Romans 2: 25-29
For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law;
Paul is talking to the Jewish believers in Rome. But the principle he is teaching us all here is applicable to all of us.
Today we circumcise our sons as a simple health measure. But the Jews circumcised their sons to obey the rule God gave them, to be different from the rest of the Nations around them. It was an act of obedience.
So if we consider ourselves to be Christians, then we need to be very careful to actually think like Jesus thinks, and have His attitudes as our own. Practice the Law that is written on our hearts.
but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
But if we're harboring worldly attitudes, thinking like our society around us thinks, then our Christianity is being nullified.
So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?
This is a new concept. Those from other Nations who came to Israel as proselytes and became Jews did so by obeying the Law and becoming circumcised. Now Paul is saying that one who is not circumcised can be regarded as if he were. Let's see what he means by this.
And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a transgressor of the Law?
Paul elevates this uncircumcised person, a Gentile, to have authority over the Jew, who is circumcised.
For he is not a [true] Jew who is one outwardly, nor is [true] circumcision that which is outward in the flesh.
But he is a [true] Jew who is one inwardly; and [true] circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter (Jeremiah 4 :4);
So Paul is saying that to be a true follower of God, which used to be following the Mosaic Law; is now following the Law that is written in our hearts, regardless of what our physical condition is.
And this is what God intended all along. All the outward, physical signs and actions are supposed to show what has already been experienced inwardly, in our souls; our hearts and minds; and in our spirits, having been made alive by God's Spirit in us, spiritually "cutting away" the attitudes and ideas that disobey His Law.
and his praise is not from men, but from God.
God is Spirit, and those who are His have received His Spirit into their spirits. This happens when a person admits that they are the criminal who deserves death, repent, and turn around from the life they used to live. And, in times past, would bring their personal animal to the priest to sacrifice, dying in their place (Leviticus 1).
Now Jesus has come as our Lamb of God, and has sacrificed Himself on the altar of His Cross, fulfilling that personal sacrifice; so we don't offer animals on an altar any more.
Now, Jesus has rendered the Old Covenant of Law to be obsolete, having ushered in the New Covenant that was promised in Jeremiah 31: 32-33, written on our hearts, not carved in stone.
So we are not bound to the letter of the Law any more, but actually are moved to go way beyond the letter. We not only don't commit adultery, but we don't even allow our thoughts to entertain an unclean idea about another. We not only not murder a person, but we don't even let our attitude toward that person to be uncharitable.
This is an impossibly high standard, that we are woefully unable to live up to on our own. That's why God gives us His Spirit. The Spirit gives us the power and ability to do what He commands, to actually love one another the way He has Loved us.
O my Father, You always did Love all people, and give all people a chance to come to You in every time and place in the World.
Today, You have pulled out all the stops, and You want every person alive to hear Your Good News, so that they can be rescued from their sins and tangled lives, and know Your peace and Love. Through Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
And the voice of Your message has gone out over all the World. O Father, please send us all out to cover the Earth with the Knowledge of the Lord! Let every person hear and understand how much You Love them, and what You have already accomplished and finished to draw them out of the miry clay to place their feet on the Solid Rock!
Let every person alive hear and understand well enough to make an informed decision to either accept Your gracious gift, or to reject You.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess in every language that Jesus is our Lord God Almighty, the King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Friday, October 25, 2019
Thursday, October 24, 2019
We Who Have Been Given Much
Romans 2: 17-24
But if you bear the name "Jew" and rely upon the Law and boast in God,
and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law,
Now if you call yourself a Christian, and you go to church, and you agree with everything your pastor preaches;
and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those in darkness,
a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the Truth,
If you've been given every advantage, and you know the Bible so well that you even counsel others who have problems and teach a Sunday School class, and you do good deeds like help with the kids or in the nursery, or help distribute the donated groceries to the poor families, or even knock on doors handing out tracts;
you, therefore, who teach another do you not teach yourself?
Are you just going through the motions, do you not really take to heart how much God Loves you and has done so much for you?
You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal?
You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
If you're teaching honesty, do you cheat on your taxes? If you're telling your companions how wrong it is to be unfaithful, are your own eyes wandering? If you're inviting people to your church, are you putting down other denominations that have different practices than yours?
You who boast in the Law, through breaking the Law, do you dishonor God?
If you think you're doing so well following all the details of the rules, but you allow your thinking to dwell on something uncharitable about someone else;
The Law is like a chain, if you break one little link, then the chain is broken. And it's noticed.
For "the Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you," just as it is written (II Samuel 12: 14).
King David had "a heart after God," but when he slipped and tried to cover it up, this gave occasion to the Nations around them to say that Israel's God was no different from their idols.
Does our life look any different from our neighbors? Are our attitudes any more positive than the negativity around us? Are we demonstrating how our God is Light and Love and generous?
Can others point to our lives and say that we are just the same as they are, there's no difference between our God and their religion? This insults God.
We as Christians live in glass houses. Everything we do is apparent to our neighbors. We are on the spot, high on a pedestal, in full view of all the others who are wanting to justify themselves by pulling us down.
O my Father, please help us who do study Your Word, to be extra careful, to really take to heart what we're learning. We who have been given much, much is required of us. Strengthen us to remain pure and faithful to Your ideal, and forgive us when we mess up. May we unconsciously display Your character, Father, the traits of our Lord Jesus, to other people we encounter daily.
Teach us how to love You back, Father, and to love others as You have Loved us, to show them how much You Love them, too. To love them into Your Kingdom.
