Unity As You Follow Christ

• Read: Romans 15:1-13
• Memorize: Romans 15:5-6

It's been a while since I've written a blog, so I had to go back and review chapter 14 to get context. You may want to do the same. Paul discussed the importance of giving up our rights in order to accommodate the needs and even the weaknesses of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul continues this line of thinking in chapter 15, but follows it through to the logical conclusion of unity in the body.

Many popular church leaders have embraced the ecumenical movement, which tries to get many denominations and even religions to work together. Their argument is for "unity", which they hope to attain by ignoring differences in doctrine or conviction. This understanding of unity is flawed and results in chaos within the group. God absolutely desires unity among believers, and Paul teaches this regularly, but he also teaches how we are to be unified.

In verse 1, Paul reiterates that we should "bear with the failings of the weak". This however should not result in ignoring false doctrine, but by holding firmly to truth. Paul prays that God would give a spirit of unity as the Romans followed Christ Jesus. (vs. 5) The emphasis is on the unifying factor, which is Christ himself. Paul brings up the same thing in his letter to the Ephesians, when he says that our unity in the faith is accomplished through complete knowledge of the Son. (Eph 4:13) Let me give a sports example:

In basketball, teams run plays in order to work together. The team works in complete unity when everyone knows what the play is and runs it properly. Now if a team ever took the ecumenical approach to basketball, then the coach might instruct the players to do whatever they want and to just ignore the teammates who are trying to run different, even conflicting plays. If a team ever took that approach, then their chaos would result in disaster. In the same way, the church must avoid the chaos of everybody believing and teaching and living out conflicting ideas, and pursue unity by gaining a right understanding of Jesus Christ.

Make every effort to build the body of Christ into unity by knowing Christ more and teaching others the truths that you learn.

Comment:

1. How does Paul instruct us to accomplish unity in the church?
2. How can you personally take part in this?
   

Love Gives Up Rights

• Read: Romans 14:1-23
• Memorize: Romans 14:22
  

At first glance this chapter seems to be an odd insertion about vegetarians, but look closer at the text. The issue at hand is not meat or vegetables, but rather using our freedom to serve others. This is a continuation of the discussion of love in Chapter 13. (see 14:15) If we love our brothers and sisters in Christ, then we won't offend them by standing up for our rights. Paul gave examples of this that were clear to first century Christians, but they are a little confusing to us, so I will present to you a couple of twenty first century examples.

A few years back a friend of mine heard that Jack In The Box had given money to an homosexual group. To my friend, eating at Jack In The Box was supporting homosexuality, so she stayed far away. I understood the principle from 1 Corinthians 10:25 and surrounding verses* to free us from this burden on our consciences. If we truly could not purchase goods from businesses that use their proceeds for ungodly causes, then we would be extremely limited in where we shop. (In Red Bluff, I think that I can count on one hand the number of business that do things God's way.)

I could have stood up for my right, and told my friend she was wrong, pushing her to eat at Jack in the Box, but instead I was very careful not to offend her. I did not talk about eating there when she was around and I made sure that if I got food from Jack in the Box that I disposed of the packaging before I would see her. I didn't want my exercise of freedom to be a stumbling block for her. We should love our brothers and sisters in Christ by giving up our rights so that their consciences are not offended. We can and should teach the truth to strengthen their faith, but at the same time we must protect their purity by abstaining from anything that their consciences say is wrong.

Comment:

1. Why should we give up our rights to accommodate someone who is weaker in their fatih?
2. What is another modern example, real or hypothetical (made up), of someone giving up his rights for someone else?
   

*Check out 1 Corinthians 10:23-33 for Paul's discussion on this topic and ask if you have any questions.

The Love Debt

• Read: Romans 13:8-14; 5:5
• Memorize: Romans 13:8

Let no debt remain outstanding is a great financial principle to live by. That isn't to say that we should never borrow money, but rather that when we do borrow, we should make payments to the lender as agreed. This follows right along with verse 7 which instructs us to "give to everyone what you owe him", whether taxes, honor or loan payments.

Now without going into a detailed study on borrowing and lending in the Bible, let me give you some wise advice. As far as it is up to you, never borrow money for consumable items. This means that you should not run up a credit card debt for movie tickets, fast food or clothes. If you borrow money for a consumable, (something that gets used up) then you'll soon find yourself owing money on an item that you don't even have anymore.

Financial principles aside, Paul was most interested in the spiritual aspect of this principle. Let no debt remain outstanding in the spiritual realm. Our first and heaviest debt is the debt of the guilt of our sin. We cannot ever pay this off, which is why we must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and trust him to set that account right. The second debt is the continuing debt of love.

Paul's point is that you can love God as much as you want, and he will still deserve more love; you will continue to owe him. The greatest expression of love for God is to love others, so we can love other people as much as we want and there will still be a need for more. We cannot love God too much and fortunately he gives us a never ending supply of love, which he pours into us by his Holy Spirit. (Rom 5:5) Rest in the embrace of God's love and as he fills you with it, don't bottle it up, but let it overflow freely into the lives of others.

Comment:

1. Why can't we ever pay off the debt of love?
2. How can we have enough love to continually "pay the debt" of love?
   

Submit To Governing Authorities

• Read: Romans 13:1-7
• Memorize: Romans 13:1

This is a hard command to stomach. We don't like to be told what to do and we tend to cite all of the injustice and corruption in our government as excuse for disregarding the laws of the land, but God tells us to submit to our governing authorities because HE has put them in their position of power.

Now it's true that government are entrusted with the task of ruling wisely by upholding the righteous and punishing the wicked. The ideal situation is when the government holds no fear for people who do good, but that is not necessarily the case now, and that was definitely not the case then.

First Jesus paid his taxes to the oppressive Roman government that had taken over the Jews, then Paul, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote this chapter of Romans. The current leadership of Rome was not good or just or fair; in fact the emperor Nero treated Christians harshly, to the point that he burned them alive just for refusing to deny their Lord. I think that you can see that Paul's government was less than ideal, yet he still commands the Roman Christians to submit to their governing authorities because God has instituted them.

Why would God establish someone as wicked as Nero or Hitler or Osama Bin Ladin? Why would God establish someone as our president who endorses abortion and frequently makes decisions that oppose the teaching of the Bible? I can't answer that. That is part of God's plan that I just don't understand all of the time. So what do we do when those governing officials tell us to do something against God's word? I can answer that.

The authority of governing officials extends only to the extent that they are under the authority of God. In other words, any law that goes against God's law must be disobeyed. At the same time, any laws that do not go against God's law should be submitted to. We don't disregard all of the rules of our government because some are wrong, but only disobey the actual wrong rules. For instance, we cannot disregard the speed limit if the government tells us not to speak the gospel.

If ever you are in doubt, submit to your governing authorities; because it is a fearful position to be in rebellion against what God has established.

Comment:

1. Why is it important to submit to our governing authorities?
2. What should we do when the government makes a law that is unbiblical?
   

