WELL...HERE IT IS!

Romans 15:1 - 20

Paul wrote: “Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation…to be living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God…”

From Romans 12:2 through Romans 15:22, we have Paul’s description of what being a “living sacrifice” looks like.

Note that Paul did NOT say, “If you do these things you will become a living sacrifice.” More correctly he said, “If you are a living sacrifice you will exhibit these characteristics.”

The Verses

1-6 Romans 15:1 is similar to Romans 14:1. It talks about the attitude of the
“living sacrifice” toward those who are weak. We are to be other
oriented, not self oriented. The “living sacrifice” gets encouragement from
the scriptures and gives that encouragement to others. This brings glory and
honor to God.

7-13 We are to be becoming more Christ like: to have a servant’s heart. We are
to be full of praise, song and witness for God and His salvation in Christ.

14-16 Paul sees his mission as one to remind Christians of their blessings in
Christ and their reaction to them. He is a minister to the gentiles, so that they
may hear and respond to the gospel.

17-20 What we do for God should not be a burden to us, but should be a source of joy. When there is a service need that we have the ability to provide, we should joyfully provide it. In fact, we should look for opportunities to serve.

Our message must never be social reform. That does not mean that social reform should not be sought and/or attained, but it is not our message. Our message is not an anti-abortion message, or a health care message, or a political message, or a societal ills message. Our message always has been, is now and always must be Christ crucified and resurrected for the remission of sin.

MONDAY MUSINGS FROM OUR FOUNDERS John Hart

John Hart

JUDGE; LEGISLATOR; SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION
Member of the New Jersey Assembly, 1761-1771; Served on the Committee of Safety, Committee of Correspondence, 1775; Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, Member of Provincial Assembly 1775; Elected to the Continental Congress, 1776.

"[T]hanks be given unto Almighty God therefore, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die and after that the judgment [Hebrews 9:27] . . . principally, I give and recommend my soul into the hands of Almighty God who gave it and my body to the earth to be buried in a decent and Christian like manner . . . to receive the same again at the general resurrection by the mighty power of God. "

Romans 14 1-23

Back in Romans 8:12, Paul wrote: “Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation…” but he does not tell us what that obligation is until Romans 12:1. Then he tells us that our obligation is to be “…living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God…”

Everything between Romans 8:12 and Romans 12:1 is set-up for the revelation of our obligation. Everything after Romans 12:2 is the why and how to be living sacrifices: to serve God according to our abilities; to love sincerely, even our enemies; and to submit to both our spiritual and civil authorities, even to paying taxes.

He explains that love is the fulfillment of the Law, for if we love sincerely, there is not a single Commandment that we would even think of breaking.

The Verses

1- 4 Allow others to live in proportion to their faith without rebuke. To tell someone they are sick or have some physical condition because of weak faith is cruel, unnecessary, unhelpful and violates every tenet of love. (Col 2:16-23) Your judgement is not relevant.

5 – 8 The Commandment: “Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy” says
absolutely nothing about when or how to worship. Indeed, this passage
emphasis the freedom we have in Christ. Verse 8 tells us that our focus must
be on, and only on, the Lord Jesus.

9 – 12 We will never be called by God to give an account of what one of our
brothers or sisters in Christ have done. We will, however, give an account of
ourselves if we cause a brother or sister to stumble in either sin or faith.

13 – 18 Paul could have stopped with “Therefore let us stop passing judgement
on one another,” but he chose to elaborate, listing some examples of what he
is talking about.

19 – 21 Our job is to make certain that the peace of Christ is manifested in all we
do, without doing anything that might hurt a brother or sister in Christ.

22 – 23 It has been said that the church is the only army that shoots its wounded.
We are clearly told here that if we are to be living sacrifices, holy and
acceptable unto God, we must NOT shoot our wounded, we are to help them
grow in their faith in Christ.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

REMEMBER, WE CELEBRATE JESUS' BIRTH TODAY.

HE IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON.



WITHOUT HIM THERE WOULD BE NO CHRISTMAS.



HE IS GOD INCARNATE.



HE IS THE SAVIOR OF ALL WHO WILL COME TO HIM, TRUSTING IN, AND ONLY IN, HIS FINISHED WORK AT THE CROSS OF CALVARY AND BELIEVING IN HIS RESURRECTION.



MAY THE CHRIST OF CHRISTMAS BE YOURS ETERNALLY.

It happens every year...someone in the "scientific" community tries to "prove" that the virgin birth of Jesus, which we celebrate a Christmas, is impossible.

Jeremy Lott, writing for the American Spectator HERE makes an outstanding case against those who deny the virgin birth.

He sets his case by reminding us of the age-old arguments given by "scholars" as follows:

Scientific reductionists -- the Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins set -- will tell us that it's impossible. By definition, a virgin cannot be with child. Certain biblical scholars will be trotted out to poke holes in the dogma, by making points about the Bible passages in question that sound convincing to non-scholars. And moderate, embarrassed believers such as Newsweek editor Jon Meacham will try to smooth things over. The Virgin Birth, they will say, is symbolically but not historically or scientifically important. It's about new life or specialness or some other non-offensive, wooly-headed thing.

The scholars will say that the verse in Isaiah (7:14) that prophesies a "virgin shall conceive and bear a son" is a mistranslation. "Virgin" could be "young woman," you see. They will point out that only two of the four Gospels of the New Testament mention the Virgin Birth and that the Virgin Birth Gospels (Matthew and Luke) do not agree about many details. They will say that the earliest Gospel (Mark) leaves it out entirely.

If you read my previous post, you realize that the genealogies of Jesus, both demonstrating the descendency of Jesus from David, reveal the accuracy of the Mosaic texts of Genesis. John's gospel relies on the same text in chapter one, as does Mark's account.

Scholars' scepticism tends to suspect collusion of sources when those sources are "too much alike." Therefore, the divergency of the accounts of Matthew and Luke tend to support the idea that they are truthful in coming to the same conclusions about Jesus' birth.

Some scholars like to argue about the veracity of the translations of words like "virgin" and "wise men." But the "coincidences" surrounding the events of Jesus' birth are too much to have been either made up or happenstance.

Putting all of the arguments, pro and con, aside for a moment, let me assure you that on one point the scientists and liberal scholars are absolutely correct: the virgin birth of Christ is absolutely impossible. It physically and biologically could not have happened.

That's the point.

Although we toss the word around way too much, calling things miracles that happen all of the time, the word is really to be reserved for those things that happen that have no explanation and are out of the ordinary.

If there were a natural and/or scientific explanation for what occurred, it would not be a miracle, rather it would be a "normal."

In Joshua 10 we have an account of the sun standing still.

Foolishness!

I have heard preachers try to explain what happened with cosmic physics. I have heard them preach about the event being testified to in calendars, and all kinds of other "explanations."

