Moment to Moment (Bible blog)
Every once in a while, I’ll think I noticed something new in the Bible only to realize later that I’d noticed it before and actually blogged about it. This was one of those times.
But there were some new thoughts I had on the matter, and so I rewrote this article a bit.
I hope you’re as blessed as I was.
As I was reading today’s passage, two things Paul wrote connected in my mind with things he had said earlier in Romans.
First, Paul wrote in chapter 14,
For none of us lives for himself, and no one dies for himself.
If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord.
Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
Christ died and returned to life for this: that he might be Lord over both the dead and the living. (Romans 14:7-9)
It reminded me of Paul’s words in Romans 11:36-12:1.
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.
The second thing that struck me today is what Paul wrote in verse 15.
For if your brother or sister is hurt by what you eat, you are no longer walking according to love. (Romans 14:15)
(If you want more information, on what that was about, you can check what I’ve written here.)
But anyway, those words made me think of what Paul wrote in chapter 13.
Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law…
Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law. (Romans 13:8, 10)
I guess the question Jesus is asking me is, “Who are you living for?
Are you just living for yourself, only thinking about what you want?
Or are you living for me?
And specifically, are you loving the people I have placed in your life, people that I died for?”
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever. Amen.Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. (Romans 11:36-12:1)
Recently, these verses have been the foundation of my daily prayers.
Father, all things are from you, and through you, and to you.
You created all things and all things were created for you and your purposes. I was created for you and your purposes.
So Father, I give myself to you today. Let my whole life to you be worship.
May my words, my thoughts, my actions, be a pleasing fragrance, holy and pleasing to you.
I give myself as a living sacrifice to you.
You deserve anything and everything I can give you.
Thank you for your awesome grace and mercy to me. In Jesus’ name, amen.
I ask, then, has God rejected his people? Absolutely not…
God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.
Or don’t you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he pleads with God against Israel?
Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and they are trying to take my life!
But what was God’s answer to him?
I have left seven thousand for myself who have not bowed down to Baal.
In the same way, then, there is also at the present time a remnant chosen by grace. (Romans 11:1-5)
In this passage (and for that matter, the last two chapters), Paul is addressing the Jews and their hardness of heart towards the gospel. And he asks here, “Has God then rejected the Jews?”
His answer is unequivocal: No. There has always been and always will be a remnant of those who belong to him, a remnant chosen by his grace.
I think about Japan where I live. It’s easy to look at how few Christians there are here and think, “Has God rejected Japan?”
But I think Paul would answer just as unequivocally: No.
Of course, we can’t apply all Paul’s words concerning the Jews to the Japanese people.
But I do believe that in each city of Japan (and in each country throughout the world), there is a remnant of people whom God has known before time began and chosen to be his own.
All that’s needed is for us to bring the gospel to them. (Romans 10:13-15)
So let’s not get discouraged when we see the numbers of people who don’t know Christ in Japan or whatever country you may be in.
Instead, let’s pray. Then let’s go out to those God has put in our lives, sharing the gospel with them.
And by his grace we will find that remnant.
One memory always comes to mind whenever I read this passage.
Back when I was a high school student, one day I was just thinking on Paul’s words as I walked from the bus stop to my school.
My heart was singing that day.
And as I read it today, my soul sang just as loudly if not more loudly than it did all those years ago.
No condemnation.
Pardoned.
No spirit of fear.
Child of God.
The Holy Spirit in me crying out, “Abba, Father!”
Hope.
The Spirit interceding for me when my prayers are all messed up.
God hearing those prayers and working all things for my good.
God is for me, not against me.
I’m foreknown by God.
Predestined to be made like Jesus.
Called.
Justified.
Glorified.
Not accused. Justified.
Not condemned. Defended.
And nothing, nothing can separate me from God’s love!
Is your heart singing yet?
Think on those words.
Meditate on them.
Is your heart singing?
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you also were put to death in relation to the law through the body of Christ so that you may belong to another.
You belong to him who was raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God. (Romans 7:4)
Jesus, I don’t belong to Satan, though I was once a slave in his kingdom.
Nor do I belong to myself, simply following the desires of my sinful heart.
I belong to another now. I belong to you.
I don’t live just to make myself happy. I live to bear fruit for you. I live for you.
Thank you for your awesome love toward me. Let me bear fruit for you today as I walk with you. Amen.
Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4)
I like the translation “newness of life” here.
I don’t want to walk around in the tomb surrounded by the stench of sin and death. I want to breathe in the fresh air of righteousness and life.
I don’t want to be walking around clothed with the decaying clothes of sin. I want to wear the new clothes of Christ’s righteousness.
Imagine Jesus raising Lazarus and saying, “Come out,” only for Lazarus to answer, “No, thank you. I like walking around in this tomb in my grave clothes.”
I don’t want to do that.
Rather, breathing in the fresh air and wearing my new clothes, I want to present myself to God as a weapon, an instrument he can use to battle Satan who has enslaved so many people.
Like Isaiah, I want to stand before God and present myself to him, saying, “Here am I, send me.” (Isaiah 6:8)
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1)
A lot of times when we read these longer sentences, the main point can get lost. But let’s not lose sight of Paul’s main point. What is it?
Therefore…we have peace with God.
Let those words sink in.
“I have peace with God.
I used to be his enemy. But now I have been reconciled to him. I have peace with him.”
“So when trials come, it’s not God’s way of punishing me for my mistakes.
“I have peace with him. I stand in his grace.
“And he pours out his love on me daily.”
