Romans 6 builds on the idea Paul presented in Romans 5--there is an old nature man created by Adam's sin, and a new nature Man created by Christ's death on the cross. Roman's 6 explains how we are included in Christ's death to destroy the Adam man by our faith in Him. We are not required to live out of the Adam-man at all but out of the Christ-man.
How does this work out exactly? It can appear that Paul is playing with semantics, talking about a positional state that we enjoy as believers some day in heaven as we struggle with our sin down hear on earth. In fact, we hear that familiar statement, " I'm not perfect, just forgiven" as a sort of summary of how impossible it is to live like Jesus. And it would be ok to accept this hopelessness, except that in several verses of Roman's 6, Paul gives us a direct command. And when God gives a direct command in scripture, He both empowers and expects obedience.
Ro 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Ro 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Ro 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
The word, "reckon" is logizomai, and means "take an inventory, estimate, conclude, esteem, impute, lay, number, reason, suppose, and think on" So we see that the beginning of living like Jesus takes place in our minds. It is a consideration of who we are in light of what Christ makes us to be.
When I got married, I was no longer Karen Stuit, I had become Karen Cook and I needed to think of myself as a married woman. I had to "reckon" myself as Mrs. Karen Cook. All the changes that marriage caused in my life did not happen on my wedding day, but I did have a new way of thinking of myself that began and continues to change me to this day.
In verse 12, the words "Let not" and "Reign" both mean "to rule". We choose our ruler, just like we do with elections. We have a choice who rules us. The word, "Obey" means "to hear under, to listen attentively, to heed, to conform to a command or authority, hearken to, be obedient to or obey."
We obey that to which we are listening. What am I listening to today? Am I caught up in the news? In politics? Am I listening to the cravings of my body for more food or more sleep? Am I listening to my emotions that come from rehearsing failure, loss and pain in my life? Am I listening to my fears? If I am , those are the lusts, the longings of the old sin nature that I am reinforcing with my mental activity. It would be the same as visiting all my old boyfriends after I am married.
However, if I am meditating on truth, if I have scriptures in my mind to combat the thoughts of the enemy, if I am grateful and thankful and choosing to think about good things, If I am training my mind to look for the good in others and to meet their needs, I am automatically going to live like Jesus.
It is clear in verse 13 that godly deeds are the fruits of godly thoughts. Paul progresses from thinking and listening to our actions--Neither yield your members--your body parts as instruments of unrighteousness, but yield them to God.
So I am not just imperfect and forgiven. I am engaged in a progressive recreation of who I am based on the power of Christ and what I choose to focus on. Yes, my sin is all forgiven. But it is also destroyed--and I am rising out of that nature through Christ's power into the person I truly want to be.
Monday, August 31, 2015
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Romans 5: Loving the Imperfect--the two-sided lens
Ro 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
This can be a hard thing to swallow--God loved us when we had nothing to offer Him. Jesus gave His life for people who deep down neither wanted Him or saw the depth of their need for Him.
The issue was, for the most part, the great sacrifice Jesus made was for the most part, misunderstood.
Even those who did have some understanding were helpless to give anything back. That is the definition of Agape love.
So--Now we have this wonderful gift of love from God--salvation through Christ.
Ro 5:10 For if, when we were haters of God, the death of his Son made us at peace with him, much more, now that we are his friends, will we have salvation through his life;
Ro 5:11 And not only so, but we have joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we are now at peace with God.
Every believer has the experience of having God love them while they are imperfect. Yet why do we have such a hard time doing the same for those around us?
Every human relationship we have is with someone who is marred and scarred by sin. Every person we encounter is imperfect. Yet we get so surprised when they let us down, hurt us or disappoint us. We hold them in contempt and reject them, sometimes so deeply in our hearts that we are not aware of our own feelings.
We even get surprised and disappointed when our own imperfections are exposed. Instead of being grateful for God's love that has covered our weakness, we hide, justify, deny or morbidly ponder our imperfections.
