Paul continues his discussion on faith.
Click here for an online Bible Romans 4:13-25
The promise to Abraham was based on faith not law. There is a big difference between law and faith. The Law uses the language, “You shall.” When God uses promise-language, he says, “I will.” The promise to Abraham was not based on Abraham’s obedience it was based on the character of God.
The promise of God to Abraham was beyond the ability of Abraham to obey. God did not tell Abraham to go and produce descendants. Abraham and Sarah were past child-bearing years, so there was nothing that they could do on their own. God said that he would produce descendants for Abraham. Only God who creates things out of nothing or brings the dead to life could keep the promise. Paul refers to Abraham and Sarah’s biological facilities for reproduction as being dead. But, God brought the dead to life and produced a son for them.
It was Abraham’s faith that resulted in his righteousness. When we respond to God with faith in Christ, we become spiritual descendants of Abraham.
Just as Abraham’s biological descendants became the community of God’s people, now, his spiritual descendants are the community of God’s people. The sign of the covenant community for the biological descendants was circumcision. It was performed on males a few days after birth as the sign that they were part of the community.
The sign of the spiritual community is baptism. That is why we only baptize believers, because faith what results in entrance to the community. When we baptize a new believer, it is a statement that this person is now part of the covenant community of God’s people. We use the Lord’s Supper as an ongoing reminder that we are members of the covenant community. That is why we say that the Lord’s Supper is for believers only. Traditionally, churches demand that only properly baptized believers should participate in the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is the sign of coming to faith and the Lord’s Supper is the sign of ongoing faith.
Think about the faith that Abraham had to have. God told him that he would have descendants. This was a physical impossibility, but Abraham believed God. He had faith. We are told that God will empower us to do the things he has told us to do. All that is required is faith.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
Friday Romans 4:6-12
Sorry this is late getting out.
Click here for an online Bible Romans 4:6-12
Paul is strengthening his argument that good works does not lead to righteousness. He has just given the example of Abraham who was justified because of his faith. He now looks to David. In Psalm 32, David speaks of the forgiveness of sins by God. Many think that this psalm was written by David after his sin with Bathsheba. The blessing that David speaks of comes not from righteous acts, but through God’s forgiveness.
Paul now turns back to Abraham. Many of the Jews saw their righteousness as coming from their covenant relationship with God. They were God’s community. They has the sign of the covenant – circumcision. Paul says that Abraham’s righteousness was declared before the sign of circumcision was given.
Abraham was a righteous man. We should follow him as an example. The example to follow is faith not circumcision.
We are children of Abraham in this sense in that we are in a covenant relationship with God because of our faith.
Click here for an online Bible Romans 4:6-12
Paul is strengthening his argument that good works does not lead to righteousness. He has just given the example of Abraham who was justified because of his faith. He now looks to David. In Psalm 32, David speaks of the forgiveness of sins by God. Many think that this psalm was written by David after his sin with Bathsheba. The blessing that David speaks of comes not from righteous acts, but through God’s forgiveness.
Paul now turns back to Abraham. Many of the Jews saw their righteousness as coming from their covenant relationship with God. They were God’s community. They has the sign of the covenant – circumcision. Paul says that Abraham’s righteousness was declared before the sign of circumcision was given.
Abraham was a righteous man. We should follow him as an example. The example to follow is faith not circumcision.
We are children of Abraham in this sense in that we are in a covenant relationship with God because of our faith.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Thursday Romans 4:1-5
Righteousness comes from faith.
Click here for an online Bible Romans 4:1-5
Abraham was the father of the Jews. God called Abraham to leave his country of origin and move to the land of Canaan. When he got there, God promised the land to his descendants. God also promised to raise up a people through Abraham’s descendants that would be the people of God. Through this people, all of the world would be blessed. Abraham was a righteous man.
Paul raises the question about Abraham. Was he righteous because he obeyed God? Paul answers the question. No, Abraham was not righteous because of what he did. He quotes Genesis 15:6. Abraham was righteous because of his faith. He believed God. He had faith. His belief was strong enough to result in trust. So when God called him to leave everything behind, he did it – not because it made since, but because he trusted God. He had faith. Righteousness comes from faith and faith alone.
If you could earn righteousness through your action, then it would be payment, not a gift. Paul has been saying that righteousness is a gift from God. Faith results in God declaring the ungodly to now be righteous.
So, were does good works fit into all of this? Abraham obeyed God. He did it because he trusted God. He had faith in God. So, faith should prompt us to do good works. Good works are often seen as the evidence of faith. Following Christ involves action. It means doing something. If a person has no evidence in his life of following Christ, then faith seems to be lacking.
