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Wednesday, April 21, 2010

One line

Sometimes Wed. night Bible study is worth it for just one line
Pastor Jerry after contemplating the brutal truths of Matthew 10 said this,
"Christianity is not something you dabble in
it is something you die in."
excellent

Saturday, April 17, 2010

updates to romans 2:14-29 Bible Study

Romans Bible Study # 6
Romans 2:14-29 The Judgement

14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus. God is here vindicated in judging the Gentiles, those who do not have the Law, because in the form of their conscience He has written the law into them. In “secret” they know His requirements, His Law. Through Christ Jesus they will be judged. God is not limited to working thru the Law of Moses. His revelation is not limited to the nation of Israel. Two quotes from Barth, because I found it difficult to put this into my own words, because it is a hard concept to wrap your mind around, and as such probably just needs to be accepted as truth.
“It is therefore a mistake to abide by the description of the Gentiles as asleep in unrighteousness and unbelief. They can become God-elect, for faith is always in itself hidden and unrecognized “
Barth likened the law to a canal that was hewn out and once had water but was now dry. So the people who have the Law have this canal and they can say, ‘This is the way’, but the ‘life’ is gone from the canal. Then he goes on to say, “Can it be that they (the gentiles) stand at the source of the river? Why should it not be so? Can the man who has himself perceived His revelation to be wholly undeserved, incomprehensible, and independent of human worth, dare to limit the sphere of God’s operation?”
So what I think he is trying to say there is the work of God is done in secret and God may be doing a work that we do not know and how dare we limit Him and say “He can only work in this way, and this is what it looks like when He works.”
So, “they show the work of the law written on their hearts” when “their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,” Their thoughts accuse them when they are doing works to impress God, and their thoughts defend them, when they give up and say, only You God, forgive me.
“All men everywhere are under one threat and one promise.” “He whom none of us is able to comprehend does not deprive any single human being of witness to Himself.” So the law of God is in a book for the Jewish and Christian people, and the law of God is written on the heart of those who are otherwise and all, ALL, will be judged based on His Law PERIOD.
Again, I have nothing to add, ‘such thoughts are too high for me.’ I will simply say, “You’re right God,” and move on.


17 But if you bear the name “Jew” and rely upon the Law and boast in God, 18 and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth, 21 you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God? 24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” just as it is written. 25 For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. Jerry said in our last study, “At some point you have to demonstrate the ‘goods’ that you are selling.” That relates to what Paul is saying to the Jew in this passage. You have the Law, that is true, and your desire to be a teacher, and a guide to those who do not is good, BUT, have you really been ‘taught’ if you are not doing it? Can you have the authority of God if you are not following the law? Going all the way back to lesson 1, has God truly “sent” you, or are you striking out on your own? If you are professing the Law but not following it, others see right thru that. Our message is not, “look how good we follow the law”, our message is “look how good God is, in showing us mercy and grace and forgiveness - don’t you need some of that?”

24”For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you” Yikes! This is not the sentence you want to read. You have the Law and you are not doing it and that causes the Gentiles to say, “Your God is a joke!” The keeper of the sign-post stands under it going nowhere. Therefore of what value is it to have the sign-post.


26 So, if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a transgressor of the Law? 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. 29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.
God is His own justice. He answers to no man. God takes us up, in Jesus Christ. He does His work in the heart. Anything that is done outwardly can be ‘faked’ or done from a false motivation. 1 Corin. 13:3 It is both a comfort and a terrifying statement, to say that “HE knows our hearts.“ Our Judge is impartial and perfect, and you would never want to stand before Him without the covering of the blood of Jesus. The next section of the letter starts with “What advantage then has the Jew?” Although, we are stopping here, the thoughts on this do not stop here, Paul is going to look at the Law one last time before he takes us out of the bad news and into the good news.
Romans 2:29 drawing from John Piper

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

short poem big truth

"To work and run the law commands,
and gives me neither feet nor hands,
but better news the gospel brings,
it bids me fly and gives me wings."
Norman Grubb

Friday, April 9, 2010

Bible Study Romans 2:14-29

Romans Bible Study # 6
Romans 2:14-29 The Judgement

14For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus. God is here vindicated in judging the Gentiles, those who do not have the Law, because in the form of their conscience He has written the law into them. In “secret” they know His requirements, His Law. Through Christ Jesus they will be judged. God is not limited to working thru the Law of Moses. His revelation is not limited to the nation of Israel. Two quotes from Barth, because I found it difficult to put this into my own words, because it is a hard concept to wrap your mind around, and as such probably just needs to be accepted as truth.
“It is therefore a mistake to abide by the description of the Gentiles as asleep in unrighteousness and unbelief. They can become God-elect, for faith is always in itself hidden and unrecognized “
Barth likened the law to a canal that was hewn out and once had water but was now dry. So the people who have the Law have this canal and they can say, ‘This is the way’, but the ‘life’ is gone from the canal. Then he goes on to say, “Can it be that they (the gentiles) stand at the source of the river? Why should it not be so? Can the man who has himself perceived His revelation to be wholly undeserved, incomprehensible, and independent of human worth, dare to limit the sphere of God’s operation?”
So what I think he is trying to say there is the work of God is done in secret and God may be doing a work that we do not know and how dare we limit Him and say “He can only work in this way, and this is what it looks like when He works.”
So, “they show the work of the law written on their hearts” when “their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,” Their thoughts accuse them when they are doing works to impress God, and their thoughts defend them, when they give up and say, only You God, forgive me.
“All men everywhere are under one threat and one promise.”
“He whom none of us is able to comprehend does not deprive any single human being of witness to Himself.”
Again, I have nothing to add, ‘such thoughts are too high for me.’ I will simply say, “You’re right God,” and move on.


