Monthly Archives: October 2025

Bible, Faith, Jesus, Righteousness, Sacrifice, Scripture

CREDITED

ROMANS 4:3

“For what does the Scripture say? ‘ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.’”

When I was a young boy, my dad took me to the Credit Union that was part of his workplace, Coats and Clark Thread Mill, in Pelham, Ga. I took in the money I had saved and gave it to my Aunt LaGrande who was the bookkeeper there. In exchange, she gave me this little book that showed my deposit. That little book was my proof of the money that was credited to me. It was mine and no one else. I could come get it whenever I wanted.

I just love today’s verse and the quotation from Genesis 15:6. The full story is found in the previous five verses. After God promises Abraham descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, we read that he believed God (Yahweh), and God gave him his little credit union book full of righteousness. Well, that’s not exactly what it says, but close. God credited righteousness to him. His righteousness became Abraham’s because of his faith.

APPLICATION

Barnes says this about today’s verse. “The faith which Abraham exercised was, that his posterity should be like the stars of heaven in number. This promise was made to him when he had no child, and of course when he had no prospect of such a posterity. The reason why it was counted to him for righteousness was, that it was such a strong, direct, and unwavering act of confidence in the promise of God.”

Let me ask you a question today. Has God counted you as righteous? Now, He’s probably not going to build a nation out of your descendants. But through His Son, Jesus, and your faith in Him, He counts you as righteous. It’s not because of anything you’ve done. It’s solely on your faith in Jesus. Just like Abraham had to blindly trust the Lord, we have to step out in faith and believe He will do what He says He will do.

To be counted as righteous is a supreme thing. It means we are right in His eyes. When God looks down from heaven, He doesn’t see our sinful self. He sees the blood of His Son covering those sins. Any righteousness in us is there only because of the righteousness of Christ in us. It is through our faith in Jesus that we are made righteous in the sight of God. Isn’t it time we all start living that way?

Lord, help me walk in the righteousness which You have given me through Jesus.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Boasting, Pride, Scripture, Self-righteousness, Sin

SOMETHING TO BOAST ABOUT

ROMANS 4:2

“For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not before God.”

I’m guilty as charged. I am a huge boaster – about my grandchildren. I have five with one more on the way. I am a proud Poppy and Papa. Our youngest is fifteen months old and is quite a little rounder. But boy is he affectionate. He loves to hug and snuggle. I am proud of each and every one of them whether I get to see them regularly or not.

Paul wasn’t talking about Abraham’s grandkids though. Paul is saying if anything Abraham did justified him, he would have the right to brag on himself. The phrase “something to boast about” is actually one Greek word, kauchéma. I love how the HELPS Word studies defines this word. “boasting, focusing on the results of exulting/boasting (note the –ma suffix). This boasting (exulting) is always positive when it is in the Lord, and always negative when based on self.” Pretty good, huh?

APPLICATION

While Romans 4:2 is the first time kauchéma is used in the New Testament, it is used 10 other times. 1 Corinthians 5:6 shows Paul calling out a church for their boasting. “Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?”  This church was actually boasting about their tolerance of a man in the church who was sleeping with his father’s wife (I assume a stepmom or a wife other than his mother). Unfortunately, today we see churches doing similar things and bragging about it.

Probably my favorite use of this word is the final one in the New Testament found in Hebrews 3:6. “but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold firmly to our confidence and the boast of our hope.” Christ is the boast of our hope. In Him and Him only can we boast freely and loudly. God wants to hear our boasting about His Son. In fact, it thrills the Father to hear His Son’s name praised and lifted up.

Who or what are you boasting about? Yes, I boast about my grandkids (my two children also), but I save my biggest boasts for Jesus. He is the author and finisher of my faith. He is my guiding light. He is the One who rescued me from the pit of hell, so I will exhort and lift Him up wherever and whenever I can. How about you?

I lift You up, O Lord, and proclaim the majesty of Your name.