And send us out, Father, into Your fields white to harvest. Send out all Your workers, to plant and sow, and to reap and harvest, until every person alive has heard and understands enough to make an informed decision to either accept Your great gift, or to reject You.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Lord God Almighty, King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come soon, Lord Jesus!
But if you bear the name "Jew" and rely upon the Law and boast in God,
and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law,
Now if you call yourself a Christian, and you go to church, and you agree with everything your pastor preaches;
and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those in darkness,
a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the Truth,
If you've been given every advantage, and you know the Bible so well that you even counsel others who have problems and teach a Sunday School class, and you do good deeds like help with the kids or in the nursery, or help distribute the donated groceries to the poor families, or even knock on doors handing out tracts;
you, therefore, who teach another do you not teach yourself?
Are you just going through the motions, do you not really take to heart how much God Loves you and has done so much for you?
You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal?
You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
If you're teaching honesty, do you cheat on your taxes? If you're telling your companions how wrong it is to be unfaithful, are your own eyes wandering? If you're inviting people to your church, are you putting down other denominations that have different practices than yours?
You who boast in the Law, through breaking the Law, do you dishonor God?
If you think you're doing so well following all the details of the rules, but you allow your thinking to dwell on something uncharitable about someone else;
The Law is like a chain, if you break one little link, then the chain is broken. And it's noticed.
For "the Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you," just as it is written (II Samuel 12: 14).
King David had "a heart after God," but when he slipped and tried to cover it up, this gave occasion to the Nations around them to say that Israel's God was no different from their idols.
Does our life look any different from our neighbors? Are our attitudes any more positive than the negativity around us? Are we demonstrating how our God is Light and Love and generous?
Can others point to our lives and say that we are just the same as they are, there's no difference between our God and their religion? This insults God.
We as Christians live in glass houses. Everything we do is apparent to our neighbors. We are on the spot, high on a pedestal, in full view of all the others who are wanting to justify themselves by pulling us down.
O my Father, please help us who do study Your Word, to be extra careful, to really take to heart what we're learning. We who have been given much, much is required of us. Strengthen us to remain pure and faithful to Your ideal, and forgive us when we mess up. May we unconsciously display Your character, Father, the traits of our Lord Jesus, to other people we encounter daily.
Teach us how to love You back, Father, and to love others as You have Loved us, to show them how much You Love them, too. To love them into Your Kingdom.
And send us out, Father, into Your fields white to harvest. Send out all Your workers, to plant and sow, and to reap and harvest, until every person alive has heard and understands enough to make an informed decision to either accept Your great gift, or to reject You.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Lord God Almighty, King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come soon, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
How We Live, Bad Or Good
Romans 2: 11-16
For there is no partiality with God.
The ground is level at the foot of the Cross, we are all sinners, born with the damaged DNA we inherited from Adam. That's why we all make the wrong choices, and commit sins.
That's why Jesus is our Lamb of God, to take upon Himself the wrath of God that each of us has earned, in our place individually. No matter who we are.
For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the law;
This is fair. Those without the Law will be judged on the Moral law, rather than the Mosaic Law. But those who have the Mosaic Law will be judged according to all the stipulations of that Law.
for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.
How we live our lives is what will count, not just what we know.
For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law unto themselves,
in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness
The human race all know the difference between good and evil generally, the Moral Law has been written in our hearts, giving us a conscience.
and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,
People all live by their own standards, and when they know they've done what they consider is wrong, then they have a guilty conscience, or if they try to do right, they become defensive.
on the day when, according to my Gospel, God will judge the secrets of Men through Christ Jesus.
When Jesus returns to this Earth, through the whole process of the Day of the Lord, everyone will be required to give account, and no one will have any excuse for anything they knew was wrong, whether they're going by the Moral Law or the Mosaic Law.
Dante's "Inferno" is not Scripture, but he did have the right idea about varying levels of suffering, however that suffering will pan out.
And we know that the Lord will award varying rewards to those who are His family. So whether we're Christians or not, how we live our lives will have a bearing on the degree of reward or suffering in the next realm.
O my Father, You are so wise, so clever and so smart about everything, so much more that my puny intelligence can understand or express. Any words I can use, no matter how extreme and superlative, they all just fall so far short of the reality of who You are!
You are totally fair and just, You have made everything that exists to all work together. Everything is connected to everything else, and has consequences. Father, it's like "there's a string running through it all," as my late husband used to say, when he couldn't do this until he'd done that, but he couldn't do that until something else was done first. You work everything together, weaving Your magnificent Grand Tapestry of Time, each one of us another colorful tiny thread, woven in with all the other threads.
And how we live our lives matters. It matters to You, Father, so it matters for us, too. While we live here, in this World on this Earth, we are building our eternal futures, so everything we do here will either add to or subtract from what we will enjoy forever with You, or suffer away from You.
Father, I pray for all Your children. Comfort those who are being persecuted; prepare those who are not yet persecuted for what is coming, and encourage those who have fallen into some kind of discouragement.
And find all those who are still lost and floundering, seeking You, whether they know it's You they're seeking or not. Send out Your workers, Father, to find them all, and draw them, or carry them, or drag them kicking and screaming into the safety and fellowship of Your One Fold with One Shepherd.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ Messiah, our Lord God Almighty, sovereign King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
For there is no partiality with God.
The ground is level at the foot of the Cross, we are all sinners, born with the damaged DNA we inherited from Adam. That's why we all make the wrong choices, and commit sins.
That's why Jesus is our Lamb of God, to take upon Himself the wrath of God that each of us has earned, in our place individually. No matter who we are.
For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the law;
This is fair. Those without the Law will be judged on the Moral law, rather than the Mosaic Law. But those who have the Mosaic Law will be judged according to all the stipulations of that Law.
for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.