Love Must Be Sincere

• Read: Romans 12:9-21
• Memorize: Romans 12:9

The most famous biblical chapter on love is 1 Corinthians 13; but just as important, and perhaps even more practical, is the latter half of Romans 12. The first sentence of verse 9 serves as an introduction of sorts by stating what should be an obvious truth - "Love must be sincere."

You won't find many people who would argue with the point that true love must be sincere, so why does Paul waste his time to bring up such a simple idea about which nobody disagrees? Think about the context; the first half of chapter 12 talks about the idea of a living sacrifice, so it is fair to consider this an extension of that discussion. Here's how the two topics come together: When we offer up ourselves as living sacrifices we make a commitment to follow the commandment that sums up all of God's commandments, which is to love God, then love people. Now this love, which is the practical outworking of a living sacrifice, must be sincere.

This brings us full-circle to our first question, why bring this up if everybody knows it and everybody agrees with it? The ultimate answer is this: we agree with our words, but we disagree with our actions. This is why Paul finishes out chapter 12 with an exposition of sincere love, which should be the defining characteristic of a life offered to God.

Love that is sincerely lived out must hate anything that opposes God, but at the same time love the very people who create and do those things. This sincere love for others, must be a preferential love that blesses enemies and cares for friends. This sincere love must tenderheartedly share in the sorrow of others, and eventually bring them to shared rejoicing. This sincere love must be humble and enthusiastic about enduring hardship and persecution that comes as a consequence of living faithfully. This sincere love will overcome evil with good.

So I will say the obvious; love sincerely. Better yet, live sincerely... so that God's love is manifest to the world.

Comment:

1. Why is sincere love easier to promise than to live out?
2. Come up with a specific, practical way that you can love sincerely today. Type it here, then go do it!
   

Living Sacrifice

• Read: Roman 12:1-8
• Memorize: Romans 12:1

Only priests can interact with God and only priests can offer sacrifices to him. This was true in the Old Testament, and it remains true today. In the Old Testament, only a select few from the tribe of Levi, and specifically from the family of Aaron, could serve as priests; now all believers have the privilege of serving as a priest, (1 Pet 2:5,9) which allows us to pray directly to God, to fellowship with him and to offer sacrifices. In the Old Testament, priests offered sacrifices to ask forgiveness for sin, sacrifices to pay the penalty for the sin and also free will offerings of thanksgiving. In the New Testament we have four types of sacrifice to offer: the sacrifice of giving, the sacrifice of praise, (Heb 13:15-16) the sacrifice of proclaiming the gospel, (Rom 15:14-16) and finally the living sacrifice.

You should notice that none of the four pertain to sin or guilt. That is because Jesus' death on the cross was the once and for all sacrifice which paid for our sin, providing forgiveness. Of the four sacrifices we can give, each of the first three are ongoing sacrifices that we offer over and over, but the living sacrifice is a one time thing. Once we offer our lives to God, we cannot take them back. Once we have offered them though, we have an ongoing responsibility to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. (vs. 2)

Paul must have known that the Roman church would wonder the same thing that we do: what does a living sacrifice look like? How do we do it? He explains that the first part is to humbly recognize that our life is not our own, so it belongs to God. The second part is that however God wants our lives used, that's how we should use them. If God has equipped us to teach or prophesy*, we should teach or prophesy; if he has given us the gift of encouraging or serving, then we should encourage or serve wholeheartedly; and if he has put us in a position where we can give money or meet the needs of others, then we should do that joyfully.

The bottom line is this; if we have offered ourselves as living sacrifices, then our very lives should be lived to benefit others according to our gifts, with the purpose of bringing God glory.

Comment:

1. Why is it important that all believers are priests?
2. What parts of your life are a result of offering yourself as a living sacrifice?
   

*To prophesy means to speak forth truth. Sometimes in the Bible the truth is a prediction of the future, but this gift is the gift of speaking forth the truth as revealed in the Bible. If you want a further study of this, please let me know.

Wild Olive Branches

NOTE: This blog counts for 2.

• Read: Romans 11:1-36
• Memorize: 11:33-36
  

In Bible studies on many of the great stories of men and women of faith who fail at some point. Sometimes I will hear people say "that is so dumb, there's no way I would have made that mistake." Adam ate the fruit, Jacob lied to his father to steal his brother's blessing, Peter lost faith and started to sink, Peter denied Christ three times on the night of Jesus' trial, the disciples all fled and scattered. We might fall into the same trap of arrogant self righteousness if we think that we stand by our own strength. Each of these men failed because they depended on their own strength, they thought they were strong enough; Peter even proclaimed "I will never deny you!" just before saying "I never knew the man." We walk by faith and stand firm by God's mercy, and if we ever forget it, then we will end up like those many before us who thought that they had everything under control...

Romans 11 speaks of Israel's response as a nation to the salvation of God. Because they had much enthusiasm for being "righteous", they rejected the notion that they had need of a savior. Their outer facade of self-righteousness could fool some people, but not the Lord, who knows the hearts of men. And so God rejected the very people that he had chosen and called before the beginning of time. This rejection was based on the unbelief of the nation as a whole, and yet there remained a remnant of individuals who had true faith.

God's call and gifts (vs. 29) are irrevocable, which means that the position of being God's chosen people, and the possession of the great promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob still continues on. These were all based on God's own goodness, a goodness which has not changed despite the rebellion of the nation of Israel. This is also expressed in the idea of God's foreknowledge of Israel. (vs. 2) When Paul says that God foreknew Israel, he means that God actually had a relationship with them before they existed. (Take a moment and wrap your mind around that concept!) This isn't just knowing that they would exist in the future, but actually knowing them.

Israel as a nation was rejected because of unbelief, and the time will come very soon when gentiles as a whole will also be rejected for their unbelief. But even in these times of rejection, God will reserve for himself a remnant of people who truly believe.

We must be careful to maintain our humility because we participate in the blessings of salvation and fellowship with God by his mercy. We are not better than Israel; we have no merit of heart or action to sway God's decision. To emphasis this Paul declares that "if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either." This is not to say that we can be saved, then lose salvation, but rather that gentiles as a whole now enjoy the blessings of God's mercy. It also gives us a grim reminder that God's patience will not endure forever and when the time for judgment comes, all the arrogant self-righteousness in the world will not help any Jew or gentile to avoid the wrath of God's rejection.

Praise God that in his great plan he saw fit to save me, and to graft me into the nourishing root.
"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
"Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?"
"Who has ever given to God,
that God should repay him?"
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen.

Comment:

1. Is God done with Israel as a nation? (Hint: see verse 1)
2. What is the purpose for Israel's temporary estrangement? (Hint: see verses 11, 19)
   
3. On what basis are gentiles "grafted into the root"?
4. How should we respond to our position of being in God's blessing? Why
   

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

Ok, so this month started out really well for me, but once again I failed to complete one per day. You will only be required to complete 13 blogs for February. I will push harder in March. Check the "reward trip" page for date and cost of the reward trip. We have tickets already, so be sure to let me know whether or not you can go.

