The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Romans 8

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. Romans 8:16-17

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I continued with chapter ten The New Way of the Spirit, which covers Romans 8.  My focus today is Romans 8:14-17, which my commentary refers to under the heading The Spirit of Adoption.  Here, Paul describes a glorious relationship that we have with our Savior - He is our Father in Heaven (Paul refers to Jesus as Abba and Father in v15) and we are part of his family via adoption (also in v15). What is also clear is that unbelievers are not children of God, as scripture makes clear that only those who are led by the Spirit of God (and you can't do this without accepting Jesus as Your Lord and Savior) are children of God (v14). All are created by God but not all are part of God's family.  Paul also highlights in v17 how we are heirs - implying an inheritance.  Paul's letters refer to "inheritance" 7 times (most prominently in Ephesians 1) and once by Peter (1 Peter 1:4) - these instances describe something incredible and according to Peter: "an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you." Believers need to let this sink in on both counts - how we have a Father in Heaven of course who is always there for us, loves us more than anyone ever will, and how He has saved place in Heaven for us.  However, we must also remember that there is a cost which Paul refers to in v17 which indicates "provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him."  We may not want to suffer but we know that God is glorified most when we are weak (2 Corinthians 12:9-11). 

My commentary encourages us to see this new identity, intimacy, and inheritance. We are part of a "royal family" and have "all the rights and privileges of a natural child." We are also encouraged to see the horizontal dimension of our relationship to other believers - brothers and sisters in Christ. The commentary also wants us to seek our Father's vocation - to be a light as He is a light. Our new intimacy should give us confidence to approach God as the "fear" (v15) is replaced with "acceptance and security."  We know we can come to God with all of our cares and concerns. 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the blessings of adoption!  Amazing - I am not deserving of such blessings and of ALL the blessings You pour out for me - particularly salvation.  My sin - worry, etc. continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Romans 8

For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:3-4

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I started chapter ten The New Way of the Spirit, which covers Romans 8.  My focus today is Romans 8:1-13, which my commentary refers to under the heading The Spirit of Life.  Building on my post yesterday, where I discussed my commentary's view that Romans 7:7-25 focused on unbelievers and the futile nature of pleasing God with just the law, Paul is now talking about believers freedom from the law in terms of how God, through the Holy Spirit working in us, brings about obedience that we are unable to achieve on our own. 

For today's verses - v1-13 - my commentary discusses four new privileges of living in the Spirit:

1. new freedom (v1-4); we "now" have no condemnation and as a result are truly "free" as Jesus "paid it all"; we are encouraged to remind ourselves of this freedom, particularly during times of trial and challenge
   
2. new mindset (v5-8); we have "a new mind...new attitude, orientation, bent, pattern of thinking, and affections"
3. new indwelling presence (v9-11); those in the Spirit belong to Christ (see also John 14:17, 1 Corinthians 6:19); v11 specifically gives us assurance of a future resurrection
4. new obligation (v12-13); "mortification" of sin is described we are encouraged to do all we can to avoid and kill sin in our lives; "say no to sin and yes to God!"

The commentary ends by emphasizing privilege #4 by stating that "[m]any people think you have to give up pleasure to pursue holiness, but you actually find pleasure in the pursuit. You find life. You find joy."

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who dwells in me and gives me joy...and life!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of the blessings You pour out for me...particularly my salvation.  My sin - of many kinds, including anger, harsh words, etc. - continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Romans 7

Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. Romans 7:24-25

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I continued with chapter nine Wretched Man, Wonderful Messiah, which covers Romans 7.  My focus today is Romans 7:7-25, which my commentary refers to under the heading Thankful for Christ, Longing for Deliverance.  Building on v1-7 (see post yesterday) where Paul describes how unbelievers (v5) and believers (v6-7) are dead to sin but then after accepting Jesus are then alive to Christ, Paul seeks to respond to those who might then refer to the law as sinful as the law on its own - without Christ - leads to death and condemnation. Paul writes how the law helps us better understand our sin (v7-8). He then describes the internal battle with sin as without Christ we are helpless against sin as we are captive to it (v15-23). Paul caps this chapter acknowledging our helplessness - but he is thankful for God who rescues us and protects us against sin (progressively through sanctification).