But there are no natural explanations to miracles, we accept them by faith (much as evolutionists accept their unscientific theory as true by faith alone).

The Bible says the sun stood still, therefore we may believe that the sun stood still (whether literally or figuratively is another debate for another time).

That was a miracle.

The virgin birth was a miracle - pure and simple.

The One who created all that is from nothing is certainly able to manipulate it according to His will.

When the angel said to Joseph, "That which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost...," he was telling the truth.

The virgin birth of Christ is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. The virgin birth of Christ is a fulfillment of what the angel told Mary.

The virgin birth of Christ is one of the essential doctrines of the FAITH.

The virgin birth of Christ is one more reason to remember the reason for the season: Jesus (Jehovah Saves) came to bring salvation to all who will believe.

Let's worship and adore Him, for He is worthy of our worship.

He was born

CHRIST, THE LORD.

ON MY FATHER'S SIDE

There are two genealogies of Jesus in the New Testament, one in Matthew and one in Luke.

Why? Well, the genealogy in Matthew belongs to the line from which Joseph came, and the one in Luke belongs to the line from which Mary came.

Luke's genealogy starts at Adam and goes to David. Matthew's genealogy starts at Abraham and goes to David. When the genealogies arrive at David, they split with David's sons: Nathan (Mary's side) and Solomon (Joseph's side).

The Old Testament required that the Anointed One would be a descendant of David.

It is so interesting that in the Joseph genealogy is a man named Jeconiah. God cursed Jeconiah (also called Coniah), stating that no descendant of his would ever sit on the throne of David, "For no man of his descendants will prosper sitting on the throne of David or ruling again in Judah," (Jer. 22:30).

God is so cool.

See, Joseph’s line had to be the legal connection to David so that the Jewish Law would be satisfied.

But we all know that Joseph was NOT the literal Father of Jesus, God was.

In Mary’s genealogy there is no break and she is a direct descendent of David, fulfilling the physical requirement of the Messiah.

And we know, of course, that the Holy Spirit of God brought Him into being, fulfilling the spiritual requirements of the Messiah.

Later, when Jesus was 12, he was in the temple conversing with the Pharisees, asking them questions.

It seems that this 12 year old boy was asking questions of the Pharisees to which they did not know the answers, and then was answering them Himself..

We’re told that they were amazed at His understanding and His answers.

Southern gospel writers have a way of expressing spiritual truths that are so deep and unfathomable, in simple, understandable ways and in common terms.

Here are the words to a song that is about that time in the temple.

The Pharisees are questioning Jesus and He is giving answers that reflect His genealogy through Mary and His eternal relationship to His real Father.

ON MY FATHER’S SIDE

Just a young boy in the temple that day
Met with the doctors and they were just amazed
Never had they seen one so young speak so swift
They asked him many questions; the conversation went like this:

CHORUS:

What's your name son?
On my mother's side, my name is Jesus!
But on my Father's side, they call me Emanuel.

How old are you?
On my mother's side, now I’m twelve years!
But on my Father's side, I've just always been.

Where are you from?
On my mother’s side I’m from Bethlehem,
On my Father’s side it's New Jerusalem.

What are your plans?
On my mother’s side, I’ll be crucified
On my Father’s side in three days, I'll arise
And sit at my Father's side.

He was, the Son of God, and yet the son of man
I can't help but wonder how Joseph must have felt
When through an open door that day, he heard his son reply
You see, I am the King of Kings, that’s on my Father's side.

CHORUS

And so here we are, 2,000 years later celebrating the birth of the Prophesied One.

We say that He is God, incarnate.

That means, God in the flesh.

That little babe, the legal descendent of David through Joseph, the physical descendent of David through Mary and the spiritual descendent of the Great I Am.

That little baby had one purpose: to die for your sins and mine.

That little baby had within Him the power of salvation.

That little baby brought meaning to the saying: The Son of God became the Son of Man so that the sons of men could become the sons of God.

That little baby would defeat death so that you and I could, too.

That little baby did not become a king, He was born a king…not just any king, but the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

That’s on His Father’s side.

Romans 13:1-14

We are in the midst of learning what Paul means when he says to “…offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing (acceptable) to God – this is your spiritual (reasonable) act of worship.”

He means that we are to humbly serve God according to our abilities, to love sincerely…both our brothers and sisters in Christ and our enemies.

The Verses

1. Follow your leaders. Some contend that this refers to spiritual leaders (which would have meant Pharisees, Sadducees and other religious leaders, others say it refers to civil governments. I lean toward the former, but would not argue with you over either…or both.

2. Ask yourself whether in the context of what Paul has been saying whether he is referring to civil authorities or spiritual authorities here…it could be either.

3 – 5 He continues with this description of how to be a living sacrifice by being
submissive.

6 – 7 This section is a references to taxes. In terms of the differing opinions
about whether or not this refers to the civil taxes, remember, the Jewish
leaders imposed taxes on Jews, just as the Romans did.

8 – 10 This does not say, “Don’t take on debt,” it says, “Don’t let debts remain
outstanding.” In other words, pay your debts. If you want to fulfil the law (as
far as is possible for mere people to do so), love others. This is a recurring
New Testament theme.

11 – 14 If you want to be a living sacrifice, be aware that it is time to wake up
and be counted for Christ. Put of the things of the world and take on the cloak
of Christ.

Remember, as Christians we are not guided by the Law of Moses or the laws of men, but by the Holy Spirit of God who will help you become what God wants you to be: living sacrifices, putting the things of Christ in the place of the things of the world.

MONDAY MUSINGS FROM OUR FOUNDERS-Alexander Hamilton

REVOLUTIONARY GENERAL; SIGNER OF THE CONSTITUTION; AUTHOR OF THE FEDERALIST PAPERS; SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY
Following his duel with Aaron Burr, in those final twenty four hours while life still remained in him, Hamilton called for two ministers, the Rev. J. M. Mason and the Rev. Benjamin Moore, to pray with him and administer Communion to him. Each of those two ministers reported what transpired. The Rev. Mason recounted:

[General Hamilton said] “I went to the field determined not to take his life.” He repeated his disavowal of all intention to hurt Mr. Burr; the anguish of his mind in recollecting what had passed; and his humble hope of forgiveness from his God. I recurred to the topic of the Divine compassion; the freedom of pardon in the Redeemer Jesus to perishing sinners. “That grace, my dear General, which brings salvation, is rich, rich” – “Yes,” interrupted he, “it is rich grace.”

“And on that grace,” continued I, “a sinner has the highest encouragement to repose his confidence, because it is tendered to him upon the surest foundation; the Scripture testifying that we have redemption through the blood of Jesus, the forgiveness of sins according to the richness of His grace.” Here the General, letting go my hand, which he had held from the moment I sat down at his bed side, clasped his hands together, and, looking up towards Heaven, said, with emphasis, “I have a tender reliance on the mercy of the Almighty, through the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Romans 12:9-21

Now that we know what our obligation is (to offer ourselves as living sacrifices…), we need to know what that means.

