From the Shulam commentary: ". . . the book of Romans is the product of its time and context; i.e., that it is a Jewish text whose comparison with and clarification through other contemporary Jewish texts form the most authentic means for its proper interpretation." p. 11
Back to the Table of ContentsRomans 1:1
We are all bond servants--either to Satan or to Christ.
Matt. 6:24: "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."
Joshua 24:15: "And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
I am a bondservant/slave to Jesus Christ. His name is Jesus (a glorious) name and He is the CHRIST (the Messiah/Savior).
Pastor Jack (Hayford from Church on the Way) translates this as 'servant,' emphasizing that it is a voluntary submission to the Lord; however, I believe that this fails to emphasis the dichotomos nature of servitude--which is given (voluntarily notwithstanding) to either Christ or the world/Satan/flesh. Servitude not given voluntarily to Christ is given to Satan, regardless of our 'desires.' There is no third option.
As Americans, we have become deluded in thinking that we can be self determining without serving Satan. That is an impossibility.
Romans 1:1 (cont)
"I serve Jesus Who is the Christ (Messiah/Savior)."
What a glorious name!
Phil 2:9 "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Romans 1:1 (cont)
"CALLED to be an apostle"
The Greek is 'invited or appointed.' Isn't that truly the case? We are both 'invited' AND 'appointed.' We cannot invite ourselves to a particular calling, nor can we appoint ourselves.
Psalm 75:6 (LIV) "For promotion and power come from nowhere on earth, but only from God. He promotes one and deposes another."
Psalm 75:6 (NKJ) "For exaltation comes neither from the east Nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one, And exalts another."
1 Sam. 2:7: The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up."
Ph.2:3: "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself."
What is conceit? According to Webster, it is a personal opinion about yourself (usually exaggerated). Associated with 'pride' as a synonym. And the synonyms for pride include: self-love, self-importance, self-exaltation, self-glorification, self-admiration, self-esteem
Romans 1:1 (cont)
"SEPARATED or SET APART unto/for the gospel"
The Gr word here means to be set apart BY A BOUNDARY, to be limited to or excluded from.
Phil 2:14-16 (RSV): "Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, olding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain."
How can I be IN THE WORLD, but SEPARATED from it?
Romans 1:1 (cont)
This verse describes how Paul sees himself. Now here was a man who was brilliant, a scholar of the Law, a Pharisee (so a priest), obviously with a compelling personality, and a driven sense of purpose.
He becomes saved.
NOW, he considers himself a slave to Christ and set apart by the limitations or boundaries of the Holy Spirit.
WE ARE ALL SLAVES. WE ALL EXIST WITHIN BOUNDARIES. We simply--by choosing our allegience--choose whom we will serve, choose within which boundaries we will reside.
I am learning that there is a positive and a negative to all viewpoints. The 'negative' is that we are constrained by the Law in our behavior (do not lie, do not steal, etc.). The 'positive' is that we are motivated by the fruit of the Spirit (to love, to be kind, to be gentle, etc.). Both are different sides of the SAME THING and if we do them out of love and obedience to the Lord--in response for what He's done for us AND WHO HE IS--we are doing as Paul did.
Romans 1:1 (cont)
'the gospel'
From the Gr, a good message (first used in Mark to describe the message of Christ and salvation).
What was it about this message that made it good?
Zaccheus rec'd Jesus joyfully . . . (from Luke 19)
He entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man named Zacchae'us; he was a chief tax collector, and rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchae'us, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today." So he made haste and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it they all murmured, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." And Zacchae'us stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.
Zaccheus was . . .
The good news changes our focus from THIS WORLD to heaven.
Romans 1:2
"which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures,"
Who had promised? GOD had promised and He cannot go back on His promises -- EVER!
God's promises never fail:
1 Kings 8:56: "Blessed be the LORD who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised; not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he uttered by Moses his servant."
Romans 4:19 "He [Abraham] did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead because he was about a hundred years old, or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. 20 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was "reckoned to him as righteousness."
Abraham . . .1 Corinthians 1:20: "For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why we utter the Amen through him, to the glory of God."
God NEVER refuses to perform what He promises to do.
AND WHAT HAD GOD PROMISED? (fr v. 1): The good news/gospel of salvation. (See 1 John 2:25)
THE FOCUS OF GOD'S PROMISES ARE NOT IN OUR PRESENT WELLBEING BUT IN OUR ETERNAL SALVATION.
Romans 1:2 (cont)
"which he promised beforehand THROUGH HIS PROPHETS"
While God is perfectly capable of working outside of mankind, He most often choose to work THROUGH people instead of independently from them. Why? There is a dynamic of relationship that He has chosen with us.
Romans 1:2 (cont)
God's promises were given through the prophets, but not just through them, but through them IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.
I know that Jesus, most of the time, simply quoted scriptures. Scriptures are God's words, God's thoughts. If I want to KNOW Him, I can KNOW Him through the scriptures.
Deut 4:39: ". . . know therefore this day, and lay it to your heart, that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. 40 Therefore you shall keep his statutes and his commandments, which I command you this day, that it may go well with you, and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the LORD your God gives you for ever."
Knowing about God or knowing God is directly tied to keeping His commandments. What He wants us to do is a direct correlation of His character.
Gal. 5:22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."
Job 36:26 "Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out."
Ps.100:3 "Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture."
1 John 3:2 "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."
Ex. 33:17 "So the Lord said to Moses, 'I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name." 18 And he said, "Please, show me Your glory." 19 Then He said, "I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion." 20 But He said, "You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live." 21 And the Lord said, "Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock. 22 "So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. 23 "Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen.'"
Romans 1:3
"the gospel concerning His Son . . . "
We must never forget that salvation is IMPOSSIBLE apart from Jesus Christ. There is NO salvation except through Him.
John 14:6 "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'"
And Jesus comes not to condemn, but to SAVE, to give life.
Matt. 9:12 "But when he heard it, he said, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.'"
Romans 1:3 (cont)
"He was descended from David ACCORDING TO THE FLESH"
I think we often forget that Jesus was tempted on every side, even as we are--that He bore the burden of this human body--physically and emotionally--even as we do.
Hebrews 4:14 "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
The passage before, 9-11, talks about us entering into the sabbath by NOT WORKING (not with works), so then how was Jesus like us?
Romans 1:4
"who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord,"
The resurrection was the ultimate 'proof' or declaration that Jesus was the Christ AND MOREOVER, the Son of God. And this declaration was made WITH POWER.
What power is that?
Phil 3:8 "More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 10 that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.'
2 Peter 1:2: "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence."
1 Peter 1:5: ". . . who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation . . . "
Colossians 1:9 "For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light."
Ephesians 3:20 "Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us . . ."
Ephesians 3:7 " . . . of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God's grace which was given to me according to the working of His power."
Romans 1:4 (cont)
"according to the Spirit of holiness"
'holiness' (or holy) -- That which is set apart to God. God is set apart by the plain fact of Who He is. From what is He set apart? From sin. There exists in the world only two states (or two existences): holiness (God's character) and sin (the opposite of God's character). There is no neutral or middle ground.
Within us ONLY lies a combination of these two things, but that is not a third option, merely the working of God's character in a sinful world.
Romans 7:5-6: "While we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive, so that we serve not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit."
IN LATER VERSIONS, both of these are translated 'beauty of holiness' as 'holy array' or 'holy attire.' WE ARE TO WEAR HOLINESS AS ROBES.
1 Chr. 16:29 "Give to the Lord the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come before Him. Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!"
2 Chr. 20:21 "And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: "Praise the Lord, For His mercy endures forever."
Is. 61:10 "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels."
Phil. 3:7 "But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 10 that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead."
Romans 1:5-6
"through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles, for His name's sake, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;"
There are two dynamics at work here. First, WE MUST HAVE GRACE in order to do the will of God. Grace is THAT which EMPOWERS us to accomplish what God has asked us to do. Second, the purpose of the offices & gifts IS TO BRING ABOUT THE OBEDIENCE OF THE FAITH. What does that phrase mean, "the obedience of the faith?" If faith is a gift, how can our obedience (our response) be required?
From the Jewish New Testament Commentary, (p. 328) about this phrase: ". . . this expression [the obedience of the faith] is ambiguous. Sha'ul does not mean 'the obedience which IS faith,' he is not saying that obedience CONSISTS IN having faith in Yeshua. Rather, he is speaking of the GOOD WORKS which flow from obeying God--the right deeds which are the necessary consequence of truly putting one's trust in God, his Word and his Messiah. This needs to be said because Sha'ul is often portrayed as promoting 'faith' and opposing 'works.' This wrongness of such an oversimplification is discusses at [various other passages]."
Stern agrees with me that Paul's arguments against 'works' are specifically dealing with observance of the Torah commandments and have nothing to do with our obedience to God's Word.
Romans 1:6
"1:6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;"
Who are the CALLED? Is there truly a group of the 'elect' that God has chosen and the remainder He has refused?
The Gr word here is 'kletos' and the inference in Romans appears to be that God only calls some--UNTIL you look at the parables in which Jesus ALSO uses this word.
Matthew 22:1 "And Jesus answered and spoke to them again in parables, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king, who gave a wedding feast for his son. And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. Again he sent out other slaves saying, 'Tell those who have been invited,' Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.' But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business, and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them. But the king was enraged and sent his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and set their city on fire. Then he said to his slaves, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.' And those slaves went out into the streets, and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests. But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw there a man not dressed in wedding clothes, and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?' And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' For many are called, but few are chosen."
v. 8 Those who were invited WERE NOT WORTHY. So others were invited, but they MUST have their own wedding clothes, wedding clothes WERE NOT PROVIDED BY THE HOST. There IS a measure in which we participate with God BY OUR CHOICES.
Romans 1:6-7
"among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
This letter was written to the church at Rome, but Paul acknowledges that there ARE other Christians -- "to ALL who are beloved of God in Rome" -- in Rome who may not belong to THIS church.
I previously thought that the apostles had dealt with single-church cities, but perhaps there were other fellowships established by other evangelists who are not spoken of so frequently in the New Testament. Paul clearly includes these 'other' saints in his greeting and in his doctrinal statement of 'election.'
Romans 1:8
"First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world."
In his prayers, Paul OBVIOUSLY includes (perhaps begins with?) thanks to God--thanks for the fruit that is being produced in the lives of other Christians. Since Paul had never been to Rome, this thankfulness was not because these were converts produced by HIS ministry, but are simply Christians who have been obedient to the Word through the ministries of others.
In Paul there doesn't appear to be a jealous thought. He is simply focused on one thing--the furtherence of the kingdom of God.
Also, in his prayers, Paul prays through Jesus Christ. Paul understands that it is CHRIST Who intercedes for us at the throne. Romans 8:4: "Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us."
As I study, Lord, reveal to me the things about the Roman church that made their faith spoken of throughout the whole world.