If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Abraham, Bible, Faith, Justified, Scripture, Works

WAS HE LOOKING?

ROMANS 4:1

“What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?”

How many times have you lost your keys lately? Mine mysteriously disappear all the time. I usually blame my wife (lol) but it’s always my fault. They are lying exactly where I put them. I just forget where I put them. I need to get one of those “clapper” thingies so I can just clap my hands and hear the beep. What do you think?

When I first read this verse, I mistakenly thought Paul was saying Abraham “found” something. The Greek word translated “has found” is heuriskó which can mean find, get or obtain. What is important is that is in the Perfect tense which means it happened in the past but has lasting results. Whatever Abraham got, it stuck. That applies to us also. When we get it, we don’t lose it.

APPLICATION

Keeping with the theme of the past couple of chapters, Paul uses Abraham to show that all men are justified through faith, not works. You need to remember that Abraham was where Jews kind of “hung their hat.” They all pointed back to him to try to prove their validity as God’s people. However, as Paul will show shortly, Abraham was counted as righteous long before any works. In fact, the topic of circumcision comes up again in later verses. I don’t want to steal my own thunder on those verses, so we will save that for later.

What have we obtained? How did we obtain it? Don’t you just love Matthew 11:28-30? “28 ‘Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30 For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.’” In verse 29 we see we “will find rest.” That’s the same word we are looking at in Romans 4:1. We have obtained rest. How? By simply coming to Jesus.

In Philippians 3:9 we find the perfect companion verse for today’s word. “and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,” There you are – our righteousness is His, not ours. And we are “found in Him.” What else do you need? Nothing! He is all we need to find or obtain. Have you found Him?

Lord God, I thank You that everything I will ever need I have found in Christ.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Faith, Law, Powerless, Scripture

NULLIFY?

ROMANS 3:31

“Do we then nullify the Law through faith? Far from it! On the contrary, we establish the Law.”

I’ve told this story before, but it fits today’s verse so well. I had a little 4×4 pickup that I really loved. One afternoon as I was going into the woods to hunt, it died. One second it was running, and the next it was not. My truck got “nullified.” It was completely inoperative. I had to call a tow truck to haul it out of the woods and I wound up getting rid of the truck due to the expense of the repair which was more than the value of the truck.

Nullify is not a word we throw around a lot. The English word means to make void or cancel, but the Greek word translated in today’s verse as “nullify” has a much deeper meaning. The Greek word is katargéō “(from katá, ‘down to a point,’ intensifying argéō, ‘inactive, idle’) – properly, idle down, rendering something inert (“completely inoperative”); i.e. being of no effect (totally without force, completely brought down); done away with, cause to cease and therefore abolish; make invalid, abrogate (bring to nought); ‘to make idle or inactive’” (HELPS Word Studies). The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to use this specific word here, remember that.

APPLICATION

In 25 of the 27 times katargéō is used in the New Testament, Paul used it. He understood the power of this word. So, what is Paul saying to us today? He is telling us that even though we are justified by faith alone, the moral law given to us by God still guides our daily behaviors. We are not free to do as we want. We are free to do as we should.

In 1 Corinthians 13:11 Paul uses katargéō. “When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.” The phrase “did away with” is our word. We had to turn from the childish things in order to mature. In Christ, we have matured in our faith to the point that we no longer rely on the law to guide us completely. We now have the Holy Spirit guiding us in faith.

Paul uses the word again in Galatians 5:4 where it is translated “have been severed.” “You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by the Law; you have fallen from grace.” Paul is telling us here that if we persist in seeking our justification in what we can do, we have made our relationship with Christ powerless. That is not the way it works.

As followers of Christ, we still need to obey His commands to us which are based on the moral law. We are not required to keep the Mosaic law because Christ fulfilled that law when He died on the cross. Our job today is to obey Christ which goes far and above any requirements of the law. I’ll say it again – we are not free to do as we want, but we are free to do as we should.

