Romans 10:1-4 Paul continues to share the burden for his own, Israel. He says they've got zeal and desire but they are ignorant of God's righteousness. It's important to know that their ignorance is not a lack of information (see v 18, 21), but a lack of submission. In other words, let's make sure we are not stuck on doing things our way, but open, subject to, and submissive to God and His ways. God, help me to losen my grip and let go of the things in my life that are keeping me from being completely submissive to You.
Romans 10:14 This passage shows the importance of the preacher, or "one commissioned to herald the evangel of good". (CLNT) Interesting that the preacher (evangelist) and pastor (shepherd) are two different roles here. The scripture says the shepherd is an elder/supervisor (Acts 20:28), and the evangelist plays a completely different role than the pastor or teacher; this distinction is made in Ephesians 4:11. This makes me wonder if asking our pastor to fill all these roles is excessive and possibly unbiblical. What's your thoughts on that?
Grace, MB
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Romans 9:1-33
Just when you think you've answered the last challenging question, God throws something else at you to make you really wonder; what is He thinking? And I mean that in the most respectful way.
Romans 9:1-7 Paul shares his grief here, deeply troubled that his own have not gotten it yet. God's chosen people, the Israelites, who have His word and His blessings have missed it. They have failed to see what the Gentiles now get; it's not about your DNA. It's not about the works you do. It's about Christ and our faith in Him (v. 32). Galatians 3:29 says it well, "if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise". How are you Christs? (See Ephesians 2:8-9)
Romans 9:14 Now, ready for this? God created some people for destruction (v.22). Can we say God is unfair? Can we say "God, you don't know what your doing"? Certainly not! Verse 21, "Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?" Does this relieve us from our duties as ambassadors for Christ? (2Corinthians 5:20) Does this lesson our compassion for the lost? Do we lose steadfastness in planting seeds of faith in the people around us? Not at all. See, God in His infinite wisdom, leaves one thing out; What do the vessels of destruction look like? We don't know. We only know that "He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9), and "whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame" (v. 33b).
Boy, pray for discernment. We need to know who God wants us to engage, telling them the Good News. Scripture says to "be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear". I think the key is, "who asks you". My thoughts go back to what Jesus told His disciples in the sermon on the mount, "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces". (Matthew 7:6) Use good discernment my friends, but don't let fear stop you.
Grace, MB
Romans 9:1-7 Paul shares his grief here, deeply troubled that his own have not gotten it yet. God's chosen people, the Israelites, who have His word and His blessings have missed it. They have failed to see what the Gentiles now get; it's not about your DNA. It's not about the works you do. It's about Christ and our faith in Him (v. 32). Galatians 3:29 says it well, "if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise". How are you Christs? (See Ephesians 2:8-9)
Romans 9:14 Now, ready for this? God created some people for destruction (v.22). Can we say God is unfair? Can we say "God, you don't know what your doing"? Certainly not! Verse 21, "Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?" Does this relieve us from our duties as ambassadors for Christ? (2Corinthians 5:20) Does this lesson our compassion for the lost? Do we lose steadfastness in planting seeds of faith in the people around us? Not at all. See, God in His infinite wisdom, leaves one thing out; What do the vessels of destruction look like? We don't know. We only know that "He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9), and "whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame" (v. 33b).
Boy, pray for discernment. We need to know who God wants us to engage, telling them the Good News. Scripture says to "be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear". I think the key is, "who asks you". My thoughts go back to what Jesus told His disciples in the sermon on the mount, "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces". (Matthew 7:6) Use good discernment my friends, but don't let fear stop you.
Grace, MB
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Romans 8: 17-39 More than conquering?
Romans 8:18 Suffering? I know it's hard when your actually suffering to think about our reward, "the glory that shall be revealed in us", but sometimes it gets so bad we need something to hang our hope on. What we're going through now is not even "worthy to be compared with" what God has for us later. Sweet.
Romans 8:20-23 Why ask why? What a great slogan for Bubweiser, one we should consider after reading: "For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope." Don't worry, be happy. God has a plan, it's perfect, and we don't need to know what it is, just enjoy the journey with Him, with hope. What hope? Romans 8:28 "Now we are aware that God is working all together for the good of those who are loving God," (CLNT) One of my favorite scriptures.