Romans 1:8 (cont)
"First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
In his prayers, Paul OBVIOUSLY includes (perhaps begins with?) thanks to God--thanks for the fruit that is being produced in the lives of other Christians. Since Paul had never been to Rome, this thankfulness was not because these were converts produced by HIS ministry, but are simply Christians who have been obedient to the Word through the ministries of others.
In Paul there doesn't appear to be a jealous thought. He is simply focused on one thing--the furtherence of the kingdom of God.
Also, in his prayers, Paul prays through Jesus Christ. Paul understands that it is CHRIST Who intercedes for us at the throne. Romans 8:4: "Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us."
As I study, Lord, reveal to me the things about the Roman church that made their faith spoken of throughout the whole world.
Romans 1:9
"For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son."
God is OUR witness.
What does a witness do? A witness testifies to what has happened, telling the TRUTH. When we are slandered, GOD is our witness, vindicating us by HIS Word and HIS truth. We have no need to defend ourselves because God will, as our witness, defend us, revealing the secret things in His time.
Ecc. 12:14: "For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil."
Mt. 6:4 "that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly."
Mk. 4:22 "For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.
It seems that when we are placed into difficult situations by the actions and choices of others, when we are slandered or when the appearance of what has happened is WRONG, that we should defend ourselves. But no one can move me from God's will except ME and no one can change the truth of the matter. What others assume or surmise is not important and in His time, God will reveal the truth and make known all those things which were wrong assumptions.
Thank the Lord, God also forgives US when our assumptions about others are wrong.
1 Co. 13:4 "Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
In my treatment of others, these verses should be my theme song. When others are irritating, I should be patient. When others are mean, I should be kind. When others succeed, even wrongly, I should bless them. When I succeed, I should give humble thanks to God. When I seem to be in the right, I should acknowledge that most things I do not know. When others are curt, I should be courteous. When others push their demands into my life, I should support them and pray for them. When others are demand, I should be quiet and caring, with a servant's attitude. When others are angry, I should pray for them. When someone appears to be wrong, I should come alongside and see if I can help them make things right. When others do the right thing, I should rejoice with them.
In all things, I should pray, love and believe that the other person had the best intent at heart. When the worst appears to come, I should pray and trust God to make it good in my life, to expect to receive His blessing in my persecution. And in all things I should realize that I will never suffer to the extent that my Lord suffered.
Romans 1:9-10
"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, always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you."
Paul prayed as Jesus prayed, making mention of his request, but bowing always to the will of God.
Jesus' prayer in the garden has fascinated me for some time because the prayer of Christ, the SON OF GOD, was answered with a no. Luke 22:42. I have always questioned in my mind the issue of praying God's promises versus God's sovereignty. And I think that here is a good example of human desire coming into conflict with and then IN LINE WITH God's will. Obviously Christ's request was of the utmost concern to Him. He asked others to pray with Him AND He made His request three times of the Father.
This sets a wonderful precedent for us. God does not rebuke us for making multiple requests for the same issue and He doesn't rebuke us for praying outside of His will. What our Father DOES DESIRE is for our heart's last and most earnest request to be that HIS WILL BE DONE.
I think one of the foundational issues here is that I need to understand how wonderful, loving and perfect God's will is for my life and how imperfect my will is. Thus, while I might have prayer requests, while they might even be based on scriptural teaching, the overriding desire of my heart MUST BE that GOD'S WILL BE DONE IN MY LIFE.
Romans 1:1-7
The introduction . . .
As is consistent with Greek letter form, Paul states who HE is and then to whom the letter is written. Interesting (and probably NOT part of Greek letter form), after he states who HE is in Christ Jesus, he includes his listeners in that same description.
Who does he say he is?
AND THEN PAUL DOES THE INTERESTING THING . . .
Romans 1:11-12
"For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine."
How often am I jealous of the faith of another, rather than being encouraged by their faith? It seems that in America, the tenor of Christianity is competition (for money, for acclaim and fame, for power) when we should be ENCOURAGED by each other's faith.
Ph. 2:3: "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself."
This verse is so significant because it assumes that someone else's gift or calling is more appropriate to the moment than mine. We, in the Pentecostal movement, seem to be so set on exercising our own gifts (as if there is some penalty for not doing so) when the most appropriate attitude is to yield to someone else exercising their gift. Look at 1 Co. 14 . . .
Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. If a revelation is made to another sitting by, let the first be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged; and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets."
Paul admonishes that if one prophet is speaking/teaching/prophesying and another has a prophecy from the Lord, the first IS TO IMMEDIATELY BE SILENT AND YIELD TO THE SECOND. Yet we often hold the PROPHECY to be more important that the PERSON.
We are to seek wisdom and knowledge, but the most important to seek is THE LORD. We establish doctrines and practices, but we worship THE PERSON.
We should, thus, also treat each other with the same importance. PEOPLE are more important than proclamations.
Romans 1:11-13
"For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine. I want you to know, brethren, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles."
Paul's desire to come to a new place to minister was for no other reason than to advance the kingdom. He didn't come to hold another seminar, to conduct another meeting, to sell another book. He didn't come to make money, to build prestige or to show off his 'stuff.' He always went where the Lord directed him because he wanted to advance the kingdom.
We often say that we do things in our ministries with the purpose of growing folks in the Lord, but our actions show that often isn't true. How willing are we to pray for them daily (particularly praying for them personally)? How willing are we to stick in our relationship with them, through the good and bad, in order to disciple them into a more mature relationship with the Lord?
I think about, for example, conference and seminar leaders. Theirs is a shotgun ministry. They don't even know the names of those to whom they minister. They don't know if their ministry have ANY affect or if those who attend actually understand what was trying to be taught. Without personal follow-up, the 'success' of teaching is tenuous at best.
The steps of teaching are . . .UofK has established that one learns a skill to mastery ONLY when it has been performed at a minimum of 90% accuracy in 10 sequential trials. There is no reason to believe that spiritual learning, at least in most cases, isn't the same. Consequently, IF we--as leaders--truly take our admonition to teach seriously, we must be willing to verify that those we teach HAVE TRULY LEARNED and are applying what they have learned to their own life situations.
2 Tim. 2:24-25a: "And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to every one, an apt teacher, forbearing, correcting his opponents with gentleness."
We are told to be 'apt' teachers, not merely teachers, but 'apt' teachers. 'Apt' means 'suited to its purpose, appropriate, fitting, tending or incllined, likely, quick to learn or understand.' In other words, our teaching should be appropriate to the situation (and person) and successful.
Romans 1:13
"And I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented thus far) in order that I might obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles."
Paul's purpose for coming to the Romans, for ministering to them, was to see some kind of spiritual fruit/growth in their lives. It was NOT to promote Paul's personal ministry nor to see personal thanks. In fact, because he had NOT established this church, it was IMPOSSIBLE for him to have personal gain from this visit. His only gain was in CHRIST and what CHRIST had already done within this congregation.
Romans 1:13-15
"I want you to know, brethren, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish: so I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome."
We are taught (and told) that Paul was a tentmaker; he was a bivocational pastor. The ONLY kind of fund raising that we are told he did was to raise funds for the Jerusalem church. Thus, Paul's motive to come to Rome wasn't (1) to get money; (2) to hold seminars; (3) to promote his new book or cassette teachings.
His purpose . . .
TO PREACH THE GOSPEL
This went far beyond preaching an evangelistic message. As we can see from Paul's epistles, he not only preached salvation, but ESTABLISHED the new believers in the Word. Our hearts need to be filled with the desire to witness AND to disciple.
Romans 1:16
"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."
There are two components to being ashamed: (1) a sense of doing wrong; (2) embarrassment. We CANNOT be ashamed of the gospel without believing in our hearts that it is somehow wrong, without doubting the truth of what God says.
What a terrible predicament that places us in--we either are anxious top reach His Word with BOLDNESS . . . OR . . . we must admit that we have major doubts about how true it is in our lives.
WHY do I base HOW I believe God on the circumstances of my life rather than on HIS WORD? I have already seen that HIS WORD is the truth, regardless of what I see. This was the purpose of altar building in the OT (and needs to be OUR purpose) -- to show the TRUTH of God's Word to our stubborn hearts.
The purpose of altar building: Altar building provides reminders to us of God's power and faithfulness in times past so that we will believe HIM and NOT our present circumstances.
Romans 1:16 (cont)
It IS the POWER OF GOD TO SALVATION! It is the answer to hell's ownership of our souls. EACH SOUL HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR ETERNAL SALVATION OR ETERNAL DAMNATION. Each person we come in contact with has the potential for eternal loss; the GOSPEL--of which we should NOT be ashamed (embarrassed) --is the power of SALVATION!
Romans 1:16 (cont)
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel: it IS the power of God for salvation to every one who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."
In every English translation, this phrase is translated in the PRESENT TENSE. The gospel IS the power of God for salvation . . . FIRST TO THE JEW and ALSO to the Greek (Gentile). There is an active dynamic offering salvation FIRST TO THE JEW. God has not supplanted Israel with the Church. This is a two-fold covenant, the covenant with the Jews still active today. HOWEVER, Stern is specific to state that salvation for the Jews doesn't come apart from the Messiah. Thus, as with many things, there is a dynamic here that fails to fit Western logic. The Jews, as with the Gentiles, need the gospel which is the POWER OF SALVATION. There is also an admonition that this comes or is offered (present tense) to the JEWS FIRST (or especially, as Stern says) and then to the Gentiles. Thus, Calvin and Luther in their determination of why the Jews were 'left' in existence as a race was very wrong. Romans 1:16 (cont) From Stern's Jewish New Testament Commentary: "TO EVERYONE WHO KEEPS ON TRUSTING" This renders the Greek more accurately than the usual translation, "to everyone who believes," not only because "trust" is closer to the bliblical concept than "believe" (see Acts 3:16) but also because the present tense of a Greek verb implies ongoing activity, not a once-and-for-all event. Romans 1:17 "For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, "He who through faith is righteous shall live." (RSV) For me, this is the most understandable translation. Most other translations, including Stern, say "from faith to faith" and I just couldn't get the gist of that. But the RSV uses the phrase "through faith for faith" and that makes more sense. The righteousness that we MUST have in order to live to please God, and indeed, to even be forgiven, comes through faith and results in more faith. It ALSO comes through the faith of others to OUR faith. Isn't that really true? That's one of the reasons that I believe the church (a woman in our congregation calls is 'Body life') is SO important, regardless of how much we offend each other. OUR FAITH is necessary for the existence and growth of the faith of others. We help each other grow in faith through our testimonies, our lives, our own studies, our own personal struggles. We are indeed a BODY--dependent upon each other. And not just within our own congregations or denominations, but completely through the entire Church worldwide. Romans 1:18-19 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. known=gnostos; that which is well known, which may be known, which is notable. The context seems to be (also from other verses in the NT) that which God has chosen to make known to men, implying that there are things or may be things about God that He has chosen not to make known. (Of course, because we cannot know all of God since He is the Creator and we are the creation.)