My commentary crystallizes the key takeaways from 7:7-25 with (1) the law shows sin in its true colors, (2) the law reveals the human proclivity to sin, (3) the law exposes our need for spiritual life, (4) the law shows the nature of the Lawgiver - "[t]he problem is not with the law but without our sinful human condition."  The commentary also corrects my view (from above) and argues that Paul is not writing about himself (although he uses "I") nor about Christians who have this battle with sin but a "pre-Christian" struggle. The commentary refers to v13-25 as "total defeat". This total defeat in Romans 7 is contrasted with the Christian experience described in Romans 6 and 8. "[Paul] is speaking as an unbeliever trying to obey God's law and finding it impossible. Only through Christ can we be set free from the law of sin and death (7:24, 8:1-2)."   We are also reminded by the commentary that the law is good as it is from God and holy. The commentary ends by providing a key perspective - "this does not mean the passage only has relevance for non believers....[the] passage should on either reading, make us thankful that wretched people have a wonderful Messiah."

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are indeed an amazing God and one who saves me from my sin gives me life - to the full!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  I am easily entangled to and with the world - please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.

Romans 7

Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. Romans 7:4

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I moved on to chapter nine Wretched Man, Wonderful Messiah, which covers Romans 7.  My focus today is Romans 7:1-6.  In these six verses, Paul builds on chapter 6 (see post yesterday and previous posts) he writes how believers are no longer slaves or dead to sin but are reborn and alive in Christ. He helps unpack this by helping us see how through an earthly death, you may experience freedom from the law (see v1-3).  Now, Paul wants us to better understand both the benefit of dying to sin and being alive in Christ but also the purpose - we escape condemnation and we "bear fruit for God" (v4). 

We exist to bear fruit for God - to glorify Him...and why would not desire to for all that He has done for us!

My commentary reminds me that for Jews in Rome reading Paul's letter, that Paul seeks to confirm with them that all scripture matters, and that Christ is the fulfillment of the law.  He does not want Jews to not believe as he "weeps over Jewish unbelief." The commentary goes on to encourage us to see the application as believers are no longer "wed" to the (Mosaic) law as our old selves died when Christ died on the cross for us and we accepted Him as our Lord and Savior.  We are wed to Christ and in union with Christ (see this post).  We are also to see the consequences or benefit of this union as fruit of the Spirit. 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who rescued me from my sin and gave me new life!  Thank You Jesus! The greatest gift of all time - I am undeserving of such a gift and of all the blessings You pour out for me.  I have anger and other sins that continue every day.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6

 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:22-23

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I moved on to chapter eight Raised to Walk in Newness of Life, which covers Romans 6.  My focus today is Romans 6:11-23 which my commentary refers to under the heading Actions We Must Take. In these verses, Paul encourages us to avoid the path of following our temptations into sin - as posted yesterday, our new identity in Christ means we are to leave behind our old self in experience a life in union with Him. We become "dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus" (v11).  Paul then reminds us to avoid antinomianism where we adopt an attitude of permissiveness to sin (v15). Paul moves on to describe how we become more obedient to God and it is through Him - not of our own doing - see also my post during my reading of Piper's Providence.  Look closely at v17 where Paul says:

But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed[.]

Paul thanks God for our obedience and it is through the sanctification process where we are daily in union with Christ and reading/studying God's word.  In v20-23, to help us see the consequences of sin vs life in Christ, Paul's contrasts the two writing how we may perceive freedom in a life of sin but instead we are slaves to sin and there is "no fruit" - plus and even worse we are condemned. 

My commentary urges us to "make war with sin" as God hates sin. We are also encouraged to see how grace is not just a gift but a power - based on our response to God's overwhelming love we seek to please Him.  My commentary ends by reminding us that with Christ we have superior benefits vs a life of sin and we are to submit to Him daily, allowing Him to do a work in us so that in return we are progressively sanctified and increasingly worshiping Him. 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are indeed an amazing God and I see Your grace as not just a gift but power...power to become more like You and to please You in service and love. Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love.  I continue to sin...anger, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

