If God is For Us
As Lent approached, I knew I wanted to do something. Give up a treat? Give up Facebook? Promise I’d exercise daily? The one element of my daily routine that was missing the important “stuff” was my devotion time. When I received If God is For Us, a study of Romans 8, I decided to take the opportunity to not only dig in to this portion of Paul’s writings but to also spend more time in the Word during the season of Lent. I have not been disappointed.
If God is For Us focuses on Romans 8 and is divided in to six weeks of five days each. The weeks begin with an overview of what’s ahead for that portion of the study and provides an opportunity for each participant or reader to become engaged with the Word.
Newbell shows readers how to find and use various resources to enrich their study: cross references within the Bible itself, websites, video, and others.
The first week is an overview of the first seven chapters of Romans. Newbell leads up to Romans 8 by examining some great themes of the faith: the fallen human condition and need for salvation; the doctrine of adoption; the struggle with the old nature; peace with God through Christ, and more.
Weeks two through six focus intently on Romans 8, and in the final week, five rhetorical questions Paul asks are answered.
- Week 1: No Greater Message: an overview of Romans 1–7
- Week 2: Life in the Spirit: Romans 8:1–11
- Week 3: Heirs with Christ—God’s Children: Romans 8:12–17
- Week 4: Future Glory: Romans 8:18–27
- Week 5: Our Assurance: Romans 8:28–30
- Week 6: Everlasting Love: Romans 8:31–39
I have thoroughly enjoyed looking closer at Paul’s text, and I always find it fascinating to look at specific and short excerpts. Too often, I think we as readers gloss over much of what is included in the text of the Bible and don’t focus in enough on the intended message. I’ve enjoyed this study as a way to entrench myself in the Word, look at it with a close lens, and learn more about this element of Paul’s teaching than I’d ever really understood before.
Trillia Newbell is the author of the kids’ book God’s Very Good Idea, as well as Enjoy: Finding the Freedom to Delight Daily in God’s Good Gifts (2016), Fear and Faith: Finding the Peace Your Heart Craves (2015), United: Captured by God’s Vision for Diversity (2014) and her latest, If God is For Us (2019).
Her writings on issues of faith, family, and diversity have been published in the Knoxville News-Sentinel, Desiring God, True Woman, Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, and more. She has spoken at numerous conferences, churches, women’s retreats, colleges and seminaries, including True Woman, The Gospel Coalition Women’s conference, Southeastern Theological Seminary, and more. She currently is the Director of Community Outreach for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission for the Southern Baptist Convention. Her greatest love besides God is her family. She is married to her best friend and love, Thern. They reside with their two children near Nashville, TN.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my review. All opinions are 100% my own.
