And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.

Revelation 20

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. Revelation 20:12

I continue my D-Group's study of Revelation using Stephen Witmer's commentary and study guide - moving along with week 9, and my look at Revelation 20:1-15. The reference to "the dead, great and small" implies a comprehensiveness of humanity across all of redemptive history and how God authored the "book of life" before the foundation of the world - see also Daniel 7:10, Romans 2:6-11, and Revelation 3:5, 13:8, 17:8.  We must all be ready, as we don't the day or the hour of our own death or Christ's return, we will all be judged, and God offers salvation for those who accept Him as their Lord and Savior.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is saving a place in Heaven for me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such amazing grace!  My sin is great and it 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. 

But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.

Romans 9-10

But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it. Deuteronomy 30:14 

 

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I started chapter fourteen The Faithful Evangelist, which covers Romans 9:30-10:21.  My focus today is Romans 10:5-10:13, which my commentary refers to under the heading The Necessity of Faith in Christ.  As Paul continues (see post yesterday and previous posts) to describe how with Christ faith alone provides salvation, he describes how our heart condition is key to salvation (v9-10). Paul quotes Deuteronomy 30:14 and the words Moses communicated to Israel as he described "[h]ow to love God and keep His commandments" and communicated various important encouragements and warnings associated with walking with God. The verses this morning include one of the most quoted in all of the Bible as many refer to it as key to a believer answering the call from God to believe (ie: altar call):

 

[I]f you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Romans 10:9-10

 

My commentary this morning points additional Old Testament references by Paul in v10:5-13, including Leviticus 18:5 (10:5), and Deuteronomy 9:4 and 30:12-13 (10:6-7). The commentary indicates that Paul inserts "Christ" into his reference of Deuteronomy 30:12-13 and his discussion of how God and the Word is not "far off" and inaccessible and how we are only able to access God through Christ and not of our own doing: "[w]e cannot descend and be raised on our own, but Christ has done it for us!" Similarly, the commentary points out how in v10: 6 Paul partially uses Deuteronomy 9:4 but inserts language specific to the New Covenant based on Christ: "[i]n Deuteronomy 9:4 God says that Israel is not going to enter the land because of their righteousness but because of his promise--that is because of God's grace and faithfulness.  Saving faith recognizes that righteousness does not come from ourselves, for we cannot keep God's law perfectly; it is by God's grace alone through faith alone that we are saved."  We are encouraged to look back on Romans 10:2 where our heart should demonstrate "zeal for God". My commentary then points to how Paul uses yet another Old Testament reference in v10:11 by quoting Isaiah 28:16. Finally, in v10:13, Paul uses a reference from Joel 2:32. In v10:12-13, we are reminded by Paul that believers are to come from all nations. The commentary ends by encouraging us to see how it is ONLY through belief in Jesus that we are saved - emphasizing that other views such as those from Universalists are to be rejected. We are to snatch others from the fire with a sense of urgency and focus on how this is done - through God alone.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and You alone save - thank You Jesus for willingly surrendering Your life so that I can have salvation and life to the full among the many riches You provide as a child of God.  I am not deserving of salvation and these riches - I worry...far too much.  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.

They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.

2 Timothy 3

They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. v6-7

Paul warns Timothy about how "terrible" the last days will be like.  He describes what non-believers will be like in those days, indicating they will have a "form of godliness".  In v7 Paul indicates that these non believers will "always [be] learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth".  I know some who have an interest in Jesus and faith - but perhaps more from an intellectual or quasi-new age spiritual perspective.  

It's not enough to be curious about God or to have this type of intellectual or quasi-new age spiritual interest in Jesus, we must seek Him to the extent that we understand that we are all fallen, all need a Savior, and Jesus is Savior and Lord of All.  We must then surrender our lives to Him and earnestly seek Him in a daily, life-long and personal relationship with Jesus.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who IS my Lord and Savior.  I DO desire to surrender all of my life to You as I have seen what You have done in my heart and life.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not deserving of such love and blessings.  My words are harsh.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from such 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.

Although they have come out of the fire, the fire will yet consume them.

Ezekiel 15

Although they have come out of the fire, the fire will yet consume them. v7

Here in Ezekiel God refers to Israel and Judah as useless vine.  In John 15, God wants us to produce fruit from and FOR the vine (Jesus) - we are to be useful FOR God's purpose. For us to produce fruit, we must accept that Jesus is our Savior, and be "connected" to Him by remaining close to and in relationship with Jesus...otherwise we ARE useless BECAUSE our purpose is to glorify God and without this we have no other purpose.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who helps us grow and produce fruit - in my life and in the life of others.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not worth such love as I often miss the mark.  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 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.

[F]or the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.

1 Chronicles 28

[F]or the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. v9

For those of us with children, this is an important perspective because we should consider the distinction between a sincere profession of faith and a mature profession of faith - a distinction written about by John Piper.

Bottom line - faith should be anchored by a recognition that we need a savior, Jesus is that Savior, and that we commit ourselves to follow Him (pray, read Bible, go to church, serve, grow, etc.).

I have a 15 yr old son who is not baptized and while I continue to shepherd his heart towards Jesus, I am not in any rush to baptize him.  I agree with John Piper and agree that we should baptize children once they fully appreciate what it means to be baptized, and I would go further to add what "what it means to be a believer", including implications of key commands from God such as love God and love others.

But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 4:29

 
My prayer is that my children will seek Him.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who saved me, provides for all my needs, and who loves me beyond my comprehension - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love.  I worry and am harsh with my words and actions.  Please forgive me and help me turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  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.