Romans 9 14-end
As we’ve said in the last 2 weeks, Paul is dealing with some very heavy issues here concerning Israel’s place in the redemptive history (God’s plan from Adam to the present to save people). Why is Paul spending so much time and energy on this subject?
-He was accused of hating Israel and being a traitor.
-The issue of God’s faithfulness after a promise was in question. Paul’s readers in Rome, though mostly gentile, were a mix of Jew and gentile. They were aware of the fact that God made a promise to Israel that salvation would be theirs and that He would always be faithful to them. Now Paul comes along and says, “Israel has rejected the Messiah and now salvation has been made available to anyone who embraces Jesus. And now God has made a promise that nothing can separate those in Christ from the love of God.” So the question is, if God has shifted focus from Israel to anyone who embraces Jesus, has He forsaken His promise to Israel? And if so how do we know He won’t forsake us for someone else in the future?
So what do we make of this? Paul solidifies that God has not forsaken His promise to Israel by showing that God never promised salvation to all of Israel but only to few within national Israel who embraced true faith. This is what the OT prophets called the Remnant. God has now extended that promise beyond the confines of one nation or even one culture. Theologian Douglass Moo says that if even a minority of Jews responded to the gospel and joined in God’s redemptive plan then there is no contradiction or breaking of God’s promise. God will always be faithful to Israel, and there will always be those descended from Abraham that embrace true faith in God.
14-29
What Paul is discussing here is this: Does God have the right to choose one people group to have mercy on, to reveal his glory to, etc, and not choose others? The answer is clearly yes.
This section is often used as a proof-text for hyper Calvinism. Those who would use it as such say, “See, God chooses some and not others.” I have a problem with this. In studying for this I discovered that most, if not all, of the texts that hyper-Calvinists use that speak of God choosing only some people are not talking about individual salvation, but about God’s choosing of one nation over another. That applies here. We know from the context (vs 6-13) that Paul is talking about God selecting Israel to be in a covenant relationship with Him. These passages about choosing need to be understood in the context of God’s sovereign choosing of one nation over another, and in this sense the nation had nothing to do with being chosen. Even the individuals Paul mentions are representative of nations.
Again, this section should be understood in the context of how God lays out his plan in the world, not in individuals. God has the right to choose Israel, and to save only a remnant among them (14-23, 27-29). God also has the right extend the invitation gentiles (24-26).
The idea that God chooses some for salvation and not others, and that if God has not selected you it is impossible to come to salvation does not line up with numerous other portions of scripture (John 3:16, Romans 10:13, 1 John 2:2, 2 Peter 3:9, 1 Tim 2:3-6, Acts 16:30, Acts 7:51, Gal 2:21, Matt 23:37).
Vs 30-33
So Paul has just spent some time talking about how God can extend salvation to whomever He wants, and does so. What is the result? Paul now begins to discuss what has played out as a result of the fact that God chose Israel to bring about salvation and then, when they (in general) rejected it, extended the offer to everyone.
The result is this: those who were not trying to please God by works or by being legally righteous are now righteous in God’s sight simply by faith while those who for eons had been trying to obtain rigid legal righteousness still aren’t righteous!!! In fact the ability to become righteous by faith has become a stumbling block to them that causes anger and resentment. Why? Because they can’t switch gears from thinking about righteousness in terms of works and deeds. They are still shooting at the wrong target.
Imagine it like this: Suppose IU were the only university or college in the country and is therefore beyond prestigious. Graduating from IU puts you at instant rock-star status and guarantees you are better than 99% of the country. Since it was established someone in your family from each generation has gone there. Now you’re in your SR year, you’ve been working your tale off for 4 years and a week before graduating IU sends out a national advertisement that says, “Hey, we’re switching up how we do things at IU. From now on, all you have to do to get a degree from IU is email us that you want one. In fact, you don’t even have to be a student here. Sooo….anyone at all, just email us and you’ll have a degree from IU.” Of course you would be ticked. That’s what’s going on here.
For the gentile this offer is amazing. For the Jews, the gospel of grace is a stumbling block. They say, “That’s not fair! My ancestors and I have been working for righteousness and now you say anyone can be called righteous! I was told ‘this’ is what’s expected of me, and that’s what I’ve been striving for.” So, why didn’t this work? The Jews were given the law, so if they were striving to keep the law why weren’t they righteous? 1. Nobody has kept the whole law. 2. They missed the whole point of the law. The law was never intended to bring salvation but to show our need for a savior. In giving the law God was not saying, “do these and you’ll be saved.” He was saying, “Put your trust in me. Have faith in me. You want to see how holy I am? You want to see what legal perfection looks like? Here! See how perfect I am? Put your trust in me.”
Application: Don’t we tend to do this very thing? “I grew up in Christian home so I must be a Christian. I live a pretty good life so I must be good with God.” Just like the Jews we have a tendency to take our focus off of God and put it on ourselves. I’m good enough, I’ve done enough, I’m right with God because I…
Religion cannot save, church membership cannot save, parents with faith cannot save, being good cannot save, playing by the rules cannot save, getting baptized cannot save, giving money cannot save, serving the poor cannot save, no amount of reading and praying can save you. Like the Jews that Paul references we tend to put our focus on these things and feel little superior to those who don’t when in reality, as good as some of those things are, they are meaningless in the discussion of salvation. The only question pertinent to that discussion is “what do you do with Jesus? Do you stumble over Him or trust Him alone to save you?
There is a guy named Bob Harrington who was known in the 60’s as the chaplain of Bourbon Street. For several years he had a pretty awesome ministry to musicians, singers, performers, gamblers and prostitutes in the French Quarter. He wrote a book and said the easiest people to bring to Jesus were the prostitutes because they already knew they were sinners. He said you don’t have to convince them they are drowning, just throw them a life jacket and they grab it. He said it was much harder talking to “good people”. He even talked to some deacons in churches who could not answer the question of why they were saved. But getting them to the point of embracing Jesus was very difficult because, he said, they have so much religion they don’t think they need Jesus.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Not all who say they are really are.
Romans 9: 1-13
Paul has spent the last 8 chapters talking about salvation, our need, God’s plan, it’s effectiveness, etc. Now he breaks off a little and begins to discuss Israel’s place in all of this. My goal is not to make a political statement but to see if there is anything about what Paul says concerning Israel that impacts our faith today. The answer is yes.
I want to break these first 13 verses into 2 sections and talk about 2 topics. In the first 5 verses I want to look at what Paul teaches us about evangelism. In the next 7 verses we will look at what Paul teaches us about what makes us part of the kingdom.
Vs1-5
In these first 5 verses we see the heart of a missionary, the heart of Jesus. When Paul starts talking about Israel and how they’ve rejected Jesus he is immediately gripped with grief and passion. We’re going to talk about these verses out of order. Look first at who it is Paul is talking about: 3b-5. Clearly he is talking about Jews, but his description of them goes far beyond national description. These are his people. They are his countrymen, his family, his brothers and sister, his cousins, his friends. Not only that, but Paul describes them as people whom God loves. They are the adoption, they have experienced God’s glory, God has made a covenant with them, the law and the forefathers and God’s promises belong to these people.
Paul is clearly enamored with Israel. He loves these people. This isn’t just patriotism, it is genuine love. What does Paul say this love for his people causes in him (2-3)? Sorrow and anguish. He is not just sad, he is in anguish for them because they have not embraced the Messiah. Paul is in pain over the fact that they are missing out on life in Jesus. So much that Paul says would be willing to be cursed if that would mean Israel embraced Jesus. Paul would forfeit his own salvation if that would bring his people to Jesus (obviously that is impossible, but that is the extent of Paul’s love).
This is the heart of Jesus! This is the picture of missions and evangelism: To be willing to experience harm so that good can come to others. But the key to all of this is in V1. Paul wants his readers to be aware of the sincerity he has about what he is saying. Rarely does Paul go out of the way to convince his readers that he telling the truth. A few times in his epistles he says, “This is a true saying.” But this is furthest Paul goes pleading with readers to believe him. The point is this: Paul wants to be clear that this is not just lip service. Paul is saying with 100% sincerity and absolute conviction that he would do anything to see his people have life.
Application: You are surrounded by your people. They may not be the covenant nation of Israel, they may not be tasked with Temple service, but they are people God wants to adopt into His family, they are loved, they are people to whom God wants to show His glory and share His presence, they are people Jesus died to make a covenant with. So, do we feel similar sorrow and anguish? Are we willing to suffer anything for them to experience life? How much of what we say about wanting others to know Jesus is insincere?
Vs 6-13
Paul is saying some things that are very unique to the Israel situation, yet there are some amazing parallels that we can apply to our situation. Paul has just said God’s promise was to bring salvation through Israel, yet Israel rejected the Messiah. Now he says, “But don’t think God’s plan failed, because not every one who claims to be of Israel is really of Israel.” Paul goes off on a tangent that can be kind of hard to understand because he’s using this really technical Jewish illustration of Abraham’s descendants and Isaac’s kids and blah blah blah. What Paul is saying is that you can’t claim to be Israel because you were born into it or simply because you say it. Not all of Abe’s kids are Israel, or all of Isaac’s kids. Only those children of the promise are Israel.
The point is there are some who are and some who aren’t and you can’t claim to be based on anything other than the promise. These same principles are true for us today as much as for Paul explaining this nearly 2000 years ago. There are so many more people who claim to be the church than really are. For so many it’s just a casual thing that holds no real significance, “Well, I think my parents are Methodists and I totally wear a cross necklace so no duh I’m a Christian.” And this leaves many people with the question, “If the church is supposed to be God’s spotless bride and God’s active body on earth, why do so many ‘Christians’ live in complete denial of Jesus?”
Paul’s words ring out that there are some who are and some who only claim to be. The only way to be is through embracing the promise of Jesus, “Come and die with me and I will show you life! Give me everything and I will show you how empty you were. Hold nothing back and I will show you what full life really is. Give up your life for me and I will help you really find it.”
Paul has spent the last 8 chapters talking about salvation, our need, God’s plan, it’s effectiveness, etc. Now he breaks off a little and begins to discuss Israel’s place in all of this. My goal is not to make a political statement but to see if there is anything about what Paul says concerning Israel that impacts our faith today. The answer is yes.
I want to break these first 13 verses into 2 sections and talk about 2 topics. In the first 5 verses I want to look at what Paul teaches us about evangelism. In the next 7 verses we will look at what Paul teaches us about what makes us part of the kingdom.
Vs1-5
In these first 5 verses we see the heart of a missionary, the heart of Jesus. When Paul starts talking about Israel and how they’ve rejected Jesus he is immediately gripped with grief and passion. We’re going to talk about these verses out of order. Look first at who it is Paul is talking about: 3b-5. Clearly he is talking about Jews, but his description of them goes far beyond national description. These are his people. They are his countrymen, his family, his brothers and sister, his cousins, his friends. Not only that, but Paul describes them as people whom God loves. They are the adoption, they have experienced God’s glory, God has made a covenant with them, the law and the forefathers and God’s promises belong to these people.
Paul is clearly enamored with Israel. He loves these people. This isn’t just patriotism, it is genuine love. What does Paul say this love for his people causes in him (2-3)? Sorrow and anguish. He is not just sad, he is in anguish for them because they have not embraced the Messiah. Paul is in pain over the fact that they are missing out on life in Jesus. So much that Paul says would be willing to be cursed if that would mean Israel embraced Jesus. Paul would forfeit his own salvation if that would bring his people to Jesus (obviously that is impossible, but that is the extent of Paul’s love).
This is the heart of Jesus! This is the picture of missions and evangelism: To be willing to experience harm so that good can come to others. But the key to all of this is in V1. Paul wants his readers to be aware of the sincerity he has about what he is saying. Rarely does Paul go out of the way to convince his readers that he telling the truth. A few times in his epistles he says, “This is a true saying.” But this is furthest Paul goes pleading with readers to believe him. The point is this: Paul wants to be clear that this is not just lip service. Paul is saying with 100% sincerity and absolute conviction that he would do anything to see his people have life.
Application: You are surrounded by your people. They may not be the covenant nation of Israel, they may not be tasked with Temple service, but they are people God wants to adopt into His family, they are loved, they are people to whom God wants to show His glory and share His presence, they are people Jesus died to make a covenant with. So, do we feel similar sorrow and anguish? Are we willing to suffer anything for them to experience life? How much of what we say about wanting others to know Jesus is insincere?
Vs 6-13
Paul is saying some things that are very unique to the Israel situation, yet there are some amazing parallels that we can apply to our situation. Paul has just said God’s promise was to bring salvation through Israel, yet Israel rejected the Messiah. Now he says, “But don’t think God’s plan failed, because not every one who claims to be of Israel is really of Israel.” Paul goes off on a tangent that can be kind of hard to understand because he’s using this really technical Jewish illustration of Abraham’s descendants and Isaac’s kids and blah blah blah. What Paul is saying is that you can’t claim to be Israel because you were born into it or simply because you say it. Not all of Abe’s kids are Israel, or all of Isaac’s kids. Only those children of the promise are Israel.
The point is there are some who are and some who aren’t and you can’t claim to be based on anything other than the promise. These same principles are true for us today as much as for Paul explaining this nearly 2000 years ago. There are so many more people who claim to be the church than really are. For so many it’s just a casual thing that holds no real significance, “Well, I think my parents are Methodists and I totally wear a cross necklace so no duh I’m a Christian.” And this leaves many people with the question, “If the church is supposed to be God’s spotless bride and God’s active body on earth, why do so many ‘Christians’ live in complete denial of Jesus?”
Paul’s words ring out that there are some who are and some who only claim to be. The only way to be is through embracing the promise of Jesus, “Come and die with me and I will show you life! Give me everything and I will show you how empty you were. Hold nothing back and I will show you what full life really is. Give up your life for me and I will help you really find it.”
What can separate us? NOTHING!
Romans 8:31-End
This section is Paul’s conclusion to not only to this small section, but to the entire first 8 chapters. The overall theme of the first half of the letter is salvation. He’s getting ready to change gears and start talking about Israel’s rejection of Jesus and their place as God’s people. But for the first 8 chapters the theme has been “the salvation available to all men.” Chapters 1-3 discuss our sinfulness and need for a savior. 4-5 discuss how grace is superior to the law, the benefits of this covenant above the last. 6-7 discuss the death of the law’s power over us even though we still struggle with the sinful nature. 8 is all about the confidence we can have in this salvation.
Paul has been using a didactic where he asks questions he knows his opponents would ask (devils advocate) then answers his own questions. The last question he asks in the section is more broad and further reaching than the others, “What shall we say about these things?”. “These things” can refer not only to the previous statements about God calling and justifying, but to the entire book so far. Here’s what can be said: Everything Paul has said points to the immense love of God, to the fact that in spite of our rebellion and wickedness God loves humanity, and to the fact that those who have been brought from law/death to grace/life God has promised to be faithful and to use everything to bring us good. It points to the fact that God is for us, and if that is the case, what can possibly be against us?
V32
The most supreme evidence of God being for us: Jesus on the cross. (1 Cor 11:1.)
The rest of this chapter is the pinnacle of Paul’s teaching on salvation; the climax! If Romans had a soundtrack this would be the part where the orchestra is blaring and the cymbals are crashing. This is the part of the movie where the bad guy has killed the good guy and has the damsel cornered and right before he kills her the good guy does a backflip off a moving train while shooting ninjas and dropkicks the villain, then says “I wasn’t dead, I had to let him think I was to lure him out.” This is the climactic point of Paul’s argument on salvation!!! The theme of Paul’s climactic ending to this is that absolutely nothing can spoil this, nothing can pull you away, nothing can void your salvation, nothing will change God’s mind about you. Paul breaks this down into 2 smaller sections.
V33-34
In this first part Paul uses legal terminology and paints the image of a courtroom. Who can bring charges against us? Can anyone or anything bring legal charges that would change what Paul has said? Can anyone enter new evidence that would void God’s forgiveness? Apart from Jesus there are 3 sources of condemnation that can separate us from God; the law, our guilty consciences, and Satan.
Can the law (our breaking of the law) keep us from justification? No! Romans 6 is all about how we are not under law but under grace. Can our guilty conscience keep us from justification? No. Paul just said in 8:16 that God’s Spirit bears witness with our spirit confirming inwardly that we are His. Can Satan, the accuser of the brothers (& sisters), accuse us of anything that will force God to revoke our salvation? No! God is the one who justifies. The one we’ve offended is the one who has pardoned us, therefore there are no accusations that can me made against us. Every accusation, even the true ones, will be met with “I know. But I love and have forgiven .”
Who can condemn? Everything that would have been used as evidence against us has been burned up in the cross of Jesus. Jesus, about whom the Bible says God has given all things to judge, died our death and was resurrected. If that weren’t enough, now He’s sitting right beside the Father continually interceding for us! So the obvious answer is nobody. Nobody can bring a case against God’s people because the sovereign God of the universe has justified us and Jesus now sits pleading our case every day to the Father.
Vs 35-39
So, there’s nothing that can cause God to change His mind. If there’s nothing that can cause God to push us away, is there anything that can pull us away? Obviously, Paul’s answer is going to be no, but he says much more than a simple no.
Vs 35-7 should be read together. Is Paul saying we will not be like sheep led the slaughter? That doesn’t make sense of the wording. V36 starts with “as.” As means to the same degree, extent or quantity; equally so. “As it is written” means just like it is written, because of You we ARE being put to death like sheep.” Paul’s no is in response to his own question, can that pull us away from the love of Christ? No! Because even if we are dragged away to like helpless sheep we are still, in spite of that, more than conquerors. This isn’t reality we face like many others, but that’s what Paul means here. Not even this can cut the bond of love that is between Jesus and his people. Whatever persecutors may take, they cannot take the love of Jesus away from us. Whatever famine and anguish and affliction rob us of, they cannot rob us of the love of Jesus.