O Lord, You have given me freedom through Christ and I will seek to honor You in all I do. 

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Father, Holy Spirit, Scripture, Son, Trinity

THE ONE

ROMANS 3:30

“since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one.”

When I met my wife back in 1985, I didn’t know she would be the one I would marry just a few months later. We only dated about 2 ½ months before we tied the knot. Through almost forty years of marriage God has shown me time and time again that she is “the one” He had for me. She completes me. She supports me. She truly is my help mate.

Paul uses the Greek word for “one” in today’s verse intentionally. It is not an implied “one.” It is actually in the text. The Topical Lexicon says this about that little Greek word for “one.” “The word translated ‘one’ is woven through the New Testament to denote singularity, uniqueness, unity, or an individual item or person. Its appearances range from everyday enumeration to the loftiest theological affirmations, binding together the Bible’s testimony about God, Christ, salvation, and the church.” This “one” God includes the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. There is no confusion about that in Paul’s mind.

APPLICATION

Back in Deuteronomy 6:4, Moses declares this often quoted phrase. “‘Hear, Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!’” This phrase meant something then, and it means something now. Our God is the only one God. Just as in the days of the Old Testament, there are hundreds of gods being worshipped around the world. But they are all false gods with no power and no truth. Never forget that.

Isaiah 43:10 tells us something similar. “‘You are My witnesses,’ declares the LORD, ‘And My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me.’”

And then we have Jesus telling us in John 10:30, “‘I and the Father are one.’” In Christian arithmetic we have 1+1+1=1. That makes no sense to our finite minds. It’s no wonder Christians were accused and still are accused of worshipping three gods (the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit). You can study the Trinity until you are blue in the face, but it finally comes down to faith. I believe what the Bible says – period. It says it and that settles it, whether you believe it or not. God is One. And He is God for all who will come to Him and receive His Son and allow His Holy Spirit to indwell them through repentance and faith. I pray you have done that. Encourage someone else today to do the same.

God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, I thank You that You are the One true God.


If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Gospel, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Scripture, Testimony, Witnessing

GOD OF ALL

ROMANS 3:29

“Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,” 

There is a major lie being spread all over the world that every religion has a pathway to God. Sorry to disappoint, but that just isn’t the truth. Jesus clearly said in John 14:6, “‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.’” That leaves out every other religion except the Christian religion. Buddha won’t get you there. Muhammed won’t get you there. Nor will any of the Hindu gods that are worshipped. He is God of all to those who accept His Son.

Paul dispels the idea among the Jews that they had sole claim on God. He was sent as a messenger by God to the Gentiles, even though he was a Jew himself. Paul knew firsthand the danger of this exclusionary thought. For the past two chapters Paul has been presenting both sides – the Jews and the Gentiles, and there is only one conclusion – He is God of both the Jews and the Gentiles if…they turn to Jesus.

APPLICATION

So, how do we apply this verse to our lives today? We must be the proclaimer of this truth to the world. That is why we send Christian missionaries around the world. We know that we have the hope for all mankind. Billions will be lost and spend eternity separated from God if we aren’t obedient to that Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20. We’ve been given our marching orders. Are you in line?

But Carl I haven’t been called to go to a foreign country. Okay, if you have not heard that specific call, then God has called you to present the Gospel right where you are. I had a conversation this weekend with a man who was complaining about his work environment. He said everyone he works with are lost and are constantly taking God’s name in vain. They mock him or isolate him if he presents anything spiritual. I told him to expect no different from the lost. But God has placed him in a ripe harvest field. He just needs to be Jesus and love them anyway.

I know, I know. That’s hard. Yes, it is. But just think of the way they treated our Lord. He was scourged and crucified. He was spit on. He was humiliated. But He said on the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Can’t we pray that same prayer and love them anyway? I struggle at times doing this. God understands this, but I know He can empower me through His Holy Spirit Who lives within me to love them with His love. Will you join me?

