The human tendency is to rely on our own resources instead of the Lord. Knowing this, God made it abundantly clear to Gideon that His hand alone would save Israel—it was not human might that defeated Israel’s enemies.
Losing one’s life to find it, grace, receiving someone else’s righteousness—these things seem like foolishness to the world. But Paul makes the case in 1 Corinthians that the “foolishness of God” is more powerful than any human wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:25).
Civilizations and circumstances change, but the human heart does not. Every one of us has to choose whether we will rebel against God or whether we will submit to His will.
The book of Judges stands as a sad, stark contrast to the book of Joshua. Whereas the people of the conquest obeyed the Lord under Joshua’s leadership, they quickly fell into rebellion after his death. Because they had set aside God’s law, their enemies were defeating and oppressing them.
Paul wrote the epistle to the Romans to a diverse audience. Consisting of both Jews and Gentiles, his audience had differing views on religious practices—they did not agree on the nonessentials. Romans 14 addresses the manner in which we ought to behave when faced with such a situation in our own lives.
How should Christians relate to the government? Paul's answer to this in Romans 13 has two parts: we are to obey governing authorities, but we are also to obey God above men.
At the end of his life, Joshua gave a farewell speech to the people of Israel, exhorting them to remember God’s faithfulness in order to trust and obey Him.
How do we put our faith into practice? Paul addresses this topic in Romans 12, focusing on how personal consecration leads to corporate transformation.