We have to ask ourselves, “Is my faith resulting in action?” “Do I trust God enough to live like he wants me to?” None of us are fully there and that means our faith needs to grow. We need to get closer to God. Remember the spiritual disciplines. The purpose is to grow in godliness.
Click here for an online Bible Romans 4:1-5
Abraham was the father of the Jews. God called Abraham to leave his country of origin and move to the land of Canaan. When he got there, God promised the land to his descendants. God also promised to raise up a people through Abraham’s descendants that would be the people of God. Through this people, all of the world would be blessed. Abraham was a righteous man.
Paul raises the question about Abraham. Was he righteous because he obeyed God? Paul answers the question. No, Abraham was not righteous because of what he did. He quotes Genesis 15:6. Abraham was righteous because of his faith. He believed God. He had faith. His belief was strong enough to result in trust. So when God called him to leave everything behind, he did it – not because it made since, but because he trusted God. He had faith. Righteousness comes from faith and faith alone.
If you could earn righteousness through your action, then it would be payment, not a gift. Paul has been saying that righteousness is a gift from God. Faith results in God declaring the ungodly to now be righteous.
So, were does good works fit into all of this? Abraham obeyed God. He did it because he trusted God. He had faith in God. So, faith should prompt us to do good works. Good works are often seen as the evidence of faith. Following Christ involves action. It means doing something. If a person has no evidence in his life of following Christ, then faith seems to be lacking.
We have to ask ourselves, “Is my faith resulting in action?” “Do I trust God enough to live like he wants me to?” None of us are fully there and that means our faith needs to grow. We need to get closer to God. Remember the spiritual disciplines. The purpose is to grow in godliness.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Wednesday Romans 3:27-31
Salvation is by faith and faith alone.
Click here for an online Bible Romans 3:27-31
Paul has said that it is a good thing to be a Jew because the Jews had been given the word of God. But then he said that the Jews were just as guilty before God as the Gentiles. Anybody can be saved through faith, so what good is it to be a Jew? What is there to boast about?
Paul’s answer: there is no boasting. Faith leaves no room for boasting. Since you can not do anything to earn salvation, there is no boasting. Salvation is by faith only.
God is not only the God of the Jews or the Gentiles. He is the God of everyone. Faith is available for everyone.
Well, what then about the Law? Is the Law canceled? Paul says, “Absolutely not!” Does this mean that Christians have to follow all of the commands of the Old Testament Law? No, Paul will deal with this later in Romans. His point here is about faith. Salvation comes from faith, not actions. There is a danger that some people will interpret this to mean that all we have to do is believe. It doesn’t matter what we do. Paul says that our actions do matter, but salvation is by faith alone.
Click here for an online Bible Romans 3:27-31
Paul has said that it is a good thing to be a Jew because the Jews had been given the word of God. But then he said that the Jews were just as guilty before God as the Gentiles. Anybody can be saved through faith, so what good is it to be a Jew? What is there to boast about?
Paul’s answer: there is no boasting. Faith leaves no room for boasting. Since you can not do anything to earn salvation, there is no boasting. Salvation is by faith only.
God is not only the God of the Jews or the Gentiles. He is the God of everyone. Faith is available for everyone.
Well, what then about the Law? Is the Law canceled? Paul says, “Absolutely not!” Does this mean that Christians have to follow all of the commands of the Old Testament Law? No, Paul will deal with this later in Romans. His point here is about faith. Salvation comes from faith, not actions. There is a danger that some people will interpret this to mean that all we have to do is believe. It doesn’t matter what we do. Paul says that our actions do matter, but salvation is by faith alone.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Tuesday Romans 3:21-26
The solution to sin is faith in Christ.
Click here for an online Bible Romans 3:21-26
This section of Romans is packed with importance. Martin Luther called this paragraph the central message of the whole Bible. Paul has been arguing that all people are guilty before God. Now, he gives the solution to the problem.
The problem is that because of sin, we are unrighteous. The solution is the righteousness of God. It did not come through the Law of Moses. The Law showed our sin and our need for righteousness. Paul says that the Law and Prophets attest to God’s righteousness through faith. By “the Law and Prophets”, Paul means the whole Old Testament. The criterion for salvation has always been faith. The Old Testament looked ahead to a time when God would do something more. Now, that time is here. The righteousness of God, which we need, is available through Christ.