How we live our lives is what will count, not just what we know.
For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law unto themselves,
in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness
The human race all know the difference between good and evil generally, the Moral Law has been written in our hearts, giving us a conscience.
and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,
People all live by their own standards, and when they know they've done what they consider is wrong, then they have a guilty conscience, or if they try to do right, they become defensive.
on the day when, according to my Gospel, God will judge the secrets of Men through Christ Jesus.
When Jesus returns to this Earth, through the whole process of the Day of the Lord, everyone will be required to give account, and no one will have any excuse for anything they knew was wrong, whether they're going by the Moral Law or the Mosaic Law.
Dante's "Inferno" is not Scripture, but he did have the right idea about varying levels of suffering, however that suffering will pan out.
And we know that the Lord will award varying rewards to those who are His family. So whether we're Christians or not, how we live our lives will have a bearing on the degree of reward or suffering in the next realm.
O my Father, You are so wise, so clever and so smart about everything, so much more that my puny intelligence can understand or express. Any words I can use, no matter how extreme and superlative, they all just fall so far short of the reality of who You are!
You are totally fair and just, You have made everything that exists to all work together. Everything is connected to everything else, and has consequences. Father, it's like "there's a string running through it all," as my late husband used to say, when he couldn't do this until he'd done that, but he couldn't do that until something else was done first. You work everything together, weaving Your magnificent Grand Tapestry of Time, each one of us another colorful tiny thread, woven in with all the other threads.
And how we live our lives matters. It matters to You, Father, so it matters for us, too. While we live here, in this World on this Earth, we are building our eternal futures, so everything we do here will either add to or subtract from what we will enjoy forever with You, or suffer away from You.
Father, I pray for all Your children. Comfort those who are being persecuted; prepare those who are not yet persecuted for what is coming, and encourage those who have fallen into some kind of discouragement.
And find all those who are still lost and floundering, seeking You, whether they know it's You they're seeking or not. Send out Your workers, Father, to find them all, and draw them, or carry them, or drag them kicking and screaming into the safety and fellowship of Your One Fold with One Shepherd.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ Messiah, our Lord God Almighty, sovereign King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Religion Or Relationship?
Romans 2: 1-11
Therefore
What is therefore there for? It's to look back at what was just said. Paul was just talking about the ungodly lifestyles of the general Roman society. Now he's talking to people who came out of that society who are in the church in Rome.
you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
Human nature is quick to see it's own weaknesses in others, so we tend to notice our own faults when other people display them. We are more sensitive to what we're personally intimate with.
Those in the church are not to condemn others who are still practicing this lifestyle, and they may even still be living this way secretly, even if just in their thinking.
And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things.
God is the One who will judge, it's not for us to usurp His place to judge.
But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?
When we see in someone else that attitude that we are ashamed of having ourselves, and point it out in them to accuse them or criticize them in judgment, do you think that God won't call you to account for it also, as well as the uncharitable attitude toward the other person?
Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
Do you remember how God called you into faith? Did He browbeat you into submission, or come down hard on you for your wrongs?
No, He was kind and gentle, wooing you to Himself, breaking your heart for Loving you in spite of all your rebellion and efforts to push Him away.
His pull, His arms, are stronger than every evil addiction or habit or attitude. And His kindness leads us to let our hearts break and break away those stony parts, realizing His compassion and pity upon us, as victims of our own choices.
We also, when we live in the World with these unrighteous people, we need to be like our Father and our Lord Jesus, and love them into the Kingdom.
But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the Day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who
to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life;
Those who have submitted to God's authority over them to call them into His righteous family, doing good things in obedience to His ways, will receive their Resurrection bodies, and live forever with God.
but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the Truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.
But those who just give lip service to the Lord, and harbor desires for self-promotion, only wanting "fire insurance" will be facing righteous anger and the wrath of God on that Day of judgment.
Paul is talking to those who consider themselves Christians, who are in the church in Rome. We also need to take this to heart, if we consider ourselves to be Christians, but still harbor these evil and twisted attitudes of heart.
There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek,
Every person who will not turn to the Lord, will face what we all deserve; God always dealt with the Jews first, then the rest of us. Even as we live now, the consequences of our attitudes and actions will follow us.
but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
But all the rewards He wants to give will go to His own children, to those who have followed Him in letting His Son wash them in His Blood, who have become co-heirs with Him of all the riches and glory and peace of His Kingdom.
God chose Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to bless the Nation Israel with His Law, so they had every advantage over all the rest of the nations. But all the people of the other Nations could also come to Israel to enjoy all the benefits of citizenship, even as it remains today in Modern Israel.
See Exodus 12: 48-49, where those "strangers" who worshiped the Lord, obeying His Law, even being circumcised, were proselytes, considered as citizens with full rights and responsibilities of citizenship with the Israelites.
See also other verses, like Joshua 8: 30-35 where Joshua read the Law to all the congregation of Israel which included the women and the little ones and the strangers that walked among them, who became "naturalized citizens" of Israel. And Joshua 20:9 that declares that the Cities of Refuge were as available to the Strangers who lived among them as they were for the Israelites, who had inadvertently killed someone without premeditation. And other verses like these.
So even in the Old Testament times, God did not prevent anyone from any Nation who wanted to worship Him, from being a follower, and having the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in His Kingdom.
For there is no partiality with God.
God chose to deal with the Jews first, but no person, even a Jew, is worth more to God than any other person. We are all of one Race of Mankind, who God created to be His children. All those who seek Him with all their hearts, will find Him (Jeremiah 29: 13).