Faith Comes By Hearing

• Read: Romans 10:13-21
• Memorize: 10:17

A man attended our church for a while, his name was Fred. Fred had earned a reputation around town for disrupting church services and Bible studies; he even boasted about getting "kicked out of nearly every church in town" on his first Sunday with us. We welcomed him with open arms and thought, surely those other people just didn't have enough grace to put up with a troublesome old man. We soon found our limits...

Fred's sinister gift was to take a verse, apart from its context, and twist it into something that it was never intended to mean. One of his favorite verses to distort was Romans 10:17. "Faith comes by hearing," he would say, "and hearing by the word of God, so we have to read the Bible out loud or it is of no profit to us - never read the Bible silently." The youth group began to call him "the Fredinator" and when he pulled stunts like this, we would say that you have been "Fredinated".

God's Word written down in the Bible is hugely important, that is true, but the "hearing" that Paul speaks of is not a decibel level, but a response level. (If Fred was right, then what happens to deaf people, who can't "hear" the Word?) Where Fred was wrong was his understanding of the meaning of this verse, and subsequently misapplication of the principle.

Context is key to a right understanding, so let's look at the rest of this chapter: Paul is writing about the Jewish people, who had the facts, but misunderstood the meaning. The pharisees in particular could quote whole sections of the Old Testament, but didn't have true righteousness because they pursued it by works instead of faith. In response to this error, Paul says, faith comes by "hearing" the Word of God. This isn't the kind of hearing that you use when your mom tells you to do something and you let the instruction go in one ear and out the other, but a hearing that is accompanied by comprehension, and which results in action; in this case the result is believing by faith.

Jesus sent us all to testify to the truth so that others may hear, understand, believe and call on the Lord to be saved. Don't be a "fredinator"; speak the truth of God's Word, in proper context and accompanied by a life of holiness that stems from true faith.

Comment:

1. What was the major error of the "fredinator"?
2. Explain what "hearing" means in this passage.
   

Misplaced Zeal

Read: Romans 10:1-12
Memorize: Romans 10:9

Zeal is like enthusiasm, and where enthusiasm about righteousness is concerned, nobody throughout history has matched that of the pharisees. If you have listened to many sermons, then right now you're thinking "wait, weren't they the ultimate in unrighteousness?" Yes, that's correct, but the irony of the pharisees is that they achieved the ultimate in unrighteousness by pursuing righteousness the wrong way.

Think about those words that Paul wrote in the beginning of Romans 10, and remember that he was a pharisee, and a good one at that. Paul knew that the pharisees were zealous because he witnessed it first hand, he even had such overpowering zeal that he killed followers of Christ in an attempt to defend the truth. How unfortunate that his zeal, and that of the pharisees whom he left behind was not based on knowledge.

The pharisees were smart, and very well educated, so when Paul says that their zeal was not based on knowledge, he isn't saying that they were unaware of the facts, but rather that they didn't have the right ones. The first five books of the Old Testament are full of rules and commands from God, but in focusing too much on the rules, they missed the heart of God.

Since the beginning of time God has wanted us to have faith; to believe in him with all of our heart and to trust him in all things. The pharisees missed this and tried to earn righteousness on their own. The problem is that the law wasn't given to make us righteous, but to show us how unrighteous we are. The righteousness that comes from God to us is Christ's righteousness, transferred by faith. This is made available to us through believing in our hearts and confessing with our mouths.*

Believe, confess, receive God's righteousness through Christ by faith.

Comment:

1. What is the danger of zeal?
2. How can zeal help us?

*The phrasing in verse 10 can be confusing, so here's a clarification: verse 10 tells us that believing and confessing go together, not that each one is responsible for a different part of saving us. Here is an example of this that may be helpful: "Broccoli nourishes me and green beans give me strength." In this sentence I am trying to tell you of the benefits of both broccoli and green beans. I am not saying that broccoli fails to give me strength, nor that green beans are not nourishing, but that both contribute to my physical health. So let's bring this back to believing and confessing. Both work together in sincere faith, you cannot separate either one.

Jacob I Loved, But Esau I Hated

• Read: Romans 9:1-33
• Memorize: 9:16

God's sovereignty in election is a tough topic to master. It seems in our minds unfair that God would only save some and not others, so we reason that maybe God just lets everyone have their choice. This doesn't solve any dilemmas; it just creates bigger ones. If everyone has a choice and salvation is within their control, then what in the world is Paul talking about in Romans 9?

Let's start with our title, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." We need to understand that God loves all of his creation and is not willing that any of them should perish. (2 Pet 3:9) This hate that is mentioned of Esau, is a comparative term. Instead of a negative feeling toward Esau, it was a preference toward Jacob. This same concept comes into play in Jesus discussion of discipleship when he tells us that we have to hate our parents to follow him. (Lk 14:26)

This helps with the hated part, but we're still left with the fact that God chose Jacob to fulfill his plans before either of the brothers was born. This means that it really had absolutely nothing to do with either Jacob nor Esau. The lesson Paul is teaching us through this example is that God chooses who he will save. This choice of God's is not based in any way on our heritage, actions, nor even desires. We can't even want to be saved until God shows us mercy.

The next question that comes to my mind is, why do we have to share the gospel if God chooses to whom he will show mercy. The answer is: because God commanded me to. I am God's willing instrument. If he chooses to use me - great, but if he doesn't, well that's fine too. And since I don't know who God might use me to bring to salvation, I preach to everyone as if they are the ones chosen by God.

How is this whole thing fair? We aren't the first ones to have that question and God's answer remains the same: "who are you, O man, to talk back to God?" There are just some things that, in his wisdom, God chose not to reveal to us. God tells us that "will give to each person according to what he has done" (Romans 2:6) and yet that "it does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy." (Romans 9:16) How do these work together. We will just have to trust God on that one.

Comment:

1. Explain the statement "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
2. What struggles do you have with trusting God about something that doesn't seem to make sense?
   

God Works It All For Good

Read: Romans 8:28-39
Memorize: Romans 8:28

At a summer camp in 2001, I had a camper who went by the nickname "Goat". Perhaps he got the name for being stubborn because he made me look sheepish when he asked me a question after a passionate explanation of Romans 8:28.

I had come up with a story to illustrate the idea of everything working out for good that went something along the lines of: there was a boy who got cancer and had to battle through the treatments before succumbing to it's attacks, but before he passed on, the kid had a chance to witness to a nurse and she was saved. "That's great for the nurse", said Goat, "but that really sucks for the kid; how did it work for his good?" Goat was asking a fair question, and one that stumped me back then, but I have since come to know the answer as I have come to understand God's word more adequately.

The key to interpreting any portion of scripture is to use context (the verses before and after) to understand the right meaning. In Romans 8, God makes the promise to all who have been called according to his purpose (believers), that he will work everything out for their good. So what does that good look like? Verse 29 gives us a great insight: "For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son."