Lord, I have to admit that is hard to love those who curse me and hurl insults, but through Your strength I will love them because You do.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Faith, Justified, Salvation, Scripture, Works

BY FAITH

ROMANS 3:28

“For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.”

As part of my role as Global Ministry Shepherd for Every Man A Warrior, I need to fly from time to time. I don’t mind flying, but I have to admit that it does not hold the same level of excitement it did years ago. One thing remains the same. I have to trust the pilots, flight crew and flight maintenance staff when I board that plane. When that plane takes off from the ground, climbing to over 30,000 feet, I have to place my faith in these people (whom I do not know) to keep me safe and bring me safely back to the earth.

In today’s verse, Paul makes it crystal clear that our salvation is strictly by faith and not in anything we do. He writes, “justified by faith apart from works of the Law.” Actually, the word “by” is not in the text exactly. “Faith” is in the dative case. I know that blessed you but hold on. One of the ways the dative case is used in Greek is to indicate the instrument or means by which an action is performed. In this case it is used to show how we are justified. Faith is the instrument of justification. Isn’t that cool?

APPLICATION

Immediately, I am reminded of Ephesians 2:8-9. “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Can I “get in the weeds” for a moment? In verse 8 “grace” is also in the dative case which means it is the instrument by which we are saved. So, is faith the instrument or grace the instrument? Both! It is because we place our trust in Jesus and accept Him as Lord of lives (faith) that we can receive the gift (grace) that saves us.

Hebrews chapter 11 is known as “The Hall of Faith.” The author of this letter describes various saints who lived “by faith.” Each time “by faith” is used in verses 3-11 it is in the dative case. Go read that chapter and read it this way – “through the instrument of faith.” That may help you put the focus on the right thing. It was not about the persons named in these verses. It was all about their faith.

I just love the old hymns. One of my favorites is “Have Faith in God.” I want to close today’s blog giving you the first stanza and chorus. This will also serve as my closing prayer today.

Have faith in God when your pathway is lonely
He sees and knows all the way you have trod
Never alone are the least of His children
Have faith in God, have faith in God

Chorus: Have faith in God, He’s on His throne
Have faith in God, He watches ‘oer his own
He cannot fail, He must prevail
Have faith in God, have faith in God

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Boasting, Conceit, Pride, Salvation, Scripture

BOAST IN JESUS

ROMANS 3:27

“Where then is boasting? It has been excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.” 

I am very aware that I am not where I am spiritually because of my own intellect, deep convictions or dedication. There are so many people who have helped shape my Christian life. I have been influenced by some great men of God, beginning back in high school and even up to the present. I cannot boast of anything in myself. I have been truly blessed.

Paul begins a five verse discussion to wrap up chapter 3 with today’s verse. He once again reminds his readers that they have nothing to boast about in regards to their salvation. The word “boasting” is the Greek word kauchesis “which can either be in the “achievements” of self (negatively) or about God’s grace (positively).” (HELPS Word Studies). The promotion of self is always bad. It doesn’t matter what you’re talking about. We are not above anyone in God’s eyes. You’ve heard it said that the ground is level at the foot of the cross.

APPLICATION

Paul says later in Romans 15:17, “Therefore in Christ Jesus I have found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God.” You see, that is where our boasting belongs – in Christ Jesus, not ourselves. We boast in His virgin birth, His sacrificial life, His death, His resurrection and His promised return. Even right now I can boast that He is interceding for me in heaven.

James looks at the negative side of boasting in James 4:16. After talking about people making their own plans without regard to God, he writes, “But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.” Does that describe you? I hope not. Let all such pride and boasting be excluded from you, just as Paul says it should be in today’s verse.

The word Paul uses for “excluded” is only used here and by Paul again in Galatians 4:17. It literally means to shut out or bar access to someone or something. That’s the picture we should keep forefront in our minds in regard to boasting of ourselves. It’s only Jesus. Only He could have saved us and given us this righteousness. Praise be to God.

