No condemnation! Not now. Not ever.

Re:Verse reading–Romans 8:1-17 (day one) 

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”–v 1.

Condemnation normally referred to a future event.  “We must all stand before the judgement seat of Christ”–2 Corinthians 5:10.  It (condemnation) literally meant “guilty verdict” or “negative judgement”.  (A compound word formed from “down” and “decision”).  It WILL NOT HAPPEN to those who have joined life to Christ by faith.  NO thumbs down sign from God.  NO condemnation for us.  We will be WELCOMED as forgiven children of the Most High!

God’s decision on this matter is already made.  “There is therefore (pointing to previous truths of Romans 1-7 ) NOW no condemnation.”  Not something that will be decided later.  It is decided now.  Like the prodigal, If I am in His Son,  I will be welcomed home no matter what my years in the far country have done to my soul.

For those in Christ, no condemnation.  Not now.  Not ever.

Shall we go on sinning?

Re: Verse reading–Romans 6 (day seven)

“Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?” v 1.  Maybe no one actually says it.  Usually more of an unconscious thought, a false conclusion.  “If salvation is by grace alone, then sin is not such a big deal.”  “Why worry?” “No one is perfect!”  “God will forgive me no matter what.”  “I should just accept my brokenness and rejoice in His full forgiveness.”   “Right?”

Wrong!  Paul addresses this issue head on by teaching the real union of believer and Savior.  “We were baptized into Christ.” v 3.  Joined.  Made one.  Our debt becomes His.  His victory becomes ours.

Who would misuse the privilege of salvation by allowing sin to be unrepented and unconfessed?  Only a false-hearted person!  Only the one who would like to share the BENEFIT of union with Christ (forgiveness) but not the PURPOSE. (new life)

Q–Shall we go on sinning?  A–No!  We are one with Christ!

This is Not Fire and Brimstone

Re:Verse reading–Romans 6 (day six)

I think it is very important to note this is not a “fire and brimstone” text. Paul is not trying to intimidate sinners into being righteous out of fear that they may not “be saved.” (You can go to Hebrews 10:26 for that.) Paul is in fact answering critics who argued that this “faith” business would only lead to more sin, not less. So, Paul is not trying to scare anyone, but is actually writing matter-of-factly about the nature of God’s grace at work in the Christian’s life.

He began his argument in chapter five when he wrote, “how much more shall we be saved by his[Christ’s] life.” He makes the case that in the same way sin and corruption struck like a virus in humanity through Adam, so shall the life of Jesus spread into the life of those who believe in the Gospel by faith. If this is true, Paul believed that the resulting life is one given to more and more righteousness, or fruits of the Spirit. By God’s grace, the Christian is freed for the first time to fight the fight of faith, or to increasingly give themselves to the righteousness of Christ. It is a given reality, not just a possibility.

May It Never Be!

Re: Verse reading–Romans 6 (day five)

Freedom is a funny thing. Every year for the past 25 years of youth ministry, I watch a new group of High School graduates enter a new chapter of life. One of the most significant dynamics that marks this new chapter is Freedom. In fact, I tell our graduates, “you will never have more freedom than you do during this new season of life.” As they move into the work force or university life they finally get “to do what I want to do”. Their response to this newfound independence is very telling about their view of Freedom. Paul writes in chapter 6 of Romans His answer to the same issue as it relates to newfound freedom in Christ. Question: “Do I get to do what I want to do, now that I am saved and forgiven?” His response, “May it never be!” In other words, “NO!!” I like what C JoyBell C. says, “Freedom is not the absence of commitment, and to be committed to something or to someone does not mean the loss of freedom”.

Who is Your Master?

Re:Verse reading–Romans 6 (day four)

Verse 19 says, “…For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.” Sin is never a static or unchanging action.  It always results in more sin.  If we submit our lives to lawlessness, things will only get worse.  In our culture, there is no tolerance for those who practice righteousness.  Lawlessness is never content to just do its own thing…there must be increased acceptance and practice by all.  To practice righteousness results in sanctification…in other words, you become more and more like Christ.  Instead of a deterioration of character, there is a growth in character.  Romans 1 taught us that…when man rejected God and choose deception and untruth, God gave them over to the depravity of their minds.  It is a picture we see around us every day.  Lawlessness brings death, righteousness brings life…choose wisely!