So Paul says, “I’m glad you asked.”

First it means to humbly use the gifts God has given you in His service (12:5-8)

Secondly, it means to love, not some false, emotional feeling, but love put into action.

The Verses

9-10. Love must be real and aimed at actions of love toward one another.

11-13 Love with energy, service, joy, hope, patience, faithfulness and hospitality.

14-16 Remember that Jesus said, “Love your enemies…” (Matthew 5:44ff). Here, Paul tells us what actions will demonstrate that love: when you are persecuted, make your persecutors happy (that’s what “bless” means). Exercise empathy with others’ plights. Don’t be proud or conceited.

17-18 Don’t play the “get even” game – that’s not love but strive to do what is right. Don’t get mixed up here. He’s not talking about doing what other people think is right, he is talking about do right, no matter what others think.

19 Revenge may seem satisfying for a season, but in the end, it only makes you bitter and hopeless. (The bird in the picture above has gotten revenge on the cat.)

20. Here Paul is quoting Proverbs 25:21 –22 and Luke 27ff.

You will notice, I hope, that being a living sacrifice is not easy. It goes against the “eye-for-an-eye-tooth-for-a-tooth” attitude of the world (as well as the old Jewish system).

In Chapter 13, Paul will continue to reveal to us what it means to “offer ourselves as living sacrifices,” which, of course, is all a part of “dying to self.

JUST THROW IT ALL AWAY

In terms of talent, he was the greatest golfer in history. His issue, though, was one of character. His was all low, and he proved it.







His character issue manifested itself on the golf course in anger. Lots of golfers get angry, but Tiger Woods got angry like few others. He cursed, sometimes loud enough to be heard on TV, he threw his clubs, he stomped like a child and he kicked dirt, all with great fervor.







His talent ran deeper than we could imagine. So did his character flaws. He believed his own hype, and that because of his position could do anything he wanted, any time he wanted, anywhere he wanted, with whomever he wanted and nobody could tell him otherwise.





Like all of us, Tiger Woods had impulses. Unlike most persons of character, he believed he had no responsibility to control those impulses. He projected the image of "strong family man" all the while living an opposite life-style.





Tiger has lost many of his corporate sponsors, not because they are so squeaky-clean and never have moral lapses, but because his "new image," that of philanderer, is not good for their image or their sales.







Tiger Wood's is a sad story and a sad commentary on celebrity. But it is a story that demonstrates the absolute truth revealed in Scripture (Romans 3:23) "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" That goes for you and me, too. It is the nature of fallen mankind.







There is one, and only one, solution: a changed heart brought about by a personal encounter with God through Christ Jesus.

That's true whether you are a sports celebrity, a politician, a movie star, or just a regular Joe, like me.

Otherwise, we just throw it all away.

Romans 11:25-12:8

We are almost there! We’re just about to find out what the obligation we were told we had back in Romans 8:12 actually is.

READ ROMANS 11:25-32

We’ve seen: that there is to be a future glory for those in Christ; that in Christ we are more than conquerors; that absolutely anybody, Jew or gentile (Greek) can come to Christ; that much of Israel rejected Christ; that God promised a remnant of Israel would come to Christ; that those who come to Him who are not Jewish are grafted into the vine and that that eventually ALL of what’s left of Israel will come to Christ.

READ ROMANS 11:33-36

Here we find out that there is no way to measure God, and that He is worthy of our praise and glory forever.

ROMANS 12:1-8

The Verses

1. God does not want the sacrifice of animals, He wants our lives…all of us, with nothing withheld. (Hebrews 10:4)

2. We are to forsake the pattern of the world. If you still think like the world thinks, and you know Christ, you need to ask Him to change your way of thinking by the power of the Holy Spirit. Do not think you can know God’s will for your life if you are not willing to forsake the pattern of this world and offer yourself as a living sacrifice. You cannot.

3. Don’t think you are better than anybody else. (Philippians 2:3)

4. This begins Paul’s emphasis on unity and service. We are the Body of Christ. That is what the church is.

5. We belong to each other, and are charged with serving each other.

6. Every one of us has at least one spiritual gift…maybe more than one.

7. You are to use your gift for Christ. I get so tired of school teachers saying, “I’m teaching school 5 days per week. I don’t want to teach on Sundays.” WHAT???? That is your gift!!!! You are to use it for teaching the gospel!!! God says so, and you are obligated to it (verse 1)

8. The point: Whatever you know how to do, do it for Christ in loving response to what He has done for you.

MONDAY MUSINGS FROM OUR FOUNDERS-Elbridge Gerry

Elbridge Gerry: SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE; MEMBER OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION; FRAMER OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS, GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

Called on the State of Massachusetts to pray that:

". . . with one heart and voice we may prostrate ourselves at the throne of heavenly grace and present to our Great Benefactor sincere and unfeigned thanks for His infinite goodness and mercy towards us from our birth to the present moment for having above all things illuminated us by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, presenting to our view the happy prospect of a blessed immortality."

Romans 11:12-24

Michael Horton writes in his latest book, The Gospel-Driven Life. He writes:

The God of the Bible is a strange God-- not the kind of God we can manage, manipulate, accommodate, or domesticate to our familiar experience. We cannot find this God by looking within ourselves. His Word is not the same as our inner voice. He cannot be pared down to our size, measured by our speculations, experiences, or felt needs. Rather, he stands over against us, telling us how things actually are. When God actually confronts us, our speculations are exposed as idols, our experience judged as little more than a projection of ourselves, and our felt needs give way to more pressing needs that we did not even realize that we had. God confronts us, disorients us, and pulls us outside of our comfort zones. If we feel naked and ashamed, then it's a good sign that we are actually in the presence of the God of the Bible.

What is the point? God is absolutely sovereign.

We’re on the last leg, now, of our journey to the obligation mentioned in 8:12 and completed in 12:1ff.

Paul has been talking about Israel’s failure to receive the Promise (Christ) and is now ready to discuss his ministry to the gentiles.

The Verses

12. He’s talking about the Jews’ rejection of Christ, that their rejection opened the way for the gentiles to receive the riches and the even greater value Christ will be to the Jews when those who will finally accept Him.

13. Paul proclaims himself an apostle to the gentiles.

14. His ultimate goal is to bring “his people,” the Jews, to salvation.

15. Because the Jews rejected Christ, Paul could turn his attention to the gentiles. The funny thing is, it is through the gentiles that the chosen people of God will receive the Promise of God (Christ).

16. My interpretation here is not the interpretation of “learned” scholars, but I believe is correct: “Firstfruits” is a reference to Christ. If Christ is holy, so are all who are in Him.

17. Some of God’s chosen people have rejected His Promise. They have broken off. We gentiles have been grafted in (“adopted” is another way Paul expresses this truth).