So don’t get discouraged when trials hit.
Don’t think God is punishing you.
Jesus already took your punishment on the cross.
You have peace with God now.
Let’s hold on to that truth, especially during the hard times.
It’s our hope.
God and his faithful love toward us is our hope.
And ultimately, that hope won’t disappoint us.
This past Sunday, I gave a message at church about how we come to God, not on the basis of our faithfulness to him, but his faithfulness to us.
And that’s what Paul talks about here. He starts by talking about God’s faithfulness to the Jews. He said,
What then? If some were unfaithful, will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness?
Absolutely not! Let God be true, even though everyone is a liar. (Romans 3:3-4)
But then Paul goes on to talk about how all of us, Jew and non-Jew are unfaithful to him (Romand 3:9-18).
And yet, God shows his faithfulness to us. How?
But now apart from the law the righteousness of God (although it is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed—namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe… (Romans 3:21-22, NET)
I really like this translation. Normally, verse 22 is translated “through faith in Jesus Christ.”
But it can also be translated as above, “through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ.”
For all of us who put our faith in Jesus, he proves to be a faithful God and Savior.
He proved it in that though we were unfaithful to him, he didn’t give up on us. Instead he went to the cross, taking the Father’s anger upon himself, paying the price for our sin by his blood shed on that cross.
I don’t know about you, but that kind of faithfulness makes me stand in wonder. It’s what keeps me from getting discouraged when I fail him.
Though I am unfaithful to him, he is faithful to me (2 Timothy 2:13).
So when I fall, he doesn’t say, “I’m disappointed in you, you let me down.”
Nor does he say, “Renew your broken vows to be faithful to me.”
Instead, he says to us what he said to Peter, “Do you love me? Yes? Good. Follow me.” (John 21:15-19)
Thank you Father, thank you Jesus for your incredible faithfulness to me.
For though they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or show gratitude.
Instead, their thinking became worthless, and their senseless hearts were darkened. (Romans 1:21)
Father, let those words never be said of me. I was created by you and for you. So in my life, be glorified.
Be glorified in my speech, my thoughts, and in my actions. Let my whole life be worship to you.
As I live each day, let my heart overflow with gratitude to you, transforming the way I think and act. In Jesus’ name, amen.
I don’t think I have ever noticed this before, but there is a strong parallel between what Paul says in verses 17-20 and what happened in the garden of Eden.
It was God’s desire that Adam and Eve be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil.
But by using smooth talk and flattering words, Satan deceived the heart of the unsuspecting Eve. And by following words which were contrary to what she had learned, she fell into sin, with Adam joining her soon after.
And so Paul says, “Watch out for serpents!”
Mostly he’s talking about false teachers in the church, but there are also false teachers outside the church. How can we know they are false teachers?
They teach what is contrary to what God says in his word.
That’s why it is so important to be familiar with God’s word. When we know God’s word well, we won’t be deceived by the false teachings of this world.
That was one of the purposes of Paul’s letter to the Romans: to lay down the foundation of our faith and to teach us how we are to live.
But it’s not enough to simply know God’s Word. We need to believe it. And obey it.
And so Paul goes back to a theme he started from chapter 1: the obedience that comes from faith. (Romans 1:5, 16:26)
Christ has already won the victory over Satan. (Genesis 3:15)
And because of what he did on the cross, we will share in that victory. (Romans 16:20)
So with a heart of thanksgiving, let’s read God’s word each day. Let’s believe it. And by his grace, let’s obey it.
My brothers and sisters, I myself am convinced about you that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another.
Nevertheless, I have written to remind you more boldly on some points…
God’s purpose is that the Gentiles may be an acceptable offering, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:14-16)
How often do we say, “I believe in you” to our younger brothers and sisters in Christ?
How often do we tell them, “I believe that you are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct others…to bless others.”
Of course, sometimes do have to remind them boldly on some points. Sometimes we need to remind them of the basic truths of their faith (Romans 1-11).
Sometimes we need to remind them how God has called them to live (Romans 12-13).
Sometimes they’re messing up and we need to correct them. (Romans 14-15)
But do we ever look down on them thinking, “They haven’t arrived yet” (as if we have), or do we keep believing in them?
Do we keep believing the Holy Spirit is working in their lives, day by day making them into acceptable offerings to God?
Do we join in with the Spirit’s work in their lives?
That’s discipleship.
That’s what Jesus did for his disciples.
That’s what Paul did for the Romans.
And that’s what we’re called to do for our younger brothers and sisters in Christ.
Holy Spirit, help me join in your work to raise people up for God’s kingdom. In Jesus’ name, amen.
I’ve written about this passage here and here and talked about the specific context of Paul’s words.
But as I read this passage today, I felt God speaking to me and expanding the application for verses 13-15 by changing the word “eat” to “do.”
…decide never to put a stumbling block or pitfall in the way of your brother or sister…
For if your brother or sister is hurt by what you [do], you are no longer walking according to love.
Do not destroy, by what you [do], someone for whom Christ died. (Romans 14:13, 15)
More than once, I have said or done things that have offended people. And in my mind, I thought they were being too sensitive.
But to keep repeating that behavior with them would not have been acting in love. Instead, I would have been destroying someone for whom Christ died.
And so I had to swallow my pride and apologize.
Do we ever think of a brother or sister as being “too sensitive?”
Maybe they are.
But if we continue doing something, knowing that they are hurt by what we do, we are no longer walking according to love.