Matthew Henry: “A true Christian loves Christ never the less though he suffer for him, thinks never the worse of Christ though he lose all for him.”
What does it mean to be more than a conqueror? Some would say being a conqueror or having victory in a situation means your faith changes the situation to be prosperous and beneficial to you. Paul doesn’t say “out of these things” but “in all these things…” There’s something about continuing to love Jesus in spite of suffering that is conquering and victorious. This is what Paul is alluding to. Jesus conquered every dark and evil thing with the cross. He waged war by suffering and dying, this is the way of Jesus and His upside-down kingdom. It’s been said the church was built on the blood of martyrs. Many enemies of Christianity over the ages have expressed shock at the unshakable courage of Jesus followers, and their preference to dying rather than denying Him. Revelation 12:11 says Satan, the accuser of the brothers, was overcome (conquered) by the fact that believers did not love their own lives in the face of death. How does this work? (Sometimes I’ll be bothering Merry in some way, then she’ll finally say “Fine, do it. I don’t care.” It totally deflates me and she just beat me because now I don’t even want to do it, its not fun unless it bothers her.) When the only thing that can never be taken away from you is the only thing you need and the thing you supremely cherish above all else, you’ve just conquered everything. It doesn’t mean you “speak by faith” and make a new Rolls Royce appear out of nowhere. It means that which you love more than anything cannot be taken from you, so you have conquered.
Therefore, nothing, life nor death nor…can separate us from Jesus.
So now, let me ask, what is our response to these things? We should rejoice in the fact that Jesus loves us to this degree.
Small article by John Piper:
Believers in Jesus are precious to God (we're his bride!). And he loves us so much that he will not allow our preciousness to become our god.
God does indeed make much of us (adoption!), but he does so in a way that draws us out of ourselves to enjoy his greatness.
Test yourself. If Jesus came to spend the day with you, sat down beside you on the couch, and said, “I really love you,” what would you focus on the rest of the day that you spend together?
It seems to me that too many songs and sermons leave us with the wrong answer. They leave the impression that the heights of our joy would be in the recurrent feeling of being loved. “He loves me!” “He loves me!” This is joy indeed. But not the heights and not the focus.
What are we saying with the words “I am loved”? What do we mean? What is this “being loved”?
Would not the greatest, most Christ-exalting joy be found in watching Jesus all day and bursting with, “You’re amazing!” “You are amazing!”
• He answers the hardest question, and his wisdom is amazing.
• He touches a filthy, oozing sore, and his compassion is amazing.
• He raises a dead lady at the medical examiner’s office, and his power is amazing.
• He predicts the afternoon’s events, and his foreknowledge is amazing.
• He sleeps during an earthquake, and his fearlessness is amazing.
• He says, “Before Abraham was, I AM,” and his words are amazing.
We walk around with him utterly amazed at what we are seeing.
Is not his love for us his eagerness to do for us all he must do (including die) so that we can marvel at him and not be incinerated by him? Redemption, propitiation, forgiveness, justification, reconciliation — all these have to happen. They are the act of love. But the goal of love that makes those acts loving is that we be with him and see his jaw-dropping glory and be astounded. In those moments we forget ourselves and see and feel him.
So I am urging pastors and teachers: Push people through the acts of Christ’s love to the goal of his love. If redemption and propitiation and forgiveness and justification and reconciliation are not taking us to the enjoyment of Jesus himself, they are not love.
This section is Paul’s conclusion to not only to this small section, but to the entire first 8 chapters. The overall theme of the first half of the letter is salvation. He’s getting ready to change gears and start talking about Israel’s rejection of Jesus and their place as God’s people. But for the first 8 chapters the theme has been “the salvation available to all men.” Chapters 1-3 discuss our sinfulness and need for a savior. 4-5 discuss how grace is superior to the law, the benefits of this covenant above the last. 6-7 discuss the death of the law’s power over us even though we still struggle with the sinful nature. 8 is all about the confidence we can have in this salvation.
Paul has been using a didactic where he asks questions he knows his opponents would ask (devils advocate) then answers his own questions. The last question he asks in the section is more broad and further reaching than the others, “What shall we say about these things?”. “These things” can refer not only to the previous statements about God calling and justifying, but to the entire book so far. Here’s what can be said: Everything Paul has said points to the immense love of God, to the fact that in spite of our rebellion and wickedness God loves humanity, and to the fact that those who have been brought from law/death to grace/life God has promised to be faithful and to use everything to bring us good. It points to the fact that God is for us, and if that is the case, what can possibly be against us?
V32
The most supreme evidence of God being for us: Jesus on the cross. (1 Cor 11:1.)
The rest of this chapter is the pinnacle of Paul’s teaching on salvation; the climax! If Romans had a soundtrack this would be the part where the orchestra is blaring and the cymbals are crashing. This is the part of the movie where the bad guy has killed the good guy and has the damsel cornered and right before he kills her the good guy does a backflip off a moving train while shooting ninjas and dropkicks the villain, then says “I wasn’t dead, I had to let him think I was to lure him out.” This is the climactic point of Paul’s argument on salvation!!! The theme of Paul’s climactic ending to this is that absolutely nothing can spoil this, nothing can pull you away, nothing can void your salvation, nothing will change God’s mind about you. Paul breaks this down into 2 smaller sections.
V33-34
In this first part Paul uses legal terminology and paints the image of a courtroom. Who can bring charges against us? Can anyone or anything bring legal charges that would change what Paul has said? Can anyone enter new evidence that would void God’s forgiveness? Apart from Jesus there are 3 sources of condemnation that can separate us from God; the law, our guilty consciences, and Satan.
Can the law (our breaking of the law) keep us from justification? No! Romans 6 is all about how we are not under law but under grace. Can our guilty conscience keep us from justification? No. Paul just said in 8:16 that God’s Spirit bears witness with our spirit confirming inwardly that we are His. Can Satan, the accuser of the brothers (& sisters), accuse us of anything that will force God to revoke our salvation? No! God is the one who justifies. The one we’ve offended is the one who has pardoned us, therefore there are no accusations that can me made against us. Every accusation, even the true ones, will be met with “I know. But I love and have forgiven .”
Who can condemn? Everything that would have been used as evidence against us has been burned up in the cross of Jesus. Jesus, about whom the Bible says God has given all things to judge, died our death and was resurrected. If that weren’t enough, now He’s sitting right beside the Father continually interceding for us! So the obvious answer is nobody. Nobody can bring a case against God’s people because the sovereign God of the universe has justified us and Jesus now sits pleading our case every day to the Father.
Vs 35-39
So, there’s nothing that can cause God to change His mind. If there’s nothing that can cause God to push us away, is there anything that can pull us away? Obviously, Paul’s answer is going to be no, but he says much more than a simple no.
Vs 35-7 should be read together. Is Paul saying we will not be like sheep led the slaughter? That doesn’t make sense of the wording. V36 starts with “as.” As means to the same degree, extent or quantity; equally so. “As it is written” means just like it is written, because of You we ARE being put to death like sheep.” Paul’s no is in response to his own question, can that pull us away from the love of Christ? No! Because even if we are dragged away to like helpless sheep we are still, in spite of that, more than conquerors. This isn’t reality we face like many others, but that’s what Paul means here. Not even this can cut the bond of love that is between Jesus and his people. Whatever persecutors may take, they cannot take the love of Jesus away from us. Whatever famine and anguish and affliction rob us of, they cannot rob us of the love of Jesus.
Matthew Henry: “A true Christian loves Christ never the less though he suffer for him, thinks never the worse of Christ though he lose all for him.”
What does it mean to be more than a conqueror? Some would say being a conqueror or having victory in a situation means your faith changes the situation to be prosperous and beneficial to you. Paul doesn’t say “out of these things” but “in all these things…” There’s something about continuing to love Jesus in spite of suffering that is conquering and victorious. This is what Paul is alluding to. Jesus conquered every dark and evil thing with the cross. He waged war by suffering and dying, this is the way of Jesus and His upside-down kingdom. It’s been said the church was built on the blood of martyrs. Many enemies of Christianity over the ages have expressed shock at the unshakable courage of Jesus followers, and their preference to dying rather than denying Him. Revelation 12:11 says Satan, the accuser of the brothers, was overcome (conquered) by the fact that believers did not love their own lives in the face of death. How does this work? (Sometimes I’ll be bothering Merry in some way, then she’ll finally say “Fine, do it. I don’t care.” It totally deflates me and she just beat me because now I don’t even want to do it, its not fun unless it bothers her.) When the only thing that can never be taken away from you is the only thing you need and the thing you supremely cherish above all else, you’ve just conquered everything. It doesn’t mean you “speak by faith” and make a new Rolls Royce appear out of nowhere. It means that which you love more than anything cannot be taken from you, so you have conquered.
Therefore, nothing, life nor death nor…can separate us from Jesus.
So now, let me ask, what is our response to these things? We should rejoice in the fact that Jesus loves us to this degree.
Small article by John Piper:
Believers in Jesus are precious to God (we're his bride!). And he loves us so much that he will not allow our preciousness to become our god.
God does indeed make much of us (adoption!), but he does so in a way that draws us out of ourselves to enjoy his greatness.
Test yourself. If Jesus came to spend the day with you, sat down beside you on the couch, and said, “I really love you,” what would you focus on the rest of the day that you spend together?
It seems to me that too many songs and sermons leave us with the wrong answer. They leave the impression that the heights of our joy would be in the recurrent feeling of being loved. “He loves me!” “He loves me!” This is joy indeed. But not the heights and not the focus.
What are we saying with the words “I am loved”? What do we mean? What is this “being loved”?
Would not the greatest, most Christ-exalting joy be found in watching Jesus all day and bursting with, “You’re amazing!” “You are amazing!”
• He answers the hardest question, and his wisdom is amazing.
• He touches a filthy, oozing sore, and his compassion is amazing.
• He raises a dead lady at the medical examiner’s office, and his power is amazing.
• He predicts the afternoon’s events, and his foreknowledge is amazing.
• He sleeps during an earthquake, and his fearlessness is amazing.
• He says, “Before Abraham was, I AM,” and his words are amazing.
We walk around with him utterly amazed at what we are seeing.
Is not his love for us his eagerness to do for us all he must do (including die) so that we can marvel at him and not be incinerated by him? Redemption, propitiation, forgiveness, justification, reconciliation — all these have to happen. They are the act of love. But the goal of love that makes those acts loving is that we be with him and see his jaw-dropping glory and be astounded. In those moments we forget ourselves and see and feel him.
So I am urging pastors and teachers: Push people through the acts of Christ’s love to the goal of his love. If redemption and propitiation and forgiveness and justification and reconciliation are not taking us to the enjoyment of Jesus himself, they are not love.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Good in all things....really?
Romans 8:28-end
This chapter has more “power verses” than any other single chapter in the Bible. There is no condemnation for those in Christ…All those led by God’s Spirit are sons…we’ve received the spirit of adoption by which cry out Abba Father…these present suffering do not compare to the future glory…all things work together for the good of those…If God is for us who can be against us…Who can separate us from the love of Christ…We are more than conquerors…” all of these statements are in this chapter. We’re going to cover a few of them tonight.
V28
First let’s dissect the verse exegetically. Some translations import “God” into the first phrase so it reads, “In all things God works for the good of those who love him.” The most literal rendering is, “We know that towards the ones loving God all is acting together into the good of the ones…” So the most honest way to read this is, “All things work together towards the good of those who love God and…”
This raises a question among theologians. What or who is the subject of the working? Some assert it is the Holy Spirit (v26), others that it is the Father (27b) and others that it is just “all things”. The answer to this theological conundrum is…it doesn’t really matter. The most literal understanding of the wording is that “all things” is the subject, that it is the “all things” that are doing the working. But it doesn’t really matter because it is only the Holy Spirit, acting to fulfill the will of the Father, which can cause all things to work for our good.
Who does this promise apply to? Those who love God and who are called according to His purpose. Paul describes the recipients of this promise from a human perspective and from God’s perspective. Paul simply means God’s people. Paul is not saying “…good for those who love God enough.” Simply, if you love God, you are part of this.
Now let’s get to the dirty real life part. Really Paul? All things work for the good of those who love God?
-In Africa a 13 year old girl who recently put her faith in Jesus is kidnapped and rapped because of superstitious beliefs about how to get rid of AIDS, she simultaneously contracts HIV and gets pregnant.
-A baby is born missing most of his brain. He has enough brain stem to keep organs going but is completely comatose. Drs say he will die in days. Somehow he lives for several months causing prolonged suffering and attachment before he dies.
-A guy loves God with all his heart. He feels called to take the gospel to the poorest villages in China. He’s in seminary preparing to go when one day his wife walks in and says she’s been cheating and is leaving him.
Are these situations good?
-This verse sounds good when you need something Bible-y to say when you find out someone isn’t doing well. But if you’re like me, then you really have a hard time with this verse. Most of us have at least two problems with this statement: 1 he’s too dogmatic. “We know”. Do we? Paul doesn’t say hopefully or we think. We’re supposed to know. 2 he’s too inclusive. All things. We can be fairly certain that God uses some situations for good. But all things? Can we really say that we know that God works all things for good?
What adds to my difficulty with this verse are bad experiences with people misusing this verse to paint a “Christian life is perfect” picture. Sometimes very well meaning, but very wrong people misunderstand this verse and misuse it to insinuate the only reason God allows bad things to happen is to clear the way for something better right around the corner. “You lost your job? No worries. All things work for the good, so that means a better job is coming. Oh, you just got dumped? Well, God has someone better for you right around the corner.”
The key to interpreting and understanding this verse lies in understanding one word: “good”. What does Paul mean by good? The problem is our culture has come to understand “good” as pleasurable. Whatever is quick, easy, feels good, makes you happy, gets you profit, relieves stress, takes away pain…this is good. But this is not the biblical meaning of good.
In ancient Jewish culture (and in many modern cultures other than ours) good is not that which is pleasurable or happy, it is whatever results in quality of character or being a better person. In Paul’s theology, good is whatever results in God being glorified. John Piper speaks powerfully on this and says, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him" and, “God created us for this: to live our lives in a way that makes him look more like the greatness and the beauty and the infinite worth that he really is.”
If I only value and treasure Jesus as long as the prosperity train is rolling, then odds are I don’t really love Jesus so much as what he gives. If I continue to love Jesus in the midst of adversity and suffering then there is no doubt Jesus, not gifts, is our ultimate treasure. That is good.
So, when I understand “good” not as whatever is pleasurable and easy, but as whatever makes me the person God desires and whatever helps me reveal Jesus as my ultimate treasure, I can say confidently that God works in all things for the good of those who love Him.
This chapter has more “power verses” than any other single chapter in the Bible. There is no condemnation for those in Christ…All those led by God’s Spirit are sons…we’ve received the spirit of adoption by which cry out Abba Father…these present suffering do not compare to the future glory…all things work together for the good of those…If God is for us who can be against us…Who can separate us from the love of Christ…We are more than conquerors…” all of these statements are in this chapter. We’re going to cover a few of them tonight.
V28
First let’s dissect the verse exegetically. Some translations import “God” into the first phrase so it reads, “In all things God works for the good of those who love him.” The most literal rendering is, “We know that towards the ones loving God all is acting together into the good of the ones…” So the most honest way to read this is, “All things work together towards the good of those who love God and…”
This raises a question among theologians. What or who is the subject of the working? Some assert it is the Holy Spirit (v26), others that it is the Father (27b) and others that it is just “all things”. The answer to this theological conundrum is…it doesn’t really matter. The most literal understanding of the wording is that “all things” is the subject, that it is the “all things” that are doing the working. But it doesn’t really matter because it is only the Holy Spirit, acting to fulfill the will of the Father, which can cause all things to work for our good.
Who does this promise apply to? Those who love God and who are called according to His purpose. Paul describes the recipients of this promise from a human perspective and from God’s perspective. Paul simply means God’s people. Paul is not saying “…good for those who love God enough.” Simply, if you love God, you are part of this.
Now let’s get to the dirty real life part. Really Paul? All things work for the good of those who love God?
-In Africa a 13 year old girl who recently put her faith in Jesus is kidnapped and rapped because of superstitious beliefs about how to get rid of AIDS, she simultaneously contracts HIV and gets pregnant.
-A baby is born missing most of his brain. He has enough brain stem to keep organs going but is completely comatose. Drs say he will die in days. Somehow he lives for several months causing prolonged suffering and attachment before he dies.
-A guy loves God with all his heart. He feels called to take the gospel to the poorest villages in China. He’s in seminary preparing to go when one day his wife walks in and says she’s been cheating and is leaving him.
Are these situations good?
-This verse sounds good when you need something Bible-y to say when you find out someone isn’t doing well. But if you’re like me, then you really have a hard time with this verse. Most of us have at least two problems with this statement: 1 he’s too dogmatic. “We know”. Do we? Paul doesn’t say hopefully or we think. We’re supposed to know. 2 he’s too inclusive. All things. We can be fairly certain that God uses some situations for good. But all things? Can we really say that we know that God works all things for good?
What adds to my difficulty with this verse are bad experiences with people misusing this verse to paint a “Christian life is perfect” picture. Sometimes very well meaning, but very wrong people misunderstand this verse and misuse it to insinuate the only reason God allows bad things to happen is to clear the way for something better right around the corner. “You lost your job? No worries. All things work for the good, so that means a better job is coming. Oh, you just got dumped? Well, God has someone better for you right around the corner.”
