I Am Alive but...

I just wanted to let every one know that I am alive. It has been almost a week since I have blogged. I went out of town for the weekend and then got sick late Saturday evening/Sunday morning and was even unable to assemble with my brethren for worship yesterday. Thankfully I have elders who are talented and are able to pick up my slack. I have so much to do on top of having so much that I want to do. I just can't make myself do anything. I feel rotten. I have had about a 102 temperature and can't seem to break it. Cody made me promise her I would go the doctor if I am not better by tomorrow. To make matters worse, our hot water heater is out so I can't even sit in the bath tub or take a hot shower.

So anyway, I just wanted to let everyone know who has stopped by the site why there hasn't been anything here of late. I will get back on it soon, hopefully within the next couple of days.

God bless!

Listen to Our Hearts

How do you explain,
how do you describe a love that goes from east to west,
and runs as deep as it is wide.
You know all our hopes,
Lord, you know all our fears.
And words cannot express the love we feel
but we long for you to hear.

So listen to our hearts, hear our spirits sing
a song of praise that flows from those you have redeemed.
We will use the words we know to tell you what an awesome God you are.
But words are not enough to tell you of our love,
so listen to our hearts.

If words can fall like rain
from these lips of mine, and if I had a thousand years,
Lord, I would still run out of time.
If you listen to my heart, every beat will say
thank you for the life,
thank you for the truth,
thank you for the way.

So listen to our hearts, hear our spirits sing
a song of praise that flows from those you have redeemed.
We will use the words we know to tell you what an awesome God you are.
But words are not enough to tell you of our love,
so listen to our hearts.

by Jeff Moore & Steven Curtis Chapman

Something I Pray My Wife Never Does To Me

Here is something that was emailed to me by a friend of mine. Thanks Elayne. I am scared to show this to Cody though, ;-)

Some Personal Comments by Paul to the Saints at Rome

Our men’s study on the book of Romans is continuing to go well and all of us are learning a lot. Last time we covered Paul’s greeting in Romans 1:1-7 and this week we plan to cover what many view as an extended greeting to the brethren in Rome in vv.8-17. Paul makes some very personal comments to these brethren at this point:

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. I want you to know, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome” (Romans 1:8-15).

The essence of what Paul is conveying here is “before I go any further and get into the ‘meat’ of what I have to say to you, I want you to know that I am grateful for you and for your faith; I continue to pray for you; I long to visit with you; I am looking forward to teaching you in person.” To me it is amazing when you think about the problems these brethren had, which we will begin to see shortly as we progress through this letter, that Paul actually encourages these folks in the way that he does. He actually commends them for their faith here. He is able to tell them these things without ever taking the emphasis off of faith. Paul gives us an example of tact and positive edification. But I also think he provides us with an excellent example here of how powerful prayer really is and how we ought to urgently pray for each other. From a personal standpoint, I need your prayers, undoubtedly.

Think about how much stronger the church could be as a whole, and how much more unified we might be, if we actually loved each other enough to pray for one another like Paul displays here. Paul is not encouraging them to divide into certain camps (i.e., conservative vs. liberal, traditional vs. progressive, etc.). After studying this epistle in its entirety, hopefully we will see that Paul is actually charging them to avoid this (i.e., Romans 14). All are influenced and saved by the grace of God. It is Christ's death, burial, and resurrection that unites us when when we die and resurrect with Him (Romans 6:3-4). In any event, Paul’s heart is clearly set on the gospel (vv.9, 16-17).

Obviously we know from Paul’s words here that he had not visited these brethren personally. The 11th verse here also gives us at least somewhat of an indication that neither Peter, nor any other apostle, had visited them up to this point, as only the apostles had the ability to impart these gifts to which Paul refers. I am not sure if we can speak with certainty as to the exact nature of this gift, but it is probably along the lines of what Paul discusses in 1 Corinthians 12. Perhaps Paul wanted to impart this gift to them for the purpose of aiding in the ministry of the church there or in strengthening their personal lives as Christians.

Again, I am intrigued by the humility of Paul from verse 12. Not only does he want to teach them the deeper points of the gospel, but he expresses his anticipation of gaining something from them as well. He says “that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.” Why have we historically been so afraid of the concept of “testimony” in the church? I understand that in and of itself, it is not necessarily a Biblical term, but what does it mean? It means to go tell people about what God has done for us. Folks, this is employed throughout scripture as a way of strengthening the church. Jesus even told people to do it during His ministry (e.g., Mark 5:18-20). Testimony is beneficial on two levels: (1) we have much to gain from one another. Some of my most memorable growth experiences have been through conversation with brethren. It encourages and strengthens me greatly to hear where some of my brethren have come from and the journeys from worldliness which they have overcome. And (2), as for "sharing our faith" with those outside the church, what better opportunity for opening the doors to evangelism and teaching them the gospel? In any event, Paul was just as much looking forward to being edified by the faith of these same Christians, whom he is going to use a significant portion of this letter rebuking.

There is very little doubt that the demands of preaching to the “unchurched” in the Eastern Mediterranean area had hindered Paul's intentions of spending time with these brethren up to this point. He anticipated bearing fruit and doing wonderful things for their benefit just as he had so many others (v.13). This is what the gospel does for people today. This is the power of the gospel (v.16), including its deeper implications. A study of faith and grace, and a deeper understanding of these things will help us never be the same. This is what Paul intended for these brethren. And let us remember….Romans is for everyone, including us.

Paul reminds them that he was literally “bound by obligation” here to preach the gospel to everyone, and this includes them, of course. He is saying that he is forever indebted to God to do what God has called him to do. He implies that it is the very least he can do. Paul considered his teaching to be a moral obligation. Likewise, I feel personally “indebted” to the congregation here in La Grange as well as to the people in this community to teach the fundamentals of the gospel as well as its deeper points. I hope and pray that I can at least maintain half the dedication I learn from the apostle Paul here.

As we continue to see it indicated that Paul’s calling was to the Gentiles; the non-Jews (vv.13-14), he says he is obligated to preach “both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.” These are categories or classes of the Gentile peoples. Barbarians were among the less sophisticated and educated in the Greek culture. This does not suggest that Paul did not deal with Jews at all, but without a doubt, his primary focus was on the non-Jews. His point is that not only is he obligated to preach to all mankind, but that all men and women are blessed so as to be affected by the gospel if they will adhere to its teachings. I think another implication here is that obviously all men and women are indeed subject to the gospel.