Verse 24 is full of key terms: justification, grace, and redemption. Justified is the act of declaring one innocent. We are guilty of sin. God justifies us in which he declares that we are now innocent. The guilt is removed, not by something we did, but by God’s decree. Grace refers to a gift. We don’t earn justification. God gives it away. Redemption is the price which is paid. Justification is a gift to us, but there is a price. The price was paid by Jesus Christ on the cross. His death is the price of redemption for our justification which God freely gives as a gift. As Paul said in verse 22, this is applied to our lives when we have faith in Jesus Christ.
Verses 25 and 26 can be difficult because it is full of language that we don’t use much. What about sin before Jesus? Was God soft on sin? Paul says, “No!” God delayed dealing with the sin of those who lived by faith prior to Jesus. Christ’s death provides the redemption for the sins of those who lived prior to Christ as well as those who follow.
Jesus’ death provides atonement for sin. It sets things right. Paul uses a Greek word “hilastorion” which carries a dual meaning. Those with a Greek background would recognize this word as meaning propitiation. It means the turning aside of divine wrath. In this application it means that what Jesus did on the cross turns aside the wrath of God which is what we deserve because of our sinfulness. To the Jews, this word has an additional meaning. Hilastorian is the Greek word used in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) for the mercy seat. That was the cover of the ark of the covenant. Each year the High Priest would sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice on the mercy seat to atone for the sins of the people. This was done on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). [Hebrew – kippur = Greek – hilastorian] The blood of Jesus provides atonement for his people one and for all.
The key is faith. The free gift of justification comes through faith – faith in Jesus Christ. Faith means more than just belief. It means belief to the point of trust. I can believe that something is true, but it takes trust in the source to make me act on that belief. If I told you that I had an investment that would give you a 100% return immediately, you might believe me, but you would only give me ALL of your money if you had faith. God wants you to believe in the truth of the gospel, but he also wants you to trust him with your life and your eternity.
Click here for an online Bible Romans 3:21-26
This section of Romans is packed with importance. Martin Luther called this paragraph the central message of the whole Bible. Paul has been arguing that all people are guilty before God. Now, he gives the solution to the problem.
The problem is that because of sin, we are unrighteous. The solution is the righteousness of God. It did not come through the Law of Moses. The Law showed our sin and our need for righteousness. Paul says that the Law and Prophets attest to God’s righteousness through faith. By “the Law and Prophets”, Paul means the whole Old Testament. The criterion for salvation has always been faith. The Old Testament looked ahead to a time when God would do something more. Now, that time is here. The righteousness of God, which we need, is available through Christ.
Verse 24 is full of key terms: justification, grace, and redemption. Justified is the act of declaring one innocent. We are guilty of sin. God justifies us in which he declares that we are now innocent. The guilt is removed, not by something we did, but by God’s decree. Grace refers to a gift. We don’t earn justification. God gives it away. Redemption is the price which is paid. Justification is a gift to us, but there is a price. The price was paid by Jesus Christ on the cross. His death is the price of redemption for our justification which God freely gives as a gift. As Paul said in verse 22, this is applied to our lives when we have faith in Jesus Christ.
Verses 25 and 26 can be difficult because it is full of language that we don’t use much. What about sin before Jesus? Was God soft on sin? Paul says, “No!” God delayed dealing with the sin of those who lived by faith prior to Jesus. Christ’s death provides the redemption for the sins of those who lived prior to Christ as well as those who follow.
Jesus’ death provides atonement for sin. It sets things right. Paul uses a Greek word “hilastorion” which carries a dual meaning. Those with a Greek background would recognize this word as meaning propitiation. It means the turning aside of divine wrath. In this application it means that what Jesus did on the cross turns aside the wrath of God which is what we deserve because of our sinfulness. To the Jews, this word has an additional meaning. Hilastorian is the Greek word used in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) for the mercy seat. That was the cover of the ark of the covenant. Each year the High Priest would sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice on the mercy seat to atone for the sins of the people. This was done on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). [Hebrew – kippur = Greek – hilastorian] The blood of Jesus provides atonement for his people one and for all.
The key is faith. The free gift of justification comes through faith – faith in Jesus Christ. Faith means more than just belief. It means belief to the point of trust. I can believe that something is true, but it takes trust in the source to make me act on that belief. If I told you that I had an investment that would give you a 100% return immediately, you might believe me, but you would only give me ALL of your money if you had faith. God wants you to believe in the truth of the gospel, but he also wants you to trust him with your life and your eternity.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Monday Romans 3:9-20
Paul forcefully shows that all people are guilty before God.
Click here for an online Bible Romans 3:9-20
Paul says that everybody is guilty before God. The Gentiles have the general revelation of God. They have a conscience. They are guilty before God. The Jews have all of the general revelation that the Gentiles do, but they also have the special revelation of God through the prophets. They have the Law of Moses. They are guilty before God.
