A Painful Truth

 If you were to ask me which passage of Scripture is the most divisive in today's American culture, I would have to say that it is Romans 1:26-32.  I knew that this passage was in the "Romans line-up", ever since making the decision to exegete this book; and, I've been dreading it. The Bible as a whole is unpopular in today's culture.  However, this passage is extremely inflammatory to many people.

Such was not the case when I was young.  50 years ago, there was near-universal acceptance in this country of this passage of Scripture.  Yet, the Bible has not changed.  "Modern society" has.

If you remember from yesterday, Paul has been describing people who reject God - - who reject His authority over their lives, His plan of salvation, His rules for righteous living.  These people choose badly, exchanging God's truth for the lie, which says "I am my own god."  They follow the example of Satan, who walked down this path away from worshipping the one, true God long, long ago.  We also touched on, yesterday, how God "gave them over" to their depravity, in the wake of their making such a horrible exchange.  In other words, He let them go, so that they could practice their godless ways unrestrained.

26 For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged the natural sexual relations for unnatural ones, 27 and likewise the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed in their passions for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done. 29 They are filled with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice. They are rife with envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, contrivers of all sorts of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 senseless, covenant-breakers, heartless, ruthless. 32 Although they fully know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but also approve of those who practice them.

Romans 1:26-32 (NET)

Let's begin at the end of the passage, with verse 32, because it is the anchor verse of this passage.  The group of people Paul is describing practice these behaviors.  He does not say that they are tempted to do them, or that they occasionally sin and fall into them.  He does not say that they are "born to them" or that they are helpless against these sins.  He says that they choose these behaviors as a lifestyle, reveling in them, wallowing in their sin gleefully, defiantly.  AND, they encourage others to follow their example, while approving of those who live the same way.  Insolence, rebellion and unrepentance are present here, a sort of "in your face" attitude toward righteousness and toward God Himself.  Make no mistake: the lack of repentance is this group's most egregious sin.

That being established, let's look at the specific depraved behaviors which most often characterize this people:

• "dishonorable sexual passions" (any sexual relations with anyone or anything outside the bounds of holy matrimony) 
• wickedness (a general term)
• covetousness and envy (a hunger for what God has given to someone else)
• malice (spite, vengefulness)
• strife (promoting friction, discord and dissension)
• hostility
• murderers
• deceitful (a lying tongue)
• gossipers 
• slanderers (those who spread lies about others to destroy them)
• arrogant
• boastful
• haters of God
• heartless, ruthless
• disobedient/disrespectful to parents

Paul ends the passage with the strong affirmation that those who live this way KNOW that their actions and attitudes are wrong.  Still, they repeatedly choose to walk in their own ways, rejecting God's.

There is an analogous passage in the Old Testament book of Proverbs, and I was thinking about that as I copied down the list above.  Perhaps the apostle Paul was thinking of this passage as he wrote Romans 1.  Take a look and note the similarities.  Can you count the 7?

16There are six things that the Lord hates,

even seven things that are an abomination to him:

17haughty eyes, a lying tongue,

and hands that shed innocent blood,

18a heart that devises wicked plans,

feet that are swift to run to evil,

19a false witness who pours out lies,

and a person who spreads discord among family members.

20My child, guard the commands of your father

and do not forsake the instruction of your mother.

21Bind them on your heart continually;

fasten them around your neck.

22When you walk about, they will guide you;

when you lie down, they will watch over you;

when you wake up, they will talk to you.

23For the commandments are like a lamp,

instruction is like a light,

and rebukes of discipline are like the road leading to life

Proverbs 6:16-23 (NET)

I fully realize that some of you, readers of this blog, are going to be highly offended at this post, that you will see it as a rebuke.  Society has made some of the behaviors, sins, on this list very socially acceptable.  In fact, if you do speak out against certain sexual sins, you are condemned by a large segment of our modern American society.  However, I am not in this "business" of blogging in order to twist and pervert the word of God.  His judgment on me, were I to do that, would be more awful than any shunning or backlash I receive from readers.

There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end of it is (physical and spiritual) death.

