[P]ut on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

Colossians 3:1-11

[P]ut on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Colossians 3:10

I continue my study of Paul's prison epistles - Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.  Today my focus is Colossians 3:1-11, where Paul builds on text from chapter 2:13 where he shares that believers are "alive in Christ," and as such we are to "seek the things that are above."  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?: V1: Christ is in Heaven, "seated at the right hand hand of God." See also Luke 24:50-51 and Acts 1:9-11 where scripture shares how Jesus ascended to Heaven 40 days after the resurrection.  This command repeated in v2 and in both the affirmative and the negative by sharing that we are not to set our minds "on things that are on the earth." V3 reminds us that our old self has died and we have been reborn (regeneration) - alive in Christ and our life is "hidden with Christ in God." The implication is that we cannot see this life hidden in Christ in God as it is above in Heaven - this could be the eternal life that awaits believers upon death or Jesus' second coming. V4 shares that what is hidden will appear and based on the doctrine of glorification our new self that is progressively becoming more like him (sanctification) will be complete and we will be in Heaven with Christ "in glory." Vv5,7-9 describe the sin that is to be put to death and v6 shares how "on account" of this sin God's wrath is coming - end times and judgement day when Christ's assured victory over sin and death will be complete.  This is a warning to be prepared for this day. V11 shares how Christ "is all and in all," encouraging us to share the gospel with all tribes and nations (Great Commission) and that we should acknowledge that sin is great equalizer among humanity - we all sin and fall short of the glory of God - see also Romans 3:23 and 1 John 1:8.      
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Vv5,8-9: Paul calls us various sins, including "sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry[,] anger, wrath, malice, slander, ...obscene talk from your mouth[, and] ly[ing]."  Vv9-10: These sins represent our old self and our new self (reborn and alive in Christ) "is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator."  This renewal of our minds is further described in Romans 12:2 and Ephesians 4:23.
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): We are to put to death sin in our lives, including but not limited to the sin described in the text today.  We should claim the promise described in the doctrine of glorification that all of us will be in Heaven with Christ again and the glorification process will be complete.  Follow the example of Christ who saw beyond the cross, set His mind on things above and endured the cross.   

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My Prayer: Father God, thank You for my salvation, for giving me new life, renewal of the mind, and for making me more like You.  I am not deserving of my salvation nor any of the blessings You pour out for me daily.  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 continue to 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 did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

John 3:1-21

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. John 3:17-18

I continue my study of John.  After reviewing John 3:1-21 using the Sword Bible Study Method over the past two days, today I recap my observations with a main point for the text and an outline.

Main point: Confess, repent, and believe to be saved, and to become a new creation, and a light to others.  

1. Faith requires regeneration – to be born again as a new creation, as one is no longer slave to sin but slave to God – vv3,5
2. To be born again is an act of God alone – who loves and chooses us while we are still sinners, enemies of and hostile to Him (acting out of flesh desires vs those of the Spirit) – vv6-8
3. An intellectual understanding of the gospel and belief in signs/miracles is insufficient for faith; faith requires both an accurate understanding of Jesus (Father Son, and Holy Spirit), confession of sins and repentance upon an acceptance of Him as Lord and Savior – vv11-14
4. Faith and belief in Him saves and gives eternal life – vv15-16
5. God sent Jesus into the world not to judge and condemn but to save – the gospel is a message of hope not judgement or condemnation; condemnation is not an act of God but act that results from one’s own lack of faith – vv17-18
6. Unbelievers are slave to sin and to the fear and shame of having their sin known and exposed for others to see; an unwillingness to confess sin, repent, and believe in Him results in condemnation – vv19-20
7. In contrast, believers seek to repent and allow God to work in and through them so that God’s work can be known and seen by others as believers’ lives are transformed through regeneration and sanctification – v21 

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves!  Thank You Jesus for giving me the greatest gift of all time....I am not deserving of such a gift.  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 continue to 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.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

 Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

I agree with this post on DesiringGod.com that states that Holy Week is the most important week in all of history. As such, I continue with one of the recommendations from the post to prepare for Holy Week, which is to read John Piper's 50-day devotional Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die. Today I read reason #34: To Enable Us to Live by Faith in Him.  In today's devotion, Piper starts by unpacking what he describes as a "paradox" in Galatians 2:20 that is not at the same time a "contradiction."  Paul writes in this verse how he died with Christ but he now lives.  For believers this is known as being born again or for theologians such as RC Sproul regeneration.  See also 2 Corinthians 5:17 and Ephesians 2:5-6 where Paul describes this death and rebirth. Our "old self" dies and we put on our "new self" and this new self is made progressively more like Jesus through sanctification by the Holy Spirit.  Piper expands on this new self by pointing us to Galatians 2:20 and then sharing how this verse "describes the new self in two ways" first as Christ living in us providing His "presence and help at all times." See also Philippians 4:13, Colossians 1:29, and Romans 15:18. The second way believers are new selves is how we live by faith (per Galatians 2:20) "trusting Christ moment by moment."  Both ways we are these new selves go hand in hand per Piper as he states that "[w]ithout this second description of the new self, we might wonder what our part is in experiencing Christ’s daily help. Now we have the answer: faith. From the divine side, Christ is living in us and enabling us to live the way he teaches us to live. It’s his work. But from our side, it’s experienced by trusting him moment by moment to be with us and to help us. The proof that he will be with us and will help us do this is the fact that he suffered and died to make it happen."  Thank You Jesus for my salvation so that I could die to my old self and put on my new self - and that You are with me to bring about this transformation!

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My Prayer: Father God You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and passion for me, making me new and being with me at all times to help me become more like You.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of my salvation nor any of the blessings You pour out for me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to 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. 

P.S.  Happy Easter!  All Glory to God!

For thus says the LORD of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the LORD of hosts. The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the LORD of hosts.’”

 Haggai 2:6-9

For thus says the LORD of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the LORD of hosts. The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the LORD of hosts.’” Haggai 2:6-9

I continue my study of Haggai - using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book.  For today, my focus is an unassisted review of Haggai 2:6-9, which the commentary outlines as the second division for Haggai 2:1-9. Building on yesterday's post which looked at vv1-5, the text for today further explores God's message for His people as they have repented, obeyed, and experienced God's presence. God further promises that the rebuilding of His temple will be accompanied by a return of all the earth's treasures (which come from and belong to God) to the temple.  The rebuilt temple shall be of greater glory than the original temple which was destroyed.  This message of restoration is found throughout scripture - including Joseph who goes from favored son to bondage and prison to the 2nd most powerful position in Egypt (the most powerful empire in the world at the time), Job, and Peter (who although denies Jesus three times, is personally restored by Jesus.  God restores and renews us - this gives all believers hope.  Hope when we are experiencing great difficulties, when our bodies are decaying, etc. We are not only reborn as Christians, but God carries us through whatever we experience to something that is new and something designed just for us and we can be assured it is good.  See also Romans 8:28. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and restores me by carrying me through challenging times - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how I can never be separated from Your love.  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 continue to 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.

 

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

1 John 5:1-4

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 1 John 5:1-4

I continue my preparation for leading Sunday school at my church tomorrow, where our class will be looking at 1 John 5:1-4.  This morning I look back over my posts for the past several day where I have leaned on DesiringGod.com's Look at the Book video for this text and the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for 1-3 John.  My discussion guide is here.  Key excerpts:

• Concerned about false teachers and how they undermine the church, John seeks to help believers understand the marks of an authentic believer, including the right belief (who is Jesus)/doctrinal mark, right love/moral mark, and the right behavior/ethical or social mark.
• By implication, we must believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Promised Deliverer, the Great High Priest, the Prophet (who is the Truth); we must also see Jesus as King of Kings and love Him in such a way that we love what He loves and hate what He hates.
• Finally, we must treasure God so much that the world is exposed as unsatisfying vs God.