Romans 1:19-20a
"For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made"
Not everything about God has been revealed to us, but what has been revealed is sufficient to show that He is omnipotent and He IS God.
Job 42:2-4: "I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. You asked, 'Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know."
The ultimate conclusion of our questioning must be that God is God and does what He wishes, what He pleases without condescending to OUR judgments or logic. God has revealed what is important for us to know and the rest He has reserved.
What is interesting is that while God teaches THIS lesson to Job, God doesn't punish God for his questions. As soon as Job submits to God's omnipotence, God BLESSES Job!
Romans 1:20b-23
"So they are without excuse; for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man or birds or animals or reptiles."
SO THEY ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE.
Our society today is FILLED with reasons why people cannot comply with God's commandments. Yet, scriptures tell us clearly that WE ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE. We can't blame it on a dysfunctional family, a life of bad breaks, a lack of education, an unhappy marriage, rebellious kids, an unpleasant boss, being poor, or ANYTHING ELSE. God calls us to follow HIM and when we fail to do so, WE ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE.
I often think about the scriptures that show how that God SEES into our hearts.
Ps.44:21 Would not God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.
Ac.15:8 "So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us,"
1S.16:7 "But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
When we think that we are hiding our motivations or thoughts, we are only hiding them from OURSELVES. God already sees into the inner most recesses of our hearts and more than likely, our friends see as well. The things we hide in secret are only hidden from US.
What a motivation to come before the Lord and pour out our hearts to Him! There is nothing within us that He does not already know, so nothing will turn Him away from us; nothing will cause Him to reject us WHEN we come to Him in honesty.
Remember from the previous verses, Romans 1:19-20a; Job asked challenging, almost doubting questions of God. God responded in power, BUT didn't punish Job for his questions, but BLESSED him for his honesty! God blesses an open (honest) heart!
Romans 1:21a
". . . although they know Who God is, they do not glorify Him as God or thank Him."
I am re-reading A. W. Tozer's The Knowledge of the Holy. In his opening chapter, he says: "The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him. It begins in the mind and may be present where no overt act of worship takes place." (A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy, HarperSanFrancisco, 1961, p. 3).
We are without excuse.
God has revealed Himself first in creation and then through His Son, our Savior, Yeshua haMashiach. Yet the apostle Sha'ul goes on to say (Romans 1:21b): "On the contrary, they have become futile in their thinking; and their undiscerning hearts have become darkened." We are all aware of Who God is, of essentially that He is Creator (and justly in control) and we are creations (and justly under His authority). Yet, when our response is that we do not glorify Him as God nor thank Him for the outpouring of His holy character into our lives, we BECOME futile in our thinking.
What does "futile" mean? "a) that could not succeed; useless; vain b) lacking vigor or purpose; inept or ineffective "
How does this work out in our lives?
To give God glory means to attribute His character to Him not only with words, but through out actions, thoughts and decisions.
Is God honest? Then all our circumstances are for our good and we should praise Him in ALL THINGS.
Is God our Provider? Then He will send everything we need for today and we should thank Him even for our lack.
Is God our Teacher? Then we should match our behavior to His Word, regardless of the difficulty or the suffering that will occur because He promises that His commandments are righteousness to us.
Who is God? When we learn through His Word the answer to His question AND we are convinced that what we have learned is true, we are on the beginning path of true worship.
Romans 1:23-25
"In fact, they have exchanged the glory of the immortal God for mere images, like a mortal human being, or like birds, animals or reptiles! This is why God has given them up to the vileness of their hearts� lusts, to the shameful misuse of each other�s bodies. 25 They have exchanged the truth of God for falsehood, by worshipping and serving created things, rather than the Creator�praised be he for ever. Amen. The Jewish New Testament, (Clarksville, MD: Jewish New Testament Publications) 1996.
This is just talking about a Cecil B. de Mille golden idol. Look at the context again. V. 23: "mortal human being". When we consider the demands of our bodies, our emotions and our minds to be greater than God's demand of obedience in our life, we exchange the glory of God for a mere image--US!
We must submerge our desires, needs, thoughts, wishes and hopes and become obedient to what GOD wants in our lives.
Romans 1:25
"They have exchanged the truth of God for falsehood, by worshipping and serving created things, rather than the Creator�praised be he for ever. Amen." The Jewish New Testament, (Clarksville, MD: Jewish New Testament Publications) 1996.
Two dynamics are happening here. First, people are venerating/adoring created things (remember, that includes other people--anything created). Venerate means to love, to look upon something with great respect.
They are also SERVING those things--giving them their attention, their time, their money, their focus. They are ministering to them, meeting their needs, satisfying their demands.
Romans 1:26-32
"This is why God has given them up to degrading passions; so that their women exchange natural sexual relations for unnatural; 27 and likewise the men, giving up natural relations with the opposite sex, burn with passion for one another, men committing shameful acts with other men and receiving in their own persons the penalty appropriate to their perversion. 28 In other words, since they have not considered God worth knowing, God has given them up to worthless ways of thinking; so that they do improper things. 29 They are filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and vice; stuffed with jealousy, murder, quarrelling, dishonesty and ill-will; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God; they are insolent, arrogant and boastful; they plan evil schemes; they disobey their parents; 31 they are brainless, faithless, heartless and ruthless. 32 They know well enough God�s righteous decree that people who do such things deserve to die; yet not only do they keep doing them, but they applaud others who do the same." The Jewish New Testament, (Clarksville, MD: Jewish New Testament Publications) 1996.
According to verse 28, thinking--worseless ways of thinking--comes before degenerate sin. Thus, it is impossible to be involved in homosexual acts if one does not THINK first that this is appropriate, necessary or desired.
What is interesting, however, is that sin (at this level) is not reserved simply for homosexuals. As I look at the list--evil, greed, vice, JEALOUSY, murder, quarrelling, dishonesty, ILL-WILL, GOSSIP, SLANDERING, haters of God, insolent, ARROGANT, BOASTFUL, brainless, FAITHLESS, heartless and ruthless--I see things in ME that are described here.
Oh, Father, purge me of these presumptuous sins, these things which are so hateful to You. Make me into the woman that YOU desire, that YOU see through the blood of Jesus our Christ. Father, cleanse me and CLEAN me of these horrible things that bring shame to Your name. Let me slough off all things that are not from You, that do not reflect YOUR character and let me become more like Your Son.
Back to the Table of ContentsRomans 2:1-8
Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, passing judgment; for when you judge someone else, you are passing judgment against yourself; since you who are judging do the same things he does. 2 We know that God�s judgment lands impartially on those who do such things; 3 do you think that you, a mere man passing judgment on others who do such things, yet doing them yourself, will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or perhaps you despise the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience; because you don�t realize that God�s kindness is intended to lead you to turn from your sins. 5 But by your stubbornness, by your unrepentant heart, you are storing up anger for yourself on the Day of Anger, when God�s righteous judgment will be revealed; 6 for he will pay back each one according to his deeds. 7 To those who seek glory, honor and immortality by perseverance in doing good, he will pay back eternal life. 8 But to those who are self-seeking, who disobey the truth and obey evil, he will pay back wrath and anger. The Jewish New Testament, (Clarksville, MD: Jewish New Testament Publications) 1996.
From Shulam's commentary: "These two points are central to Paul's argument in this chapter: since God renders to every man according to the faithfulness of his deeds, the Gentiles can become 'sons of Abraham' (cf. verses 25-29); and Israel may not proclaim privileged and exclusive spiritual rights because of their possession of God's will in the Torah. . . . The principle of a 'measure for measure' is linked with altruistic love, and the 'compensation' (that which you receive in return for your action) leads to the love of one's fellow-man. If you love your fellow-man, you may rely on divine reward; if you do not love him, you may be certain of punishment . . . "
The doctrine of "grace" ("cheap grace") has so influenced the American church that we have come to believe that God will forgive us anything. Yet I continue to be utterly critical of others and lenient on my own sins. I need to be harsh with myself, beating my body (my desires, my tongue, my laziness) into submission to GOD'S WILL and gracious with others who are struggling in sin. Oh Father, forgive me of my selfishness, to keep Your grace for myself alone. Teach me to love others as You have (to love them while they are yet sinners) and to allow You to shine the harsh and revealing light of the Holy Spirit on my own life.
Romans 2:4
From Shulam's commentary: "The Greek verb (kataphroneo) 'to think lightly' is used in the LXX [Septuagint] for several Hebrew terms. Those who despise God's companssion denigrate God's character and His attributes in the same way as those who practice other forms of idolatry, and while God seemingly allow the wicked to prosper, the righteous man must wait until the wicked receives his punishment instead of complaining against God's mercy. Paul is speaking here more specifically, however, of Israel's 'presumption' of God's kindness in electing them as His people. The tendency to 'despise' His kindness is not a sign of belittling God's kindness, but of presuming upon HIs intention to redeem those whom He has chosen. God's kindness in this regard does not make Israel's election a guarantee of salvation." (Shulam, Joseph, A Commentary on the Jewish Roots of Romans, Lederer Publications, 1997, p. 80).
This suddenly brought a thought to mind. What if election and eternal salvation are not synonymous? What if God can choose and then deny based on the response of the one chosen? (The question is not whether or not He has the ability to do this, but whether or not He might CHOOSE to do this). There is a dynamic about salvation that I may still not understand. Of course, we cannot save ourselves. But how does our behavior work in the midst of all this? Can we lose our salvation based on our attitude about God's character? If we believe that God's mercy and grace covers all sin, regardless of the state of our repentance, what does that say about God and how we view Him?
Oh, that I would never, ever make the cross of Christ cheap in any way.
Back to the Table of ContentsRomans 3:21
"But now, quite apart from Torah, God�s way of making people righteous in his sight has been made clear�although the Torah and the Prophets give their witness to it as well� 22 and it is a righteousness that comes from God, through the faithfulness of Yeshua the Messiah, to all who continue trusting. For it makes no difference whether one is a Jew or a Gentile, 23 since all have sinned and come short of earning God�s praise."
First off, we must understand that this verse is made in the context of speaking to the Jews about receiving salvation because of their obedience (legalistic observation) of the Torah. Without understanding the function of the Sanhedrin in relationship to the Torah and the Tanakh, we cannot--as Gentiles--truly understand what Paul was saying here.
The Jews considered the Torah to be the written Law, the Talmud to be the oral Law (Deut. 31:6, 31:19) and the Sanhedrin to be established by Moses (Ex. 24:1, Num. 11:24-25, Deut. 17:18) per the direction of God. Thus, a tradition of establishing oral Law based on discussion and study accompanies the Jewish understanding of the Torah. (This is very similiar to the RCC structure. There is the written scripture and then there is the "meaning" of such scripture as understood by the priests. For the Jews, there is the written Law and then the "meaning" of that Law [or the oral Law, the Talmud] as understood by the Sanhedrin.) What's also interesting is that the authority for the Sanhedrin is not only based in the Tanakh, but is based on the Talmud; thus the Talmud authenticates the Talmud. (Interesting, eh?)