In my next post, I want to take a closer look at the transitional statement we see in vv.16-17, where Paul begins to introduce the subject of justification by faith, which will eventually lead to what I believe is the theme of this letter in Romans 3:28—justification by faith, apart from law.

Have a blessed day!

I Drew My Circle Again

When I first became a member of the church, my circle was very big...for it included all who, like myself, had believed and been baptized. I was happy in the thought that my brethren were many...but--having a keen and observant mind--I soon learned that many of my brethren were erring. I could not tolerate any people within my circle but those who, like myself, were right on all points of doctrine and practice. Too, some made mistakes and sinned. What could I do? I had to do something! I drew my circle, placed myself and a few as righteous as I within, and the others without. I soon observed that some within my circle were self-righteous, unforgiving, jealous, and proud, so in righteous indignation, my circle I drew again, leaving the Publicans and sinner outside, excluding the Pharisees in all their pride, with myself and the righteous and humble within. I heard ugly rumors about some brethren. I saw then that some of them were worldly minded; their thoughts were constantly on things of a worldly nature, they drank coffee, when, like me, they should drink tea. So duty bound, to save my reputation, I drew my circle again, leaving those reputable, spiritually-minded within. I soon realized in time that only my family and I remained in that circle. I had a good family, but to my surprise, my family finally disagreed with me. I was always right. A man must be steadfast. I have never been a factious man! So in strong determination I drew my circle again, leaving me quite alone.

--Author Unknown

Here I Am To Worship

Light of the world
You stepped down into darkness
Opened my eyes, let me see
Beauty that made this
Heart adore You
Hope of a life spent with You

Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me

King of all days oh so highly exalted
Glorious in heaven above
Humbly you came
To the earth you created
All for love's sake became poor

Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me

I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
(Repeat)

Written by Tim Hughes

Two Little Boys

A couple had two little boys, ages 8 and 10, who were excessively mischievous. The two were always getting into trouble and their parents could be assured that if any mischief occurred in their town their two young sons were in some way involved.

The parents were at their wits end as to what to do about their sons' behavior. The mother had heard that a clergyman in town had been successful in disciplining children in the past, so she asked her husband if he thought they should send the boys to speak with the clergyman.

The husband said, 'We might as well. We need to do something before I really lose my temper!' The clergyman agreed to speak with the boys, but asked to see them individually. The 8 year old went to meet with him first. The clergyman sat the boy down and asked him sternly,'Where is God?'

The boy made no response, so the clergyman repeated the question in an even sterner tone, 'Where is God?' Again the boy made no attempt to answer. So the clergyman raised his voice even more and shook his finger in the boy's face, 'WHERE IS GOD?'

At that the boy bolted from the room and ran directly home, slamming himself in the closet. His older brother followed him into the closet and asked what had happened. The younger brother replied, 'We are in BIG trouble this time. God is missing and they think we did it.'

The Joy of the Christian Lifestyle

An obviously popular passage among us, and in my opinion one of the key texts in all of the New Testament is found in Acts 2:42-47. Peter has just preached the gospel to those in Jerusalem, and as a result, the listeners were pricked in their hearts (v.37). This conviction led them to ask what they needed to do to be saved by this gospel. Peter responded by telling them to repent and be baptized in order for their sins to be remissed. This is very consistent of course, with Ananias' words to Saul in Acts 22:16, when he said "Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name." Acts 2:41 tells us that those who received Peter's word were indeed baptized and that they were added by the Lord to the church as a result (cf. v.47).

It is what we see taking place after this that now becomes so important for us as God's children today.

"And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved" (Acts 2:47).

We understand that these are not precise commands that involve crossing "t's" and dotting "i's." Rather it is an example of how the early Christians lived. And therefore, we understand that these are some principles laid forth that are nevertheless expected of us because we are Christians:

• Devotion to teachings of God's word
• Devotion to fellowshp
• Devotion to prayer
• Devotion to unity
• Devotion to being there for one another and helping each other out
• Devotion to worshipping together
• Devotion to being joyful and excited about Christianity
• Devotion to being generous and having a benevolent spirit
• Devotion to good reputations with God and man (even among those in our communities)

And we see throughout the book of Acts that they consistently lived this way. Obviously, some had their shortcomings, as evidenced by the letters to various churches and individuals that comprise the New Testament. But by and large, there is no denying that this is a good model as to how we should carry ourselves as citizens in God's kingdom; that is to live joyfully seeking to introduce to others God's kingdom and His way of righteousness. We do this by way of teaching of course, but also by way of example (Matthew 5:13-16). And in that process, it seems that in addition to the fact that God loves us and is with us (Mark 10:27; Philippians 4:13; Romans 8:28-31), the love that we actually have for each other (John 13:35; 1 Corinthians 13; Ephesians 3:17; 1 Thessalonians 3:12; 1 Peter 4:8) is what is supposed to carry us through and keep us going, even in difficult times.

I don't know where I would be without brethren and the relationships with which God has so blessed me.

Also, one of the more intriguing aspects of Acts 2:47 in my opinion, is the favor they had with man. Our reputations as Christians individually, and as the church collectively, are so important to our cause. We will never enjoy the success of adding to the kingdom if our respective communities do not see us actually living the gospel in love and unity. May each of us have as our priority maintaining good and positive reputations!

Chick-Fil-A

This is a funny video that I felt compelled to post on here. My wife loves this place so I wanted to do it for her....

Staying in the Boat

Jesus had just received the news about John the Baptist’s death. He wanted to be alone so he withdrew to a solitary place. Perhaps on some levels there was sadness. Obviously John meant a lot to Jesus. There is little doubt however, that Jesus likely realized an even more significant meaning behind John’s death that had to do with His own ministry. Whatever the case, He felt that He needed some time alone. But crowds of people followed Him and because of His compassion, instead of enjoying any sense of “alone” time, He healed many of their sicknesses. Also, in that same evening, He fed the five thousand.

What happens over the course of this same evening and on into the next morning has always intrigued me. Apparently after the feeding of the five thousand, still needing some time alone, He sent His apostles on a boat to the other side of the Sea of Galilee from where they were. They were planning to continue His ministry there the next day. Meanwhile, Jesus planned to send the crowds of people back to their own cities. This allowed Him to have the time He needed to be alone and pray to the Father before later catching back up with His disciples. Obviously, this in and of itself, is a tremendous lesson to us in that sometimes we need to allow our busy and hectic lifestyles to stop and spend time alone with our great God (i.e, Psalm 46:10). But I think there is another lesson (actually many more) to learn here.

