Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.
Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.
So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin. Romans 14:13-23 NIV
If the “weaker brother” is convinced that what I am eating, drinking or doing is wrong, then for me to continue eating, drinking, or doing that in his presence is not teaching; it is flaunting in his face what he believes to be sin. That does not edify him, it causes him to judge and then he is the actual sinner—out of fellowship with God, though he may not realize it.
In the Church Age all foods are acceptable to eat. There were specific reasons for those Old Testament dietary laws, which do not apply today. Foodborne diseases and improper cooking methods come to mind, though God is not obligated to explain. His people are obligated to obey. Never mind the reason. God has lifted the restrictions on foods, and that is all we need to know. My freedom, however, is not understood by some believers. Therefore, my freedom can be their cause for personal sin. If they decide to emulate my behavior and then feel sinful and guilty about it, that is not an expression of faith, so it is sin for them. If they think and speak critically of me for openly enjoying my freedom, that judgment on their part is personal sin. This creates tension and confusion among the brethren. That is not conducive to spiritual growth or to Christian unity.
What is the issue? Not food or drink! The issue is the absolute Righteousness we have received through faith in the finished Work of Christ. That Righteousness brings with it God’s perfect peace and joy in the Holy Spirit’s indwelling of our bodies. We don’t have to flaunt our freedom to enjoy the benefits of God’s Righteousness. We do have to respect our brothers’ sensibilities in order to nurture them in the faith without losing their respect and causing them to commit personal sins against us.
This is not legalism. It is the manifestation of grace to those who are in danger of being so distracted by our personal behavior that their spiritual growth will be stunted. Their growth is more important than my freedom to indulge. I will enjoy my indulgences in private before God, knowing that God has given me that freedom, but not the freedom to offend my baby brother.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Friday, March 30, 2012
Doubtful Things
Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written:
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will acknowledge God.’”
So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. Romans 14:1-12 NIV
The weak in the faith are those who have believed in Jesus Christ, but do not yet understand the doctrine of grace. To them, the Christian Way of Life is a matter of dos and don’ts. They are afraid to relax and enjoy a good steak, because perhaps they were brought up to believe there was something sinful about eating meat. Or, if they don’t consider it actual sinning, they think it more “spiritual” to shun certain foods. Some legalistic types will worry about almost any food or drink if it’s something people actually enjoy (“If it tastes good, it must be wrong”) and will judge others for partaking. In the time of this writing, Christianity was new. The Jews were taught to avoid all contact with anything that had to do with idolatry. Almost all of the first Christians came out of Judaism. Rome was an idolatrous nation, where the best meats were offered to the idols and sold to the public for food. The Gentile believers had not been taught to avoid meat offered to idols, so their conscious was not bothered by eating it. Jewish believers were scandalized, if not sickened, by the idea.
There were also the Old Testament laws against eating pork and “creeping things,” so perhaps the sensitive, worried “weak” believer would decide to eat no meat at all, just vegetables. We have folks like that today. They have religious reasons for their dietary restrictions, and there’s no point in trying to convince them to eat something they would feel guilty about. What they need is doctrinal instruction, and if they are faithful to study the Word and grow in grace, they will eventually learn about the grace in which we Christians live. God re-educated Peter about the “unclean” animals in Acts chapter 10. In the Church Age, all foods are permitted. One person will eat whatever is offered and give God thanks for it. The “weaker brother” cannot bring himself to eat unclean meats, or things offered to idols, so he eats veggies and offers thanks to God for those foods.
There are those who regard certain days as sacred, but not others. There are those who know that every day is a gift from God, and every moment of every day is our Sabbath Rest IN HIM. Our work at any time on any given day is rewardable Christian service.
So, what’s the rule? Do not judge one another in these preferences, where there is no specific prohibition in the Word of God. This applies to other life practices which are not specifically addressed in scripture, but different believers have different beliefs and attitudes about. Foods, drink, dress, entertainment, even worship practices that are handled differently by those from different backgrounds and cultures should not be disputed, but each should learn the doctrines of grace and the Christian Way of Life and make personal application to his own life.
When we are tempted to criticize another’s freedom or restriction, verse 4 is the reference: “who do you think you are?” It is not our job to judge. That is God’s job, and He does it well. One day, each of us will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ, to give account for our decisions and actions in life. He will reward or not, based on the deeds done in the filling of the Holy Spirit or done from human effort alone.
As grace-oriented believers we do have a responsibility to share the doctrines of Christianity with new believers and those who inquire about our faith. We do not, however, have a responsibility to judge our fellow believers. We won’t answer for them. They won’t answer for us. We each must give account of our own lives before the Lord. It is to Him, the Master, we stand or fall. He’s on our side, brethren. Therefore, we will stand.
One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written:
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will acknowledge God.’”
So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. Romans 14:1-12 NIV
The weak in the faith are those who have believed in Jesus Christ, but do not yet understand the doctrine of grace. To them, the Christian Way of Life is a matter of dos and don’ts. They are afraid to relax and enjoy a good steak, because perhaps they were brought up to believe there was something sinful about eating meat. Or, if they don’t consider it actual sinning, they think it more “spiritual” to shun certain foods. Some legalistic types will worry about almost any food or drink if it’s something people actually enjoy (“If it tastes good, it must be wrong”) and will judge others for partaking. In the time of this writing, Christianity was new. The Jews were taught to avoid all contact with anything that had to do with idolatry. Almost all of the first Christians came out of Judaism. Rome was an idolatrous nation, where the best meats were offered to the idols and sold to the public for food. The Gentile believers had not been taught to avoid meat offered to idols, so their conscious was not bothered by eating it. Jewish believers were scandalized, if not sickened, by the idea.
There were also the Old Testament laws against eating pork and “creeping things,” so perhaps the sensitive, worried “weak” believer would decide to eat no meat at all, just vegetables. We have folks like that today. They have religious reasons for their dietary restrictions, and there’s no point in trying to convince them to eat something they would feel guilty about. What they need is doctrinal instruction, and if they are faithful to study the Word and grow in grace, they will eventually learn about the grace in which we Christians live. God re-educated Peter about the “unclean” animals in Acts chapter 10. In the Church Age, all foods are permitted. One person will eat whatever is offered and give God thanks for it. The “weaker brother” cannot bring himself to eat unclean meats, or things offered to idols, so he eats veggies and offers thanks to God for those foods.
There are those who regard certain days as sacred, but not others. There are those who know that every day is a gift from God, and every moment of every day is our Sabbath Rest IN HIM. Our work at any time on any given day is rewardable Christian service.
So, what’s the rule? Do not judge one another in these preferences, where there is no specific prohibition in the Word of God. This applies to other life practices which are not specifically addressed in scripture, but different believers have different beliefs and attitudes about. Foods, drink, dress, entertainment, even worship practices that are handled differently by those from different backgrounds and cultures should not be disputed, but each should learn the doctrines of grace and the Christian Way of Life and make personal application to his own life.
When we are tempted to criticize another’s freedom or restriction, verse 4 is the reference: “who do you think you are?” It is not our job to judge. That is God’s job, and He does it well. One day, each of us will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ, to give account for our decisions and actions in life. He will reward or not, based on the deeds done in the filling of the Holy Spirit or done from human effort alone.
As grace-oriented believers we do have a responsibility to share the doctrines of Christianity with new believers and those who inquire about our faith. We do not, however, have a responsibility to judge our fellow believers. We won’t answer for them. They won’t answer for us. We each must give account of our own lives before the Lord. It is to Him, the Master, we stand or fall. He’s on our side, brethren. Therefore, we will stand.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Love Fulfills Law
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. Romans 13:8-14 NIV
The KJV and the NASV both caution us in verse 8 not to “owe” anything but love to your neighbor. I like that phraseology. Then Paul details it: if you love someone, you will not commit adultery against him, or murder him or steal from him, or covet what is his, or break any other of the commandments regarding treatment of other humans. If we love others as ourselves, we will carefully consider any action that involves them, avoiding harm to them, thereby fulfilling the law.
It is important to cultivate this way of life, because we are no longer incubating, but are being awakened to the whole truth of God’s Word. We are now well into the Church Age, and the time is rapidly approaching when we will be entered into our eternal abode.
There has been a period of “night,” in which the plan of God was somewhat obscure in the devil’s world, but now Jesus has fulfilled the law and established His Church. We are New Species! We are not operating in the dark anymore, but have the clear vision and divine protection of the Holy Spirit’s perfect light. Since we live in the light now, let’s behave accordingly, as those who are not harboring sleazy secrets or nasty habits or unhealthy attitudes.
We are IN CHRIST! Forever! It is His nature we cultivate, not the gratuitous lusts of our Old Sin Nature (sarx:flesh). The way we relate to our fellow human beings is an indicator of our own spiritual status. This behavior is not a means of salvation, but the noticeable result of the Holy Spirit’s work in the soul of the saved. Love toward our fellows is not about what they deserve, but it is about Whose we are. The redeemer and sustainer of our souls loves unconditionally, from Himself. IN HIM, we can do that, too.
And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. Romans 13:8-14 NIV
The KJV and the NASV both caution us in verse 8 not to “owe” anything but love to your neighbor. I like that phraseology. Then Paul details it: if you love someone, you will not commit adultery against him, or murder him or steal from him, or covet what is his, or break any other of the commandments regarding treatment of other humans. If we love others as ourselves, we will carefully consider any action that involves them, avoiding harm to them, thereby fulfilling the law.
It is important to cultivate this way of life, because we are no longer incubating, but are being awakened to the whole truth of God’s Word. We are now well into the Church Age, and the time is rapidly approaching when we will be entered into our eternal abode.
There has been a period of “night,” in which the plan of God was somewhat obscure in the devil’s world, but now Jesus has fulfilled the law and established His Church. We are New Species! We are not operating in the dark anymore, but have the clear vision and divine protection of the Holy Spirit’s perfect light. Since we live in the light now, let’s behave accordingly, as those who are not harboring sleazy secrets or nasty habits or unhealthy attitudes.
We are IN CHRIST! Forever! It is His nature we cultivate, not the gratuitous lusts of our Old Sin Nature (sarx:flesh). The way we relate to our fellow human beings is an indicator of our own spiritual status. This behavior is not a means of salvation, but the noticeable result of the Holy Spirit’s work in the soul of the saved. Love toward our fellows is not about what they deserve, but it is about Whose we are. The redeemer and sustainer of our souls loves unconditionally, from Himself. IN HIM, we can do that, too.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Authority
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.
This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. Romans 13:1-7
As hard as it is for us humans to always accept this principle, all authority is of God. Authority is God’s means of regulating governments and families. No individual is in a position of authority except those who have been placed or allowed there by God Himself. The individual may or may not be an honorable representative of God. It is the office that commands respect. God has His purposes for the office and for the individual filling that office at any given time in history. As offended as we may be by the persons or politics of our governing officials, they are God’s instruments of leadership for the duration of their terms.
It is a clearly defined principle of Bible Doctrine that whenever God’s chosen people have rebelled and dishonored Him, and rejected His authority, He has allowed them to be thoroughly humiliated by a foreign invader or even an evil ruler of their own nation. This is spelled out step-by-step in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28-30. God disciplines His own (Hebrews 12).
Faithful believers know that If God has placed or allowed someone in authority over us, our duty as representatives of Jesus Christ is to submit to that authority. The only exception is if our submission to the government authority puts us in direct disobedience to the Word of God; and even then, the believer who defies the government on doctrinal principles must be willing to accept the consequences of that defiance (fine, imprisonment or public reprimand). We have such historical examples as Daniel and Joseph as references for this. Jesus, Himself, openly confronted the false religious system of Israel over which He IS the authority, but He did not defy the Roman government. Governments keep order. When governments become oppressive, God deals with them, also.
Nations have to be supported, so there are taxes. It is not honorable to refuse that responsibility. If taxes are owed, they should be paid. The people whose job it is to govern have to have income, too. If we’ve borrowed from a lender or bought on credit, those obligations should be paid. Jesus and His disciples paid for services and paid taxes when they were due. His only command regarding this was recorded in three of the gospels: Matthew 22:21, Mark 12:17 and Luke 12:25 “…give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
Nobody likes this obligation. It is not something we tend to do joyfully, and want to give more. It is one of the necessities of an orderly government. We often do not agree with how the elected officials are handling our nation’s resources, but that does not change our personal responsibility to pay our percentage.
This passage in Romans deals with mundane details of life that we do not always find pleasant or uplifting. The Christian Way of Life is filled with mundane details. As long as we live physically in the devil’s world, we will have some unpleasance to deal with. Sometimes it will be full-blown undeserved suffering. God knows all about it. He has provided for us in it. When we are on the other side of it, it will seem as nothing, compared to the glory in which we will spend eternity.
This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. Romans 13:1-7
As hard as it is for us humans to always accept this principle, all authority is of God. Authority is God’s means of regulating governments and families. No individual is in a position of authority except those who have been placed or allowed there by God Himself. The individual may or may not be an honorable representative of God. It is the office that commands respect. God has His purposes for the office and for the individual filling that office at any given time in history. As offended as we may be by the persons or politics of our governing officials, they are God’s instruments of leadership for the duration of their terms.
It is a clearly defined principle of Bible Doctrine that whenever God’s chosen people have rebelled and dishonored Him, and rejected His authority, He has allowed them to be thoroughly humiliated by a foreign invader or even an evil ruler of their own nation. This is spelled out step-by-step in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28-30. God disciplines His own (Hebrews 12).