Going back to the scripture. Paul was establishing here that there was an undergirding meaning to the Torah and that was trust in Adonai. There was no way for ANYONE to not have sinned (v. 23) and so it remained for Adonai alone (apart from ALL religious structure, including the Sanhedrin) to make a way for both Jews and Gentiles to have righteousness. And this way cam e through Jews and Gentiles trusting in the faithfulness of Yeshua haMashiach. And how was Yeshua faithful? By being solely and always obedient to Adonai and His plan, even to His death on the cross.
Shulam: "There are also two other reasons for God to provide righteousness to us through Yeshua haMashiach: (1) everyone, including all the Jews--regardless of their "obedience" (which was always partial) to the Torah, has sinned; and (2) the Gentiles did not have the benefit of the Torah and so could not obey it. Shulam's commentary: "God has provided another source of righteousness, independent of the Torah but not contrary to it." It is important to realize that Yeshua did not begin a new religion, but came to get Adonai's religion BACK ON TRACK, the same track that He had established with Avraham."
Another marvelous thought (from Shulam): "When God renders to 'every man' according to his deeds, He is then able to base their 'deeds' on their faithfulness to Yeshua, who is called 'the Lord our righteousness.'" Thus, our salvation IS inexplicably tied to our clinging to our trust in Yeshua haMashiach and His ability to forgive our sins WHEN WE REPENT.
"Christians" without repentance ARE NOT SAVED.
Romans 3:23-24
"But now, quite apart from Torah, God�s way of making people righteous in his sight has been made clear�although the Torah and the Prophets give their witness to it as well� 22 and it is a righteousness that comes from God, through the faithfulness of Yeshua the Messiah, to all who continue trusting. For it makes no difference whether one is a Jew or a Gentile, 23 since all have sinned and come short of earning God�s praise. 24 By God�s grace, without earning it, all are granted the status of being considered righteous before him, through the act redeeming us from our enslavement to sin that was accomplished by the Messiah Yeshua."
The Jewish New Testament, (Clarksville, MD: Jewish New Testament Publications) 1996.
From Shulam's commentary on Romans (p. 140): "For to God belongs my justification and the perfection of my way, and the uprightness of my heart are in His hand: by His righteousness are my rebellions blotted out . . . for God's truth is the rock of my steps and His power, the stay of my right hand, and from the fount of His Righteousness comes my justification . . . The fountain of righteousness, the reservoir of power, and the dwelling-place of glory are denied to the assembly of flesh; but God has given them as an everlasting possession to those whom He has chosen . . . For is man master of his way? No, men cannot establish their steps, for their justification belongs to God, and from His hand comes perfection of way . . . And I, if I stagger, God's mercies are my salvation for ever; and if I stumble because of the sin of the flesh, my justification is in the righteousness of God which exists for ever . . . He has caused me to approach by His Mercy andby His favours He will bring my justification. He has justified me by HIs tru justice and by His immense goodness He will pardon all my iniquities . . ." (from 1QS 11.2-22)
This is actually a beautiful prayer (if I were to substitute "He" for "You") because my entire salvation has been performed and perfected by God. It isn't even possible for me to approach You, Father. I could only turn to You in searching and You met me--more than halfway, ALL the way--because of Your love and mercy. It is You, through the sacrifice of Yeshua haMashiach, that has justified me and made me righteous. It is You through the Ruach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit) that teaches me and renovates my mind so that I might be transformed in to the image of Yeshua. It is Your blood, the blood of the precious Yeshua haMashiach, that blots out my sin.
Thank You, Abba, for loving me so!
"God put Yeshua forward as the kapparah for sin through his faithffulness in respect to his bloody sacrificial death."
�Blood� must be understood as a metaphor for �death� and not as a special, magical substance. KJV�s �through faith in his blood� suggests that Yeshua�s blood magically atones for sin if we have faith in it. There have been enough pagan intrusions into Christianity without adding this one. For proof that �blood� means �bloody sacrificial death,� as rendered here, see Leon Morris, The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1955), pp. 108�124. See also Yn 6:51�66N.
The Jewish New Testament Commentary, (Clarksville, MD: Jewish New Testament Publications) 1996.
This is a fresh revelation, or better yet, a new way of expressing something that I may have known.
Like most Pentecostals, I've grown up with the concept that there WAS something special about the blood of Jesus. For example, the song, "Oh, the blood of Jesus, oh, the blood of Jesus, oh the blood of Jesus, it washes white as snow." Yet, it was not the blood per se, but the sacrifice of Yeshua haMashiach on the cross. We must be willing to give up our comfortable "Christian culture" in order to hone in on that which is real and important. When we are distracted by extraneous things which are neither really true or important, we fail to completely grasp those things which are key to living our lives in righteousness and holiness.
"So what room is left for boasting? None at all! What kind of Torah excludes it? One that has to do with legalistic observance of rules? No, rather, a Torah that has to do with trusting. 28 Therefore, we hold the view that a person comes to be considered righteous by God on the ground of trusting which has nothing to do with legalistic observance of Torah commands."
Trusting . . . there are two dynamics here. First, it is an ongoing process. I must continue to trust God every second for my salvation; I cannot stop trusting or my righteousness THROUGH HIM also ceases. Second, IF we are trusting, our ONLY response can be that of obeying God and REFUSING TO SIN.
Romans 6:1-2: "So then, are we to say, 'Let�s keep on sinning, so that there can be more grace'? Heaven forbid! How can we, who have died to sin, still live in it?"
Stern's commentary: "These verses, reiterating what was said at 3:5�8, introduce the theme of chapters 6�8 and are Sha�ul�s answer to all who accuse the New Testament of offering �cheap grace.� He is more radical than those who merely exhort us to subdue our sinful impulses; for he asserts that by virtue of being united with the Messiah (vv. 3�6) our old self and its sinful inclinations have actually died. Dead people do not sin; rather, the dead are �cleared from sin� (v. 7). Chapters 6�8 explore how believers are to make these truths real in their own lives."
So it becomes even more imperative than we had originally thought because, IF we are dead to sin (as Sha'ul states), then ALL sin becomes not just natural impulses of our bodies, but PRESUMPTUOUS sins that WE CHOOSE.
Oh, Father, teach me to obey You that I will not sin presumptuously!
"So, since we have come to be considered righteous by God because of our trust, let us continue to have shalom with God through our Lord, Yeshua the Messiah."
Shalom in this case (according to Shulam) is a direct connotation to the reconciliation that occurs because of sacrifices. Once a sacrifice is made, a person would be reconciled (once again) to God. So, since we are considered righteous because of our trust in the sacrifice of Yeshua ha'Mashiach, then we are to continue to have reconciliation with God BECAUSE of Yeshua. That reconciliation is only possible through Him.
The question is, why would Sha'ul tell us to "continue" (a command form) to have reconciliation if LOSING reconciliation wasn't possible?
Matthew 13:3ff: "He told them many things in parables: 'A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some seed fell alongside the path; and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky patches where there was not much soil. It sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow; but when the sun had risen, the young plants were scorched; and since their roots were not deep, they dried up. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. But others fell into rich soil and produced grain, a hundred or sixty or thirty times as much as had been sown. Those who have ears, let them hear!�
�So listen to what the parable of the sower means. Whoever hears the message about the Kingdom, but doesn�t understand it, is like the seed sown along the path�the Evil One comes and seizes what was sown in his heart. The seed sown on rocky ground is like a person who hears the message and accepts it with joy at once, but has no root in himself. So he stays on for a while; but as soon as some trouble or persecution arises on account of the message, he immediately falls away. Now the seed sown among thorns stands for someone who hears the message, but it is choked by the worries of the world and the deceitful glamor of wealth, so that it produces nothing. However, what was sown on rich soil is the one who hears the message and understands it; such a person will surely bear fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirty times what was sown.�
Four kinds of people.
Our salvation comes to us by grace, IT IS A GIFT OF GOD. But it is a gift that WE MUST ACCESS.
Grace is that wonderful quality of God that allows, and even encourages, His love to reach down to a sinful Word. (Romans 5:8: But God demonstrates his own love for us in that the Messiah died on our behalf while we were stiil sinners.) But grace is not a gift that is freely given to just anyone or everyone regardless of their response to God. In order to appropriate God's grace in our own lives, we must have a continuing and faithful trust in Yeshua as Mashiach (Messiah) and in God's love and wisdom. Our trusting is not anything of ourselves for it is trust in Yeshua. Yet without that continuing and DEMONSTRATED trust, demonstrated by our obedience to His Word, we do not have access to this grace.
How light we have made of His grace in our lives and in our church. Like Daniel in Daniel 9, we need to be on our faces, repenting for the church in America and pleading for His mercy upon us.
Father, reveal to us our sins. Let the shining light of Your Holy Spirit reveal our presumptuous AND hidden sins that we might repent and be made clean by Your holy forgiveness.
Romans 5:3-5
to boast: to talk proudly of the deeds of someone near to us
5:2b-5: "so let us boast about the hope of experiencing God�s glory. 3 But not only that, let us also boast in our troubles; because we know that trouble produces endurance, 4 endurance produces character, and character produces hope; 5 and this hope does not let us down, because God�s love for us has already been poured out in our hearts through the Ruach HaKodesh who has been given to us."
Paul has been explaining why simply being Jewish or simply legally observing the Torah+Talmud is nothing because salvation was offered through faithful trusting in the WORK that Yeshua had done. Then he gives us TWO reasons to boast (not because of our own heritage or our own actions): (1) boast about the hope of experiencing God's glory, and (2) boast in/during our troubles.
Now #2 presumes/assumes that WE WILL HAVE TROUBLES. It's interesting that as I have studied, I have seen that the apostles actually embraced, almost welcomed, suffering, persecution and trials. Why is this?
First they saw them as a refining process, something which would make them more like Yeshua. As with all of us, the apostles had "presumptuous" sins which controlled them (sinful habits) (Psalm 19:10ff). God's discipline (Hebrews 12:5-8) is given out only to those He considers His children.
Second they saw their trials, etc., as something which identified them with Yeshua (and actually something "normal" for a Christian. 1 Peter 4:12-13: "Dear friends, don�t regard as strange the fiery ordeal occurring among you to test you, as if something extraordinary were happening to you. 13 Rather, to the extent that you share the fellowship of the Messiah�s sufferings, rejoice; so that you will rejoice even more when his Sh
As I live, I know that I experience doubt in God's promises and in His love for me. Yet, in this very passage, Sha'ul clearly shows me that the demise of that doubt is through enduring suffering. But my suffering is to come from my OBEDIENCE and IDENTIFICATION WITH Yeshua haMashiach, not because of my own sinfulness: 1 Peter 4:14: " If you are being insulted because you bear the name of the Messiah, how blessed you are! For the Spirit of the Sh So then, are we to say, �Let�s keep on sinning, so that there can be more grace�? 2 Heaven forbid! How can we, who have died to sin, still live in it? 3 Don�t you know that those of us who have been immersed into the Messiah Yeshua have been immersed into his death? 4 Through immersion into his death we were buried with him; so that just as, through the glory of the Father, the Messiah was raised from the dead, likewise we too might live a new life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was put to death on the execution-stake with him, so that the entire body of our sinful propensities might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For someone who has died has been cleared from sin. 8 Now since we died with the Messiah, we trust that we will also live with him. 9 We know that the Messiah has been raised from the dead, never to die again; death has no authority over him. 10 For his death was a unique event that need not be repeated; but his life, he keeps on living for God. 11 In the same way, consider yourselves to be dead to sin but alive for God, by your union with the Messiah Yeshua."