The great good that everything works toward is the good of making us more like Jesus. Sometimes it means we have to suffer as he suffered and sometimes it means that we receive the blessings of answered prayers, but always it means that the circumstances of our lives are coordinated by the a master planner to make us Christlike - to the end of bringing God glory. For all of us who love God, there can be no greater good.

Comment:

1. What kind of people would think that it is good to become more like Jesus, even if it means going through suffering?
2. Have you ever gone through a difficult situation in which, at first, you could not see how God was working for good? What was it?
3. Looking back on that situation, can you now see a little bit of how God was working?
   

Controlled By The Spirit

• Read: Romans 8:1-27
• Memorize: Romans 8:1-2
  

"Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you." And if the Spirit of God does not live in you, then you don't know God and will not enter his presence at the end of this life. Remember that this isn't to say that we will be perfect, but rather to say that the Holy Spirit living inside of us necessarily produces actions that please God.

Have you ever tried to cover the top of a flashlight with your hand at night time? The light comes through, not matter what you do; it leaks out between your fingers or even sometimes right through your skin, making your finger glow red like E.T.'s* When we have the Holy Spirit inside of us we can't keep blocked up even if we wanted to. And when we live in accordance with the Spirit, it is a demonstration that our minds desire the things of the Spirit. And when our minds are controlled by the Spirit,we have true life and true peace and true hope.

This hope we have is not based on something that can be proven, otherwise it would be fact. Neither does it contradict all of the evidence, for then it would be fantasy. Instead, we have a confidence in God, who we know is faithful and trustworthy, that he will keep his promise to renew our bodies and take us to be with him in the same way that he has already kept his earlier promises to redeem us from our sin and offer us reconciliation with our Father.

Comment:

1. Why is it hard to wait patiently for heaven? What makes it easier to wait?
2. How is the life characterized of a mind that is controlled by the Spirit?
   

*If you haven't seen the movie E.T., then ask your parents about his glowing finger. They'll understand, and maybe make sure you watch that American classic.

The Do-Do Passage

• Read: Romans 7:1-25
• Memorize: You Choose a verse, then comment what you chose and why.
  

The law has no authority over those of us who have been set free, and yet there is a battle inside of us that continues throughout our lives. Before God saves us we are enslaved to sin because our nature determines that we only want what is wrong, or that we want what is right for the wrong reasons, which makes it wrong. In other words, we never have the desire to please God. But at salvation we are given a new nature that wants to do what is right, but the old habits still remain. It is no longer a question of authority, but it remains a battle of priority.

In junior high I had a track coach that told me how to train and gave me a schedule of workouts to do each day. When I wanted to prepare for competing on the college level, I went back to that coach and asked him what I should do. Instead of giving me a new training regiment, he gave me magazines, pamphlets and other information that would allow me to come up with my own plan for getting in shape. I had a hard time with this because I was used to my coach telling me what to do, and I wanted him to continue in this role, but he recognized that I was no longer under his authority, and urged me to continue in growth as an athlete.

There were ongoing difficulties as I stepped out into the new world of training myself, and I kept having the temptation of running back to my coach and the old ways of being told what to do. We can draw a parallel to our spiritual lives in that our old nature, like the coach, told us what to do and we had to do it; but now with the new nature we are free to make wise decisions on our own. We will continue to have the struggle of wanting to go back to the way it was and to embrace sin, but God pushes us along in becoming more and more conformed into the image of his Son.

The struggle will never go away completely in this life, but rest assured that the more you do the right thing, even when you are tempted to do what is wrong, the more you will find it easy to continue in what is right.

Comment:

1. Explain the phrase "For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do."
2. What memory verse did you choose, and why?
   

Go On Sinning?

• Read: Romans 5:20-6:23
• Memorize: Romans 6:4

One of the beautiful aspects of God's grace is that it is enough to cover all of our sins. The more we sin, the more grace is extended to us. Each display of this marvelous grace brings God more glory as he is seen mighty and just, yet gentle and compassionate. Every time a sinner is brought back into a right relationship with the Father, God is held up in higher honor than before. In light of that truth, the Christians in Rome had a good question, should we keep sinning, so that God can show more grace?

Absolutely not! Different translations take different approaches in trying to bring across the extreme emphasis of Paul's statement: "By no means!" NIV, "May it never be!" NASB, "God forbid." KJV, "Certainly not" AMP. Rarely is there such variety in renderings as in Romans 6:2 and the reason for the contrast here is that we don't have a direct word that can express "no" as emphatically as Paul intended it. God's grace extended to sinners is marvelous and we certainly want him to receive glory for it, yet from his children, God desires obedience. He would rather that we obey him in the first place because this obedience is a great demonstration of his power working through us, as well as an expression of our love to him

In being saved, God takes away our sin and gives us his righteousness. We should understand it as a symbolic parallel to Jesus' death, burial and resurrection. In the same way that Jesus died, so we also should consider the part of us that desires sin to be dead; in the same way that Jesus was buried, so we put our past wrongs behind us; and in the same way that he rose victorious over sin, so we too should live out this new life of freedom from the bonds of sin.

This isn't to say that we won't struggle with sin as believers, but rather that sin is no longer our master - we are free to obey, so we choose obedience. This is why we should "In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." and offer ourselves to God as instruments for righteousness to be used for his glory.

Comment:

1. Which brings God more glory and why: to sin and repent, or to just obey?
2. What does it mean to say that we have been freed from sin?
   

While We Were Still Sinners

• Read: Romans 5:1-19
• Memorize: Romans 5:8

Our humanity dictates that it is easier to be kind to people who are kind to us and it's easier to be friends with someone who we enjoy spending time with. Fortunately for us, God is greater than our limited expressions of love and he both challenges and empowers us to rise to his level.

When Jesus walked the earth he faced mockery and derision for associating with the poor, crippled, outcasts and the worst of sinners. More than associate with them, Jesus became a friend to sinners. (Matthew 7:34) The amazing thing is that he took action to show love in the middle of attacks, to the very ones who were accusing and attempting to trap him. The standard of his love is this, "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

God did not wait until we got it right, or repented or even recognized that we were wrong. He reached out to his enemies - us. There is no middle ground with God, if you are not for God, you are against him, and so we were in our rebellion and sin. The tradition of the Jewish Rabbis was to love your friends, but hate your enemies. Jesus raised the bar in practice and instruction to "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:43-48)

It's a good thing that Jesus was a man because that allowed him to sympathize with our weaknesses and to understand the struggle we have with sin. But it's a better thing that he is God because that allows him to reach out to us while we are powerless to do anything about our sin. God saves his enemies and makes them to be at peace with him. Let's follow that example in loving people who don't deserve it, for then we will show that we are children of God who reflect the Father's love to the world.

Comment:

1. Why is it so hard to love enemies?
2. Why would God want us to love them anyway?
3. Why are you thankful that God loved you while you were still his enemy?
   