There was a storm that night and His disciples, whom He had sent on the boat, were in the midst of it. Consequently, they were being tossed by the strong winds and waves of the sea. There is no doubt that they were quite afraid, and understandably so. Shortly after 3 AM, Jesus came to them walking on the water. This sight startled the disciples even more as the text reveals to us that they thought He was a ghost. It is at this point that Jesus assures them it was He and that because of this, they need not be afraid.

“But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid” (Matthew 14:27).

“To be of good cheer” as expressed here means to lighten the spirit or mood; be full of cheer and joy; and comfort. It seems to me that more Christians today should be this way. In any event, based on what Jesus is telling them here, Jesus’ mere presence in their lives was enough to give them joy, comfort, and peace despite the storm. And us today? We are all faced with storms in life. In fact, “storms” are likely one of the most predictable aspects of our lives. In some facets, life itself can be a storm (1 Peter 5:8). And in this passage, Jesus gives us all the confidence in the world that we will indeed get through our storms. He also gives us security when He states:

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

Paul also seems to have understood this quite well during his time in prison (Philippians 4:13). Again, there are many lessons to be gained from this text, as we are all familiar with what happens next with Peter attempting to walk on the water with Jesus. There are some great lessons on faith here. Maybe Peter should have had more faith; maybe he shouldn’t have taken his eyes off Jesus; maybe his mistake was allowing the “stormy winds” of life to distract Him from Jesus. After all, it was when he noticed the winds that he sank. But I have to admit also; I actually wonder if Peter’s biggest mistake was getting out of the boat to begin with. Can’t we all think of times when we get ourselves into trouble by thinking we can get out of the boat and walk on water when it just isn’t possible? There is only one Jesus, and maybe the lesson here is for us to stay in the boat and allow Jesus to come to us. It seems to me that when we start thinking we can do what only Jesus can, we get ourselves in trouble. And as a result we set ourselves up for failure through our own inabilities, inconsistencies, and imperfections. Perhaps this is where Peter’s faith lacked. He thought he could do what only Jesus could when he should have just stayed in the boat.

Certainly, Jesus does tell us to "come" to Him (Matthew 11:28), follow Him (Luke 9:23), and seek Him (Matthew 6:33). And indeed, we must. These same disciples did. But when we come upon life's storms, especially those that are beyond our control, perhaps there is some wisdom behind staying in the boat and allowing God to take care of it.

Have a great day!

Paul's Greetings to the Saints at Rome

Paul begins his letter to the Christians in Rome by writing:

“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David, according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, to all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:1-7).

It is not so much that Paul’s introduction to the Romans is different than his greetings to other churches or individuals. It is that the Romans introduction is much more extensive and elaborate. The format is the same: Paul introduces himself, gives credit to God, and then states who he is addressing, before following that with some personal comments. But he goes into more detail than usual in Romans. We do not know precisely why he does this, though most seem to believe that it has to do with the fact that Paul had never been to Rome before. He has not seen them in person nor spent time with the brethren in Rome like he did with the others to whom he had written (e.g. Corinth and Ephesus). And because they did not know him on a personal level, perhaps Paul wanted to make sure they knew what he was about and that his apostleship was established.

I think something that makes this especially interesting though, is when you consider the Gentile side of those to whom this letter is addressed. Paul's words here regarding authority coming from God, through the gospel of Christ, along with Christ's Lordship were obviously not going to set well with many in the Gentile world whose loyalty was to the Caesar, who for all intents and purposes was the most powerful man in the world at this time. N.T. Wright states that such a claim here by Paul would put the Caesar's claim resting "in the shade" (Paul for everyone: Romans part 1, p.4).

Often times today, when we think of the term “slave,” perhaps negative images come to mind. Slavery during this day was not necessarily the same as what we might think of as slavery in our recent times or that our culture recently experienced. Under the Law of Moses when slavery was first established (Exodus 21) and even further into the Law, slaves were actually protected by laws forbidding slave owners from mistreating the slave. For the most part, slavery was voluntary. In fact, after six years, the owner was even required to let them go, unless the slave decided to stay, which had to be through his own free will. In any event, a slave still truly labored. It was hard work. And this slave was regarded as the property of his owner and had no say-so in a lot of matters with regard to his circumstances. This makes it interesting that Paul would describe himself as a slave (or servant) of Jesus Christ. This word in its original language describes what was during this day, a slave or a bondservant. In fact, Paul makes this statement in several of his other letters also (i.e., Galatians 1:10; Philippians 1:1, Titus 1:1). He wants his readers to understand that he thinks of himself as one who truly labors for and belongs to Christ. By claiming himself as a bondservant of Jesus, he is affirming that he is the very property of the one through whom God’s grace shines.

It is also interesting that he makes it a point later in the book to remind us that we too are bondservants of Christ.

“But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:17-18).

Paul wants us to remember that when we left sin (to which we were servants) we voluntarily committed ourselves to Christ’s ownership. He owns us. And everything we do is to be done in such a way that keeps in perspective that we are His property. It is interesting what Paul teaches us just by way of his introduction. I will say more on this later when we get to chapter 6.

Of course, Paul also introduces himself as an apostle and one that is set apart for the gospel. Obviously his apostleship was unique in that he did not have the relationship with Christ during His earthly ministry that the other apostles did, and as v.5 indicates, he was called to preach among all nations (i.e., the Gentiles) and not to the Jews only. Paul seems to be affirming that God singled him out for a very distinct or special role—to carry the gospel to the Gentiles.

C.E.B. Cranfield has an interesting take on the first four verses that I had never considered before. In his book, Romans: a shorter commentary, he discusses how Paul mentions three aspects of the gospel: (1) it is from God, (2) it was prophesied in the Old Testament, and (3) this gospel concerns and surrounds Jesus Christ. Now, this will preach! Cranfield suggests that part of Paul’s point of emphasis here is that the substance of the gospel is indeed Jesus Christ (pp.3-4). What a powerful message Paul establishes right off the bat, especially when you consider the whole essence of this letter is that we are saved by God through Jesus and not of our own righteousness. Paul establishes Jesus’ natures, both human and divine, along with His incarnation, His Messiahship, His resurrection, and His Lordship (i.e., ownership and authority).