The concept of slavery here is, I believe, one of the keys to this passage. A slave doesn't have a choice, but must obey his master. When we were slaves to sin--before we were saved--we didn't have an option except to sin. Our entire lives were sin because in everything we were in rebellion to God and to His plan of salvation through Yeshua.
Once we began trusting Adonai and His mercy for our salvation through the death of Yeshua, we ceased to be slaves to sin because we now had a choice--to knowingly sin (presumptuous sins) or to trust God and seek the way out that HE HAS PROMISED so that we might not sin.
WE ARE GUARANTEED A WAY AWAY FROM SIN IN EVERY SITUATION. 1 Corinthians 10:13: "No temptation has seized you beyond what people normally experience, and God can be trusted not to allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear. On the contrary, along with the temptation he will also provide the way out, so that you will be able to endure."
I know that often I don't want to STAND, to endure, through the situation. I WANT TO RUN AWAY! I want to make the pain stop, to escape from the persecution and attacks, to find a safe harbor where people will like me and approve of me. But Yeshua didn't run away from HIS suffering. Instead, because of His love for me, He faced it even though the end meant dying horribly.
God promises that He will provide a way out for me so that I will be able to endure it. The way out is another option other than sinning in order to endure the persecution.
Oh dearest Father, show me clearly the way out that I might endure the circumstances which surround me and so oppress me. I am angry and hurt. I give my anger and hurt to you. Renovate my thoughts by changing my expectations so that I might come to this circumstance with a heart of service rather than an expectation of being served. Let me seek YOUR approval rather than the approval of those around me. Father, am I doing what YOU want? Am I living where YOU want? Give me Your wisdom that I might please You and that pleasing You would become my sole desire in life. In the name of Yeshua haMashiach, amen.
"In the same way, consider yourselves to be dead to sin but alive for God, by your union with the Messiah Yeshua. Therefore do not let sin rule in your mortal bodies, so that it makes you obey its desires."
The word "rule" (or in some translations "reign") has the same connotation and meaning as "king." And what is a king? Someone who decides the laws, decides what is right and wrong.
In essence, this is saying "Do not let sin decide what you will do." What is the foundation of sin? Two things--our fleshly nature and spiritual attack from the enemy. In the first, we must develop discipline in order to say "no" to the desires of our bodies and our emotions. In the second, we must develop discipline in order to stand against the attack.
May I give another example? We are Americans because we were born in America. But we do not function like Americans unless we CONSIDER OURSELVES to be Americans.
It is based on how we see ourselves.
Do we see ourselves as turned away from, ignoring, even being repulsed by sin? Do we consider ourselves DEAD (not affiliated at all) with sin?
Or do we consider sin as an option?
If we consider that we are dead (separated completely from sin), then sinful behavior and choices are not an option because they are not available to us. And this is because of our relationship with Messiah Yeshua.
So we are no longer obedient to the lusts of our flesh or the enticements of the enemy, but are daily having our thoughts and choices renovated by the instruction of the Holy Spirit.
Dearest Father, as You have made me spiritually dead to sin, please make me intellectually and emotionally dead to sin's enticements. I speak against the longings of my body and emotions right now. I covenant to stay away from those things which pull me back into the desires of this world and seek to emmerse myself in the things of YOUR world, especially Your Word and Your presence. In the name of Yeshua haMachiach, amen.
"and do not offer any part of yourselves to sin as an instrument for wickedness. On the contrary, offer yourselves to God as people alive from the dead, and your various parts to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will not have authority over you; because you are not under legalism but under grace."
Verse 14 is the crux of Paul's argument here about legalism (often translated "Law") and grace.
Some say that we are no longer under the regulations of the Law (which is actually, simply, the Ten Commandments) because we are under grace. But what Paul is really saying here is that, because we are no longer slaves to sin (we now have a choice to sin or to serve God), sin will not have authority over us and we are FREE TO OBEY (to serve) GOD by being obedient to His commands.
Before we were saved, we did not have a choice; our bodies responded in opposition to God's Law. Consequently, the religious leaders developed regulations which "interpreted" the Law, perverting it, as the "Law" became the focus, rather than trusting and loving God. Some in the church, in an effort to move away from this perversion, actually, perverted again God's scriptures by saying that Christians no longer had to even pay attention to the Law.
But which of us would say that it's okay to lie? to steal? to murder? to commit adultery? None of us!
It is not an issue that what pleases God has changed, but that our ability to please Him has changed. Because of the freedom in Christ, we now have the ability (the choice) to obey the Law or to sin. That is why Paul is so easily able to say in verses 12-13: "Do not let sin rule in your mortal bodies . . . do not offer any part of yourselves to sin." We now have a choice, to sin or not to sin.
Oh, dearest Father in heaven, THANK YOU for the freedom in Christ that we have--the freedom to obey Your good and perfect commandments. Make me sensitive to the leading and teaching of the Holy Spirit Who wants to show me the right way to choice in every situation. Help me learn to control my body--my thoughts, my speech, my actions--that I will not offer any part of myself to sin. In the name of Yeshua haMashiach, amen.
"4 Thus, my brothers, you have been made dead with regard to the Torah through the Messiah�s body, so that you may belong to someone else, namely, the one who has been raised from the dead, in order for us to bear fruit for God. 5 For when we were living according to our old nature, the passions connected with sins worked through the Torah in our various parts, with the result that we bore fruit for death. 6 But now we have been released from this aspect of the Torah, because we have died to that which had us in its clutches, so that we are serving in the new way provided by the Spirit and not in the old way of outwardly following the letter of the law."
Are we released from the Law?
HEREIN lies the key: (v. 6) "But now we have been released FROM THIS ASPECT of the Torah [Law] . . . "
It is amazing to me that most Christians would not (at least publically) state that we are released completely from the Law--that it is permissible to murder or steal--and yet, they believe they are released from the Sabbath AND IN THEIR LIVES they sin against many of the other commandments (the Ten Commandments) including coveting, lying, and not loving the Lord with ALL their heart, soul, mind and strength.
Our doctrine of cheap grace has lessened us as Christians because we have thrown away the standard by which we can please God. Does this mean that our behavior saves us? No, but it does mean that we can measure whether or not we are truly saved BY our behavior.
We know that we are released from the food requirements because the Messiah Himself did that (though that does not free us to gluttony or satisfaction of the lust of the flesh through food).
We know that we are released from the sacrificial requirements because the Messiah Himself became our sacrifice (and THAT is what is being talked about here--the aspect of the Torah from which we are freed).
We know that we are released from the circumcision requirements because Sha'ul taught us that.
We are NEVER freed from the Ten Commandments which are not only taught but raised in quality and kind both by Yeshua AND the apostles.
"1 Therefore, there is no longer any condemnation awaiting those who are in union with the Messiah Yeshua. 2 Why? Because the Torah of the Spirit, which produces this life in union with Messiah Yeshua, has set me free from the �Torah� of sin and death. 3 For what the Torah could not do by itself, because it lacked the power to make the old nature cooperate, God did by sending his own Son as a human being with a nature like our own sinful one. God did this in order to deal with sin, and in so doing he executed the punishment against sin in human nature 4 so that the just requirement of the Torah might be fulfilled in us who do not run our lives according to what our old nature wants but according to what the Spirit wants. 5 For those who identify with their old nature set their minds on the things of the old nature, but those who identify with the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 Having one�s mind controlled by the old nature is death, but having one�s mind controlled by the Spirit is life and shalom. 7 For the mind controlled by the old nature is hostile to God, because it does not submit itself to God�s Torah�indeed, it cannot. 8 Thus, those who identify with their old nature cannot please God."
This is one of the crucial passages of scripture because it centers us upon the concept of how we should live.
The first issue, though, is to settle what Sha'ul means here. To clarify one common misunderstanding, I quote from Dr. Stern's commentary: "Torah of the Spirit. Torah of sin and death. What are these two? Here is the wrong answer: Yeshua gave a good Torah of the Spirit which produces life, in contrast with the bad Mosaic Law that produces only sin and death. But this interpretation not only contradicts Sha�ul�s arguments in chapters 3 and 7, but is implicitly antisemitic as well (see 3:20b). The right answer is that the Torah of the Spirit is the Mosaic Law properly apprehended by the power of the Holy Spirit in believers, what Sha�ul elsewhere calls the Torah�s true meaning, which the Messiah upholds (usually rendered, the law of Christ, Ga 6:2&N). The second torah is written in lower-case and put in quotation marks, because it is sin�s �torah� (7:21 23&N), in other words, not a God-given Torah at all but an anti-Torah. More specifically, it is the Mosaic Law improperly understood and perverted by our old, sinful nature into a legalistic system of earning God�s approval by our own works (3:20b&N)."
It is clear that Sha'ul's intent never was to do away with the Torah (the Law, the Ten Commandments) because he continually contrasts living for God and sinning. And he has made it abundantly clear that without the Torah (the Law), sin cannot exist. Thus, if the Law were done away with (as some claim), then sin could not exist and Sha'ul would have no reason to tell us to stop sinning (6:1, 11, 12, 15 and other places).
What Dr. Stern proposes (and what I believe to be Sha'ul's true intent) is that the Law is our guide for pleasing God and that it is impossible to apprehend outside of the power of the Holy Spirit. There is also another component to this. If we are living in the Holy Spirit, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO OBEY THE LAW because the Law is the expression of God's character in us. And this becomes the famous conflict which Sha'ul presents in Romans--the impulse of the old nature to obey the lust of the flesh and to identify with Satan and the impulse of the Holy Spirit in us to obey the will of God and to identify with God's character.
The first verse of this passage says: ". . . there is no longer any CONDEMNATION . . . " Most of us, I think, "translate" this as "guilt" in our minds, but a more clear translation would be "adverse sentence" (from Strong's). Thus, what Sha'ul is saying is that there is no longer the sentence of the second death awaiting us who are in union with Yeshua haMashiach. We have God's promise that while we may see the first death, we will not see the second death; we will live with Him in eternity.
What's very interesting about v. 1 is this. In the KJV, the verse says: "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk NOT AFTER THE FLESH, BUT AFTER THE SPIRIT." Yet the RSV says: "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (as do the NIV, NAS and Dr. Stern's version in one manner or another). This is because the Greek word translates "after" has a comparison component, yet the phrase is not actually there. The word "flesh" is, but the intent is actually to simply to point us to our relationship with Christ.