18. But now watch…the part that has broken off is gone, but the root stock is still there in the persons of those Jews who have accepted Christ. They are the spiritual stock that give evidence of our support.

19. The fact that branches broke off made room for us is true, but

20. It was their unbelief in the salvation provided by God, and it is our faith that enables us to stand fulfilled in Christ.

Don’t think you are better than the Jews. That manifests itself as arrogance.

21. He’ll not spare anyone who is arrogant enough to think he is self-sufficient or able to provide his own salvation.

22. God is infinitely kind to those who are in Him through Christ, but “stern” with those who have rejected Him.

23. If they will but turn to Him, they, too, will be grafted into the vine.

24. He’s speaking here of the way in which we must all come to Christ. He is also saying that if any Jew turns to Christ, he will immediately be accepted.

Romans 11:1-10

Paul continues his rationale for the obligation he said we have, which began in Romans 8:12 and is finally revealed in Romans 12:1ff.

He has been writing about Israel, God’s chosen people, and how they missed the Messiah when He came…not all of them, but most of them.

Paul has stated that the law, given by Moses was holy, but that it could not save.

Now he is going to write about the Jews who WOULD be saved.

The Verses

1. God chose Israel (He did not choose them because they were somehow special and deserved to be chosen, He chose them - and that's what made them special. He is God and He get's to choose. He chose Israel). God has never abandoned them. The point is, you can count on God to keep His word. He will never act contrary to His word.

2. Our national leaders are on the verge of standing against Israel in Middle East politics. They do so at the peril of our country. There are about 15 million Jews in the world. There are about 6 billion people in the world. There is probably a bigger percentage of Israelites who are believers than there is of gentiles.

3. Israel not only turned from God, they participated in the killing of those who did not turn from God. Elijah pointed out their rebellion. He thought it was ALL of them.

4. God reassured Elijah that He had some followers among the Israelites.

5. He has a remnant of Jews today who have been saved by the GRACE of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection.

6. He again states the theme that salvation is by grace, not works, whether you are Jew or gentile. Grace and works are diametrically opposed to each other in terms of their effecting salvation.

7. Israel’s belief that you could please God by keeping the Law excluded them from being among “the elect” (those saved by grace). Those who came to God through faith in Christ were (and are) saved, while those who did not (and do not) are lost…with hardened hearts.

8. No one had ever been exposed to the gospel as much as the Jews, but they would not accept the light (Jesus). “...could not see or hear” here is not a reference to physical sight and hearing, but to spiritual sight and hearing.

9. “The table” represents material prosperity - feasting. The great feasts of celebration (such as Passover) became very ritualistic and pagan in their nature. The Jews trusted the things they ate without any true confidence in God. By the way, that is the condition of multitudes of church members…they go through the religious motions without ever placing their total trust in God through Christ.

10. God gives light (Christ) so that men might see (receive salvation). Those who refuse Christ will be spiritually blinded.

11. Are the Jews hopeless? NO. But Paul turned to the gentiles to offer them salvation in order that the Jews might see, repent and turn in faith believing.

WISHING YOU AND YOURS

A BLESSED THANKSGIVING DAY!

Romans 10:14-21

We are on our way to figure out why our obligation to God is to present ourselves as a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable unto God and why that is reasonable and worshipful.

Paul has just finished telling us that if we say with our mouths that Jesus is God, and believe in our hearts that God has resurrected Him, we shall be saved.

He went on to say that anyone who trusts in Him (Jesus) will never be put to shame (a euphemism for “going to Hell), and that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

He then begins another section of reasoning.

The Verses

14. One cannot call upon a God one does not believe in…one would just be wasting one’s breath. On the other hand, one cannot believe in a God one has not been told about, by one’s parents, by one’s co-worker, by one’s friend, by one’s pastor, by one’s Sunday School teacher. Here “preaching” does not mean just by the pastor (preacher and pastor are two different things).

15. So, are only preachers “sent?” NO. You have been sent. (Matthew 28:16-20) You have been sent to your neighbor, to your co-worker, to your family and to your fellow church member. (The pastor’s job, according to Ephesians 4:11-16, is to prepare God’s people [that’s you and me] for works of service1, so that we will grow up in our Christian walk.) Isaiah 52:7.

16. Some Jews accepted the GOOD NEWS that Messiah had come…some did not. (Isaiah predicted that some would not believe what we have to say about Messiah [53:20)]).

17. Faith comes when we are told about the GOOD NEWS (the message). The message is heard though the Word of Christ…the Bible…yes, but also by the Holy Spirit (who will NEVER contradict the Word, but instead will point us TO the Word, who is Christ.

18. “They” is a reference to the Jews. They heard. They did not accept. Paul quotes the Old Testament four times: Psalm 19:4; Deuteronomy 32:21; Isaiah 65:1 and Isaiah 65:2)

1What are the works of service? They include: How to serve as a deacon; How to serve in the church office; How to serve in church administration and/or finance; How to serve as an usher; How to serve as a greeter; How to serve overseeing church property; How to serve in the ministry of baptism; How to serve in community projects; How to serve in worship leadership; How to serve in audio/visual ministries; How to serve in music; How to serve in hospitality; How to serve with children; How to serve with Youth How to serve in the Nursery and many, many others. They might also include How to start your new life as a Christian; How to grow as a Christian, etc.

Romans 9:30 – 10:13

We’re still headed toward the obligation mentioned in Romans 8:12 and revealed in Romans 12:1…to offer ourselves as living sacrifices.

The Verses

30. The gentiles were happily on their way living their lives with no anticipation of a Savior or any knowledge of their need for one.

31. Meanwhile the Jews, who were looking for a Messiah, had the idea that the Law was going to help them.

32. See, the Jews were not acting on faith, but on works. When Christ came, He was regarded as a false Messiah and became a “stumbling block”

33. (Taken from Isaiah 8:14 and 28:16)

Romans 10

1. Paul wants Israel to be saved, but knows that can only happen if they come to Christ.

2. The Jews’ enthusiasm for God is not based on their knowledge of God, but on their perceived self-righteousness.

3. They neither knew Christ and His righteousness, nor did they submit to Him.

4. The Law "ended" with Christ, that is, it was completely fulfilled in Christ. Christ became both Righteousness and the source of Righteousness.

5. The Law brought by Moses yielded self-righteousness as the Jews thought the Law held salvation.

6. GET THIS: The righteousness that comes by faith in Christ Jesus does not concern itself with theological mumbo-jumbo (How many angels can sit on the head of a pin. Can God make a rock so heavy that even God cannot lift it).

7. Another example of Law-livers’ theology: Who went to get Christ from the grave? (Answer: nobody. He resurrected Himself).

8. The righteousness that comes by faith says that Christ lives in your mouth and your heart.

9. Verse 8 is the set-up for this famous verse. Say out loud that Jesus IS Lord and believe in your heart that He is alive today and you will be saved.

