Sunday, January 18, 2026
Scripture Readings
- Primary Reading: Romans 1-2
- Secondary Reading: Psalms 8
Key Verse
Romans 1:31 — “Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:”
Devotional Thought
In the dead of January, when the days are short and the news is often grim, Paul’s letter to the Romans begins with a greeting that feels like a window thrown open: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Before Paul says a single word about sin, judgment, or wrath, he speaks of grace and peace. He tells the believers in Rome—people he has never met, living in the capital of a hostile empire—that their faith is “spoken of throughout the whole world.” Imagine that. In a city of maybe a million souls, a small, scattered band of Christians, likely meeting in homes and catacombs, had become known across the empire for their faith. Not their wealth. Not their power. Their faith.
But Paul does not flatter them. By the end of chapter one, the tone has shifted drastically. He describes a world that “changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator.” He catalogs the darkness that follows when people refuse to retain God in their knowledge—unrighteousness, envy, murder, deceit, pride, disobedience to parents, covenant-breaking, unmerciful hearts. And then, in chapter two, he turns the spotlight on the religious person who nods along in agreement: “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest.” The one who judges another condemns himself, because he does the same things. Paul will not let anyone stand outside the courtroom. The moralist, the pagan, the Jew, the Gentile—all are laid bare.
This is uncomfortable reading for a Sunday morning. We prefer a gentler gospel. But Paul is doing something necessary: he is clearing the ground. Before we can understand what it means that “the just shall live by faith,” we must understand why faith is needed at all. The wrath of God is revealed not because God is capricious, but because sin is real and God is holy. And yet even here, in the midst of judgment, Paul drops a seed of hope: “the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.” The kindness of God—not merely His severity—is what melts the hardened heart.
Psalm 8 asks the question that Romans 1-2 answers: “What is man, that thou art mindful of him?” In light of human rebellion, the question becomes sharper. Why would God bother? The answer is in the One who was “made of the seed of David according to the flesh” and “declared to be the Son of God with power, by the resurrection from the dead.” In Jesus Christ, God did not abandon His fallen creatures. He entered their darkness, bore their judgment, and rose again. That is the gospel Paul is not ashamed of. And in a season that often feels like winter both outside and inside, that is still “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.”
Reflection
- Paul says the goodness of God leads to repentance (Romans 2:4). Is there any area of your life where you have been presuming on God’s patience rather than letting His kindness actually change you?
- Romans 2:21-23 warns against teaching others while failing to teach ourselves. Where might you be pointing out the sins of others while quietly excusing the same sins in your own heart?
Prayer
Father, we come before You this January morning aware that we are not outside the courtroom Paul describes. We have judged others while excusing ourselves. We have known Your goodness and taken it for granted. Forgive us. Let Your kindness do its full work in us—not merely making us feel safe, but making us truly repentant. Thank You that You did not leave us in our darkness, but sent Your Son, made of the seed of David, declared the Son of God by resurrection power. We are not ashamed of that gospel. It is our only hope, and it is enough. Establish us in the mutual faith of Your people, and let our lives bring praise not from men, but from You. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Psalm Verse
Psalms 8:1 — “O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.”