Romans 6

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. Romans 6:5

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I moved on to chapter eight Raised to Walk in Newness of Life, which covers Romans 6.  My focus today is Romans 6:1-10 which my commentary refers to under the heading Truths We Must Know. First, following his discussion of grace (see yesterday's post), we see Paul challenging any believer who thinks that we have a free pass to sin in light of the abounding grace we have in Christ for the sin we commit (v1-2) - my commentary refers to such an attitude as antinomianism. We are encouraged to see how our old self (sinful self - v6) has died and we are reborn just as Jesus rose from the dead. We are "baptized into his death" (v3) and as a result experiencing "newness of life" (v4).  We then see Paul further describing how this newness manifests itself: we are "no longer enslaved to sin" (v6). This newness in life (slave to God - see Romans 1:1) is not just life to the full now (John 10:10) but also eternity in Heaven with Him. 

My commentary emphasizes Romans 6 as describing how believers experience "union with Christ" (v5). We have this new identity, and we experience what Jesus did at the cross and with the resurrection. Sin and death lose their power over believers lives as a result. The commentary reminds us that the period between justification and glorification as sanctification and this new identity enables the sanctification process. 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who freed me from the tyranny of sin and death - thank You Jesus!  The greatest gift of all time!  I am not deserving of such a gift.  My sin continues - worry, anger, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to Your Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 5:12-21

Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:20-21

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I moved on to chapter seven Christ's Triumph Over Sin and Death, which covers Romans 5:12-21.  My focus today is Romans 5:20-21 which my commentary refers to as The Conclusion: Christ Has Overcome!  In v20-21 we see Paul referencing v13 where he says "for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given." Indeed during Adam's time and before Moses the law had yet to be given in terms of the Ten Commandments and the various other moral and ceremonials laws passed on from God to Moses. Yet in Garden, God was clear by giving this command to Adam (Genesis 2:16-17): "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” So we have law at least to this extent at this point as well God's commands for offerings (i.e. tithe) in Genesis 4, as we see the word "sin" for the first time in scripture. In Genesis 4, we also see Cain's murder of Abel and God's disappointment and punishment, so we see law in action here as well.  Regardless Paul is accurate that even before the law existed in its more formal time via the giving of the law through Moses, law DID exist.  And Paul is accurate again when he says that WHEN the law was given through Moses, sin and "trespass" increased in direct relation to the law....more laws, more sin.  Finally, Paul is accurate when he says that God's grace "abounded all the more" when sin increased as when Christ died for our sins, there is certainly more sin to wash away and be forgiven through the grace granted to us when we confess our sins and believe in Jesus.  This latter point is important for us to recognize as we SHOULD feel more sinful than Adam to the extent that more sin exists for us and God wipes all of this sin away and so much more through grace - not through anything we do making us deserving of such grace.

My commentary points us that Paul was perhaps addressing Jews by "jumping from Adam to Jesus" and skipping over Israel and its history and saying that "the law" did not help the Jews because it only magnified sin, it certainly did not increase obedience - only Jesus does this! Further with Adam "sin rules us....but [i]n Christ grace reigns over us." We are encouraged to fully appreciate the extent of our sin as we "are more sinful than you ever dared believe.  To forget this leads to license and permissiveness--to what we might call liberalism." Similarly, we are encouraged to fully appreciate how we "are more accepted in Christ than you ever dared hope."

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, Your grace abounds in measures I cannot fathom nor will I ever fathom in this life - thank You Jesus for the grace You have already poured out for me and will continue to pour out for me!  I am completely undeserving.  I sin daily with worry, anger, and other sins.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Please provide wisdom and energy to Lisa and myself.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.

Romans 5:12-21

 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. Romans 5:18-19

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I moved on to chapter seven Christ's Triumph Over Sin and Death, which covers Romans 5:12-21.  My focus today is Romans 5:15-19 which my commentary refers to as The Contrasts. Here we see Paul focusing not so much on how Adam was a "type of man" like Jesus (see v14 and yesterday's post) but instead on how Adam brought sin and condemnation and how Jesus brought life - hence contrasts. 