10. More of the requirements for living in righteousness: The heart believes and the mouth confesses.

11. Christ is the answer…period.

12. We are all the same: Jews and Gentiles…we all need a Savior.

13. Anybody, Jew or Greek (Gentile) can be saved by coming to Christ.

SOMETHING VISIBLE

I found this over at SelahV Today.

I think it is a very significant song.

Watch, listen and be inspired.

MONDAY MUSINGS FROM THE FOUNDERS-Gabriel Duvall

Gabriel Duvall

SOLDIER; JUDGE; SELECTED AS DELEGATE TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION; COMPTROLLER OF THE U. S. TREASURY; U. S. SUPREME COURT JUSTICE

"I resign my soul into the hands of the Almighty Who gave it, in humble hopes of His mercy through our Savior Jesus Christ."

Romans 9:14-29

Since there is no condemnation in Christ; since we live according to the Holy Spirit; and since we are controlled by the Holy Spirit, we therefore have an obligation to (Romans 8:12) offer our bodies as living sacrifices…(Romans 12:1).

The natural man rebels against the sovereignty of God. Man loves to accuse God of being unjust. The trouble is, the natural man forgets that God gets to define what is just and what is unjust because He is God and natural man is not.

The Verses

14. In the previous verses we saw God choosing Jacob over Esau. Was He unjust? No. He is God and defines what is and what is not just.

15. God gets to choose who He has mercy on and who He has compassion on. Because God is who He is and is unmanipulable, prayer must be finding out what God wants and getting on board with it…whatever it is.

16. Man is not the one who gets to choose. But God does. Salvation is not what God gives us because we are who we are; salvation is what God gives us because He is God. It is His mercy, not extended because of man’s will, but because of God’s mercy in Christ.

17. Back when Pharaoh chased the Jews to the Red Sea, God decided to show His power. God gave Pharaoh many chances to follow God’s will, but rejected them all. God’s says, “You may think you are not going to let my people go, but watch this: you ARE going to let my people go.” God forced Pharaoh to do what he wanted to do.

18. God has mercy on whom He wants to and hardens whom he wants to. Now a person can resist the prodding of the Holy Spirit if he/she wants to, but there will come a time when God will harden his/her heart until he can no longer respond to God.

19. Natural man says, “How can a fair and just God blame us for sin?” Because He is God, folks…because He is God. And natural man has rejected Him.

20. Who do we think we are to challenge God? It only shows that we don’t want to know who He is.

21. A potter can make whatever he wants out of the lump of clay he uses. The clay has no voice in the matter. But in the end, what the potter makes is a work of art. What if the potter had not gotten involved? What if the clay had said, “You have no right to mash on me?”

We sing:

Have Thine own way, Lord; have Thine own way;
Thou art the potter; I am the clay.
Mould me and make me after Thy will
While I am waiting, yielded and still.

Is that really what we mean?

22. What if God…This is not a verse setting out something God has done. This is a verse that forces the question, “SO WHAT?” What if God had done this…what if God had done that? SO WHAT? What if God had done the other thing? SO WHAT? HE IS GOD AND WE ARE NOT. HE GETS TO CHOOSE, AND HE HAS CHOSEN TO SHOW ETERNAL MERCY ON THOSE WHO TURN TO HIM IN FAITH BELIEVING, TRUSTING IN, AND ONLY IN, THE FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST AT THE CROSS AND HIS RESURRECTION FOR THEIR SALVATION.

23. Same theme.

24. Same theme and Paul adds that God has chosen the path of salvation by grace through faith for ANYBODY, Jew or Gentile…even you and me.

25-29: Paul’s wish for the Jews repeated: Come to Christ!

MONDAY MUSINGS FROM OUR FOUNDERS-John Dickinson

John Dickinson

SIGNER OF THE CONSTITUTION; GOVERNOR OF PENNSYLVANIA; GOVERNOR OF DELAWARE; GENERAL IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

"Rendering thanks to my Creator for my existence and station among His works, for my birth in a country enlightened by the Gospel and enjoying freedom, and for all His other kindnesses, to Him I resign myself, humbly confiding in His goodness and in His mercy through Jesus Christ for the events of eternity.

"[Governments] caould not give the rights essential to happiness… We claim them from a higher source: from the King of kings, and Lord of all the earth."

Romans 9 1-12

Since there is no condemnation in Christ; since we live according to the Holy Spirit; and since we are controlled by the Holy Spirit, we therefore have an obligation to (Romans 8:12) offer our bodies a living sacrifices…(Romans 12:1).

The Verses

1. Paul affirms that he is being truthful in what he is about to say.

2. His heart is vexed by what he is about to say.

3. If he could, he would bear the sins of “his brothers” (Israel) on himself.

4. Christ came to offer them adoption; glory, the old and new covenants; the Law; an opportunity for true worship and the promises of the Old Testament (Jesus)

5. Everything in the Old Testament, as culminated in the New Testament, was offered to the Jews, but they rejected it all.

6. It was not God who failed, but them. The natural offspring of Jews are not the real children of Israel…Christians are (spiritual offspring).

7. Being a descendant of Abraham will not save you. If it were so, Islam would be a true religion…they are sons of Abraham. When Jesus was confronted by Jews who claimed to be descendants of Abraham, He set them straight. They are not real descendants.

8. Jesus made clear that the real descendants of Abraham are the children of the Promise (Himself) There were thousands who turned to Christ after the resurrection. (Acts 21:20)

9. Words are important, and how people say things determines the meaning of their words. Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise to return and provide the many offspring of Abraham.

10. Isaac and Rebekah are given as a principle of the divine election of God; that is: whoever comes to Christ is elected.

11. God’s election was determined before the multitudes of descendants were born.

12. The point here is that God’s salvation does not depend upon one’s birth, (the twins were born at the same time), it does not rest upon the order of birth (in fact, God chose the younger), it does not depend upon their character, or their works.

13. It all depends upon Christ…God’s purpose in election.

MONDAY MUSINGS FROM OUR FOUNDERS Charles Carroll

" Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion, whose morality is so sublime and pure...are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments."

Charles Carroll

SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE;

SELECTED AS DELEGATE TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION;

FRAMER OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS;

U. S. SENATOR

Member, 1774-1776 Constitutional Conventions,

Anne Arundel County Senate, Western Shore, 1777-1800

Senate President, 1782-1783

Delegate, Continental Congress, 1776, 1777-1778, 1780

Signer, Declaration of Independence, 1776

U.S. Senator, 1st, 2nd Congresses, 1789-1792

Romans 8:28-39

SAINTS AT WORSHIP


Remember: We are still working on the explanation of the “therefore” of verse 12 and the therefore of Chapter 12, verse 1: “Therefore…therefore I urge you to offer yourselves as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God which is your reasonable act of worship (service).”

