take place on that day when God, through Jesus, the Anointed One, judges every person’s life secrets.
Friends, we must make sure that our hearts are in one accord with Christ at all times and in all that we do, say, and think. He is coming, and the only way we can “check” to see if we are living without sin is to remain in the Word and to continuously ask Jesus to correct our lives as we grow in Truth.
Written By: Jennifer Auer, Pastor Mary Haley’s Assistant