Back to the verses . . .
Dr. Stern's interpretation is clear: Continual trust in Messiah Yeshua to save us will produce obedience to the Law within our hearts, souls and minds. But a prideful effort to be "righteous" without this trust, without the humility which understands that without Adonai we can do nothing, but WITH Him, we can do anything, our adherence to ANY religious laws, including the Torah, is futile.
Verse 4, "run our lives according" -- the connotation is clearly one of making choices. The connotation in Strong's is one of following or deportment. Living according to the Spirit is NOT (1) just being "saved" and then doing what we want, or (2) something mystical, magical that God will do to us at some unknown time in the future. Living our lives according to the Spirit is something we consciously choose on a daily basis based on (1) the discipline of prayer and Bible study that we adopt on a daily basis; (2) the trust that we place in the trust of God's Word; (3) the acceptance that we have of the instruction of the Holy Spirit; and (4) the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to make such obedience attractive to us (our motivation for wanting to follow God's Laws).
Let me give you an example. We know a Christian man who lives near us who gets up every morning at 2:00 a.m. to study and prayer (usually until 6 or 7). Now, God doesn't tumble him out of bed, set his alarm for him, force him to get up or anything else. This man chooses to set his alarm and get up. He has established this discipline in his life because of the desire for God's Word which was placed in his heart by the Holy Spirit.
The unique thing about God's love for us is that He HAS given us the ability to PARTNER with Him in our relationship with Him. We are not robots, but participating partners. We choose, moment by moment, to obey Him or to reject Him. When we were unsaved, we didn't have a choice because our flesh obeyed the law of sin (Sha'ul tells us we were slaves to sin). But once we became saved, the Holy Spirit within us enabled us to have a choice--to obey our sinful natures or to obey God's nature.
Verse 5 is crucial here. "For those who identify . . . SET THEIR MINDS . . . " There is an important contrast here and it has to do with keeping our thoughts captive. 2 Cor. 10:5 tells us . . . "we take every thought captive and make it obey the Messiah." The sense is to decide what to think. Now we know that we cannot NOT think about something, but we can choose TO think about something else; we can choose what to occupy our minds with.
Do we fantasize about sinful behavior or do we meditate on righteousness, God's blessings in our lives and His Word? Do we watch secular TV or read the word? Do we listen to talk shows or praise tapes? What do we occupy our thought time with? That is the essence here in Romans 8:5. When we identify ourselves as Christians, we SET OUR MINDS on the things of Christ. But when we choose to identify with our flesh, we SET OUR MINDS (our thoughts, choices and behavior) on things of the world.
Oh dearest Father, help me set my mind on You, on Your Word, on things of the Holy Spirit. Remind me, when my thoughts begin to stray, that I am thinking impurely. Show me how to use the resources that You've given to me (praise tapes, Bible tapes, etc.) to focus my thoughts on Your Word and Yourself. I ask this in the name of Yeshua haMashiach, amen.
"12 So then, brothers, we don�t owe a thing to our old nature that would require us to live according to our old nature. 13 For if you live according to your old nature, you will certainly die; but if, by the Spirit, you keep putting to death the practices of the body, you will live."
One version says that we are not OBLIGATED to our flesh. What is an obligation? It is something which binds us to that thing, a loyalty which we must act on, a duty which we must perform.
Since the late '60's, our society has turned 180 degrees and said that we, as individuals, are responsible not for placing others before ourselves, but for making sure that we take care of our own needs first. I remember a song from one of the Airplane movies where a nun sang that it was important for us to be a best friend to ourselves.
Taking care of ourselves, of this fleshly body and its emotional demands, is not our responsibility.
In fact, Philippians 2:3-4 tells us: "Do nothing out of rivalry or vanity; but, in humility, regard each other as BETTER than yourselves--look out for each other's interests and not just for your own."
Humility means to not assert yourself. Interesting, isn't it, since we are being taught that assertion is important for self esteem and success in life. And yet here, scripture tells us NOT to assert ourselves, but to look after the interests of OTHERS!
I remember reading in one John Bevere book where he talked about this issue. He asked God if he didn't take care of himself, but only looked to the needs of others, who would look after him? God's answer? He would (God Himself). What better Caretaker could we have than God Himself?
This week has been the beginning of the practice for me to look after the cares of others. Someone in my scope of life is very assertive and self-caring and has been demanding all the attention, devotion and care. It goes against everything in me to submit to her demands, yet that is exactly what I am to do, in love and humility, placing her needs above my own. Will that reinforce her sinful behavior? I don't know, but judging that is not my responsibility; it is God's! My responsibility is to love and care for her.
Remember the words of our Lord Yeshua? "I tell you not to stand up against someone who does you wrong. On the contrary, if someone hits you on the right cheek, let him hit you on the left cheek too! If someone wants to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well! And if a soldier forces you to carry his pack for one mile, carry it for two! When someone asks you for something, give it to him; when someone wants to borrow something from you, let it to him. You have heard that our fathers were told, 'Love your neighbor -- and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! Then you will become children of your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:39-45a)
Only now am I beginning to understand this concept. I am under NO obligation to take care of this body and its lusts and demands. I am under obligation to my Father to love sacrificially--as He does--a world which will reject me because it rejects Him (even those among the brethren who are not yet mature enough to live in obedience).
Oh dearest Father, I am not able to live this way. I need the power of the Holy Spirit to acknowledge the death of my flesh--with Yeshua on the cross--and to love as You love for Your sake. Love THROUGH me, dear One, as I learn to see the world through Your eyes and to love with Your heart. In the name of Yeshua haMashiach, amen.
"14 All who are led by God�s Spirit are God�s sons. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to bring you back again into fear; on the contrary, you received the Spirit, who makes us sons and by whose power we cry out, Abba! (that is, Dear Father!). 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our own spirits that we are children of God; 17 and if we are children, then we are also heirs, heirs of God and joint-heirs with the Messiah provided we are suffering with him in order also to be glorified with him."
There are two components to suffering with Messiah Yeshua.
The first is to suffer His death and resurrection through the process of what we call today conversion or salvation, to accept Messiah Yeshua as our Savior. In Romans 6:3-6, Sha'ul tell us: "3 Don�t you know that those of us who have been immersed into the Messiah Yeshua have been immersed into his death? 4 Through immersion into his death we were buried with him; so that just as, through the glory of the Father, the Messiah was raised from the dead, likewise we too might live a new life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was put to death on the execution-stake with him, so that the entire body of our sinful propensities might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin."
So we know that part of the sharing of the Messiah's suffering is our experience of accepting His payment for our sin.
However, the Greek word in Romans 8:17 has even a greater meaning.
suffer: The Greek word means to experience pain jointly or of the same kind (spec. persecution; to "sympathize"): - suffer with
Our Lord Yeshua told us, in John 15:19-20a: "If you belonged to the world, the world would have loved its own. But because you do not belong to the world--on the contrary, I have picked you out of the world therefore the world hates you. Remember what I have told you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you too;"
We know that Yeshua suffered all kinds of persecution. He was rejected by the religious establishment and criticized because He disregarded all kinds of social morays. He lived in near poverty, relying on the generosity of others and being content of little (or with much). He was openly criticized and often attacked (occasionally physically) by those who felt threatened by His teachings. The forces of nature (Satanic attack) often tried to end His life early and also the lives of His apostles. And then, at the end of His life, He was ridiculed, unjustly accused (and convicted), beaten, tortured, starved and crucified.
1 Peter 4:12-16 tells us, "12 Dear friends, don�t regard as strange the fiery ordeal occurring among you to test you, as if something extraordinary were happening to you. 13 Rather, to the extent that you share the fellowship of the Messiah�s sufferings, rejoice; so that you will rejoice even more when his Shekhinah is revealed. 14 If you are being insulted because you bear the name of the Messiah, how blessed you are! For the Spirit of the Shekhinah, that is, the Spirit of God, is resting on you! 15 Let none of you suffer for being a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or a meddler in other people�s affairs. 16 But if anyone suffers for being Messianic, let him not be ashamed; but let him bring glory to God by the way he bears this name."
Notice v. 15. Suffering for the consequences of our own actions is not suffering for Yeshua. It is important for us to examine ourselves (1 Co. 11:31) so that we are aware of what is suffering because of our own sin and what is suffering because of our relationship with Yeshua haMashiach.
Oh dearest Father, this so convicts me. I often suffer because I meddle in other people's affairs. Forgive me for my need for control and my desire to be right. Only You are right; only You are good. Cleanse my heart of this fault; reset my thinking (renovate my mind) that I might focus on You and on my obedience to Your will. Thank You for Your forgiveness and for Your answers to my prayers. In the name of Yeshua haMashiach, amen.
18 "I don�t think the sufferings we are going through now are even worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us in the future. 19 The creation waits eagerly for the sons of God to be revealed; 20 for the creation was made subject to frustration not willingly, but because of the one who subjected it. But it was given a reliable hope 21 that it too would be set free from its bondage to decay and would enjoy the freedom accompanying the glory that God�s children will have. 22 We know that until now, the whole creation has been groaning as with the pains of childbirth; 23 and not only it, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we continue waiting eagerly to be made sons that is, to have our whole bodies redeemed and set free. 24 It was in this hope that we were saved. But if we see what we hope for, it isn�t hope after all, who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we continue hoping for something we don�t see, then we still wait eagerly for it, with perseverance."
I think about the affinity that many animals have for humans (particularly our dogs!) and wonder if it is at least partially because they realize that Christian humans, through our submission to Messiah Yeshua, are bringing about the end to this world and the beginning to the New World where creation will one day exist as it was intended to. Verse 19 tells us that "creation waits eagersly for the sons of God to be revealed" so "that it too would be set free." We are not only the instruments of God's message to other people, we will someday be the instruments of restoration of this creation.
It puts ecology into a whole new light, not that we are to be wasteful with the resources that God has given us now, but that it is impossible to restore "Mother Earth" to a pristine condition NOW because, according to scripture, this creation is decaying and will continue to decay until our Lord Yeshua comes and brings with Him the New Heaven and the NEW EARTH!
Secondly, there is a focus here that it important, that we need to not miss. There is a focus upon the new bodies we will receive, the new creation God is going to bring. Verse 25 says: "continue hoping" . . . "wait eagerly" . . . "with perseverance."
A persevering hope is a determined hope, one that we CHOOSE to have, CHOOSE to continue in through our thoughts, choices and behavior. It is so easy to focus on this life, particularly here in America. Most of our material comforts make this earthly life one that we would just as soon not leave. Even the Church is permeated with this thought--"I don't really want to die." What we are saying is that life is good enough here that the prospect of being with God isn't particularly joyful. Why is that?
Well, we don't pray much so we don't spend time in His presence. We don't obey Him much so we really aren't sure heaven will be such a wonderful thing. And we KNOW that the lusts of our flesh--which we spend most of our time satisfying--won't be there and we can't imagine living without that.