Know and love God, and love others, and experience joyful obedience!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God and worthy of all my worship and all the glory!  Thank You for the mercy You pour out for me every morning and how it never ceases!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  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 continue to 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.

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him....For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

1 John 5:1-4

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him....For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 1 John 5:1,4

I continue my preparation for leading Sunday school at my church on 20OCT, where our class will be looking at 1 John 5:1-4.  Today, for my preparation, I lean on the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for 1-3 John.  The commentary outlines five divisions for 1 John 5:1-4:

1. We Believe That Jesus Is the Messiah (5:1).
   
2. We Have Been Born of God (5:1,4).
   
3. We Love the Father and His Family (5:1-2).
4. We Obey His Commands (5:2-3). 
5. We Have Overcome the World (5:4).

The commentary includes all of these divisions in chapter entitled The Birthmarks of the Children of God.  My focus today is first two divisions and the commentary for this text as well as the introduction to the commentary's chapter.

Excerpts from the introduction to the commentary's chapter:

• "In the letter of 1 John, the last living apostle has repeatedly drawn attention to three overarching birthmarks of the children of God. They are right belief (the doctrinal mark), right love (the moral mark), and right behavior (the ethical or social mark)."
• "Now in 1 John 5:1-5 he is going to draw out necessary implications of these three birthmarks and highlight six specific identifying evidences that a person is a child of God."
• "John wants true believers to be assured that they are children of God, and he is fully aware of the fact that there are spiritual deceivers in their midst who could raise questions and cast doubts (2:26). John wants believers to have a rock-solid assurance that they have been born again, that they belong to Jesus, and that they can enjoy right now the gift of eternal life (5:13)."
  

Excerpts from the first two divisions from the commentary:

We Believe That Jesus Is the Messiah (5:1):

• "We must believe “that Jesus is the Messiah.” We must believe—trust in the truth—that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, the Christ, the hoped-for and promised deliverer. Such a confession is a birthmark that we have been born of God and that we are children of God." 
• Furthering the implications, the commentary shares that we must believe that Jesus is the Prophet, the Priest, and the King of the Church and as such He is the Anointed to reveal (as Prophet) the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  I must accept Him as the Priest who offered the sacrifice - Himself - so that I could be saved. I must also accept Him as King and His law and seek to not only submit to Him but also seek to "hate what He hates, and love what He loves? Do I live to praise Him? Do I, as a loyal subject, desire to see His kingdom come and His will done on earth as it is in Heaven?"
  

We Have Been Born of God (5:1,4):

• "In these verses John makes three observations about the new birth and the evidences related to this birthmark. First, those who have been born of God give witness concerning their new birth by confessing that Jesus is the Messiah (v.1). Second, those who have been born of God give witness concerning their new birth by loving Father God and His children (v.1). Third, those who have been born of God give witness concerning their new birth by continually overcoming the world (v.4)."
• "In this new birth God does not just give you a new name; He gives you a new nature. He gives you the very nature of God Himself as you enter into His family."
• "[Jesus] came to dramatically, personally, radically, and eternally transform us and make us new people. It is by the new birth that He accomplishes this glorious work. Therefore, you must be born again." 

Believe in Jesus and experience the blessings of being born again in His image!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and love for - exercising incredible patience with me as You mold me into more of Your image.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of the love, grace and patience You pour out for me.  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.