Also in v.5, Paul in these few words really reveals a lot about his apostleship. The origin is from God, and Paul never loses perspective of this. He always gives God the glory and what a tremendous lesson this teaches us about the attitude we should have in all of our accomplishments. He considers his role as an apostle as a gift of grace. Do we consider our role as Christians as mere responsibilities or also as gifts from God? Perhaps the former could be a significant reason as to why Christians don’t do more. In any event, after mentioning his purpose of bringing the “the obedience of faith” to the Gentiles, Paul gives us a hint as to what his ultimate goal really is—to bring honor and glory to Christ. He states that he does what he does “for the sake of his name” (v.5).

And finally, in vv.6-7, Paul mentions the recipients of the letter. He wants to teach these Christians in Rome the deeper issues of the gospel (vv.7, 15). Jews and Gentiles were part of the church here in Rome. Paul says they are called by God to be saints. This should remind us of how significant and meaningful it really is to be a Christian.

More next time on the personal comments Paul makes to these Christians in vv.8-17.

One Common Denominator

Bracketology! This is always a fun time of year for me. I know nothing about College Basketball but every year about this time, me and some friends fill out our brackets and participate together in a NCAA Tournament challenge here. One of the nice things about it all, is that most of the friends that I play with don't know much about college basketball either, although they won't admit it. So we are all on at least somewhat of an even playing field. So, this is about the only time of year, while filling out my brackets, that I actually watch SportsCenter on ESPN to find who is going to beat who in college basketball.

But something dawned on me last night as I was watching it and then again this morning while listening to the radio in my truck. There is always something to argue about with sports, isn't there? If we have half an interest in a particular sport, that automatically qualifies us to argue in favor of what we want or think. And then I started thinking how this phenomenon even transcends sports. We argue over politics, sports, whether or not we should homeschool, how to raise children, who should stay or go on American Idol, what our favorite TV programs are, where the best places to eat are, and even religion, along with everything else under the sun.

This seems to indicate a couple of things: (1) most people are passionate about the things they enjoy in life, which is great. And (2) God made us to be different. Can you imagine a world where everyone thought exactly alike? It is not feasible and it would completely take away the whole Biblical concept of free moral agency. I can't even fathom how boring life would be if the people I am closest with, including my wife even, thought exactly as I do or I like them. That is not how God made us. And I think this is especially important to remember for us as Christians.

The fact that God calls us to strive for peace and unity, as opposed to confusion demonstrates the fact that He knows how differences are part of what characterizes our human nature. I am not convinced that Jesus' prayer for unity (John 17) and Paul's and James' charge for peace and unity (1 Corinthians 1:10; James 3:18; 4:1-12) are so much a command for everyone "to agree on everything" as much as it is to "learn how to get along despite the fact that you have your differences." Now certainly, we all want to strive to abide by what God's word says and that is undoubtedly the Biblical way to stand on common ground. But it seems that the commands to think alike are actually telling us to remember that we are united through Christ and that we must understand ultimately, it is God that serves as the Judge. This is a role we cannot fill. At least I believe Paul is clearly teaching this principle throughout Romans 14 (i.e., vv.4, 10, 12-13, 17, etc.).

Well, I say all of this in order to say this; thank God He has given us His word so that we have a means by which we can stand united! God is not the author of confusion but instead calls us to peace (1 Corinthians 14:34). God tells us in His word that it is through the bond of His Son Jesus Christ that we are all one. In fact, it is this particular bond into which we are all baptized (1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Galatians 3:27) that unites us. It is Jesus that reconciles us to God (2 Corinthians 5:20-21) and therefore to each other also (1 John 1:7). Seek Jesus first (Matthew 6:33) and we find unity (1 Corinthians 1:10).

Because God made us different, Jesus must be our one common denominator. It is enough to drive us insane when we try to change or control one another. It is not possible. I have spent almost 12 years trying to change my wife and am just now starting to accept that it is not happening. That is not what love is. We have to step back and allow Jesus and His standard to be what unites us. Jesus' standard is our one and only common denominator. We have to trust this!

Have a good day!

Christianity Demonstrated

Wanna read a great story that is bound to encourage you? Check this one out!

It is amazing to me how easy it is to forget about the things we should be doing as God's church. Instead of trying to combat what everyone else is doing, I often wonder if things like this story here will faciliate more success? I think it is worth considering, at least. It is undoubtedly what Jesus spent His time doing. In fact, the only ones I see Jesus ever criticizing are the ones who focused on being so critical of others.

Thanks to Trey Morgan for sharing this great story! This is good, practical, and meaningful stuff that actually matters.

While there is certainly no doubt that as Christians, we should stand up for what is right and oppose the unfruitful works of darkness (Ephesians 5:11), Jesus also gives us a pretty good indication as to what is supposed to actually characterize us as His distinct and unique disciples (John 13:35). What should define us more than anything is our love, which is far above any other gift (1 Corinthians 13). I think most would agree with this statement. But what I fear is too often forgotten here (myself included at times) is the responsibility to actually demonstrate this.

Let us remember how Jesus really defines serving Him, as well as things that will condemn us:

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked or clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.

Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life" (Matthew 25:31-46).

Perhaps this is a good example of what Jesus was referring to when sharply rebuking the religious elite throughout Matthew 23:2-36.

I was humbled about a month ago by a sweet elderly lady in the congregation where I am so blessed to preach. I did not particularly like what she said to me, but all I needed was the three minutes it took for me to swallow my big ol' pride to realize how much I actually needed to hear what she had to say. Here in La Grange, I go with the Ladies Bible class to two nursing homes; one on the 2nd Wednesday morning of the month, and an assisted living home on the 4th Wednesday of the month. At one of these places, we don't get a lot of support. The staff seems to not want us there. Often times they forget we are coming and they don't have a room for us, so they have to go put something together, which usually holds us up for about 20 minutes. They do not announce it. Often times we notice that we are not even on the calendar.

Afterwards, one day, I was doing my usual griping about it and throwing a pity party for us and suggested that maybe we should just drop this act, shake the dust off our feet and go somewhere else where we will be appreciated. Well this sweet lady, smiled and put her sweet hand on my shoulder and asked me to try and remember that how we are treated by the staff at the nursing home is not the residents' fault; and that it would be a shame to take away what they look so forward to each month. She reminded me that Jesus and the apostles, like us, grew discouraged from time to time but that never stopped them from doing what they could do to make a difference.