You Can't Earn A Gift

• Read: Romans 4:1-25
• Memorize: Romans 4:25

Circumcision was and is a major source of pride for Jewish men. They would tell you that in order to get to heaven that a man has to be circumcised. Paul (a Jewish man who was circumcised) tells us a different story in Romans chapter 4. If there is anything Jewish men take more pride in than circumcision it is their forefather, Abraham, so Paul goes right to the source in countering their error.

Paul says that there are two problems with requiring circumcision for salvation:

1. If we do any kind of work, then salvation becomes a wage, or payment that God owes to us, and it is no longer a gift.
2. Abraham was credited with (or given) righteousness prior to becoming circumcised.

So if Abraham, the greatest of the Jewish ancestors, could be freely given a righteousness that was not his own, apart from circumcision or any work, then so can we. And God makes it clear that nobody besides Jesus could earn his own righteousness, that's why we need Jesus to offer his to us as a free gift.

Now when Abraham was alive, Jesus hadn't died yet, but Abraham believed God and had faith that he would fulfill his promises to give descendants and ultimately a descendant that would crush Satan and redeem his people from sin. This same faith that Abraham had for future events we can have for past events because Jesus has come and has conquered sin by living perfectly, dying voluntarily and rising in power. So "The words 'it was credited to him' were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification."

Comment:

1. What are the two problems with requiring circumcision to be saved?
2. Why is it important for us to understand the meaning of the words "it was credited to him as righteousness"?
   

The Purpose Of The Law

• Read: Romans 3:1-31
• Memorize: Romans 3:23-24

If you worked your way through January’s blogs, then you know that the readings this month are longer. I am pushing myself and so am pushing you as well. I hope to cover all of Romans in 20 blogs, which means I only get to split four chapters in half. So stick with me and let’s see if we can meet this challenge.

Nobody can become righteous and get to heaven by obeying the law that God revealed in the Old Testament, so why is it even there? What use is following God’s rules if they don’t get us anything? Paul gives us insight into this issue as he answers this very question, when it was asked by the Christians in Rome. Technically a person could earn his way to heaven by perfectly following the law, but the problem is that because we are born with a sin nature, we are born violating God’s law. It’s kind of like me telling you that I’ll give you a snickers bar if you jumped from the floor and touched the ceiling of our church building (12 ft high). Technically you could earn the candy bar, but realistically it’s impossible because of who you are.*

So what is the purpose of the law? To show us God’s standard so that we can understand that we are not righteous and that we have fallen short of God’s glory. It’s only when we realize that we can’t achieve righteousness on our own that we seek a savior who can give us his righteousness. This righteousness from God comes by faith in Jesus Christ, and offers us a justification by grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Comment:

1. In your own words, why did God inspire Moses to write down his law?
2. Why do you think that it was so hard for the Roman Christians in Paul’s time and many people today to accept Christ’s righteousness?

*There could possibly be a person who could jump and touch a 12 ft ceiling if they were really tall and good at jumping, the same applies to God’s law… there could be a person who could earn righteousness by perfectly obeying it if he was NOT born with a sin nature. Do you know of anyone like this? (Hint: Jesus was born sinless and lived perfectly to earn the righteousness that he offers us in trade for our sin.)

What Are You Doing?

• Read: Romans 2:1-29
• Memorize: Romans 2:6

"God will give to each person according to what he has done." At first glance this sounds an awful lot like saying that we can only get to heaven if we do enough good things. But the proper way to interpret the Bible is to use the clear passages to help us understand those that are more vague. In this case let's consider Ephesians 2:8-9, which says that our works can't save us. Let's also consider that Paul addressed his letter to "all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints".

Those who are "called to be saints" are those who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and are saved. The question in understanding chapter two is what is the cause and what is the effect? Think about a child, let's call him Billy, who recognizes that every time he gets cut, his mommy puts a bandaid on it. Billy begins to fear bandaids because he makes the connection that bandaids and cuts go together, so the bandaids must be the cause of the cuts. We can understand the situation better than Billy can, and see that his mommy puts a bandaid on because he has a cut. The bandaid is response to being cut.

In Romans 2, Paul can say that those who persist in doing good will inherit eternal life because nobody can do good apart from the power of the Holy Spirit living and working inside. The doing good is not the cause of eternal life, but a response to being saved.

Just in case we get confused in reading this warning against rejecting God's truth, Paul finishes the chapter with a clarification that obedience to the law, circumcision and being ethnically Jewish all have no value if our hearts are not also "circumcised", or set apart to God. Doing good and obeying the law are certainly pleasing to God, but they only lead to eternal life when they are the voluntary response coming from a sincere heart of gratitude for God's amazing grace in freely granting us pardon from the penalty of our sins.

Comment:

1. Why is it important to know that salvation does not depend on our obedience?
2. How does the fact that God will make you give account for all of your actions affect the way you live in response to salvation?
   

When The Wise Become Fools

• Read: Romans 1:18-32
• Memorize: Romans 1:20

From time to time the theoretical discussion comes up regarding the eternal destiny of those people who never hear about God. The fact of the matter, as Paul reveals, is that those theoretical people don't exist. It is true that some people never hear the gospel spoken in words, but they are held responsible nonetheless, because they are given knowledge of God and yet reject it.

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." God makes his existence known by the clear expression of his eternal power and divine nature as revealed in his general revelation - creation. Jesus promises that whoever seeks God will find him. (Matthew 7:7-8) So we are left with the conclusion that all people know that God exists, is powerful and divine. All people have the choice of seeking after that true God, or to exchange the glory of the immortal God for something less.

Most of mankind, even those who have the very words of life spoken to them in addition to the clear revelation of creation, choose their own sinful desires over their loving Creator. The result of this rejection of the true God is an increase in gross sin. Paul lists the abominations that flow out of the lives of these people and we can get caught up in pointing fingers with an "I know someone like that" attitude, until we look carefully with our own lives in view.

Are our lives characterized by continually seeking God, or have we exchanged worship of the Creator for worship of the created thing? Evaluating ourselves by this list is not to determine whether or not we are saved - that is accomplished by grace through faith and irrespective of works. (Ephesians 2:8-9) The benefit in this list is to check ourselves, to see what our focus is and to consider whether we need to seek God more.

Consider, are you full of envy and hate (which Jesus describes as murder in the heart)? Do you tell lies, talk about people behind their back or spread rumors? Do you brag about how great you are or disobey your parents? These are characteristic of those who have rejected God's way and are living according to their own sinful desires. If you see yourself in any of these, ask God for forgiveness and start today to live in light of the glory of God.

Comment:

1. Why will nobody have an excuse when they face God on judgment day?
2. What happens when someone cares more about things than about God?
   

Not Ashamed

• Read: Romans 1:1-17
  
• Memorize: Romans 1:16
  

From the very beginning of his letter to the Romans the Apostle Paul establishes two things: he is called to preach the gospel, and this gospel is regarding Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was descended from David in his humanity, and yet was declared with power to be the Son of God through his resurrection. The word "gospel" literally means "good news" and has several uses in the New Testament, but it is the specific reference to the atoning death and victorious bodily resurrection that Paul discusses from here on out.