Proverbs 14:12

If you are my internet friends, how can I stand by silent, cherry-picking and choosing only the most comfortable Bible passages?  I can't, not in good conscience. Paul warns in Romans 1:32 that those who condone, approve of, give consent to these evil behaviors are just as guilty as those who practice them!  What a dire warning!  

The end of the Proverbs 6 passage reminds us that rebukes of discipline are like the road that leads to life, (both physical and eternal).  It is my prayer that today's post will be viewed by you in that light and that you will search your own heart in these matters.  As long as a person has physical life, there is hope.  He or she can turn around, walk in the other direction toward God, toward His plan of salvation, toward eternal life.

Father, these types of horrible trades remind me of folks who get high-interest title loans.  They trade something of true value for something of seemingly equal value, only to later find themselves in a deep, deep pit.  I pray for those who are in one of these lifestyle situations, walking purposely far from You.  I pray that You will open their eyes to their imminent destruction and their eternal peril! May they turn around, turn around and run toward You, their only salvation.  May they trade in their dirty, broken lives for life eternal.  In Jesus' name, amen.

A Horrible Exchange

If you were asked to describe the majority of people in this world, those without Jesus Christ, what would you say?  I find it interesting how the apostle Paul characterized them, particularly the first descriptor he used.  Our text this morning is Romans 1:18-25.  (For newcomers to this blog, we are on a journey through the book of Romans.)

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness, 19 because what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.20 For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.

24 Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to dishonor their bodies among themselves. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

(NET)

The number one characteristic of unrighteous, ungodly, lost-without-Christ people is that they suppress the truth.  We see this passage "book-ended" by Paul's statements to that effect, in verses 18 and 25.

This morning, I was watching a news channel which is trying its darnedest to ignore the presidential candidate who won the Iowa caucuses. The network is doing this in an attempt to sway the election, by painting a false picture to their viewers, the electorate.  Campaigns do the same thing.  One of the commentators mentioned how one campaign was doing everything it could to stay alive, while the other candidate's momentum "on the ground" in the current battleground state was impossible to ignore.  Yet, this is not being portrayed in the media.  I'm not saying that this network or that one is ungodly.  I am saying that they bend the truth to suit their own purposes.  It is the way of the world.

Interestingly, Paul asserts in verses 19-20 that godless people, in their heart of hearts, KNOW the truth, one evidence of God's supremacy being His amazing creation all around us.  Unfortunately, rather than bowing their hearts in worship to almighty God, through His Son, Jesus Christ, these people choose to worship created things, most often, themselves or other created beings.  They proclaim themselves to be 'smarter than the average bear' (vs. 22).  They believe themselves to be "enlightened", intellectual, not falling for foolish "Bible stories".  "Who lives his life according to a mere book, after all?!", they condescendingly say.

7But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong. 28God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something, 29so that no one can boast in his presence.

1 Corinthians 1:27-29

(NET)

Paul allows these people, who make this deliberate choice, "no excuse" for their unrighteousness. They are unrighteous because they have made a conscious decision to reject God's plan for mankind's redemption, and more importantly, for their own.

They make a very, very short-sighted, foolish exchange.  They trade, or exchange, the glory of the immortal God for some other "idol".  Be sure you understand --- an "idol" can be any thing and anyone that takes the place of God in our lives.  Some versions of verse 25 say this "they exchanged the truth of God for 'the lie' ".  What is "the lie" referred to here?  It is the assertion that ---
"There is no God; therefore, He cannot be known.  Since He does not exist, I am not accountable to Him. I am my own god."

In verse 21, a dreadful verse, we see the result of such a catastrophic choice.  Because these people chose to be unthankful and ungrateful, because they chose to glorify "the created rather than the Creator", their thoughts became more and more dark, their actions more and more futile, their hearts more and more dark and impure.  In other words, it became more and more difficult for them to see the truth, to see the Light.