I was humbled to say the least. But am I ever thankful for the wisdom and guidance of older brothers and sisters, who have such a delicate, yet forceful way of sharing their wisdom with us; a wisdom that their own life experiences have taught them. Had I stopped thinking about myself and my own personal likes, maybe I would have remembered why I was actually there to begin with; to encourage the elderly in hopes of showing people the joys of Christianity.

May God be with us all, in our efforts to be His citizens in His glorious kingdom! And may each and every one of us strive daily to follow Jesus' example of kingdom living.

Have a great day!

Peace and Unity

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9).

Jesus is telling us that peace is a vital characteristic of kingdom living. Never are we justified in not making peace a priority. In fact, it is as valuable as any other principle or command taught in the New Testament. It is supposed to actually characterize who we are as the Lord’s body (John 13:35; Romans 12:18). Jesus did not say, “strive for peace unless others don’t.” Nor did He say “Do your best to be at peace until someone disagrees with you on a religious matter.” He didn’t say, “Sometimes we have to sacrifice peace for the sake of something higher.” He simply said that the peacemakers are called children of God.

Unfortunately peace does not exist in our world today. This is reality. We live in a society that has been unable to avoid conflicts, war, strife, violence, and even murder. Although it could always be worse, lack of peace and unity is inevitable in ours and many other countries today. This is why it becomes so essential for citizens living in God’s kingdom, those of us who have been called out by the Gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:14), to fulfill our role as being the peculiar people God calls us to be (1 Peter 2:9).

There seems to be too many passages that instruct us to get along (despite differences) that just cannot be ignored. To name just a few, Romans is filled with this exhortation. James 4 addresses it. Paul calls for it in 1 Corinthians 1. Ironically, of all the problems the church in Corinth had, Paul still saw fit to acknowledge them as his brethren when he refers to them as “the church of God,” “sanctified,” and “saints.” Of course, I am not suggesting that problems and error are to be ignored, but what I am indicating is that Paul did not write them off and consider them no longer in a relationship with God either. Jesus even prayed for unity among us, adamantly (John 17).

I am not so naïve, as to think that 100% unity is going to exist at all times; even Jesus recognized this reality (Matthew 10:34-39). But could we do better? May peace and unity always prevail over division and dissension!

Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore (Psalm 133:1-3).

Romans--Introductory Thoughts (part 3)

There are actually several circumstances that brought out the need for Paul to write this letter. However, it is a common belief that Romans was merely written to serve as a general document that affirms the whole of Christian doctrine. And therefore there were no inherent or pressing problems with the Christians in Rome that would necessitate Paul writing this letter, as was the case for his other letters. For example, the late Brother Burton Coffman in his commentary on Romans states:

“Paul had never been to Rome; and, it would seem, neither had any other apostle; accordingly, therefore, the letter to the Romans was not designed for the purpose of dealing with church problems, nor for giving instructions relative to church government, but was primarily a magnificent treatise on Christian doctrine, somewhat in the abstract, and yet pertinent to that generation and all subsequent ages” (Coffman Commentaries: Romans, Vol. 6, p.xi).

Thus it is held that Paul’s intent behind this letter was to focus on the general doctrine of salvation. While I will admit that this view holds some credence, if not for any other reason, there are many brilliant scholars, including those of like-minded faith that I respect dearly who maintain this thought. However, there are also many brilliant scholars, including those of like-minded faith, who would disagree somewhat and suggest that perhaps there were some pressing needs and circumstances going on with the Christians in Rome, that necessitated Paul’s writing to them. Interestingly, what one believes in regard to this, could actually play a large role in how this book as a whole is even interpreted.

Paul undoubtedly wanted to express to them his eagerness to preach to them the gospel (1:15). No one disagrees with this. One of the purposes of this letter is also seen toward the latter part; to convey to them his travel plans, including his plan to stop and spend some time with them and teach them on his way to Spain, as well as to request prayers of them, and seek their support in his work in Spain (15:15-32). Thus, at the time of this writing, Paul’s plan was to go to Jerusalem and then after this he intended to make his way to Spain. On the way to Spain, he would stop in Rome. See also Acts 19:21 and 23:11. Of course, we know from the history recorded for us in the book of Acts, that his plans changed however, once in Jerusalem and taken into custody. And Paul therefore never went to Rome under the terms which he had planned.

So how then, is Romans to be understood; as a general doctrinal essay or as an address of a specific need? I believe both. Paul undoubtedly lays down a very clear message with regard to the deeper issues of the gospel that are applicable to all Christians. He sets forth a treatise that leaves no doubt as to how we are to carry ourselves and maintain our standing in God’s loving grace. It is also a writing that should leave no doubt in the readers’ minds that it is God’s righteousness and not our own that saves us. It is undeniable that Paul is defending the gospel message here also; that Jesus indeed came to die for our sins and resurrected for the benefit of all man; and all of this was based on God’s love for us as unworthy and fallible human beings. Paul wanted these brethren to know that the saving gospel is for all man.

But we also cannot ignore the fact that this letter is obviously responding to certain circumstances that were occurring between these Christian brethren. It seems apparent that there was a dire need for unity between the Jew and Gentile Christian communities (Romans 12:16; 14:1-15:13). I actually wonder if what Paul addresses here in chapter 14 is at least somewhat similar to what instigated the Jerusalem conference (see Acts 15:1-35); the difference being that this should especially not happen among more mature Christians. Paul seems to have addressed a similar problem in the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 8), at least in the sense of teaching them that the true spirit of Christianity will necessitate getting along and figuring out a way to make peace and unity work, even when there are serious disagreements. And make no mistake about it that Paul's charge for unity was something that was to be taken seriously (Romans 16:17-18). The specific details of what was being argued might be up for debate. Obviously we will explore this further when we get to this point of our study. But one thing is for certain; they were arguing about something and it was causing a lot of dissension. And Paul is basically saying, “stop it.” He makes it very clear that there is no room in the kingdom for such mindless bickering that has nothing to do with what Christianity is supposed to be about.

“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).