The purpose of this revelation from God is to show our unrighteousness. Paul give a series of quotes from the Old Testament which show that he is not saying anything new.
Romans 3:9-12 Psalm 14:1-3, Psalm 53:1-3, Eccl. 7:20
Romans 3:13a Psalm 5:9
Romans 3:13b Psalm 140:3
Romans 3:14 Psalm 10:7
Romans 3:15-17 Isaiah 59:7-8
Romans 3:18 Psalm 36:1
Paul is laying the groundwork for the necessity of faith in Christ. There is no righteousness from doing good because everybody is a sinner. This is a foundational issue in understanding people. All people are corrupt and sinful. All people deserve condemnation. There is no one righteous, not even one.
Question: What about the good person who has not heard about Christ?
Answer: There are no good people. That is why the missionary call is so urgent.
We have to be careful not to view everyone with contempt. We have to view everyone like God does – with love. Christ loved the people of the world enough to die for them. Realizing the lostness of people should bring us to tears – and should motivate us to do something about it.
Click here for an online Bible Romans 3:9-20
Paul says that everybody is guilty before God. The Gentiles have the general revelation of God. They have a conscience. They are guilty before God. The Jews have all of the general revelation that the Gentiles do, but they also have the special revelation of God through the prophets. They have the Law of Moses. They are guilty before God.
The purpose of this revelation from God is to show our unrighteousness. Paul give a series of quotes from the Old Testament which show that he is not saying anything new.
Romans 3:9-12 Psalm 14:1-3, Psalm 53:1-3, Eccl. 7:20
Romans 3:13a Psalm 5:9
Romans 3:13b Psalm 140:3
Romans 3:14 Psalm 10:7
Romans 3:15-17 Isaiah 59:7-8
Romans 3:18 Psalm 36:1
Paul is laying the groundwork for the necessity of faith in Christ. There is no righteousness from doing good because everybody is a sinner. This is a foundational issue in understanding people. All people are corrupt and sinful. All people deserve condemnation. There is no one righteous, not even one.
Question: What about the good person who has not heard about Christ?
Answer: There are no good people. That is why the missionary call is so urgent.
We have to be careful not to view everyone with contempt. We have to view everyone like God does – with love. Christ loved the people of the world enough to die for them. Realizing the lostness of people should bring us to tears – and should motivate us to do something about it.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Sunday Romans 3:1-8
Paul continues to explain God’s judgment of sin.
Click here for an online Bible Romans 3:1-8
Since the Jews are just as guilty before God as all the other people in the world, what advantage is there to being a Jew? Paul says that there is an advantage to being a Jew. The Jews had been entrusted with the words of God. The Old Testament comes through the Jewish prophets. As the covenant community of God’s people, the Jews were the people that God spoke through. Even Christianity comes from the Jews. Jesus and all of his followers were Jews.
In verses 3 and 4, Paul answers another potential question. Since God promised to be faithful to the Jewish people, does his judgment of them imply that he is unfaithful? Paul answers, “Not at all!” God is faithful. It is people that are unfaithful. God promised that he would judge those who were unfaithful.
In verses 5-8, Paul answers the question that some may have asked. If God is glorified in forgiving sins, should we not sin more so that God may be glorified more? Paul says that this is a human argument (verse 5) and anyone who thinks this way deserves condemnation (verse 8). Any action of God results in his glory, so forgiving sins results in his glory, but so does judgment of sin. Human sin can never glorify God.
Click here for an online Bible Romans 3:1-8
Since the Jews are just as guilty before God as all the other people in the world, what advantage is there to being a Jew? Paul says that there is an advantage to being a Jew. The Jews had been entrusted with the words of God. The Old Testament comes through the Jewish prophets. As the covenant community of God’s people, the Jews were the people that God spoke through. Even Christianity comes from the Jews. Jesus and all of his followers were Jews.
In verses 3 and 4, Paul answers another potential question. Since God promised to be faithful to the Jewish people, does his judgment of them imply that he is unfaithful? Paul answers, “Not at all!” God is faithful. It is people that are unfaithful. God promised that he would judge those who were unfaithful.
In verses 5-8, Paul answers the question that some may have asked. If God is glorified in forgiving sins, should we not sin more so that God may be glorified more? Paul says that this is a human argument (verse 5) and anyone who thinks this way deserves condemnation (verse 8). Any action of God results in his glory, so forgiving sins results in his glory, but so does judgment of sin. Human sin can never glorify God.
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