And then, the most horrible verse of all - - - verse 24 - - - God gave them over, to wallow in their sin.
Divine abandonment!  I'm going to borrow liberally here from John MacArthur:

"Paradidomi (gave … over) is an intense verb. In the New Testament it is used of giving one’s body to be burned (1 Cor. 13:3) and three times of Christ’s giving Himself up to death (Gal. 2:20; Eph. 5:2, 25). It is used in a judicial sense of men’s being committed to prison (Mark 1:14; Acts 8:3) or to judgment (Matt. 5:25; 10:17, 19, 21; 18:34) and of rebellious angels being delivered to pits of darkness (2 Pet. 2:4). It is also used of Christ’s committing Himself to His Father’s care (1 Pet. 2:23) and of the Father’s delivering His own Son to propitiatory death (Rom. 4:25; 8:32)"1

If that doesn't put a chill in your morning coffee, I don't know what will.  Sounds pretty final, doesn't it?  Does this pronouncement mean that it is impossible for some to come to salvation, after they make an initial, disastrous choice?  The scriptures declare that "Nothing is impossible with God" (Luke 1:37).  It is not up to us to declare someone "hopelessly, irrevocably lost".  As long as there is breath in the body, there is hope of eternal salvation.  However, this passage should sober us Believers for those we know to be lost and on their way to Hell.

Is this passage eerily familiar?  Do you see yourself in these verses?  Have you made the mistake, in your past, of rejecting Jesus Christ's offer of salvation?  Please don't delay!  He is the only Source of Life and Truth.  Surrender your life to Him, today.

Well, Father, this scripture passage just makes me ill.  When I mull it over I think of my loved ones who are living lives of self-worship, openly testifying to their rejection of You.  I'm going to keep living the Truth before them, Lord, loving on them, speaking to them as Your spirit leads and most of all, praying, praying, diligently praying that their eyes and hearts will be opened, that they will reconsider, before it is too late.  Oh Lord, have mercy on them!  Please speak to them in ways that they will best understand, so that they will be spared Hell and can dwell with You forever.  In Jesus' name, amen.

Source:

1  https://www.gty.org/resources/bible-qna/BQ100212/What-Does-Scripture-Mean-When-It-Says-God-Gave-Them-Over

From Faith to Faith

Do you know what an anchor bolt is?  It is a device, made of a strong material (such as steel or titanium), that anchors another structure to concrete (usually).  It is foundational in its function.

In the dictionary definition "faith" is not specific in its object.   If you look the word up you find this:                            complete trust or confidence, strong belief not based on "proof".  
We exercise an earthly type of faith every day.  We have confidence that gravity is going to anchor us to the floor, that our lungs are going to find air, that the car we ride in will get us from point A to point B, that our buildings won't topple in a strong wind.  We do this based on human experience, so that it is "second nature".

Regarding faith in the one, true God, though, we find this exercise to be more problematic.  Although we clearly see evidence of Him all around us, when our faith is stretched, we are tempted to disbelieve.  This is a conundrum, not just for unbelievers, but for believers as well.

Paul makes the point in today's scripture that faith is "the only way to go".  It is the "anchor bolt" of the Bible.

For the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel from faith to faith, just as it is written, "The righteous by faith will live."

Romans 1:17

We first get a glimpse of the importance of faith, in studying the lives of the patriarchs, such as Noah and Abraham.  But, we are not going to plunge down that well this morning.

In my last post, I mentioned two other scriptures where this teaching is recorded.  The first is Habakkuk 2:4.  At the beginning of that chapter, we find Habakkuk standing on top of the city wall, waiting for an answer from God.  In verse 2, God begins to give His answer.  But, it is more than the current answer Habakkuk was seeking.  It was a "forever answer".

 And the Lord answered me:

“Write the vision;

    make it plain on tablets,

    so he may run who reads it.

3 

For still the vision awaits its appointed time;

    it hastens to the end—it will not lie.

If it seems slow, wait for it;

    it will surely come; it will not delay.

4 

“Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him,

    but the righteous shall live by his faith.

(ESV)

Wait for it....wait for it....Messiah is coming.  He will surely come, in God's perfect timing, God told Habakkuk.  And, in that day, the righteous will live by his faith, as has been the case from the beginning.  Yes, the very beginning.  In Genesis 2:16-17, God issued a command and a warning.  He was asking Adam to trust Him, to believe Him, to have faith in His holy word.  I guess you know how that turned out!