The key to interpreting and understanding this verse lies in understanding one word: “good”. What does Paul mean by good? The problem is our culture has come to understand “good” as pleasurable. Whatever is quick, easy, feels good, makes you happy, gets you profit, relieves stress, takes away pain…this is good. But this is not the biblical meaning of good.
In ancient Jewish culture (and in many modern cultures other than ours) good is not that which is pleasurable or happy, it is whatever results in quality of character or being a better person. In Paul’s theology, good is whatever results in God being glorified. John Piper speaks powerfully on this and says, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him" and, “God created us for this: to live our lives in a way that makes him look more like the greatness and the beauty and the infinite worth that he really is.”
If I only value and treasure Jesus as long as the prosperity train is rolling, then odds are I don’t really love Jesus so much as what he gives. If I continue to love Jesus in the midst of adversity and suffering then there is no doubt Jesus, not gifts, is our ultimate treasure. That is good.
So, when I understand “good” not as whatever is pleasurable and easy, but as whatever makes me the person God desires and whatever helps me reveal Jesus as my ultimate treasure, I can say confidently that God works in all things for the good of those who love Him.
What is "walking in the Spirit"?
Romans 8:3-8
A while back we talked about Romans 8:3, saying the law was only limited by our inability to keep it. It didn’t fail, but we made it limited. So what the law couldn’t do (save us) God did in Jesus. How? By sending Jesus in real flesh and emptying His wrath towards all sinfulness onto Jesus (Heb 10:1-10).
-V4
Why? So that the law’s requirements (do these things perfectly or die and be judged) would be done away with. Matthew Henry says, “Though the righteousness of the law is not fulfilled by us, yet, blessed be God, it is fulfilled in us…” But this freedom from the law does not automatically apply to everyone. Paul makes a distinction here saying these requirements are done away with for certain people. Who? Those who walk according to the spirit.
-Vs 5-8
Sarx vs Pneuma. These verses expound on the difference between flesh (sarx) and spirit (pneuma) and show the importance of the mind in spiritual matters. Paul is making the claim that sarx brings death while Pneuma brings life. Moo says, “Paul leads to this key claim by tracing people’s manner of life to their underlying way of thinking.” Thinking is central to one’s nature. What you think about largely determines what you do. In verse 6 the word phronema is sometimes translated as mind, but mind-set is better. Phronema means the basic direction of one’s will.
What is your basic inclination? Is your mind oriented towards pleasing God or self? James 3:1 says we all stumble in many ways. There are going to times when we mess up, when we elevate pleasing self above pleasing God. But when we are made new by Jesus there is a change in our basic phronema. New life in the Spirit must involve and start with a change in thinking. It cannot simply be about changing outward actions because then you end up with Pharisees who legalistically force compliance to rules but are not genuinely inclined to please God.
Also, unless your mind-set is changed you will never be able to please God (vs 7- 8). If you try to force behavioral change without changing the direction of the will, you will fail. Someone who’s will and mind are still determined to please self will never be pleasing in God’s sight because at their core they are still sinners. (Illustration: I want my kids to play nicely together. They say please and share toys, all while scowling and being fairly short with each other. I am not pleased even though in the most technical sense they are being nice.) So when we try to force behavioral change but our mind is still not reoriented to pleasing God, our inner self is still hostile towards God regardless of what our actions are, and that is not pleasing to God.
So, here’s where we start getting into the meat of this discussion: what does it mean to “walk according to the Spirit”? The word “walk” in the Bible is often used in a figurative way to mean a general way of life, or to mean trends in behavior. If I rarely do something dangerous, but every once in a while do, you wouldn’t say I walk in danger. But if doing dangerous things is a trend, something I do often, it could be said, “I walk in danger.”
So what does it look like when we shape our general way of life or behavior by the Spirit? Paul gives us explicit insight in Galatians 5:16-25. Go read that passage in Galatians. Here Paul lists identifiers of walking in the flesh and identifiers of walking in the Spirit. Notice the inherent difference between these two lists, other than one is good and one is bad. The first list isn’t just called “flesh” because it’s bad. These are all things you do, actions, outward things. The list of things that are of the Spirit are inner, attitude, thought, well…spiritual. Paul doesn’t contrast sorcery with preaching. He contrasts the acts of the sinful nature against the attitudes of the Spirit.
Paul’s concept of “flesh” isn’t just the acts that are offensive to God. It is the entire system that flesh operates in. So “flesh” means wrong acts, wrong words, wrong desires, AS WELL AS the law’s requirements and penalties for failure. Likewise, acting in the Spirit isn’t just trying to do spiritual things, it’s shifting to the operating system of grace and forgiveness.
A while back we talked about Romans 8:3, saying the law was only limited by our inability to keep it. It didn’t fail, but we made it limited. So what the law couldn’t do (save us) God did in Jesus. How? By sending Jesus in real flesh and emptying His wrath towards all sinfulness onto Jesus (Heb 10:1-10).
-V4
Why? So that the law’s requirements (do these things perfectly or die and be judged) would be done away with. Matthew Henry says, “Though the righteousness of the law is not fulfilled by us, yet, blessed be God, it is fulfilled in us…” But this freedom from the law does not automatically apply to everyone. Paul makes a distinction here saying these requirements are done away with for certain people. Who? Those who walk according to the spirit.
-Vs 5-8
Sarx vs Pneuma. These verses expound on the difference between flesh (sarx) and spirit (pneuma) and show the importance of the mind in spiritual matters. Paul is making the claim that sarx brings death while Pneuma brings life. Moo says, “Paul leads to this key claim by tracing people’s manner of life to their underlying way of thinking.” Thinking is central to one’s nature. What you think about largely determines what you do. In verse 6 the word phronema is sometimes translated as mind, but mind-set is better. Phronema means the basic direction of one’s will.
What is your basic inclination? Is your mind oriented towards pleasing God or self? James 3:1 says we all stumble in many ways. There are going to times when we mess up, when we elevate pleasing self above pleasing God. But when we are made new by Jesus there is a change in our basic phronema. New life in the Spirit must involve and start with a change in thinking. It cannot simply be about changing outward actions because then you end up with Pharisees who legalistically force compliance to rules but are not genuinely inclined to please God.
Also, unless your mind-set is changed you will never be able to please God (vs 7- 8). If you try to force behavioral change without changing the direction of the will, you will fail. Someone who’s will and mind are still determined to please self will never be pleasing in God’s sight because at their core they are still sinners. (Illustration: I want my kids to play nicely together. They say please and share toys, all while scowling and being fairly short with each other. I am not pleased even though in the most technical sense they are being nice.) So when we try to force behavioral change but our mind is still not reoriented to pleasing God, our inner self is still hostile towards God regardless of what our actions are, and that is not pleasing to God.
So, here’s where we start getting into the meat of this discussion: what does it mean to “walk according to the Spirit”? The word “walk” in the Bible is often used in a figurative way to mean a general way of life, or to mean trends in behavior. If I rarely do something dangerous, but every once in a while do, you wouldn’t say I walk in danger. But if doing dangerous things is a trend, something I do often, it could be said, “I walk in danger.”
So what does it look like when we shape our general way of life or behavior by the Spirit? Paul gives us explicit insight in Galatians 5:16-25. Go read that passage in Galatians. Here Paul lists identifiers of walking in the flesh and identifiers of walking in the Spirit. Notice the inherent difference between these two lists, other than one is good and one is bad. The first list isn’t just called “flesh” because it’s bad. These are all things you do, actions, outward things. The list of things that are of the Spirit are inner, attitude, thought, well…spiritual. Paul doesn’t contrast sorcery with preaching. He contrasts the acts of the sinful nature against the attitudes of the Spirit.
Paul’s concept of “flesh” isn’t just the acts that are offensive to God. It is the entire system that flesh operates in. So “flesh” means wrong acts, wrong words, wrong desires, AS WELL AS the law’s requirements and penalties for failure. Likewise, acting in the Spirit isn’t just trying to do spiritual things, it’s shifting to the operating system of grace and forgiveness.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Don't Do and Do Do Part Deux
Romans 7:21-25
So I discover this principle: when I want to do good, evil is with me. 22 For in my inner self I joyfully agree with God's law. 23 But I see a different law in the parts of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I myself am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh, to the law of sin.
Paul’s tongue twisting theology on doing vs wanting to do calms down in verse 21. Here he starts to explain why this battle rages in him. Paul puts it simply, “when I want to do good evil is right there with me.” This seems quite obvious, but it reveals some theology that many Christians neglect. Too many believers, especially new believers, assume that submitting your life to Jesus will be the end of all your sinful ways. While that is ideal, it is unlikely. The assumption is that “now that I am a Christian I won’t want to do those wrong things anymore.” This would be great but is obviously not true most of the time.
Prior to salvation there was no desire to shun evil and strive only for good. At salvation Christ puts his nature (to desire to obey God) within us. This is the new creation and the new nature the NT speaks of. So now we desire to do good, but when we do, and this is the part most new Christians don’t expect, evil is still there trying to make us disobey. For many, including myself, the continual temptation to return to old ways is not even the worst part of this battle. The guilt of still being tempted, whether you give in or not, can be very destructive to your walk with God. Satan knows this and will capitalize on it every chance he gets. If he can’t tear you down making you sin he will do so by exaggerating the guilt you feel for even wanting to. His goal being ultimately to keep you out of heaven, and if he can’t do that then he will settle for you not living a full life of joy. We often will give in to sin based solely on the fact that we already feel so guilty for being tempted. We may as well go ahead and commit the crime.
Verse 22. There is something inside of us that rejoices in submitting to God (Read Psalm 119). We were originally created to glorify God and live in relationship with Him. No matter how calloused and sinful we get there will always be something inside of us that delights at the thought of pleasing God. Even those who deny there is a God feel some joy in their inner being when they do something that aligns with God’s law, though of course they chalk it up to “serving the greater good of the species” or something like that. When we accept Jesus this delight in obeying God is reinforced by the nature of Christ that He imparts to us. So now, we have both our originally designed objective of pleasing God and the nature of Christ who was concerned only with obeying and glorifying the Father. Double whammy! We know the temptation will remain, but if a Christian has no inner part that rejoices at the thought of keeping God’s law, there is a serious problem.
Verse 23. That is the good news, that there is some part inside of me that truly wants to please and obey God. The bad news, as we mentioned earlier is that this desire is not the only thing in us. Paul finds another law at work in him, the law of sin. This is what our great great great X 10 to 17th power (guessing here) Grandfather Adam passed on to us. Since him every person has been born with a sinful nature. That doesn’t mean that we are born already having committed some in-the-womb sin, but that we are born with the desire to rebel, be selfish, and disobey God. Adam gave us that nature but it is still our decision to act on it…which we all do. Paul says this law wages war against the law in his mind. This goes hand in hand with what he says in Romans 12:1-2. There he says part of the salvation/sanctification process involves a renewing of the mind. A Christian ought to have a Christ like mind that seeks to please the Father. That is our new nature. The law of sin wages war against that new part of us that wants to obey God. It is so powerful that Paul says this desire to sin makes him a captive or slave to the parts of his body. This reflects the early Christian correlation between sinfulness and the physical body. Elsewhere in the NT we see a sinful life called “walking according to the flesh”. Our various desires to sin are also called carnal (which means of the flesh, even in modern Spanish carne means meat or flesh) desires. Where did this idea that sin is centered in our flesh come from? I think the thought process is as follows. God created us in His image. This does not mean God has 10 fingers on 2 arms etc. Rather it refers to most of our non-physical traits. We have a spirit, a rational mind, a sense of humor etc. These are the parts of us that reflect God. However, what we have gained from Adam we have gained through physical association. We are not made in “Adam’s image”, but we are all physical descendants of his, so what he passed on to us he did through DNA, and childbirth. So our spirit, although calloused and marred by sin, is still reflecting the image of God, whereas our desire to sin has come to us from our physical ancestors.
Some have taken this thought way too far and have ended up with a dualistic view of Christianity. Christian Dualism teaches that only spirit can be good or redeemed and all flesh is automatically evil, no matter what. So they teach that Jesus was not physically incarnated, since God becoming flesh would make God automatically evil. Instead, they teach that He was an apparition or ghost. There are obvious problems with this view, namely; 1. It’s not what the Bible teaches and 2. A ghost being nailed to a cross does nothing for us. Without a physical body suffering on the cross God’s wrath towards sin has not been absorbed and we still await our judgment. Obviously Paul does agree that sin is more closely tied to the body than to the soul, but there is certainly no clear cut line that all spirit is good and all flesh is bad.
I like that Paul ends that thought by saying that he is a prisoner to it. This small statement carries great weight. He could have said that this law was his enemy, or adversary, but he chose to say that he was a prisoner to it. This indicates that Paul is powerless to do anything against this law of sin on his own. If it were an enemy he could fight it. If it were his predator he could run from it. But by saying he is already a prisoner to it he is saying it already has him in its grip and he can do nothing to get out of it. The idea of prison is that the prisoner is confined and cannot get out until someone else lets him out. That’s how Paul sees himself in relation to sin. Not fighting it, not running from it, already gripped by it and powerless. That sets up the next verse nicely. If Paul himself is powerless to free himself from sin…who can?
Verse 24. Paul starts this verse with a very transparent moment of exasperation and frustration with himself. “What a wretched man I am!” Basically, he’s taking a short break from his theological dissertation to reveal how fed up he is with his inability to escape sin. Even talking about the sin problem drives him to extreme emotion. We should take a lesson from that. After his emotional venting he gets back to theology. As mentioned before, he is powerless to free himself from sin’s bondage. The natural question to follow is “then who can set me free?” And that is precisely what he asks. Again we see the connection between sin and the body in the phrase “this body of death”. And Paul rightly calls it a body of death for the wages of sin is death (Rome 6:23).
Verse 25. The answer to the above asked question is obvious. Only God can save us from the problem of sin. And He did it through the work of Jesus on the cross. It was the Father’s idea, the Father’s will, the Father commissioned the plan. Jesus executed the plan. So in regards to our salvation our thanks is to God, through Jesus Christ.
The second part of this verse is simply a reiteration of what has already been said. There are two laws. In the law of my mind I am a slave to God, but the flesh or sinful nature still wants to do wrong.
So I discover this principle: when I want to do good, evil is with me. 22 For in my inner self I joyfully agree with God's law. 23 But I see a different law in the parts of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I myself am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh, to the law of sin.
Paul’s tongue twisting theology on doing vs wanting to do calms down in verse 21. Here he starts to explain why this battle rages in him. Paul puts it simply, “when I want to do good evil is right there with me.” This seems quite obvious, but it reveals some theology that many Christians neglect. Too many believers, especially new believers, assume that submitting your life to Jesus will be the end of all your sinful ways. While that is ideal, it is unlikely. The assumption is that “now that I am a Christian I won’t want to do those wrong things anymore.” This would be great but is obviously not true most of the time.
Prior to salvation there was no desire to shun evil and strive only for good. At salvation Christ puts his nature (to desire to obey God) within us. This is the new creation and the new nature the NT speaks of. So now we desire to do good, but when we do, and this is the part most new Christians don’t expect, evil is still there trying to make us disobey. For many, including myself, the continual temptation to return to old ways is not even the worst part of this battle. The guilt of still being tempted, whether you give in or not, can be very destructive to your walk with God. Satan knows this and will capitalize on it every chance he gets. If he can’t tear you down making you sin he will do so by exaggerating the guilt you feel for even wanting to. His goal being ultimately to keep you out of heaven, and if he can’t do that then he will settle for you not living a full life of joy. We often will give in to sin based solely on the fact that we already feel so guilty for being tempted. We may as well go ahead and commit the crime.
Verse 22. There is something inside of us that rejoices in submitting to God (Read Psalm 119). We were originally created to glorify God and live in relationship with Him. No matter how calloused and sinful we get there will always be something inside of us that delights at the thought of pleasing God. Even those who deny there is a God feel some joy in their inner being when they do something that aligns with God’s law, though of course they chalk it up to “serving the greater good of the species” or something like that. When we accept Jesus this delight in obeying God is reinforced by the nature of Christ that He imparts to us. So now, we have both our originally designed objective of pleasing God and the nature of Christ who was concerned only with obeying and glorifying the Father. Double whammy! We know the temptation will remain, but if a Christian has no inner part that rejoices at the thought of keeping God’s law, there is a serious problem.
Verse 23. That is the good news, that there is some part inside of me that truly wants to please and obey God. The bad news, as we mentioned earlier is that this desire is not the only thing in us. Paul finds another law at work in him, the law of sin. This is what our great great great X 10 to 17th power (guessing here) Grandfather Adam passed on to us. Since him every person has been born with a sinful nature. That doesn’t mean that we are born already having committed some in-the-womb sin, but that we are born with the desire to rebel, be selfish, and disobey God. Adam gave us that nature but it is still our decision to act on it…which we all do. Paul says this law wages war against the law in his mind. This goes hand in hand with what he says in Romans 12:1-2. There he says part of the salvation/sanctification process involves a renewing of the mind. A Christian ought to have a Christ like mind that seeks to please the Father. That is our new nature. The law of sin wages war against that new part of us that wants to obey God. It is so powerful that Paul says this desire to sin makes him a captive or slave to the parts of his body. This reflects the early Christian correlation between sinfulness and the physical body. Elsewhere in the NT we see a sinful life called “walking according to the flesh”. Our various desires to sin are also called carnal (which means of the flesh, even in modern Spanish carne means meat or flesh) desires. Where did this idea that sin is centered in our flesh come from? I think the thought process is as follows. God created us in His image. This does not mean God has 10 fingers on 2 arms etc. Rather it refers to most of our non-physical traits. We have a spirit, a rational mind, a sense of humor etc. These are the parts of us that reflect God. However, what we have gained from Adam we have gained through physical association. We are not made in “Adam’s image”, but we are all physical descendants of his, so what he passed on to us he did through DNA, and childbirth. So our spirit, although calloused and marred by sin, is still reflecting the image of God, whereas our desire to sin has come to us from our physical ancestors.