Rather, we are destroying someone for whom Christ died by what we do.
Let us not do that. Instead,
…let us pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another. (Romans 14:19)
Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.
Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1-2)
Lord, you have been so merciful to me. So Lord, every day, I want my life to be yours.
Every word. Every thought. Every action. Let them be holy. Let them be pleasing to you. Let my life to you be worship.
Renew my mind. Help me to think the way you do. I want to know what is good, pleasing, and perfect in your sight.
My life is yours, Lord. I’m yours.
Do not boast that you are better than those branches. But if you do boast—you do not sustain the root, but the root sustains you.
Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.”
True enough; they were broken off because of unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but beware… (Romans 11:18-20)
In this passage, Paul is addressing Gentile Christians who might be tempted to boast about their salvation, telling the Jews, “Yes, you may have been considered God’s people once, but now it’s us who are God’s people.”
And Paul tells them, “Don’t boast that you are better than them. You are only part of God’s people because of grace. Jesus is the root and by his grace, he sustains you in your faith.
“You’re not part of God’s people because you are such wonderful people. You are only part of God’s people because you realized your weakness and your need for salvation, and you put your faith in Jesus.
“And by his grace, God welcomed you into his family. And if that’s the case, what are you boasting about?”
I don’t think many of us boast our superiority to the Jews. But how many of us boast, if only in our own minds, about our superiority to other Christians?
We’re more mature. We know more. We have all these gifts. God uses us. But these other Christians…not so much.”
One thing that amazes me about the apostle Peter is something he said in one of his letters:
To those who have received a faith equal to ours… (2 Peter 1:1)
Peter didn’t say, “I’m an apostle. I’m superior to you. You need to respect me.”
Rather he said, “your faith is equal to ours.”
Why? Because he recognized he didn’t support the root, but that the root supported him.
His salvation came not from his own righteousness, but “through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:1b)
Let us always keep that heart of humility, never looking down on other Christians, but treating them as people whose faith is equal to ours in the sight of God.
I will call Not my People, My People,
and she who is Unloved, Beloved.And it will be in the place where they were told,
you are not my people,
there they will be called sons of the living God. (Romans 9:25-26)
Lord, I don’t always understand your ways. I don’t understand why you choose to show mercy to some and harden others. We’re all sinners with hardened hearts. Why not judge us all?
I don’t understand why you would choose Jacob over Esau. Both were terribly flawed people. Why choose either of them to be the ancestor of the Messiah?
I don’t understand why you would choose to judge Pharaoh and the people of Egypt and to show mercy to Israel. Both rejected you time and again. Why not destroy both in the Red Sea?
And I don’t understand why you would choose me. I deserve to be destroyed like Sodom and Gomorrah were.
Yet for some reason, you chose to love me, to call me as one of your people, and to make me your son.
I don’t understand, Lord. But I’m grateful.
For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did.
He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering, in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:3-4)
I’ve been thinking of the story of Jairus’ daughter and the woman with the bleeding problem this week (Mark 5).
And one thing that struck me is that God’s law declared a dead body and a woman with a bleeding problem “unclean.”
Anyone who touched either became “unclean” themselves. (Leviticus 15:25-32; Numbers 19:11-13).
But while the law could declare these things “unclean,” it could not make them clean.
It could not heal the woman. And it certainly could not raise Jairus’ daughter from the dead.
But what the law could not do, Jesus could, healing the woman, raising the girl from the dead, and making both clean.
In the same way, God’s law could declare sin “unclean” and call anyone who touches it “unclean.”
But the law could not make us clean nor could it give us life.
That’s the limitation of the law.
But what the law couldn’t do, Jesus could. By his death on the cross, our sins are cleansed, and we are given life.
All we have to do is what Jairus and the woman did: put our faith in Jesus.
Through their faith both were saved. And so are we.
So let us rejoice with Paul, declaring,
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)
True Christians struggle.
The war with sin does not end when I become a Christian. I’m constantly tempted, sometimes winning, sometimes losing.
True Christians struggle.
I delight in God’s law, never questioning its goodness, but rather desiring to follow it. And yet I still see so many times I fall short.
True Christians struggle.
I hate the evil I do. And I hate it when I don’t do the good I should.
True Christians struggle.
I weep over my sin. I repent. I truly desire to change. I long for the day I leave behind sin completely and become like my Lord.
True Christians rejoice.
I rejoice that I have hope in Jesus. I rejoice that I am not condemned. Rather because of what Jesus did on the cross, I am accepted as God’s child.
Hallelujah!
This week, I’m preparing a message on Mark 5, so as I read this passage, I couldn’t help but think of the woman Jesus healed in Mark 5:25-34.
She had been suffering from a bleeding for 12 years. It was a problem that made her an outcast in society and unable to go to the synagogue or temple to worship God.
But when she reached out to Jesus in faith, she was healed. And Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be healed from your affliction.” (Mark 5:34)
By her faith, she was justified in God’s sight, gaining both peace with him and access to him.
And as she would look back on her afflictions, she found hope, because God poured his love into her heart.
Her life is a picture of our ours. We were cut off from God, but now through faith we have peace with God, and we stand before him by grace as his sons and daughters.
Once we stood in shame, having fallen short of the glory of God, separated from him by our sin. (Romans 3:23).
Now by his grace, let us boast in the hope of the glory of God, drawing near to him and rejoicing in his presence as his beloved children. (Romans 5:2)
He did not waver in unbelief at God’s promise but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, because he was fully convinced that what God had promised, he was also able to do. (Romans 4:20-21)
As I read those words, I thought to myself, “Who strengthened Abraham in his faith?”