So, when Paul, in Romans 1:17, is explaining to the Romans how to access a relationship with God, he points back to the path God established with Adam, continued through Abraham, and re-affirmed with Habakkuk: we come to God through faith.

Let's look in closing at another affirmation of this truth (there are many in scripture), from Hebrews.

But My righteous one will live by faith;
and if he draws back,
I have no pleasure in him.

Hebrews 10:38 (HCSB)

A few verses later, the writer of Hebrews re-emphasizes this foundational truth, and then goes on to devote the remainder of the chapter to example after example of fallible humans who anchored their souls to the One and Only.

 Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him.

Hebrews 11:6 (HCSB)

"By faith....to faith".... Listen to the long-ago words of commentator, Matthew Henry.

God will not disappoint the believing expectations of those who wait to hear what he will say unto them. All are concerned in the truths of God's word. Though the promised favour be deferred long, it will come at last, and abundantly recompense us for waiting. The humble, broken-hearted, repenting sinner, alone seeks to obtain an interest in this salvation. He will rest his soul on the promise, and on Christ, in and through whom it is given. Thus he walks and works, as well as lives by faith, perseveres to the end, and is exalted to glory; while those who distrust or despise God's all-sufficiency will not walk uprightly with him. The just shall live by faith in these precious promises, while the performance of them is deferred. Only those made just by faith, shall live, shall be happy here and for ever.1

Dear Father, 
Help us to remember that it is our faith that pleases you, our unwavering confidence in Your Word, a faith that is evidenced by our walking in it, walking .... resplendent.  In Jesus' name, amen.

2 

Source:

1  http://biblehub.com/habakkuk/2-4.htm

Hiding My Light

There have been times when I have been embarrassed by the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Oh, if you asked me outright, I would have said the right things.  But, in my actions and behaviors, I have veiled my beliefs in order to "be successful" and "get along" in this distinctly unChristian world.

Case in point:  Some of you who have known me for years probably have this response to my behavior now - - - "Did you hear about Gena? She has gone off the religious deep-end.  She writes that blog five days a week and posts religious posts on Facebook and tweets about faith and politics like a madwoman.  What has gotten into her?"

The thing is - - sorry to tell you - - -I've always been that way, well, since a teenager, that is.  Since my conversion to Christianity as a youth.  But, when I made a career choice, to work in the public schools, I put a veil over my faith.  In one-on-one situations, given an opening, I would express my faith by praying for/sharing with individuals - - staff members, children, parents of students.  I wasn't ashamed of the gospel in the workplace; but, I was careful how I expressed my faith.  I had to be, in order to keep my job.  Or, so I thought at the time.  (This was before I ever got a Facebook account or began tweeting.  Even though I "semi-retired" only 5 years ago, it seems like "the dark ages" now, as far as all these technology tools are concerned.)

Was this the right decision?  I could have decided to go full-bore into full-time ministry in my 20s. But, I did not.  It's easy to look back and flog oneself over past decisions.  But, as I have often said, God can use our past, even our failures, no matter what they are - - - IF we will let Him.  While we must learn lessons from our past, it is pointless to continually go back to stare at the carnage, bemoaning the fact incessantly that the carnage occurred.  Does no good.

What we do have in our hands today - - - is TODAY!  So, here's the question.  When presented with opportunities to live out the gospel today, will we take them?  Paul's example is both inspiring and daunting, at the same time:

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel from faith to faith, just as it is written, “The righteous by faith will live.”

It's not "about us", you know.  The driving force behind us shining our light (Daniel 12:3) is that people who die without Christ as their Savior will be forever in Hell.  We tend to conveniently ignore that fact! It's too painful to contemplate; so, we shutter our eyes - - just pull the blinds down.  It tends to be overwhelming - - - I get that.

Here's the deal, though.  We can give money to missions, and should. We should exercise our ministry gifts/talents, and should.  But, beyond that, when God presents us with opportunities to share the gospel in more direct ways, we.must.not.be.ashamed.