Faithful believers know that If God has placed or allowed someone in authority over us, our duty as representatives of Jesus Christ is to submit to that authority. The only exception is if our submission to the government authority puts us in direct disobedience to the Word of God; and even then, the believer who defies the government on doctrinal principles must be willing to accept the consequences of that defiance (fine, imprisonment or public reprimand). We have such historical examples as Daniel and Joseph as references for this. Jesus, Himself, openly confronted the false religious system of Israel over which He IS the authority, but He did not defy the Roman government. Governments keep order. When governments become oppressive, God deals with them, also.
Nations have to be supported, so there are taxes. It is not honorable to refuse that responsibility. If taxes are owed, they should be paid. The people whose job it is to govern have to have income, too. If we’ve borrowed from a lender or bought on credit, those obligations should be paid. Jesus and His disciples paid for services and paid taxes when they were due. His only command regarding this was recorded in three of the gospels: Matthew 22:21, Mark 12:17 and Luke 12:25 “…give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
Nobody likes this obligation. It is not something we tend to do joyfully, and want to give more. It is one of the necessities of an orderly government. We often do not agree with how the elected officials are handling our nation’s resources, but that does not change our personal responsibility to pay our percentage.
This passage in Romans deals with mundane details of life that we do not always find pleasant or uplifting. The Christian Way of Life is filled with mundane details. As long as we live physically in the devil’s world, we will have some unpleasance to deal with. Sometimes it will be full-blown undeserved suffering. God knows all about it. He has provided for us in it. When we are on the other side of it, it will seem as nothing, compared to the glory in which we will spend eternity.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Christian Way of Life
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:9-21
We’ve seen our Lord’s instructions through Paul about the workings of the spiritual gifts within the Church. Now we have instructions about how to conduct our daily lives in all situations.
The quoted text is from the New International Version. For the first phrase of verse 9, I prefer the New American Standard, which states it: “Love without hypocrisy.” Somehow it just seems more to the point. “Sincere” is a perfectly fine and meaningful word, but somehow seems to imply a saccharin, pseudo-sweetness. It must be because of my basic aversion to pious pomposity and phony shows of affection. It is an overused term in describing someone who is teaching false doctrine, but is loveable and “so sincere.” Better yet, why not “love must be REAL.” Real love is not loving for show, or for advantage, or because of indebtedness. Real love is not trying to flatter or impress. Real love comes from within the soul of the believer who is spirit-filled and overflowing with God’s grace toward fellow believers. Real love flows from the giver and is unconditional, like God’s love for us. Matter-of-fact. Benevolent. Consistent. Not necessarily “touchy-feely.”
We express our relationship to Christ by our abhorrence of evil, our loving attentiveness to one another, our zeal for the Lord, our joy, patience, faithfulness, prayer and generosity. These things are not difficult for the spirit-filled believer to practice. But then it gets a little harder to comprehend:
Bless those who persecute us? Don’t curse those who make our lives more difficult? That’s the command. Now, that takes real grace. Some folks are rejoicing, some are mourning. Sensitivity to the life situations of others enables us to share their moments of victory or sorrow. We must not base our friendships on anyone’s socio-economic status. Jesus never excluded anyone who wanted to be his friend.
Here it is again: don’t retaliate. God knows all things. He knows what is happening to us and who is doing it. God will recompense those who persecute His own. Knowing this, and depending on the care of our Good Shepherd, our response to persecution should be: if our enemy is in need, feed him, give him drink, and wait for the Lord to deal with the evil one. The Lord will do a much more thorough job of avenging His children than we can ever do. We don’t have to see it being done, but we can relax in the certain knowledge that it will happen.
What can your enemy look forward to, who is harassing you unmercifully? Burning coals.
Personal retaliation involves YOU in the evil of your tormenter. That makes you of the same mentality as the evil one and will bring you under discipline from God. Responding in a Christlike manner keeps you in fellowship with God and will, through God’s direct intervention, overcome the evil.
Let’s just be on our best behavior toward the enemies of our faith, honoring the One we represent, and remember those burning coals.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:9-21
We’ve seen our Lord’s instructions through Paul about the workings of the spiritual gifts within the Church. Now we have instructions about how to conduct our daily lives in all situations.
The quoted text is from the New International Version. For the first phrase of verse 9, I prefer the New American Standard, which states it: “Love without hypocrisy.” Somehow it just seems more to the point. “Sincere” is a perfectly fine and meaningful word, but somehow seems to imply a saccharin, pseudo-sweetness. It must be because of my basic aversion to pious pomposity and phony shows of affection. It is an overused term in describing someone who is teaching false doctrine, but is loveable and “so sincere.” Better yet, why not “love must be REAL.” Real love is not loving for show, or for advantage, or because of indebtedness. Real love is not trying to flatter or impress. Real love comes from within the soul of the believer who is spirit-filled and overflowing with God’s grace toward fellow believers. Real love flows from the giver and is unconditional, like God’s love for us. Matter-of-fact. Benevolent. Consistent. Not necessarily “touchy-feely.”
We express our relationship to Christ by our abhorrence of evil, our loving attentiveness to one another, our zeal for the Lord, our joy, patience, faithfulness, prayer and generosity. These things are not difficult for the spirit-filled believer to practice. But then it gets a little harder to comprehend:
Bless those who persecute us? Don’t curse those who make our lives more difficult? That’s the command. Now, that takes real grace. Some folks are rejoicing, some are mourning. Sensitivity to the life situations of others enables us to share their moments of victory or sorrow. We must not base our friendships on anyone’s socio-economic status. Jesus never excluded anyone who wanted to be his friend.
Here it is again: don’t retaliate. God knows all things. He knows what is happening to us and who is doing it. God will recompense those who persecute His own. Knowing this, and depending on the care of our Good Shepherd, our response to persecution should be: if our enemy is in need, feed him, give him drink, and wait for the Lord to deal with the evil one. The Lord will do a much more thorough job of avenging His children than we can ever do. We don’t have to see it being done, but we can relax in the certain knowledge that it will happen.
What can your enemy look forward to, who is harassing you unmercifully? Burning coals.
Personal retaliation involves YOU in the evil of your tormenter. That makes you of the same mentality as the evil one and will bring you under discipline from God. Responding in a Christlike manner keeps you in fellowship with God and will, through God’s direct intervention, overcome the evil.
Let’s just be on our best behavior toward the enemies of our faith, honoring the One we represent, and remember those burning coals.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Christian Service
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. Romans 12:3-8
The grace given to Paul was his apostolic authority to instruct the Church in doctrine and conduct. After addressing the issue of Gentile believers thinking ourselves superior to the Jews, then he explained how the various gifts work together in the Church. At salvation we are given different spiritual gifts, but none are superior to the others, because it takes all of us parts to function as a whole. That’s how it works in a physical body, and that’s how it works in the spiritual Body of Christ. The physical body parts are not in competition; they have to function together for us to think, speak, walk, eat, write and get our work done. Likewise, the Church is composed of many different categories of people, each with at least one divinely bestowed spiritual gift, to do the work of Christ in the world. We need to keep in mind what our individual gifts are, what our calling is, and serve within that framework for the best results.
Some in the Church are gifted to “prophesy.” In the time of this writing the canon of scripture was not yet complete, so some members had the gift of forthtelling God’s Word to the congregation. Now that the canon (“that which is perfect” I Corinthians 13:8-10) is complete, the forthtellers are pastors, teachers and preachers who are anointed and trained to exegete and interpret existing scripture to the congregation. “in accordance with your faith;” the revelations coming through the prophet must be in agreement with the body of truth already revealed. God is not the author of confusion. If what the “prophet” reveals contradicts what is already known of God’s Word, the prophet is not revealing truth. Nowadays, we have the complete canon in writing, so it’s easy to check his information. Individuals in the Church today do not receive new revelations from God. Part of our self-discipline is to recognize and honor the authority of the Bible, and always regard that as the standard of truth.
There are those who are gifted to “serve.” These people are of great importance to the Church, because there are always details to attend to in any assembly. LOTS of details. Service is not always a high profile gift, but it is absolutely necessary to the proper workings of a local congregation. It may have to do with organizing, cleaning, financial accounting, supplying physical necessities, planning, building, even serving at table. Some people are especially good at this kind of work, and especially sensitive to the needs of others. There is nothing “lesser” about such a gift.
The folks who are serving allow the pastor and teaching staff the freedom to study and teach, which is the most important work of the Church. Without accurate and faithful teaching, the members are not equipped to do their own works of ministry. One whose gift is teaching must make studying and teaching God’s Word the priority of his life. He needs the full support of his congregation to prepare for and perform this duty. Others besides the pastor are gifted to teach, also. All teaching within a local congregation must be in doctrinal agreement, and the pastor is the pulpit authority regarding the system of doctrine being taught. Here’s the point: if you are a teacher, and you have doctrinal disagreements with the pastor, you are not qualified to teach in his Church. If you persist in undermining the pastor’s authority it will do damage in that congregation and no one’s gifts can function properly. If you are teaching, get your doctrine straight. It is a serious responsibility.
Some are encouragers. Oh, what treasures these people are! The pastor needs encouragement to continue his stressful duties. I liken the pastor’s work to motherhood. His job is to study and teach, but almost everyone wants “a piece” of him, and it is grueling, 24/7 work. Every pastor needs at least one really faithful encourager for spiritual and emotional support, and lots of prayer. The encouragers in a congregation also are helpful to show love and support to truth-seekers, new believers, down-and-outers, returning prodigals, new parents, new widows; all of whom will be with us from time to time. They need to have mentors who will help them and pray for them in their life struggles.
Everyone is expected to give money and other gifts to support the local Church or help those with material needs. Some folks are actually gifted for this. They seem to see needs and have incomes and access to resources that the average believer does not have, and their generosity is above and beyond what is required. They keep things going when the outlook might not be the best. God provides extra for folks like this, because they will share where it is needed.
There are leadership positions that are not necessarily pastoring or teaching. The bigger the congregation, the greater the need for leaders. God appoints some to take the lead and see that things get done. It is a huge responsibility and should not ever be taken for granted.
Then there are those merciful folks. They see the failures of others, and rather than judge, they comfort and help them. They realize that all of us have our areas of weakness and everyone bottoms out every now and then. When a bungled believer has absolutely nothing to offer except his sorrow and contrition, the merciful among us will forgive him and help him get reoriented to the Christian Way of Life, without “I told you so’s.” When a believer has royally screwed up his life and needs help, it doesn’t matter to the merciful how he got in that mess. He needs help now. The merciful will help him now, and do it with a relaxed mental attitude, expecting nothing in return.
We’re in this together, Church. Each of us has a divinely appointed job to do. We can do it by exercising our own gifts within the congregation, and not envying or criticizing the gifts of others. God gave us our jobs. He is the only judge of how we do them.
By the way, if you pluck out an eye or cut off a toe, that member loses its function. There is no production from a severed body part. That’s why I believe none of these spiritual gifts work in isolation. It is within a local assembly that our gifts work, for the edification and production of each member of the Church. Respect for and support of each other is what gets the job done.
The grace given to Paul was his apostolic authority to instruct the Church in doctrine and conduct. After addressing the issue of Gentile believers thinking ourselves superior to the Jews, then he explained how the various gifts work together in the Church. At salvation we are given different spiritual gifts, but none are superior to the others, because it takes all of us parts to function as a whole. That’s how it works in a physical body, and that’s how it works in the spiritual Body of Christ. The physical body parts are not in competition; they have to function together for us to think, speak, walk, eat, write and get our work done. Likewise, the Church is composed of many different categories of people, each with at least one divinely bestowed spiritual gift, to do the work of Christ in the world. We need to keep in mind what our individual gifts are, what our calling is, and serve within that framework for the best results.
Some in the Church are gifted to “prophesy.” In the time of this writing the canon of scripture was not yet complete, so some members had the gift of forthtelling God’s Word to the congregation. Now that the canon (“that which is perfect” I Corinthians 13:8-10) is complete, the forthtellers are pastors, teachers and preachers who are anointed and trained to exegete and interpret existing scripture to the congregation. “in accordance with your faith;” the revelations coming through the prophet must be in agreement with the body of truth already revealed. God is not the author of confusion. If what the “prophet” reveals contradicts what is already known of God’s Word, the prophet is not revealing truth. Nowadays, we have the complete canon in writing, so it’s easy to check his information. Individuals in the Church today do not receive new revelations from God. Part of our self-discipline is to recognize and honor the authority of the Bible, and always regard that as the standard of truth.
There are those who are gifted to “serve.” These people are of great importance to the Church, because there are always details to attend to in any assembly. LOTS of details. Service is not always a high profile gift, but it is absolutely necessary to the proper workings of a local congregation. It may have to do with organizing, cleaning, financial accounting, supplying physical necessities, planning, building, even serving at table. Some people are especially good at this kind of work, and especially sensitive to the needs of others. There is nothing “lesser” about such a gift.
The folks who are serving allow the pastor and teaching staff the freedom to study and teach, which is the most important work of the Church. Without accurate and faithful teaching, the members are not equipped to do their own works of ministry. One whose gift is teaching must make studying and teaching God’s Word the priority of his life. He needs the full support of his congregation to prepare for and perform this duty. Others besides the pastor are gifted to teach, also. All teaching within a local congregation must be in doctrinal agreement, and the pastor is the pulpit authority regarding the system of doctrine being taught. Here’s the point: if you are a teacher, and you have doctrinal disagreements with the pastor, you are not qualified to teach in his Church. If you persist in undermining the pastor’s authority it will do damage in that congregation and no one’s gifts can function properly. If you are teaching, get your doctrine straight. It is a serious responsibility.