Some have taken this thought way too far and have ended up with a dualistic view of Christianity. Christian Dualism teaches that only spirit can be good or redeemed and all flesh is automatically evil, no matter what. So they teach that Jesus was not physically incarnated, since God becoming flesh would make God automatically evil. Instead, they teach that He was an apparition or ghost. There are obvious problems with this view, namely; 1. It’s not what the Bible teaches and 2. A ghost being nailed to a cross does nothing for us. Without a physical body suffering on the cross God’s wrath towards sin has not been absorbed and we still await our judgment. Obviously Paul does agree that sin is more closely tied to the body than to the soul, but there is certainly no clear cut line that all spirit is good and all flesh is bad.
I like that Paul ends that thought by saying that he is a prisoner to it. This small statement carries great weight. He could have said that this law was his enemy, or adversary, but he chose to say that he was a prisoner to it. This indicates that Paul is powerless to do anything against this law of sin on his own. If it were an enemy he could fight it. If it were his predator he could run from it. But by saying he is already a prisoner to it he is saying it already has him in its grip and he can do nothing to get out of it. The idea of prison is that the prisoner is confined and cannot get out until someone else lets him out. That’s how Paul sees himself in relation to sin. Not fighting it, not running from it, already gripped by it and powerless. That sets up the next verse nicely. If Paul himself is powerless to free himself from sin…who can?
Verse 24. Paul starts this verse with a very transparent moment of exasperation and frustration with himself. “What a wretched man I am!” Basically, he’s taking a short break from his theological dissertation to reveal how fed up he is with his inability to escape sin. Even talking about the sin problem drives him to extreme emotion. We should take a lesson from that. After his emotional venting he gets back to theology. As mentioned before, he is powerless to free himself from sin’s bondage. The natural question to follow is “then who can set me free?” And that is precisely what he asks. Again we see the connection between sin and the body in the phrase “this body of death”. And Paul rightly calls it a body of death for the wages of sin is death (Rome 6:23).
Verse 25. The answer to the above asked question is obvious. Only God can save us from the problem of sin. And He did it through the work of Jesus on the cross. It was the Father’s idea, the Father’s will, the Father commissioned the plan. Jesus executed the plan. So in regards to our salvation our thanks is to God, through Jesus Christ.
The second part of this verse is simply a reiteration of what has already been said. There are two laws. In the law of my mind I am a slave to God, but the flesh or sinful nature still wants to do wrong.
Don't Do and Do Do
Romans 7:14-21
For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am made out of flesh, sold into sin's power. 15 For I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 So now I am no longer the one doing it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it. 19 For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but it is the sin that lives in me. 21 So I discover this principle: when I want to do good, evil is with me.
The passage at large talks about the ongoing struggle between our old sinful nature and our new spiritual nature. When we accept Jesus we are born again, we take on the nature of Christ which seeks to please the Father in everything. However, since we remain in these natural bodies we must continue to contend with the sinful nature which seeks to pleasure itself. So while part of me wants to obey God, another part does not. Therefore the sinful nature will always lead, or at least try to lead me to do things that my spiritual nature doesn’t want to do.
Verses 14 and 16 say the law is spiritual, and that it’s good. Why is the law spiritual and good? To most the law seems very unspiritual. It’s so cut and dry, so oppressive and restrictive, and the Bible elsewhere says the law is powerless to work salvation. So how is it good and spiritual? It is recognized as good and spiritual when you realize its purpose was never to save. Its purpose is to show us what screw ups we are and that we need a savior to save us. Matthew Henry says “It discovers the defilement, but it will not wash it off.” God knew when He gave the law to Moses that no one would be able to, or choose to, keep it in its entirety. Knowing that we would not keep it God instated the law so we would recognize the sinfulness in ourselves.
Seeing the real purpose of the law we are able to see how it is good. That’s why Paul says when he does what is wrong he must admit the law is good. It does its job. When I read the commands and requirements of God I realize what a wretch I am. Everything God says not to do, I do and vice versa. So how is it spiritual? When I read the law and it does its job I am closer to accepting Jesus as the savior the law shows me I need. This is a spiritual process and anything that helps me get to the point where I accept Jesus is spiritual.
I love that Paul says in v15 “I do not understand what I do.” After I have messed up in some way I am so confused. “How could I let this happen? How could I be so dark and godless after knowing His grace?” I understand it from a theological sense. I have two natures that don’t get along. But I still get confused with how I can continue to fail time after time.
Paul goes on to say that it is not him, but the sin that lives in him, which disobeys God. This verse needs to be handled very carefully, for it could become an excuse to sin. After any sin one might say “It wasn’t my choice, it’s the sin that lives in me.” Paul does not mean here that he has no option, or that he is under the absolute control of a mysterious creature inside him. This verse should be understood as follows. Since Adam and Eve every man is born with a sinful nature, the natural propensity to want to disobey God. Even after salvation that sinful nature remains in the body. So when we sin, that sinful temptation originated in our sinful nature. That nature is what tempts us and draws us to disobey. In that sense it is the sin that lives inside us that is causing us to sin. However, we must recognize that we now have the power to choose to give in to the sinful nature or not. It is therefore the sinful nature that acts out these wrong things, but when we give into them it is our choice.
Vs 18 Nothing good lives in me, that is in my sinful nature. What does this mean? Does Paul mean this literally? That seems unlikely. Even in the fallen nature we are still created in the image of God. Even unsaved mothers love their children. Unsaved men have been willing to risk their lives to pull people out of burning buildings. There are still inklings of God’s nature in us. Paul is using a literary tool called hyperbole. This is when you use an exaggeration to drive home a point, like “There were a million people in line at the store.” Paul is using hyperbole to show that human nature is extremely depraved and fallen. Paul uses his own struggle for evidence of this. When he wants to obey, he feels powerless to do so. Again, Paul’s statement that he “cannot carry it out” must be properly understood. I don’t think he is saying it is a literal impossibility to carry out, but that the desire to disobey is so strong that he will not choose to obey. Think of a person terrified of heights stuck on a skyscraper ledge. A heroic officer would stick their head out the window and tell him to carefully walk to the window. Now, that person has the ability to do just that. They can obey your instructions. But the fear that lives in them has crippled them to where they will not move and inch.
Verses 19-20 are reiterating points already made. Remember anytime something is repeated in the Bible that means the author is not being redundant, but trying to show the importance of something. Here Paul is emphasizing the fallen nature in us.
Paul says in verse 21 that when he wants to do good evil is right there with him. This is important. We must remember that neither Satan nor our sinful nature will ever take a day off. No matter how spiritual we are, or how close to God we get we will never reach a point when we no longer need to be vigilant in avoiding temptation (Prov 16:18, 1 Cor 10:12). Sin will take advantage of any opportunity it sees. There is nothing more annoying than a prayer time that gets interrupted by a wondering mind. There is no safe place or time. If you are breathing, there is the possibility of temptation.
For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am made out of flesh, sold into sin's power. 15 For I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 So now I am no longer the one doing it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it. 19 For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but it is the sin that lives in me. 21 So I discover this principle: when I want to do good, evil is with me.
The passage at large talks about the ongoing struggle between our old sinful nature and our new spiritual nature. When we accept Jesus we are born again, we take on the nature of Christ which seeks to please the Father in everything. However, since we remain in these natural bodies we must continue to contend with the sinful nature which seeks to pleasure itself. So while part of me wants to obey God, another part does not. Therefore the sinful nature will always lead, or at least try to lead me to do things that my spiritual nature doesn’t want to do.
Verses 14 and 16 say the law is spiritual, and that it’s good. Why is the law spiritual and good? To most the law seems very unspiritual. It’s so cut and dry, so oppressive and restrictive, and the Bible elsewhere says the law is powerless to work salvation. So how is it good and spiritual? It is recognized as good and spiritual when you realize its purpose was never to save. Its purpose is to show us what screw ups we are and that we need a savior to save us. Matthew Henry says “It discovers the defilement, but it will not wash it off.” God knew when He gave the law to Moses that no one would be able to, or choose to, keep it in its entirety. Knowing that we would not keep it God instated the law so we would recognize the sinfulness in ourselves.
Seeing the real purpose of the law we are able to see how it is good. That’s why Paul says when he does what is wrong he must admit the law is good. It does its job. When I read the commands and requirements of God I realize what a wretch I am. Everything God says not to do, I do and vice versa. So how is it spiritual? When I read the law and it does its job I am closer to accepting Jesus as the savior the law shows me I need. This is a spiritual process and anything that helps me get to the point where I accept Jesus is spiritual.
I love that Paul says in v15 “I do not understand what I do.” After I have messed up in some way I am so confused. “How could I let this happen? How could I be so dark and godless after knowing His grace?” I understand it from a theological sense. I have two natures that don’t get along. But I still get confused with how I can continue to fail time after time.
Paul goes on to say that it is not him, but the sin that lives in him, which disobeys God. This verse needs to be handled very carefully, for it could become an excuse to sin. After any sin one might say “It wasn’t my choice, it’s the sin that lives in me.” Paul does not mean here that he has no option, or that he is under the absolute control of a mysterious creature inside him. This verse should be understood as follows. Since Adam and Eve every man is born with a sinful nature, the natural propensity to want to disobey God. Even after salvation that sinful nature remains in the body. So when we sin, that sinful temptation originated in our sinful nature. That nature is what tempts us and draws us to disobey. In that sense it is the sin that lives inside us that is causing us to sin. However, we must recognize that we now have the power to choose to give in to the sinful nature or not. It is therefore the sinful nature that acts out these wrong things, but when we give into them it is our choice.
Vs 18 Nothing good lives in me, that is in my sinful nature. What does this mean? Does Paul mean this literally? That seems unlikely. Even in the fallen nature we are still created in the image of God. Even unsaved mothers love their children. Unsaved men have been willing to risk their lives to pull people out of burning buildings. There are still inklings of God’s nature in us. Paul is using a literary tool called hyperbole. This is when you use an exaggeration to drive home a point, like “There were a million people in line at the store.” Paul is using hyperbole to show that human nature is extremely depraved and fallen. Paul uses his own struggle for evidence of this. When he wants to obey, he feels powerless to do so. Again, Paul’s statement that he “cannot carry it out” must be properly understood. I don’t think he is saying it is a literal impossibility to carry out, but that the desire to disobey is so strong that he will not choose to obey. Think of a person terrified of heights stuck on a skyscraper ledge. A heroic officer would stick their head out the window and tell him to carefully walk to the window. Now, that person has the ability to do just that. They can obey your instructions. But the fear that lives in them has crippled them to where they will not move and inch.
Verses 19-20 are reiterating points already made. Remember anytime something is repeated in the Bible that means the author is not being redundant, but trying to show the importance of something. Here Paul is emphasizing the fallen nature in us.
Paul says in verse 21 that when he wants to do good evil is right there with him. This is important. We must remember that neither Satan nor our sinful nature will ever take a day off. No matter how spiritual we are, or how close to God we get we will never reach a point when we no longer need to be vigilant in avoiding temptation (Prov 16:18, 1 Cor 10:12). Sin will take advantage of any opportunity it sees. There is nothing more annoying than a prayer time that gets interrupted by a wondering mind. There is no safe place or time. If you are breathing, there is the possibility of temptation.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
4 Words to Describe You
Instead of going line by line we are going to pick out some topics and ideas in this section. This passage is one of those very familiar passages that is quoted often and makes it into all the “encouraging scriptures to memorize” lists. Unfortunately the very familiar verses often get read over too quickly and much meaning is missed. When you plug the familiar sentence, “While we were still sinners Christ died for us” into what’s going on around it, it becomes even more powerful.
Romans 5:6-11
For while we were still helpless, at the appointed moment, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. 8 But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us! 9 Much more then, since we have now been declared righteous by His blood, we will be saved through Him from wrath. 10 For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, [then how] much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by His life! 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
1) The first thing I want to talk about is how Paul describes humanity apart from Jesus. He doesn’t just say we are “lost”. He uses 4 words to describe more fully just what kind of state we are in.
a. Verse 6 says we are helpless. The Gk word asthenes is rendered by different translations as: helpless, weak, powerless, without strength. The word is usually used to talk about being physically incapable to perform some task, but Paul is clearly talking about spiritual helplessness. We are powerless to change ourselves or help our situation. We may be able to force some changes in behavior, but we simply cannot change our nature. Suppose there is a law that all dogs have to be put to death. Even if a dog can learn to stop barking it is still a dog in essence. Even if we could somehow learn to obey every law, we still have a sinful nature that we are powerless to change.
b. Verse 6 also says Jesus died for the ungodly. Asebes comes from a-sebomai and literally means “without worship”. It means to have no reverence for God, no connection to Him. There is no article before asebes in the Greek. This means Paul is not distinguishing THE ungodly from THE godly, but that Jesus died for godless humanity. In our natural state there is nothing about us that desires to do God’s will, worship Him, or have any connection with Him. “Not so” you say. Those desires to find truth, know God, and do right that we have before coming to Jesus are a result of the Holy Spirit working on us, not our own natural desires.
c. Verse 8 says Jesus died for sinners. Hamartolos comes from a Greek phrase meaning to miss the mark. Over time it changed form a little and became the noun that means “mark miser.” In a moral sense it insinuates a continual aiming at the wrong target, striving for the wrong things, having skewed goals and priorities. What’s interesting is that in ancient literature, a hamartolos does not need to be severely wicked man. It is not just murderers and rapists, but anyone who has missed the mark of God’s holiness. That puts us all in that category (Romans 3:23 All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God). According to one commentator, what defines a hamartolos is any “behavior or activity that does not measure up to moral expectations.” Using that definition, who would dare say they don’t belong in this category?
d. Verse 10 calls us enemies. Echthros: enemy, hostility, hatred. This is not just a notional enemy, but one against whom you actively struggle. For example, during the cold war Russia was our notional enemy. We saw them as the enemy and they saw us the enemy, but we weren’t actively fighting each other. This is not what echthros means. The word entails a deep animosity and resistance and wrath. The word can be used 2 ways. In the active voice it means to be hateful or hostile to another, to enact war and feel animosity. In the passive voice it means to be hated, to be subjected to the hostility of another. Which is the case here? Passive. Because we are sinners, we have been made the object of God’s wrath. How do we know this is the usage here? 1) 5:9 references God’s wrath, not ours. 2) 5:10 says we are reconciled, 5:11 brings more clarity saying we have received reconciliation. Greek scholars believe Paul’s intent with these statements is to say that we’ve been let off the hook as God’s enemies. The one who would subject us to wrath and hostility has done what’s necessary to remove his anger towards us.
So that is the state we are in. We are godless, sinners, who have been made God’s enemies and the subjects of His wrath, and we are completely powerless to do anything about it. Awesome. So why doesn’t Paul like people? This is pretty depressing stuff. Paul’s intent is not to berate his readers and provoke guilt. His purpose isn’t to say “You suck, you’re all sinners, there’s nothing good about you, now go home, kick your own shins, puke and die.” Once you plug these thoughts into the bigger message of what Paul is saying it becomes quite awesome.
Look at the first word in this section, “For”. “For” connects what was just said to what is said next and can usually be understood as “because”. Paul is expounding on the last statement in verse 5, “this hope will not disappoint.” Paul is addressing the worry that some people had that hope in Jesus might actually disappoint. “What if we put our faith in Jesus, are reconciled to God here on earth, and live our lives in relationship with Him, only to find out when we die that we won’t be saved? What if when we die, Jesus says we’re not good enough and sends us away?” The whole point of this section of scripture is to prove we have to reason to fear being disappointed. Why?
Paul's answer is simple, logical, and moving. Paul uses these 4 different words to describe what a wretched, hopeless state we are in then reasons that if God loved us enough in that state to suffer and die, how much more will His love see us through to the end now that we are His friends? God’s love is so great that He sacrificed all for weak, powerless, unrighteous, irreverent, unworshipful, sinful people who have been made the enemies of God and should be the object of His wrath. If He was willing to do that for people that far from Him, what can we expect now that we are redeemed, reconciled, made righteous with Christ, filled with the power of the Spirit, sanctified, adopted God worshipers?
One last side note: What is verse 7 about? Does anyone else think that seems backwards? In Hebrew culture a righteous man may be a law keeper who stiff and unloving. The Pharisees were righteous. A good man was a person who not only did what was right, but was also loving and kind and liked. The verse makes more sense when you understand the usage of these two terms in the original language. It's like saying, "It would be unlikely for someone to die for a Pharisee, but for someone like Mother Theresa, someone might die in her place."