It is this gospel (the good news that God became man and earned righteousness when we couldn't, then traded his righteousness for our sin) that Paul is not ashamed of in verse 16. Though it went against the pride of the pharisees, who thought that they could earn their way to heaven, God's mercy is the pride of Paul. Paul recognizes his own unworthiness and in proper humility can boast in the kindness of a just, yet loving and gracious God.

It's basketball season, so here's an illustration from a real life story: A guy I know taught his younger brother to play basketball, they worked hard at it together and each success of the younger brother brought joy to the elder. One day, the younger brother actually beat his sibling in a one-on-one basketball game. We might assume that the older brother would keep this quiet because it makes him look bad to have his 6 year younger sibling beat him, but just the opposite took place. The older brother boasted about his failure because his greatest joy was the success and glory of the younger.

Let's put ourselves into this story. We should have the attitude of the older brother; God's glory is our greatest joy. Because of this, we should have no shame in admitting that our righteousness is from God and not of ourselves. But instead, like Paul, our highest aim should be God's glory; if it is, then we will freely boast of his greatness to everyone around us.

Comment:

1. Why might some people be ashamed to receive Jesus' righteousness?
2. How should our lives be different when we live unashamed of the gospel of Christ?
   

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

For those of you who have been faithfully studying along with me, I have failed to meet my challenge of writing 20 blogs on the first 20 weekdays. I feel it would be unfair of me to publish 5 for you to do over the weekend, so this month will be easier for you. The requirement to go ice skating will be only 15 blogs completed. Make sure that you haven't missed any. We'll set a date and time for ice skating at youth group next Sunday (the 31st) if you have completed all 15. Good luck and God bless.

P.S. Sarah, you missed the first blog post "in the beginning", so don't forget that one!

Rock of My Salvation - January's Final Post

• Read: Psalm 95
• Memorize:Romans 8:28-29
  

Many idols have been carved out of stone by the hands of man that have done nothing more than pose as decorations in all their existence. Our God is a rock, not literally as in he is carved out of stone, but metaphorically. When the psalmist says "let us shout to the rock of our salvation." He is urging us to praise God for is unchanging character and immovable faithfulness. As a large boulder cannot be budged, so God cannot be budged from his place of sovereignty and compassion on us. This is why God is our rock - that which we can place our trust in and hang our confidence from. He will never let us down.

As creator and ruler, God has control over the deepest valleys and the highest peaks, the great oceans and vast continents of land are under his power, yet with all of this might, he gently cares for us as a shepherd cares for his sheep. We can trust God to save us from our sins and to work everything in this life out for our good - the good that make us more like Christ. We can trust this because God was, is and is to come, yet remains the same through the ages. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.

Comment:

1. What aspect of a rock reminds you of God's faithfulness?
2. How does a shepherd care for his sheep? How does God similarly care for you?
   

There Is None Like You

• Read: Psalm 86
• Memorize: Psalm 86:11

If you haven't heard it on a playground, then you've seen it in a movie - the classic scene of two little kids arguing, "my daddy can beat up your daddy!" In a very real way, this was the attitude of the kingdoms of David's time. They assumed that every time they won a battle, it was because their "god" was better than the other kingdoms "god". These people would take it so far that they would change gods, or add another to their pantheon if an opponent proved worthy. David was different from these others though. He recognized that any victory was granted by God, but he didn't waver in hard times either because he had the firm assurance that comes from a knowledge of who the one true God is.

David held firm to that hope and confidence, praying "Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name." An undivided heart is one that is faithful to God only, and is not pulled away by the temptations of idols of the heart. (Things we desire more than God.) To walk in truth we also need to learn the ways of God by studying what he has revealed to us.

"Among the gods there is none like you" for "you alone are God." The One True God created the universe and every person in it; those that praise him and those that worship man-made statues. His works throughout history testify to his majesty. His justice is firmly established and yet he is slow to anger and abounding in mercy. No other god can create or destroy, no other god can hate sin and yet love sinners, no other god can redeem his people, no other god can offer sweet fellowship to those who believe in his name, none that is, but the One True God.

Comment:

1. How can we have confidence that our God alone is the true God?
2. Why is it important to have an undivided heart?
   

Better Is One Day In Your Courts

• Read: Psalm 84
• Memorize: 84:10

In 1995 Matt Redman wrote a song that brought Psalm 84 into the spotlight. "Better Is One Day" is a powerful and sometimes literal adaptation of the original song written by the Sons of Korah. They began this thousand year old masterpiece-turned pop Christian hit, "how lovely is your dwelling place..."

Where does God dwell, or live? We can say that because he is omnipresent, God lives everywhere. We could also accurately say that God lives in heaven. God the Holy Spirit lives in us. The Jews understood that God dwelt in the Holy of Holies, which was the innermost part of Solomon's temple, where only a single high priest could go once a year. But this psalm was written in the time of David, before his son Solomon had built the permanent temple, so perhaps it refers to God's presence in the tabernacle.

With all of these literal possibilities, the real meaning is much simpler and poetically figurative. If we look to verse 10, then we see that it is better to be a doorkeeper in the house of God, than to live in the tents of the wicked. While there are several actual possibilities for the house of God, there is no literal "tents of the wicked", so we conclude this is not about where we stand physically, but where we stand spiritually.

Those that spiritually dwell in the house of God are the spiritual household or family of God. That means that there is a family connection (adoption by grace through faith), a family resemblance (becoming more like Christ every day) and the blessings of intimate fellowship with the Father.

The Sons of Korah had it right, and we would do well to follow in their line of thinking that it is far better to spend one day in intimate fellowship with God than to spend a thousand apart from him. What a great blessing it will be when we are able to be in his presence physically, but until then, "My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you."

Comment:

1. What do the Sons of Korah mean when they say "better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere?"
2. Verse 4 says "Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you." How are you blessed when you walk closely with God?

Tell The Next Generation

• Read: Psalm 78:1-8
• Memorize: 1 Corinthians 10:11-12

I like to tell a modern day parable that many of us can relate to:

Charlie is Jim's little brother, who always tags along and imitates what Jim does. Their mother cooks a lot and Jim, being a boy, is intrigued by the steady blue flame of the gas stove burners. (What is with boys and fire anyway?) Jim's mother warned Jim "don't touch the stove, it's hot." But Jim just can't resist, so he pulls up a chair, climbs up, reaches out his hand and instantly recoils in pain. Jim's mother consoles him as he cries loudly, saying "I wish that you had listened to my warning and avoided the painful consequences of disobeying."

In comes copycat Charlie. He heard his mother warn Jim about the stove, but the urge to imitate is too strong. "Mom didn't tell me not to touch the stove, she gave that instruction to Jim," Charlie thinks to himself, "and besides, I'm sure that I won't have the same consequences. There's no way I'm getting burned." So guess what Charlie does...

Now when we look at Jim and Charlie, it's easy to see that Charlie is being foolish, yet when we come to God's instructions, we too often respond just like Charlie.