And all who refuse to acknowledge Him are choosing to be deceived, and will end up facing the judgment we all deserve, by their own choice.
O my Father, You are so gracious, to have made us for such a high purpose! To be Your own children!
Father, help us to grow in our knowledge of who You are, and how You want us to be, respecting Your authority to judge, and seeing others through Your eyes of compassion for the suffering and misery people suffer as the consequences of their own choices. Teach us how to love them into Your Kingdom, as You Loved us into Your Kingdom.
O Father God, show Yourself to all those who want to come to You, who think that they are Christians when they only have a religion, instead of that relationship with You that You want with them. Father, call each one into Your gentle arms, embracing them with Your compassion and strength to hold them against their squirming, as I held my toddlers in their temper tantrums.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will proclaim that Christ Jesus is our Lord God Almighty, sovereign King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever, Amen.
Even so, come soon, Lord Jesus!
Therefore
What is therefore there for? It's to look back at what was just said. Paul was just talking about the ungodly lifestyles of the general Roman society. Now he's talking to people who came out of that society who are in the church in Rome.
you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
Human nature is quick to see it's own weaknesses in others, so we tend to notice our own faults when other people display them. We are more sensitive to what we're personally intimate with.
Those in the church are not to condemn others who are still practicing this lifestyle, and they may even still be living this way secretly, even if just in their thinking.
And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things.
God is the One who will judge, it's not for us to usurp His place to judge.
But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?
When we see in someone else that attitude that we are ashamed of having ourselves, and point it out in them to accuse them or criticize them in judgment, do you think that God won't call you to account for it also, as well as the uncharitable attitude toward the other person?
Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
Do you remember how God called you into faith? Did He browbeat you into submission, or come down hard on you for your wrongs?
No, He was kind and gentle, wooing you to Himself, breaking your heart for Loving you in spite of all your rebellion and efforts to push Him away.
His pull, His arms, are stronger than every evil addiction or habit or attitude. And His kindness leads us to let our hearts break and break away those stony parts, realizing His compassion and pity upon us, as victims of our own choices.
We also, when we live in the World with these unrighteous people, we need to be like our Father and our Lord Jesus, and love them into the Kingdom.
But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the Day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who
will render to each person according to his deeds (Matthew 16: 27, Jesus' words):Those who stubbornly refuse to seek Him with all their hearts, and hold out from God Loving them, instead following their own ideas and desires, as though they are their own gods; will in that Day be forced to bow before Him, giving account to Him, facing His judgment.
to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life;
Those who have submitted to God's authority over them to call them into His righteous family, doing good things in obedience to His ways, will receive their Resurrection bodies, and live forever with God.
but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the Truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.
But those who just give lip service to the Lord, and harbor desires for self-promotion, only wanting "fire insurance" will be facing righteous anger and the wrath of God on that Day of judgment.
Paul is talking to those who consider themselves Christians, who are in the church in Rome. We also need to take this to heart, if we consider ourselves to be Christians, but still harbor these evil and twisted attitudes of heart.
There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek,
Every person who will not turn to the Lord, will face what we all deserve; God always dealt with the Jews first, then the rest of us. Even as we live now, the consequences of our attitudes and actions will follow us.
but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
But all the rewards He wants to give will go to His own children, to those who have followed Him in letting His Son wash them in His Blood, who have become co-heirs with Him of all the riches and glory and peace of His Kingdom.
God chose Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to bless the Nation Israel with His Law, so they had every advantage over all the rest of the nations. But all the people of the other Nations could also come to Israel to enjoy all the benefits of citizenship, even as it remains today in Modern Israel.
See Exodus 12: 48-49, where those "strangers" who worshiped the Lord, obeying His Law, even being circumcised, were proselytes, considered as citizens with full rights and responsibilities of citizenship with the Israelites.
See also other verses, like Joshua 8: 30-35 where Joshua read the Law to all the congregation of Israel which included the women and the little ones and the strangers that walked among them, who became "naturalized citizens" of Israel. And Joshua 20:9 that declares that the Cities of Refuge were as available to the Strangers who lived among them as they were for the Israelites, who had inadvertently killed someone without premeditation. And other verses like these.
So even in the Old Testament times, God did not prevent anyone from any Nation who wanted to worship Him, from being a follower, and having the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in His Kingdom.
For there is no partiality with God.
God chose to deal with the Jews first, but no person, even a Jew, is worth more to God than any other person. We are all of one Race of Mankind, who God created to be His children. All those who seek Him with all their hearts, will find Him (Jeremiah 29: 13).
And all who refuse to acknowledge Him are choosing to be deceived, and will end up facing the judgment we all deserve, by their own choice.
O my Father, You are so gracious, to have made us for such a high purpose! To be Your own children!
Father, help us to grow in our knowledge of who You are, and how You want us to be, respecting Your authority to judge, and seeing others through Your eyes of compassion for the suffering and misery people suffer as the consequences of their own choices. Teach us how to love them into Your Kingdom, as You Loved us into Your Kingdom.
O Father God, show Yourself to all those who want to come to You, who think that they are Christians when they only have a religion, instead of that relationship with You that You want with them. Father, call each one into Your gentle arms, embracing them with Your compassion and strength to hold them against their squirming, as I held my toddlers in their temper tantrums.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will proclaim that Christ Jesus is our Lord God Almighty, sovereign King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever, Amen.
Even so, come soon, Lord Jesus!
Monday, October 21, 2019
The Due Penalty
Romans 1: 25-32
They exchanged the Truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
For this reason
This is why God did what He did, He gave them what they wanted.