Or fearful.
Sometimes, some of us are not "ashamed" exactly.  We are fearful - - of rejection, repercussions, consequences, etc.
Recently, I was given an opportunity to expand this blog ministry.  I was somewhat intimidated and had to "pray through" the circumstances, consult trusted advisors, search the Scriptures.   I've sensed God's leading in the situation, though, and am forging ahead.

Ok, let's move on to verse 17.  The scripture Paul quotes here is (originally) from Habakkuk 2:4.  But, in addition to Romans 1:17, it is also quoted in Galatians 3:11 and in Hebrews 10:38.  On second thought, there's too much here to cover today.  Let's defer this exposition until tomorrow.

Father God, make us bold as lions, yet meek as lambs, following the lead of Your Holy Spirit to share the gospel of our Savior.  And, for any readers who do not know Him in that way, may they open their hearts to embrace him, with the deepest of heart-felt belief, transformative belief, today.  In Jesus' name, amen.

Hello, Saints!

In just a couple of weeks my church is hosting a large missions conference.  We will have missionaries from far-flung corners of the world and also from our own country visiting in our church and in our homes.  I wonder, if some who have never visited our church before, wrote us a letter this week, what that letter would say... It is a question worth considering.

The apostle Paul had never visited the fledgling church in Rome.  Several of his letters were written after he had visited, evangelized and discipled young congregations throughout the Middle and Near Eastern regions.  But, not this one.

Accordingly, in Romans 1:1-7, Paul introduces himself.

From Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God. 2 This gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures,3 concerning his Son who was a descendant of David with reference to the flesh, 4 who was appointed the Son-of-God-in-power according to the Holy Spirit by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him we have received grace and our apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles on behalf of his name. 6 You also are among them, called to belong to Jesus Christ. 7 To all those loved by God in Rome, called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

(NET)

Although it is customary for Paul to begin all of his NT letters with an introduction and salutation, let's look at this one more closely.
1.  Slave of Jesus Christ
Why did Paul choose this word?  There were approximately 60 million slaves in the Roman Empire in the first century A.D.  Slaves were looked upon as pieces of property.  This is a step below servanthood, a more serious bonding of one human to another.  Paul chooses to express his relationship to Jesus Christ as that of a slave to his Master, rather than using the term "servant".
2.  Sanctified Apostle
The word "sanctified" means "set apart" (for a specific use).  If I go to the grocery store and purchase food for a particular event, I must be sure to tell my family that it must not be used for any other purpose.  It has been "set apart".  The other aspect of sanctification involves daily, ongoing training by the Holy Spirit, being shaped increasingly to fulfill a purpose.  And, what was Paul's purpose?  It was to share the gospel of Jesus Christ, Son of God, with the Gentile world.  The word "nations" in Scripture refers to non-Jewish people groups; and, it was especially to the unreached Gentiles of the world that Paul was appointed messenger of the gospel.

Paul then gives a brief description of the gospel of Jesus Christ in verses 4 and 5.
1.  It originated with God and was prophesied in the Old Testament.
This saving gospel was no concoction of any human being.  God began to unveil his eternal plan to save mankind in Genesis 3:15, immediately after Adam's and Eve's choices that engineered the "fall of man" (from God's grace, into sin).  If you go to your Google browser and search the topic "Old Testament Messianic Prophecies", your screen will fill with references to God's promised Messiah, and you will see that most of those were fulfilled by Jesus Christ, with His first coming (His first advent) here on Earth.  The remainder will be fulfilled when He returns, as conquering King.
2.   In verse 5 Paul names Jesus Christ, (Man, Jew, son of David, and resurrected Son of God)  as the giver of all grace, the heart of the gospel.  It is through Him that Paul received saving grace and his commission to be an apostle.

In verse 6 Paul calls the Roman believers "saints".  Warren Wiersbe explains this so well!