We praise You, Lord, for the great work of Your Son in our lives.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Justified, Redemption, Salvation, Scripture

OUR JUSTIFIER

ROMANS 3:26

“for the demonstration, that is, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

Boy, we are good at justifying ourselves, aren’t we? We can justify (claim it’s right) just about any behavior when we are caught. Well, I wouldn’t have done that if they hadn’t done that to me. God just made me this way. We’ve all heard these or said these. The fact of the matter is we are just sinful creatures looking for a way out of our mess. We’ll claim anything or blame anyone to remove our guilt.

But there is only One Who can do that. Paul tells us so in today’s verse. He says, “so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” The word “justifier” is really a Present Participle and is better translated as “the One who is justifying.” The NIV translates it as “he makes sinners right in his sight.” I really like that. The Amplified says, “the One who justifies.” Whatever translation you use, look back at the original text to check it out.

APPLICATION

“The believer is ‘made righteous/justified’ (dikaióō) by the Lord, cleared of all charges (punishment) related to their sins. Moreover, they are justified (dikaióō, ‘made right, righteous’) by God’s grace each time they receive (obey) faith.” (HELPS Word Studies) Our justification comes only through Jesus. He makes us right in His Father’s eyes. I love Romans 8:33 which says, “Who will bring charges against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies;”

In Luke 10:25-29 we have the story of a lawyer who questioned Jesus about how to inherit eternal life. Of course, Jesus asked him a question in return, to which the lawyer answered correctly. Look at how this story ends. Verses 28-29 read, “28 And He said to him, ‘You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.’ 29 But wanting to justify himself, he said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’” That’s us right there. We want to justify ourselves. Stop trying to do that.

Take a moment right now and give thanks to the Lord for your justification (if you are a believer). Thank Him for making you right in His eyes. And when you’re through thanking Him, tell someone else about Jesus so He can make them right too. Let’s all “Make Heaven Crowded.”

Father, I praise You for being my justifier and for making me right in Your eyes.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Atonement, Bible, Blood, Jesus, Sacrifice, Scripture

OUR PROPITIATION

ROMANS 3:25

“whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in God’s merciful restraint He let the sins previously committed go unpunished;” 

Don’t you just love words that make you go, “Hmmm”? We’ve got one today. This Greek word only occurs in today’s verse and in Hebrews 9:5. We’ll take a look at that verse also. Here’s another word for you – supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Sound familiar? It’s from a 1964 film “Mary Poppins” and “is often defined as a nonsensical word to express excitement or a fantastic feeling.” (AI Overview) That has absolutely nothing to do with our verse today. Just thought I would throw it in, lol.

Paul uses the Greek word hilastérion which “retains a sharp focus on the single theme of atonement accomplished once for all.” (Topical Lexicon) We see it used in Hebrews 9:5 to refer to the mercy seat on the golden ark. “and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the atoning cover; but about these things we cannot now speak in detail.” Of course, we know that is where the High Priest would sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice. It was there that God received the sacrifice.

APPLICATION

For us, though, in today’s verse it refers to Jesus Who gave His life to atone for our sins once for all. His sacrifice did not need to be repeated, as was the case in the Old Testament sacrifices. No, His blood on Calvary was the final blood sacrifice needed. It would forever appease the wrath of God towards anyone who would receive it.

The next time someone mentions propitiation, you can say, “Oh yeah, that’s Jesus.” That’s the simple answer for anyone asking. One death for all. One sacrifice for all sin. All we have to do is confess and believe. All we have to do is follow Him. It’s not rocket science. It’s not a difficult decision. Just step out and trust His promise.

So, ask yourself if you’ve done that. Ask yourself if you are sure your sins are covered under Christ’s blood. I know mine are – past, present and future. I am eternally sealed with His Spirit because I trusted in His blood sacrifice, His atoning death for me. What a peace that brings. Do you have that peace? It’s waiting for you.

O Lord, I praise You for the sacrifice of Your only Son as the propitiation for my sins.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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