Romans 5:6-11
For while we were still helpless, at the appointed moment, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. 8 But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us! 9 Much more then, since we have now been declared righteous by His blood, we will be saved through Him from wrath. 10 For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, [then how] much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by His life! 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
1) The first thing I want to talk about is how Paul describes humanity apart from Jesus. He doesn’t just say we are “lost”. He uses 4 words to describe more fully just what kind of state we are in.
a. Verse 6 says we are helpless. The Gk word asthenes is rendered by different translations as: helpless, weak, powerless, without strength. The word is usually used to talk about being physically incapable to perform some task, but Paul is clearly talking about spiritual helplessness. We are powerless to change ourselves or help our situation. We may be able to force some changes in behavior, but we simply cannot change our nature. Suppose there is a law that all dogs have to be put to death. Even if a dog can learn to stop barking it is still a dog in essence. Even if we could somehow learn to obey every law, we still have a sinful nature that we are powerless to change.
b. Verse 6 also says Jesus died for the ungodly. Asebes comes from a-sebomai and literally means “without worship”. It means to have no reverence for God, no connection to Him. There is no article before asebes in the Greek. This means Paul is not distinguishing THE ungodly from THE godly, but that Jesus died for godless humanity. In our natural state there is nothing about us that desires to do God’s will, worship Him, or have any connection with Him. “Not so” you say. Those desires to find truth, know God, and do right that we have before coming to Jesus are a result of the Holy Spirit working on us, not our own natural desires.
c. Verse 8 says Jesus died for sinners. Hamartolos comes from a Greek phrase meaning to miss the mark. Over time it changed form a little and became the noun that means “mark miser.” In a moral sense it insinuates a continual aiming at the wrong target, striving for the wrong things, having skewed goals and priorities. What’s interesting is that in ancient literature, a hamartolos does not need to be severely wicked man. It is not just murderers and rapists, but anyone who has missed the mark of God’s holiness. That puts us all in that category (Romans 3:23 All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God). According to one commentator, what defines a hamartolos is any “behavior or activity that does not measure up to moral expectations.” Using that definition, who would dare say they don’t belong in this category?
d. Verse 10 calls us enemies. Echthros: enemy, hostility, hatred. This is not just a notional enemy, but one against whom you actively struggle. For example, during the cold war Russia was our notional enemy. We saw them as the enemy and they saw us the enemy, but we weren’t actively fighting each other. This is not what echthros means. The word entails a deep animosity and resistance and wrath. The word can be used 2 ways. In the active voice it means to be hateful or hostile to another, to enact war and feel animosity. In the passive voice it means to be hated, to be subjected to the hostility of another. Which is the case here? Passive. Because we are sinners, we have been made the object of God’s wrath. How do we know this is the usage here? 1) 5:9 references God’s wrath, not ours. 2) 5:10 says we are reconciled, 5:11 brings more clarity saying we have received reconciliation. Greek scholars believe Paul’s intent with these statements is to say that we’ve been let off the hook as God’s enemies. The one who would subject us to wrath and hostility has done what’s necessary to remove his anger towards us.
So that is the state we are in. We are godless, sinners, who have been made God’s enemies and the subjects of His wrath, and we are completely powerless to do anything about it. Awesome. So why doesn’t Paul like people? This is pretty depressing stuff. Paul’s intent is not to berate his readers and provoke guilt. His purpose isn’t to say “You suck, you’re all sinners, there’s nothing good about you, now go home, kick your own shins, puke and die.” Once you plug these thoughts into the bigger message of what Paul is saying it becomes quite awesome.
Look at the first word in this section, “For”. “For” connects what was just said to what is said next and can usually be understood as “because”. Paul is expounding on the last statement in verse 5, “this hope will not disappoint.” Paul is addressing the worry that some people had that hope in Jesus might actually disappoint. “What if we put our faith in Jesus, are reconciled to God here on earth, and live our lives in relationship with Him, only to find out when we die that we won’t be saved? What if when we die, Jesus says we’re not good enough and sends us away?” The whole point of this section of scripture is to prove we have to reason to fear being disappointed. Why?
Paul's answer is simple, logical, and moving. Paul uses these 4 different words to describe what a wretched, hopeless state we are in then reasons that if God loved us enough in that state to suffer and die, how much more will His love see us through to the end now that we are His friends? God’s love is so great that He sacrificed all for weak, powerless, unrighteous, irreverent, unworshipful, sinful people who have been made the enemies of God and should be the object of His wrath. If He was willing to do that for people that far from Him, what can we expect now that we are redeemed, reconciled, made righteous with Christ, filled with the power of the Spirit, sanctified, adopted God worshipers?
One last side note: What is verse 7 about? Does anyone else think that seems backwards? In Hebrew culture a righteous man may be a law keeper who stiff and unloving. The Pharisees were righteous. A good man was a person who not only did what was right, but was also loving and kind and liked. The verse makes more sense when you understand the usage of these two terms in the original language. It's like saying, "It would be unlikely for someone to die for a Pharisee, but for someone like Mother Theresa, someone might die in her place."
Saturday, July 16, 2011
A future certainty rooted in present reality
In Romans, Paul is constantly building thought upon thought. In chapter 4 Paul discussed justification by faith, using Abraham as our model. Right off the bat in chapter 5 Paul confirms salvation through faith and spends the next few verses discussing the benefits of justification by faith. We are made right with God by faith through Jesus. But it isn’t just about a lofty, far-off future goal. Because of Jesus we also experience grace now.
Romans 5:1-5
Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Also through Him, we have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, 4 endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. 5 This hope does not disappoint, because God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
-The first benefit we gain is peace with God. Matthew Henry says “It is sin that breeds the quarrel between us and God, creates not only a strangeness, but an enmity; the holy righteous God cannot in honour be at peace with a sinner while he continues under the guilt of sin.” Things aren’t just uncomfortable between God and us; there isn’t just an awkward distance like when you find out a friend said something a little hurtful. Col 1:19-22 says before we are made right through faith we are enemies of God, alienated and hostile. Without justification, our rebellious human spirit is at war with God.
- BUT!!! Peace with God is more than a ceasing of war, it insinuates a friendship and intimacy. For example North and South Korea signed a truce at the end of the war. There is technical peace in that they are not actively fighting each other. But there is inner hostility, hatred, bitterness, distrust, and lingering contempt. Contrast this to the peace we have with Japan. Not only was there a cessation of fight, there was a relationship that sprang forth after the war was over. James references this nuance of the word peace in James 2:23. So the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness, and he was called God's friend.
-Peace with God brings a second benefit; access to God. Bruce says, “the former rebels are not merely forgiven by having their due punishment remitted; they are brought into a place of high favor with God.” The forgiveness isn’t just penal it’s relational. It’s not just that the negative consequences are removed; in addition to that we are connected with God in relationship and have access to Him. Before Christ's death on the cross only the High Priest had access to the presence of God and only one day a year. The presence of God resided in the Holy of Holies which was separated from the rest of the temple and humanity by a HUGE curtain. When Christ died on the cross the curtain was torn from top to bottom signifying that everyone now have access to the presence of God anytime.
-A third benefit is being able to rejoice “in the hope of the glory of God.” What does this mean? First lets talk about the phrase “glory of God”. What does that mean?
The Glory of God is not just the glory or worship He receives from us. In Paul's theology humans were created not just in a dim weak image of God, but we were created with the intention to share partly in the glorious nature of God. (We are not, however, mini-gods!) We lost hope of being able to share in this glory with sin (Rom 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.) but Jesus reinstated this hope. Seeing, being enveloped in, worshiping, and even in some sense sharing in God’s glory is the end for which mankind was created. Glorified bodies and whatnot.
Psalm 84:11 says God will give grace and glory to the righteous. Who are the righteous? Only those whom God declares righteous by faith.
2 Also through Him, we have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
Hope: Now lets talk about the word “hope”. What is Christian hope? Wishful thinking (Hope it doesn’t rain)? Wanting something highly unlikely (Hope Silva loses his next fight)? Naivety (Like to hope all people are basically good)? No. Christian hope is a future certainty rooted in present reality. Christian hope is more akin to: Because I am getting a degree now, I am certain I will get a better job in the future.
I think Paul’s use of “hope” entails far-off hope (eternity with God) and a close hope (experiencing God’s Kingdom here).
3 And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, 4 endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope.
Rejoice in suffering?
Bruce: In the NT suffering is seen as a normal part of Christian life. But its not just an inevitable, unavoidable reality, it is a "token of true Christianity." Something that produces the truest Christ like nature in people and a marker that God sees those who endure it as worthy of the Kingdom. A chain reaction happens that causes maturity and Christ-likeness.
5 This hope does not disappoint, because God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Hope does not disappoint. What does this mean? Simple; hope that never comes to realization is disappointing. When you hope for something and it never happens, there is sadness. Saying this hope does not disappoint means these benefits of being justified by faith, though they haven’t been realized yet, are certain. They WILL happen. The believer will not be disappointed or ashamed someday to realize what they had hoped for did not exist.
Romans 5:1-5
Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Also through Him, we have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, 4 endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. 5 This hope does not disappoint, because God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
-The first benefit we gain is peace with God. Matthew Henry says “It is sin that breeds the quarrel between us and God, creates not only a strangeness, but an enmity; the holy righteous God cannot in honour be at peace with a sinner while he continues under the guilt of sin.” Things aren’t just uncomfortable between God and us; there isn’t just an awkward distance like when you find out a friend said something a little hurtful. Col 1:19-22 says before we are made right through faith we are enemies of God, alienated and hostile. Without justification, our rebellious human spirit is at war with God.
- BUT!!! Peace with God is more than a ceasing of war, it insinuates a friendship and intimacy. For example North and South Korea signed a truce at the end of the war. There is technical peace in that they are not actively fighting each other. But there is inner hostility, hatred, bitterness, distrust, and lingering contempt. Contrast this to the peace we have with Japan. Not only was there a cessation of fight, there was a relationship that sprang forth after the war was over. James references this nuance of the word peace in James 2:23. So the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness, and he was called God's friend.
-Peace with God brings a second benefit; access to God. Bruce says, “the former rebels are not merely forgiven by having their due punishment remitted; they are brought into a place of high favor with God.” The forgiveness isn’t just penal it’s relational. It’s not just that the negative consequences are removed; in addition to that we are connected with God in relationship and have access to Him. Before Christ's death on the cross only the High Priest had access to the presence of God and only one day a year. The presence of God resided in the Holy of Holies which was separated from the rest of the temple and humanity by a HUGE curtain. When Christ died on the cross the curtain was torn from top to bottom signifying that everyone now have access to the presence of God anytime.
-A third benefit is being able to rejoice “in the hope of the glory of God.” What does this mean? First lets talk about the phrase “glory of God”. What does that mean?
The Glory of God is not just the glory or worship He receives from us. In Paul's theology humans were created not just in a dim weak image of God, but we were created with the intention to share partly in the glorious nature of God. (We are not, however, mini-gods!) We lost hope of being able to share in this glory with sin (Rom 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.) but Jesus reinstated this hope. Seeing, being enveloped in, worshiping, and even in some sense sharing in God’s glory is the end for which mankind was created. Glorified bodies and whatnot.
Psalm 84:11 says God will give grace and glory to the righteous. Who are the righteous? Only those whom God declares righteous by faith.
2 Also through Him, we have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
Hope: Now lets talk about the word “hope”. What is Christian hope? Wishful thinking (Hope it doesn’t rain)? Wanting something highly unlikely (Hope Silva loses his next fight)? Naivety (Like to hope all people are basically good)? No. Christian hope is a future certainty rooted in present reality. Christian hope is more akin to: Because I am getting a degree now, I am certain I will get a better job in the future.
I think Paul’s use of “hope” entails far-off hope (eternity with God) and a close hope (experiencing God’s Kingdom here).
3 And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, 4 endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope.
Rejoice in suffering?
Bruce: In the NT suffering is seen as a normal part of Christian life. But its not just an inevitable, unavoidable reality, it is a "token of true Christianity." Something that produces the truest Christ like nature in people and a marker that God sees those who endure it as worthy of the Kingdom. A chain reaction happens that causes maturity and Christ-likeness.
5 This hope does not disappoint, because God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Hope does not disappoint. What does this mean? Simple; hope that never comes to realization is disappointing. When you hope for something and it never happens, there is sadness. Saying this hope does not disappoint means these benefits of being justified by faith, though they haven’t been realized yet, are certain. They WILL happen. The believer will not be disappointed or ashamed someday to realize what they had hoped for did not exist.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Accountability
As Christians most of us will find ourselves either becoming a mentor/accountability partner or trying to find one. While this concept may seem pretty straight forward I think that there are still some things that we can learn on this topic. Nick just developed a teaching module for a class he is taking on the subject of accountability partners. I learned a lot from it and maybe you will too. Keep in mind that this was written according to the guidelines set forth by Nick's professor. Enjoy!
Growth Through Accountability: A Three-Day Seminar on Accountability Partnerships
The decision to follow Jesus is completely personal. Nobody can make that decision for another person. However, even though the initial decision rests completely on the individual (after the drawing and conviction of the Holy Spirit of course), the ensuing journey of faith and growth is not meant to be travelled alone. One way the Christian community is to strengthen its individual members is by keeping each believer mindful of the fact that he or she is accountable to God and the body of Christ. In the last few decades the practice of having an accountability partner has developed and gained popularity in facilitating this goal.
Improper use of this practice, both unintentional and through abuse, is damaging to the individual’s faith and has caused some to question the validity of accountability partnerships in general. To be sure, some guidance is needed to conduct such relationships properly. Over the next three days this group will learn lessons vital to the proper implementation of accountability partnerships. Each day will contain a lecture followed by small group discussions based on that day’s lecture (Note: The first day’s lecture will be longer than the other two as it will also serve as an introduction to the topic.).
Day One: Accountability partner parameters
Will individuals be held accountable for their actions? Should believers make themselves accountable to other believers? What qualities should be present in someone wanting to be an accountability partner? This session will answer these questions.
God will indeed hold every person accountable for his or her thoughts, words, actions and intentions (Matthew 12:36, Luke 16:1-2, Romans 3:19, 14:7, 1 Peter 4:3-4). Romans 1:18-32 gives helpful insight to this fact. According to Paul God’s right to hold each person accountable stems from the fact that He is the creator of the all things. Since He is the creator He has the right to hold his creation responsible for meeting His standards. Man’s accountability to God is even reflected in one of the titles God has in the Old Testament. In Ezekiel 48:35 God is called The Lord is Here (Jehovah-Shamah). This title infers a God who is always present, observing all, aware of every thought and action (Sumrall, 1993). God will not hold us accountable for only a few things He happens to catch, but for every thought and deed.
Hebrews 9:27 says every person will die and then face God’s judgment. Even those who deny that humanity is accountable to God and those who deny God’s existence altogether will be held accountable. A person’s preference or opinion has no effect on the reality of accountability. Thankfully, those shortcomings and sins for which we will be held accountable can be forgiven because of the work of Jesus.
Each person is ultimately accountable to God alone. However, believers must recognize that their actions affect other people as well. Bruce (1985) says “each Christian’s life affects his fellow-Christians and his fellow-men and women in general; therefore he should consider his responsibility to them” (p. 232). As stated earlier, the Christian journey was never intended to be a solo venture. We affect each other. Believers can build or hinder the faith of others. It is true that “The process of learning to know God and becoming like him is one which is assisted by others in the faith community” (Collinson, 2005, p. 246). Since each person’s life affects the lives and faith of others, one should feel accountable to other believers. In addition to a general sense of accountability to the community, it is beneficial for believers to make themselves accountable to a specific believer in a more intensive way.
Not every believer has the qualities necessary to be an effective accountability partner. James 3:1 says, “Not may of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” James’ explicit reference is to teachers, but the underlying principle applies to accountability partners as well. Those whose role in the body directly influences the faith of others must demonstrate a higher degree of trustworthiness and ability. An accountability partner should be a person with a strong and growing relationship with Jesus, possessing strong character, relational and approachable. This list is not exhaustive, but will serve in this seminar to outline the most essential qualities.
The first necessity is that one should have a healthy growing relationship with Jesus. This should be obvious. One of the primary rules of leadership on any level is that nobody can lead people where he or she has not been. If a person does not have a genuine and intimate relationship with Jesus he or she will not be able to fully help others grow in faith regardless of teaching or counseling ability. There must be a deep knowledge of scripture from which the accountability partner can draw to give correct guidance. The potential partner must also be faithful in prayer, both for the one being mentored and for him or herself to have wisdom, insight and compassion.
The potential accountability partner must also be a person of high character. He or she must be full of integrity, known to be honest and willing to do what is right regardless of the cost. Tony Dungy (2010), a professional football coach known for his great leadership on and off the field says, “Character is the foundation on which all leadership is built” (p. 69), and later points out that people can always spot a person with phony character. Character cannot be proven overnight. Therefore, as Jesus taught in Luke 16:10, one should prove his or her character and faithfulness in smaller areas before becoming an accountability partner (Garland, 1992). Both in regards to character and spiritual depth the accountability partner’s life should be such that he or she is comfortable saying to the one being mentored, “And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).
Many church leaders are dynamic public speakers, prolific teachers and skilled administrators and organizers; yet struggle with developing meaningful one-on-one relationships. Those seeking to be an accountability partner, however, should be gifted in forming deep, long term relationships. According to McDowell and Hostetler (1994) biblical morality is really all about relationship. Morality is a set of guidelines to govern our relationships with God and fellow man. They go on to say it is impossible to offer truth and moral guidance outside of genuine relationship and therefore, “Anyone who wishes to pass on biblical values to someone else must begin by developing a strong, positive relationship with that person” (p. 123). Accountability partnerships are primarily about aiding a believer’s growth through a trusting and intimate relationship; therefore one must be prone to strong interpersonal relationships to be an effective accountability partner.