Some are encouragers. Oh, what treasures these people are! The pastor needs encouragement to continue his stressful duties. I liken the pastor’s work to motherhood. His job is to study and teach, but almost everyone wants “a piece” of him, and it is grueling, 24/7 work. Every pastor needs at least one really faithful encourager for spiritual and emotional support, and lots of prayer. The encouragers in a congregation also are helpful to show love and support to truth-seekers, new believers, down-and-outers, returning prodigals, new parents, new widows; all of whom will be with us from time to time. They need to have mentors who will help them and pray for them in their life struggles.
Everyone is expected to give money and other gifts to support the local Church or help those with material needs. Some folks are actually gifted for this. They seem to see needs and have incomes and access to resources that the average believer does not have, and their generosity is above and beyond what is required. They keep things going when the outlook might not be the best. God provides extra for folks like this, because they will share where it is needed.
There are leadership positions that are not necessarily pastoring or teaching. The bigger the congregation, the greater the need for leaders. God appoints some to take the lead and see that things get done. It is a huge responsibility and should not ever be taken for granted.
Then there are those merciful folks. They see the failures of others, and rather than judge, they comfort and help them. They realize that all of us have our areas of weakness and everyone bottoms out every now and then. When a bungled believer has absolutely nothing to offer except his sorrow and contrition, the merciful among us will forgive him and help him get reoriented to the Christian Way of Life, without “I told you so’s.” When a believer has royally screwed up his life and needs help, it doesn’t matter to the merciful how he got in that mess. He needs help now. The merciful will help him now, and do it with a relaxed mental attitude, expecting nothing in return.
We’re in this together, Church. Each of us has a divinely appointed job to do. We can do it by exercising our own gifts within the congregation, and not envying or criticizing the gifts of others. God gave us our jobs. He is the only judge of how we do them.
By the way, if you pluck out an eye or cut off a toe, that member loses its function. There is no production from a severed body part. That’s why I believe none of these spiritual gifts work in isolation. It is within a local assembly that our gifts work, for the edification and production of each member of the Church. Respect for and support of each other is what gets the job done.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Transformation
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2
“Therefore,” because of all God’s graciousness and mercy Paul has described in the previous chapters, let us offer our living bodies (our whole persons) to be at the disposal of the Holy Spirit. “True and proper worship” can also read “reasonable, logical service.” We’ve seen this principle stated before in Romans 6:13. We have that choice. Remain instruments of sin and live under constant discipline and frustration, or represent God boldly and accurately in everything we think, speak or do. This is a much more fulfilling life.
Having instructed the Church in the great doctrines of total depravity (all are sinners), unlimited atonement (Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection paid the penalty for all sins) and universal grace to all humanity (eternal life is freely given to all who believe in Jesus Christ), Paul now launches into a lecture on practical theology, or application of grace doctrines for the Body of Christ. In order to grow spiritually, the believer must be oriented to God’s grace. God deals with us in grace because of His character, not because of ours. We are totally undeserving; that’s what makes it grace. The one in authority is the dispenser of grace. All we can do is receive what is freely given.
The more we learn about the character of God, the more grace-oriented we will become. Grace mental attitude is what we must develop to live the Christian Way of Life. The CWL is not a competition. We each must learn to live our own lives as unto the Lord, with a “let live” (relaxed) attitude toward others. My own life. That’s the one I’m responsible for, and verse 2 tells me how to get that one on the right spiritual track:
“Do not be conformed to the worldliness of this age.” “Conformed”… fashioning yourself after “this world”… mental attitude: human viewpoint. Catering to the old sin nature. Pursuing the lusts of the flesh. Practicing mysticism. Occultism. Making decisions based on emotion. Allowing nay-sayers and skeptics to influence our beliefs. Being ashamed to acknowledge Jesus Christ publicly. Compromising doctrine to appease our fellow man. Allowing legalists to bully us into a works system. Worrying about circumstances we cannot change. Being intimidated by the judgment of unbelievers and spiritually stunted, neutralized Christians. That’s worldliness. We are no longer of the world, so our way of life needs to reflect a new attitude: Grace. Love. Confidence. Peace. Faith-Rest. Let’s represent our Lord’s character. Here’s how:
“Be transformed”…changed. Oh, yes we can. That’s the whole plan. This cannot happen before you are saved, it happens after we receive the Holy Spirit and begin to learn and grow in grace under the leadership of a responsible, knowledgeable pastor-teacher and with the supportive mentoring of like-minded believers. It happens through the “renewing of your mind.” A continuous process of prayerfully submitting to the teaching of the Word of God. We learn to discern what is divine viewpoint (the mind of Christ) and why it is so superior to human viewpoint (childish self-indulgence, emotional do-goodism, counterfeit moral code, aren’t-we-wonderful mentality). We learn to know about God’s absolutely righteous, acceptable, and perfect (complete) will.
James 4:4 “…don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.”
As believers in the Church Age, we are permanently IN CHRIST. To realize a life of purpose and definition in our physical bodies, this personal transformation must be our priority. We have been freed from the enslavement of sin and the world. We are now free to fashion our minds after the Lord of the Universe, our Savior Jesus Christ.
God gave us His Word in writing. That is our standard for truth. Anything we see, hear or read that is contrary to God’s written Word is simply false. Any prophetic pronouncement that is unverifiable in scripture is false. Don’t waste your time on someone’s dreams and visions and feelings. If God wants us to know a principle, it is in His Word. We humans are easily deceived, but we don’t have to be. We have the provision of the Bible, the Holy Spirit teaching our human spirits to know the person of our God, Who is the source of everything in life. Knowing Him, loving Him and soaking up the doctrines of His Word, daily, are the means of renewing our minds so that we can think like Christ.
“Therefore,” because of all God’s graciousness and mercy Paul has described in the previous chapters, let us offer our living bodies (our whole persons) to be at the disposal of the Holy Spirit. “True and proper worship” can also read “reasonable, logical service.” We’ve seen this principle stated before in Romans 6:13. We have that choice. Remain instruments of sin and live under constant discipline and frustration, or represent God boldly and accurately in everything we think, speak or do. This is a much more fulfilling life.
Having instructed the Church in the great doctrines of total depravity (all are sinners), unlimited atonement (Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection paid the penalty for all sins) and universal grace to all humanity (eternal life is freely given to all who believe in Jesus Christ), Paul now launches into a lecture on practical theology, or application of grace doctrines for the Body of Christ. In order to grow spiritually, the believer must be oriented to God’s grace. God deals with us in grace because of His character, not because of ours. We are totally undeserving; that’s what makes it grace. The one in authority is the dispenser of grace. All we can do is receive what is freely given.
The more we learn about the character of God, the more grace-oriented we will become. Grace mental attitude is what we must develop to live the Christian Way of Life. The CWL is not a competition. We each must learn to live our own lives as unto the Lord, with a “let live” (relaxed) attitude toward others. My own life. That’s the one I’m responsible for, and verse 2 tells me how to get that one on the right spiritual track:
“Do not be conformed to the worldliness of this age.” “Conformed”… fashioning yourself after “this world”… mental attitude: human viewpoint. Catering to the old sin nature. Pursuing the lusts of the flesh. Practicing mysticism. Occultism. Making decisions based on emotion. Allowing nay-sayers and skeptics to influence our beliefs. Being ashamed to acknowledge Jesus Christ publicly. Compromising doctrine to appease our fellow man. Allowing legalists to bully us into a works system. Worrying about circumstances we cannot change. Being intimidated by the judgment of unbelievers and spiritually stunted, neutralized Christians. That’s worldliness. We are no longer of the world, so our way of life needs to reflect a new attitude: Grace. Love. Confidence. Peace. Faith-Rest. Let’s represent our Lord’s character. Here’s how:
“Be transformed”…changed. Oh, yes we can. That’s the whole plan. This cannot happen before you are saved, it happens after we receive the Holy Spirit and begin to learn and grow in grace under the leadership of a responsible, knowledgeable pastor-teacher and with the supportive mentoring of like-minded believers. It happens through the “renewing of your mind.” A continuous process of prayerfully submitting to the teaching of the Word of God. We learn to discern what is divine viewpoint (the mind of Christ) and why it is so superior to human viewpoint (childish self-indulgence, emotional do-goodism, counterfeit moral code, aren’t-we-wonderful mentality). We learn to know about God’s absolutely righteous, acceptable, and perfect (complete) will.
James 4:4 “…don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.”
As believers in the Church Age, we are permanently IN CHRIST. To realize a life of purpose and definition in our physical bodies, this personal transformation must be our priority. We have been freed from the enslavement of sin and the world. We are now free to fashion our minds after the Lord of the Universe, our Savior Jesus Christ.
God gave us His Word in writing. That is our standard for truth. Anything we see, hear or read that is contrary to God’s written Word is simply false. Any prophetic pronouncement that is unverifiable in scripture is false. Don’t waste your time on someone’s dreams and visions and feelings. If God wants us to know a principle, it is in His Word. We humans are easily deceived, but we don’t have to be. We have the provision of the Bible, the Holy Spirit teaching our human spirits to know the person of our God, Who is the source of everything in life. Knowing Him, loving Him and soaking up the doctrines of His Word, daily, are the means of renewing our minds so that we can think like Christ.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
The Source
Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. Romans 11:33-36
Wisdom and knowledge of God: His omniscience. He IS all knowledge. He has always known all things."...in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Colossians 2:3
His judgments: God is just and cannot be unfair. He is just to condemn (John 3:18). He is just to forgive (Romans 8:1). "for with the LORD our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.” 2 chronicles 19:7
Mind of the Lord: incomprehensible for unregenerate man. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9
Given to God...repaid? We have nothing to give to God. We are born spiritually dead and destitute of anything good. Not our heart. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked..."Jeremiah 17:9. We have done nothing, cannot do anything, to earn God's favor. It is HE who gives to US. Love. Provision. Atonement. Eternal Life. Destiny. Purpose. Adoption as sons. All we can do is receive FROM HIM. Grace.
From Him: He is the source of all creation and the redeemer of our souls. He planned our salvation before the foundation of the world.
Through Him: He is the sustainer of the universe and of our faith, who have believed. He made the universe and keeps all the elements in order. He created us and saved us and keeps us saved forever.
To Him: He is the ultimate goal of all who respond to His word and serve at His will. We are permanently, positionally IN CHRIST. In this life all we do is toward the goal of representing Him faithfully, with Whom we will live for eternity.
God is in control and we are not. His glory is our motive and our reward. Forever.
Wisdom and knowledge of God: His omniscience. He IS all knowledge. He has always known all things."...in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Colossians 2:3
His judgments: God is just and cannot be unfair. He is just to condemn (John 3:18). He is just to forgive (Romans 8:1). "for with the LORD our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.” 2 chronicles 19:7
Mind of the Lord: incomprehensible for unregenerate man. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9
Given to God...repaid? We have nothing to give to God. We are born spiritually dead and destitute of anything good. Not our heart. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked..."Jeremiah 17:9. We have done nothing, cannot do anything, to earn God's favor. It is HE who gives to US. Love. Provision. Atonement. Eternal Life. Destiny. Purpose. Adoption as sons. All we can do is receive FROM HIM. Grace.
From Him: He is the source of all creation and the redeemer of our souls. He planned our salvation before the foundation of the world.
Through Him: He is the sustainer of the universe and of our faith, who have believed. He made the universe and keeps all the elements in order. He created us and saved us and keeps us saved forever.
To Him: He is the ultimate goal of all who respond to His word and serve at His will. We are permanently, positionally IN CHRIST. In this life all we do is toward the goal of representing Him faithfully, with Whom we will live for eternity.
God is in control and we are not. His glory is our motive and our reward. Forever.
Friday, March 23, 2012
God Is Able
I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.
If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree! Romans 11:13-24
We Gentile believers must not think ourselves superior to Israel. Paul exercised his authority as the apostle to the Gentiles to caution us about being dismissive toward the Jews. Their rejection of Jesus has brought opportunity for salvation to the Gentiles. When they are brought back, it will be a spiritual resurrection. The root of our faith is Abraham, from whom sprang Israel.
The cultivated olive tree is a Biblical metaphor for spiritual Israel. “Some of the branches” are the unbelieving Jews that have been broken off from the tree in temporal chastisement for that people. We, the Gentiles are represented by the “wild olive shoots” which have been grafted onto the tree where the cultivated branches were broken off. The root of that tree is our nourishment, not the other way around.
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: (Isaiah 59:20)
“The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” Romans 11:25-27
“Mystery” in the New Testament means a truth known only to the elect. And this particular mystery concerns the plan of God to include the Gentiles in His offer of eternal life. God knows who will believe, and Israel has been put in “time out” until the complete number of Gentiles has been received into Christ. Then the Lord Jesus Christ will make Himself clearly known to “Jacob” (Israel’s original name). They will, as nation Israel, recognize their Messiah and believe in Him for salvation.
Meanwhile, individual Jews can receive Christ at any time, by believing the gospel message. They then become Church, like believing Gentiles are Church.
Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. Romans 11:30-32
God’s policy is always grace. In grace, we are all equally sinners by birth and we all have equal opportunity to hear and believe the gospel for salvation.
He is merciful to all.
If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree! Romans 11:13-24
We Gentile believers must not think ourselves superior to Israel. Paul exercised his authority as the apostle to the Gentiles to caution us about being dismissive toward the Jews. Their rejection of Jesus has brought opportunity for salvation to the Gentiles. When they are brought back, it will be a spiritual resurrection. The root of our faith is Abraham, from whom sprang Israel.
The cultivated olive tree is a Biblical metaphor for spiritual Israel. “Some of the branches” are the unbelieving Jews that have been broken off from the tree in temporal chastisement for that people. We, the Gentiles are represented by the “wild olive shoots” which have been grafted onto the tree where the cultivated branches were broken off. The root of that tree is our nourishment, not the other way around.
