3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
1 Peter 1:3-10
Monday, June 30, 2008
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Romans Inquiry pt 2
Daily Read
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
What is the wrath of God? And how is it revealed from heaven? What is the ungodliness and covetousness of men? How does one "surpress" the truth by unrighteousness?
When scripture says "they" who are they? All men? Just unbelievers?
What are the things that God gives them over to? Notice he gives them over to
1) the Lusts of their heart to impurity (vs 24)
2) to dishonorable passions (vs 26)
3) a debased mind (vs 28)
What then does it mean for God to "give them over to..." ?
Unrigteousness is what causes supression of the truth..and then causes God to give them over to what they want. I liken this to a parent who consistently says to a child "no..stop" and they continue to insist on their own way. Then the parents says "Fine..if you want to contiue to do that go ahead...but I warned you." Then because they have already refused to listen, they continue to continue in their sin. Then they go so far as to approve of those who do the same things as them.
Notice the list given that consists of "unrighteousness"
!) evil
2) covetousness (jelousy)
3) malice
4) envy (jellousy... listed 2x!)
5) murder
6) deceit
7) maliciousness
8)gossips
9) slanderers
10) haters of God
11) insolent
12) haughty
13) boastful
14) inventors of evil
15) disobedient to parents (!!!)
16) foolish
17) faithless
18) heartless
19) ruthless
Do you think that any of us can escape?
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
What is the wrath of God? And how is it revealed from heaven? What is the ungodliness and covetousness of men? How does one "surpress" the truth by unrighteousness?
When scripture says "they" who are they? All men? Just unbelievers?
What are the things that God gives them over to? Notice he gives them over to
1) the Lusts of their heart to impurity (vs 24)
2) to dishonorable passions (vs 26)
3) a debased mind (vs 28)
What then does it mean for God to "give them over to..." ?
Unrigteousness is what causes supression of the truth..and then causes God to give them over to what they want. I liken this to a parent who consistently says to a child "no..stop" and they continue to insist on their own way. Then the parents says "Fine..if you want to contiue to do that go ahead...but I warned you." Then because they have already refused to listen, they continue to continue in their sin. Then they go so far as to approve of those who do the same things as them.
Notice the list given that consists of "unrighteousness"
!) evil
2) covetousness (jelousy)
3) malice
4) envy (jellousy... listed 2x!)
5) murder
6) deceit
7) maliciousness
8)gossips
9) slanderers
10) haters of God
11) insolent
12) haughty
13) boastful
14) inventors of evil
15) disobedient to parents (!!!)
16) foolish
17) faithless
18) heartless
19) ruthless
Do you think that any of us can escape?
Friday, June 27, 2008
Romans Inquiry
Daily Read
Romans 5-6:23
" For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace." (6:14)
Why would sin not have dominion over a person under the law, as opposed to someone under grace?
If a person is not under the law, what then does it mean? That person perhaps is no longer Judged by the law as the standard for behavior before God? Does it then mean a person under grace is "forgiven" by the "misdeeds of the body" (sin) that was brought under the law? Then what goes of the law, does one simply disregard it since it is no longer the standard of Judgement? Is the law the standard of Judgement, over sinful human beings, who cannot in themselves complete the law but must have grace to justify them? Must it be that mankind must still obey the law with full knowledge that this is an insumountable task and cannot be attained, but is pursued interin in response to grace given, grace received, and grace applied?
Then what of Grace? "What then? Are we to sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means!" (vs. 6:1) But isn't then the law that shows us our sin? "What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have know sin. I would not have know what it is to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet." But sin seizing the oppurtunity throught the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. Apart from the law, sin lies dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin seizing, an opportunity through the commandmetn, deceived me and through it killed me. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good." (Romans 7: 7-12) So then if the law is holy and the command is rigteous and good, should we not then obey it?
Then perhaps the motivation to obey the law is not then to be justified but in response to grace given. However if one obeys the law to be justified (and his external actions show) and one obeys the law in response to an act of grace (and his external actions show) then how different are they? How different is the one who tries to justify himself rather one who rests in justification of another- if only the difference be motivation? Should not there be a difference in the external acts, since there indeed is a different motivation?
Romans 5-6:23
" For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace." (6:14)
Why would sin not have dominion over a person under the law, as opposed to someone under grace?
If a person is not under the law, what then does it mean? That person perhaps is no longer Judged by the law as the standard for behavior before God? Does it then mean a person under grace is "forgiven" by the "misdeeds of the body" (sin) that was brought under the law? Then what goes of the law, does one simply disregard it since it is no longer the standard of Judgement? Is the law the standard of Judgement, over sinful human beings, who cannot in themselves complete the law but must have grace to justify them? Must it be that mankind must still obey the law with full knowledge that this is an insumountable task and cannot be attained, but is pursued interin in response to grace given, grace received, and grace applied?
Then what of Grace? "What then? Are we to sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means!" (vs. 6:1) But isn't then the law that shows us our sin? "What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have know sin. I would not have know what it is to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet." But sin seizing the oppurtunity throught the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. Apart from the law, sin lies dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin seizing, an opportunity through the commandmetn, deceived me and through it killed me. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good." (Romans 7: 7-12) So then if the law is holy and the command is rigteous and good, should we not then obey it?
Then perhaps the motivation to obey the law is not then to be justified but in response to grace given. However if one obeys the law to be justified (and his external actions show) and one obeys the law in response to an act of grace (and his external actions show) then how different are they? How different is the one who tries to justify himself rather one who rests in justification of another- if only the difference be motivation? Should not there be a difference in the external acts, since there indeed is a different motivation?