Oh dear ones, we need to make a conscious effort to put our thoughts and desires on the things of God and to separate ourselves from the comforts of this life. I'm not talking about ascestism (though poverty, AS THE WORLD SEES IT, often accompanies those who are sold out to God simply because they don't have the desire, time or energy to spend accumulating worldly stuff). I'm talking about being so focus, so full of God that everything else just doesn't matter.
It grieves me that the church in which I'm currently serving has been so indoctrinated that their constant focus is on socials and having fun. In fact, our pastor's mentor--at his funeral--told those there that when the ministry ceases to be "fun" one should quit. What a contrary message to that of the scriptures. I'm sure that Paul wouldn't have said that beatings, stoning, imprisonments, rejections, shipwrecks, etc., were FUN. What he DID say is "For our light and transient troubles are achieving for us an everlasting glory whose weight is beyond description."
As a Church, we are seeking to satisfy the lusts of the flesh through having "fun" in everything we do. Yet, this is not the teaching of scripture. The teaching of scripture is that our purpose is to fulfill the will of Adonai NOW in order to receive glory LATER.
"26 Similarly, the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we don�t know how to pray the way we should. But the Spirit himself pleads on our behalf with groanings too deep for words; 27 and the one who searches hearts knows exactly what the Spirit is thinking, because his pleadings for God�s people accord with God�s will. 28 Furthermore, we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called in accordance with his purpose;"
As Christians who lack the total focus of submitting to God's will, we are weak. And our weakness will be remediated only at that day when we receive our heavenly bodies. But until then, even our praying can have weakness because of the lust of our flesh, our lack of understanding . . . many things.
So our Father tells us that His Spirit will help us in our weakness because He Himself pleads on our behalf with the Father and HIS prayers are exactly according with God's will.
HOWEVER, even more than that, we can know how to pray--to simply pray for God's will--BECAUSE God's will is always for our good.
Therefore, there is no reason not to pray because we can trust God to work out His will for our good in all things. When we pray with our minds (in English), we can ask for God's will. When we pray in the Spirit (in tongues), the Spirit intercedes for and through us to the Father. And even though we don't know how to pray, when we approach the Father, we can be certain that His will will work out for our good, regardless of how the circumstances look.
"Furthermore, we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called in accordance with His purpose; because those whom He knew in advance, He also determined in advance would be conformed to the pattern of His Son, so that He might be the firstborn among many brothers; and those whom He thus determined in advance, He also called; and those whom He called, He also caused to be considered righteous; and those whom He cause to be considered righteous, He also glorified!"
First, we have to look at this in context of Sha'ul's entire previous discussion WHICH IS the inclusion of the Gentiles into the plan of salvation. Herein is an argument that GOD determines who will be saved, thus God has the right (and ability) call and save the Gentiles as well as the Jews.
What is interesting about v. 28 and the concept of being called is that our Lord Yeshua, in Matthew 22:14 says that many are "called" (invited), but few are chosen. This is the same Greek word as the word used in Romans 8:28.
Matthew 22:11-14: "Now when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who wasn't dressed for a wedding; so he asked him. 'Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and throw him outside in the dark!' In that place people will wail and grind their teeth, for many are invited, but few are chosen."
It would seem here to be a solid argument for free will. This man was INVITED (as are all people to be saved), but by HIS OWN CHOICE, he rejected God's method of salvation, choosing his own, and was thrown out (rejected, not chosen for salvation).
Likewise, in v. 28, Sha'ul is advancing his argument that God has called both the Jew AND the Gentile for His purpose.
Now as for God foreknowing (and understanding the connotation of "foreknowing"), while this Greek word has a connotation of predetermining (predestining), most of the usage is about knowing before. Also, it comes from two words whose meanings are "before" and "to have knowledge of" (and neither have a connotation of determination).
Thus, IF this passage supports God electing people, it is more of a corporate election (God determined He would have a people made up of both Jews and Gentiles) rather than individual election.
Also, 2 Peter 3:17 clearly shows us that we can lose our salvation by our free will. Thus, in the context of all of scripture, including the context of Romans, this passage cannot support Calvinism.
"22 Now what if God, even though he was quite willing to demonstrate his anger and make known his power, patiently put up with people who deserved punishment and were ripe for destruction? 23 What if he did this in order to make known the riches of his glory to those who are the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory 24 that is, to us, whom he called not only from among the Jews but also from among the Gentiles?"
Romans 9 has long been known as the defense for Calvinism, for the concept of individual and sovereign election. But understanding it in context--that is, that God has not only elected to save the Jews, but the Gentiles as well--it becomes clear that one of the important passages in this section is verses 22-24. To paraphrase: "God put up with Isra'el, even through all their stubbornness, sinfulness and misunderstanding of the Torah so that He could show the Gentiles--whom He also wished to save--the riches of His glory and to woo them to Himself."
In other words, God has elected a Church from among both the Jews and Gentiles. In a sense then, the concept of election is actual corporate or conceptual and not necessarily individual. Though God KNOWS who will respond to His offer of salvation, what He has predetermined is the course of the future of those who, through their free will, decide to respond.
From the Shulam commentary: "One of the most significant exegetical findings based on reading these markers demonstrates, contrary to most understandings, that in Romans 9:30-11:10 Paul is in fact presenting what he views as a mistaken idea (namely, that the Gentiles attained righteousness although not pursuing it while Israel did not attain it although they pursued it). He refutes this view in Romans 11:11. The consequences of reading this passage as an answer to a limited question rather than as part of the mistaken conclusion affect our whole understanding of what part the behavior of the people of Israel plays in the maintenance of their own election and in the inclusion of the Gentiles in the kingdom of God." p. 6
"I exhort you, therefore, brothers, in view of God's mercies, to offer yourselves as a sacrifice, living and set apart for God. This will please Him; it is the logical 'Temple worship' for you. In other words, do not let yourselves be conformed to the standards of the 'olam hazeh [this world, this age]. Instead, keep letting yourselves be transformed by the renewing of your minds; so that you will know what God wants and will agree that what He wants is good, satisfying and able to succeed."
I was taught as a youngster, when reading "therefore" in scripture to ask: "What is it there for?" In other words, the "therefore" points both back--to what had been said previously--and forward--to what is now going to be said. It is the connector between the two thoughts.
Previously, Sha'ul has been outlining the very real fact that God has chosen to offer salvation through His Son, Yeshua, to both Jews AND Gentiles. And in chapter 11, Sha'ul points out that as the grafted branch (the Gentiles), we are not to feel superior over the Jews (the natural root which has been TEMPORARILY removed), but should show to them the same mercy that God has shown to us (11:31).
Now, Sha'ul tells us that our very logical response to God's mercy is to offer ourselves as a living and holy sacrifice.
A sacrifice in Isra'el (and actually, even in idolatrous Gentile worship) was something which lost its original intent and purpose because it was given totally in worship to the god of choice. For example, in Isra'el, when a family was giving a goat as a sacrifice, the goat ceased to be available as a source of food, milk or skin to the family. It was killed as a symbol of the coming death of the Messiah. It was separated from its secular use and dedicated to its religious purpose.
As believers, we are called to be separated from the ordinary, secular purposes of those around us. We are to be dedicated to the purposes of God, to take on His calling, His focus, His priorities. (This is actually the meaning of "holy" -- to be set apart for God.) Thus, we lose the opportunity to set our own priorities and our own goals and are called to live lives that reflect only HIS purposes.
Then Sha'ul tell us "THIS WILL PLEASE HIM."
Have you ever wanted to please God, to really please Him? Earlier this year I posted a message about pleasing God or pleasing others. It is impossible to do both. In fact, I noted that it is actually impossible to please other people, though many of us work hard at it all the time. Yet, it IS possible to please God . . . and here is one of the guideposts that tell us how. We please Him by setting ourselves aside for His purposes and by setting aside the priorities, desires and purposes of this world.
Then Sha'ul says "IN OTHER WORDS." He wants to make sure that we, as believers, understand how this will look practically in our lives. So he tells us to refuse to be conformed to the standards of this world, this age. To be conformed means to fashion ourselves like the world, to act like them, to think like them, to talk like them.
Do we do that? Of course we do. We want to fit in. And more than that, our flesh LIKES the standards of the world. It is easier, more TEMPORARILY satisfying.
Let's look at an example. The world tells us that when someone hurts us, we are a victim and have a right to protect ourselves from that person's future abuse. Yet scripture tells us to forgive that person as we are forgiven (which means that, as far as we are concerned, the sin never occurred and we are free to place ourselves back in relationship with them again, just as Christ places us back in relationship with Him).
Which do we choose? Conformation with the world or God's way . . .
And Sha'ul also gives us the positive side. DON'T BE CONFORMED TO THE WORLD . . . and . . . BE TRANSFORMED (continually let yourself) . . . How? By the renewing (renovation) of your mind.
And the result will be that we will know and agree with what God wants. Oh, how I want that . . . . to be in agreement with what God wants!
Oh Father Adonai, thank You for Your renovation process. Please don't let my stubborn flesh keep You from renovating my thoughts and transforming me more into the likeness of my Messiah, Yeshua. In His precious name, I pray, amen.
"Don't be lazy when hard work is needed, but serve the Lord with spiritual fervor."
Do you mark your Bible? I do. And often it's the passages I DON'T mark that get me into the most trouble.
The Lord had been dealing with me about the verses at the end of Romans 12 in dealing with my enemies and I had completely "skipped over" this verse. Well, not skipped over, but not highlighted it, because--of course--I'm not lazy!
Until I read it again this morning.
You see, our church has lost its lease on the building where I teach the Children's Ministry and is considering moving us (temporarily? permanently?) to the nearby park (three blocks away) where I would have to set up, tear down and completely clean after every use! A lot of work. And I've been trying to foust those responsibilities onto the other church members. After all, it's THEIR children I'm teaching, right?
Until I read that passage again this morning.
How much of my reluctance to take on the full weight of responsibility is MY OWN LAZINESS? God KNOWS what is happening and will place our ministry where HE wants it. I need to shoulder the burden that HE gives because He has promised that HIS yoke is easy and HIS burden is light.
Oh dearest Father, forgive me of my laziness. Your tasks are given to us not equally but equivalent to the grace YOU bestoy. I accept this new responsbility in the power and strength of Your Holy Spirit because it is what You want me to do. Be my strength, oh Lord. Show me how to rely on Your energy to serve You as You desire. In the name of Yeshua haMashaich, amen.
"Do not be conformed" -- This is an active command. Be transformed --> how? By the renewing of your mind --> to prove what is the good, acceptable and perfect will of God.
"do not let yourselves be conformed to the standards of the olam hazeh [this world, this age] . Instead, keep letting yourselves be transformed by the renewing of your minds; so that you will know what God wants and will agree that what he wants is good, satisfying and able to succeed."