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: (Isaiah 59:20)
“The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” Romans 11:25-27
“Mystery” in the New Testament means a truth known only to the elect. And this particular mystery concerns the plan of God to include the Gentiles in His offer of eternal life. God knows who will believe, and Israel has been put in “time out” until the complete number of Gentiles has been received into Christ. Then the Lord Jesus Christ will make Himself clearly known to “Jacob” (Israel’s original name). They will, as nation Israel, recognize their Messiah and believe in Him for salvation.
Meanwhile, individual Jews can receive Christ at any time, by believing the gospel message. They then become Church, like believing Gentiles are Church.
Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. Romans 11:30-32
God’s policy is always grace. In grace, we are all equally sinners by birth and we all have equal opportunity to hear and believe the gospel for salvation.
He is merciful to all.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Remnant Reserved
I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”? And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. Romans 11:1-6
Israel is not abandoned! Paul, himself was a regenerated Jew. So were eleven of the original apostles, only Judas Iscariot was not a believer. John the Baptist, Anna and Simeon, Mary, Martha and Lazarus of Bethany, Mary Magdalene and many other racial Jews did believe in Jesus as the Messiah, during His incarnation; as well as thousands at Pentecost and in the early years of the Church.
When changes occur, and especially in times of stress and persecution, there sets in a “poor me” attitude among believers who think ourselves in the tiny minority and under society’s oppression. That’s the reference to Elijah, above (I Kings 19:10). He was under severe oppression from pagans and apostates, and his life was being threatened. There really were comparatively few believers in Israel at that time, BUT…there were more than Elijah thought (“I even I only am left, and they seek my life”). There were thousands left, and God knew every one of them; who they were and where they were, and just how faithfully they were serving Him. What’s more, He “foreknew” all these faithful believers in eternity past, and “elected” them into His perfect plan of grace.
Even during the years of dispersion and captivity because of Israel’s rebellion, God always had His people “reserved for Myself.” Such Jews as Ezekiel, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Esther, Mordecai, Ezra, Nehemiah. There were, and are, some in every generation. As Paul was writing this, there was “at the present time a remnant chosen by grace.”
And because it is by grace, it cannot be by works. Grace and works are mutually exclusive. There is no mixture. Works can happen in the believer only as a result of the grace that has made him righteous.
Grace is divinely bestowed on those who believe in the perfect provision of God through His Son Jesus Christ. God’s grace, received by our faith, makes us God’s children. We bring nothing to the equation but our willingness to believe, no matter what race we are. He gives, we receive. As we grow and learn, we produce…the fruit (singular) of the Spirit. That is our work. Believe, receive, learn, grow, produce fruit.
Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring! Romans 11:11-12
Those Jews who have rejected Jesus are lost souls, but the nation of Israel is not abandoned. God has major plans for them, promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. What God has promised, God will do. Meanwhile, there are Gentiles who are willing to believe. Paul’s mission: give them the gospel.
Israel is not abandoned! Paul, himself was a regenerated Jew. So were eleven of the original apostles, only Judas Iscariot was not a believer. John the Baptist, Anna and Simeon, Mary, Martha and Lazarus of Bethany, Mary Magdalene and many other racial Jews did believe in Jesus as the Messiah, during His incarnation; as well as thousands at Pentecost and in the early years of the Church.
When changes occur, and especially in times of stress and persecution, there sets in a “poor me” attitude among believers who think ourselves in the tiny minority and under society’s oppression. That’s the reference to Elijah, above (I Kings 19:10). He was under severe oppression from pagans and apostates, and his life was being threatened. There really were comparatively few believers in Israel at that time, BUT…there were more than Elijah thought (“I even I only am left, and they seek my life”). There were thousands left, and God knew every one of them; who they were and where they were, and just how faithfully they were serving Him. What’s more, He “foreknew” all these faithful believers in eternity past, and “elected” them into His perfect plan of grace.
Even during the years of dispersion and captivity because of Israel’s rebellion, God always had His people “reserved for Myself.” Such Jews as Ezekiel, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Esther, Mordecai, Ezra, Nehemiah. There were, and are, some in every generation. As Paul was writing this, there was “at the present time a remnant chosen by grace.”
And because it is by grace, it cannot be by works. Grace and works are mutually exclusive. There is no mixture. Works can happen in the believer only as a result of the grace that has made him righteous.
Grace is divinely bestowed on those who believe in the perfect provision of God through His Son Jesus Christ. God’s grace, received by our faith, makes us God’s children. We bring nothing to the equation but our willingness to believe, no matter what race we are. He gives, we receive. As we grow and learn, we produce…the fruit (singular) of the Spirit. That is our work. Believe, receive, learn, grow, produce fruit.
Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring! Romans 11:11-12
Those Jews who have rejected Jesus are lost souls, but the nation of Israel is not abandoned. God has major plans for them, promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. What God has promised, God will do. Meanwhile, there are Gentiles who are willing to believe. Paul’s mission: give them the gospel.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Israel's Failure
Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. Romans 10:1-4
Lest we think Paul is dismissive of his people Israel, he states again his desire for their salvation, as he has already done in chapter 9. He knew these people. He was one of these people. He completely understood their zeal for God. He also understood their ignorance, which was also his own ignorance, before Jesus “clobbered” him on the road to Damascus. They thought they had to prove their own righteousness to God, rather than to accept the grace gift of God’s perfect righteousness, received through faith in Jesus Christ.
The commands in the Mosaic Law were given to a people (Israel) who already belonged to God, having been redeemed out of slavery in Egypt (Deuteronomy 30:10-20). That law is a code of conduct for God’s people, not for people trying to become God’s. They had received God’s righteousness in the Passover and had been led by His glory through the sea and the desert, and then Moses was given the Table of the Law, to show them God’s expectations of His people. “Since you, my people, have been given this law, you’ll do well to live by it.” The law was not to bring salvation, but because they were saved. Heathen people weren’t expected to have these standards, God’s people were.
As time went by, the Jews put the effect before the cause. They ignored the grace gift and went straight for the points system. This made them imposters. Without the imputation of God’s righteousness through faith, they had no basis for good works; no spiritual fountain from which the good works could flow. It all became a sham, but they convinced themselves that it was what they had to do for eternal life. And since it was frustrating and unfulfilling, they even added rules of their own.
But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:8-13
Salvation is the same for everyone. It is by God’s grace, through personal faith in the Lordship and resurrection from the dead of Jesus Christ. “Heart” in v 10 and throughout this passage is the Greek word kardia; the thinking part of the soul. God has always made His truth available to all who wanted to know Him. This is not a points system or an emotional experience, it is knowledge of God’s provision in Jesus Christ, believing and receiving that provision, and openly declaring that belief. Anyone. God honors those who believe and love His Word. God saves those who believe and profess His Son. The same salvation applies to all who call on His Name (identify with Him). Jew or Gentile….no difference.
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Romans 10: 14-16
There must be communication of the gospel. Someone has to take it to them. Someone did, actually. Jesus, Himself did. The Old Testament prophets did.
But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:
“Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.”
What about those (religious or heathen) who have never heard? They’ve heard. They ignored or rejected the truth, if they are not saved. Every generation has opportunity to hear and believe.
Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says,
“I will make you envious by those (Gentiles) who are not a nation;
I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.”
And Isaiah boldly says,
“I was found by those (Gentiles) who did not seek me;
I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.”
But concerning Israel he says,
“All day long I have held out my hands
to a disobedient and obstinate people.” Romans 10:16-21
Self-righteous and arrogant people are much too proud to submit to the Authority of God, and humbly receive His free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Lest we think Paul is dismissive of his people Israel, he states again his desire for their salvation, as he has already done in chapter 9. He knew these people. He was one of these people. He completely understood their zeal for God. He also understood their ignorance, which was also his own ignorance, before Jesus “clobbered” him on the road to Damascus. They thought they had to prove their own righteousness to God, rather than to accept the grace gift of God’s perfect righteousness, received through faith in Jesus Christ.
The commands in the Mosaic Law were given to a people (Israel) who already belonged to God, having been redeemed out of slavery in Egypt (Deuteronomy 30:10-20). That law is a code of conduct for God’s people, not for people trying to become God’s. They had received God’s righteousness in the Passover and had been led by His glory through the sea and the desert, and then Moses was given the Table of the Law, to show them God’s expectations of His people. “Since you, my people, have been given this law, you’ll do well to live by it.” The law was not to bring salvation, but because they were saved. Heathen people weren’t expected to have these standards, God’s people were.
As time went by, the Jews put the effect before the cause. They ignored the grace gift and went straight for the points system. This made them imposters. Without the imputation of God’s righteousness through faith, they had no basis for good works; no spiritual fountain from which the good works could flow. It all became a sham, but they convinced themselves that it was what they had to do for eternal life. And since it was frustrating and unfulfilling, they even added rules of their own.
But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:8-13
Salvation is the same for everyone. It is by God’s grace, through personal faith in the Lordship and resurrection from the dead of Jesus Christ. “Heart” in v 10 and throughout this passage is the Greek word kardia; the thinking part of the soul. God has always made His truth available to all who wanted to know Him. This is not a points system or an emotional experience, it is knowledge of God’s provision in Jesus Christ, believing and receiving that provision, and openly declaring that belief. Anyone. God honors those who believe and love His Word. God saves those who believe and profess His Son. The same salvation applies to all who call on His Name (identify with Him). Jew or Gentile….no difference.
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Romans 10: 14-16
There must be communication of the gospel. Someone has to take it to them. Someone did, actually. Jesus, Himself did. The Old Testament prophets did.
But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:
“Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.”
What about those (religious or heathen) who have never heard? They’ve heard. They ignored or rejected the truth, if they are not saved. Every generation has opportunity to hear and believe.
Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says,
“I will make you envious by those (Gentiles) who are not a nation;
I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.”
And Isaiah boldly says,
“I was found by those (Gentiles) who did not seek me;
I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.”
But concerning Israel he says,
“All day long I have held out my hands
to a disobedient and obstinate people.” Romans 10:16-21
Self-righteous and arrogant people are much too proud to submit to the Authority of God, and humbly receive His free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
The Remnant
One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use? Romans 9:19-21
Paul does not get bogged down in analysis here. He just lays it on the line. It’s God’s creation, God’s rules. God’s authority is the issue. Only the one in authority can demonstrate grace.
Who is in charge? God is. How dare you, the created being, challenge God, the creator? The potter makes of the same lump of clay a dainty dish or a chamber pot. It is His decision, depending on what use He has for the vessel. The methods and timing of God are at His discretion and in His power, for His foreordained purposes. Just because the Jews thought they were God’s only people didn’t make it so.
What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory—even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? As he says in Hosea:
“I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people;
and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,” and,
“In the very place where it was said to them,
‘You are not my people,’
there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”
Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:
“Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea,
only the remnant will be saved.
For the Lord will carry out
his sentence on earth with speed and finality.”
It is just as Isaiah said previously:
“Unless the Lord Almighty
had left us descendants,
we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah.” Romans 9:22-29
The nation of Israel rejected their Messiah. Those few who believed Him became regenerated Jews (born-again believers). They were the ones who were given the Holy Spirit and appointed as apostles to the newborn Church. Jews who believe in Jesus Christ in the Church age are no longer Israel, but Church. Believing Gentiles are Church. In the Church age, Jews are dispersed throughout the globe and are persecuted in varying degrees by Gentile nations; sometimes quite severely. They continue to be evangelized in Gentile languages (like at Pentecost) wherever they are.
Nevertheless, they remain Israel. Whatever nation they are in, they do not lose their identity as Jews. There is always a remnant, therefore, of Israel. And there will always be. It is important to Satan to annihilate the Jewish race, but he cannot. That explains a lot of the pressures they have endured as a people. God has promised there will always be a remnant, to whom His covenant promises will be fulfilled in the future kingdom. When that happens, the remnant will be a believing people of God. Spiritual Israel.
What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. As it is written: (Isaiah 28:16)
“See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall,
and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.” Romans 9:30-33
Israel tried to be righteous by the works of the law. It didn’t work, because no one can be made righteous by the law. The Gentiles weren’t even trying to work for righteousness, but they received the righteousness of God by faith.
There’s that stumblingblock we’ve seen before. Your personal sins are not your, or someone else’s stumblingblock. Jesus is. God’s plan of grace is. God’s grace, demonstrated in Jesus Christ causes legalists to stumble because they are determined to do “good works” or keep some kind of score to gain God’s approval. They are blinded by self-righteousness and stumble over the rock foundation of faith in Jesus Christ.
Paul does not get bogged down in analysis here. He just lays it on the line. It’s God’s creation, God’s rules. God’s authority is the issue. Only the one in authority can demonstrate grace.
Who is in charge? God is. How dare you, the created being, challenge God, the creator? The potter makes of the same lump of clay a dainty dish or a chamber pot. It is His decision, depending on what use He has for the vessel. The methods and timing of God are at His discretion and in His power, for His foreordained purposes. Just because the Jews thought they were God’s only people didn’t make it so.
What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory—even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? As he says in Hosea:
“I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people;
and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,” and,
“In the very place where it was said to them,
‘You are not my people,’
there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”
Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:
“Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea,
only the remnant will be saved.
For the Lord will carry out
his sentence on earth with speed and finality.”
