by Jamie Pantastico | Aug 24, 2025 | Daily Encouragement |
📖 What It Means Biblically
📢In an email I sent out a week ago I mention “the scandal of grace,” almost immediately I was getting emails from subscribers asking “What do you mean by “the scandal of grace”? After several days past I had dozens upon dozens of people asking the exact same question. This post is in response to that question.
When we speak of “the scandal of grace,” we are not saying that God’s grace is sinful or shameful. Rather, we mean that His grace offends human pride and religious systems. Grace is shocking—almost scandalous—because it completely overturns how mankind thinks about salvation.
- Grace declares that God justifies the ungodly (Romans 4:5), not the good, moral, or religious person.
- Grace strips away all boasting (Ephesians 2:8–9). No works, rituals, or merit can earn salvation.
- Grace leaves nothing for mankind to do but trust, believe — have faith in Christ alone for salvation.
- Grace elevates sinners—tax collectors, prostitutes, idolaters, the worst of society—onto the same ground of faith as the most “religious” person.
To the self-righteous, this feels unjust, offensive, and scandalous.
⚖️ Why It’s “Scandalous” in Human Terms
From man’s perspective, grace is hard to accept because it seems to break every rule of fairness:
- It seems too easy — no price to pay, no ladder to climb, no religious checklist.
- It cuts against our sense of justice — we think good people should get in, while bad people should be excluded.
- It levels the ground — the “worst sinner” can be saved in the exact same way as a lifelong moralist.
Jesus illustrated this powerfully in the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15). The elder brother was offended—scandalized—that the father welcomed the rebellious younger son with open arms. That’s exactly how religious people react when grace takes the stage.
🕊️ The Heart of the Phrase
So when we say “the scandal of grace,” what we really mean is:
➡️ Grace shocks, offends, and overturns human ideas of fairness and religion.
➡️ Grace exalts Christ alone and humbles man’s pride.
➡️ Grace makes salvation accessible to the vilest sinner who simply believes.
This is why Romans 4:5 is such a dagger against every works-based gospel. It declares:
“But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.”
Grace saves the ungodly who believe the gospel apart from works—not the self-righteous who work to earn salvation. That’s the shocking, offensive, life-giving power of God’s amazing grace.
by Jamie Pantastico | Aug 22, 2025 | Daily Encouragement |
📖 Romans 4:5
“But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.”
“God does not justify the religious worker striving for salvation, but the ungodly who believe the gospel.”
Paul shows us the great divide—God does not justify the worker striving for salvation, but the ungodly person who believes. This verse destroys every “faith + works” gospel and magnifies the scandal of grace.
✍️ Author, Audience, and Context
- Author: The Apostle Paul
- Audience: Believers in Rome (both Jews and Gentiles)
- Date: ~57 AD
Context: In Romans 4, Paul is building his argument that justification before God has always been by faith and not by works of the law. He uses Abraham as the central example (Gen. 15:6) to show that righteousness is credited through faith apart from works. Verse 5 is one of the clearest declarations in all of Scripture that salvation is a gift of grace, received by faith, and not earned by human effort.
📜 Phrase-by-Phrase Breakdown
“But to him who does not work”
- Salvation is not a wage earned by labor. Paul deliberately contrasts human effort with God’s grace.
- Romans 11:6 — “And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace.”
- The “does not work” does not mean laziness or no fruit of faith—it means no reliance on works to gain righteousness.
“but believes on Him”
- The contrast is striking: not working, but believing.
- The object of faith is not faith itself, but God—the One who justifies.
- John 6:29 — “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
“who justifies the ungodly”
- God is not just justifying the “good” or the religious, but the ungodly.
- This shocks religious thinking: God declares righteous the one who is undeserving.
- Romans 5:6 — “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”
“his faith is accounted for righteousness”
- “Accounted” (Greek logizomai) is an accounting term, meaning imputed, credited, or reckoned.
- Righteousness is not infused by our works but credited to us by faith.
- Genesis 15:6 — Abraham “believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.”
✅ What It Does Mean
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Justification is entirely by faith apart from works.
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God does not justify the self-righteous worker striving to earn salvation—but the ungodly person who believes.
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Romans 4:5 makes this contrast unmistakable: “to him who does not work but believes….”
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That’s why this verse absolutely dismantles every works-based gospel—Catholic, legalistic Protestant, or modern “faith + works” systems.
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The righteousness of Christ is imputed, not earned.
✨ Summary
Romans 4:5 is one of the clearest proclamations of the gospel of grace. God justifies not those who prove themselves worthy, but those who acknowledge their ungodliness (sin) and believe the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Faith is not a work; it is the empty hand that receives God’s righteousness—by faith alone.
This verse crushes self-righteousness and demolishes the idea that salvation can be earned by law-keeping, religious rituals, or human effort. Instead, it magnifies the grace of God who justifies the sinner the very moment they believe.
🔑 Key Takeaway
Justification before God is not a reward for the righteous but a gift for the guilty—received through faith in Christ alone.
by Jamie Pantastico | Aug 20, 2025 | Verse-by-Verse Bible Studies |
Bible Verse
“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” — Romans 5:5
Who Wrote It
The Apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Who It Was Written To
The believers in Rome—both Jews and Gentiles—who had placed their faith in Christ.
When It Was Written
Around A.D. 57 during Paul’s third missionary journey, likely from Corinth.
