Romans: WEEKEND RECHARGE!

October 25, 2025

Monday, October 20—Romans 11:25-36
Tuesday, October 21—Romans 12:1-8
Wednesday, October 22—Romans 12:9-21
Thursday, October 23—Romans 13:1-7
Friday, October 24—Romans 13:8-14

DAILY DEVO OVERVIEW: ROMANS 11:25-13:14

Romans 11:25-36: Mystery, Mercy, and Majesty of God

• God’s timing and strategy in salvation are beyond human prediction. The salvation of both Jews and Gentiles reflects God’s sovereignty, which should lead us to humility.  (Rom. 11:25-27).
  
  
• Whether Jew or Gentile, God’s plan of salvation highlights his mercy and magnifies his grace (Rom. 11:28-32). 
  
  
• Everything originates from God, is sustained by God, and exists for God’s glory. Right theology leads to doxology—a life of praise (Rom. 11:33-36).  

Romans 12:1-8: Transformed to Serve

• Genuine transformation begins with surrendering our whole selves to God in response to his mercy. Worship is not just singing—it's offering our daily lives as living sacrifices, choosing not to be shaped by the world, but daily renewed by God’s Word (Rom. 12:1-2). 
  
  
• A renewed mind changes how we view ourselves. Instead of overestimating our importance, we gain sober judgment. Humility is the evidence of understanding God's grace and knowing that the world doesn't revolve around us (Rom. 12:3). 
  
  
• God’s grace doesn’t just save us—it equips us. Every believer has a spiritual gift to build up the body of Christ. Knowing and using your gift is not optional; it’s an essential part of your role in God's story (Rom. 12:4-8). 

Romans 12:9-21: Marks of a Believer

• Active Love (Romans 12:9–10)
  
  
• Passionate Service (Romans 12:11–13)
  
  
• Respond to Hurt with Humility (Romans 12:14, 17, 19–21)
  
  
• Meet Others Where They Are (Romans 12:15)
  
  
• Promote Unity (Romans 12:16, 18)

Romans 13:1-7: God and Government

• Paul affirms that all governing authorities, even corrupt tyrants, like Nero, are under God’s sovereign rule and used to accomplish his purposes (Rom. 13:1).
  
  
• God designed government to uphold justice and maintain order in society. Christians are called to obey the law, not out of fear of punishment alone, but as a matter of conscience (Rom. 13:4). 
  
  
• Paul’s call to submit does not mean blind obedience. When governing authorities forbid obedience to God, Christians must choose faithfulness to God, even if it means suffering. This is the biblical balance between submission and civil disobedience (Rom. 13:5-7; Acts 5:29). 

Romans 13:8-14: Putting On Jesus

• Paul redefines obligation: while all other debts should be paid, love is a debt we never stop paying. It is the Christian’s constant duty and the most unmistakable mark of a believer (Rom. 13:8-10; Matt. 22:37-40).
  
  
• Christians are called to walk in holiness and reject the patterns of a dark, sinful world. The urgency of Christ’s return calls us to live wide awake, with visible integrity and purity (Rom. 13:11-13). 
  
  
• To “put on” Christ means to fully embrace your new identity in him. You are: Significant. Secure. Accepted. Forgiven. Empowered. Rejecting the flesh means cutting off opportunities to indulge in sinful desires (Rom. 13:14). 

The following is taken from The Apology of Aristides, a work by Aristides of Athens who was a Christian philosopher and apologist in the early to mid-second century. He was writing to Hadrian Caesar (117-138) to defend the Christian faith and show its merits in society. After reading this, how would you say we measure up today in showing our love for one another compared to this community of early believers?

They do not worship strange gods, and they go their way in all modesty and cheerfulness. Falsehood is not found among them; and they love one another, and from widows they do not turn away their esteem; and they deliver the orphan from him who treats him harshly. And he, who has, gives to him who has not, without boasting. And when they see a stranger, they take him in to their homes and rejoice over him as a very brother; for they do not call them brethren after the flesh, but brethren after the spirit and in God. And whenever one of their poor passes from the world, each one of them according to his ability gives heed to him and carefully sees to his burial. And if they hear that one of their number is imprisoned or afflicted on account of the name of their Messiah, all of them anxiously minister to his necessity, and if it is possible to redeem him they set him free. And if there is among them any that is poor and needy, and if they have no spare food, they fast two or three days in order to supply to the needy their lack of food. They observe the precepts of their Messiah with much care, living justly and soberly as the Lord their God commanded them. Every morning and every hour they give thanks and praise to God for His loving-kindnesses toward them; and for their food and their drink they offer thanksgiving to Him. And if any righteous man among them passes from the world, they rejoice and offer thanks to God; and they escort his body as if he were setting out from one place to another near.