The Verses

28. “And.” In addition to what we have already known, we know this: God is for us.

29. We’ll not enter into a discussion of the meaning of “predestination” here except to say you are either a “saint” or an “ain’t .” If you are an “ain’t” you are doomed. If you are a saint, you can know that you have been predestined…to what?…to be Christ like.

30. If you are a saint, you are called to be like Jesus, both in justification and glorification.

31. If God is for us, who can be against us? Nobody and nothing.

32. In His graciousness He will give us all things. Now this does not mean that we will all have Beamers or Mercedes, but, sticking to the subject: we will inherit what Christ has inherited…all of creation and heaven, too. What a deal!!!

33. The “who” here is a direct reference to Satan. He can’t charge us with our sin, and neither can anybody else, because God has both chosen and justified us.

34. Christ is the only one who can condemn and He only condemns those who have rejected Him. He intercedes for us.

35. Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Nobody and nothing.

36. Psalm 44:22. It will cost you to stand for Christ. You will be led as sheep to the slaughter.

37. But they cannot triumph! We are more than conquerors! (Through Christ, that is) That means to have assistance from one who gets the victory for us. The victorious life is not our life…it is HIS in us!!

38. & 39 Nothing. NOTHING! NOTHING! Can separate us from God’s love if we are in Christ. He does the keeping, not us. He does the saving, not us.

MONDAY MUSINGS FROM OUR FOUNDERS Josiah Bartlett

Josiah Bartlett:

MILITARY OFFICER; SIGNER OF THE

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE;

JUDGE; GOVERNOR OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

Called on the people of New Hampshire ". . . to confess before God their aggravated transgressions and to implore His pardon and forgiveness through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ . . . [t]hat the knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ may be made known to all nations, pure and undefiled religion universally prevail, and the earth be fill with the glory of the Lord."

Romans 8:12-17

This second half of the first section of Romans 8 begins with another “therefore.”

So, wherefore the therefore?

Because we are dead to the Law, to self and to sin, and because the Holy Spirit is living in us, we therefore…

The Verses

12. We have an obligation…not a choice. So, what is the obligation? We’ll find out after Paul completes his logic. In fact, this thought is not complete until chapter 12, verses 1 through 4. Romans 8:12b-11:36 gives his logic for coming to this conclusion:

Since we are dead to the Law, to self and to sin, and because the Holy Spirit is living in us, we have an obligation to offer ourselves as living sacrifices.

13. This verse continues the logic: The sinful nature kills, but the Holy Spirit gives life.

14. If you are a child of God, you are led by the Holy Spirit, and, by implication, if you are not led by the Holy Spirit, you are not a child of God.

15. The Holy Spirit does not remind you of your past sin (that is Satan), but points you to Christ. By the Holy Spirit, you have an intimate relationship to God, such that you can refer to Him as “Abba,” a term of endearment, sort of like “Daddy.”

16. Once you are saved, you know that you know that you are saved, not by how you feel, but by the Word of God (that tells you how to be saved) and the testimony of His Holy Spirit, who lives in you.

17. The song, “The Family of God” has a great line: “Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod…” We are heirs of the King. An heir is someone who inherits his/her parents’ possessions. We can share in both his sufferings and his glory.

What were His sufferings? (Persecution, whipping, being nailed to the cross, descending into Hell on our behalf, carrying the sins of the world on His shoulders, and being buried in a borrowed grave.)

What are His glories? (Being resurrected, sitting at the right hand of God the Father, receiving us into His eternal riches – Hebrews 12:2).

18. We think we have it bad. What we have is nothing compared to what lies ahead. As the song says, “It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus.”

19. Think of creation. It gets bigger and bigger every day!

20. All of creation was affected by the one man, Adam’s, sin. You ask why bad things happen, why there is sickness, why there is pain, why there are accidents, why there is death? Here’s why: sin. And Christ suffered that for us.

21. In the end, creation itself will be free from sin. Imagine that!

22. Now, creation is full of the consequences of sin.

23. Even Christians suffer the results of original sin, knowing that the suffering will cease.

24. The hope referred to here is not an “I wish for” hope, it is a hope that is steadfast and sure. It is a hope not only of present salvation, but of our future glory!

25. We will wait patiently for that hope, whether we want to be patient or not. We have no choice…we will wait patiently.

26. The Holy Spirit helps us. Please notice that this verse does not say that the Holy Spirit makes us groan and make strange utterances. This verse tells us that the Holy Spirit does the groaning, using words that we cannot express. You cannot say the words that the Holy Spirit says to God on our behalf.

27. By the Holy Spirit, witness is given to God that we are His children…saved…saints of His…just as He willed it from the beginning of time.

All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name

Rules from God

No one is more anti-legalistic than I am.

I see legalism as the ultimate heresy in the Christian faith.

The first 8 chapters of Romans are an exercise in anti-legalism and pro-grace.

But...if God were to issue some rules, those that follow might be among them.

Give them a read and see what you think.


1. Wake Up !!
Decide to have a good day.
"Today is the day the Lord hath made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it."
Psalms 118:24

2. Dress Up !!
The best way to dress up is to put on a smile.
A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.
"The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.
Man looks at outward appearance;
but the Lord looks at the heart."
I Samuel 16:7

3. Shut Up!!
Say nice things and learn to listen.
God gave us two ears and one mouth, so He must have meant
for us to do twice as much listening as talking.
"He who guards his lips guards his soul."
Proverbs 13:3

4. Stand Up!!...
For what you believe in.
Stand for something or you will fall for anything..
"Let us not be weary in doing good; for at the proper time,
we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good..."
Galatians 6:9-10

5. Look Up !!...
To the Lord.
"I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me."
Philippians 4:13

6. Reach Up !!...
For something higher.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and lean not unto your own understanding.
In all your ways, acknowledge Him,
and He will direct your path."
Proverbs 3:5-6

7. Lift Up !!...
Your Prayers.
"Do not worry about anything; instead PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING."
Philippians 4:6

Remember: God answers Knee-Mail

Quotes from C. S. Lewis

A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.

Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.

Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.

Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil.

God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.

How incessant and great are the ills with which a prolonged old age is replete.

Humans are amphibians - half spirit and half animal. As spirits they belong to the eternal world, but as animals they inhabit time.

I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.

If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning: just as, if there were no light in the universe and therefore no creatures with eyes, we should never know it was dark. Dark would be without meaning.

If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.

It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad.

It's so much easier to pray for a bore than to go and see one.

Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive.

The safest road to hell is the gradual one - the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.

There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, "All right, then, have it your way."

This is one of the miracles of love: It gives a power of seeing through its own enchantments and yet not being disenchanted.

You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body.

MONDAY MUSINGS FROM OUR FOUNDERS Jacob Broom

"I flatter myself you will be what I wish, but don’t be so much flatterer as to relax of your application – don’t forget to be a Christian. I have said much to you on this head, and I hope an indelible impression is made."