Context
Romans 5 is the heart of Paul’s argument about the results of justification by faith (Romans 3–4). After showing that Abraham was justified by faith apart from works, Paul now explains the believer’s new standing in Christ: peace with God, access to grace, and the sure hope of glory (Romans 5:1–2). Verse 5 specifically emphasizes the certainty of this hope—it will not end in disappointment because it rests on God’s love and the Spirit’s work, not human effort.
Phrase-by-Phrase Breakdown
“Now hope does not disappoint”
- The hope Paul speaks of is not a vague wish but a confident expectation rooted in God’s promises.
- Unlike worldly hope, which often fails, this hope is anchored in God’s unchanging character.
“because the love of God”
- God Himself is the source. This is not our love for Him but His divine love toward us.
- It is the ground for our confidence that His promises will be fulfilled.
“has been poured out in our hearts”
- “Poured out” (Greek: ekcheō) conveys lavish abundance—God did not hold back His love.
- It is internal, personal, and experiential, not just theoretical.
“by the Holy Spirit”
- The Spirit is the agent who makes God’s love real in the believer’s life.
- He testifies inwardly that we are loved and secure in Christ (Romans 8:16).
- Ephesians 1:13 says “we are sealed with Holy Spirit of promise. WOW!
“who was given to us”
- The Spirit is not earned; He is a gift of God’s grace.
- Every believer receives the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation (Ephesians 1:13–14).
Passage Summary
Romans 5:5 reminds us that our hope in Christ will never put us to shame. This hope is not empty—it is backed by the very love of God, personally confirmed in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Even in suffering (Romans 5:3–4), believers can rest knowing that God’s promises are sure. His Spirit assures us daily that we are His and that glory awaits us.
by Jamie Pantastico | Aug 20, 2025 | Daily Encouragement |
Scripture:
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” —Ephesians 6:10–11
Devotional Thought
The Christian life is not a playground—it is a battlefield. Paul reminds us that we are in a spiritual war, not against people, but against the powers of darkness (Eph. 6:12). The enemy seeks to discourage, deceive, and destroy, but God has given us everything we need to stand firm.
Every piece of the armor points us back to Christ: His truth, His righteousness, His peace, His salvation, His Word, and His Spirit. Victory doesn’t come from our own strength but from standing in what Christ has already accomplished on the cross. The battle is real, but so is the victory.
Encouragement for Today
When you wake up each morning, remember—you are not defenseless. Clothe yourself with the armor of God. Take up His Word, pray without ceasing, and walk by faith. The devil may roar like a lion, but in Christ you already stand victorious.
📖 Further Reading:
- James 4:7 — “Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
- Romans 8:37 — “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
by Jamie Pantastico | Aug 20, 2025 | Israel and Bible Prophecy |
📖 Passage Breakdown: Matthew 10:5–6
Verses:
“These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: ‘Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’”
✍️ Authorship & Audience
- Author: Matthew, one of the twelve apostles, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
- Audience: Jews, to demonstrate that Jesus is the Messiah, the King promised in the Old Testament.
- Context: Jesus is commissioning the twelve apostles to preach the gospel “good news” of the kingdom during His earthly ministry.
📜 Historical & Theological Context
- The gospel of the kingdom was the proclamation that Israel’s long-awaited Messiah had come, offering the promised earthly kingdom (cf. Matthew 4:17).
- This message was exclusive to Israel at this stage because prophecy had always promised that the kingdom would come through Israel first, and then to the nations (Isaiah 60:1–3; Zechariah 8:23).
- The Gentiles and Samaritans are intentionally excluded here—not because God doesn’t care about them, but because His plan was to reach them after Israel accepted the Messiah (see Acts 3:19–21; Romans 15:8–9).
🔑 Phrase-by-Phrase Breakdown
“These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them”
- Jesus personally commissions His twelve apostles with strict instructions, emphasizing the divine order of God’s plan.
“Do not go into the way of the Gentiles”
- The Gentiles (non-Jews) were not the focus of Christ’s earthly ministry. His mission was to fulfill the promises made to Israel first (Romans 15:8).
“And do not enter a city of the Samaritans”
- Samaritans were a mixed people (Jewish/Gentile) despised by the Jews (John 4:9). They are excluded here because Christ’s ministry was to pure Israelite covenant promises.
“But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel”
- Jesus defines the scope of their mission: Israel, God’s covenant people who had strayed but were promised restoration (Jeremiah 50:6; Ezekiel 34:11–16).
- The phrase “lost sheep” recalls God’s tender care for Israel, despite their rebellion, and His faithfulness to restore them.
✨ Key Doctrinal Distinctions
- This is not Paul’s gospel of grace (1 Corinthians 15:1–4). The apostles here are proclaiming the kingdom gospel, rooted in prophecy and covenant promises to Israel.
- The Gentiles would later be reached through Paul’s distinct apostleship when Israel stumbled (Romans 11:11, 25).
- This distinction clarifies why Matthew 10 and Acts 2–3 do not match the content of Paul’s gospel.
💡 Application for Today
- This passage highlights the importance of rightly dividing the Word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).
- What was true for Israel in Matthew 10 is not the same as the Church today. God’s promises to Israel remain, but today God is calling out a people for His name into one body, the body of Christ through the gospel of grace.
- God’s order is perfect. His plan for Israel and His plan for the Church, which is His body, the body of Christ are distinct, but both flow from His eternal purpose in Christ Ephesians 3:11.