God gave them over to degrading passions (vile affections);
for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,
We have a name for this aberration of women with women.
and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts
And he goes into more detail in what the men are doing in the same vein. We also have a term for this in our society today.
and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.
The consequences of this kind of behavior results in sicknesses in their own bodies, because this is a very unhealthy way to treat the body.
And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer,
This is their own choice and decision.
God gave them over to a depraved (reprobate, [void of understanding]) mind, to do those things which are not proper,
How we decide to think in our minds will determine our attitudes, from which flow our actions. God allows them to experience the consequences of their own choices. If they don't want to understand God's Truth, then they've chosen to be deceived. Which leads them to do the things they do.
being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips,
slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,
without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful;
None of these results need explanation. This is the consequence of deliberately choosing against God.
and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death,
So they are without excuse.
they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
Not only do they live like this, but today they've come out of the closet and live openly. And not only do they want to be accepted, but they want their unhealthy, deviant lifestyle to be considered "normal;" and spout the lie that anyone who disapproves of what they do hates them, turning love into hatred, twisting God's Truth into a disgusting lie.
God loves these people, just as He loves all the rest of people; we are all sinners, enemies of God. And God sent His own Son to die for us while we were still His enemies. The ground is level at the foot of the Cross.
This kind of lifestyle was very common in the Rome of Paul's day, that's why he deals with it here. But, just like other people who sin in other ways, when these people are saved and receive God's Spirit in their spirits, then they realize that they need to change, and today there are Christian ministries dedicated to helping these people to leave this tangled lifestyle.
The very next chapter begins by saying not to judge these people, or anyone. We are to love people into the Kingdom.
O my Father, please help us to understand Your righteousness, and how Your Love works out Your righteousness among those who refuse to turn to You. Because You Love us all, You will not inflict Your full Presence on any of us without first equipping us to be able to stand it, to not be destroyed by Your Devouring Fire.
Father, even the Ark of the Covenant could not be approached without elaborate measures taken to protect the people, the High Priest, after You appeared there on the Mercy Seat. You changed the very substance of that box with Your presence on it, so that it became dangerous.
How much more are You to us, in our present bodies, which are so frail and fragile, subject to death. And we all deserve Your wrath.
But you Love us all! And are not willing for any to perish! That's why Jesus was born, and grew up to fulfill all those laws and prophesies to be our Redeemer, our Savior from sin and from the power sin has over us; and to cleanse us with His own Blood, and send His Holy Spirit to live in our spirits, causing us to be born into God's own family.
But Your wrath will still pour out on all those who refuse to turn to You.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, the King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
They exchanged the Truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
For this reason
This is why God did what He did, He gave them what they wanted.
God gave them over to degrading passions (vile affections);
for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,
We have a name for this aberration of women with women.
and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts
And he goes into more detail in what the men are doing in the same vein. We also have a term for this in our society today.
and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.
The consequences of this kind of behavior results in sicknesses in their own bodies, because this is a very unhealthy way to treat the body.
And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer,
This is their own choice and decision.
God gave them over to a depraved (reprobate, [void of understanding]) mind, to do those things which are not proper,
How we decide to think in our minds will determine our attitudes, from which flow our actions. God allows them to experience the consequences of their own choices. If they don't want to understand God's Truth, then they've chosen to be deceived. Which leads them to do the things they do.
being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips,
slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,
without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful;
None of these results need explanation. This is the consequence of deliberately choosing against God.
and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death,
So they are without excuse.
they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
Not only do they live like this, but today they've come out of the closet and live openly. And not only do they want to be accepted, but they want their unhealthy, deviant lifestyle to be considered "normal;" and spout the lie that anyone who disapproves of what they do hates them, turning love into hatred, twisting God's Truth into a disgusting lie.
God loves these people, just as He loves all the rest of people; we are all sinners, enemies of God. And God sent His own Son to die for us while we were still His enemies. The ground is level at the foot of the Cross.
This kind of lifestyle was very common in the Rome of Paul's day, that's why he deals with it here. But, just like other people who sin in other ways, when these people are saved and receive God's Spirit in their spirits, then they realize that they need to change, and today there are Christian ministries dedicated to helping these people to leave this tangled lifestyle.
The very next chapter begins by saying not to judge these people, or anyone. We are to love people into the Kingdom.
O my Father, please help us to understand Your righteousness, and how Your Love works out Your righteousness among those who refuse to turn to You. Because You Love us all, You will not inflict Your full Presence on any of us without first equipping us to be able to stand it, to not be destroyed by Your Devouring Fire.
Father, even the Ark of the Covenant could not be approached without elaborate measures taken to protect the people, the High Priest, after You appeared there on the Mercy Seat. You changed the very substance of that box with Your presence on it, so that it became dangerous.
How much more are You to us, in our present bodies, which are so frail and fragile, subject to death. And we all deserve Your wrath.
But you Love us all! And are not willing for any to perish! That's why Jesus was born, and grew up to fulfill all those laws and prophesies to be our Redeemer, our Savior from sin and from the power sin has over us; and to cleanse us with His own Blood, and send His Holy Spirit to live in our spirits, causing us to be born into God's own family.
But Your wrath will still pour out on all those who refuse to turn to You.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, the King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, October 20, 2019
The Wrath Of God
Romans 1: 18-25
For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men
All of Mankind, every one of us, deserves God's wrath, because we have all been born with the damaged DNA of our forefather Adam, and we have all thought and said and done things that are not up to God's standard of perfection.
But there are those who go beyond just personal turning away from God.
who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
They actively push down God's Truth to keep it from being known by others.
because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
God has not hidden Himself from any of us, but has revealed Himself to every one of us, making it obvious who He is. Here's how:
For since the creation of the World His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made,
When we just look around at the World, this Earth and how it works, and the Universe it resides in; reasonable people have always understood that Someone intelligent has made it all. It can't have made itself.
so that they are without excuse.