Paul no doubt explains throughout this book that our submission to God’s will and holiness is not a matter that can be compromised (e.g., Romans 12:1-2). We cannot minimize this. But he also makes it quite clear that neither is legalism acceptable; and that unity is essential among God’s people. Thus, I believe, at least in part, that it was out of a motivation of love and concern for his brethren that Paul penned this letter. It was a concern for him that these brethren were not getting along. Such behavior among saints goes against everything Christianity is supposed to stand for. I believe there is just too much throughout the entire letter, where Paul is talking about how all are unworthy, and that all have been extended God’s love and grace, for this not to be something specifically Paul was addressing. At the very least, he saw the potential for lack of harmony because of the Jew/Gentile controversy as a whole; kind of a "don't bring this into the church" exhortation. But it is quite apparent that such controversy already existed (14:4, 10). Further, if all of Paul's other letters addressed specific problems, there is nothing to indicate why Romans would be any different. In the context of the New Testament, any letter written seems to imply that there was a need. With this all said though, I am not sure we can deny that this is a systematic presentation of the gospel message for mature Christians either. This is why I say “both.” This is a letter that is intended for all Christians in all ages; then, now, and into the future. It is relevant for all of us since it deals with salvation from sin through God’s grace.

There are a plethora of themes talked about for Romans. I think that justification by faith (Romans 1:16-17); God’s righteousness and fairness (Romans 9-11); and the equality of Jew and Gentiles are all relevant messages to the recipients of this letter. However, I like what Jack Cottrell says with regard to the theme; in summary: our salvation comes by way of God’s grace, not by law.

“Rather than seeing 1:16-17 as the thesis statement for Paul’s treatise, I see it more or less as the starting point leading up to the thesis, which is 3:28: ‘for we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.’

In the most general sense Paul’s thesis relates to the gospel, since his desire to preach the gospel in Rome (1:15) is what led him to compose the epistle as a written version of his gospel. But since the gospel is the good news about salvation, also in a general sense the theme of Romans is salvation. And the manner in which sinners are saved, whether Jews or Gentiles, is the same: justification by faith.

…..Yes, sinners are justified by faith, but this means they are not justified by works of law, which is the only alternative. It is just as important to include the negative statement in the theme as the positive one.

In actuality, then, the basic theme of Romans is the contrast between law and grace as a way of salvation. This contrast is seen especially in 3:28, which (literally translated) says, ‘for we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of law.’ The contrast is stated succinctly in 6:14, ‘you are not under law but under grace.’ This is the gospel, the good news of salvation. Certainly it is good news to know that God justifies us by faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ. But in a real sense it is also good news to know that we are not justified by law-keeping: a way of salvation which is not only futile but which sinners in their hearts know is futile, and which leads only to self-deception or to despair (pp.29-30).”

Cottrell's point here seems, in large part, to be that it is not possible and therefore self-deceptive to think that we have the ability to earn salvation by way of our own righteousness. Of course, it should also be affirmed that God’s saving gospel message, extended by His grace, is indeed something to be obeyed or responded to (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:1-4). But what is necessary is that we understand that this does not serve as our source of salvation. Perhaps, I should let Paul’s explanation speak for itself:

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life” (Romans 5:1-10).

After having much more to say here in Romans 5 about Christ’s shed blood that reconciles us to God through His grace, Paul then begins the next chapter by conveying how we contact that saving blood and thus, enjoy the full benefits of God's grace:

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his" (Romans 6:1-5).

Next time, we will actually get into the text; beginning with chapter 1. In addition to a chapter-by-chapter, section-by-section study of Romans, I anticipate we will embark upon more in depth, this distinction between law vs. grace and faith that Paul seems to emphasize throughout this letter. It will undoubtedly come up several times, actually. This is especially interesting when you consider that James 2:24 seemingly and at face value, states the opposite of Romans 3:28. I believe the bible harmonizes both of these truths and that it is impossible that God’s inspired, infallible ,and inerrant Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17) could contradict itself.

Paul wants all of us as Christians to understand that God’s grace, and nothing else is the source of our salvation. If we were to be 100% obedient from here on out, then all we would be doing is giving what we already owe to God for what He has already done for us. And so, when you keep in perspective that we cannot be 100% obedient (Romans 3:23), it really puts in perspective how much we owe our salvation to the wonderful grace of God. Romans always has and always will be applicable to everyone. And may our study of this great book enrich our lives abundantly and enable us to praise God from the mountaintops, literally and represented through our pure lifestyles. It is the natural way to respond after truly understanding God’s grace.

I will leave you with one more quote from Jack Cottrell:

“This contrast between law and grace as competing ways of salvation is not a matter of OT versus NT nor Old Covenant versus New Covenant, as if law were the way to be saved prior to Christ and grace is the way to be saved now that Christ has come. Also, the contrast between law and grace—THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT—is not simply the Law of Moses versus the grace of Jesus Christ. No sinner has ever been saved nor can be saved by the law that applies to him, whether it be the Law of Moses for Jews under the Old Covenant, or some other comparable set of God’s commandments for anyone else in any other time. Every sinner who has been saved since the time of Adam has been saved by grace and not by law, and this will always be the case” (p. 30).

Powerful Quotes on Love

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:35).

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:7).

Love chooses to believe the best about people. It gives them the beneift of the doubt. It refuses to fill in the unknowns with negative assumptions. And when our worst hopes are proven to be true, loves makes every effort to deal with them and move forward. As much as possible, love focuses on the positive (The Love Dare, p.33).

Romans--Introductory Thoughts (part 2)

I am going to assume if you are reading this with any interest whatsoever, then chances are, you do not challenge the fact that Paul wrote this epistle, so we will not get too deep into trying to prove that Paul wrote Romans, other than to say, “Paul wrote Romans.” :-)

What is significant about Paul’s authorship however, is his background, which was extremely Jewish in nature. This is important to keep in mind as we study Romans. In some aspects, it even contributes to understanding why he was so qualified to write this letter. Notice what Paul has to say about his own Jewish background:

“I ask then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin” (Romans 11:1).

“Circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee” (Philippians 3:5).

“Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I” (2 Corinthians 11:22).

“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel, according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day” (Acts 22:3).

Notice some of the labels that Paul’s gives himself in describing how strong his Jewish background really was: “Israelite,” “descendant of Abraham,” “a member of the tribe of Benjamin,” “Circumcised,” “of the people of Israel,” “a Hebrew of Hebrews,” “as to the law, a Pharisee,” “a Jew,” “educated at the feet of Gamaliel,” and “according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers.”