What God expects from us, is that we love imperfect people as well. We always have to view people through a two-sided lens: In one sense, we see that sin has ravaged every soul--even if they are a believer. In the other sense, we need to see that despite that imperfection, God sees value in and desires a relationship with every person.
If we know this, and know that we ourselves have God's Spirit of love inside us we can choose to release the idea that everyone should be perfect or should behave as we expect. We can release expectations and forgive every time.
Because we are still dealing with our own scarred souls, this takes work, practice and intimacy with God. So this is a process and a struggle, but we can get better at loving imperfect people. Even ourselves.
1Jo 3:16 In this we see what love is, because he gave his life for us; and it is right for us to give our lives for the brothers.
This can be a hard thing to swallow--God loved us when we had nothing to offer Him. Jesus gave His life for people who deep down neither wanted Him or saw the depth of their need for Him.
The issue was, for the most part, the great sacrifice Jesus made was for the most part, misunderstood.
Even those who did have some understanding were helpless to give anything back. That is the definition of Agape love.
So--Now we have this wonderful gift of love from God--salvation through Christ.
Ro 5:10 For if, when we were haters of God, the death of his Son made us at peace with him, much more, now that we are his friends, will we have salvation through his life;
Ro 5:11 And not only so, but we have joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we are now at peace with God.
Every believer has the experience of having God love them while they are imperfect. Yet why do we have such a hard time doing the same for those around us?
Every human relationship we have is with someone who is marred and scarred by sin. Every person we encounter is imperfect. Yet we get so surprised when they let us down, hurt us or disappoint us. We hold them in contempt and reject them, sometimes so deeply in our hearts that we are not aware of our own feelings.
We even get surprised and disappointed when our own imperfections are exposed. Instead of being grateful for God's love that has covered our weakness, we hide, justify, deny or morbidly ponder our imperfections.
What God expects from us, is that we love imperfect people as well. We always have to view people through a two-sided lens: In one sense, we see that sin has ravaged every soul--even if they are a believer. In the other sense, we need to see that despite that imperfection, God sees value in and desires a relationship with every person.
If we know this, and know that we ourselves have God's Spirit of love inside us we can choose to release the idea that everyone should be perfect or should behave as we expect. We can release expectations and forgive every time.
Because we are still dealing with our own scarred souls, this takes work, practice and intimacy with God. So this is a process and a struggle, but we can get better at loving imperfect people. Even ourselves.
1Jo 3:16 In this we see what love is, because he gave his life for us; and it is right for us to give our lives for the brothers.
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Romans 4 : Why I hate getting gifts
Ro 4:2 For if Abraham got righteousness by works, he has reason for pride; but not before God.
Ro 4:3 But what does it say in the holy Writings? And Abraham had faith in God, and it was put to his account as righteousness.
Ro 4:4 Now, the reward is credited to him who does works, not as of grace but as a debt.
This chapter of Romans explains how Abraham became the Father of the Jewish and Christian faith by simply believing God. True believers--Jew or Gentile copy his example--trusting in God's gift rather than their own efforts to be made holy.
Getting gifts can be hard for me. It is much easier for me to give a favor, or money, or some effort than it is to have a gift given to me. When I think about why that is, I don't think it is entirely that I have a giving personality--although I truly like to give things. Getting gifts are hard because I did not earn them. When I do my job, or give a gift and someone complements me or thanks me, part of my pride feels good. When I am given an all out gift, beyond what I needed or expected--I have to admit to my pride that someone else deserves my attention. The focus goes on the giver--and it's hard when that's not me.
I think that is the same reason why it is hard for people to come to faith in Christ--it requires a focus from self to Christ. I also think, and I have seen this in my own life, that once someone becomes a believer--the focus switches from looking at God's great gifts back to what little things I can do to serve Him. I secretly want God to owe me something for serving Him.