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

1 John 5:1-4

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 1 John 5:2-4

I continue my preparation for leading Sunday school at my church on 20OCT, where our class will be looking at 1 John 5:1-4.  For this morning, I lean on DesiringGod.com's Look at the Book video for this text.  Excerpts from the video:

• Faith: being born again is what produces faith; our spiritually dead hearts are made alive by Christ and we can begin to see Him in His glory for who He is; we are then drawn to believe; we are warned not to believe in this as a fact because even Satan believes Jesus is the Christ - instead our belief is driven not by logic but a change in spiritual condition.
• Faith: believing in Jesus (new birth) results in love for the Father
• Love for Father results in love for God's children (other believers)
• Love of Father and His children also results in obedience to Him
• Love of God results not just in obedience but in an obedience that is NOT burdensome and Piper explains that this is breakthrough relative to the OT and ceremonial law given how this law was burdensome - instead the law as given by Jesus is joyful
• Our love of God and His children overcome the world including sin, death, everything that makes the commandments of God burdensome (see also 1 John 2:15-17) > we treasure God so much that the world is exposed as unsatisfying
• Piper lays out the sequence as described in the text: new birth > faith > love of God > overcoming the world > we keep His commandments joyfully > this is what John calls loving believers.
  

Lord Jesus, help me see the world as unsatisfying and not love anything in it above You.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me - despite my sin.  Thank You Jesus for Your amazing grace!  I am not deserving of my salvation, nor any of the mercies and blessings You pour out for me every single day.  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 God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved[.]

Ephesians 2

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved[.] Ephesians 2:4-5

I pause my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series, to study Ephesians for 3 days per week as I participate in a Discipleship (D) Group that is part of my church. This morning, my focus is Ephesians 2, my initial observations, and scripture memorization of v4-5. As I unpack the letter (and further my understanding of it) Paul writes to the church in Ephesus, the MacArthur Bible Study Commentary (for purchase) indicates "[i]t is likely that the gospel was first brought to Ephesus by Priscilla and Aquila, an exceptionally gifted couple (see Acts 18:26) who were left there by Paul on his second missionary journey (Acts 18:18, 19)."  Additional commentary from MacArthur reinforces what Chuck Swindoll indicates, that "Paul spent the first three chapters of the letter discussing God’s creation of a holy community by His gift of grace in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ", and how "Paul divided his letter to the Ephesians into two clear segments; applying the truths of the first makes possible the actions and lifestyle of the second."  In Ephesians 2, there are two divisions: (1) how believers' salvation brings about new life in Christ (v1-10), and (2) how Christ removed all obstacles (including circumcision, works, obedience to the ceremonial law, etc.) to faith for all nations vs just Israel, and how both Gentiles and Israel are one in the eyes of God (v11-22).  Core to this chapter is v4-5, and we should meditate on these verses, be humbled by them, and rejoice in the truth of the grace we have in Christ!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who has poured out Your life so that I could be a new creation and have new life in You!  Thank You Jesus!  How humbling - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of course - my sin is great and it continues...daily, including pursuit of comfort.  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.

...[F[or anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

Ephesians 5

...[F[or anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Ephesians 5:14

This morning, until I start a new Bible study, I continue using devotionals from John Piper.  Today, the post focuses on the power of God to command us to give us rebirth in Jesus. Piper explains that we "first experience the divine gift of life and breath, and then to do what living, breathing people do: cry out to God in faith and gratitude and love. When the command of God comes with the creating, converting power of the Holy Spirit, it gives life. And we believe and rejoice and obey."  We are provided several scriptures that illustrate this process of how God's commands give us new life from our spiritual deadness:

• John 11:43-44
• Deuteronomy 10:16 and 30:6
• Ezekiel 18:31 and 36:26
• John 3:7 and 1 Peter 1:3 
  

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You gave me new life...a new heart, a heart of flesh - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a God.  My sin is daily - 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.

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.

God’s word is alive and working and is sharper than a double-edged sword. It cuts all the way into us, where the soul and the spirit are joined, to the center of our joints and bones. And it judges the thoughts and feelings in our hearts. Nothing in all the world can be hidden from God. Everything is clear and lies open before him, and to him we must explain the way we have lived.