In showing such contrasts, my commentary starts by pointing out how in v15 and again in v17 the use of the words "much more" - indicating the use of such words describes the supremacy of Jesus vs Adam in how both are not equal in power. "In Jesus Christ, believers have gained much more than they ever lost in Adam."  My commentary describes the contrasts four ways:

1. trespass and gift (v15)
2. condemnation and justification (v16)
3. death and life (v17)
4. disobedience and obedience (v18-19)

Regarding #1, my commentary wants us to see how "gift" or "grace" appears eight times in v15-17 underscoring how we should never forget how we are undeserving of our salvation and that we should be humbled and have a heart of gratitude and worship. We are also encouraged to understand the value of the gift: "Paul is painting a dark picture of sin so that the good news of Christ will shine.  It is like what a jeweler may do when putting a diamond on a black cloth, so as to make the diamond sparkle." 

Regarding #2 we are to realize and walk the walk of our new identity as justified people and to build our lives on obedience to Christ. 

Regarding #3 we are to realize how we do not receive the gift of Christ automatically we must confess and believe in Christ. 

Regarding #4, my commentary leans on Tim Keller who wants us to see the importance of Jesus' obedience - his entire life - is a matter of life and death for believers 'because that obedience is our obedience, if we are in Christ instead of Adam.' The commentary goes on to state that "[s]o we have the whole biblical story line in this passage." We are encouraged to look at and reference 1 Corinthians 15:45-49 where Paul describes the superiority of Jesus vs Adam and how we have this hope of "being united in Christ."

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who led of life of obedience so that I could have life - to the full now and for eternity in Heaven!  What an amazing act of grace and it is the greatest gift of all time.  I am undeserving.  I am full of anger and worry and other sins...which I am guilty of daily!  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

Romans 5:12-21

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. Romans 5:12-14

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I moved on to chapter seven Christ's Triumph Over Sin and Death, which covers Romans 5:12-21.  My focus today is Romans 5:12-14 which my commentary refers to as The Conflict. Paul contrasts the life of Adam and that of Christ and the implications for all of both of their lives (and Christ's death). Paul refers to Adam as "a type of the one who was to come" - clearly referencing Jesus.  Like no others, these two lives led to consequences for all that followed, with Adam giving us sin and death and Jesus giving us forgiveness and justification, and of course life to the full now (John 10:10) and eternity in Heaven. 

My commentary describes this v12-21 as a contrast in the "grand story of redemption." It quotes Schreiner who states: "Adam and Christ are two of the most influential individuals in human history, and believers can take confidence because they belong to one who has overturned all that Adam introduced into the world."  It goes on to describe how the word "one" is used twelve times in v12-21, implying that there is either an "identification with Adam and/or with Christ....The major emphasis [of v12-21] is not on Adam's failure but on Christs triumph over sin and death."

Specifically in v12-14, my commentary examines the "great conflict" between sin and death as "Adam's fall introduced sin and death into the world." We are to notice the sequence in v12 (1) "sin entered the world through Adam, (2) death entered the world through sin, and (3) death spread to all humans because all sinned....[t]he effects of Adam's sin are universal."  Paul points to Jesus and I will explore more of this tomorrow starting in v15. 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who died for me - giving me freedom from the sting of sin and death - thank You Jesus!  The greatest gift of all time - I am not deserving of such a gift...or of any of the blessings that You pour out for me.  My sin continues...worry, anger, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Romans 5:1-11

More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5:11

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I continued my study of chapter six The Blessings of Justification By Faith, which covers Romans 5:1-11.  My focus today is Romans 5:11 which my commentary refers to with the heading We Exult in God Himself. With focus on this single verse, I reflect on the meaning of reconciliation and it brings to mind a return to God's design of our relationship with Him.  In the beginning (Genesis 2), before The Fall, man and woman lived in the Garden of Eden and there was no sin and no shame. Sin entered the world and since that time, sin separates us from God.  Jesus death on the cross gives us forgiveness of sins and we are restored to God's design for His relationship with us.  We should rejoice in reconciliation. 

My commentary wants us to read this verse and rejoice in God. It offers (quoting Tim Keller) six signs of rejoicing to God:

1. Your mind is deeply satisfied with the doctrine of justification by faith.  You rejoice in it by studying it and speaking about it to others. 
2. You only think of your past in terms it. You don't say: What a mess made of it there!  Instead you say: Me, a Christian! Despite my deep flaws, despite my record!  Yet it is absolutely true!
3. When you discover in yourself a new character flaw, ...the discovery does not make you doubt God's love.  Rather it makes you feel closer to him, and his grace for you becomes more precious in your sight. 
4. When your conscience accuses you and says: How could God love you after what you've done? you don't try to answer with reference to your performance. 
5. When you face criticism, you don't say This is totally unfair.  You rejoice gently inside with thoughts like, Well, I'm really a much worse sinner than they know but....Well may the Accuser roar, of sins that I have done: I know them all, and thousands more: Jehovah knoweth none. 
6. When you face death, you do it with serenity because you are going to a friend. 