A man named Asaph wrote Psalm 78 to remind Israel that they should do two things: #1 follow God's instructions to your forefathers and #2 pass these instructions on to future generations. Paul wrote about the Old Testament stories and commands in his first letter to the Corinthian church, "these things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings to us." We should be careful to learn the Old Testament as well as the New Testament, and pass on whatever we have learned to the generation after us. Then together we can follow all of his commands with hearts loyal to him and spirits faithful to him.

Comment:

1. Why is it important to know about the choices and consequences of people in the Bible and throughout history?
2. With whom can you share the lessons you learn? How can you do this?
   

Your Love Is Better Than Life

• Read: Psalm 63
• Memorize: Psalm 63:3
  

Psalm 63 sounds an awful lot like a love letter, and rightfully so, because much in the same way that two lovers cannot think of anything else, so David is completely caught up in his passion for God. As I read his words, I pray them for myself and I find myself remembering how important God is to me and how much I long to be in his presence.

"My soul thirsts for you... in a dry and weary land where there is no water." - if you have ever worked outside on a hot Red Bluff day, then you understand this one. That super strong urge to ingest anything cold and liquid just won't go away. I've heard that if you suck on a rock or chew gum it helps to keep your mouth moist, but those parlor tricks can't stave off that thirst. In the same way we can only find the living water that quenches our spiritual cravings in knowing and being known by God.

"Your love is better than life" - if this is the case, then we will willingly give up our lives in order to receive and respond to the love that God freely gives.

"I think of you through the watches of the night" - I remember the nights before I was married, when I would stay up all night, unable to sleep, because I couldn't keep my thoughts off of Lindsey. We should have a similar, all encompassing desire to know God more that will not be satisfied day or night.

"I sing in the shadow of your wings." - God's "wings" refers to his protection and the security that we have in knowing that he loves us because he created us. We don't have to earn that love and we can't lose it. I love to sing loudly in the car, where nobody can hear me and nobody can put me down. Living in the embrace of God's love has the same effect; God hears us, but we trust that he will never put us down.

God's love truly is better than life itself.

Comment:

1. What freedom do you feel when you consider the security of God's love?
   
2. Why do you long to be in a growing relationship with God?
   

Against You Only Have I Sinned

• Read: Psalm 51
• Memorize: Psalm 51:17

King David had moments of great faith and times of great failure, yet he is identified as a man after God's heart in 1 Sam 13:14. What gave David this high honor was not his perfect obedience, but his repentance when he did sin. Psalm 51 follows a series of events culminating in a hard judgment on David.

A man named Uriah was an elite soldier among David's 30 fiercest and most loyal men. While he was at war fighting for David, the king ordered Uriah's wife, Bathsheba, into his palace and committed adultery with her. She soon sent word to David that she was pregnant, so called Uriah back in an attempt to make it look like the child was Uriah's. But Uriah was so honorable, that he refused to go home or enjoy any pleasures while his fellow men were still out there fighting. David then went to plan B and asked Uriah to deliver a message to the commander. In it, King David ordered the commander to attack with Uriah in the front, then fall back and abandon him to be slaughtered by the enemy.

This sin was very grievous, and almost incomprehensible for a man who had served God so faithfully. The prophet Nathan confronted David and when he came to grips with what he had done, David tore his clothes and went into mourning. It was in the midst of this mourning that David penned Psalm 51.

"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin... Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight." Certainly David's sin impacted Bathsheba, Uriah and the baby, but ultimately the problem of sin was in his relationship with God. The greatest infraction was committed against him. It was only when David rightly saw his offense as directly against the almighty and most holy God that he could properly repent. It was only then that God would wash him and make him whiter than snow.

Comment:

1. In your own words, explain David's statement "against you, you only, have I sinned."
2. What lessons can we learn from David's mistake?
   

Can't Take It With You

Read: Psalm 49:16-20 (or the whole chapter if you are able)
Memorize: 1 Timothy 6:6-7

The California gold rush went into full swing in the year 1849, not getting caught up in the pursuit of riches is the focus of Psalm 49. There is no theological point in that, but hopefully it will serve as a mnemonic device that triggers a reminder of the emptiness of wealth whenever you think about the intense pursuit of it.

This psalm is written by the Sons of Korah, who worked in the temple to assist the people in worship. They conclude their right discussion of wealth with a warning for us: "Do not be overawed when a man grows rich... for he will take nothing with him when he dies." There is a danger in getting caught up in the idea that our lives are only blessed when we have everything we want. For if we have many possessions without the right understanding that their source is God, their duration is temporary, and their purpose is to bring God glory, then verse 20 aptly points out that we are merely like the beasts that perish... The application of these verse should go beyond net worth, and so I am reminded of an empty pursuit of my own:

On a shelf in our youth room sits a trophy. The cheap plastic, gold colored, figurine stands as a testament to my greatness... or so I thought when I won it. In the 3rd grade I ran a mile at a blistering 12:38, good for first place in the competition and bragging rights among my friends. That trophy began a multi-year pursuit of success in the athletic arena. I won races, earned awards, set records and grinned proudly when I overheared others whisper in awe "wow, there goes Chris, he won that race two year in a row you know!

What I soon learned is that they were wrong to be overawed at my "athletic prowess" (and I was the most wrong) because not only will it not matter to anyone when I am dead, but it doesn't matter even a handful of years later. The only thing that plastic trophy is good for now is to remind me and you to not be overawed at temporary things, but to have a right understanding that God is their source, their duration is temporary, and their purpose is to bring him glory.

Comment:

1. What have you pursued that you later found out wasn't that important?
2. What would have made that pursuit more valuable eternally speaking?
   

Delight Yourself In The Lord

• Read: Psalm 37:1-13
• Memorize: Psalm 37:4

Sometimes it seems like life is not fair. The guy that cheats on his homework gets a better grade, the team that plays dirty wins the basketball game and the girl who is mean and gossips is the most popular. But David recognizes something in Psalm 31; God is in control and he knows their evil actions. While they may get away with sin for a while, God keeps track and will hold them accountable for every action.

God works everything out for our good and his glory (Romans 8:28-29). And while that often means that he blesses those who live righteously, there are instances that display one of his glorious characteristics better through hardship or trial. This is the contextual setting for the well known, and often misused, verse Psalm 37:4.

"Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart" does not set up God as a vending machine. We can't just put in a "coin" of happiness at church, then select whatever we want. Remember that this verse is in the middle of a discussion of good things happening to evil people and bad things happening to good. David recognizes that to keep from getting frustrated, we can't want God for what he can give us, but we have to be completely satisfied with God himself.

When we get to that point of contentment in God, then we begin to desire the right type of things - things that have eternal value. So Psalm 37:4 is not a fulfillment of wishes, but a change of desires to want the things that God wants. When we think the way God thinks, then it doesn't matter that people get away with sin now, because we know that it is all part of God's plan, for his glory, and his justice will prevail in the end.