I think I have always somehow assumed that Abraham strengthened himself.
But the truth is, it was always God.
Twice Abraham wondered how God could keep his promise to give him a son. Twice God reassured him of his promise.
And both times, strengthened by the reassurance God had given him, Abraham chose to believe. (Genesis 15:1-6, Genesis 17)
Lord, there are times my faith wavers. I thank you that in your grace, you never give up on me. Strengthen me in my faith.
As you reminded Abraham, remind me of your good promises to me.
Promises of life (John 3:16).
Promises of your power and presence in my life (Acts 1:8, Hebrews 13:5).
Promises to complete your good work in me (Philippians 1:6).
Promises of a heavenly inheritance. (John 14:2-3)
You are good, Lord. You are always true to your promises. And I am fully convinced that what you have promised, you are also able to do.
So, by your grace, I choose to believe you, today and every day.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
.
In a lot of ways, Paul’s words echo Jesus’: “Don’t judge or you will be judged.” (Matthew 7:1-5)
But what does that mean?
Many people take it as, “Don’t ever point out my sin. Don’t ever call what I do sinful.”
But that’s not what Jesus or Paul are saying.
What they are saying is, “Never act as a judge who has never sinned yourself. Before you point out other people’s sins, look at your own. And repent.”
When we do that, several things happen.
First, we become humble. There’s no way we can look down on other people for their sins because we are so aware of our own.
Second, we understand so much better the kindness, restraint, and patience that God shows us, causing us to show that same kindness, restraint, and patience when we see others.
Third, instead of merely condemning others for their sins, we seek their repentance so that their relationship with God may be restored, just as ours was.
But what happens when we fail to see our own sins and repent?
We set ourselves up to be judged by God.
Again, merely pointing out other’s sins is not judging them. You cannot call someone to repentance without pointing out their sin.
But if all we’re ever doing is condemning people for their sin without the faintest hint of compassion for them, we’ve forgotten the heart of Jesus. We’ve forgotten his mission.
It wasn’t to condemn people. It was to save people. (John 3:17)
By his great kindness, he led us to repentance and saved us.
Do people see that same kindness in us?
For I want very much to see you, so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, that is, to be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. (Romans 1:11-12)
Those words struck me this morning. I totally understand Paul’s feelings.
Whenever I go to church, I always pray that God might use me to touch someone that day. But God knows I need strengthening and encouragement too.
Just seeing people’s faith in action is an encouragement to me, seeing them worshiping and serving God.
But having people share with me what God is doing in their lives or scriptures God has used to bless them that week is also an encouragement.
And of course, it’s always a blessing to be prayed for.
How about you? Do you feel that way?
If so, then let us take Paul’s attitude with us to church every Sunday, seeking each week to mutually encourage each other by our faith.
I think for almost all Americans, their eyes are on this presidential election. I have to admit, it’s been hard for me not to keep an eye on what’s been going on.
And honestly, I worry about the direction of our country. Though I have been telling myself, “God is in control,” my anxieties tell me that my heart still struggles with that reality.
But as I read Romans this morning, Paul’s words were a real encouragement to me.
Oh, the depth of the riches
and the wisdom and the knowledge of God!How unsearchable his judgments
and untraceable his ways!For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?And who has ever given to God,
that he should be repaid?For from him and through him
and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:33-36)
I remember wondering four years ago why God would allow Trump to win the presidency. I’m sure there are many Christians that still wonder that.
But here’s the thing: I may not be able to understand God’s judgments. I may not be able to trace out the way he thinks.
But the truth is, I don’t have to. God has been running this world for thousands of years. And he knows what he’s doing.
In his day, Habakkuk couldn’t figure out why in the world God would let the Babylonians conquer Israel even though Babylon was more godless than Israel. (Habakkuk 1:13)
But Habakkuk learned that God’s ways, although inscrutable at times, are ultimately good, right, and just.
God didn’t need Habakkuk’s advice on how to do things. And he certainly doesn’t need mine.
And so I choose to trust him. Whether Biden wins or Trump wins, whether the Republicans keep the Senate or lose it, God’s plans will not be frustrated.
And that’s good enough for me.
In many ways, Daniel’s words reflect Paul’s.
May the name of God
be praised forever and ever,
for wisdom and power belong to him.He changes the times and seasons;
he removes kings and establishes kings.He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those
who have understanding.He reveals the deep and hidden things;
he knows what is in the darkness,
and light dwells with him. (Daniel 2:20-22)
And even Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged,
For his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
and his kingdom is from generation to generation.All the inhabitants of the earth are counted as nothing,
and he does what he wants with the army of heaven
and the inhabitants of the earth.There is no one who can block his hand
or say to him, “What have you done?” (Daniel 4:34-35)
So let us turn our eyes to God, worshiping him as he alone deserves.
To him be the glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:36)
One of the things that I do daily is pray for the church. Not just the one I go to, but for God’s church in this world.
In particular, I pray for God’s church in Japan (where I live), and God’s church in the States (where I am a citizen).
Perhaps that’s why Paul’s prayer for the church in Rome really stood out to me today.
Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, according to Christ Jesus, so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with one mind and one voice. (Romans 15:5-6)
In chapters 14-15, Paul admonishes the church to strive for unity, and then wraps up his admonishment with that prayer.
In many ways, it echoes our Lord’s prayer for the church.