 #5 in particular can sometimes be painful as I am often defensive but I shouldn't be. 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God and I get to walk with You!  Your Son, the Word, the Holy Spirit - all of it!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of the reconciliation You bought for me. My sin continues...daily.  Please forgive me...anger, etc. Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

Romans 5:1-11

Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. Romans 5:9-10

This afternoon, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I continued my study of chapter six The Blessings of Justification By Faith, which covers Romans 5:1-11.  My focus today is Romans 5:9-10 where my commentary uses the heading We Have Assurance of Final Salvation. As with this chapter, I've been looking at the blessings of justification - we have in v9-10 the blessing of salvation.  Of course, it's hard to describe salvation with a single word - we must take the time to unpack and ponder what it means. Paul helps us by ensuring we know that prior to salvation we were "enemies" of God and of course deserving of His wrath - death (Romans 6:23).  Keeping in mind our own sin and its ultimate consequences it becomes more clear how precious and valuable our salvation is. We are saved indeed!

My commentary points out our salvation has a "negative" and a "positive" aspect - negative in that we "have no fear of future wrath" (v9).  We are encouraged to be overwhelmed in gratitude and be full of praise, joy and holy awe.  My commentary then states that "[p]ositively, Paul also says believers are reconciled to God now and forever (v10)....[w]e share [Jesus'] life now; we will share his life through the resurrection later."  We know this for sure because of how Jesus accomplished the most difficult aspect of our salvation through His death on the cross. 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who has assured me of salvation both in this life and in the life to come - Heaven!  Thank You Jesus!  The greatest gift of all time - I am of course not deserving of this but deserving of Your wrath.  Thank You for saving me from Your wrath - knowing everything about me.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us...[B]ut God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:1-11

God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us...[B]ut God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:5, 8

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I continued my study of chapter six The Blessings of Justification By Faith, which covers Romans 5:1-11.  My focus today is Romans 5:5-8 which my commentary refers to using the heading We Know a Love Like No Other Love.

V5-8 starts with how the hope we have referenced in v2 and v4 does not put us to shame as the Holy Spirit helps us during our period of need during times of trouble - and this help manifests as God pouring love (v5) into our heart - what an incredible image.  I can't image God pouring a small amount of love as He is infinite! We then see how God loved us SO much (John 3:16) that He sent His Son to die on our behalf - while we were still sinners. Paul remarks how dying for another is rarely done for a righteous person, and it might happen for a good person (v7), but he has made it clear (see also Romans 1-3) that none of us are righteous and all of us are broken, sinful, and undeserving of God's gift of salvation. 

My commentary begs to differ with those who describe Paul as a writer of arguments while John writes of love.  It points out that Paul refers to the word love 75 out of the 116 times the word is use in the New Testament. The commentary then goes on to state:

1. the greatness of God's love is displayed on the cross (v8); "[G]enuine love is always sacrificial" and we see Jesus redeeming us at a price we can never fully comprehend. An appropriate response is to love others as God love us and this is in fact what God commands (John 13:34)
2. the greatness of God's love is displayed in our unworthiness (v6-8); Paul in v9 refers to us as enemies of God yet God still died for us!  That is love for sure like no other!

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You are indeed amazing that You would die for me - Your enemy!  I am so undeserving of what You have done for me and what You continue to do for me and I am in awe of how You love me. Thank You Jesus!  Yet again I am undeserving.  My sin of anger, etc. continues. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

[W]e rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope[.]

Romans 5:1-11

[W]e rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope[.] Romans 5:2b-4

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I continued my study of chapter six The Blessings of Justification By Faith, which covers Romans 5:1-11.  My focus today is the back half of Romans 5:2 through verse 4.  I continue to explore how, as a result of my justification by faith I am blessed and specifically this morning, blessed with hope.  I am to rejoice in not only this hope but in any challenges/trials/suffering I may experience as God is shaping me into more of his image and also keeping me focused on not just my time here on earth but what awaits in Heaven. 