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
What of our sin..?
But I am the Lord your God
from the Land of Egypt
you know no God but me,
and besides me there is no savior
It was I who knew you in the
wilderness,
in the land of drought;
but when they had grazed,
they became full,
they were filled, and their heart was lifted up;
therefore they forgot me
So I am to them like a lion;
like a leopared I will lurk beside the way.
I will fall upon them like a bear robbed
of her cubs;
I will tear open their breast,
and there I will devour them like a lion,
as a wild besat would rip them open.
Hosea 13 : 4-8
from the Land of Egypt
you know no God but me,
and besides me there is no savior
It was I who knew you in the
wilderness,
in the land of drought;
but when they had grazed,
they became full,
they were filled, and their heart was lifted up;
therefore they forgot me
So I am to them like a lion;
like a leopared I will lurk beside the way.
I will fall upon them like a bear robbed
of her cubs;
I will tear open their breast,
and there I will devour them like a lion,
as a wild besat would rip them open.
Hosea 13 : 4-8
Chapters 8, 9
Chapter 8
8:1-4 Jesus cleanses a leper
8:5-13 Tthe faith of a centurian
8: 14-17 Jesus heals many
8: 18-22 The cost of following Jesus
8: 23- 27 Jesus calms a storm
8: 28- 34 Jesus heals a demon possessed man
Chapter 9
9: 1-8 Jesus heals a paralytic
9: 9-13 Jesus calls Matthew
9: 14-17 A Question about fasting
9: 18-26 A Girl restored to life and a woman healed
9: 27-31 Jesus heals two blind men
9: 32-34 Jesus heals a mute man
9: 35-38 The harvest is plentiful but the workers few
8:1-4 Jesus cleanses a leper
8:5-13 Tthe faith of a centurian
8: 14-17 Jesus heals many
8: 18-22 The cost of following Jesus
8: 23- 27 Jesus calms a storm
8: 28- 34 Jesus heals a demon possessed man
Chapter 9
9: 1-8 Jesus heals a paralytic
9: 9-13 Jesus calls Matthew
9: 14-17 A Question about fasting
9: 18-26 A Girl restored to life and a woman healed
9: 27-31 Jesus heals two blind men
9: 32-34 Jesus heals a mute man
9: 35-38 The harvest is plentiful but the workers few
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Chapters 4-7
Chapter 4
4:1-11 The Temptations of Jesus
4: 12-17 Jesus Begins Ministry/ Providence of Zebulin/Naphatali
4:18-22 Jesus Calls his first disciples
4:23-25 Jesus Ministers to Great Crowds
Chapter 5
5:1 Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount
5:2-12 Beautitudes
5:13- 16 Salt and Light
5: 17-20 Christ came to fullfill the law
5: 21-26 Anger
5: 27-30 Lust
5: 31-32 Divorce
5: 33-37 Oaths
5: 38-42 Retialiation
5: 43- 48 Love your enemies
Chapter 6
6:1-4 Giving to the needy
6: 5-15 The Lord's Prayer/ Forgiveness
6: 16-18 Fasting
6: 19- 21 Lay up Treasures
6: 22-23 The Eye is the Lamp
6:24 Serving two masters
6: 25-34 Do not worry
Chapter 7
7:1-6 Judging others
7: 7-11 Ask of God
7: 12 The Golden Rule
7: 13, 14 Two Gates: Wide or Narrow?
7:15-20 False Prophets
7: 21-23 I never knew you
7: 24-27 Build your house on a rock
7:28,29 The Authority of Jesus
4:1-11 The Temptations of Jesus
4: 12-17 Jesus Begins Ministry/ Providence of Zebulin/Naphatali
4:18-22 Jesus Calls his first disciples
4:23-25 Jesus Ministers to Great Crowds
Chapter 5
5:1 Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount
5:2-12 Beautitudes
5:13- 16 Salt and Light
5: 17-20 Christ came to fullfill the law
5: 21-26 Anger
5: 27-30 Lust
5: 31-32 Divorce
5: 33-37 Oaths
5: 38-42 Retialiation
5: 43- 48 Love your enemies
Chapter 6
6:1-4 Giving to the needy
6: 5-15 The Lord's Prayer/ Forgiveness
6: 16-18 Fasting
6: 19- 21 Lay up Treasures
6: 22-23 The Eye is the Lamp
6:24 Serving two masters
6: 25-34 Do not worry
Chapter 7
7:1-6 Judging others
7: 7-11 Ask of God
7: 12 The Golden Rule
7: 13, 14 Two Gates: Wide or Narrow?
7:15-20 False Prophets
7: 21-23 I never knew you
7: 24-27 Build your house on a rock
7:28,29 The Authority of Jesus
Outline of Matthew Chapters 1-3
Outline of the Gospel according to Matthew
Chapter 1
1:1-18 Genelogy of Christ
1:19-25 Birth of Jesus
Chapter 2
2:1-2 The Magi visit Christ
2:13-15 Flight to Egypt
2:16-18 Herod Kills the children
2:19- 23 The Return to Nazereth
Chapter 3
3:1-12 John the Baptist Prepares the Way
3: 13- 17 The Baptism of Jesus
Chapter 1
1:1-18 Genelogy of Christ
1:19-25 Birth of Jesus
Chapter 2
2:1-2 The Magi visit Christ
2:13-15 Flight to Egypt
2:16-18 Herod Kills the children
2:19- 23 The Return to Nazereth
Chapter 3
3:1-12 John the Baptist Prepares the Way
3: 13- 17 The Baptism of Jesus
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)