I pray not only for these (disciples), but also for those who believe in me through their word.
May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you.
May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me.
I have given them the glory you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one.
I am in them and you are in me, so that they may be made completely one, that the world may know you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me. (John 17:20-23)
As I look in the world today, there is a lot of division in the church. We see division inside individual churches, and division between churches.
But Paul’s prayer and Jesus’ prayer was that we would be one. That we would glorify God with one mind and one voice.
Only then will we see this dying world be saved.
So let us welcome each other in love as Christ did with us. (7)
Let us build each other up, looking out for each other’s good. (2)
Let us instruct each other in God’s word. (14)
Let us strive together in prayer. (30)
And let us live in harmony with one another, glorifying God with one mind and one voice. (5-6)
That was Paul’s and Jesus’ prayer for the church in this dying world. Let’s make it ours as well.
We’re living in a time when it is easy to criticize our fellow believers, especially when it comes to issues like politics and social justice.
I think that’s why Paul’s words really strike me.
So then, let us pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another. (Romans 15:19)
Paul was talking to a church divided by personal convictions and judgmental attitudes. Their reasons were different from ours to be sure. As a result, so are some of the practical applications we draw from Paul’s words.
But despite the difference in issues, the results were equally devastating: people in the church tearing each other apart.
So Paul says, “Pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another.”
Does this mean we avoid all discussions on politics and social issues? No. I think these things need to be discussed.
What I am saying is we need a lot more listening to each other and far less judging of each other and each other’s motives.
Remember that you are not your brother’s or sister’s Lord. Jesus is. All of us will stand before God’s judgment seat. All of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
God may very well have some words of rebuke for us on that day. But ultimately, we will stand because God is able to make us stand. (4, 7-12)
We all stand by God’s grace. We would do well to remember that.
So as we discuss these important issues, remember that ultimately we are not trying to win an argument. We’re trying to build each other up.
And by God’s grace, as we talk, search his Word, and pray with one another, we will reach his truth and his perspective together.
I truly love this passage. I could probably write 12 sermons based on it if not more. 🙂
But in these troubled times, the scripture that stood out to me was verse 12.
Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer. (Romans 12:12)
Rejoice in hope.
The people around us don’t have a lot of hope. And because of that, they easily get angry and cynical when they look at the world around them.
But as Christians, we should never be that way. Why not? Because we have a hope that this world does not have.
We have hope that these troubles will not last forever. And we have hope that Jesus will come back and make all things right.
So let us remember that and choose to rejoice in that hope.
Be patient in affliction.
Again, sometimes our trials seem never-ending. Covid-19 certainly seems that way.
But because of the hope we have, let us keep our eyes focused on Him who is our hope and wait for his deliverance patiently with quietness and confidence. (Psalm 33 :20-21, Isaiah 30:15-18)
Finally, be persistent in prayer.
Pray for our leaders, especially. But also pray for those who are hurting around us and need Jesus. (1 Timothy 2:1-6)
More let us be a light to them in this darkened world.
Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer.
Verse 3 stood out to me today.
…they are ignorant of the righteousness of God and attempted to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness. (Romans 10:3)
Paul here is talking about Jews who had rejected Jesus as Messiah and his atoning work on the cross which makes us righteous in God’s eyes. Instead, they tried to be justified by their own works.
Many people are like that today. They reject Jesus and try to find their own path to God.
But there is another sense in which people try to establish their own form of righteousness.
We see it in the book of Judges.
In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever seemed right to him. (Judges 21:25)
How many people are like that today? They reject God is king and simply do whatever seems is right to them.
Some of them are merely ignorant of God’s righteousness. But as Paul noted in Romans 1, many people actively suppress it. (Romans 1:18)
They call what God calls evil, “good.”
Look at the list in Romans 1:22-31. I’m sure you agree that most of the things in that list is evil.
But are there any in there that make you think, “That’s not so bad?”
Or even, “That’s not sin at all”?
If there is anything in those lists you say, “That’s not so bad” or “That’s not sin at all,” you are suppressing God’s righteousness and establishing your own.
You may have “a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.” (Romans 10:2)
So let us not conform to the pattern of this world, but instead be transformed by the renewing of our mind through the Word of God.” (Romans 12:2)
When authors in the New Testament quote the Old Testament, it’s always a good idea to read the original passage.
In verse 36, Paul quotes from Psalm 44.
Psalm 44 is kind of a depressing psalm. It starts out by talking about God’s faithfulness and goodness, but suddenly changes to asking why they were suffering defeat against their enemies.
Unlike many psalms where the psalmist confess their sins, in Psalm 44, there seems to be no sin to confess. Rather, despite their faithfulness to God, the Israelites were struggling, leading them to say,
Because of you we are being put to death all day long;
we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. (Psalm 44:22)
The psalm ends by asking God why he was sleeping, and asking him to rise up and help them.
Sometimes we feel the same way. We feel abandoned by God. But are we? Are we doomed to defeat? Not according to Paul.
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Romans 8:37)
As Paul pointed out, God showed his love for us by predestining us, calling us, justifying us, and glorifying us. (29-30)
And in order to accomplish all this, he sent his Son to die for us. So Paul says,
What, then, are we to say about these things?
If God is for us, who is against us?
He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all.
How will he not also with him grant us everything? (Romans 8:31-32)
And that’s why we can conclude,
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)
Like the psalmist, we may not understand the whys in our lives. We may not understand until heaven. Actually, by the time we get there, we may not even care anymore.
But in the meantime, let us hold on to these precious promises of God.