My commentary encourages me to not forget how I am undeserving of this blessing of hope as it was faith alone that justified me not any of my or the totality of my works. I am also encouraged to see three applications from verses 3-4:

1. God's priority is not to take away all of your problems; it's to make you like Jesus; suffering refines us and makes us more like Jesus.  It weans us off the pleasures of this world and reminds us of the ultimate realities. 
2. God's purposes can be trusted.  God is working all things together for our good as he conforms us to the images of his Son.
3. God's pattern can be anticipate: afflictions-endurance-character-hope; trials and suffering build character and give us confidence in God as we ensure more trials to come.

I am encourages to look at how suffering produces hope by looking at Mark 4:14-20 (Parable of the Sower):

And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. Mark 4:17

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are indeed amazing and You give me hope - and I rejoice in this hope and I am grateful how You have molded me through suffering and trials.  I can reflect on these trials now and see the blessing and have confidence that I am more prepared for suffering as I know there will be more.  Thank You Jesus for being full of grace and that You never leave or forsake me.  I am not deserving of how You justify me nor am I deserving of my salvation or any blessing You pour out for me.  My sin continues - daily...of many kinds.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Romans 5:1-11

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:2

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I continued my study of chapter six The Blessings of Justification By Faith, which covers Romans 5:1-11.  My focus today is Romans 5:2. As a result of our justification by faith we have a blessing of grace. My commentary refers to this grace as having a "warm relationship to God" and favor with Him. We are also encouraged to see how we are to "stand" in this grace and to live out this grace-based relationship daily. Scripture uses the word "access" and my commentary highlights use of this word to discuss how believers are children of God, that we depend on Him, and we can go to Him for all our needs big and small.  My commentary writes: this grace "should prompt praise and communion with God.  We can go to our Father all the time with our worries, problems, concerns, and fears and present them to him, knowing that he not only hears us but also welcomes us."

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace for me - I know that You are always with me and that I can always go to You with anything and You welcome me with open arms. Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin continues - daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:1-11

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I started my review of chapter six The Blessings of Justification By Faith, which covers Romans 5:1-11.  My focus today is Romans 5:1 which discusses how, through justification by faith, we have peace with God. All believers should want peace with God - peace implies many things, including how we are not "at war" with God in that we are not in rebellion or willingly disobeying His commands.  We are not slandering Him, nor worshiping other gods.  Instead, we are reconciled to God, and happy and joyous with His reign over our lives - there is nothing agitating us to not be in relationship with God. We seek and exist to glorify Him - and this suits us just fine.  Peace implies contentedness and fulfillment. 

My commentary indicates that with v1-11, Paul shifts from argumentation in the previous chapters to adoration. "The overall tone is celebratory, triumphant, and jubilant." We are to enjoy and rejoice in God! In terms of being at peace with God my commentary reminds me that with Christ, our sin kept us enemies of God. We are to be encouraged as well by a peace of mind regardless of our circumstances - as God is always with us. We cannot have this "peace of God" if we don't have "peace with God."

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who gives me peace and what a blessing this is!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a blessing and the MANY blessings You pour out for me.  My sin, of many flavors, continues - daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

[W]e have received grace and apostleship [from Jesus Christ] to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations[.]

Romans 4

[W]e have received grace and apostleship [from Jesus Christ] to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations[.] Romans 1:5

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I continued with my review of chapter five Faith Alone, which covers the entirety of Romans 4.  My focus today is a look back at the whole of Romans 4, as my commentary provides a number of "practical reflections":

1. We should never get over the good news of justification by faith; it is good news indeed that God is so full of grace for us - we are undeserving of salvation and the many blessings He pours out - yet He provides anyway!
2. We should never get over the fact that we are part of the people of God; I am blessed indeed by a family in Christ that continues to bless me.
3. We are encouraged to allow the doctrine of justification by faith to shape our lives and the lives of our churches; this community of faith should be (a) humble, (b) happy/cheerful/joyful/satisfied, (c) obedient, (d) missional, (e) hope and faith-filled

In particular, 3(c) reminds me of John Piper's book where we read how God brings about obedience by producing faith and it's desire to worship and glorify Him. My commentary uses Romans 1:5 to demonstrate how obedience is not the source of our faith but instead it is the fruit of our faith. 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who is so full of grace and compassion for me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of the many blessings You pour out for me.  My sin continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.