Jacob Broom

LEGISLATOR; SIGNER OF THE CONSTITUTION

In a letter to his son, James, attending Princeton University

Romans 8:1-11

Since man is absolutely sinful to the core of his natural being (Romans 1:18-32);

Since God is Righteous and has the right to judge mankind’s sin (Romans 2:1-16);

Since ritualistic obedience to the Law cannot remove sin (Romans 2:17-28);

Since God is faithful, even when we are not (Romans 3:1-8);

Since not one single person has ever been, is not now and never will be righteous (Romans 3:9-20);

Since Righteousness only comes through faith, apart from the Law (Romans 3:21-31);

Since both Old Testament and New Testament people are justified by faith (Romans 4:1-25;

Since Peace and Joy are only available through faith in Christ (Romans 5:1-11);

Since sin entered the world through Adam and was passed down generationally (Romans 5:12-20);

Since in Christ we have died to sin (Romans 6:1-14);

Since we have voluntarily made ourselves slaves to Christ (Romans 6:15-23);

Since we, in Christ, have died to the Law (Romans 7:1-6);

Since we still struggle with and commit sin (Romans 7:7-24)

And since we have been rescued from this body of death called sin by Christ (Romans 7:25)

The Verses

1. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Video)

2. Why? Because Christ sets us free from the Law of sin and death.

3. The Law could not save us, but Christ can, does and will.

4. The requirements of the Law are met in us by Christ.

5. “Living by the sinful nature” means never having trusted in Christ and not wanting to follow The Holy Spirit, while living in accordance with the spirit means letting Him lead in all things.

6. Failing to trust in Christ leads to eternal death, but being controlled by the Spirit gives life.

7. The world and unsaved people are hostile to God and cannot follow the Spirit’s guidance.

8. Those who are unsaved (controlled by the sinful nature) cannot please God, no matter how hard they try.

9. You are saved, and therefore controlled by the Holy Spirit. If you do not have the Spirit of Christ (the Holy Spirit) you are not saved. You cannot be saved and then get the Holy Spirit, because if you don’t have The Holy Spirit, you are not saved.

10. If you are saved (Christ is in you), your flesh will face death, but your essence, your spirit will never face death because of righteousness…not yours, Christ’s.

11. Just as Christ was resurrected, so you shall be resurrected as well. This harkens back to the conversation Jesus had with Martha when Lazarus had died in John 11:21-43.

The group called the "Sadducees" did not believe in a bodily resurrection. They constantly accosted Jesus on this point.

Martha did believe in the resurrection, but she did not really trust that Jesus was the Messiah.

Until Lazarus was raised, that is…then she believed.

PRAISE HIM TODAY!

MONDAY MUSINGS FROM OUR FOUNDERS Samuel Adams

"I conceive we cannot better express ourselves than by humbly supplicating the Supreme Ruler of the world . . . that the confusions that are and have been among the nations may be overruled by the promoting and speedily bringing in the holy and happy period when the kingdoms of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ may be everywhere established, and the people willingly bow to the scepter of Him who is the Prince of Peace."


Samuel Adams

SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE; "FATHER OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION"; RATIFIER OF THE U. S. CONSTITUTION; GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS

Romans 7:7-25

Paul continues trying to help us understand the nature of the Law and how we are to relate to it.

Remember: God wrote the Law, so it is good. But its purpose is not its goodness but to show us our need for Christ.

The Verses

7. Once again Paul tells us that the Law reveals sin.

8. Without the law, there would be no way to recognize sin and therefore sin would, for all practical purposes, not exist.

9. With the revelation of the Law came the revelation of sin and the realization of the promise of death to Adam.

10. With the giving of the Law, God revealed to all mankind that his destiny is death by the Law.

11. Sin is deceitful, and makes us think we are having “fun,” but really only condemns me to death.

12. The Law is holy, having been written by God, Himself.

13. Paul asks another rhetorical question: If the Law is good, and its revelation brings death, is it the Law itself that kills me? NO! Through the Law sin can be recognized for how serious it is: utterly sinful, that is, it condemns us to eternal death.

14. Here Paul uses himself as an illustration. The Law reveals the absolute holiness of God, our inability to live up to it and how filled we are with sin.

15. Isn’t it true of all of us? What we know we should do we don’t do and what we know we should not do, we do.

16. Paul sets up a logical thought pattern: if I do the things I don’t want to do, I must confess that I am unable to keep the Law and am therefore in need of God’s salvation.

17. What causes us to do the things we do that we do not want to do? SIN.

18. Paul reiterates: nothing good lives in me. (Romans 3:10) I want to do what is righteous, but I cannot.

19. Paul admits to repeatedly doing what he does not want to do, no matter how hard he tries.

20. Sin tries at every moment to get its grasp on us, no matter how hard we try.

21. Paul is teaching us that even when we “do our best,” SIN is right there with us.

22. We may recognize the beauty and holiness of God’s Law, but the other law, the law of sin and death, wages war with us constantly. (Remember to whom Paul is writing: Christians in Rome, not pagans.)

23. Even though the Christian’s inner being knows Christ, there is always that struggle to keep our focus on Him. SIN tries to pull us away.

24. Here is Paul’s admission to TOTAL DEPRAVITY. He calls himself “wretched.” That is the Greek word: talaiporus and it means evil, bad, wicked and beyond hope. Without some outside help, he sees himself as beyond hope and asks, “Who will rescue me from this body of DEATH?”

25. Here comes the solution! Jesus Christ our Lord! Now we can change our slavehood from that of being a slave to sin to being a slave to the righteousness of Christ. In our minds (intellect) we can recognize our standing in Christ.

THERE’S A GREAT “THEREFORE” COMING UP AND THE FIRST 17 VERSES OF CHAPTER 8 WILL DEPEND ON THE FIRST 7 CHAPTERS OF ROMANS FOR UNDERSTANDING.

IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THIS, YOU NEED TO

MONDAY MUSINGS FROM OUR FOUNDERS Elias Boudinot

"Let us enter on this important business under the idea that we are Christians on whom the eyes of the world are now turned… [L]et us earnestly call and beseech Him, for Christ’s sake, to preside in our councils. . . . We can only depend on the all powerful influence of the Spirit of God, Whose Divine aid and assistance it becomes us as a Christian people most devoutly to implore. Therefore I move that some minister of the Gospel be requested to attend this Congress every morning . . . in order to open the meeting with prayer."

Elias Boudinot: PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS; SIGNED THE PEACE TREATY TO END THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION; FIRST ATTORNEY ADMITTED TO THE U. S. SUPREME COURT BAR; FRAMER OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS; DIRECTOR OF THE U. S. MINT

Romans 7:1-6

AN ILLUSTRATION FROM MARRIAGE

Three kinds of sanctification:

Powerless sanctification

Potential sanctification

Positional sanctification

1. Shackles of a saved soul – The Law canot produce sanctification

2. The struggle of the saved soul –


The Verses

1. Are you so ignorant that you do not realize that the Law is relevant only while your are alive? Once you die, the Law means nothing. The Jews had the law, but were unable to keep it.