Pages: 211-221

God’s word is alive and working and is sharper than a double-edged sword. It cuts all the way into us, where the soul and the spirit are joined, to the center of our joints and bones. And it judges the thoughts and feelings in our hearts. Nothing in all the world can be hidden from God. Everything is clear and lies open before him, and to him we must explain the way we have lived. Hebrews 4:12-13

This morning, I continued with John Piper's Reading the Bible Supernaturally: Seeing and Savoring the Glory of God in Scripture, Part 2 The Super Natural Act of Reading the Bible, chapter thirteen - New Testament Pictures of Bible Reading as a Supernatural Act.  Here Piper seeks to help us understand how the "Bible describes [the] act...[of] God giving [believers] the decisive ability to see the all-surpassing worth of the glory of God" - in other words, what scripture points to how God helps us read the Bible supernaturally?

Piper starts by saying that "we must be born again-we must be given spiritual life-in order to see the things of the Spirit as they really are-more beautiful and more precious than all earthly treasures....[and this] new birth happens through the word of God."  Piper gives us several key passages that describe this - starting with James 1:18-21 and 1 Peter 1:23-2:3. Both passages point to processes where our soul is saved and Piper writes that "[n]atural processes do not save the soul[.]" Piper also uses 1 Thessalonians 2:13-14 to show that is a supernatural process - by "the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe." Piper then moves on to show God is at work in us as an ongoing process from sanctification to glorification - see Hebrews 4:12-13. Piper extends this supernatural reading process by showing how we can overcome Satan by "word of God abiding in us" - see 1 John 2:14.

Piper wraps up this chapter by encouraging us to understand that "we are to listen to Jesus as he speaks to us in the Scriptures so that his joy-the supernatural joy of the Son of God-might be our joy, and ours might be full (John 15:11)."

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God and You give me eyes to see and ears to hear Your Word - and I am grateful.  I am able to see and taste Your glory and it is amazing.  I am grateful for all that You have done and continue to do in and through my life.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of the many blessings You pour out for me.  My sin, gossip, 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.

Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?

John 3

Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? v11-12

Nicodemus, a Pharisee and member of the Jewish ruling council, comes to Jesus in the night (v1-2) to speak with Him.  God wants us to engage with Him questions of faith - including our doubts, questions, frustration, etc.  Jacob even wrestled with God (see also DesiringGod.com on this topic of wrestling with God).  However, at some point, we must just believe.  

John Piper posits that the story of Nicodemus emphasizes that our faith requires us to be born again - in other words we cannot be "alive to religion" but "dead to God", referencing Luke 9:59-60 to illustrate how one can be dead to God. 

We must recognize and believe in our heart that we all need a Savior, Jesus is that Savior, and that He died and rose to redeem us - faith then becomes a gift from God. 

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.  Romans 10:9-10

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who died and rose for me - thank You Jesus!  I am undeserving of such a gift...I worry far too much!  Please forgive me 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 I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Matthew 5

But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. v28

Once again, as I posted yesterday, our heart is the source of sin in our lives and we are all born to sin (Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8) and must be born again.  

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Luke 6:45

The importance of heart condition applies in all areas of our lives, highlighted as well with our generosity.

God gives us a "new heart".

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God and You have given me a new heart and new life - thank You Jesus for the greatest gift of all time.  I am not worth such a gift.  I love You.  I need You.  I daily 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 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.

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

Matthew 1

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). v22-23

As I turn from the Old Testament, I think about how Jesus of course allows us to be born again through Him, and how He is fulfillment of the Old Testament.  The two above verses reference Isaiah 7:14.  While certainly not exhaustive, check out this resource which summarizes a few of the more notable prophecies of Jesus from the Old Testament. 

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You are the greatest gift of all time - You are life and life to the full!  Thank You for giving me new life and freedom from the sting of sin and death.  I am not worth such a gift, such grace and mercy, as I daily 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 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.