Physical

Re: Verse reading–Romans 6 (day three)

“Do not let sin reign in your mortal body.” Sin is not just in your mind. It’s in your body. Yes, sin–that dimension of evil that we associate with secret desires and private thoughts and internal struggles–is also a very physical reality. The body is not just a marionette operating helplessly at the end of the strings that the mind controls. It has appetites and habits and ways that require little to no thought from your mind or direction from your will. The Lord not only intends to save your spirit; he intends to save your body as well. That’s what resurrection is all about. The old hymn says, “Take my hands…take my feet…take my voice…take my lips….” Will you confess the Lord as Lord of your body?

NOTHING!

Re: Verse reading–Romans 6 (day two)

What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? vs. 21

In the margin of my bible next to this underlined verse I have written one word…NOTHING!

That is the sum total of what I have gained from the things in my life that distract me from God’s grace. When I look back at those things which would continue to cloud my vision were it not for the Holy Spirit, I marvel at why or how I let it cloud my vision in the first place. Where do those things/choices lead. Paul answers that question in verse 23 pretty clearly…death. So why do we allow them to continue to wage a war against all that we know to be true. If they only promise death where is the value? Perhaps this is how we should treat any stray thought or temptation. Pray that God give you the wisdom to recognize those things for what they really are…NOTHING.

What say we?

Re: Verse reading–Romans 6 (day one)

“WHAT SHALL WE SAY then?  Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase?”–v 1.  Paul often uses this formula to advance his argument.  “WHAT SHALL WE SAY to these things?  If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) is another example.

The short summary is “How shall we respond to God’s grace?”  “Given the truths of Romans 1-5, what conclusions should we draw?”

Note that Paul ASSUMES  we WILL reach some conclusions.  He also warns that some conclusions are incorrect.

“Since grace is free, then what I DO doesn’t matter, right?”  ” Christ paid for my debt, so sin is no longer a concern, correct?”

No! This is one conclusion that we are NOT free to reach.  Paul will spend this week convincing us. Life in Christ and death to sin are two parts of the same story.

Thanks for reading RE Verse.  It’s gonna be a great week.

Shaped by stress

Re:Verse reading–Romans 5:1-11 (day seven)

“We know that tribulation brings about perseverance”–v 3.  I have a framed picture on my office wall.  A gift from Holly, years ago.  A picture of an umbrella and a single Greek word.  Hupomeno.  Usually translated “patience or perseverance”, the original word is literally “to remain under”.  To stay under the pressure until you learned the lesson of it.  To not run or seek safety, to seek God and growth instead.

The pastorate surprised me.  Shouldn’t have, probably.  The criticisms, the various needs calling for my attention and care, the pressure of decisions, facilities and staff,  the first priority of prayer.

At first, I wanted to run!  “This is impossible”, I said more than once.  Over time, I learned the grace that Paul discovered.  Slowly, powerfully, by the Spirit, stress began to shape ME, teach ME.  The circumstances did not change.  I did.

This is always God’s way.  With all of us. You in?

Fairy Tales

Re:Verse reading–Romans 5:1-11 (day six)

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings,…” Romans 5:3

The Brothers Grimm wrote their fairy tales to provide a sense of escapism or present to their readers cautionary tales. Fairy tales are best when they impart some truth; acting as a sweet easy-to-swallow capsule to an otherwise unpleasant reality. And like medicine, you only use it when needed, or when you are eager to be swept away to another world.

The Gospel is nothing like a fairy tale. That’s Paul’s message in the first few verses of Romans 5. The Gospel is not a supplement to life, to be sprinkled here, or applied there as needed, no, the Gospel meets us in all of life, messy bits and all. It is not a sweet notion, or fashionable (or unfashionable) fairy tale, but is a gritty and real antidote to our most desperate brokenness. The Gospel is gritty; it is the clearest lens which to understand all of life, and it changes everything!