And remember: he is faithful.
All of us struggle with sin. And many of us feel that we must be bad Christians because of that struggle.
But struggling with sin doesn’t make you a bad Christian.
If that were true, you would have to say Paul was a bad Christian. (Romans 7:15-19)
What struggling with sin means is that you now have the Holy Spirit in your heart pointing out your sin and giving you a hatred for it.
Before we became Christians, many times we didn’t recognize our own sin, and even if we did, we were in love with it.
But when we became Christians, the Holy Spirit started the process of transforming our minds, helping us see sin as the evil thing it is while at the same time giving us a desire to do what is right.
More than that, if we ask him, he gives us the power to do what is right.
That’s something the law couldn’t do. The law could point out our sin. But it couldn’t give us the desire or the power to do right.
That’s the difference between living by the Spirit and living by the law. (6)
So I don’t worry so much about the Christian who struggles with sin.
If you hate your sin, and led by the Spirit, you keep taking the next step the Spirit gives you, you’ll be fine.
It’s the person who claims to be a Christian and yet loves their sin that I worry about.
What next step is God showing you?
Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my concerns.See if there is any offensive way in me;
lead me in the everlasting way. (Psalm 139:23-24)
Just meditating today on verse 4 where Paul says,
Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4)
Prior to the cross, there was a certain heaviness that Jesus carried with him, the knowledge that a day of reckoning was coming. That he would be put on a cross, bearing our sin and shame.
And while he rejoiced in serving his Father, nevertheless, that heaviness remained reaching its peak at Gethsemane (Luke 12:50, John 12:27; Luke 22:42-44).
But when he rose from the dead, all that burden was lifted from him. Our sins that he came to die for were now paid for, and now he was free to live for the glory of his Father with complete joy.
It is the same with us.
Prior to becoming Christians, we carried the weight of our sin with all its shame and the certainty of judgment hanging over us.
But when we were baptized into Jesus, his death became ours. All our punishment was transferred to him. All our shame was transferred to him.
And as with Jesus, we have now been raised to new life. We no longer carry the burden of ours sins, the shame it brings, and the fear of judgment. Our sins have been completely paid for.
Now we are free to live for the glory of our Father with complete joy.
So let us live each day in that joy
I’m currently in the process of translating all my posts on Hebrews into Japanese, so as I read today’s passage, I saw a link between this chapter and Hebrews 10 that I had never seen before.
Paul says,
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we boast in the hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2)
The writer of Hebrews says something very similar in chapter ten of his letter.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus— he has inaugurated for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh)— and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. (Hebrews 10:19-22)
The idea in both passages are the same. Through Jesus, we now have free access to God. We no longer have to stand in fear of God. Rather, we now have peace with him, standing in his grace.
In the Old Testament days, God manifested his glory in the tabernacle, particularly in a room called the Most Holy Place.
For this reason, only the high priest could come into that room, and he could only come in once a year.
For him, to stand in the presence of God’s glory was an awesome thing, but also a fearsome thing.
The Israelites themselves feared drawing anywhere near to God and his glory (Exodus 20:18-21), and God himself warned against it (Exodus 19:11-12; 20-22).
But through his death, Jesus tore down the barrier between us and God. We no longer need to be fearful as stand in the presence of God’s glory.
Rather, we can stand boldly by grace in his presence and rejoice in that glory.
The question is, do we truly understand the grace on which we stand?
Do we grasp it to the point that we understand the sufferings we go through are not punishments from God? Do we instead have hope in our sufferings?
What is the basis of our hope? The peace we have with God.
When we were still God’s enemies, Christ died for us. He didn’t wait for us to make ourselves good before he died for us. When we were still hostile toward him, he died for us.
And if Jesus did that for us while we are his enemies, how can we now think he has turned against us and is punishing us when we are his friends?
Rather, the same God who loved and saved us when we were his enemies, now pours out his love and mercy on us as his friends.
So whatever trials you may be facing, remember: we are at peace with God. Jesus made that peace possible 2000 years ago on a cross.
Let us now rest in that peace.
It is Thanksgiving Day in the United States.
Here in Japan where I live, we don’t have such a day, unfortunately. But even in the States, it seems many people have lost sight of what Thanksgiving is about.
Namely, who are we giving thanks to?
It makes me think of Paul’s words to the Romans. He said concerning unbelievers,
For though they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or show gratitude.
Instead, their thinking became worthless and their senseless hearts were darkened. (Romans 1:21)
Again, Paul is talking about unbelievers here, but how often do we act like unbelievers? How often do we fail to glorify God in our lives? How often do we fail to show him gratitude to him?
When we fail to do these things, our thinking becomes worthless and our hearts become darkened. Instead of pursuing God, we start pursuing other things, worthless things.
But as Jeremiah put it, when we do that, we become worthless ourselves. (Jeremiah 2:5)
Let us not live that way. Instead, let us always remember to glorify God in our lives, never failing to give him thanks.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his faithful love endures forever. (Psalm 118:1)
In Paul’s greetings, two things stood out to me today.
He says of a man named Apelles: “he is ‘approved in Christ.'”
And of a man named Rufus: “he is ‘chosen in the Lord.'”
The truth is, both things can be said of all of us. Why single these two men out?
Obviously, with as little information as we have on these men, anything we say is pure guesswork.
But perhaps both these men needed special encouragement that they were approved and chosen in the Lord.
The word “approved” often has the idea of “tested” in it. And so it’s possible that Apelles had faced some kind of testing in his life.