Understanding Paul’s background is vital because as he so masterfully makes his case for the contrast between law vs. grace, he speaks as one who has been on both sides of the Jew vs. Gentile controversy that was apparently taking place. Also, when he conveys that we are justified by grace through faith, apart from law (Romans 3:28; Romans 6:14, etc.), he speaks as one, who at one time in his past, was likely a legalist, according to how the word is generally defined:

“But in general the term is made use of to denote one who seeks salvation by works of law (not of the law, but of “law” generally, whether moral or ceremonial instead of by the merits of Christ” (Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, McClintock and Strong, Volume V, p. 325).

By being converted, Paul did not start believing and teaching that God’s grace means we can continue in sin (Romans 6:4). What his conversion meant, at least in part, was that he no longer sought acceptance by God on the mere basis of his strict adherence to the law. This is especially seen in the comparison he draws between his mindsets before and after his conversion in Philippians 3:6-9. Notice the difference between vv. 6 and 9 here:

“as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—"

As one who had a tremendous, and in many ways even admirable commitment and zeal to the Law (Acts 22:3; Galatians 1:14; Acts 26:4-5), the Apostle Paul by his conversion, forsook everything he had for so many years stood for, including his efforts to move up in rank. In and of itself, Paul’s life and conversion account is a strong testament to the fact that when we become Christians, it is indeed a sacrifice and service. We had to give up the world and the ways of our past by putting our trust in God. This faith was a commitment to live and think differently as a unique people of God (1 Peter 2:9). And it continues to be a complete reliance on His way as opposed to our own righteousness. So keep this in mind as you read the book of Romans. Paul, by becoming a Christian, set himself in complete opposition to everything he had once stood for as a Pharisee with such a strong Jewish background. He now understands that the way of law is futile and empty (Romans 10:1-4). And this is precisely what he wants to teach these brethren. And when you consider the conflict that likely existed between these Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians here in Rome, this was undoubtedly a message they needed to hear and take to heart; that neither were worthy, but both because of God’s grace had hope. None were more worthy of salvation than the other. Is this not a message for which we need to earnestly contend in the church today? Who among us would claim based on their righteousness that they are deserving of justification? I certainly won’t make such a bold claim. For, Paul says if I do, I have fallen from grace (Galatians 5:4).

Another aspect to consider here is the recipients of this epistle to the Romans. To whom exactly did Paul write this letter? Jewish Christians? Gentile Christians? Both? If both, which was the majority? Or does it even matter, really? There are arguments for several views with regard to the specifics of who this letter went to. In fact, there are so many, it kind of proves to me that there is no way we can be dogmatic in what we speak to these things. Jack Cottrell in his commentary on Romans however, seems to put in perspective what we can be certain about:

“The epistle to the Romans is addressed 'to all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints (1:7).' These saints in Rome were almost certainly a mixture of Jewish and Gentile Christians, though there is no way to tell which group had the larger number. There appears to have been tension if not conflict among the two groups. What is obvious is that in the epistle Paul addresses both groups with some passages being specifically directed toward the Jewish Christians and some toward the Gentile Christians…..this whole question is really irrelevant, since it applies equally to both groups. All are sinners (3:9, 23), no one will be saved by law (3:19-20), and all are equal recipients of the grace that is in Christ Jesus" (3:24; 4:11-12). [p. 21].

A large part of Paul’s message is to convey that we are all equal; regardless of our differences in race, socioeconomic status, gender, and level or degree of righteousness or sin. As for our ability to justify ourselves before God, we are all in the same boat.

“For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:12-13).

The city of Rome was predominantly a Gentile city. In fact, the population did heavily favor that of the Gentiles, probably in large part due to Claudius’ charge for the Jews to leave Rome (Acts 18:2) just under 10 years earlier from the time of this writing, which was around A.D. 58, most believe. But as those of Jewish descent had begun to filter back into Rome after Claudius’ death, and because of the content of Romans, we cannot deny that there were Jewish Christians here. Perhaps the majority of the Christians in Rome were indeed Gentile, and that is at least in part what threatened the Jews. But either way, most commentators agree in that even if this were the case, it was probably not by an overwhelming amount. The important thing to remember here is that they apparently were not getting along and both parties were guilty of thinking they were better than the other. In our culture, on so many levels, this should sound quite familiar, and therefore indicates to us once again that Romans is indeed for everyone.

As for how the church in Rome started, the most logical explanation (and it makes the most sense to me, personally) is that there were people from Rome at Pentecost when the church was established (Acts 2:5, 10). These people, shortly after having been converted to Christianity on this day, likely went back to Rome and started the church there.

There does not seem to be any Biblical or historical support for Peter ever having gone to Rome, much less having started the church there.

Also, Matt Dabbs, at his website, is doing a study on Romans himself. It is excellent, in my opinion and thorough. You can find his specific content on Romans (along with other studies of Bible series') here. Be sure and check out his post entitled, “Studying Romans--historical background and occasion.” Matt discusses some things here that I did not consider or go into very deeply in this post. Another interesting post that is relative to this introductory discussion can be found here where Matt, in a thought-provoking way, challenges the traditional belief that God's plan was to save His own but only because of the Jews' rejection of His way, He then extended the opportunity of salvation to the Gentiles (non Jews); as if God had never originally planned to extend hope to the Gentiles. This is good stuff by Matt and if you are interested in a deeper study of these issues, I highly recommend going there. I have enjoyed the brief conversations I have had with Matt about the scope of Romans. And I look forward to continuing to read and study his thoughts......as well as pick his brain. :-)

More introductory thoughts to come soon regarding the purpose and occasion of the Romans letter, as well as the theme.

Romans--Introductory Thoughts (part 1)

The Book of Romans, for a lot of reasons, is a work of genius. If there were ever a picture of Hebrews 4:12, which tells us “for the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart,” it is Paul’s letter to the Jewish and Gentile Christians in Rome. Jack Cottrell says it well when he states, “God’s word is sharp and piercing like a sword and no blade penetrates more deeply into our hearts than Romans.”

One of the exciting features of Romans is that there is so much Christian doctrine covered in this book. It brings a plethora of topics into one line of thought; the deeper issues of the gospel. I like the way Martin Luther once said it:

In Romans we find most abundantly the things that a Christian ought to know, namely, what is law, gospel, sin, punishment, grace, faith, righteousness, Christ, God, good works, love, hope, and the cross; and also how we are to conduct ourselves toward everyone.

Something else of value here however, is that Romans is not about us. It is not about our ability to be righteous. This letter is for everyone yes, but make no mistake about it; it is about God and His saving power through the gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16). Paul reveals through this letter God’s power and grace through the good news of Jesus. And thank God that this power and grace is made available to all man today.