"The believers were called of Jesus Christ, and they were also called saints. (Not 'to be' saints...they already WERE saints!  A 'saint' is a set-apart one, and the person who trusts Jesus Christ is set apart and IS a saint.) Salvation is not something that we do FOR God; it is God who calls us in His grace {2 Thessalonians 2:13-14}.  When you trust Christ, you are saved by His grace and you experience His peace."
{The emphasized words were capitalized by me...}

We are going to see, later on, that the Roman church was comprised of both Jewish and Gentile believers.  It appears that some were meeting secretly in the home of Aquila and Priscilla, a husband and wife we will meet later.  Others were scattered throughout that large city.

Verse 7 is both a "hello" and a blessing.  It highlights the unrestrained, undeserved love of God and His grace (that is, His favor which cannot be earned) to all believers in Jesus Christ.

What if the apostle Paul wrote a letter to your church?  What if he wrote a letter to YOU?  It is a question worth considering.

Would he be able to greet you as a saint?  As one beloved of God?  As one who has received the grace and salvation freely given through Jesus Christ?

Father, I pray for all who read this blog who may not know You as it is possible to know You.  May Your Holy Spirit have mercy on those whose eyes are still cloudy with lack of knowledge and/or unbelief.  Start a holy fire in their hearts; create a holy, ravenous hunger for You.  Please do this so that they may know You as I know You, as Paul knew You.  In Jesus' name, amen.

Source:

Wiersbe, Warren W. The Wiersbe Bible Commentary. Colorado Springs: David C Cook, 2007, pp. 410-411. Print.

http://www.christnotes.org/commentary.php?com=wes&b=45&c=1

A Long Journey, Down The Roman Road

Today we leave behind Galatians and move on to the next book in the chronology of Paul's writings: Romans.  I must admit to being intimidated by this wonderful book and especially by how long it will take to explore it.

According to the exhaustive work of Matthew McGee1, Paul wrote the book of Romans on his 3rd, long stay in Corinth, during the winter of 57-58 A.D.  While staying and ministering in Corinth, Paul was near the end of what is called his "third missionary journey".  After leaving Corinth he would go on (mostly by boat) to several cities (Acts 20-21), ending up in Jerusalem (spring of 50 A.D.), where he preached to the Jews, who imprisoned him for about 2 years.  Best I can tell, this was before he actually went to Rome (post-conversion)  in 60 A.D.

Warren Wiersbe2 shares in his introduction to Romans that this Pauline letter was transformatively inspirational to both John Wesley (that great Methodist evangelist) and Martin Luther (the Father of Protestantism).  They are not alone.

When I was a child, being taught how to evangelize (win others to a saving belief in Jesus Christ), a simple tool called "The Roman Road" was used.  I still have it written in the front of my old Bible, the one I received as a teenager.  (That's the picture at the top of today's post.)

I began to wonder where this short, to-the-point tool originated.  After doing a little research, I found the answer online3.  In the mid-20th century, there was an independent, Baptist preacher named Jack Hyles.  His ministry was based in east Texas.  In a sermon he preached at his church, Hammond Baptist, in 1970, he claimed to have originated this little plan, some 22 years earlier, in 1948-49.

If you have not heard of it, here it is, with brief explanation3.  (All scriptures from the NET version)

1.  Who is "good enough" to earn eternal salvation and Heaven?
Romans 3:10
"There is no one righteous, not even one."

2.  Who are "sinners"?
Romans 3:23
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God".

3.  Where did sin come from?
Romans 5:12
"So then, just as sin entered the world through one man {Adam}, and death through sin, and so death spread to all people, because all have sinned."

4.  How costly is sin?
Romans 6:23
"For the payoff of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, in Jesus Christ our Lord."

5.  Who can pay the price?
Romans 5:8
"But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

6.  What is the one and only way to escape Hell?
Romans 10:9-10
"Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation."

7.  How can we be confident of our salvation?
Romans 10:13
"For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

From just this little peek down the road, you can get a glimpse of the joyous journey ahead.  I am so excited to be taking it with you.  We'll begin tomorrow in Romans 1.

Father, thank you for your incredible gifts!  Number one is, of course, the gift of your Son, by Whom we can come into Your very presence.  Second, I am so grateful for your Holy Written Word, every word of which is divinely breathed out, from Your Spirit into ours.  Open our hearts to the riches you have for us, in personal relationship with You, through our study of that magnificent, holy book.  In Jesus' name, amen.