Romans 4:18-25

No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Romans 4:20-21

This afternoon, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I continued with my review of chapter five Faith Alone, which covers the entirety of Romans 4.  My focus today is Romans 4:18-25.  The verses today are rich with both intent and application - as is all scripture (see also 2 Timothy 3:16). First it starts off with v18 where Paul does not seek to confuse us but instead points to where believers often fall down by placing hope where it does not belong as our hope should be in Jesus. Abraham did not misplace his hope.  The clarification from Paul comes in v19 where we see where Abraham did not place faith in his or his wife's body to conceive a child at their ages....instead scripture says that "[n]o unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised." What an incredible set of verses!

My commentary draws an analogy from Isaac's birth to Jesus' resurrection as a it refers to Isaac's conception as a "preview of things to come." The commentary then describes three "marks" of Abraham's faith: 

1. He believed in a situation that seemed hopeless; the commentary writes that "[s]aving faith is hope-filled faith.  Abraham believed God could do the humanly impossible, and God fulfilled his promise to Abraham, making him the father of many nations.  
2. Abraham's faith did not waver.
3. Abraham gave glory to God (v20).
4. Abraham believed that God was able to fulfill his promises (v21); my commentary DOES say that Abraham initially "questioned God's ability to fulfill his promise (Genesis 17:17-18)...he became convinced of God's ability to fulfill his promise (Genesis 17:21-27)." We are encouraged to see how faith is not "automatic" and that we are on a journey - growing in faith.
   
5. Abraham's faith illustrates how God counts people righteous through faith alone

After describing the "marks of Abraham's faith," my commentary looks at v23-25 as Paul "applies the faith of Abraham" to all believers. 

We can all find ourselves in Abraham's faith story!

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who provides for all of my needs!  Thank You Jesus!  I can trust in You!  Yet I am undeserving of how You provide for me.  My sin of worry, etc. continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.

Romans 4:9-17

That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. Romans 4:16-17

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I continued with my review of chapter five Faith Alone, which covers the entirety of Romans 4.  My focus today is Romans 4:9-17. Paul continues to use Abraham as the example from the Old Testament (and as our forefather) to build on his statement that we are justified by faith alone. 

My commentary indicates that the text from today makes two key points: (1) we are not justified by circumcision, and (2) we are not justified by the law. Verse 11 is used to point out how circumcision was a "sign" and "seal" of faith - and not a cause or basis of faith. We are encouraged here to see how justification by faith and not by circumcision or the law gives hope to Jews and Gentiles alike as v16 highlights how Abraham is the "father of many nations." The commentary also indicates that "[b]elieving leads to belonging."  We are finally encouraged to focus on v17 where my commentary states that Paul looks at the nature of Abraham's faith as he is a "model for us as he believed in God 'who gives life to the dead and calls things into existence that do not exist."  God created the world and our faith - from nothing, even our spiritual deadness. 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who gave me faith - thank You Jesus!  The greatest gift of all time.  I am not deserving - by a long shot.  My sin of many kinds, continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered[.]

Romans 4:1-8

 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered[.] Romans 4:5-7

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I started my review of chapter five Faith Alone, which covers Romans 4:1-25 and Paul discussion of justification as he reflects on the story of Abraham.  For today, the focus is Romans 4:1-8.  In these 8 verses, Paul makes it clear that just as Abraham was justified due to his faith, so are we.  Abraham of course acted out of his faith but it was his faith that spurred him to act.  Paul, well-versed in scripture, quotes both Genesis 15:6 where we read about Abraham's covenant with God and also in Psalms 32:1 where David reflects on the blessing of God's forgiveness. 