It might have been some kind of trial or persecution. And perhaps he sometimes wondered, “Why?”
But Paul lets him know, “Yes, you have faced trials, and it’s been tough for you. But you and your faith have come out like gold that has passed through the fire. Know that God says to you, “Well done!” (1 Peter 1:7)
As for Rufus, Paul says. “You are chosen in the Lord. Don’t forget who you are.”
But as Paul talked about earlier, Rufus was chosen not for how good he was, but because of God’s grace and mercy towards him. (Romans 9:11-17)
I say again, though: these words are not for them alone. They are for all of us who belong to Jesus.
So if you’re facing trials, keep trusting God and his goodness and love toward you. And you like Apelles will come out like gold. (Job 23:10)
And never forget who you are: You are chosen in the Lord.
As I read this passage, today it was verses 5-9 that strike me.
In telling the Romans not to quarrel about things that are not a matter of God’s word, but a matter of conscience, Paul says,
One person judges one day to be more important than another day. Someone else judges every day to be the same.
Let each one be fully convinced in his own mind. Whoever observes the day, observes it for the honor of the Lord.
Whoever eats, eats for the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; and whoever does not eat, it is for the Lord that he does not eat it, and he gives thanks to God. (Romans 14:5-6)
Here we see the phrases over and over.
“For the honor of the Lord.”
“For the Lord.”
When we observe a day like Christmas, we do it for the honor of the Lord.
When we eat something, we honor him by giving him thanks.
If we abstain from eating something because we feel that’s what God wishes for us, we also honor him.
In short, our whole lives should be for one purpose: to honor God.
And so Paul says,
For none of us lives for himself, and no one dies for himself.
If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord.
Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
Christ died and returned to life for this: that he might be Lord over both the dead and the living. (7-9)
Everything we do should be for the honor and glory of God. Not just in our eating or celebrating of special days. But in all that we do at home, at work, at church, or wherever we are.
Even when we have free time, that should be honoring to God, for rest is from him too.
How about you? When you look at all that you do each day, do you think God would be pleased?
Who are you living for?
For yourself?
Or for him?
As we face the new year, Paul’s words strike me.
Besides this, since you know the time, it is already the hour for you to wake up from sleep, because now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
The night is nearly over, and the day is near; so let us discard the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. (Romans 13:11-12)
Every year that passes is another year we draw closer to Jesus’ return.
And so Paul says to put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
It’s so easy, though, to think of the first things Paul mentions as “deeds of darkness”: carousing, drunkenness, sexual immorality.
But how often do we miss the latter part of what he says: to put aside quarreling and jealousy.
It might be good to look at James 3:13-4:10, because James expands on this more.
But as we go through 2019, let us search our hearts.
What broken relationships do we have? And how much of it is due to envy and jealousy in our hearts?
How much of it is due to wrong motives in our hearts, selfishly seeking out our own good and comfort?
Or how often are we angry because we think, “I deserve better”?
Let us set aside these thoughts, and rest in the grace of God. And let us learn to be satisfied in him, following the words of James:
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you…
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. (James 4:8, 10)
What is worship?
I used to think it was just singing songs.
But to Paul, it was so much more.
He says,
Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. (Romans 12:1)
When we completely offer our very lives to God, that is true worship.
When we do what is good and pleasing in his sight, that is worship.
When we use our gifts to benefit God’s people.
When we encourage others, that is worship.
When we give generously to help others, that is worship.
When we show mercy with cheerfulness, that is worship.
When we love and honor each other, that is worship.
When we bless those who persecute us, that is worship.
When we are patient in affliction, that is worship.
All these things are worship in God’s eyes.
May 2019 be a year where we truly learn to worship God in all these ways, and more.
Happy New Year all!
I realize I haven’t been blogging much the past couple of weeks because of the winter holidays, but God willing, I should be starting to get back into the swing of things again.
It is so easy, sometimes, to forget the very grace that we stand on and to look down on others.
The Roman Christians apparently very tempted to do so when they thought about the Jews who had rejected Jesus.
But Paul warns them against such pride throughout this chapter.
He reminds them of the pride of Elijah, who complained that he was the only one following after God. And God had to sharply rebuke him, saying, “No, you aren’t the only spiritual one. There are 7000 others.”
Elijah too, forgot at times the grace on which he stood.
God didn’t choose Elijah as his own because Elijah was somehow better than those around him. God chose him out of his grace.
Paul emphasizes this, saying,
In the same way, then, there is also at the present time a remnant chosen by grace. Now if by grace, then it is not by works; otherwise grace ceases to be grace. (Romans 11:5-6)
Paul is specifically talking about a remnant of Jews, but all of us who belong to God are chosen the same way: by grace.
And so Paul warns us,
…do not boast that you are better than those branches (the unbelieving Jews). But if you do boast—you do not sustain the root, but the root sustains you. (18)
And again,
Do not be arrogant, but beware, because if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. (20-21)
Are you tempted to look down on others? Not just unbelievers, but believers? Do you think you are somehow better than they?
Maybe you serve more at church. Maybe you are more spiritually “mature.”
Remember the grace on which you stand. And be humble.
For as Paul concludes,
And who has ever given to God,
that he should be repaid?For from him and through him
and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever. Amen. (35-36)
I was just thinking of Paul’s words in Romans 6:14 and what they mean.
For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under the law but under grace.
That is not the most easy sentence to understand. Even Paul knew that, and so he spends the next few verses explaining what he doesn’t mean: that it’s okay for us to indulge in sin.