Part of being a relational person is being approachable. An accountability partner should not be arrogant, harsh, abrasive, or in any way make someone feel intimidated. Relationship cannot exist only in scheduled meetings so an accountability partner must be accessible often and at unexpected times. According to Dungy (2010) “Being available and approachable is necessary for effective leadership” (p. 90). This applies to leading groups as well as leading individuals in accountability partnerships.
These parameters and guidelines for an accountability partner should not be seen as lofty, unattainable ideals or mere suggestions. The necessity of these qualities must be recognized and anyone seeking to be an accountability partner who does not possess these qualities should prioritize their development in his or her life immediately. These parameters are important for two reasons. First, these things are a vital part of ensuring the person being mentored receives proper instruction and guidance from the accountability partner. These parameters ensure the accountability partner is rooted in Christ, genuine, knowledgeable, and has the other person’s interests in mind. The second reason is that these qualities, proven over time, cause the individual to have greater trust in his or her accountability partner. A trusting, honest relationship is absolutely vital to open communication, which is the foundation of accountability.
Form small groups and discuss the following questions.
1) Will Christians be held to a higher level of accountability than non-believers (John 9:41)?
2) Why is it important for a potential partner to be actively growing in his or her own faith?
3) Is being relationally minded purely nature or can it be learned. If it can be learned, how so?
4) What are some practical ways a person can ensure he or she is approachable?
Day two: The accountability partner’s role in spiritual battles
Now that we understand the value of accountability and what kind of person the task requires, we turn our attention to one of the most important roles of the accountability partner. Accountability partner, pastor, therapist and coach are all roles that are intended to cause inner growth in individuals. The responsibilities of an accountability partner overlap those of similar positions in many ways, yet there are some differences that distinguish it as separate from the others. A pastor leads larger groups and, realistically, cannot invest in every member of his or her congregation the time required of an accountability partner. A therapist is more focused on mental and emotional growth than spiritual growth and is not as relational in nature. A coach is perhaps the most similar to accountability partner, but is different in that a coach allows the client to define all the goals instead of scripture. Also, like a therapist, a coach’s role in growth may have nothing to do with spirituality and is more professional than relational. In short, an accountability partner’s objective is to promote spiritual growth in another believer through close personal relationship.
One of the primary roles of an accountability partner in meeting this objective is to assist the believer in gaining victory in spiritual battles. The source of the battle may be external spiritual attack (Ephesians 6:11, 1 Peter 5:8-9) or internal temptations (James 1:14). Regardless of the source of the struggle it is the accountability partner’s responsibility to fight along side the individual and assist in attaining victory.
Spiritual battles are exhausting and can quickly overwhelm a believer. When this happens and the believer has no support system he or she may give up and become defeated. The enemy may use the guilt of defeat in one area to attack one’s faith altogether. Therefore, it is necessary that an accountability partner be aware of battles the individual is fighting and join with the individual. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 accepts the reality of struggles and stumbling. It says we should pity the person who has no support system, but that two people joined in a fight together have much better odds of victory.
This reality is played out in Exodus 17. In this chapter Moses sends Joshua to lead the Israelites in battle against the Amelekites. Moses watched from a hilltop and noticed when his hands were raised Israel gained the upper hand, but when he lowered his hands they began to lose. This was not a short battle and Moses’ arms grew very tired. Thankfully, he had Aaron and Hur there to support him. They did not simply encourage him to keep his hands up or tell him they were praying for him. They literally held Moses’ hands up and allowed him to rest. Being an accountability partner requires more than saying encouraging clichés and coming up with a scripture memory chart. It often requires getting involved in a person’s life, physically intervening in situations and helping a person function when he or she is too exhausted to do it alone.
An accountability partner must keep in mind that while relationship is crucial to the process, the relationship has a goal, the growth of the individual. Collinson (2005) uses the word discipling to describe the same process and says, “Discipling is not pure friendship. The purpose of the relationship is that teaching will take place and that learning will occur” (p. 241). Being an accountability partner is more than being a supportive friend. If the two parties get together often but never engage in spiritual battle victory will not be gained.
One way an accountability partner assists the believer in gaining spiritual victory is by changing the person’s mindset from defeat to victory. Spiritual battles are often won or lost in the mind. When a person becomes convinced he or she will not gain victory defeat is around the corner. However, if the person can maintain hope of victory even in the midst of battle, he or she will keep fighting and is much more likely to attain victory. The battle must be won in the mind before it is realized in the actual situation. Bridges (1996) points out that one cannot change actions without first changing the will. Therefore, an important aspect of being an accountability partner is ensuring the believer maintains the will to see victory.
An accountability partner can also assist the believer in attaining victory by keeping the believer’s goals a central part of his or her daily life. Often, the spiritual battles one faces correspond directly to stated goals. For example, one of the most common spiritual battles concerns apathy towards and neglect of spiritual disciplines. This is a subtle battle that plagues more Christians than not. The individual may state he or she has a goal of praying at a certain time each day, reading a certain amount of scripture per day, and fasting a certain number of days a month. The accountability partner should strive to keep these goals at the forefront of the believer’s mind. In this sense accountability partnership is similar to coaching. McCluskey (2008) says a large part of coaching is encouraging people to attain their goals (vision) by holding onto them when the individual becomes distracted or discouraged. In summary, an accountability partner serves to help the believer attain spiritual victory through prayer, support, encouragement, maintaining goals and in some cases involvement in specific situations.
Form small groups and discuss the following questions.
1) How does an accountability partner’s role in spiritual battles relate to Paul’s teaching on the body of Christ in 1 Corinthians 12:12-26?
2) What are some ways one can keep a fellow believer in a healthy mindset?
3) Share an example of a time when you assisted another believer in a spiritual battle and what you did to assist the other person.
Day three: Accountability partner responsibilities
Being an accountability partner is dynamic and each relationship must be tailored to the specific individual. There are, however, several principles and practices that should be part of every accountability partnership. Some have already been mentioned; such as ensuring the relationship maintains forward movement towards goal achievement and being supportive during spiritual battles. Some other keys to successful accountability are maintaining a proper perspective of the partnership, the Holy Spirit’s role in the process, the importance of intercessory prayer, and setting specific attainable goals.
One thing that is paramount to successful accountability is that the one acting as the accountability partner must maintain a humble, non-judgmental attitude and facilitate a horizontal relationship. In Philippians 2:1-11 Paul encourages this and says Jesus exemplified the humility believers should strive for. The accountability partner should be more spiritually mature and knowledgeable than the one being mentored, however the relationship must never be viewed as that of a master over a slave, or even a teacher over a student. The accountability partner does not wield power or authority over the believer, and the believer is not seeking to obey the accountability partner. Collinson (2005) says, “Discipling is not about the exercise of personal power. Christian disciplers do not make their own disciples. They point their learners to Jesus as master” (p. 247). The purpose of the relationship is not to prove how spiritual the partner is or for the partner to feel important. The accountability partner should not be concerned with receiving any credit for the believer’s growth but should simply rejoice with the believer as he or she grows (Romans 12:15). When Christian mentoring and accountability are done properly the accountability partner is not the focus and therefore does receive credit (Dungy, 2010). The individual should receive credit for his or her hard work and persistence and ultimately God, not man, must be glorified.
Part of this humility is avoiding a judgmental attitude. Romans 14 discusses the fact that Christian liberty can be a sign of maturity and growth, but insists that mature believers not become judgmental of those with weaker faith. Instead, he suggests believers alter their actions to assist the weaker ones in growth. As stated earlier, being approachable is vital to maintaining this kind of relationship and approachability excludes judgment.
The accountability partner must keep in mind that the growth of the individual does not depend entirely on his or her performance. Ultimately the accountability partner is simply a tool through whom the Holy Spirit works. Therefore one would be wise to keep in mind the role of the Holy Spirit in this process. It is the Spirit that comforts during hardships (John 16:7), convicts the believer of sin (John 16:8), leads the believer to truth (John 16:13) teaches the believer to pray (Romans 8:26) and speaks to the heart of the believer that he or she belongs to God (Romans 8:16). Therefore the partner must rely on the Holy Spirit to cause real change in the believer.
Also, the accountability partner must rely on the leading of the Holy Spirit in every situation. The Holy Spirit may enable the partner to discern the truth of a situation the believer is confused about. At other times the Holy Spirit may give the partner insight into what is hindering the believer’s growth. Sometimes an act that is morally neutral, and therefore goes unnoticed by the believer, becomes a stumbling block to the believer. Bridges (1996) says “It may not be the activity itself that determines whether something is sinful for us, but rather our response to that activity” (p. 89). In these cases the partner must rely on the leading of the Holy Spirit to reveal truth and draw the individual to repentance.
Another task of the accountability partner is intercessory prayer. The partner may be used by God to encourage and offer wise advice, but it is God alone that causes change and gives victory. Therefore the accountability partner must pray often and consistently for the believer. This should happen in the presence of the believer as well as in personal prayer times. When meeting with the believer the accountability partner should note specific areas of struggle, goals, concerns and other details so that he or she can pray in a specific and informed way for the believer. Also, it is often during intercessory prayer that the Holy Spirit gives guidance and insight to the partner.
One final thing an accountability partner should be purposeful about is helping the believer identify specific but attainable goals. Garland (1992) points out that leaders who develop the ability to identify both long term and short range goals for people they are leading are much more effective in facilitating positive change in individuals. These goals should be biblically based and focused on facilitating spiritual growth in the believer. The accountability partner is not responsible for helping the believer improve at free throws, but for helping him or her draw closer to Christ and exhibit a more Christ-like life. Establishing goals gives the believer direction, offers something specific to work towards and encourages him or her with clear progress. When the only direction is to “be better” the believer has no real way to know if progress is being made. However, when there are clearly defined goals, such as spend 20 minutes a day in prayer and meditation, the believer has a definite sense of progress when those goals are met.
Form small groups and discuss the following questions.
1) What are some other specific actions and principles an accountability partner should intentionally implement?
2) What is God’s view of leaders who abuse their power and lord their position over others (Matthew 20:25)?
3) In what ways does the Holy Spirit lead the accountability partner? What are the means of communication He may use (i.e. subtle inner leadings, scripture, etc)?
4) Discuss further why having goals and a direction to move towards is so important (Proverbs 29:18). Share some of you personal goals with the group and how you plan to achieve those goals.
References
Bridges, J. (1996). The pursuit of holiness. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress.
Bruce, F. F. (1985). The letter of Paul to the Romans: An introduction and commentary. Leicester, Englad: Inter-Varsity Press.
Collinson, S. W. (2005). Making disciples and the Christian faith. Evangelical Review of Theology, 29(3), 240-250.
Dungy, T. (2010). The mentor leader: Secrets to building people and teams that win consistently. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House.
Garland, K. R. (1992). Leadership recruitment and training. In M. J. Anthony (Ed.), Foundations of ministry: An introduction to Christian education for a new generation (pp. 255-266). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
McCluskey, C. (2008). A Christian therapist-turned-coach discusses his journey and the field of life coaching. Journal of Psychology & Christianity, 27(3), 266-269.
McDowell, J., & Hostetler, B. (1994). Right from wrong: What you need to know to help youth make right choices. Dallas, TX: Word.
Sumrall, L. (1993). The names of God: God’s character revealed through his names. New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House.
Growth Through Accountability: A Three-Day Seminar on Accountability Partnerships
The decision to follow Jesus is completely personal. Nobody can make that decision for another person. However, even though the initial decision rests completely on the individual (after the drawing and conviction of the Holy Spirit of course), the ensuing journey of faith and growth is not meant to be travelled alone. One way the Christian community is to strengthen its individual members is by keeping each believer mindful of the fact that he or she is accountable to God and the body of Christ. In the last few decades the practice of having an accountability partner has developed and gained popularity in facilitating this goal.
Improper use of this practice, both unintentional and through abuse, is damaging to the individual’s faith and has caused some to question the validity of accountability partnerships in general. To be sure, some guidance is needed to conduct such relationships properly. Over the next three days this group will learn lessons vital to the proper implementation of accountability partnerships. Each day will contain a lecture followed by small group discussions based on that day’s lecture (Note: The first day’s lecture will be longer than the other two as it will also serve as an introduction to the topic.).
Day One: Accountability partner parameters
Will individuals be held accountable for their actions? Should believers make themselves accountable to other believers? What qualities should be present in someone wanting to be an accountability partner? This session will answer these questions.
God will indeed hold every person accountable for his or her thoughts, words, actions and intentions (Matthew 12:36, Luke 16:1-2, Romans 3:19, 14:7, 1 Peter 4:3-4). Romans 1:18-32 gives helpful insight to this fact. According to Paul God’s right to hold each person accountable stems from the fact that He is the creator of the all things. Since He is the creator He has the right to hold his creation responsible for meeting His standards. Man’s accountability to God is even reflected in one of the titles God has in the Old Testament. In Ezekiel 48:35 God is called The Lord is Here (Jehovah-Shamah). This title infers a God who is always present, observing all, aware of every thought and action (Sumrall, 1993). God will not hold us accountable for only a few things He happens to catch, but for every thought and deed.
Hebrews 9:27 says every person will die and then face God’s judgment. Even those who deny that humanity is accountable to God and those who deny God’s existence altogether will be held accountable. A person’s preference or opinion has no effect on the reality of accountability. Thankfully, those shortcomings and sins for which we will be held accountable can be forgiven because of the work of Jesus.
Each person is ultimately accountable to God alone. However, believers must recognize that their actions affect other people as well. Bruce (1985) says “each Christian’s life affects his fellow-Christians and his fellow-men and women in general; therefore he should consider his responsibility to them” (p. 232). As stated earlier, the Christian journey was never intended to be a solo venture. We affect each other. Believers can build or hinder the faith of others. It is true that “The process of learning to know God and becoming like him is one which is assisted by others in the faith community” (Collinson, 2005, p. 246). Since each person’s life affects the lives and faith of others, one should feel accountable to other believers. In addition to a general sense of accountability to the community, it is beneficial for believers to make themselves accountable to a specific believer in a more intensive way.
Not every believer has the qualities necessary to be an effective accountability partner. James 3:1 says, “Not may of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” James’ explicit reference is to teachers, but the underlying principle applies to accountability partners as well. Those whose role in the body directly influences the faith of others must demonstrate a higher degree of trustworthiness and ability. An accountability partner should be a person with a strong and growing relationship with Jesus, possessing strong character, relational and approachable. This list is not exhaustive, but will serve in this seminar to outline the most essential qualities.
The first necessity is that one should have a healthy growing relationship with Jesus. This should be obvious. One of the primary rules of leadership on any level is that nobody can lead people where he or she has not been. If a person does not have a genuine and intimate relationship with Jesus he or she will not be able to fully help others grow in faith regardless of teaching or counseling ability. There must be a deep knowledge of scripture from which the accountability partner can draw to give correct guidance. The potential partner must also be faithful in prayer, both for the one being mentored and for him or herself to have wisdom, insight and compassion.
The potential accountability partner must also be a person of high character. He or she must be full of integrity, known to be honest and willing to do what is right regardless of the cost. Tony Dungy (2010), a professional football coach known for his great leadership on and off the field says, “Character is the foundation on which all leadership is built” (p. 69), and later points out that people can always spot a person with phony character. Character cannot be proven overnight. Therefore, as Jesus taught in Luke 16:10, one should prove his or her character and faithfulness in smaller areas before becoming an accountability partner (Garland, 1992). Both in regards to character and spiritual depth the accountability partner’s life should be such that he or she is comfortable saying to the one being mentored, “And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).
Many church leaders are dynamic public speakers, prolific teachers and skilled administrators and organizers; yet struggle with developing meaningful one-on-one relationships. Those seeking to be an accountability partner, however, should be gifted in forming deep, long term relationships. According to McDowell and Hostetler (1994) biblical morality is really all about relationship. Morality is a set of guidelines to govern our relationships with God and fellow man. They go on to say it is impossible to offer truth and moral guidance outside of genuine relationship and therefore, “Anyone who wishes to pass on biblical values to someone else must begin by developing a strong, positive relationship with that person” (p. 123). Accountability partnerships are primarily about aiding a believer’s growth through a trusting and intimate relationship; therefore one must be prone to strong interpersonal relationships to be an effective accountability partner.
Part of being a relational person is being approachable. An accountability partner should not be arrogant, harsh, abrasive, or in any way make someone feel intimidated. Relationship cannot exist only in scheduled meetings so an accountability partner must be accessible often and at unexpected times. According to Dungy (2010) “Being available and approachable is necessary for effective leadership” (p. 90). This applies to leading groups as well as leading individuals in accountability partnerships.
These parameters and guidelines for an accountability partner should not be seen as lofty, unattainable ideals or mere suggestions. The necessity of these qualities must be recognized and anyone seeking to be an accountability partner who does not possess these qualities should prioritize their development in his or her life immediately. These parameters are important for two reasons. First, these things are a vital part of ensuring the person being mentored receives proper instruction and guidance from the accountability partner. These parameters ensure the accountability partner is rooted in Christ, genuine, knowledgeable, and has the other person’s interests in mind. The second reason is that these qualities, proven over time, cause the individual to have greater trust in his or her accountability partner. A trusting, honest relationship is absolutely vital to open communication, which is the foundation of accountability.
Form small groups and discuss the following questions.
1) Will Christians be held to a higher level of accountability than non-believers (John 9:41)?
2) Why is it important for a potential partner to be actively growing in his or her own faith?
3) Is being relationally minded purely nature or can it be learned. If it can be learned, how so?
4) What are some practical ways a person can ensure he or she is approachable?