It is just as Isaiah said previously:
“Unless the Lord Almighty
had left us descendants,
we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah.” Romans 9:22-29
The nation of Israel rejected their Messiah. Those few who believed Him became regenerated Jews (born-again believers). They were the ones who were given the Holy Spirit and appointed as apostles to the newborn Church. Jews who believe in Jesus Christ in the Church age are no longer Israel, but Church. Believing Gentiles are Church. In the Church age, Jews are dispersed throughout the globe and are persecuted in varying degrees by Gentile nations; sometimes quite severely. They continue to be evangelized in Gentile languages (like at Pentecost) wherever they are.
Nevertheless, they remain Israel. Whatever nation they are in, they do not lose their identity as Jews. There is always a remnant, therefore, of Israel. And there will always be. It is important to Satan to annihilate the Jewish race, but he cannot. That explains a lot of the pressures they have endured as a people. God has promised there will always be a remnant, to whom His covenant promises will be fulfilled in the future kingdom. When that happens, the remnant will be a believing people of God. Spiritual Israel.
What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. As it is written: (Isaiah 28:16)
“See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall,
and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.” Romans 9:30-33
Israel tried to be righteous by the works of the law. It didn’t work, because no one can be made righteous by the law. The Gentiles weren’t even trying to work for righteousness, but they received the righteousness of God by faith.
There’s that stumblingblock we’ve seen before. Your personal sins are not your, or someone else’s stumblingblock. Jesus is. God’s plan of grace is. God’s grace, demonstrated in Jesus Christ causes legalists to stumble because they are determined to do “good works” or keep some kind of score to gain God’s approval. They are blinded by self-righteousness and stumble over the rock foundation of faith in Jesus Christ.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Which Israel?
I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit—I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen. Romans 9:1-5
Paul now shares his burden. He is now Church, with all the privileges and promises and assurances that entails; but his people, the nation Israel, are lost. To see them saved, Paul says he’d trade positions with them, if he could. It seems a crying shame that those to whom were given the original plan of sonship, divine glory, the covenants of heritage, the law, the temple worship which depicted the Christ in His atonement, and all the promises for peace and security…are those who have so roundly rejected their human Messiah (God Himself), who of necessity was descended through them. There is a deep irony in the rejection of the Jews. Nothing, however, is without purpose in God’s plan.
It is worth noting that the Jews, Jesus’ own people, were the first to whom He presented the gospel and the first to reject His gospel in favor of their legalistic religion. Likewise, after the conversion of the Pharisee Saul, himself a fervent persecutor of the Christians, the Jews relentlessly persecuted him. They were the source of Jesus’ and Paul’s deepest hurts, throughout both their ministries, even up to each one's execution. Jesus Himself chose Saul for this heart-breaking mission to turn from the Jews, who rejected Him, and take the gospel to the Gentiles. The lesson we learn from this is that salvation is not based on nationality, nor a system of religion. Salvation is based on faith. God had established the pattern of truth throughout the history of Israel. Being descended from Abraham did not make them (spiritual) Israel. Only faith in Abraham’s God could do that.
It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring. For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”
Not only that, but Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” Romans 9:6-13
God’s Word never fails. We are never off course with Bible Doctrine. Physical birth does not make one true Israel. There is a nation of Israel: Abraham’s natural descendants, and there is spiritual Israel: those who by faith have believed in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It is to spiritual Israel that all the covenant promises were made, and to whom those promises will be fulfilled. Through all those generations, very few of the Jews perceived the pattern.
Operative phrase, verse 11: “that God’s purpose in election might stand: not by (human) works but by Him Who calls.”
“God’s purpose” His perfect plan of grace.
“election” those called and adopted into God’s family.
“might stand” be established as the spiritual pattern.
“not by works” can’t be earned, can’t be deserved.
“Him Who calls.” The planner and perfecter of our redemption.
As we’ve seen in Romans 8:29-30, God’s foreknowledge of each human determines His expectation of that human. In our humanity, we have volition. Free will. God always knew how we would choose and how we would respond to Him in our lives. Like it or not, God has His perfect standards. Yes, God is love, but there are evils and rebellious attitudes God hates (Proverbs 16:16-19). If there were no standards and expectations He would not be God.
You wish to question God? You have a problem with His plan? You dare to judge His Sovereign Authority? By what measure? Human emotion?
What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses,
“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. Romans 9:14-18
Evil Pharaoh served his purpose in the grand scheme of things, but not without God’s sovereign appointment. Romans 8:28: that’s ALL THINGS. The key to understanding the plan of God is figuring out Who’s in charge here.
Paul now shares his burden. He is now Church, with all the privileges and promises and assurances that entails; but his people, the nation Israel, are lost. To see them saved, Paul says he’d trade positions with them, if he could. It seems a crying shame that those to whom were given the original plan of sonship, divine glory, the covenants of heritage, the law, the temple worship which depicted the Christ in His atonement, and all the promises for peace and security…are those who have so roundly rejected their human Messiah (God Himself), who of necessity was descended through them. There is a deep irony in the rejection of the Jews. Nothing, however, is without purpose in God’s plan.
It is worth noting that the Jews, Jesus’ own people, were the first to whom He presented the gospel and the first to reject His gospel in favor of their legalistic religion. Likewise, after the conversion of the Pharisee Saul, himself a fervent persecutor of the Christians, the Jews relentlessly persecuted him. They were the source of Jesus’ and Paul’s deepest hurts, throughout both their ministries, even up to each one's execution. Jesus Himself chose Saul for this heart-breaking mission to turn from the Jews, who rejected Him, and take the gospel to the Gentiles. The lesson we learn from this is that salvation is not based on nationality, nor a system of religion. Salvation is based on faith. God had established the pattern of truth throughout the history of Israel. Being descended from Abraham did not make them (spiritual) Israel. Only faith in Abraham’s God could do that.
It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring. For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”
Not only that, but Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” Romans 9:6-13
God’s Word never fails. We are never off course with Bible Doctrine. Physical birth does not make one true Israel. There is a nation of Israel: Abraham’s natural descendants, and there is spiritual Israel: those who by faith have believed in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It is to spiritual Israel that all the covenant promises were made, and to whom those promises will be fulfilled. Through all those generations, very few of the Jews perceived the pattern.
Operative phrase, verse 11: “that God’s purpose in election might stand: not by (human) works but by Him Who calls.”
“God’s purpose” His perfect plan of grace.
“election” those called and adopted into God’s family.
“might stand” be established as the spiritual pattern.
“not by works” can’t be earned, can’t be deserved.
“Him Who calls.” The planner and perfecter of our redemption.
As we’ve seen in Romans 8:29-30, God’s foreknowledge of each human determines His expectation of that human. In our humanity, we have volition. Free will. God always knew how we would choose and how we would respond to Him in our lives. Like it or not, God has His perfect standards. Yes, God is love, but there are evils and rebellious attitudes God hates (Proverbs 16:16-19). If there were no standards and expectations He would not be God.
You wish to question God? You have a problem with His plan? You dare to judge His Sovereign Authority? By what measure? Human emotion?
What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses,
“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. Romans 9:14-18
Evil Pharaoh served his purpose in the grand scheme of things, but not without God’s sovereign appointment. Romans 8:28: that’s ALL THINGS. The key to understanding the plan of God is figuring out Who’s in charge here.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
No Separation
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:81-39
“these things:” All of Romans chapter 8. No condemnation for believers. Complete justification. Indwelling Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit intercession for us. Eternal heirship as adopted sons of God. Promised glorification that is worth our sufferings in time. All the circumstances of our lives being woven into a beautiful tapestry of goodness in God’s predetermined plan. “These things” and much more are the present and future possessions of every born-again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
How do we respond to such wonders? We must be very privileged, indeed. And we are. God is on our side. Our position IN CHRIST is sealed. Who, then, can threaten our security? If God gave up His own Son for our salvation, what can there be that He would not give us?
Who are our accusers? God Himself has justified us. Who can condemn us? No one. Jesus came to save, not to condemn (John 3:17). The Sovereign Authority of the universe is the One Who died for our sin, was raised to life for our resurrection, and is now seated at God’s right hand, interceding on our behalf. Who is tough enough to separate us from His love?
Not trouble. “In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world” John 16:33.
Not hardship. “Take my yoke upon you…my yoke is easy and my burden is light” Matthew 11:29-30.
Not persecution. “Blessed are you…rejoice and be glad…great is your reward” Matthew 5:11-12
Not famine, nakedness, danger or sword. “rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings” I Peter 4:13
God’s people have always suffered periods of extreme persecution. At times they have despaired. Paul suffered persecution from his people, the Jews. He had a better understanding, though, than the Old Testament believers had, of the eternal plan of God for His elect. Satan is our constant accuser. Paul was confident, and he assures us, that all of Satan’s accusations and schemes cannot negate God’s love for us. We need not fear death because of Jesus’ resurrection. We have nothing to fear in life, because the Holy Spirit lives within us. Fallen angels and demonic forces have no power over the children of God. Our present and future circumstances are in the careful planning of our Lord. No earthly powers, no ethereal powers, no underworld powers, no created being of any kind can separate us from the love of God that is IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.
Nothing external can ever interfere with our fellowship with God. Only our own bad attitudes, ignorance of doctrine, and fear of the “what ifs” if life can adversely affect our peace and production in the Christian Life. Even that will not take away our salvation, or the constant love and provision of God.
His love for His children is total, unconditional and forever. That makes us more than conquerors, through Jesus.
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:81-39
“these things:” All of Romans chapter 8. No condemnation for believers. Complete justification. Indwelling Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit intercession for us. Eternal heirship as adopted sons of God. Promised glorification that is worth our sufferings in time. All the circumstances of our lives being woven into a beautiful tapestry of goodness in God’s predetermined plan. “These things” and much more are the present and future possessions of every born-again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
How do we respond to such wonders? We must be very privileged, indeed. And we are. God is on our side. Our position IN CHRIST is sealed. Who, then, can threaten our security? If God gave up His own Son for our salvation, what can there be that He would not give us?
Who are our accusers? God Himself has justified us. Who can condemn us? No one. Jesus came to save, not to condemn (John 3:17). The Sovereign Authority of the universe is the One Who died for our sin, was raised to life for our resurrection, and is now seated at God’s right hand, interceding on our behalf. Who is tough enough to separate us from His love?
Not trouble. “In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world” John 16:33.
Not hardship. “Take my yoke upon you…my yoke is easy and my burden is light” Matthew 11:29-30.
Not persecution. “Blessed are you…rejoice and be glad…great is your reward” Matthew 5:11-12
Not famine, nakedness, danger or sword. “rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings” I Peter 4:13
God’s people have always suffered periods of extreme persecution. At times they have despaired. Paul suffered persecution from his people, the Jews. He had a better understanding, though, than the Old Testament believers had, of the eternal plan of God for His elect. Satan is our constant accuser. Paul was confident, and he assures us, that all of Satan’s accusations and schemes cannot negate God’s love for us. We need not fear death because of Jesus’ resurrection. We have nothing to fear in life, because the Holy Spirit lives within us. Fallen angels and demonic forces have no power over the children of God. Our present and future circumstances are in the careful planning of our Lord. No earthly powers, no ethereal powers, no underworld powers, no created being of any kind can separate us from the love of God that is IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.
Nothing external can ever interfere with our fellowship with God. Only our own bad attitudes, ignorance of doctrine, and fear of the “what ifs” if life can adversely affect our peace and production in the Christian Life. Even that will not take away our salvation, or the constant love and provision of God.
His love for His children is total, unconditional and forever. That makes us more than conquerors, through Jesus.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
His Purpose
In Romans 8:18-25 Paul tells the Church that even though we endure much suffering in the earthly realm, that suffering will be as nothing compared to the glory that will be revealed in our eternal being. Positionally, we have been adopted as adult sons, but while we continue our assignments on earth, our bodies as well as nature itself are in a state of corruption. So nature groans and we groan under the curse of sin until that time when our hope (confident anticipation) is fulfilled, and God displays His workmanship in us. Because we do anticipate that glorification with confidence, we can be patient in our day-by-day walk with our Lord.
The Holy Spirit helps us in that patient endurance, also, because He knows exactly what we need and how to pray on our behalf. We often do not know what we need or how to pray according to God’s will, but He has provided the comforter for us to “run interference” in our trials of faith and character. That is a magnificent promise, brethren. When we are at our wit’s end, spiritually, just relax and claim this promise and know that God the Holy Spirit has your needs spoken before the throne of grace:
Romans 8:26-27, In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
Romans 8:28, And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Everybody’s favorite promise. AND WE KNOW that in ALL THINGS God works for the good. Usually quoted from the more poetic King James version and simplified as “all things work together for good.” Like some other favorite Bible quotes, though, it is oversimplified and quoted out of context, thereby losing its true meaning.
God works all things together for whose good? For the good of those who love Him, (every believer does not just automatically love God) AND those who have been called (elected to privilege) according to His purpose (predetermined plan). John 14:15 (Jesus speaking, to His disciples) ““If you love me, keep my commands.” (Maybe you love me, maybe you don’t, but IF you do here’s how you show it.)
So, for those who are called according to God’s purpose (believers) and who have continued to learn and obey Him and who genuinely love Him, every circumstance in life works out eventually to the good. Not only to the individual believers who love God, but to the Church; because it is His pleasure to give us good things and because we represent Him in the world. The good mentioned here is not just relative good, but good of intrinsic value, meaning it is good anywhere, anytime, in any circumstances. The best good. God’s good.