I don't see myself believing God for big things, like salvation for my whole family, or massive revival simply because those are things that are WAY beyond me. My prayers seem tethered to what I think is reasonably assured to happen anyway. Abraham was NOT that kind of person.
Ro 4:18 Who without reason for hope, in faith went on hoping, so that he became the father of a number of nations, as it had been said, So will your seed be.
Ro 4:20 Still, he did not give up faith in the undertaking of God, but was made strong by faith, giving glory to God,
Ro 4:21 And being certain that God was able to keep his word.
Ro 4:22 For which reason it was put to his account as righteousness.
Abraham was able to have and maintain great faith because he kept his focus on God. He spent his time waiting by considering the Greatness of God and the faithfulness of God. Even though he did some things for God, he grew strong by thinking about, worshipping, and giving glory to God.
In short, he kept his focus on the Giver. and that gave him joy and strength to make it to the end and receive great things from God.
So how will I know where my focus is? Lets go back a few verses:
Ro 4:7 Happy are those who have forgiveness for their wrongdoing, and whose sins are covered.
Ro 4:8 Happy is the man against whom no sin is recorded by the Lord.
The word, "Happy" there is the word "Blessed" or "Makarios" meaning supremely blessed, fortunate, well off. When I am focused on God and aware of His great gift to me, I am happy and blessed and aware of the magnitude of His great eternal favor for me. When I am focused on what I am giving and doing--I will be cranky, prideful, critical of others who don't seem to be like me, and depressed.
So, maybe the gift isn't the problem, maybe it's a need to refocus on the Giver.
Ro 4:3 But what does it say in the holy Writings? And Abraham had faith in God, and it was put to his account as righteousness.
Ro 4:4 Now, the reward is credited to him who does works, not as of grace but as a debt.
This chapter of Romans explains how Abraham became the Father of the Jewish and Christian faith by simply believing God. True believers--Jew or Gentile copy his example--trusting in God's gift rather than their own efforts to be made holy.
Getting gifts can be hard for me. It is much easier for me to give a favor, or money, or some effort than it is to have a gift given to me. When I think about why that is, I don't think it is entirely that I have a giving personality--although I truly like to give things. Getting gifts are hard because I did not earn them. When I do my job, or give a gift and someone complements me or thanks me, part of my pride feels good. When I am given an all out gift, beyond what I needed or expected--I have to admit to my pride that someone else deserves my attention. The focus goes on the giver--and it's hard when that's not me.
I think that is the same reason why it is hard for people to come to faith in Christ--it requires a focus from self to Christ. I also think, and I have seen this in my own life, that once someone becomes a believer--the focus switches from looking at God's great gifts back to what little things I can do to serve Him. I secretly want God to owe me something for serving Him.
I don't see myself believing God for big things, like salvation for my whole family, or massive revival simply because those are things that are WAY beyond me. My prayers seem tethered to what I think is reasonably assured to happen anyway. Abraham was NOT that kind of person.
Ro 4:18 Who without reason for hope, in faith went on hoping, so that he became the father of a number of nations, as it had been said, So will your seed be.
Ro 4:20 Still, he did not give up faith in the undertaking of God, but was made strong by faith, giving glory to God,
Ro 4:21 And being certain that God was able to keep his word.
Ro 4:22 For which reason it was put to his account as righteousness.
Abraham was able to have and maintain great faith because he kept his focus on God. He spent his time waiting by considering the Greatness of God and the faithfulness of God. Even though he did some things for God, he grew strong by thinking about, worshipping, and giving glory to God.
In short, he kept his focus on the Giver. and that gave him joy and strength to make it to the end and receive great things from God.
So how will I know where my focus is? Lets go back a few verses:
Ro 4:7 Happy are those who have forgiveness for their wrongdoing, and whose sins are covered.
Ro 4:8 Happy is the man against whom no sin is recorded by the Lord.