Day two: The accountability partner’s role in spiritual battles
Now that we understand the value of accountability and what kind of person the task requires, we turn our attention to one of the most important roles of the accountability partner. Accountability partner, pastor, therapist and coach are all roles that are intended to cause inner growth in individuals. The responsibilities of an accountability partner overlap those of similar positions in many ways, yet there are some differences that distinguish it as separate from the others. A pastor leads larger groups and, realistically, cannot invest in every member of his or her congregation the time required of an accountability partner. A therapist is more focused on mental and emotional growth than spiritual growth and is not as relational in nature. A coach is perhaps the most similar to accountability partner, but is different in that a coach allows the client to define all the goals instead of scripture. Also, like a therapist, a coach’s role in growth may have nothing to do with spirituality and is more professional than relational. In short, an accountability partner’s objective is to promote spiritual growth in another believer through close personal relationship.
One of the primary roles of an accountability partner in meeting this objective is to assist the believer in gaining victory in spiritual battles. The source of the battle may be external spiritual attack (Ephesians 6:11, 1 Peter 5:8-9) or internal temptations (James 1:14). Regardless of the source of the struggle it is the accountability partner’s responsibility to fight along side the individual and assist in attaining victory.
Spiritual battles are exhausting and can quickly overwhelm a believer. When this happens and the believer has no support system he or she may give up and become defeated. The enemy may use the guilt of defeat in one area to attack one’s faith altogether. Therefore, it is necessary that an accountability partner be aware of battles the individual is fighting and join with the individual. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 accepts the reality of struggles and stumbling. It says we should pity the person who has no support system, but that two people joined in a fight together have much better odds of victory.
This reality is played out in Exodus 17. In this chapter Moses sends Joshua to lead the Israelites in battle against the Amelekites. Moses watched from a hilltop and noticed when his hands were raised Israel gained the upper hand, but when he lowered his hands they began to lose. This was not a short battle and Moses’ arms grew very tired. Thankfully, he had Aaron and Hur there to support him. They did not simply encourage him to keep his hands up or tell him they were praying for him. They literally held Moses’ hands up and allowed him to rest. Being an accountability partner requires more than saying encouraging clichés and coming up with a scripture memory chart. It often requires getting involved in a person’s life, physically intervening in situations and helping a person function when he or she is too exhausted to do it alone.
An accountability partner must keep in mind that while relationship is crucial to the process, the relationship has a goal, the growth of the individual. Collinson (2005) uses the word discipling to describe the same process and says, “Discipling is not pure friendship. The purpose of the relationship is that teaching will take place and that learning will occur” (p. 241). Being an accountability partner is more than being a supportive friend. If the two parties get together often but never engage in spiritual battle victory will not be gained.
One way an accountability partner assists the believer in gaining spiritual victory is by changing the person’s mindset from defeat to victory. Spiritual battles are often won or lost in the mind. When a person becomes convinced he or she will not gain victory defeat is around the corner. However, if the person can maintain hope of victory even in the midst of battle, he or she will keep fighting and is much more likely to attain victory. The battle must be won in the mind before it is realized in the actual situation. Bridges (1996) points out that one cannot change actions without first changing the will. Therefore, an important aspect of being an accountability partner is ensuring the believer maintains the will to see victory.
An accountability partner can also assist the believer in attaining victory by keeping the believer’s goals a central part of his or her daily life. Often, the spiritual battles one faces correspond directly to stated goals. For example, one of the most common spiritual battles concerns apathy towards and neglect of spiritual disciplines. This is a subtle battle that plagues more Christians than not. The individual may state he or she has a goal of praying at a certain time each day, reading a certain amount of scripture per day, and fasting a certain number of days a month. The accountability partner should strive to keep these goals at the forefront of the believer’s mind. In this sense accountability partnership is similar to coaching. McCluskey (2008) says a large part of coaching is encouraging people to attain their goals (vision) by holding onto them when the individual becomes distracted or discouraged. In summary, an accountability partner serves to help the believer attain spiritual victory through prayer, support, encouragement, maintaining goals and in some cases involvement in specific situations.
Form small groups and discuss the following questions.
1) How does an accountability partner’s role in spiritual battles relate to Paul’s teaching on the body of Christ in 1 Corinthians 12:12-26?
2) What are some ways one can keep a fellow believer in a healthy mindset?
3) Share an example of a time when you assisted another believer in a spiritual battle and what you did to assist the other person.
Day three: Accountability partner responsibilities
Being an accountability partner is dynamic and each relationship must be tailored to the specific individual. There are, however, several principles and practices that should be part of every accountability partnership. Some have already been mentioned; such as ensuring the relationship maintains forward movement towards goal achievement and being supportive during spiritual battles. Some other keys to successful accountability are maintaining a proper perspective of the partnership, the Holy Spirit’s role in the process, the importance of intercessory prayer, and setting specific attainable goals.
One thing that is paramount to successful accountability is that the one acting as the accountability partner must maintain a humble, non-judgmental attitude and facilitate a horizontal relationship. In Philippians 2:1-11 Paul encourages this and says Jesus exemplified the humility believers should strive for. The accountability partner should be more spiritually mature and knowledgeable than the one being mentored, however the relationship must never be viewed as that of a master over a slave, or even a teacher over a student. The accountability partner does not wield power or authority over the believer, and the believer is not seeking to obey the accountability partner. Collinson (2005) says, “Discipling is not about the exercise of personal power. Christian disciplers do not make their own disciples. They point their learners to Jesus as master” (p. 247). The purpose of the relationship is not to prove how spiritual the partner is or for the partner to feel important. The accountability partner should not be concerned with receiving any credit for the believer’s growth but should simply rejoice with the believer as he or she grows (Romans 12:15). When Christian mentoring and accountability are done properly the accountability partner is not the focus and therefore does receive credit (Dungy, 2010). The individual should receive credit for his or her hard work and persistence and ultimately God, not man, must be glorified.
Part of this humility is avoiding a judgmental attitude. Romans 14 discusses the fact that Christian liberty can be a sign of maturity and growth, but insists that mature believers not become judgmental of those with weaker faith. Instead, he suggests believers alter their actions to assist the weaker ones in growth. As stated earlier, being approachable is vital to maintaining this kind of relationship and approachability excludes judgment.
The accountability partner must keep in mind that the growth of the individual does not depend entirely on his or her performance. Ultimately the accountability partner is simply a tool through whom the Holy Spirit works. Therefore one would be wise to keep in mind the role of the Holy Spirit in this process. It is the Spirit that comforts during hardships (John 16:7), convicts the believer of sin (John 16:8), leads the believer to truth (John 16:13) teaches the believer to pray (Romans 8:26) and speaks to the heart of the believer that he or she belongs to God (Romans 8:16). Therefore the partner must rely on the Holy Spirit to cause real change in the believer.
Also, the accountability partner must rely on the leading of the Holy Spirit in every situation. The Holy Spirit may enable the partner to discern the truth of a situation the believer is confused about. At other times the Holy Spirit may give the partner insight into what is hindering the believer’s growth. Sometimes an act that is morally neutral, and therefore goes unnoticed by the believer, becomes a stumbling block to the believer. Bridges (1996) says “It may not be the activity itself that determines whether something is sinful for us, but rather our response to that activity” (p. 89). In these cases the partner must rely on the leading of the Holy Spirit to reveal truth and draw the individual to repentance.
Another task of the accountability partner is intercessory prayer. The partner may be used by God to encourage and offer wise advice, but it is God alone that causes change and gives victory. Therefore the accountability partner must pray often and consistently for the believer. This should happen in the presence of the believer as well as in personal prayer times. When meeting with the believer the accountability partner should note specific areas of struggle, goals, concerns and other details so that he or she can pray in a specific and informed way for the believer. Also, it is often during intercessory prayer that the Holy Spirit gives guidance and insight to the partner.
One final thing an accountability partner should be purposeful about is helping the believer identify specific but attainable goals. Garland (1992) points out that leaders who develop the ability to identify both long term and short range goals for people they are leading are much more effective in facilitating positive change in individuals. These goals should be biblically based and focused on facilitating spiritual growth in the believer. The accountability partner is not responsible for helping the believer improve at free throws, but for helping him or her draw closer to Christ and exhibit a more Christ-like life. Establishing goals gives the believer direction, offers something specific to work towards and encourages him or her with clear progress. When the only direction is to “be better” the believer has no real way to know if progress is being made. However, when there are clearly defined goals, such as spend 20 minutes a day in prayer and meditation, the believer has a definite sense of progress when those goals are met.
Form small groups and discuss the following questions.
1) What are some other specific actions and principles an accountability partner should intentionally implement?
2) What is God’s view of leaders who abuse their power and lord their position over others (Matthew 20:25)?
3) In what ways does the Holy Spirit lead the accountability partner? What are the means of communication He may use (i.e. subtle inner leadings, scripture, etc)?
4) Discuss further why having goals and a direction to move towards is so important (Proverbs 29:18). Share some of you personal goals with the group and how you plan to achieve those goals.
References
Bridges, J. (1996). The pursuit of holiness. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress.
Bruce, F. F. (1985). The letter of Paul to the Romans: An introduction and commentary. Leicester, Englad: Inter-Varsity Press.
Collinson, S. W. (2005). Making disciples and the Christian faith. Evangelical Review of Theology, 29(3), 240-250.
Dungy, T. (2010). The mentor leader: Secrets to building people and teams that win consistently. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House.
Garland, K. R. (1992). Leadership recruitment and training. In M. J. Anthony (Ed.), Foundations of ministry: An introduction to Christian education for a new generation (pp. 255-266). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
McCluskey, C. (2008). A Christian therapist-turned-coach discusses his journey and the field of life coaching. Journal of Psychology & Christianity, 27(3), 266-269.
McDowell, J., & Hostetler, B. (1994). Right from wrong: What you need to know to help youth make right choices. Dallas, TX: Word.
Sumrall, L. (1993). The names of God: God’s character revealed through his names. New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
I am free to be better
Romans 3:9-20 Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin. 10 As the Scriptures say,
“No one is righteous—
not even one.
11 No one is truly wise;
no one is seeking God.
12 All have turned away;
all have become useless.
No one does good,
not a single one.”[ Pss 14:1-3; 53:1-3]
13 “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.
Their tongues are filled with lies.”
“Snake venom drips from their lips.”[ Pss 5:9; 140:3]
14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”[ Ps 10:7]
15 “They rush to commit murder.
16 Destruction and misery always follow them.
17 They don’t know where to find peace.”[ Isa 59:7-8]
18 “They have no fear of God at all.”[ Ps 36:1]
19 Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. 20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.
Paul puts together a series of OT scriptures to illustrate how no one is right in God’s eyes. The objector may say that many of these references when read in context are referring to Gentiles so it doesn’t apply to Jews. This is why Paul makes the statement in vs 19. As a mom I find myself saying this type of thing to my kids all of the time. “Adi, what did I just tell Calvin? If he has to share then you have to share too.”
Vs 20 leaves humanity in a dire situation. As F.F. Bruce says, “The law brings out men and women’s sinfulness, but does nothing to cure it.” No one can live up to the standard of God. We all stand before him guilty and in need of grace. Gal 2:16 Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.”
Gal 3:11 So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”
Vs 21-22 But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. 22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
We suddenly have a new way to righteousness before God. We are no longer burdened by the unattainable standard of the law. This new way isn’t just made up. It is foreshadowed and prophesied about in the OT. Ps 32:1-5 David speaks of the forgiveness of sins.
Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sin is put out of sight!
2 Yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt,
whose lives are lived in complete honesty!
3 When I refused to confess my sin,
my body wasted away,
and I groaned all day long.
4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.
My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.
Interlude
5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you
and stopped trying to hide my guilt.
I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.”
And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.
In the next chapter Paul will discuss the specific example of Abraham.
Paul has made it very clear in chapter two that we all are guilty of sin and require the same judgment no matter who we are. Here the converse is true. We are all made right with God if we have faith in Jesus no matter who we are.
Vs 23-26 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.
Gen 15:6 says that Abraham’s faith was credited to Him as righteousness. They had faith in the promises they had received from God that someday there would be a way of salvation. God showed His amazing patience and grace by withholding punishment from those who lived before Christ came and died. God’s righteousness demands justice, however so there had to be a payment for sins committed. God vindicated His own character and freed us from the debt of our sin in one act. He gave His son, Jesus, to take our punishment. So even though God withheld judgment from those who showed faith before Christ, it was in anticipation of what God knew was going to happen. Through the death of Christ God displays His mercy and his righteousness because He declares us righteous when we have faith in Him. It wouldn’t work for God to simply overlook our sin. That would compromise His perfection, but because our debt is paid we can be made righteous by believing in what Jesus did for us. Hallelujah!
Vs 27-28 Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. 28 So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.
This reiterates to the Jew that they hold nothing over the Gentile. Everyone is saved by faith in God’s merciful act. Those who have grown up in the church and pretty much all we know is Christianity need to be reminded that we have nothing to take pride in. I love the phrase, “there but for the grace of God, go I.” (Attributed to John Bradford said while watching a prisoner headed to execution.) If it weren't for God's saving grace I would be no different than those headed to hell all around me.
Vs 29-31 After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn’t he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is. 30 There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. 31 Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.
If salvation could come by keeping the law then God would be the God of the Jews since He gave the law to them. Since salvation comes by faith then God is the God of all who believe. The law is not pointless. It is the first half of the equation. Without the second half we are in dire straights. The law constantly pointed us to our need for a savior. It caused us to become aware of our inability to meet God’s standards. The Gospel is the glorious second half of the equation. It fulfills the law. The sum of the equation is that now, by faith, we are able to do a better job fulfilling the law; not in order to be saved, but as a response to the grace shown us.
“No one is righteous—
not even one.
11 No one is truly wise;
no one is seeking God.
12 All have turned away;
all have become useless.
No one does good,
not a single one.”[ Pss 14:1-3; 53:1-3]
13 “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.
Their tongues are filled with lies.”
“Snake venom drips from their lips.”[ Pss 5:9; 140:3]
14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”[ Ps 10:7]
15 “They rush to commit murder.
16 Destruction and misery always follow them.
17 They don’t know where to find peace.”[ Isa 59:7-8]
18 “They have no fear of God at all.”[ Ps 36:1]
19 Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. 20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.
Paul puts together a series of OT scriptures to illustrate how no one is right in God’s eyes. The objector may say that many of these references when read in context are referring to Gentiles so it doesn’t apply to Jews. This is why Paul makes the statement in vs 19. As a mom I find myself saying this type of thing to my kids all of the time. “Adi, what did I just tell Calvin? If he has to share then you have to share too.”
Vs 20 leaves humanity in a dire situation. As F.F. Bruce says, “The law brings out men and women’s sinfulness, but does nothing to cure it.” No one can live up to the standard of God. We all stand before him guilty and in need of grace. Gal 2:16 Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.”
Gal 3:11 So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”
Vs 21-22 But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. 22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
We suddenly have a new way to righteousness before God. We are no longer burdened by the unattainable standard of the law. This new way isn’t just made up. It is foreshadowed and prophesied about in the OT. Ps 32:1-5 David speaks of the forgiveness of sins.
Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sin is put out of sight!
2 Yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt,
whose lives are lived in complete honesty!
3 When I refused to confess my sin,
my body wasted away,
and I groaned all day long.
4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.
My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.
Interlude
5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you
and stopped trying to hide my guilt.
I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.”
And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.
In the next chapter Paul will discuss the specific example of Abraham.
Paul has made it very clear in chapter two that we all are guilty of sin and require the same judgment no matter who we are. Here the converse is true. We are all made right with God if we have faith in Jesus no matter who we are.
Vs 23-26 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.
Gen 15:6 says that Abraham’s faith was credited to Him as righteousness. They had faith in the promises they had received from God that someday there would be a way of salvation. God showed His amazing patience and grace by withholding punishment from those who lived before Christ came and died. God’s righteousness demands justice, however so there had to be a payment for sins committed. God vindicated His own character and freed us from the debt of our sin in one act. He gave His son, Jesus, to take our punishment. So even though God withheld judgment from those who showed faith before Christ, it was in anticipation of what God knew was going to happen. Through the death of Christ God displays His mercy and his righteousness because He declares us righteous when we have faith in Him. It wouldn’t work for God to simply overlook our sin. That would compromise His perfection, but because our debt is paid we can be made righteous by believing in what Jesus did for us. Hallelujah!
Vs 27-28 Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. 28 So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.
This reiterates to the Jew that they hold nothing over the Gentile. Everyone is saved by faith in God’s merciful act. Those who have grown up in the church and pretty much all we know is Christianity need to be reminded that we have nothing to take pride in. I love the phrase, “there but for the grace of God, go I.” (Attributed to John Bradford said while watching a prisoner headed to execution.) If it weren't for God's saving grace I would be no different than those headed to hell all around me.
Vs 29-31 After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn’t he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is. 30 There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. 31 Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.
If salvation could come by keeping the law then God would be the God of the Jews since He gave the law to them. Since salvation comes by faith then God is the God of all who believe. The law is not pointless. It is the first half of the equation. Without the second half we are in dire straights. The law constantly pointed us to our need for a savior. It caused us to become aware of our inability to meet God’s standards. The Gospel is the glorious second half of the equation. It fulfills the law. The sum of the equation is that now, by faith, we are able to do a better job fulfilling the law; not in order to be saved, but as a response to the grace shown us.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
So what's the point?
Romans 3
Vs 1-2 Then what’s the advantage of being a Jew? Is there any value in the ceremony of circumcision? 2 Yes, there are great benefits! First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the whole revelation of God.