Romans 8:29-30 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
God is Omniscient. He knew you and me in eternity past. Before there was a you and me, He foreknew all about every one of us. Which ones would be His. As He decreed the atoning work of His Son, He predestined us who would be His to be conformed to the image of His Son. That predestination was available to all who would believe, but God knew which ones would believe, and devised a plan whereby we would be changed and would learn how to live as Royal Family of God. Those who would be His, He made contact with in time and gave us the gospel message of salvation. When we believed the message, He justified us by declaring us righteous, just like Jesus Christ. And just like Jesus Christ, He has glorified us by adopting us as His adult sons.
The Holy Spirit helps us in that patient endurance, also, because He knows exactly what we need and how to pray on our behalf. We often do not know what we need or how to pray according to God’s will, but He has provided the comforter for us to “run interference” in our trials of faith and character. That is a magnificent promise, brethren. When we are at our wit’s end, spiritually, just relax and claim this promise and know that God the Holy Spirit has your needs spoken before the throne of grace:
Romans 8:26-27, In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
Romans 8:28, And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Everybody’s favorite promise. AND WE KNOW that in ALL THINGS God works for the good. Usually quoted from the more poetic King James version and simplified as “all things work together for good.” Like some other favorite Bible quotes, though, it is oversimplified and quoted out of context, thereby losing its true meaning.
God works all things together for whose good? For the good of those who love Him, (every believer does not just automatically love God) AND those who have been called (elected to privilege) according to His purpose (predetermined plan). John 14:15 (Jesus speaking, to His disciples) ““If you love me, keep my commands.” (Maybe you love me, maybe you don’t, but IF you do here’s how you show it.)
So, for those who are called according to God’s purpose (believers) and who have continued to learn and obey Him and who genuinely love Him, every circumstance in life works out eventually to the good. Not only to the individual believers who love God, but to the Church; because it is His pleasure to give us good things and because we represent Him in the world. The good mentioned here is not just relative good, but good of intrinsic value, meaning it is good anywhere, anytime, in any circumstances. The best good. God’s good.
Romans 8:29-30 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
God is Omniscient. He knew you and me in eternity past. Before there was a you and me, He foreknew all about every one of us. Which ones would be His. As He decreed the atoning work of His Son, He predestined us who would be His to be conformed to the image of His Son. That predestination was available to all who would believe, but God knew which ones would believe, and devised a plan whereby we would be changed and would learn how to live as Royal Family of God. Those who would be His, He made contact with in time and gave us the gospel message of salvation. When we believed the message, He justified us by declaring us righteous, just like Jesus Christ. And just like Jesus Christ, He has glorified us by adopting us as His adult sons.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Adoption
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. Romans 8:12-17
“Therefore,” because of the position we have as believers (brothers and sisters) in Jesus Christ; because we will never again be under condemnation for our sins; because the Holy Spirit is indwelling us and giving us life, we are obligated; but not to the old sin nature. That person is dead to God. His lusts and human good are of no value to God or to us, so continuing to serve him will neutralize the believer’s life as a child of God. The Holy Spirit will not share your soul with the old sin nature, so one must dominate, the other must diminish. There is a clever little one-liner going around the internet these days: “there are two natures struggling for control within you. The one you feed will grow.” That is absolutely true.
So, let’s give the Spirit of God leadership of our lives. Only the children of God have that privilege. We are not slaves anymore, cowering in fear, but fully inducted sons. Adoption in ancient practice did not mean what it means to us now. If we adopt, it means we take a child born to someone else and make him our own. In ancient Rome, a child born into a family was treated as chattel for the first 14 years. Slaves in the household actually had the rule over him, to see to his upbringing and education. The child wore a robe of a certain design, identifying him as a child. At age 14, the child was adopted in a special ceremony and declared a legal adult, with all the privileges of adulthood. In that ceremony, the father took off the robe of childhood and dressed the brand new adult in the “toga virilis” (robe of manhood). Doncha love it? He could now vote, manage money, get married, and enter military service.
At the moment of salvation, one of the many things the Holy Spirit does for us is He places (adopts) us as adult sons of the Father. Now God is our Daddy. The Holy Spirit knows us as God’s Own children. Since we are without doubt God’s children, we share the sonship and destiny of Jesus Christ.
Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. Galatians 3:25-27
Please notice those who are IN CHRIST JESUS are the children of God. Just being born human does not make that so, in spite of what the world wants to think. Those who are not born again by faith in Jesus Christ are worldlings, children of Satan, not children of God.
John 8:43-45 (Jesus speaking to unbelievers) “Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!
Romans 8:7-8 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
There it is. An unbeliever is not a child of God, does not understand the things of God and is not capable of obeying God’s law. We, the members of God’s Royal Family, are the heirs of salvation and are able to love Him, submit to His authority, grow in grace and knowledge, and please Him by producing the divine good He expects from His sons.
We share in Christ’s sufferings because of the persecution of the world. We will also share in His eternal glory, as God's adult sons.
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. Romans 8:12-17
“Therefore,” because of the position we have as believers (brothers and sisters) in Jesus Christ; because we will never again be under condemnation for our sins; because the Holy Spirit is indwelling us and giving us life, we are obligated; but not to the old sin nature. That person is dead to God. His lusts and human good are of no value to God or to us, so continuing to serve him will neutralize the believer’s life as a child of God. The Holy Spirit will not share your soul with the old sin nature, so one must dominate, the other must diminish. There is a clever little one-liner going around the internet these days: “there are two natures struggling for control within you. The one you feed will grow.” That is absolutely true.
So, let’s give the Spirit of God leadership of our lives. Only the children of God have that privilege. We are not slaves anymore, cowering in fear, but fully inducted sons. Adoption in ancient practice did not mean what it means to us now. If we adopt, it means we take a child born to someone else and make him our own. In ancient Rome, a child born into a family was treated as chattel for the first 14 years. Slaves in the household actually had the rule over him, to see to his upbringing and education. The child wore a robe of a certain design, identifying him as a child. At age 14, the child was adopted in a special ceremony and declared a legal adult, with all the privileges of adulthood. In that ceremony, the father took off the robe of childhood and dressed the brand new adult in the “toga virilis” (robe of manhood). Doncha love it? He could now vote, manage money, get married, and enter military service.
At the moment of salvation, one of the many things the Holy Spirit does for us is He places (adopts) us as adult sons of the Father. Now God is our Daddy. The Holy Spirit knows us as God’s Own children. Since we are without doubt God’s children, we share the sonship and destiny of Jesus Christ.
Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. Galatians 3:25-27
Please notice those who are IN CHRIST JESUS are the children of God. Just being born human does not make that so, in spite of what the world wants to think. Those who are not born again by faith in Jesus Christ are worldlings, children of Satan, not children of God.
John 8:43-45 (Jesus speaking to unbelievers) “Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!
Romans 8:7-8 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
There it is. An unbeliever is not a child of God, does not understand the things of God and is not capable of obeying God’s law. We, the members of God’s Royal Family, are the heirs of salvation and are able to love Him, submit to His authority, grow in grace and knowledge, and please Him by producing the divine good He expects from His sons.
We share in Christ’s sufferings because of the persecution of the world. We will also share in His eternal glory, as God's adult sons.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
No Condemnation
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1-4
“Therefore,” because of our deliverance from sin and death (Romans 7:24-25), there is NO CONDEMNATION for those who are IN CHRIST JESUS!
We’ve seen that the law revealed sin. Mankind had no definition for sin until the law was given. In defining sin, the law brought our realization of spiritual death, because the law could not produce life. That can only mean condemnation for all mankind, for we are all born in Adam’s likeness: sinful flesh. Old sin nature. Despair. Through Christ Jesus, though, the Holy Spirit has set us free from that judgment. Jesus took our judgment on the cross. He was the only human qualified to do so, because He was without sin of His own.
What does “no condemnation” actually mean? It means that, since our sins were all atoned for and we have received that atonement on our behalf, we who believe in Jesus will not have to face an accounting at the Great White Throne. Jesus paid. It means that our daily lives are now empowered by the Holy Spirit to walk in fellowship with God and obey Him in our attitudes and actions.
Jesus came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). He did that, perfectly, removing that obstacle between us and the Father. It is the Father’s plan, the Son’s finished work and the Holy Spirit’s occupation. We were saved by God and we are in His constant care. Secure IN CHRIST.
“I, even I, am he who blots out
your transgressions, for my own sake,
and remembers your sins no more.” Isaiah 43:25
“as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12
“For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” Hebrews 10:14
We don’t have to live according to the flesh (old sin nature) anymore. Now we are able to live according to the Holy Spirit Who indwells us, producing divine good from the source of God’s very own righteousness.
Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:5-8
There is no compromise. The conflict rages between the old sin nature and the Holy Spirit. There are no degrees of spirituality. You are spiritual or you are carnal at any given moment. Only those things done in the power of the Holy Spirit are acceptable to God as good. We continue to have that choice. The Bible is filled with biographies of believers who made wrong decisions, indulged their flesh, cultivated sinful pleasures and human viewpoint, to their own sorrow. No believer has to maintain that lifestyle, though. It is a matter of personal volition day by day. If you’ve made a mess of things, claim I John 1:9. God can turn your life around on a dime. And He will, when you submit to His authority. You’ll be glad you did.
You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. Romans 8:9-11
Remember Whose you are! If you have believed in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit lives in you. It is His job to give life to your soul, even as your body is gradually dying. He raised Jesus from the dead. He is in the life-giving business, and the life He has given supersedes the power of sin and death.
The penalty for our sins has been paid. We don’t need to dwell on those sins. Now we can enjoy new life in the Spirit. It's an attitude adjustment.
“Therefore,” because of our deliverance from sin and death (Romans 7:24-25), there is NO CONDEMNATION for those who are IN CHRIST JESUS!
We’ve seen that the law revealed sin. Mankind had no definition for sin until the law was given. In defining sin, the law brought our realization of spiritual death, because the law could not produce life. That can only mean condemnation for all mankind, for we are all born in Adam’s likeness: sinful flesh. Old sin nature. Despair. Through Christ Jesus, though, the Holy Spirit has set us free from that judgment. Jesus took our judgment on the cross. He was the only human qualified to do so, because He was without sin of His own.
What does “no condemnation” actually mean? It means that, since our sins were all atoned for and we have received that atonement on our behalf, we who believe in Jesus will not have to face an accounting at the Great White Throne. Jesus paid. It means that our daily lives are now empowered by the Holy Spirit to walk in fellowship with God and obey Him in our attitudes and actions.
Jesus came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). He did that, perfectly, removing that obstacle between us and the Father. It is the Father’s plan, the Son’s finished work and the Holy Spirit’s occupation. We were saved by God and we are in His constant care. Secure IN CHRIST.
“I, even I, am he who blots out
your transgressions, for my own sake,
and remembers your sins no more.” Isaiah 43:25
“as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12
“For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” Hebrews 10:14
We don’t have to live according to the flesh (old sin nature) anymore. Now we are able to live according to the Holy Spirit Who indwells us, producing divine good from the source of God’s very own righteousness.
Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:5-8
There is no compromise. The conflict rages between the old sin nature and the Holy Spirit. There are no degrees of spirituality. You are spiritual or you are carnal at any given moment. Only those things done in the power of the Holy Spirit are acceptable to God as good. We continue to have that choice. The Bible is filled with biographies of believers who made wrong decisions, indulged their flesh, cultivated sinful pleasures and human viewpoint, to their own sorrow. No believer has to maintain that lifestyle, though. It is a matter of personal volition day by day. If you’ve made a mess of things, claim I John 1:9. God can turn your life around on a dime. And He will, when you submit to His authority. You’ll be glad you did.
You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. Romans 8:9-11
Remember Whose you are! If you have believed in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit lives in you. It is His job to give life to your soul, even as your body is gradually dying. He raised Jesus from the dead. He is in the life-giving business, and the life He has given supersedes the power of sin and death.
The penalty for our sins has been paid. We don’t need to dwell on those sins. Now we can enjoy new life in the Spirit. It's an attitude adjustment.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Inner Conflict
We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Romans 7:14-25
Having expounded even further in the first 13 verses of Romans 7 about the believer’s death to sin, Paul now gets up close and personal about the ongoing struggle between the two natures of the believer. The spiritual transition is total at the point of faith in Christ, but the bodily experience can be quite a difficult pilgrimage. As a former religious legalist, it seems to have been especially painful for Paul.
His testimony regarding his own righteousness as Saul of Tarsus: Philippians 3:6, “as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.” Acts 23:1 “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.” As a godly Jew he had considered himself blameless. He was ambitiously chalking up points in that life. He had not yet realized that even with all that work, he would never reach his goal of perfection. Since the law had no power to deliver, the real master continued to be sin.
Then he met the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus. Everything changed. He now could see that the law is spiritual. He now could see that not only had he not actually kept the law, he was condemned by the law. He, who had thought he was alive, now realized he was spiritually dead. He saw that all his past works were worthless human good. He saw that in spite of his efforts to impress God with his own righteousness, the sin remained and dominated. He saw that in his sinful nature, there was nothing good. As a legalist, he genuinely wanted to do good, but could not. He wanted nothing to do with evil, but there it was, constantly in his life. How could this be? Answer, verse 20: “it is sin living in me that does it.” Congenital sin.
Human good is no good.
Isaiah 64:6 “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”
After his shocking encounter with Jesus, Paul was physically blinded and led helplessly to a Christian who could help him understand what had happened to him (Acts 9:9). Then he spent three years in Arabia (Galatians 1:12-18) alone with the Lord, learning about the purpose of the law and the power of the sin nature to enslave the unbeliever to evil. He learned about the deliverance from slavery by the death of Christ, and our identification with His death. “Thanks be to God!”
The sin nature isn’t deleted, however. It remains in our cell structure as long as we live in these bodies. There will always be the conflict between the Holy Spirit in us and the old sin nature, trying to regain control of our thinking and behavior, until such time as physical death eliminates all that baggage we were born with. Oh, wretched man!