Comment:

1. What does it mean that "he will make your righteousness shine like the dawn"?
   
2. How might fretting about injustice lead to more evil? (vs. 8)

Blessed Is He... Whose Sins Are Covered

• Read: Psalm 32
• Memorize: 1 John 1:9
  

If you were at youth group last night, then you laughed along with us as we joked about David's "emo" psalms - those that go from rejoicing in God's blessing to wallowing in despair, then back again. Though we treat it lightheartedly the source of David's extremes is not mood swings, but a proper understanding of the severity of sin and the graciousness of God.

Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven... notice that David does not start of with blessed is he who is without sin. All of us have sinned and fallen far short of God's standard. We all bear the guilt of our sin and must face the harsh consequences - unless those sins are forgiven.

David describes a depression coupled with physical ailments, all as a result of ignoring sin rather than repenting of it and seeking forgiveness. We will face the same difficulty if we continue in unrepentant sin. Our consciences will weigh on us heavily and the guilt will turn to despair, but if we respond as David did in verse 5, by confessing our sins, then God will forgive us and we can rejoice in God's grace as our despair is lifted.

Comment:

1. How have you seen unrepentant sin negatively affect someone?
2. Why is confession important for forgiveness?
   

The Lord Is My Shepherd

• Read: Psalm 23
• Memorize: Psalm 23:1

The Lord is my shepherd is perhaps the best known passage of scripture among Christians and non-Christians alike, making appearances in mainstream media including bestselling books and blockbuster films.

I think perhaps that the reason these verses appeal to such a varied group of people is that it holds words of hope and promises of something better. When life hits us hard and it's too much to handle, it's nice to know that there is someone looking out for us. If the Lord is my shepherd, then that means that he protects me, makes sure I have everything I need and cares for me.

In a crazy world, I long for the soothing comfort described by the metaphors of green pastures. In a life full of difficult decisions, I want to know how to choose wisely. But the life of goodness and love that David describes contains more than just a relaxing vacation from this world's hardships.

Think about the rod and staff that comfort. A shepherd uses those tools to protect, but also to keep the sheep in line. How can it be comforting when the Good Shepherd uses his rod against me? It reminds me of his love; that he would care enough to teach me what is right. And it affirms to me that I will dwell in his house (be a member of his household) forever, because as the author of Hebrews says, "the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."

I guess it comes down to the popular phrase "sometimes love hurts". It's those times that it hurts paired with the times of soothing that we can say to ourselves, "surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

Comment:

1. Which metaphor in Psalm 23 is the greatest comfort to you? Why?
2. How does discipline demonstrate love?
   

Pleasing Meditations On God's Revelation

• Read: Psalm 19
• Memorize: Psalm 19:14

Psalm 19 deals with the whole of God's revelation of truth to mankind. The first seven verses address God's general revelation (creation), while the final seven verses focus on his special revelation (the Bible).

God's Word is so comprehensive that David chooses to use six words to describe its characteristics and lay out its benefits. Five of these words are synonyms; law, statutes, precepts, commands and ordinances. Many commentators try to distinguish between them and associate different scriptural passages with each, but it seems to me that David is purposefully employing the use of synonyms for effect (remember that this is a song, written in poetry.) The emphasis is not the separate effects of individual passages, but the corporate effect of the whole. Knowing and living by God's special revelation will have the effects of reviving the soul, making wise the simple, giving joy to the heart, giving light to the eyes, and giving great reward because it is perfect, trustworthy, right, radiant, sure, altogether righteous.

The sixth word in the list, fifth in the order, breaks with the synonym mold and reveals our proper response to God's revelation. Understanding of God's revelation fosters in us a healthy fear, a pure fear that endures forever. This fear causes us to heed the warnings that God gives us and receive the great reward in living righteously.

This isn't about salvation, because works don't affect that (eph 2:8-9), but about our ongoing development in becoming Christlike. David even clarifies that the obedience he seeks is in the times when he knows what is right and wrong, when he says "keep me from willful sins; may they not rule over me." We will all accidentally sin, but a right understanding of God's special revelation coupled with a healthy fear of God himself will enable us to live in such a way that we can repeat after David in sincerity, praying "may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord my Rock, my Redeemer."

Comment:

1. What is the difference between general and special revelation?
2. Why do you think that God gave us two different types of revelation?
3. Which of the benefits of knowing and living according to God's Word is most helpful to you? Why?
   

The Heavens Declare The Glory Of God

• Read: Psalm 19
• Memorize: Psalm 19:1

If you have never hiked a mountain in the moonlight, to experience the exhilaration of reaching the peak, then you may not understand Psalm 19 the way I do. You see, when I am alone at night on a mountain, I feel closer to God. David rightly recognizes that the heavens declare the glory of God and proclaim his mighty works. I can begin to grasp what he means as I stand alone on a high mountaintop and behold the vast expanse of space filled with radiant stars, considering the difficulty of crafting such magnificence. When I think about how complex the details of our solar system, galaxy and universe are, I can come to no other conclusion than that a Creator who is great beyond my highest imagination displays his power in designing these things to point me to Him.

From time to time people have raised the question, "what happens to the people who never knew about God?" The short answer is that they don't exist - everyone knows about God because the heavens reveal the existence of their Creator; "Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world." Through creation, all people are made aware of God's existence and he promises that whoever responds to that revelation by seeking him, will find him; (Acts 17:24-27) while whoever ignores what is made clear to them will have to give an account for their unbelief. This is why Paul declares in Romans 1:20 "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse"

Comment:

1. What is the your greatest experience of God's glory as displayed in his creation?
2. How does creation "pour forth speech" and "display knowledge"?
3. Of what or whom does creation give us knowledge?

The Fool Says In His Heart

• Read: Psalm 14
• Memorize: Romans 3:23-24

"National Atheists Day: April 1st" reads the now familiar bumper sticker, along with an excerpt from Psalm 14:1 "The fool says in his heart 'there is no God'". While we may get a laugh out of poking fun at atheists for being mentally deficient, the joke is on us when we realize our ignorance of the proper meaning of this word and verse. The Hebrew word that is translated "fool" does not mean that a person is dumb, but rather that he is morally deficient. In other words the psalmist says that the real danger is not a theoretical atheism (saying that there is no God), but the real danger is in practical atheism (living like there is no God.)

The problem for us is that we all start out as fools. The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Roman Christians, quoted excerpts from this psalm saying, "there is no one righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." Paul's point is that none of us can live the perfectly righteous life that God requires for us to enter his presence. That is where Jesus Christ comes in. David looked forward to the salvation that would come for Israel; a national restoration, but also a personal reconciliation with their Creator and Father in heaven.

In God's great kindness, he provided for both Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews) to participate in the personal reconciliation of unrighteous men and women with a perfectly righteous God. Paul concludes his point about the foolishness of mankind by declaring that "this righteousness from God comes through faith to all who believe... and are justified freely by his grace." Respond to this gift by saying in your heart and with your life "there is a God and I seek to know Him."

Comment:

1. How can actions tell more about a person than their words alone?
2. How can we seek God and gain understanding?