What does it mean, though?
I think he’s talking about our relationship with God.
The law is for those in rebellion against God. It reveals to them their sin, to some degree it restrains their sin (by putting the fear of punishment in them), and ultimately it judges them for their sin.
But that doesn’t describe us who belong to God.
Because we know the grace and love of God in our lives, we are no longer rebellious towards him, but respond in gratefulness and love for all he’s done for us.
Do such people offer themselves to sin?
No. In love, they offer themselves to God, obeying not because they fear punishment, but from the heart. It is their joy to serve God.
And when they fall, as all of us do, they mourn their sin and repent, but rejoice in the grace of God that washes away their sin. And in their joy, they once again offer themselves to God.
That’s a life under grace.
Are you living under grace?
As I read this passage, I thought of something a famous pastor was telling his congregation not too long ago.
He was ranting, “Here’s a question we gotta quit asking…What does the Bible say, what does the Bible say, what does the Bible about that…this is a really bad question we have to quit asking…
“Let me tell you a better question: What does the New Covenant teach? Or let’s be more specific, What does the New Testament teach? Or even better, What does Jesus teach?”
Now let me be clear: there is a germ of truth to what he says.
The Old Testament is always to be interpreted in light of the New, never the reverse.
The New Covenant does supercede the Old.
And of course, Jesus is absolutely authoritative when it comes to the interpretation of Scripture and how we are to live.
With those qualifications, it’s going too far to say that we should quit asking “What does the Bible say?”
From the above statement, what you see he really means is that we shouldn’t ask what the Old Testament says about the questions we face concerning our faith and lives.
I respectfully disagree. This passage is an example of why.
Paul was dealing with a core spiritual issue: how are we justified, by our faith or by keeping the law?
What did Paul say in answering the question?
“What did Jesus say?”
“What does the New Covenant say?”
No, he points to the Old Testament and the life of Abraham and asks, “What does Scripture say?”
And when he talks about the blessing of the person whose righteousness comes apart from works, does he say “What does Jesus say?” or “What does the New Covenant say?”
No, he again points to the Old Testament, essentially saying once more, “What does the Scripture say?”
This is no accident. His whole argument up until that point had been steeped in “What does Scripture say?”
This includes his key thesis statement in chapter one. What does the Scripture say? “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17)
The practice of the apostles when they taught and made key decisions (see James’ statement in Acts 15 for example) was not only to ask what Jesus taught, but to ask, “What does the Bible say.”
That, by the way, meant to them, “What does the Old Testament say?”
They saw no inherent conflict between the two. Why should we?
So let us not try to separate the Old Testament from the New to the point where we say “Let’s get rid of the question, ‘What does the Bible say?'”
Instead let us continue asking, “What does the Bible say,” using and interpreting it as the apostles did.
When you have questions about God’s grace and mercy, ask, “What does the Bible say?” (Exodus 34:6-7)
When you have questions about God’s wrath and judgment, ask, “What does the Bible say?” (Romans 1:18-32)
When you have questions about how the New Covenant differs from the Old, ask, “What does the Bible say?” (Jeremiah 31:31-34)
When you have questions about who salvation is for, ask, “What does the Bible say?” (Joel 2:28-32, Isaiah 42:1-7)
When you have questions about the meaning of the cross, ask, “What does the Bible say?” (Isaiah 53)
When you have questions about moral standards, ask, “What does the Bible say?” (Exodus 20, Matthew 22:37-38, 1 Cor. 5-6, Lev. 18-19)
And again, remember: The New Testament interprets the Old, because the New Covenant supercedes the Old.
But even what is superceded should not simply be discarded.
See why the old things were there and why they were discarded. They were there for a purpose. Learn what those purposes were.
They were all meant for your instruction and benefit. (1 Cor. 10:6-11, 2 Tim. 3:15-17)
So as you face each day with all the questions and trials you may encounter, always ask yourself, “What does the Bible say?”
As the psalmist wrote,
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” (Psalm 119:105 — NIV)
I think as a life-long Christian I sometimes take for granted the things that I read in the Bible. It’s almost as if when I read it, I say in my mind (if unconsciously), “But of course.”
I wonder, though, if Paul still retained the wonder of the words he spoke when he wrote his letter to the Romans.
Did he have the same wonder that Peter no doubt had when he was sent to Cornelius and saw the Holy Spirit poured out on Gentile believers (Acts 10-11).
My guess is Paul did.
Think about this for a moment.
Paul was a lifelong Pharisee. A “Hebrew of Hebrews.” (Philippians 3:5).
He was one who all his life thought of the Jews as being above every other race, particularly when it came to a relationship with God.
And yet he said to these Gentile Roman Christians,
Through him (Jesus) we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the Gentiles, including you who are also called by Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:5-6)
Paul was saying, “This gospel I have received is for all peoples. And wonder of wonders (at least for me, a Jew), that includes you.”
Or as Paul wrote in another letter,
So then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands.
At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world.
But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:11-13)
All that, I think, was in Paul’s mind when he wrote his much shortened version of those words in Romans 1.
And so he could say to these Roman Gentiles, “You are loved by God, called as saints. (Romans 1:7)
Paul stood in wonder at all this.
The question is, do we? Or do we just take for granted that God’s gospel, his love and his grace have been extended to us?
Let us never take his grace for granted.
Rather, let us take a step back whenever we read these kinds of words in scriptures…and marvel.
Moment to Moment (Bible blog) 