In this life, we will always need to maintain a right relationship with God by obedience to His Word. He has promised to help us with that. There will be lapses in judgment and moments of weakness. Until we learn what really is and is not sin, there will be pitfalls of ignorance. He has given us every asset by which to live and learn and grow. One of the most basic and most frequently necessary for the believer is found in I John 1:7-9:
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (keeps on cleansing us from all sin!)
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us (get real). 9 If we confess our sins (name them to God. Agree with Him about our sin. Admit that thought or action was wrong), he is faithful (always does the same thing) and just (fair and righteous in this action) and will forgive us our sins (the ones we confessed, because we know they are sin) and purify us from all unrighteousness (the ones we didn’t confess because of ignorance).
IN CHRIST we are free and pure, enslaved only to righteousness. In the mortal body, we are still plagued by the sin nature within.
Who is in control? We choose. With growth and awareness, the choice gets more obvious and easier. We are not alone.
So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Romans 7:14-25
Having expounded even further in the first 13 verses of Romans 7 about the believer’s death to sin, Paul now gets up close and personal about the ongoing struggle between the two natures of the believer. The spiritual transition is total at the point of faith in Christ, but the bodily experience can be quite a difficult pilgrimage. As a former religious legalist, it seems to have been especially painful for Paul.
His testimony regarding his own righteousness as Saul of Tarsus: Philippians 3:6, “as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.” Acts 23:1 “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.” As a godly Jew he had considered himself blameless. He was ambitiously chalking up points in that life. He had not yet realized that even with all that work, he would never reach his goal of perfection. Since the law had no power to deliver, the real master continued to be sin.
Then he met the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus. Everything changed. He now could see that the law is spiritual. He now could see that not only had he not actually kept the law, he was condemned by the law. He, who had thought he was alive, now realized he was spiritually dead. He saw that all his past works were worthless human good. He saw that in spite of his efforts to impress God with his own righteousness, the sin remained and dominated. He saw that in his sinful nature, there was nothing good. As a legalist, he genuinely wanted to do good, but could not. He wanted nothing to do with evil, but there it was, constantly in his life. How could this be? Answer, verse 20: “it is sin living in me that does it.” Congenital sin.
Human good is no good.
Isaiah 64:6 “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”
After his shocking encounter with Jesus, Paul was physically blinded and led helplessly to a Christian who could help him understand what had happened to him (Acts 9:9). Then he spent three years in Arabia (Galatians 1:12-18) alone with the Lord, learning about the purpose of the law and the power of the sin nature to enslave the unbeliever to evil. He learned about the deliverance from slavery by the death of Christ, and our identification with His death. “Thanks be to God!”
The sin nature isn’t deleted, however. It remains in our cell structure as long as we live in these bodies. There will always be the conflict between the Holy Spirit in us and the old sin nature, trying to regain control of our thinking and behavior, until such time as physical death eliminates all that baggage we were born with. Oh, wretched man!
In this life, we will always need to maintain a right relationship with God by obedience to His Word. He has promised to help us with that. There will be lapses in judgment and moments of weakness. Until we learn what really is and is not sin, there will be pitfalls of ignorance. He has given us every asset by which to live and learn and grow. One of the most basic and most frequently necessary for the believer is found in I John 1:7-9:
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (keeps on cleansing us from all sin!)
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us (get real). 9 If we confess our sins (name them to God. Agree with Him about our sin. Admit that thought or action was wrong), he is faithful (always does the same thing) and just (fair and righteous in this action) and will forgive us our sins (the ones we confessed, because we know they are sin) and purify us from all unrighteousness (the ones we didn’t confess because of ignorance).
IN CHRIST we are free and pure, enslaved only to righteousness. In the mortal body, we are still plagued by the sin nature within.
Who is in control? We choose. With growth and awareness, the choice gets more obvious and easier. We are not alone.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Whose Slave?
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:15-23
No, we are not robots. We were given free will as part of our soul, to make decisions about what we believe and who we will obey. Being born spiritually dead, our decisions are pretty limited for the first part of our physical life, until we are confronted with the reality of God and His law. The decisions for an unbeliever are limited to which sins he will indulge in, or what kind of human good he will produce. An unbeliever’s concept of sin is based on whatever taboos he was taught in his family and culture. An unbeliever’s concept of good is whatever values he has been taught by his family and culture. It all amounts to human viewpoint. A spiritually dead human’s viewpoint is severely warped by worldly pleasures and fears; the norms and standards of paganism, heathenism, legalism, asceticism or religion. That person will rationalize his behaviors and attitudes, comparing personal values against personal values, evils against evils. This is relative righteousness: my sins are nicer than your sins. Your good is not as purely motivated as my good. All of this is vanity! None of it measures up to the Absolute Righteousness of God. God accepts no righteousness but His own.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:8-9
The unbeliever is spiritually dead because he was born under the condemnation of Adam’s sin. Everyone has some standards, but until we come to know Jesus Christ, we do not know God’s standards. We just do “what comes naturally,” or we force ourselves into a “good” behavior pattern that grandma would approve of, but our lusts and inadequacies are always with us. The lusts are accompanied by a sense of guilt, usually, and our inadequacies render us incapable of achieving peace with God. It is a never-ending search for happiness which leads to growing frustration and a constant pleasure-seeking frenzy within the blacked-out soul (Romans 1:21, Ephesians 4:18). Slavery to sin! No matter how nicely packaged it is, if it is not God’s Righteousness, it is sin. No matter how we justify our involvement in it, we are enslaved by it. What is the benefit in that? It results in death. We remember it with shame.
Well, Jesus made us free! He purchased us from the slave-market with His own blood. He took our sin debt and gave us His Righteousness. Whoever believes in Him has eternal life (John 3:16). You are not only free from the former slavemaster, you are made new. IN CHRIST, we are a new species. No longer Jew, no longer Gentile, no longer enslaved to sin. We are Church!
Now there is some personal reprogramming to be done. Jesus changed us instantaneously. Positionally, we are IN HIM forever. That is eternal reality. But while still in the earthly dimension, in our corrupted earth-suits, the vestiges of the Old Man are still with us. To realize the blessings of Whose we are, we must now make different decisions; choose different values; see life and opportunities and sin from God’s perspective. We now must cultivate Divine Viewpoint. Claim our freedom. Re-educate our souls to enjoy God’s culture, God’s norms and standards, God’s sense of what is good and pure and beautiful. Now we can begin to see that what we thought was “not so bad” was actually evil, because it was rebellious thinking against God.
We have all the divine operating assets at our disposal to accomplish this reprogramming: the indwelling Holy Spirit enabling the reactivated human spirit (which had died with original sin), prayer, the written Word of God, our sense of identification with God the Son, categorical Bible doctrine (“pattern of teaching,” v 17) taught by God-called Pastor-teachers, a Church family to help familiarize us with our new life as slaves of righteousness. We learn scripture. We learn grace. We learn techniques and disciplines for the Christian Way of Life. We don’t spring into full maturity as believers on day one of our salvation. It is a growth process, and the most wonderful of all adventures in life.
I Peter 3:18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:15-23
No, we are not robots. We were given free will as part of our soul, to make decisions about what we believe and who we will obey. Being born spiritually dead, our decisions are pretty limited for the first part of our physical life, until we are confronted with the reality of God and His law. The decisions for an unbeliever are limited to which sins he will indulge in, or what kind of human good he will produce. An unbeliever’s concept of sin is based on whatever taboos he was taught in his family and culture. An unbeliever’s concept of good is whatever values he has been taught by his family and culture. It all amounts to human viewpoint. A spiritually dead human’s viewpoint is severely warped by worldly pleasures and fears; the norms and standards of paganism, heathenism, legalism, asceticism or religion. That person will rationalize his behaviors and attitudes, comparing personal values against personal values, evils against evils. This is relative righteousness: my sins are nicer than your sins. Your good is not as purely motivated as my good. All of this is vanity! None of it measures up to the Absolute Righteousness of God. God accepts no righteousness but His own.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:8-9
The unbeliever is spiritually dead because he was born under the condemnation of Adam’s sin. Everyone has some standards, but until we come to know Jesus Christ, we do not know God’s standards. We just do “what comes naturally,” or we force ourselves into a “good” behavior pattern that grandma would approve of, but our lusts and inadequacies are always with us. The lusts are accompanied by a sense of guilt, usually, and our inadequacies render us incapable of achieving peace with God. It is a never-ending search for happiness which leads to growing frustration and a constant pleasure-seeking frenzy within the blacked-out soul (Romans 1:21, Ephesians 4:18). Slavery to sin! No matter how nicely packaged it is, if it is not God’s Righteousness, it is sin. No matter how we justify our involvement in it, we are enslaved by it. What is the benefit in that? It results in death. We remember it with shame.
Well, Jesus made us free! He purchased us from the slave-market with His own blood. He took our sin debt and gave us His Righteousness. Whoever believes in Him has eternal life (John 3:16). You are not only free from the former slavemaster, you are made new. IN CHRIST, we are a new species. No longer Jew, no longer Gentile, no longer enslaved to sin. We are Church!
Now there is some personal reprogramming to be done. Jesus changed us instantaneously. Positionally, we are IN HIM forever. That is eternal reality. But while still in the earthly dimension, in our corrupted earth-suits, the vestiges of the Old Man are still with us. To realize the blessings of Whose we are, we must now make different decisions; choose different values; see life and opportunities and sin from God’s perspective. We now must cultivate Divine Viewpoint. Claim our freedom. Re-educate our souls to enjoy God’s culture, God’s norms and standards, God’s sense of what is good and pure and beautiful. Now we can begin to see that what we thought was “not so bad” was actually evil, because it was rebellious thinking against God.
We have all the divine operating assets at our disposal to accomplish this reprogramming: the indwelling Holy Spirit enabling the reactivated human spirit (which had died with original sin), prayer, the written Word of God, our sense of identification with God the Son, categorical Bible doctrine (“pattern of teaching,” v 17) taught by God-called Pastor-teachers, a Church family to help familiarize us with our new life as slaves of righteousness. We learn scripture. We learn grace. We learn techniques and disciplines for the Christian Way of Life. We don’t spring into full maturity as believers on day one of our salvation. It is a growth process, and the most wonderful of all adventures in life.
I Peter 3:18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Dead to Sin
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. Romans 6:1-14
We know now, from Romans chapter 5, that (a) we didn’t do anything to be condemned, (b) we cannot do anything earn salvation, (c) we cannot do anything to keep ourselves saved. We were lost through Adam’s sin, we are redeemed through Jesus’ obedience, we are kept saved by His living intercession before the throne of God. Great! Let the “good times” roll!
Were they really good times?
NO!! Because of our identification with Christ in His death and resurrection, we are separated from (dead to) sin. We who have believed and received His atonement have been spiritually crucified with Jesus. We were changed by that event, for all time and eternity. There is no going back to the old slavery to sin. The dead don’t sin anymore. It is a matter of mental attitude in those who have been made spiritually alive (resurrected). The body of corruption is still with us, but we do not have to obey the lusts of the flesh. We now have a new nature, the Holy Spirit, who enables us to learn and practice God’s ways rather than the way of the world. The temptations are still part of our flesh, but our person has been elevated by grace, so that we see ourselves as we are: IN CHRIST. Crucified, buried and resurrected IN HIM. That is how the Father sees believers, so we must learn to see ourselves in that same reality. That is our permanent position.
While we were dead to God, sin had complete reign over us. Now, having believed in Jesus and having received His righteousness, we are alive to God. Sin can no longer control our lives. We are free!
Our physical bodies will eventually die. Good riddance to the Old Sin Nature. Then we can have the same kind of life our Lord is experiencing now. He came to give us that. Our knowledge of Whose we are and what our new nature is gives us the sense of eternal oneness with Christ and sonship of the Father. We are everything Jesus is, spiritually, because of the new birth. Remember, faith is not feeling, faith is knowing. Verse 3: “Don’t you know that we were baptized into Christ’s death?” Verse 6: “knowing that our old self was crucified with Him…” Verse 9: “knowing that death has no more power…”
Sin was our pimp; ruling over us, using us as instruments of wickedness, enslaving our corrupted bodies and condemning us through the law, gaining power at our expense.
Now we are married to the King. Grace is now our home and righteousness is our nature. The old self holds no reality for us, who belong to the Lord of Life. Sin has nothing to offer that can alienate us from our relationship to the One Who made us free.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. Romans 6:1-14
We know now, from Romans chapter 5, that (a) we didn’t do anything to be condemned, (b) we cannot do anything earn salvation, (c) we cannot do anything to keep ourselves saved. We were lost through Adam’s sin, we are redeemed through Jesus’ obedience, we are kept saved by His living intercession before the throne of God. Great! Let the “good times” roll!
Were they really good times?
NO!! Because of our identification with Christ in His death and resurrection, we are separated from (dead to) sin. We who have believed and received His atonement have been spiritually crucified with Jesus. We were changed by that event, for all time and eternity. There is no going back to the old slavery to sin. The dead don’t sin anymore. It is a matter of mental attitude in those who have been made spiritually alive (resurrected). The body of corruption is still with us, but we do not have to obey the lusts of the flesh. We now have a new nature, the Holy Spirit, who enables us to learn and practice God’s ways rather than the way of the world. The temptations are still part of our flesh, but our person has been elevated by grace, so that we see ourselves as we are: IN CHRIST. Crucified, buried and resurrected IN HIM. That is how the Father sees believers, so we must learn to see ourselves in that same reality. That is our permanent position.