Sources:

1.  http://www.matthewmcgee.org/paultime.html
2.  Wiersbe, Warren W. The Wiersbe Bible Commentary. Colorado Springs: David C Cook, 2007, pp. 410-411. Print.

3.  http://en.allexperts.com/q/Protestantism-3208/2008/11/Roman-Road-Plan-Salvation.htm

But, But, ... BUT....

We are at the end of the book of Galatians.  Here we find an apostle Paul who was weary - - from the disputes which the Judaizers had stirred up among the Galatians, Paul was "over it".  I imagine he felt like he had said all he was inspired by the Holy Spirit to say on the matter.

There comes a point where arguing does no good.  Frankly, I feel that way when arguing about certain Biblical teachings.  Certainly, there are major doctrines of the Christian faith which are indispensable and undeniably right, "one right answer" issues.  The Bible and Holy Spirit make these clear.  An example is the tug-of-war which was going on between the Galatian church and the Judaizers, who were teaching that in order to have a right relationship with God the Law still had to be followed to the letter, and moreover, that it was the following of Mosaic Law which brought salvation.  This was no petty dispute.  It is important to "contend for the faith" in such situations! Otherwise, people will continue to be lost, without Christ Jesus, because they have heard and believed a false gospel.

That's not what I'm referring to this morning.  There are sincere believers who are absolutely convinced that they have every minute detail in the Bible "figured out".  Furthermore, it is often a point of pride for them, as it was for the Judaizers.  These legalists in the Galatian church viewed those who became swayed to their point of view as "conquests" or "notches on the belt" more than anything else.  Pride...such a joy-stealer, eye-blinder, ministry-killer!

Look, I don't have God's A-Z plan figured out.  Neither does anyone else, regardless of how vehemently they insist to the contrary.  It is possible for us to know enough, in order to walk by faith in the rest.

I do not have to know the exact moment that Jesus Christ is going to return.  It is enough for me to know that He will, in God the Father's own perfect timing.
I do not have to know what transpired in Jesus' life from age 12 to 30.  It is enough for me to know God's revelation of Him to me through the Old and New Testaments.  It is enough to know and accept that He lived, died, was buried, rose from the dead, and now lives again, seated at the right hand of God the Father, and that He did made perfect, complete atonement, so I could have an eternal relationship with Elohim (the triune God).  It is enough.  God gives us the knowledge and wisdom we need.

We can choose to argue endlessly with each other and/or boast about things in which we have no business claiming credit.  OR, we can choose to live faithfully, daily choosing to fulfill the callings God has given to each of us.  If we choose the former, we will diminish our effectiveness in God's kingdom, "hindering the gospel".  If we choose the latter - - letting God do His marvelous work in and through us, giving Him the glory, we have then chosen well.  Paul knew this, which is why in today's verses he gives pride the old "punch down".

14-16 For my part, I am going to boast about nothing but the Cross of our Master, Jesus Christ. Because of that Cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns that they dictate. Can’t you see the central issue in all this? It is not what you and I do—submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is doing, and he is creating something totally new, a free life! All who walk by this standard are the true Israel of God—his chosen people. Peace and mercy on them!

17 Quite frankly, I don’t want to be bothered anymore by these disputes. I have far more important things to do—the serious living of this faith. I bear in my body scars from my service to Jesus.

18 May what our Master Jesus Christ gives freely be deeply and personally yours, my friends. Oh, yes!

Galatians 6:14-18  (The Message)

So, let's be discerning about what we choose to "argue" about and "boast" about.  It is God, after all, who creates this totally new, free life we Believers are given to live and walk in.  That is why I so love the Latin phrase, "Soli Deo Gloria" - - glory ONLY to God!

Father, thank you so much for giving to your "true Israel" the gift of eternal life, and giving it free, deeply and personally!  May our focus be on allowing You to do in and through us this revolutionary, transformative thing of beauty, and in so doing, may all the glory, honor and praise be only Yours! In Jesus' name, amen.