So far Paul has gone to great lengths to show that it’s not lineage or circumcision that saves us. Just like Nick said last week, it’s not the T-shirt that makes you a UFC fan. So now Paul addresses a question from unseen objectors. We would almost expect Paul to answer, “no, there is no benefit to being a Jew or circumcision since righteousness is a matter of the heart.” Instead he says that there are great benefits. What kind of advantages or privileges were/are afforded to the Jewish nation? One great example is the way that God gives them victory in battle. There are myriad of examples of this in the Old Testament, but let's look at a few modern examples. There have been 4 modern wars initiated by the Arab nations against Israel. In 1948 Israel regained it's sovereignty as a nation. In this war Israel didn't have a single cannon or tank and they had only 9 obsolete planes. Since they had very limited ammunition they often dropped bottles filled with rocks from the planes rather than bombs. Despite these and the overwhelming odds in military numbers, Israel won it's independence and with more land than they would have had if peace treaties had been signed. In 1973 Egypt and Syria aided by at least nine Arab states, launched a surprise attack on Israel during it's holiest day of the year. The odds were astronomically against Israel. 180 Israeli tanks faced off against 1,400 Syrian tanks and 436 Israeli soldiers were attacked by 80,000 Egyptians. Israel expelled the enemy military in 2 days and were on the verge of destroying Egypt's military within 2 weeks when a cease fire was initiated. I would never ever want to be on the wrong side of a fight with Israel!
The most important honor, however, would be that God entrusted them with the truth about Himself. While this was a great privilege and honor it was also a great responsibility. If they mishandled the information or misrepresented the God they were chosen by they would be held more accountable than those to which God had not chosen to reveal himself. This great blessing could also be a great burden. Author Shalom Aleichem (Rabinowitz), is credited with saying, "God, I know we are your chosen people, but couldn't you choose somebody else for a change?"
Vs 3-4 True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful? 4 Of course not! Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him,
“You will be proved right in what you say,
and you will win your case in court.”
The objector appears to be saying that Israel wasn’t faithful. Paul answers this by saying that their unfaithfulness does not negate God’s faithfulness. Instead, the contrast shows God’s faithfulness to be all the more great. This could be carried out to every possible example we can think of. Our lack of love shows God is love. Our imperfection shows His perfection, our impatience shows His patience. God is the ultimate, perfect version of everything that is good about us and everything at which we fail.
Psalm 51:4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
and your judgment against me is just.
Vs 5-8 “But,” some might say, “our sinfulness serves a good purpose, for it helps people see how righteous God is. Isn’t it unfair, then, for him to punish us?” (This is merely a human point of view.) 6 Of course not! If God were not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge the world? 7 “But,” someone might still argue, “how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory?” 8 And some people even slander us by claiming that we say, “The more we sin, the better it is!” Those who say such things deserve to be condemned.
This seems to be the logical outcome of this argument. If God’s greatness is shown to be even more great by my sin then why does he punish me for sinning? If we are saved by faith and not by works then why is it a problem for us to keep on sinning? In Paul’s time many were accusing him of teaching this sort of Gospel. He taught so hard against salvation by works that some began to think that he was teaching that it didn’t matter how you lived as long as you had faith in God. Is it possible to have saving faith and continue to live in sin? No, if there is true faith there will be change...not perfection, but some sort of exterior indicator of what has happened on the inside.
James 2:25-26 Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. 26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.
We will address this topic even more when we get to Romans 6.
Vs 1-2 Then what’s the advantage of being a Jew? Is there any value in the ceremony of circumcision? 2 Yes, there are great benefits! First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the whole revelation of God.
So far Paul has gone to great lengths to show that it’s not lineage or circumcision that saves us. Just like Nick said last week, it’s not the T-shirt that makes you a UFC fan. So now Paul addresses a question from unseen objectors. We would almost expect Paul to answer, “no, there is no benefit to being a Jew or circumcision since righteousness is a matter of the heart.” Instead he says that there are great benefits. What kind of advantages or privileges were/are afforded to the Jewish nation? One great example is the way that God gives them victory in battle. There are myriad of examples of this in the Old Testament, but let's look at a few modern examples. There have been 4 modern wars initiated by the Arab nations against Israel. In 1948 Israel regained it's sovereignty as a nation. In this war Israel didn't have a single cannon or tank and they had only 9 obsolete planes. Since they had very limited ammunition they often dropped bottles filled with rocks from the planes rather than bombs. Despite these and the overwhelming odds in military numbers, Israel won it's independence and with more land than they would have had if peace treaties had been signed. In 1973 Egypt and Syria aided by at least nine Arab states, launched a surprise attack on Israel during it's holiest day of the year. The odds were astronomically against Israel. 180 Israeli tanks faced off against 1,400 Syrian tanks and 436 Israeli soldiers were attacked by 80,000 Egyptians. Israel expelled the enemy military in 2 days and were on the verge of destroying Egypt's military within 2 weeks when a cease fire was initiated. I would never ever want to be on the wrong side of a fight with Israel!
The most important honor, however, would be that God entrusted them with the truth about Himself. While this was a great privilege and honor it was also a great responsibility. If they mishandled the information or misrepresented the God they were chosen by they would be held more accountable than those to which God had not chosen to reveal himself. This great blessing could also be a great burden. Author Shalom Aleichem (Rabinowitz), is credited with saying, "God, I know we are your chosen people, but couldn't you choose somebody else for a change?"
Vs 3-4 True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful? 4 Of course not! Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him,
“You will be proved right in what you say,
and you will win your case in court.”
The objector appears to be saying that Israel wasn’t faithful. Paul answers this by saying that their unfaithfulness does not negate God’s faithfulness. Instead, the contrast shows God’s faithfulness to be all the more great. This could be carried out to every possible example we can think of. Our lack of love shows God is love. Our imperfection shows His perfection, our impatience shows His patience. God is the ultimate, perfect version of everything that is good about us and everything at which we fail.
Psalm 51:4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
and your judgment against me is just.
Vs 5-8 “But,” some might say, “our sinfulness serves a good purpose, for it helps people see how righteous God is. Isn’t it unfair, then, for him to punish us?” (This is merely a human point of view.) 6 Of course not! If God were not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge the world? 7 “But,” someone might still argue, “how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory?” 8 And some people even slander us by claiming that we say, “The more we sin, the better it is!” Those who say such things deserve to be condemned.
This seems to be the logical outcome of this argument. If God’s greatness is shown to be even more great by my sin then why does he punish me for sinning? If we are saved by faith and not by works then why is it a problem for us to keep on sinning? In Paul’s time many were accusing him of teaching this sort of Gospel. He taught so hard against salvation by works that some began to think that he was teaching that it didn’t matter how you lived as long as you had faith in God. Is it possible to have saving faith and continue to live in sin? No, if there is true faith there will be change...not perfection, but some sort of exterior indicator of what has happened on the inside.
James 2:25-26 Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. 26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.
We will address this topic even more when we get to Romans 6.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
It's what you do with what you know...
Romans 2:12-16 When the Gentiles sin, they will be destroyed, even though they never had God’s written law. And the Jews, who do have God’s law, will be judged by that law when they fail to obey it. For merely listening to the law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight. Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. And this is the message I proclaim—that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret life.
As we discussed in chapter one, everyone knows the truth of God whether it’s by observing the creator through His creation, the conscience inside of us, or by the written law. Not only that, but each of us shows that we are unable to live up to the standard of God. Romans 3:23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. The Gentiles are not held accountable for what they don’t know. They are only held accountable for what they do with what knowledge they have. I.E. If they knew by their conscience that lying was wrong and they lied then they will be held accountable for that.
It may be easy for us to look down on others thinking that we are somehow better than they are because we have heard the truth of the Gospel. Many Jews did the same thing with the law. Having the law does not make one elite. It holds us more accountable. James 4:17 Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
The word conscience was only a spoken term until shortly before the Christian era. It referred to the sense of being aware of what was right and wrong. Paul may be the first to use it as an independent witness that examines and passes judgment on the soul. As Christians the Holy Spirit enlightens our conscience making it’s voice stronger and its guidance better. How does our conscience affect our lives as Christians? God gives us the Holy Spirit to be our guide. Do we ignore that uneasy feeling when we join in gossip or stretch the truth? By listening to our conscience in even the smallest areas on a daily basis we can grow to be more Christ like.
Vs 17-23 You who call yourselves Jews are relying on God’s law, and you boast about your special relationship with him. 18 You know what he wants; you know what is right because you have been taught his law. 19 You are convinced that you are a guide for the blind and a light for people who are lost in darkness. 20 You think you can instruct the ignorant and teach children the ways of God. For you are certain that God’s law gives you complete knowledge and truth. Well then, if you teach others, why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal? 22 You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples? 23 You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it. No wonder the Scriptures say, “The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you.”
F.F. Bruce says, “You glory in the law, but in fact your disobedience to the law brings you and the God whom you worship into disrepute among the pagans.”
Don’t we do the same? We act as if we have all of the answers and we are here to tell everyone else how they should live their lives. One of the biggest reasons people reject God is because of hypocrites. This goes back to the discussion we had a few weeks ago about judging. There is a difference between instructing the world on God’s law and sharing the truth of the Gospel. We cannot tell a sinner to stop acting like a sinner. They don’t know any better. There are some who devote themselves to learning scripture inside and out. They can recite it, exegete it, and teach it, but they don’t have relationship with God. Knowing the Bible so well may give them a sense of superiority, but it does them no good. I Cor 13:2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge…., but do not have love, I am nothing.
Vs 24 is a reference to Is 52:5 What is this?” asks the LORD. “Why are my people enslaved again? Those who rule them shout in exultation. My name is blasphemed all day long. The Jews in exile caused Gentiles to think less of their God. The Gentiles thought, if the Jews were enduring such misfortune than their God must be powerless. Once again the Gentiles had reason to think less of the God of the Jews because of the behavior of His people.
We explain away the things that we do wrong. My little sin isn’t as bad as their big sin. The Bible says that if you even look at a person with lust you have committed adultery. If you hate someone in your heart you have committed murder. This is not about becoming legalistic or heaping on guilt. It’s about not fooling ourselves into thinking that we have it all together. It’s about knowing that we haven’t “arrived”. We are still in the process of purification and sanctification. It’s about humbling ourselves and saying, “God’s not finished with me yet.”
Vs 25-29 The Jewish ceremony of circumcision has value only if you obey God’s law. But if you don’t obey God’s law, you are no better off than an uncircumcised Gentile. 26 And if the Gentiles obey God’s law, won’t God declare them to be his own people? 27 In fact, uncircumcised Gentiles who keep God’s law will condemn you Jews who are circumcised and possess God’s law but don’t obey it.
28 For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. 29 No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God’s Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.
Paul is again leveling the playing field between Jew and Gentile by letting the Jew know that a Jew who doesn’t keep the law exactly is no better than a Gentile and a Gentile who does keep every detail of the law is the same in God’s sight as a Jew.
Jer 9:25-26 “A time is coming,” says the LORD, “when I will punish all those who are circumcised in body but not in spirit— the Egyptians, Edomites, Ammonites, Moabites, the people who live in the desert in remote places, and yes, even the people of Judah. And like all these pagan nations, the people of Israel also have uncircumcised hearts.” Many nations surrounding Israel practiced circumcision, but the physical act for them was not a sign of God’s covenant as it was intended to be in Israel. If Israel and Judah, however, stopped serving God in their heart then their circumcision would be no better than the neighboring people groups. Deut 10:16 So circumcise your heart, and stiffen your neck no longer.
Jer 4:4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD
And remove the foreskins of your heart,
Men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,
Or else My wrath will go forth like fire
And burn with none to quench it,
Because of the evil of your deeds."
Those who are stubborn and disobedient in their hearts may as well be uncircumcised. So Judaism and circumcision are not physical or lineage distinctions. They are determined by the attitude of the heart. The word Judah and Jew come from the Hebrew meaning praise. To be a Jew is to bring praise to God.
So what is our take home? Nick gave a great example. There are two guys who claim to be UFC fans. One walks around wearing a UFC shirt and says he comes from a long line of UFC fans. The other doesn't have a shirt or parents that follow MMA, but he watches all of the fights he can on t.v., practices Jujitsu, and goes to all of the matches in the area. Who is the real UFC fan? When someone looks at my life do they just see a title or a lineage or can they see evidence of my relationship with God in what I do and how I act?
As we discussed in chapter one, everyone knows the truth of God whether it’s by observing the creator through His creation, the conscience inside of us, or by the written law. Not only that, but each of us shows that we are unable to live up to the standard of God. Romans 3:23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. The Gentiles are not held accountable for what they don’t know. They are only held accountable for what they do with what knowledge they have. I.E. If they knew by their conscience that lying was wrong and they lied then they will be held accountable for that.
It may be easy for us to look down on others thinking that we are somehow better than they are because we have heard the truth of the Gospel. Many Jews did the same thing with the law. Having the law does not make one elite. It holds us more accountable. James 4:17 Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
The word conscience was only a spoken term until shortly before the Christian era. It referred to the sense of being aware of what was right and wrong. Paul may be the first to use it as an independent witness that examines and passes judgment on the soul. As Christians the Holy Spirit enlightens our conscience making it’s voice stronger and its guidance better. How does our conscience affect our lives as Christians? God gives us the Holy Spirit to be our guide. Do we ignore that uneasy feeling when we join in gossip or stretch the truth? By listening to our conscience in even the smallest areas on a daily basis we can grow to be more Christ like.
Vs 17-23 You who call yourselves Jews are relying on God’s law, and you boast about your special relationship with him. 18 You know what he wants; you know what is right because you have been taught his law. 19 You are convinced that you are a guide for the blind and a light for people who are lost in darkness. 20 You think you can instruct the ignorant and teach children the ways of God. For you are certain that God’s law gives you complete knowledge and truth. Well then, if you teach others, why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal? 22 You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples? 23 You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it. No wonder the Scriptures say, “The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you.”
F.F. Bruce says, “You glory in the law, but in fact your disobedience to the law brings you and the God whom you worship into disrepute among the pagans.”
Don’t we do the same? We act as if we have all of the answers and we are here to tell everyone else how they should live their lives. One of the biggest reasons people reject God is because of hypocrites. This goes back to the discussion we had a few weeks ago about judging. There is a difference between instructing the world on God’s law and sharing the truth of the Gospel. We cannot tell a sinner to stop acting like a sinner. They don’t know any better. There are some who devote themselves to learning scripture inside and out. They can recite it, exegete it, and teach it, but they don’t have relationship with God. Knowing the Bible so well may give them a sense of superiority, but it does them no good. I Cor 13:2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge…., but do not have love, I am nothing.
Vs 24 is a reference to Is 52:5 What is this?” asks the LORD. “Why are my people enslaved again? Those who rule them shout in exultation. My name is blasphemed all day long. The Jews in exile caused Gentiles to think less of their God. The Gentiles thought, if the Jews were enduring such misfortune than their God must be powerless. Once again the Gentiles had reason to think less of the God of the Jews because of the behavior of His people.
We explain away the things that we do wrong. My little sin isn’t as bad as their big sin. The Bible says that if you even look at a person with lust you have committed adultery. If you hate someone in your heart you have committed murder. This is not about becoming legalistic or heaping on guilt. It’s about not fooling ourselves into thinking that we have it all together. It’s about knowing that we haven’t “arrived”. We are still in the process of purification and sanctification. It’s about humbling ourselves and saying, “God’s not finished with me yet.”
Vs 25-29 The Jewish ceremony of circumcision has value only if you obey God’s law. But if you don’t obey God’s law, you are no better off than an uncircumcised Gentile. 26 And if the Gentiles obey God’s law, won’t God declare them to be his own people? 27 In fact, uncircumcised Gentiles who keep God’s law will condemn you Jews who are circumcised and possess God’s law but don’t obey it.
28 For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. 29 No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God’s Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.
Paul is again leveling the playing field between Jew and Gentile by letting the Jew know that a Jew who doesn’t keep the law exactly is no better than a Gentile and a Gentile who does keep every detail of the law is the same in God’s sight as a Jew.
Jer 9:25-26 “A time is coming,” says the LORD, “when I will punish all those who are circumcised in body but not in spirit— the Egyptians, Edomites, Ammonites, Moabites, the people who live in the desert in remote places, and yes, even the people of Judah. And like all these pagan nations, the people of Israel also have uncircumcised hearts.” Many nations surrounding Israel practiced circumcision, but the physical act for them was not a sign of God’s covenant as it was intended to be in Israel. If Israel and Judah, however, stopped serving God in their heart then their circumcision would be no better than the neighboring people groups. Deut 10:16 So circumcise your heart, and stiffen your neck no longer.
Jer 4:4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD
And remove the foreskins of your heart,
Men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,
Or else My wrath will go forth like fire
And burn with none to quench it,
Because of the evil of your deeds."
Those who are stubborn and disobedient in their hearts may as well be uncircumcised. So Judaism and circumcision are not physical or lineage distinctions. They are determined by the attitude of the heart. The word Judah and Jew come from the Hebrew meaning praise. To be a Jew is to bring praise to God.
So what is our take home? Nick gave a great example. There are two guys who claim to be UFC fans. One walks around wearing a UFC shirt and says he comes from a long line of UFC fans. The other doesn't have a shirt or parents that follow MMA, but he watches all of the fights he can on t.v., practices Jujitsu, and goes to all of the matches in the area. Who is the real UFC fan? When someone looks at my life do they just see a title or a lineage or can they see evidence of my relationship with God in what I do and how I act?
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