While we were dead to God, sin had complete reign over us. Now, having believed in Jesus and having received His righteousness, we are alive to God. Sin can no longer control our lives. We are free!
Our physical bodies will eventually die. Good riddance to the Old Sin Nature. Then we can have the same kind of life our Lord is experiencing now. He came to give us that. Our knowledge of Whose we are and what our new nature is gives us the sense of eternal oneness with Christ and sonship of the Father. We are everything Jesus is, spiritually, because of the new birth. Remember, faith is not feeling, faith is knowing. Verse 3: “Don’t you know that we were baptized into Christ’s death?” Verse 6: “knowing that our old self was crucified with Him…” Verse 9: “knowing that death has no more power…”
Sin was our pimp; ruling over us, using us as instruments of wickedness, enslaving our corrupted bodies and condemning us through the law, gaining power at our expense.
Now we are married to the King. Grace is now our home and righteousness is our nature. The old self holds no reality for us, who belong to the Lord of Life. Sin has nothing to offer that can alienate us from our relationship to the One Who made us free.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
One Man
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned— To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.
But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:12-21
You are not condemned by anything you have done or will do in life. Our condemnation results from Adam’s disobedience. He was changed by disobedience. He died spiritually and his body began to die physically. His body was contaminated by the Old Sin Nature in his cell structure….inherited by all his offspring. Offspring are reproduced “after their kind.”
The Bible term for the Old Sin Nature is “flesh,” or “body of corruption.” We are all born with contaminated bodies which must die. This principle is explained in great detail in Romans chapter 8. The virgin birth was absolutely necessary for the sinless true humanity of the Savior. We females are sinners, too, but we do not pass on the OSN in procreation. That is from the male, because of Adam’s responsibility in original sin. Mary was a normal human female, with an OSN, but because she was impregnated by God the Holy Spirit rather than a human male, the “seed of the woman” was born pure (Genesis 3:15, Galatians 4:4). Because of His spiritual and physical purity, the uniquely born Son of God could live in perfect obedience to the Father’s plan, and when the time came for Him to physically die, He dismissed His own spirit. He had already paid the penalty for our sins and announced “it is finished.” By receiving our sins in His own uncorrupted body, He had died spiritually (blood of Christ). His work was done. Now, His body could die and receive resurrection, to return to His Father in heaven.
You are not saved by anything you have done or can do in life. You can only believe in the finished work of Christ on the cross. This was a judicial decree from the justice of God; cancelling out the penalty of being born human, having an OSN.
Adam/created perfect/ disobeyed
Christ/born perfect/obeyed
We/born condemned/believe
There is no way we can figure ourselves into this great accomplishment. We must just accept it.
There is nothing we can do to change the judicial imputation of perfect righteousness to us. Imputation: an act of God whereby He credits the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ to us (2 Corinthians 5:21). Once it has been imputed to the individual, it is with us forever (2 Corinthians 1:21:22, Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30). This is not necessarily evidenced by our personal conduct. It is the sovereign decree of God!
Those who think they can do something to change the justification decreed by God are demonstrating arrogance, limiting God’s ability to the human level and denying grace. It is God’s plan, God’s work, God’s guarantee. We cannot add anything. We cannot subtract anything. Adding legalism places a stumblingblock before the unbeliever seeking to be saved. Legalism hinders the believer from spiritual growth and production of divine good, the only basis for rewards.
The first Adam disobeyed and left all of us under the curse of the Old Sin Nature. The last Adam obeyed and removed that curse for all who will believe.
But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:12-21
You are not condemned by anything you have done or will do in life. Our condemnation results from Adam’s disobedience. He was changed by disobedience. He died spiritually and his body began to die physically. His body was contaminated by the Old Sin Nature in his cell structure….inherited by all his offspring. Offspring are reproduced “after their kind.”
The Bible term for the Old Sin Nature is “flesh,” or “body of corruption.” We are all born with contaminated bodies which must die. This principle is explained in great detail in Romans chapter 8. The virgin birth was absolutely necessary for the sinless true humanity of the Savior. We females are sinners, too, but we do not pass on the OSN in procreation. That is from the male, because of Adam’s responsibility in original sin. Mary was a normal human female, with an OSN, but because she was impregnated by God the Holy Spirit rather than a human male, the “seed of the woman” was born pure (Genesis 3:15, Galatians 4:4). Because of His spiritual and physical purity, the uniquely born Son of God could live in perfect obedience to the Father’s plan, and when the time came for Him to physically die, He dismissed His own spirit. He had already paid the penalty for our sins and announced “it is finished.” By receiving our sins in His own uncorrupted body, He had died spiritually (blood of Christ). His work was done. Now, His body could die and receive resurrection, to return to His Father in heaven.
You are not saved by anything you have done or can do in life. You can only believe in the finished work of Christ on the cross. This was a judicial decree from the justice of God; cancelling out the penalty of being born human, having an OSN.
Adam/created perfect/ disobeyed
Christ/born perfect/obeyed
We/born condemned/believe
There is no way we can figure ourselves into this great accomplishment. We must just accept it.
There is nothing we can do to change the judicial imputation of perfect righteousness to us. Imputation: an act of God whereby He credits the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ to us (2 Corinthians 5:21). Once it has been imputed to the individual, it is with us forever (2 Corinthians 1:21:22, Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30). This is not necessarily evidenced by our personal conduct. It is the sovereign decree of God!
Those who think they can do something to change the justification decreed by God are demonstrating arrogance, limiting God’s ability to the human level and denying grace. It is God’s plan, God’s work, God’s guarantee. We cannot add anything. We cannot subtract anything. Adding legalism places a stumblingblock before the unbeliever seeking to be saved. Legalism hinders the believer from spiritual growth and production of divine good, the only basis for rewards.
The first Adam disobeyed and left all of us under the curse of the Old Sin Nature. The last Adam obeyed and removed that curse for all who will believe.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Right Time
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5:6-11
God’s timing is always perfect. Even though the plan was decreed in eternity past, and is a reality in the mind of God at any given moment in time, there had to be a progression of earthly and human development to bring about the necessary components of the plan.
There is that whole angelic conflict, begun before the earth was outfitted for man, when Lucifer challenged God’s authority and led the rebellion of other angelic beings against the Sovereign of the Universe. Then, when man was placed in perfect environment and offered a choice, he chose (with some sinister satanic enticement) to disobey the Lord Who loved him; thereby dying spiritually and losing his garden privileges. Life in the garden was not eternal life. That was day-by-day perfect environment, for we don’t know how many years, with the woman and the animals and everything they could ever need for blissful existence. That act of disobedience made sinners of the man and woman and all of their offspring, who would inherit the corrupted cell structure of Adam through procreation. That act of disobedience and the resulting old sin nature of mankind necessitated the coming of a Savior. He would have to be born as Adam was created, pure and sinless true humanity. He would have to live a sinless life in order to qualify as the perfect atonement for all our sins. Then He would be resurrected and ascend to heaven, as the firstfruits from among man to defeat death.
After establishing a people through whom this Savior would come, and after many generations of teaching His people about His person and His integrity, and the Son Who would come to execute the plan, the conditions were right on the earth. The human mother had been chosen, the child was born, lived and died...for the ungodly. That’s you and me.
We were powerless to help ourselves. Even when we spiritually dead humans come to realize we are sinners, born under a curse, there is not anything we can do about it. God can have nothing to do with sin, so we have nothing to offer Him that could be acceptable. God’s standards of righteousness are so far beyond our comprehension, we don’t even know how to please Him, and cannot when we try. BUT:
God publicly displayed His own love for us while we were yet sinners. None of us is worthy of such an act of love. God gave His uniquely born Son to die for us. Now, we are justified by His blood (spiritual death on the cross). Now, having received His Own righteousness, we have the equipment to comprehend His grace to us in salvation. While we were in blind rebellion, He provided reconciliation (He changed us). How much more, then, will we be delivered by Jesus’ resurrection! Because He lives, we live. Forever.
Now, we have something to rejoice about, and it is not anything we ourselves could have done. We are reconciled to God by the atonement of His Son. We are in a changed relationship because God is no longer counting our trespasses against us, who have received this gracious gift.
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5:6-11
God’s timing is always perfect. Even though the plan was decreed in eternity past, and is a reality in the mind of God at any given moment in time, there had to be a progression of earthly and human development to bring about the necessary components of the plan.
There is that whole angelic conflict, begun before the earth was outfitted for man, when Lucifer challenged God’s authority and led the rebellion of other angelic beings against the Sovereign of the Universe. Then, when man was placed in perfect environment and offered a choice, he chose (with some sinister satanic enticement) to disobey the Lord Who loved him; thereby dying spiritually and losing his garden privileges. Life in the garden was not eternal life. That was day-by-day perfect environment, for we don’t know how many years, with the woman and the animals and everything they could ever need for blissful existence. That act of disobedience made sinners of the man and woman and all of their offspring, who would inherit the corrupted cell structure of Adam through procreation. That act of disobedience and the resulting old sin nature of mankind necessitated the coming of a Savior. He would have to be born as Adam was created, pure and sinless true humanity. He would have to live a sinless life in order to qualify as the perfect atonement for all our sins. Then He would be resurrected and ascend to heaven, as the firstfruits from among man to defeat death.
After establishing a people through whom this Savior would come, and after many generations of teaching His people about His person and His integrity, and the Son Who would come to execute the plan, the conditions were right on the earth. The human mother had been chosen, the child was born, lived and died...for the ungodly. That’s you and me.
We were powerless to help ourselves. Even when we spiritually dead humans come to realize we are sinners, born under a curse, there is not anything we can do about it. God can have nothing to do with sin, so we have nothing to offer Him that could be acceptable. God’s standards of righteousness are so far beyond our comprehension, we don’t even know how to please Him, and cannot when we try. BUT:
God publicly displayed His own love for us while we were yet sinners. None of us is worthy of such an act of love. God gave His uniquely born Son to die for us. Now, we are justified by His blood (spiritual death on the cross). Now, having received His Own righteousness, we have the equipment to comprehend His grace to us in salvation. While we were in blind rebellion, He provided reconciliation (He changed us). How much more, then, will we be delivered by Jesus’ resurrection! Because He lives, we live. Forever.
Now, we have something to rejoice about, and it is not anything we ourselves could have done. We are reconciled to God by the atonement of His Son. We are in a changed relationship because God is no longer counting our trespasses against us, who have received this gracious gift.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Peace With God
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Romans 5:1-5
Believers’ justification is an accomplished fact. We are declared righteous because we have believed in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. That’s where he paid the penalty for all our sins and purchased our eternal salvation. This truth applies to everyone in all generations who has believed in the promise of atonement through a perfect Savior. Works are not required. Faith alone is required, for justification. Here’s the result:
“Therefore,” (since that is our position), we have (let us keep on having) peace (eirene- prosperity, quietness, rest + set at one again) through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is only through faith in Him we are able to enjoy the blessings of grace in which we stand (stand is in perfect tense, meaning the action is complete and the benefits are ongoing).
As spiritually dead humans, we were alienated from God, helpless and fearful. Now, through faith in Jesus Christ, we are “set at one again,” or “joined” with Him, enjoying His blessings of quietness, rest and prosperity—perfect peace. Our exultation is in our hope (confidence!) in the glory to be manifested by God.
We’re still human, living in the devil’s world. There will always be tribulations in this dimension. We exult in those, also, realizing it is part of God’s plan for us as we grow in grace before Him. Through sufferings we develop character we’d never have as comfortable little untested children. We are forced by sufferings to develop patience, which sharpens our experience, which strengthens our confidence in the perfect plan and provision of God.
Our confidence (hope) rules out any disappointment or shame, because (1) it is not self-confidence. (2) Our confidence is in God’s integrity to always honor His word. God the Holy Spirit has implanted within us the very love of God to bolster our sense of purpose and destiny as those who belong to the Sovereign of the Universe.
We have been justified by faith in Jesus Christ. We now stand in God’s grace. We have confidence in His authority. In our sufferings, we know there is a greater purpose.
We relax in peace with God.
Believers’ justification is an accomplished fact. We are declared righteous because we have believed in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. That’s where he paid the penalty for all our sins and purchased our eternal salvation. This truth applies to everyone in all generations who has believed in the promise of atonement through a perfect Savior. Works are not required. Faith alone is required, for justification. Here’s the result:
“Therefore,” (since that is our position), we have (let us keep on having) peace (eirene- prosperity, quietness, rest + set at one again) through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is only through faith in Him we are able to enjoy the blessings of grace in which we stand (stand is in perfect tense, meaning the action is complete and the benefits are ongoing).
As spiritually dead humans, we were alienated from God, helpless and fearful. Now, through faith in Jesus Christ, we are “set at one again,” or “joined” with Him, enjoying His blessings of quietness, rest and prosperity—perfect peace. Our exultation is in our hope (confidence!) in the glory to be manifested by God.
We’re still human, living in the devil’s world. There will always be tribulations in this dimension. We exult in those, also, realizing it is part of God’s plan for us as we grow in grace before Him. Through sufferings we develop character we’d never have as comfortable little untested children. We are forced by sufferings to develop patience, which sharpens our experience, which strengthens our confidence in the perfect plan and provision of God.
Our confidence (hope) rules out any disappointment or shame, because (1) it is not self-confidence. (2) Our confidence is in God’s integrity to always honor His word. God the Holy Spirit has implanted within us the very love of God to bolster our sense of purpose and destiny as those who belong to the Sovereign of the Universe.
We have been justified by faith in Jesus Christ. We now stand in God’s grace. We have confidence in His authority. In our sufferings, we know there is a greater purpose.
We relax in peace with God.
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