DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR SATURDAY NOVEMBER 18:
DAILY BIBLE READING
Romans 4-6New King James Version (NKJV)
Abraham Justified by Faith
4 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the
flesh?[a] 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to
boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say?
"Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."[b] 4
Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.
David Celebrates the Same Truth
5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the
ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also
describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart
from works:
7
"Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
And whose sins are covered;
8
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin."[c]
Abraham Justified Before Circumcision
9 Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the
uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for
righteousness. 10 How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or
uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. 11 And he
received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith
which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all
those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might
be imputed to them also, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not
only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith
which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.
The Promise Granted Through Faith
13 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham
or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14
For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the
promise made of no effect, 15 because the law brings about wrath; for where
there is no law there is no transgression.
16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the
promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law,
but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us
all 17 (as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations"[d]) in
the presence of Him whom he believed-God, who gives life to the dead and
calls those things which do not exist as though they did; 18 who, contrary
to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations,
according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be."[e] 19 And not
being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since
he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb. 20 He
did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened
in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He
had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore "it was
accounted to him for righteousness."[f]
23 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24
but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up
Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up because of our
offenses, and was raised because of our justification.
Faith Triumphs in Trouble
5 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have[g] peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith
into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that
tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and
character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God
has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Christ in Our Place
6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the
ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a
good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own
love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved
from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled
to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we
shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in
God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the
reconciliation.
Death in Adam, Life in Christ
12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death
through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned- 13 (For
until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no
law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who
had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who
is a type of Him who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the
offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of
God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to
many. 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who
sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in
condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in
justification. 17 For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the
one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of
righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
18 Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men,
resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free
gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one
man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience
many will be made righteous.
20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin
abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death,
even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Dead to Sin, Alive to God
6 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2
Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do
you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were
baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through
baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the
glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death,
certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing
this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be
done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has
died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that
we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from
the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the
death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives,
He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed
to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey
it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of
unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from
the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For
sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under
grace.
From Slaves of Sin to Slaves of God
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?
Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves
slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin
leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be
thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart
that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set
free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I speak in human
terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your
members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more
lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for
holiness.
20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to
righteousness. 21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you
are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having
been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit
to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is
death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Footnotes:
a.Romans 4:1 Or Abraham our (fore)father according to the flesh has found?
b.Romans 4:3 Genesis 15:6
c.Romans 4:8 Psalm 32:1, 2
d.Romans 4:17 Genesis 17:5
e.Romans 4:18 Genesis 15:5
f.Romans 4:22 Genesis 15:6
g.Romans 5:1 Another ancient reading is, let us have peace.
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James VersionR. Copyright C 1982 by Thomas
Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
