Romans 1 First to Last

 

Romans 1

First to Last

First to last, beginning to end, start to finish, all speak of a journey

We start a lot of things in a life time that we do not finish

There are other interests, lack of energy or lack of importance that cause us to quit

The things we most believe in, we stick with until the end

The journey of righteousness is a faith walk from first to last

This faith walk will have challenges until we get to the end

It is our faith and love for Christ Jesus that will keep us blameless, righteous

God is Faithful

God will keep you strong to the end

Jesus helps us be blameless till the day of our Lover’s return

“A righteousness that is by faith from first to last”

Therefore, as it is written

"The righteous will live by faith."  

 

First to Last

 

First to last, beginning to end,

start to finish, all speak of a journey.

 

We start a lot of things in a life time that we do not finish.

 

There are other interests, lack of energy

or importance that cause us to quit.

 

The things we most believe in…

 

 We stick with until the end.

 

Finding that special person,

you want to spend the rest of your life with,

 starts with love.

 

The journey is filled with dreams of marriage,

family, trips, and quiet evenings together.

 

The joy of the wedding as a couple start with…

 

  Taking the first step with the vows,

  “Do you take ___________ to be yours,

in sickness and in health,

for richer or for poorer,

until death do you part?”

 

 None of us know when they respond

to the minister with these words

what life will hold to the end.

 

Sandy and I on March 4, 2022 celebrated

 50 years of being husband and wife.

 

I said to her the other day…

 

 I never thought we would be the people

who were seeing doctors every week.

 

I read something very touching…

 

“Being someone’s first love maybe great,

But being their last is priceless.”

 

Sadly, many who start out in love,

 never make it to the end.

 

They never see that the cost of enduring

 with love to the end is priceless.

 

Faith and love are essential to making it to the end.

 

You have to believe in something and

you have to love it to get to the end.

 

If love or faith are lost,

 you cannot make it to the end.

 

In marriage, doing the right things is not always easy.

 

Faith and love are challenged,

like a heavily traveled road over the seasons

 of spring, summer, fall and winter.

 

That road will need repaired and maybe expanded.

 

The love and faith will make that road

work instead of finding another.

 

In Matthew and Mark are found these

challenging words spoken by Jesus…

 

“He who stands firm to the end will be saved”

Matthew 10:22, 24:13; Mark 13:13

 

These are chilling words in the context,

 we see terrible things are taking place…

 

Hatred and betrayal among family members

 

Rebellion and murder

 

With these words to stand firm to the end

are the words to keep moving when you are persecuted.

 

I don’t believe Jesus is saying to hide,

but move on and

keep sharing your love and faith for Jesus.

 

God tells the Church in Thyatira…

 Revelation 2:25-26

 

Only hold on to what you have until I come.

 

To him who overcomes and does my will to the end,

I will give authority over the nations—

Revelation 2:25-26

 

God has a promise to those who hold on

to their faith and love to the end.

 

He will help us reach the end and the promise.

 

For this God is our God for ever and ever;

he will be our guide even to the end.

Psalms 48:14

 

Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees;

then I will keep them to the end.

Psalms 119:33

 

Paul in Romans 1:17 says…

 

 Our Righteousness, our Justification is established by Faith.

 

Our Faith has a first and last, a beginning and end.

 

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:8-9…

 

He will keep you strong to the end,

so that you will be blameless

on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 9 God, who has called you into fellowship

with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord,

is faithful.

 

Paul tells us God takes

a part in this journey to the end.

 

Our walk in righteousness

is a journey from our first to last.

 

This faith walk will have challenges

until we get to the end.

 

It is our faith and love for Christ Jesus

that will keep us blameless, righteous.

 

God is faithful.

 

God will keep you strong to the end.

 

Jesus helps us be blameless

till the day of our Lover’s return.

 

Therefore, as it is written…

 

"The righteous will live by faith."  

 

Faith is

 

 

 

Scripture Reading

 

Romans 1:16-17  NIV

 

 17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."