Romans 8:29-30 Paul goes on to explain what He's up to in verse 28. Is verse 28 for everybody? No. It's for those who are loving God because they are called. He knew us beforehand, predestined us, called us, justified us, and will glorify us. This is called God's sovereignty. You say, Matt, how do you know I have been predestined? How do you know He had a plan for me before the sperm met the egg? Because, you wouldn't be reading this if God wasn't calling you. He's peaked your interest. You have a desire birthing inside you. Sorry, you can't get out of it either, but why would you want to? LISTEN TO THIS:
Romans 8:31 "If God is for us, who can be against us?"
Romans 8:32 "how shall He not with Jesus also freely give us all things?
Romans 8:35 "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?"
Romans 8:37 "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."
Romans 8:39 Absolutely nothing "shall be able to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord".
SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET.
Grace, MB
Romans 8:20-23 Why ask why? What a great slogan for Bubweiser, one we should consider after reading: "For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope." Don't worry, be happy. God has a plan, it's perfect, and we don't need to know what it is, just enjoy the journey with Him, with hope. What hope? Romans 8:28 "Now we are aware that God is working all together for the good of those who are loving God," (CLNT) One of my favorite scriptures.
Romans 8:29-30 Paul goes on to explain what He's up to in verse 28. Is verse 28 for everybody? No. It's for those who are loving God because they are called. He knew us beforehand, predestined us, called us, justified us, and will glorify us. This is called God's sovereignty. You say, Matt, how do you know I have been predestined? How do you know He had a plan for me before the sperm met the egg? Because, you wouldn't be reading this if God wasn't calling you. He's peaked your interest. You have a desire birthing inside you. Sorry, you can't get out of it either, but why would you want to? LISTEN TO THIS:
Romans 8:31 "If God is for us, who can be against us?"
Romans 8:32 "how shall He not with Jesus also freely give us all things?
Romans 8:35 "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?"
Romans 8:37 "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."
Romans 8:39 Absolutely nothing "shall be able to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord".
SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET.
Grace, MB
Monday, May 19, 2008
Romans 8: 1-17
Romans 8:1 In order to understand verse 1 we need to read thru verse 4. This is awesome news for those of us who have the law (righteousness by good deeds) so ingrained in our psyche from our upbringing that we lack the peace and freedom we have in Christ. In other words we feel guilty 90% of the time unless we are doing something we believe is good or holy. Verse 1 says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit." Condemnation is the feeling that "I'm a sinner" and "I'm definitely not on God's good side." This is very defeating and it's a lie. Feeling convicted on the other hand is authentic sorrow we feel when we disappoint God, which most importantly draws us closer to God in the end. Condemnation draws us apart, conviction draws us closer. Without reading verses 2-4, we may think that "do not walk according to the flesh" means living a perfect life. However, "the law" would be a better phrase to use in place of "the flesh". This agrees with the whole of Paul's writings because we are not right with God by following the law but by walking by faith in Jesus Christ. If we substitute law for flesh in all of chapter 8 it will give us an easier time understanding what Paul was saying.
Romans 8:13 "Put to death". I love this statement because it correctly describes what I feel I am doing to my old self and the sinful practices I used to do and still carry the desire to this day. I need to kill those thoughts everyday, I don't think they will ever completely go away.
Romans 8:17 If God owns everything, and we are heirs (joint heirs with Christ), then how rich are we, really? as Children of God? Wow!
Grace, MB
Romans 8:13 "Put to death". I love this statement because it correctly describes what I feel I am doing to my old self and the sinful practices I used to do and still carry the desire to this day. I need to kill those thoughts everyday, I don't think they will ever completely go away.
Romans 8:17 If God owns everything, and we are heirs (joint heirs with Christ), then how rich are we, really? as Children of God? Wow!
Grace, MB
Sunday, May 18, 2008
FYI
Did you know that Paul's letters were arranged according to "first-century Greco-Roman" customs where their literature was ordered based on length of text. (Pagan Christianity; Viola and Barna; 2008, p 227) In 1864, Thomas Bernard delivered a series lectures called the Bampton Lectures where he argued that the present order of Paul's letters were divinely inspired. Many scholars believe this to be God's truth today. I'm not so sure.