Since they obviously saw the same World and Earth and Universe, then they had to have deliberately decided to deny the evidence and make up some other, twisted reason for it all. So they'll have no excuse when they face their Judge and give account.
For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Since they refused to acknowledge God, they became vain in their imaginations, or futile in their speculations; they made up stories that had no basis in fact and were empty and useless.
This was very foolish, to deny what is real and make up fiction instead.
So God allowed them to replace the light He had given them with darkness. Jesus said that, if the light in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! (Matthew 6:23). We discussed this in this blog entry of that portion of the Sermon on the Mount.
Professing to be wise, they became fools,
The wisdom of this World is foolishness to God, because it's not how He designed this World to function.
and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures (reptiles).
The Second Commandment forbids the making of any statues like these, and also of anything in Heaven, too. So we are not to make any kind of image or statue or picture of anything or anybody anywhere to bow down to or pray to or light a candle to or sacrifice to or in any way give it the honor that belongs to God.
Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.
The ancient Pagan religion required sexual acts in worship of their demon deities. These included every deviation that could be devised in the imagination of Mankind, as inspired by the demons.
This has never changed. As Mankind has progressed in his societies to become more civilized, he has never let go of these deviations, which have been revived in in some way in every people group of every time in every place, where God is not worshiped.
For they exchanged the Truth of God for a lie,
Anything that is not of God is not true, because God is Truth.
and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
Since it is programmed into Mankind to need to worship, when people turned away from God, they worshiped what they could see, what was created by the Creator. And it is the Creator who will be blessed forever.
Tomorrow we will continue in this chapter, to see how the Roman society was infected with the results of this turning away from God.
O my Father, You are the only One to be praised and honored and glorified forever! You are Creator who made everything that is.
The basis of all our Science is Thermodyamics, and its first law is Constancy--Whatever is, is. Nothing can be increased or added to it, and none of it can be destroyed to cease to exist, only to change form.
This is Your creation, Father. You alone are Creator, and You finished it, resting from creating on the seventh day. No one else can create, only change the form of what is.
And one Day, Father, You have decided that this Universe will be finished, and You will destroy it all, and make a whole New Heaven and Earth. Different from this one.
You are God, not us.
Just as my son could take his Legos and build a castle, or a town, or a forest; then, since he was god over his "creation," he could break it all down and build another castle, or town, or forest, whatever way he wanted; so You, God Almighty have authority over what You have made.
Father, Your Love for us is totally amazing! Even though we all deserve Your wrath, You sent Your own Son to take it upon Himself for us! Your justice demanded that it be poured out, but Your Love had You let our Lord suffer that wrath in our place, so that we could live with You! You Loved me that much!
You Love each of us that much! O Father, please strengthen Your children, teach us how to share Your Love with everyone, and help each one of us to reach those people that only we can reach, so that every person alive, everywhere in the World, in every Nation, in every people group, to understand Your gracious gift enough to make an informed decision whether to accept or reject Your unimaginable offer!
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will proclaim that Jesus Christ is our Lord God Almighty, the sovereign King of the Universe, to the glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever, Amen!
Even so, come soon, Lord Jesus!
For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men
All of Mankind, every one of us, deserves God's wrath, because we have all been born with the damaged DNA of our forefather Adam, and we have all thought and said and done things that are not up to God's standard of perfection.
But there are those who go beyond just personal turning away from God.
who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
They actively push down God's Truth to keep it from being known by others.
because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
God has not hidden Himself from any of us, but has revealed Himself to every one of us, making it obvious who He is. Here's how:
For since the creation of the World His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made,
When we just look around at the World, this Earth and how it works, and the Universe it resides in; reasonable people have always understood that Someone intelligent has made it all. It can't have made itself.
so that they are without excuse.
Since they obviously saw the same World and Earth and Universe, then they had to have deliberately decided to deny the evidence and make up some other, twisted reason for it all. So they'll have no excuse when they face their Judge and give account.
For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Since they refused to acknowledge God, they became vain in their imaginations, or futile in their speculations; they made up stories that had no basis in fact and were empty and useless.
This was very foolish, to deny what is real and make up fiction instead.
So God allowed them to replace the light He had given them with darkness. Jesus said that, if the light in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! (Matthew 6:23). We discussed this in this blog entry of that portion of the Sermon on the Mount.
Professing to be wise, they became fools,
The wisdom of this World is foolishness to God, because it's not how He designed this World to function.
and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures (reptiles).
The Second Commandment forbids the making of any statues like these, and also of anything in Heaven, too. So we are not to make any kind of image or statue or picture of anything or anybody anywhere to bow down to or pray to or light a candle to or sacrifice to or in any way give it the honor that belongs to God.
Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.
The ancient Pagan religion required sexual acts in worship of their demon deities. These included every deviation that could be devised in the imagination of Mankind, as inspired by the demons.
This has never changed. As Mankind has progressed in his societies to become more civilized, he has never let go of these deviations, which have been revived in in some way in every people group of every time in every place, where God is not worshiped.
For they exchanged the Truth of God for a lie,
Anything that is not of God is not true, because God is Truth.
and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
Since it is programmed into Mankind to need to worship, when people turned away from God, they worshiped what they could see, what was created by the Creator. And it is the Creator who will be blessed forever.
Tomorrow we will continue in this chapter, to see how the Roman society was infected with the results of this turning away from God.
O my Father, You are the only One to be praised and honored and glorified forever! You are Creator who made everything that is.