2. This is an illustration that you and I are not under the Law. These are NOT rules concerning how a marriage should be, this is an illustrations from marriage about how the Law relates to people. The illustration is not about what a marriage should look like, but uses Jewish law to illustrate how man relates to sin.

3. Under Jewish law, marital faithfulness was expected while both parties were alive. If the husband died, however, the woman was free to marry without being considered an adulteress. She was free from the law.

4. Here is where he ties these thoughts to chapters 1 through 6 of Romans. When you were saved, you died to the Law. You now belong to another: Christ.

5. Under the Law, our passions and our guilt were made evident. And the fruit we bore was the fruit of death.

6. By dying to the Law, we have been released from the Law so that we are now controlled, not by a set of rules: the Law; but by the Spirit of God living in us.

Some of you have not yet learned that.

Last week, when we took that little test on Romans, some of you answered in such a way that you STILL consider the Law to be the rules we are to live by.

It’s not easy to overcome what we have been taught over the years in favor of what the Word of God actually teaches, which is not adherence to the Law, but following the leadership of the Holy Spirit as He works His way in our lives.

We still need to learn to DIE TO SELF; DIE TO THE LAW; DIE TO THE OLD WAY OF THINKING AND LIVE BY, THROUGH AND FOR CHRIST.

Living for Jesus a life that is true;
Striving to please Him in all that I do.
Pledging allegiance, glad hearted and free
This is the pathway of blessing for me O Jesus, Lord and Savior I give myself to Thee
For Thou in Thine atonement didst give Thyself for me
I own no other master; My heart shall be Thy throne
My life I give, henceforth to live O Christ for Thee alone

MONDAY MUSINGS FROM OUR FOUNDERS George Washington

“No country upon Earth ever had it more in its power to attain these blessings…Much to be regretted indeed would it be, were to neglect the means and depart from the road which Providence has pointed us to, so plainly; I cannot believe it will ever come to pass. The Great Governor of the Universe has led us too long and too far…to forsake us in the midst of it…We may now and then, get bewildered; but I hope and trust that there is good sense and virtue enough left to recover the right path.”

GEORGE WASHINGTON

Commander-in-Chief in the Revolutionary War, President of the Continental Congress, first President of the United States of America, known as “The Father of His country,” eulogized by Henry Lee as, “First in War, first in peace, first in the hearts of his countryman.”

Romans 6 15 – 23

The Law is useful to control the old nature, but obedience to it does not yield salvation.

Romans 6 is a review of Romans 1 through 5.

The new nature is to be yielded to Christ.

The Verses

15. This is a repeat of what Paul said in Romans 6:1 and his conclusion in Romans 6:14.

16. He continues to discus death to sin and being alive in Christ with an illustration from slavery. The slave must obey his master. Similarly, the Christian must become a slave to Christ and obey Him.

17. At one time every one of us was a slave to sin, now you follow the gospel in Christ (the form of teaching to which you were entrusted).

18. You have exchanged your slavery to sin for slavery to righteousness (which is only found in Christ).

19. Spiritual things are so deep that we would get lost in them. Many people think they are being spiritual when they are really just exercising their imaginations. We used to offer ourselves to wickedness; now we offer ourselves to righteousness (Christ).

20. When you were lost (slaves to sin) you did not care about God’s righteousness and did not let it control you.

21. That slavery to wickedness netted you nothing, and lead to death (Romans 6:23).

22. Now you are free from sin and have become slaves to God and reap lots of benefits.

23. When you were in sin, your rightful wage was eternal death. But through Jesus Christ you have received Eternal Life.

A TEST ON ROMANS 1:1 – ROMANS 6:23

1. According to Paul, the purpose of the Law is to
a. Give us a standard to live by
b. Give us a challenge we can’t meet
c. Show us our need for salvation
d. Provide us salvation

2. Paul wanted to visit Rome (1:8ff). This shows us
a. That Paul was a lonely guy
b. That Christians yearn for fellowship with other Christians
c. That Paul was crippled and could not get to Rome
d. That Paul wanted to set up a headquarters for Christianity in Rome

3. The unsaved person who will not repent and come to Christ will (Romans 1:18-32)
a. Suffer the wrath of God
b. Be saved because God loves everybody
c. Gradually come to realize God’s love for him/her
d. Get rich if he will follow the Laws of God

4. The judgement of God (Romans 2:1-16)
a. Will eventually be overcome by the love of God
b. Is really pretty unfair, but there’s nothing we can do about it
c. Is not relevant to today’s society
d. Is righteous and deserved by all mankind outside of Christ

5. Which two statements are true about Jews (Romans 2:17 – 29)
a. Jews are exempt from the Law
b. Jews can come into God’s Kingdom through Christ
c. Jews can be saved through their rituals
d. Jews, although they are God’s chosen people, must accept Christ to be saved.

6. In Christ, Christians can have (Romans 5:1-11)
a. Lots of money and things
b. Peace and joy
c. Power to keep bad things from happening
d. Citizenship in the United States, if they want it

7. Sin came into the world (Romans 5:12-21) CAUTION! TRICK QUESTION!
a. Because all mankind wanted to be like God
b. By Eve failing to obey God’s command
c. By one man: Adam
d. By Christ, who then showed us how to overcome it.

8. When we become alive in Christ, we also become (Romans 6:1-14)
a. Rich and famous
b. Steeped in religious tradition leading to peace and joy
c. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound
d. Dead to sin

9. When we are saved, we enter into voluntary (Romans 6: 14-23)
a. Community service
b. Slavery
c. Military service
d. Life enrichment opportunities

10. Take a moment to reflect on and to write one sentence that you think best describes your relationship to the Law (Ten Commandments)

HOW DID YOU DO? HERE ARE THE ANSWERS:

1. c
2. b
3. a
4. d
5. d
6. b
7. c
8. d
9. b

10. This one's up to you

TALK ABOUT A NATURAL HIGH

As I watched this video, I thought about our planet: its beauty, its make-up and its Creator.

I also thought about the frantic search on Mars and other space places for "water" and therefore the possibility of life there.

When you look at the blue planet, Earth, from that high, you realize that (pretending for a moment that Darwinian evolution is factual) for life to have formed by chance there does not need to be water...

There needs to be:

WATER!!

If we find a drop, a pool or a puddle of water somewhere, our conclusion cannot possibly be that it is suffecient to support life...not even close.

Our Creator is so intellectually superior to us that if all the great minds that ever have been, are now or ever will be were connected together they would not represent the equivilent of a single neuron in the mind of God.

To think otherwise is total arrogance and bravado.

To God be the glory; great things He has done!