The word, "Happy" there is the word "Blessed" or "Makarios" meaning supremely blessed, fortunate, well off. When I am focused on God and aware of His great gift to me, I am happy and blessed and aware of the magnitude of His great eternal favor for me. When I am focused on what I am giving and doing--I will be cranky, prideful, critical of others who don't seem to be like me, and depressed.
So, maybe the gift isn't the problem, maybe it's a need to refocus on the Giver.
Monday, August 24, 2015
Romans 3 --What we must believe before we believe in God
Today I'm reading Romans 3. It is a very humbling chapter. The previous chapter exposes hypocrisy-the belief that knowledge is the same as experience in terms of knowing God. Knowledge about God is not the same as KNOWING who He is.
Chapter 3 goes even deeper to pull the veneer off our thoughts about ourselves. I'll let the verses speak for themselves:
Ro 3:10 As it is said in the holy Writings, There is not one who does righteousness;
Ro 3:11 Not one who has the knowledge of what is right, not one who is a searcher after God;
Ro 3:12 They have all gone out of the way, there is no profit in any of them; there is not one who does good, not so much as one:
Ro 3:13 Their throat is like an open place of death; with their tongues they have said what is not true: the poison of snakes is under their lips:
Ro 3:14 Whose mouth is full of curses and bitter words:
Ro 3:15 Their feet are quick in running after blood;
Ro 3:16 Destruction and trouble are in their ways;
Ro 3:17 And of the way of peace they have no knowledge:
Ro 3:18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Ro 3:23 For all have done wrong and are far from the glory of God;
The harsh truth of the matter is this--no matter what we think of ourselves, all of us start our lives as complete enemies of God! We can't come to real lasting faith until we know this to be true.
I grew up in a Christian home. When I was eight or nine, I accepted Jesus in my heart and I had a genuine love for God. But that faith failed me when hard times came shortly after. I regressed into rebellion and destruction. Why did that happen? I think a large part of it was that I felt that I was a good girl and deserved better from God. I was angry at Him for letting my life fall apart in Jr. High and felt I had a right to a better life. It wasn't til years later--after another deep stretch of rebellion that I came to grips with who I really am without Christ. I was in a mental hospital, wearing a paper dress and screaming. I believed that I was in Hell. That is who I am without Christ--raving, rebellious, and revolting.
God in his mercy took me from that place and brought me to a place of humility and peace. He has wonderfully restored my life and given me a beautiful family and church family. I couldn't imagine life as great as it is now. But the foundation of my faith is in the knowledge that without Him I am just that girl in a paper dress. I am not GOOD ENOUGH to be saved. GOD IS GOOD ENOUGH TO SAVE ME.
Ro 3:23 For all have done wrong and are far from the glory of God;
Ro 3:24 And they may have righteousness put to their credit, freely, by his grace, through the salvation which is in Christ Jesus:
Ro 3:26 And to make clear his righteousness now, so that he might himself be upright, and give righteousness to him who has faith in Jesus.
Ro 3:27 What reason, then, is there for pride? It is shut out. By what sort of law? of works? No, but by a law of faith.
Ro 3:28 For this reason, then, a man may get righteousness by faith without the works of the law.
Chapter 3 goes even deeper to pull the veneer off our thoughts about ourselves. I'll let the verses speak for themselves:
Ro 3:10 As it is said in the holy Writings, There is not one who does righteousness;
Ro 3:11 Not one who has the knowledge of what is right, not one who is a searcher after God;
Ro 3:12 They have all gone out of the way, there is no profit in any of them; there is not one who does good, not so much as one:
Ro 3:13 Their throat is like an open place of death; with their tongues they have said what is not true: the poison of snakes is under their lips:
Ro 3:14 Whose mouth is full of curses and bitter words:
Ro 3:15 Their feet are quick in running after blood;
Ro 3:16 Destruction and trouble are in their ways;
Ro 3:17 And of the way of peace they have no knowledge:
Ro 3:18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Ro 3:23 For all have done wrong and are far from the glory of God;
The harsh truth of the matter is this--no matter what we think of ourselves, all of us start our lives as complete enemies of God! We can't come to real lasting faith until we know this to be true.