There are different views on the correct chronological order, here is one well respected view: Galations, 1 and 2 Thessilonians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Romans, Colossians, Philemon, Ephesions, Philippians, 1 Timothy, Titus, 2 Timothy. Why does the correct chronological order matter? According to many, it would help us understand the big picture if we were to see the panoramic view of history, instead of snapshots. Speaking of making snapshots. Did you know that chapters were not apart of the bible until 1227 when a professor named Stephen Langton, University of Paris, added them to all the books of the bible. In 1551 verses were born in the pages of the bible thanks to Robert Stephanus. Imagine taking a letter you received from a friend 1000 years ago and trying to decide where breaks should and should not occur. Would this change the way the letter was read? Obviously not all agree. Therefore the reason Romans is believed by some to be correctly ordered first in our bible lies in the fact it is the most complete exposition in the NT of the central truths of Christianity. It is a good point.
Grace, MB
There are different views on the correct chronological order, here is one well respected view: Galations, 1 and 2 Thessilonians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Romans, Colossians, Philemon, Ephesions, Philippians, 1 Timothy, Titus, 2 Timothy. Why does the correct chronological order matter? According to many, it would help us understand the big picture if we were to see the panoramic view of history, instead of snapshots. Speaking of making snapshots. Did you know that chapters were not apart of the bible until 1227 when a professor named Stephen Langton, University of Paris, added them to all the books of the bible. In 1551 verses were born in the pages of the bible thanks to Robert Stephanus. Imagine taking a letter you received from a friend 1000 years ago and trying to decide where breaks should and should not occur. Would this change the way the letter was read? Obviously not all agree. Therefore the reason Romans is believed by some to be correctly ordered first in our bible lies in the fact it is the most complete exposition in the NT of the central truths of Christianity. It is a good point.
Grace, MB
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Romans 7: 1-25 Ahhhhhh....Grace
Romans 7: 1-6 I was ok till verse 4, then the analogy suddenly became confusing. I would welcome any explanations on how we can understand this symbolism. At any rate, here's my 2 cents. I believe the wife in verses 2 and 3 represent us. The husband represents sin/death which has control over us because of the law. Christ then comes (verse 4), dies and comes back to life, thereby abolishing sin and death (2 Timothy 1: 10).
This leaves a problem with my thinking, what about the law between us? The equation looks like this... you/me + the law = Christ. Previously it was wife + the law = husband(sin/death). Well, verse 4 solves the problem in that we have died as well as Christ, no longer in bondage to the law so that we can marry another, Christ. Confused? Let me say it another way, Christ died, spiritually we died, Christ rose, spiritually we rose (picture of baptism). We are now free to marry another, whomever we choose. Christ or the world? If we choose Christ, we kill the power of the law and therefore the power of sin over our lives. If we marry the world and its laws, we revive the power of sin and its control over us. If your married to the world I'm recommending a divorce. "Just say I do" to Christ, it's the best marriage you'll ever have.
What we've been discussing here is the spiritual application of Romans 7, however the physical cannot be ignored. We can not rest in our spiritual victory and run from our flesh, it's who we are. The flesh is weak and susceptible to temptation and sin. Are we doomed? Hell no, get it? I love Paul for leaving us with verses 15 - 25. Paul is saying to us, don't get discouraged, don't give up or quit, I fail too, and I have evil desires racing through my veins as well. "Who will rescue me from this body of death? GRACE." (CLNT) It all comes back to grace. May we just be able to chill out, sit back, and relax in the bubble bath of grace.
Grace, MB
This leaves a problem with my thinking, what about the law between us? The equation looks like this... you/me + the law = Christ. Previously it was wife + the law = husband(sin/death). Well, verse 4 solves the problem in that we have died as well as Christ, no longer in bondage to the law so that we can marry another, Christ. Confused? Let me say it another way, Christ died, spiritually we died, Christ rose, spiritually we rose (picture of baptism). We are now free to marry another, whomever we choose. Christ or the world? If we choose Christ, we kill the power of the law and therefore the power of sin over our lives. If we marry the world and its laws, we revive the power of sin and its control over us. If your married to the world I'm recommending a divorce. "Just say I do" to Christ, it's the best marriage you'll ever have.