My commentary refers to Romans 4 as a story of both faith/belief and in belonging as Paul refers to Abraham in v1 as our forefather - implying that Jews and Gentiles alike are adopted into God's family.  We are also encouraged to remember all of the promises made (and kept!) by God as part of his covenant with Abraham - that Abraham and Sarah were to have a child (at very old age!), their descendants are to be numerous, and that God would give Abraham and his family Canaan as their home. We are also encouraged to see the foundational verses here (v2-3) as God "granted Abraham the status of 'righteous' when he believed."  The emphasis of how our righteousness is not earned but instead granted by faith alone is underscored in v5 where Paul writes how even the "ungodly" are justified by faith and my commentary makes sure we understand that Paul writes how Abraham is in this category of ungodly.  Paul's reference to David underscores how all of scripture is unified in this important subject of justification by faith alone. 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Heavenly Father - You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and mercy for me - thank You Jesus!  I am of course undeserving - my sin of worry, etc. continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

Romans 3:27-31

Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law. Romans 3:31

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I completed my review of chapter four The Glory of Christ's Salvation, where we look at the implications of the gospel as laid out by Paul in Romans 3:27-31.  Paul looks at how we are to respond to Christ's death on the cross, His resurrection - the gospel.  He looks at the question of what we are to do with the law?  We are not justified by works as required by the law, nor by knowledge of the law, nor by any special status - as both Jews and Gentiles are saved.  We are saved and justified by faith.  Jesus did not come to overthrow the law but to fulfill/confirm it and as my previous study of Providence reminds me that God gives us the Holy Spirit to drive the obedience to the law He seeks. 

In looking at v27-31 in more detail, my commentary starts by reminding that we are not to boast - we did not earn our salvation.  The first implication being that we are to be humbled. It also states that all of Martin Luther's Five Solas are contained in these verses "with verse 27 falling in the 'in the glory of God alone' category".

Second, in v28-21 we (as a church) are to be unified as "the cross, then, destroys discrimination."  Jew and Gentile alike are saved. There is to be no ethnic hostility. "His grace enables us to be 'gracists,' not racists."

Comment and discuss this post here. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who is full of grace for me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of the grace You pour out for me.  My sin, of many flavors, continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Romans 3:25-26

It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Romans 3:26

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I moved to the next section of chapter four The Glory of Christ's Salvation, where the focus is on 3:25-26 and a discussion of demonstration. My commentary describes how there must not only be a "declaration" of God's righteousness, but also a "demonstration." The commentary writes how the "cross demonstrates God's love (Romans 5:8)," and in 3:25-26 God "emphasizes that the cross displays God's righteousness." Scripture also uses the word "forbearance" which is defined as "a refraining from the enforcement of something (as a debt, right, or obligation) that is due."  God's forbearance in v25 clearly demonstrates God's love as prior to the cross he refrained from punishing sins formerly committed.  Sin was punished (the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, etc.) but my commentary indicates "God did not exact the full penalty for sinning against his glorious character."  He instead showed great mercy and patience. He also is "kind and patient, desiring people to repent (Romans 2:4) and because he planned to act in the cross".  Christ's death on the cross also resolves the question how "God can accept sinful men and women without violating his justice."  God is both "just and the justifier....as he is the only one who could both save sinners and satisfy God's wrath."

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is both just and the justifier.  You are full of grace, patience and love and You of course died on the cross for me - thank You Jesus!  The greatest gift of all time!  Yet I know that I am undeserving of such a gift.  I too often seek my own comfort and not You - please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

 

...God put [Jesus] forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

Romans 3:25(a)

...God put [Jesus] forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. Romans 3:25

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I moved to the next section of chapter four The Glory of Christ's Salvation, where the focus is on 3:25 and a discussion of propitiation. John Piper defines propitiation as "the removal of the wrath of God against sinners by the death of Jesus".  We receive this removal by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior (see Romans 10:9-10).  My commentary goes on to describe propitiation as involving appeasement of "the righteous wrath of God."  It further expands on propitiation as the mercy seat from Exodus 25:21-22.  My commentary then states that without propitiation we remain under God's wrath per John 3:36.  We are encouraged to see both love and justice in propitiation as "[t]he Father puts the Son forward, and the Son willingly obeys the Father.  Love and justice motivated the cross event."  We are also encouraged to see how we have peace (see Romans 5:1) with God as a result as "[w]e are no longer enemies of God."

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God and You saved me from being under Your wrath - thank You Jesus.  Yet I am undeserving of such a gift of grace.  My sin continues - worry, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.