A Living Sacrifice
12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, [1] by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. [2] 2 Do not be conformed to this world, [3] but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. [4]
Gifts of Grace
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, [5] and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, [6] with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
Marks of the True Christian
9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, [7] serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. [8] Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it [9] to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
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Showing posts with label Romans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Romans. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Daily Reading
This passage struck me last night as I was at home doing my budget and praying for the Eteam. I believe God put it on my heart, as I was working numbers on a spreadsheet. I put the entire chapter on play from ESV online audio, but this morning this passage struck me with an "inexpressable and glorious joy"
Romans 10:1- 4
Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God is that they may be saved . I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God but not according to knowledge. For being ignorant of the rightouesness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's rigteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
The end of righteousness. I began to pray for some of my unbelieving friends, that they would not seek to establish a righteousness according to their own devising, even as some proclaim to know God and could have a passion for him, but they do not know Christ. Oh Lord I pray for myself that I would not seek to do what the law recquires but rather seek what Christ recquires of me, a righteousness found only in him, and as Philippians says "a righteousness from God that depends on faith". Yes Lord may I depend solely on you oh God!
Romans 10:1- 4
Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God is that they may be saved . I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God but not according to knowledge. For being ignorant of the rightouesness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's rigteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
The end of righteousness. I began to pray for some of my unbelieving friends, that they would not seek to establish a righteousness according to their own devising, even as some proclaim to know God and could have a passion for him, but they do not know Christ. Oh Lord I pray for myself that I would not seek to do what the law recquires but rather seek what Christ recquires of me, a righteousness found only in him, and as Philippians says "a righteousness from God that depends on faith". Yes Lord may I depend solely on you oh God!
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?
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