Do you ever want to know what God wants from you? I think it is the cry of our hearts to learn what our purpose on this earth is. Why were we born? What makes us unique from all other people? What can we contribute?
The 60's called this "finding ourselves." And there is more truth than fiction in that idiom because, as a people and even as a Church, we are truly lost. We have lost our focus, our direction and our purpose. In mixing the clay of the world with the gold of God's glory, we have become weak and useless. We no longer have a solid direction; we don't know what it is God expects from us.
But here in this verse, Sha'ul clearly and easily tells us how we can find out what God wants from us. There are two things: (1) don't be conformed to the standards of this age; and (2) let ourselves be transformed (by the Holy Spirit) by the renovation of our thoughts, desires, passions and vision.
"conform" -- to fashion one's self after, to bring into harmony or agreement
Here are some of the synonyms of "conform": follow, fit in, assimilate, accommodate, agree, do as others do, conventionalize, fit the pattern, fit the mold, be conventional, be regular, yield, follow the rules, get in line, get into line, be guided by, follow the lead of, follow suit, live up to, measure up to, keep up with, be in fashion, keep up with the Joneses*, join the parade*, play the game*, follow the beaten path*, toe the line, toe the mark*, run with the pack*, follow the crowd*
When we make decisions for our life, do we do as others do? (For example, when we decided to send our kids to public school, was part of our reasoning simply because everyone else did it?) Sha'ul tells us to actively NOT conform to the standards (the customs, the behaviors, the expectations) of this age, OF OUR CULTURE. We are not to let the norms of our community, of our neighborhood, of even our family (unless they are active, dedicated Christians) influence us in our decisions. Instead, we are to actively seek the renovation (the tearing down of old ideas and the establishing of Christ's mind described in God's Word) of our minds through the instruction and power of the Holy Spirit.
How does the Holy Spirit accomplish this? (1) He gives us the desire to be renovated. (2) He shows us the meaning of God's Word as we study. (3) He teaches us how to apply God's Word to our behavior, our decisions and our desires. But this is an active process--a choice that we must make everyday. Sha'ul tells us to KEEP LETTING YOURSELVES BE TRANSFORMED. The implication is that we can refuse transformation by conforming to the cultural standards around us.
Rather than accepting what we have learned through our culture, we need to be continually questioning the standards and morays around us so that we are LETTING OURSELVES BE TRANSFORMED through the guidance and instruction of the Holy Spirit.
Oh Father, guide me today. Renovate my mind. Help me to question everything that my culture offers that I might become like YOU rather than like the world around me. In the precious name of my Messiah, Yeshua, I pray, amen.
" . . . so that you will know what God wants and will agree that what He wants is good, satisfying and able to succeed."
"able to succeed" -- The KJV says "perfect." Strong's actually gives the definition as "completeness." It made me think of James 1:2-4: "Regard it all as joy, my brothers, when you face various kinds of temptations for you know that the testing of your trust produces perseverance. But let perseverance do its complete work; so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing."
What is it that God wants? He wants our complete and continuous trusting in every circumstance. He wants us to walk trusting in what He has promised in His Word, rather than depending upon what we see in our circumstances.
Are we lacking in resources (money, etc.)? He has already promised to provide and provide He will. We don't need to fret.
Are we being persecuted? We don't need to defend ourselves for He is our Defender.
Are we in pain? We don't need to depend upon manmade solutions for He has promised healing and joy.
For every situation, God has promised provision, even in temptation (1 Co. 10:13).
I want to be able to succeed in life. When I learn what it is that God wants AND DO THAT, I will have success for it will not be me doing it but the Holy Spirit THROUGH ME!
Oh dearest Father, thank You that You care for me each day, that You loved me so much that You envisioned success for my life, success in doing what it is YOU have planned for me to do, success in bringing honor and glory to You. Guide my steps today as I continue to learn what it is You want by allowing the Holy Spirit to renovate my thoughts, choices and behavior. In the precious name of my Messiah, Yeshua, I pray, amen.
" . . . clothe yourselves with the Lord Yeshua the Messiah . . .
"clothe" = (in the sense of sinking into a garment); to invest with clothing (lit. or fig.): - array, clothe (with), endue, have (put) on
Clothing has a variety of purposes.
One, it protects us from the elements of the world around us. If we are cold, a coat keeps us warm. If we are in the sun, a hat, a thin cotton shirt and thin pants keep us from becoming sunburned. Yeshua protects us from the sinful elements of the world when we allow Him to do so.
Two, clothing identifies us. If you see a couple--her in a long white dress and him in a tuxedo--you will know that they are a bride and groom. If you see something in their pajamas and robe with rumpled hair, you will know that they just got up. If you see someone in a policeman's uniform, you know that they are a cop. By "putting on" Yeshua, our Lord, (His characteristics, His mind), others can identify us as believers, as His followers.
Three, clothing assists (rather than hinders) our purpose. A surgeon operates in surgical "greens" so that ease of movement and the ability to sterilize is available. A contractor builds a house, not in a tuxedo, but in a t-shirt and jeans so that he can get dirty and work without worry. Yeshua, through the Holy Spirit, has gifted all of us with different "purposes" so that we can serve Him with ease and joy. As we "sink" into Him (as sinking into a wonderful robe), we allow the power of the Holy Spirit to operate through us in His gifts, to the glory of God; WE FIND PURPOSE IN OUR LIVING!
Oh, dearest Father, THANK YOU for my Messiah Yeshua and His covering over me. As You have commanded me (through Sha'ul's writings), I clothe myself right now with Yeshua haMashiach that I might be protected from the world's influence, that I might be identified as His disciple and that the gifts of the Holy Spirit might be manifested in my life today. In His holy name I pray, amen.
"Don't owe anyone anything--except to love one another; for whoever loves his fellow human being has fulfilled Torah. For the commandments, 'Don't commit adultery,' 'Don't murder,' 'Don't steal,' 'Don't covet,' and any others are summed up in this one rule: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does not do harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fullness of Torah."
In the late 60's and early 70's, there was some very bad teaching going through the Church, the influence of which still exists today, and it was about this verse.
The teaching said: "The scripture says to love your neighbor as yourself. It is therefore important to learn to love yourself FIRST so that you will be able to love your neighbor." Initially, this teaching sounds good, as if it makes sense. If you are supposed to love someone else in the same way that you love yourself and you don't love yourself, then you should learn to love yourself first.
The problem is that the foundational premise was wrong! And it has caused no end of problems in the Church.
Sha'ul didn't write this first for the purpose of having Christians focus on themselves and their own needs. To the contrary, in Phil 2:3 he admonishes us to esteem others better than ourselves! (These two scriptures seem to contradict each other. What does it all mean?)
Notice the context in which Sha'ul commands us to love our neighbors as ourselves. WE are not to commit adultery (to lead another person into sexual sin); WE are not to murder (and Yeshua adds not even hate!); WE are not to steal; WE are not to covet (which Sha'ul earlier has shown us leads to indebtedness). Sha'ul's command was not a license to satisfy the lusts of our flesh, but a command for us to LOVE OURSELVES with God's love, to want for ourselves what GOD WANTS FOR US.
The example of this command is clear in the story of the Good Samaritan. The "love" he demonstrated (the love equivalent to 'loving himself') was to provide simply care--food, clothing, housing and medicine. (And, of course, we all realize that he did this out of his own resources for an enemy!)
Sha'ul's intent was NEVER to bring the focus back to ourselves, but to simply say that our care for each other needs to be AT LEAST the kind of basic things that we guarantee for ourselves and our own families.
Are we housed? Then we need to help house others in love.
Are we fed? Then we need to help feed others in love.
Are we clothed? Then we need to help clothe others in love.
Do we have friends? Then we need to befriend the friendless in love.
The focus is not on OUR flesh but on the needs of those around us, first the community of the Church and then our 'neighbors' so that in doing so, we express God's love to a loveless world.
Oh dearest Father, I know that I have stumbled through understanding this concept. And perhaps it is because it is still unclear to me. Help me to learn more and more how to express Your love through me to the needy, the poor and the unwanted. Help me to see the wounded lying by the side of the road and be willing to sacrifice my "appointments" to meet their needs. Let me put aside my comfort in order to care for those who need comforting. In the name of Yeshua haMashiach, amen.
"I hope to see you as I pass through on my way to Spain and to have you help me travel there after I have enjoyed your company awhile."
We know from history that Sha'ul did not do what he said he was going to do. He did not end up going onto Spain from Rome, but instead was detained in Rome and eventually killed there. Yet I'm sure he also wasn't lying. It was his intention and his understanding that he would go onto Spain, through Rome, after his trip to Jerusalem.
God doesn't always reveal His larger plans or His purposes to us. If He did, we would probably puff ourselves up rather than understand that we are simply servants, clay vessels in His hands to accomplish His will.
I know that my own sense of need seems to always get in the way of obeying God. I have this passion for being better loved than those next to me, as if to somehow make up for the rejection I feel (the rejection that comes FROM THE ENEMY). Yet God could not have expressed His love for me in any greater way than to provide for my salvation through His own precious Son's body.
There is a woman I know named Myrtle who is probably one of the greatest in the Kingdom of God. If you were to meet her, you would never know for she is very unassuming.
Myrtle is now in her 80's, but in her early days, she and her husband John (who has since gone onto be with the Lord) were charter members of one of our Foursquare churches (over 50 years ago). During her years at the church, Myrtle has served on the Church Council, as a Sunday School teacher, as the choir director . . . in MANY capacities. But she suffers from mini-strokes and now has difficulty with her speech and her memory (grasping new ideas). So, with her strong, gnarled hands and all the strength she can muster, she now keeps the church kitchen as spotless as any hospital. It is a thankless, unseen task that she attends to on a weekly basis, grateful that there is something that she can do to serve the Lord.
I think of Myrtle when I think of kingdom servants. she has been content to do whatever was needed that might serve God and the Church. Oh, that I would be content to serve where God has planted me right now, this moment!
Oh dearest Father, help me to see myself as You see, precious and dear and yet no more precious or dear than any of Your other children. Focus my thoughts and my heart that I will serve those around me, esteeming their needs as greater than my own. Give me the wisdom to know the best way to serve that I might glorify You in my body. In the name of Yeshua haMashiach, amen.
Romans 3:25
Romans 3:27ff
Romans, Chapter Five
Romans 5:2: "Also through him and on the ground of our trust, we have gained access to this grace in which we stand;"
Romans, Chapter Six
Romans 6:11-12
Romans 6:13-14
Romans, Chapter Seven
Romans, Chapter Eight
Romans 8:12-13
Romans 8:14-17
Romans 8:18-26
Romans 8:26-28
Romans 8:28-30
Romans, Chapter Nine
Romans 9:30-11:10
Romans, Chapter Twelve
Romans 12:11
Romans 12:2
Romans 12:2 (cont)
Romans 12:2 (cont)
Romans, Chapter Thirteen
Romans 13:8-10
Romans, Chapter Fifteen
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