The basis of all our Science is Thermodyamics, and its first law is Constancy--Whatever is, is. Nothing can be increased or added to it, and none of it can be destroyed to cease to exist, only to change form.
This is Your creation, Father. You alone are Creator, and You finished it, resting from creating on the seventh day. No one else can create, only change the form of what is.
And one Day, Father, You have decided that this Universe will be finished, and You will destroy it all, and make a whole New Heaven and Earth. Different from this one.
You are God, not us.
Just as my son could take his Legos and build a castle, or a town, or a forest; then, since he was god over his "creation," he could break it all down and build another castle, or town, or forest, whatever way he wanted; so You, God Almighty have authority over what You have made.
Father, Your Love for us is totally amazing! Even though we all deserve Your wrath, You sent Your own Son to take it upon Himself for us! Your justice demanded that it be poured out, but Your Love had You let our Lord suffer that wrath in our place, so that we could live with You! You Loved me that much!
You Love each of us that much! O Father, please strengthen Your children, teach us how to share Your Love with everyone, and help each one of us to reach those people that only we can reach, so that every person alive, everywhere in the World, in every Nation, in every people group, to understand Your gracious gift enough to make an informed decision whether to accept or reject Your unimaginable offer!
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will proclaim that Jesus Christ is our Lord God Almighty, the sovereign King of the Universe, to the glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever, Amen!
Even so, come soon, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, October 19, 2019
From Faith To Faith
Romans 1: 8-17
First,
After the greeting that we covered Thursday and yesterday, this is the first thing Paul wants to say to these Roman Christians.
I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole World.
Paul says that people all over the whole known World are talking about the faith of these believers in Rome! They're famous!
For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the Gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you,
And Paul is also bragging on them, as he goes about proclaiming the Good News everywhere he goes.
always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you.
And he is also constantly praying for them, as he is trying to arrange his schedule to permit him to go to Rome, too.
For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established;
Paul has heard so much about these wonderful brothers and sisters, that he's really wanting to go meet them and be a blessing to them in some way.
that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other's faith, both yours and mine.
He is anticipating a very joyful and encouraging visit with them, that they both would benefit from, hearing each others' stories of how good God has been to them all.
I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far)
He wants to be sure that they know that he's been trying to get to them, every time he plans out the next trip he tries to put them on his itinerary, but it just hasn't worked out yet.
so that I may obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles.
Paul wants to help these brothers and sisters in their spiritual growth, as he has been able to do among other churches; growing produces fruit, and he loves these family members and wants to be God's hands and feet to them, too.
I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.
He feels that he has a debt to pay, to all the Gentiles, no matter their education or position in their society.
So for my part, I am eager to preach the Gospel to you also who are at Rome.
The debt he owes them is to share God's Love with them all, and let them know who He is and what He's done for them already, in sending His Son to be their Savior.
For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Paul was never shy or afraid to speak up, at every opportunity to say something, to let people everywhere know Jesus as Redeemer; whether they lived near or far, whether they were rich or poor, urban or rural; whether they claimed descent from Abraham or Noah; Jew, Greek, or barbarian, or even savage in the jungle; God Loves every human member of Mankind, and wants all to hear and repent and be rescued.
Historically it was to the Jews that the Gospel was first preached in Jerusalem, and it was Paul's routine to go to the synagogue in whatever town he came to, and preach there first, until he was thrown out, then he turned to the Gentiles.
God had chosen the Hebrews to give His Law to, so they would first know how to live their lives, to draw the other peoples also to worship God.
So it was to the Jews first, then also to the Greeks and other Gentiles.
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written.
It's like if I would offer to pay off the mortgage on the house you bought, that you can't afford, just so you wouldn't have to be evicted. It'd your house, not mine, and you live there, I don't. But I have the finances to carry it off and you don't.
Jesus has the "finances" to pay off our spiritual debt in full for us, and God the Father allowed Him to come and do it. This is right. This is God's righteousness.
This is what is revealed when we believe it. We must have the faith to trust God to be righteous, and just, and compassionate, and gracious.
This faith itself is a gift from God (Ephesians 2: 8), since we are not capable of finding out even that God exists without His revealing Himself to us. So He has.
And people who want to know Him, who seek Him with all their heart, will find Him, because He wants us to know Him. That person will be given the gift of faith to believe who God is and what He has accomplished in His Son for them.
This is the Gospel, that is now our job to teach everyone who wants to know it. Because how can they believe if they've never heard? We'll get into this in Chapter 10. But, know this, brothers and sisters, it's up to us who know the Truth to tell them.
So the faith to believe will grow into the faith to live the Christian life, because when God makes us just, then we will live by that faith that has justified us. In His power and strength we will make the right choices to do the righteous works that God prepared beforehand for us to accomplish (Ephesians 2: 10).
O my Father, You are magnificent! You are awesome! You alone are God!
You have planned and plotted out all of history, which is Your Story that You authored about this whole Era of Time. Our Universe, and our Earth with a Sun to make the perfect environment for us to live and have everything we need here. In order for us to learn how to be Your children, sons and daughters of the great King, in whose hand You have placed the authority and ownership to rule and manage, everything You made. And for us to become Your kings and queens to help Him govern it all.
This is incredible! This blows my mind! I could never imagine such a future, as You have set before me!
Open my eyes to see, open my mind to understand, open my heart to love as You have Loved me, and to live my life totally sold out to You, Father! I belong to You, I am Your property. Help me remember this, every moment of every day I live. Use me Father, as Your feet, Your hands, Your voice speaking and writing Your Truth only. Keep me from putting my own ideas or thoughts into any of it.