What we've been discussing here is the spiritual application of Romans 7, however the physical cannot be ignored. We can not rest in our spiritual victory and run from our flesh, it's who we are. The flesh is weak and susceptible to temptation and sin. Are we doomed? Hell no, get it? I love Paul for leaving us with verses 15 - 25. Paul is saying to us, don't get discouraged, don't give up or quit, I fail too, and I have evil desires racing through my veins as well. "Who will rescue me from this body of death? GRACE." (CLNT) It all comes back to grace. May we just be able to chill out, sit back, and relax in the bubble bath of grace.
Grace, MB
Monday, May 12, 2008
Romans 6: 1-23
Romans 6:1 "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?" Verse 15 "What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!" Here in lies the argument of the Baptists, who believe in eternal security, or the idea that once you are saved you are always saved. Which by the way I believe based on the scriptures I read.
There are however those that would say eternal security is or leads to an abuse of grace. Their argument goes like this, "If I can't lose my salvation it won't hurt if I party just a little, right?" Well, verses 1 and 15 speak directly against that. Sinning deliberately because we are under God's grace is not a "use" to be made of grace but an "abuse". Paul says "God forbid" or "may it not be coming to that" (CLNT). If we are truly saved the gratitude we feel will pull us away from sin, not pull us closer.
Romans 6: 16 If you are looking for total freedom in this life to do as you please your not going to find it. Freedom is relative, it's an allusion. Verse 20-21 says before we were born again, we were slaves of sin (CLNT), we were free in regard to righteousness, however the things we did produced fruit we are now ashamed of. Now that we are believers we are slaves of righteousness. We are free from sin. The fruit we now produce will last forever and we will never be ashamed of it. Salvation is not just to be believed but obeyed.
So we are either a slave unto death or a slave unto everlasting life. In this present life there is no other, and therefore there is only relative freedom for us as humans made in the likeness of Adam. (Genesis 5: 3). How does knowing you will never be free from someone controlling you make it easier to chose who you will follow?
By the way, Romans 6: 23 is part of the Romans Road, a group of verses critical to understanding salvation. The others are 3: 23 and 5: 8. Please commit these to memory so that you are prepared when someone asks the reason for your faith. Grace MB
There are however those that would say eternal security is or leads to an abuse of grace. Their argument goes like this, "If I can't lose my salvation it won't hurt if I party just a little, right?" Well, verses 1 and 15 speak directly against that. Sinning deliberately because we are under God's grace is not a "use" to be made of grace but an "abuse". Paul says "God forbid" or "may it not be coming to that" (CLNT). If we are truly saved the gratitude we feel will pull us away from sin, not pull us closer.
Romans 6: 16 If you are looking for total freedom in this life to do as you please your not going to find it. Freedom is relative, it's an allusion. Verse 20-21 says before we were born again, we were slaves of sin (CLNT), we were free in regard to righteousness, however the things we did produced fruit we are now ashamed of. Now that we are believers we are slaves of righteousness. We are free from sin. The fruit we now produce will last forever and we will never be ashamed of it. Salvation is not just to be believed but obeyed.
So we are either a slave unto death or a slave unto everlasting life. In this present life there is no other, and therefore there is only relative freedom for us as humans made in the likeness of Adam. (Genesis 5: 3). How does knowing you will never be free from someone controlling you make it easier to chose who you will follow?
By the way, Romans 6: 23 is part of the Romans Road, a group of verses critical to understanding salvation. The others are 3: 23 and 5: 8. Please commit these to memory so that you are prepared when someone asks the reason for your faith. Grace MB
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Romans 5: 1-21 Don't Jump Ship
We have hope. What is hope?
Noah had a hope (expectation - Concordant Literal New Testament); Noah spent over 100 years building a ship in his back yard. Can you imagine how disappointing (mortifying - CLNT) that was for him to walk out into the back yard to the jeers and ridicule of the neighbors. 100 years! Come on. What kept Noah going?
Romans 5: 2-5 Paul mentions 2 kinds of hope for us today. Verse 2 says "rejoice in hope of the glory of God". One day God will receive all the glory He deserves, made possible by His Son Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians says "God will be all in all". I see this as our hope for the future. Verse 3-4 tells us of a hope that comes by tribulation (affliction - CLNT). We've all experienced some of that. Tribulation + perseverance + character (testedness - CLNT) = HOPE. Tough times will either make you wilt or cause your roots of faith to grow deeper. I guess it's our test of maturity. Only after seeing God get me through some pretty rough times did my hope in God's love grow.