I grew up in a Christian home. When I was eight or nine, I accepted Jesus in my heart and I had a genuine love for God. But that faith failed me when hard times came shortly after. I regressed into rebellion and destruction. Why did that happen? I think a large part of it was that I felt that I was a good girl and deserved better from God. I was angry at Him for letting my life fall apart in Jr. High and felt I had a right to a better life. It wasn't til years later--after another deep stretch of rebellion that I came to grips with who I really am without Christ. I was in a mental hospital, wearing a paper dress and screaming. I believed that I was in Hell. That is who I am without Christ--raving, rebellious, and revolting.
God in his mercy took me from that place and brought me to a place of humility and peace. He has wonderfully restored my life and given me a beautiful family and church family. I couldn't imagine life as great as it is now. But the foundation of my faith is in the knowledge that without Him I am just that girl in a paper dress. I am not GOOD ENOUGH to be saved. GOD IS GOOD ENOUGH TO SAVE ME.
Ro 3:23 For all have done wrong and are far from the glory of God;
Ro 3:24 And they may have righteousness put to their credit, freely, by his grace, through the salvation which is in Christ Jesus:
Ro 3:26 And to make clear his righteousness now, so that he might himself be upright, and give righteousness to him who has faith in Jesus.
Ro 3:27 What reason, then, is there for pride? It is shut out. By what sort of law? of works? No, but by a law of faith.
Ro 3:28 For this reason, then, a man may get righteousness by faith without the works of the law.
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Romans 2--or Don't rely on what you know
I am reading Romans along with my church, River of Life. I am on Romans 2 today. Romans 1 deals with people who don't have a religion or are not part of the Jewish or Christian religion. Paul was so clever in this, because as a person who goes to church or has a relationship with God reads Roman's 1, he/she might think "aha! I am not like that! I am much better because I have faith!"
In Roman's 2, Paul applies the other side of the "sword" of the Word and deals with root of those thoughts--Hypocrisy. Hypocrisy according to My Dictionary is:
In Roman's 2, Paul applies the other side of the "sword" of the Word and deals with root of those thoughts--Hypocrisy. Hypocrisy according to My Dictionary is:
a pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one does not really possess.
2.
Ro 2:13 For it is not the hearers of the law who will be judged as having righteousness before God, but only the doers:
Ro 2:23 You who take pride in the law, are you doing wrong to the honour of God by behaviour which is against the law?
Ro 2:29 But he is a Jew who is a secret one, whose circumcision is of the heart, in the spirit and not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.
a pretense of having some desirable or publicly approved attitude.
Hypocrisy is basically knowing what is good and right and taking pride in that knowledge rather than letting it change you. Hypocrisy mixed with pride tends to make people feel invulnerable to sin, and blind and hardhearted. A Hypocritical person also uses that knowledge that they have of God to evaluate others and include or exclude people based on how they measure up.
Every believer in some way is a hypocrite ie has some knowledge of God's word that has yet to be worked into their experience. The challenge is not to let what we KNOW about God make us proud, but instead to make us Humble and desperate for His Spirit to change us.
Ro 2:3 But you who are judging another for doing what you do yourself, are you hoping that God's decision will not take effect against you?
Ro 2:4 Or is it nothing to you that God had pity on you, waiting and putting up with you for so long, not seeing that in his pity God's desire is to give you a change of heart?
Ro 2:4 Or is it nothing to you that God had pity on you, waiting and putting up with you for so long, not seeing that in his pity God's desire is to give you a change of heart?
Ro 2:13 For it is not the hearers of the law who will be judged as having righteousness before God, but only the doers:
Ro 2:23 You who take pride in the law, are you doing wrong to the honour of God by behaviour which is against the law?
Ro 2:29 But he is a Jew who is a secret one, whose circumcision is of the heart, in the spirit and not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.
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