Send me, Lord of the Harvest, out into Your fields, ready to be harvested. Send me out to scatter and sow Your precious seed into all the prepared soils ready to receive it; and cause the sprouting and growth to budding and blooming and fruiting and producing to 30 and 60 and 100-fold.
Fill Your great House, Father; let every place at Your great banqueting Table be filled! May the increase and expansion of Your Kingdom have no end, throughout all Eternity Future! (Isaiah 9: 7.)
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will proclaim that Christ Jesus is Lord God Almighty, sovereign King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
First,
After the greeting that we covered Thursday and yesterday, this is the first thing Paul wants to say to these Roman Christians.
I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole World.
Paul says that people all over the whole known World are talking about the faith of these believers in Rome! They're famous!
For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the Gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you,
And Paul is also bragging on them, as he goes about proclaiming the Good News everywhere he goes.
always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you.
And he is also constantly praying for them, as he is trying to arrange his schedule to permit him to go to Rome, too.
For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established;
Paul has heard so much about these wonderful brothers and sisters, that he's really wanting to go meet them and be a blessing to them in some way.
that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other's faith, both yours and mine.
He is anticipating a very joyful and encouraging visit with them, that they both would benefit from, hearing each others' stories of how good God has been to them all.
I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far)
He wants to be sure that they know that he's been trying to get to them, every time he plans out the next trip he tries to put them on his itinerary, but it just hasn't worked out yet.
so that I may obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles.
Paul wants to help these brothers and sisters in their spiritual growth, as he has been able to do among other churches; growing produces fruit, and he loves these family members and wants to be God's hands and feet to them, too.
I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.
He feels that he has a debt to pay, to all the Gentiles, no matter their education or position in their society.
So for my part, I am eager to preach the Gospel to you also who are at Rome.
The debt he owes them is to share God's Love with them all, and let them know who He is and what He's done for them already, in sending His Son to be their Savior.
For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Paul was never shy or afraid to speak up, at every opportunity to say something, to let people everywhere know Jesus as Redeemer; whether they lived near or far, whether they were rich or poor, urban or rural; whether they claimed descent from Abraham or Noah; Jew, Greek, or barbarian, or even savage in the jungle; God Loves every human member of Mankind, and wants all to hear and repent and be rescued.
Historically it was to the Jews that the Gospel was first preached in Jerusalem, and it was Paul's routine to go to the synagogue in whatever town he came to, and preach there first, until he was thrown out, then he turned to the Gentiles.
God had chosen the Hebrews to give His Law to, so they would first know how to live their lives, to draw the other peoples also to worship God.
So it was to the Jews first, then also to the Greeks and other Gentiles.
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written.
But the righteous man shall live by faith (Habakkuk 2: 4).When Jesus fulfilled the sacrifices from Leviticus in dying as the Lamb of God, He demonstrated what each of us deserves because of our sinfulness. This is God's justice, in meting out the consequences equal to the offenses, perfectly fair. But what is not fair, is that He poured out these consequences upon One who did not deserve it, so that He could pay our debt for us.
It's like if I would offer to pay off the mortgage on the house you bought, that you can't afford, just so you wouldn't have to be evicted. It'd your house, not mine, and you live there, I don't. But I have the finances to carry it off and you don't.
Jesus has the "finances" to pay off our spiritual debt in full for us, and God the Father allowed Him to come and do it. This is right. This is God's righteousness.
This is what is revealed when we believe it. We must have the faith to trust God to be righteous, and just, and compassionate, and gracious.
This faith itself is a gift from God (Ephesians 2: 8), since we are not capable of finding out even that God exists without His revealing Himself to us. So He has.
And people who want to know Him, who seek Him with all their heart, will find Him, because He wants us to know Him. That person will be given the gift of faith to believe who God is and what He has accomplished in His Son for them.
This is the Gospel, that is now our job to teach everyone who wants to know it. Because how can they believe if they've never heard? We'll get into this in Chapter 10. But, know this, brothers and sisters, it's up to us who know the Truth to tell them.
So the faith to believe will grow into the faith to live the Christian life, because when God makes us just, then we will live by that faith that has justified us. In His power and strength we will make the right choices to do the righteous works that God prepared beforehand for us to accomplish (Ephesians 2: 10).
O my Father, You are magnificent! You are awesome! You alone are God!
You have planned and plotted out all of history, which is Your Story that You authored about this whole Era of Time. Our Universe, and our Earth with a Sun to make the perfect environment for us to live and have everything we need here. In order for us to learn how to be Your children, sons and daughters of the great King, in whose hand You have placed the authority and ownership to rule and manage, everything You made. And for us to become Your kings and queens to help Him govern it all.
This is incredible! This blows my mind! I could never imagine such a future, as You have set before me!
Open my eyes to see, open my mind to understand, open my heart to love as You have Loved me, and to live my life totally sold out to You, Father! I belong to You, I am Your property. Help me remember this, every moment of every day I live. Use me Father, as Your feet, Your hands, Your voice speaking and writing Your Truth only. Keep me from putting my own ideas or thoughts into any of it.
Send me, Lord of the Harvest, out into Your fields, ready to be harvested. Send me out to scatter and sow Your precious seed into all the prepared soils ready to receive it; and cause the sprouting and growth to budding and blooming and fruiting and producing to 30 and 60 and 100-fold.
Fill Your great House, Father; let every place at Your great banqueting Table be filled! May the increase and expansion of Your Kingdom have no end, throughout all Eternity Future! (Isaiah 9: 7.)
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will proclaim that Christ Jesus is Lord God Almighty, sovereign King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
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