Jeremiah 29: 11 "For I know the plans I have for you , declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." This is what people want to hear, this is your testimony. What God has done in your life and what He is going to do. Verse 5 What is the evidence in your life that you have this hope? Grace, MB
Noah had a hope (expectation - Concordant Literal New Testament); Noah spent over 100 years building a ship in his back yard. Can you imagine how disappointing (mortifying - CLNT) that was for him to walk out into the back yard to the jeers and ridicule of the neighbors. 100 years! Come on. What kept Noah going?
Romans 5: 2-5 Paul mentions 2 kinds of hope for us today. Verse 2 says "rejoice in hope of the glory of God". One day God will receive all the glory He deserves, made possible by His Son Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians says "God will be all in all". I see this as our hope for the future. Verse 3-4 tells us of a hope that comes by tribulation (affliction - CLNT). We've all experienced some of that. Tribulation + perseverance + character (testedness - CLNT) = HOPE. Tough times will either make you wilt or cause your roots of faith to grow deeper. I guess it's our test of maturity. Only after seeing God get me through some pretty rough times did my hope in God's love grow.
Jeremiah 29: 11 "For I know the plans I have for you , declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." This is what people want to hear, this is your testimony. What God has done in your life and what He is going to do. Verse 5 What is the evidence in your life that you have this hope? Grace, MB
Monday, May 5, 2008
Romans 4:1-25
I can't believe Paul used a minor surgical procedure as his basis for explaining the difference between grace and works. I don't feel so bad about using the speed limit analogy. This is great stuff. By the way, what's all this talk about circumcism? Here's my take on it, I'd like to hear what you guys think. Circumcism was like a tattoo, which symbolized a seal of approval, to set the circumcised apart from the rest of the world. It was not a means of approval, like we say a person cannot earn his/her salvation, it's a gift through faith; well circumcism was symbolic of that faith granted to the Jewish people all because of Abraham's faith. Knowing this is a must if you're to understand this chapter. Now....
Romans 4:15 This is my birthday so I just had to start here; "for where there is no law, there is no transgression". I've discussed this with people before that the definition of sin and transgression are different. A sin can be a transgression, but not always. A sin is "falling short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). A transgression is breaking a known law of God as we see from this passage. Seems like a minor issue but not really. The definition I grew up with was that sin was a "willful transgression". In other words, we didn't sin much as christians unless we deliberatetely broke a law we knew not to do. Well as we see here it not only means a willful transgression, i.e. breaking the law, but also falling short, or just being unrighteous (1 John 5:17), "all unrighteousness is sin". I think scripture shows us we as christians have the ability to live above sin through the power of living in the Spirit, but that we fall short of the glory of God much more than our pride will allow us to see. Let's not dilute God's grace. If we are not saved by works then we cannot remained saved by works either.
Romans 4:21 Here we see how Abraham had achieved his faith (verse 9). How then did this happen? Because he was "fully convinced" that what God had promised He would deliver. I don't think you can find a better definition for faith. Grace, MB
Romans 4:15 This is my birthday so I just had to start here; "for where there is no law, there is no transgression". I've discussed this with people before that the definition of sin and transgression are different. A sin can be a transgression, but not always. A sin is "falling short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). A transgression is breaking a known law of God as we see from this passage. Seems like a minor issue but not really. The definition I grew up with was that sin was a "willful transgression". In other words, we didn't sin much as christians unless we deliberatetely broke a law we knew not to do. Well as we see here it not only means a willful transgression, i.e. breaking the law, but also falling short, or just being unrighteous (1 John 5:17), "all unrighteousness is sin". I think scripture shows us we as christians have the ability to live above sin through the power of living in the Spirit, but that we fall short of the glory of God much more than our pride will allow us to see. Let's not dilute God's grace. If we are not saved by works then we cannot remained saved by works either.
Romans 4:21 Here we see how Abraham had achieved his faith (verse 9). How then did this happen? Because he was "fully convinced" that what God had promised He would deliver. I don't think you can find a better definition for faith. Grace, MB
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