Paul demonstrates throughout this letter, the reality of Peter’s promise in Acts 2:39:

For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.

This Romans letter and all of its content is for everyone, just as Peter's promise is for everyone. That is, every person has the opportunity to respond to the gospel, which is God’s saving message, and receive the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:37-38) by contacting the blood (Romans 6:3-4). But it is important to understand also, that there is more to the gospel than the first principles (1 Corinthians 15:3). Paul says at the beginning of his letter to the Christians in Rome, those who had already obeyed the gospel, that he was eager to preach to them the gospel (1:15). So much of the message behind Romans that we will be studying, entails how we are to lead pure and holy lives before God, and especially in a unified way. In other words, how God's grace allows us to maintain our walk with Christ in His kingdom, and stay away from sin is in great part what Paul is intending; i.e., the deeper implications of the gospel.

Romans is a very liberating book. It reminds us that under Christ’s reign, we really are under a law of liberty (James 1:25). It frees us from thinking we are saved by our own doing; such is an impossible task for us (Romans 3:23; c.f., James 2:10; Galatians 3:10). There are many passages in Romans alone that clearly portray the truth that salvation comes by faith in God’s ability; not our own ability; through the righteousness of God, not our own righteousness:

Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law (Romans 3:27-28).

For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace (Romans 6:14).

What then shall we say 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 with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died--more than that, who was raised--who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trubulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, 'for your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:31-39).

Yes this is very liberating! At least, it should be.

This is not to suggest that grace has freed or allowed us to continue in sin or claim that we don’t need to strive for growth. Paul clearly states “God forbid!” in this regard (Romans 6:1). In fact, God's grace actually suggests that we should grow. Our responsibility to adhere to the word of God and transform our lives from worldliness to holiness certainly cannot be minimized (Romans 6:1-4; Romans 12:1-2).

More to come soon on Paul’s background as the writer of this letter as well as its recipients….

One more night with the frogs

One of the more interesting responses in all of holy writ in my estimation, is found in Exodus 8:10. It is an often overlooked one, yet a very powerful one that has much application to man today. The setting entails God sending a series of ten plagues upon the land of Egypt because Pharaoh refused to let God’s people go. The Hebrew children had been under Egyptian bondage for hundreds of years. They had cried out for God's help and He was ready to deliver them from this horrible bondage. So God called Moses through a burning bush and informed him that he would be the one, along with his brother Aaron to lead this eventual nation of people out of Egypt. Moses then preceded, through God’s guidance, to warn Pharaoh that if he did not let the people go so they could serve God, God would continue to send plagues. The first half of Exodus 8 consists of the second of these ten plagues. Moses warned Pharaoh that if he did not let God’s people go so they can serve Him (v.1), then a plague of frogs would come into the land of Egypt in such an abundance that they would cover the land border to border (vv.2-4). When Pharaoh refused, the plague took place. Frogs came in and covered the entire land of Egypt (v.6). In obvious disgust, Pharaoh was now willing (or so he said) to let the people go if God would remove this plague (v.8).

What takes place next is not often discussed when talking about this incident of Pharaoh and the plagues. But I find it rather appealing. In fact, one of the most powerful sermons I have ever heard preached was by a dear friend of mine on this very subject many years ago. It has had an everlasting impression on me. In v.9 Moses told Pharaoh that he would intreat the Lord, that He may remove this plague of frogs. But he needed to know when. In other words, “Pharaoh when are you willing to do what God has commanded, so that He will remove this plague?” And v.10 gives us one of the saddest responses one could ever make regarding the question “when?” Pharaoh’s response was “tomorrow.” Pharaoh shows an obvious lack of priority and urgency in submitting to God's will. He had an opportunity to do what God wanted, and have a horrible plague removed from his life. Yet he chose to spend one more night with the frogs.

I often wonder how many of us like Pharaoh, willingly choose to spend "one more night with the frogs?" Here we are in the 21st century, some 2000 years from the time Christ ascended to Heaven. We are well aware that sin plagues the lives of all men (Romans 3:23). And until one submits to God's will, one much higher than our own, and puts that old man of sin to death (Romans 6:3-4), sin will continue to plague the life of mankind. In essence, God has left man a choice as Moses did Pharaoh by asking when. When will you do God’s will so that the plague of sin will be removed from your life? And when man responds by saying “tomorrow” or at another time that is more convenient, as did Felix (Acts 24:25) or a mere “almost” as did Agrippa (Acts 26:28) he/she is no less guilty than the Pharaoh of Exodus.

But I think there is something here to be learned by all of us. None of us are perfect. Even one who has been a part of God's family for years has something to learn. We all have our struggles. How often, when considering daily Bible study, have we said “I will start doing that later when I have more time?” How often, when pondering the value of assembling with brothers and sisters and getting involved with the work of the church, do we reason to ourselves, “I will do that more regularly when it is more convenient?” or “when I grow up and have kids of my own, I will be more responsible?” (This was a big one for me in my younger years as a teenager). How many times when evangelism is brought up, have we thought, “when I get back from vacation I will start?” or “I will be more consistent with these things once I retire.” How often, when thinking about visiting the sick, encouraging the lost, comforting those in the hospitals have we figured, “tomorrow?” What are we waiting on? Do we realize that when we do this, in a lot of ways, we are choosing to spend one more night with the frogs?

Let us move forward with urgency to serve in God's kingdom, with commitment and eagerness. Also, I wonder if one thing that hinders us greatly might be our lack of commitment to one another? For example, if we spent half the time we do bickering and arguing with each other, and instead put that time toward trying to reach out to those who really need the gospel, how much more successful could we be? Sometimes it seems that we are too busy tearing each other down, rather than seeking to build up. It is hard to look out on the fields that are ready for harvest when our eyes are glued to each other.

Each and every day of our lives we have a choice. We can choose to play or labor. We can choose to absorb all of our time in material things or balance it out so we can involve ourselves in spiritual matters as well. And we can choose to put focus on what Jesus told us (Matthew 6:33) or we can put our focus on what He said not to do (John 5:39-40). It must start now! James reminds us that we are not guaranteed to be here “tomorrow” (James 4:13-14). Individually, we must all answer by our choices in life. Which do we choose? Is it fulfilling our responsibility as citizens of God's kingdom today, or do we want to spend one more night with frogs?