17But if you bear the name “Jew” and rely upon the Law and boast in God, 18and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law, 19and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth, 21you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? 22You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God? 24For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” just as it is written. 25For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. Jerry said in our last study, “At some point you have to demonstrate the ‘goods’ that you are selling.” That relates to what Paul is saying to the Jew in this passage. You have the Law, that is true, and your desire to be a teacher, and a guide to those who do not is good, BUT, have you really been ‘taught’ if you are not doing it? Can you have the authority of God if you are not following the law? Going all the way back to lesson 1, has God truly “sent” you, or are you striking out on your own? If you are professing the Law but not following it, others see right thru that. Our message is not, “look how good we follow the law”, our message is “look how good God is, in showing us mercy and grace and forgiveness - don’t you need some of that?”

24”For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you” Yikes! This is not the sentence you want to read. You have the Law and you are not doing it and that causes the Gentiles to say, “Your God is a joke!” The keeper of the sign-post stands under it going nowhere. Therefore of what value is it to have the sign-post.


26So, if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a transgressor of the Law? 28For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. 29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.
God is His own justice. He answers to no man. God takes us up, in Jesus Christ. He does His work in the heart. The next section of the letter starts with “What advantage then has the Jew?” Although, we are stopping here, the thoughts on this do not stop here, Paul is going to look at the Law one last time before he takes us out of the bad news and into the good news.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

weak strong

a word specifically for a friend going thru a hard time
but also for the "Body" in general
and so i post it


so i think i better explain a little about what i mean when i say
"excellent" when you say "i feel helpless"

"when I am weak"
is all about realizing how amazingly powerless we are in a situation
we can not change it, alter it, or make even the tiniest thing do what we want
we are weak
Then comes the overwhelmingly beautiful realization that this means that the
"burden" is HIS, He can change, alter, and accomplish all things
We are most "in Him", when we see our powerlessness and "rest" in HIS power.
and in that power
"we are strong"

Prayers continue
The light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it. PERIOD!

repentance and salvation

a look at two important words for our tues night study
repentance
Repentance - Mark 1: “Repent and Believe”
Present tense imperative, which means
“Go and spend the rest of your life repenting and believing”
This is not a “flu shot.” I did that, I repented. It is an initial work that is followed by a lifetime of repetition. This lines up exactly with the major tenet of the 12 step program. Daily saying, “Please” and “Thank you.”
Repent - turn 180 degrees, and go in the opposite direction. Only by the power of God, only after an admitting of our own powerlessness.
Again this is the “theme” running thru our study of Romans. Christianity is a tale of two words, desperation and hope. Repentance is recognizing that you are going in the wrong direction, (desperation) and a belief that God wants to give you the power to turn and go in the right direction, (hope) and then relying on that power to get up and
walk in the other direction. Many people stop at turning, and never actually walk. They stop doing “wrong” but never “fill the void” by doing right in the power of God.

I had no repentance in my heart, no sorrow for my sin or passion to change, but God graciously granted me repentance and lead me to a knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 2:25).

Change your mind and your attitude toward sin.
Do you hate it now, or do you still like and practice it with no conscience?
Change you mind and your attitude toward God.
Do you love Him? Want to spent time with Him?
God needs nothing from men, but He has granted us Repentance and salvation. Humble and contrite of spirit and trembles at My word.
Falling on God’s mercy as your only hope and staying there.
Walking as along a ledge, over a cliff, clinging to that ledge with all you have…
Dead works - any work that you are counting on to “impress God” to make you right with God. No work that you do, to bypass the cross, is GOOD.

Dead works, anything not done in faith. To turn from self-pleasing and doing your own thing, and to turn to God and say I will do what you want me to do. Double-minded
Acts 2: What shall we do? Repent, be baptized, receive the Holy Spirit.
Repentance starts with God. Everything good starts with God. Apart from God’s grace the move of His Spirit, we cannot repent. Psalm 80:3, 7, 19.
Turn us back O Lord and we will be saved. Lamentations 5:21





Word: Salvation

Salvation-When I think of my salvation experience, I think of being delivered from sin and gaining personal holiness. But salvation is so much more! It means that the Spirit of God has brought me into intimate contact with the true Person of God Himself. And as I am caught up into total surrender to God, I become thrilled with something infinitely greater than myself. Oswald Chambers
. Salvation is the bundle of benefits received by the person who believes the Gospel and entrusts his or her life to Christ. The "benefits" include forgiveness of sin, a totally right standing with God, heaven instead of hell upon physical death, new life (the Spirit of the life of Christ Jesus), awesome joy and contentment, and power to change bad habits.
Salvation is not just to get you out of hell and into heaven, it is to get God out of heaven and into you! Ian Thomas

What are we saved from? In the Christian doctrine of salvation, we are saved from “wrath,” that is, from God’s judgment of sin (Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:9). Our sin has separated us from God, and the consequence of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Biblical salvation refers to our deliverance from the consequence of sin and therefore involves the removal of sin.
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Luke 2:30


Who does the saving? Only God can remove sin and deliver us from sin’s penalty (2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:5).

How does God save? In the Christian doctrine of salvation, God has rescued us through Christ (John 3:17). Specifically, it was Jesus’ death on the cross and subsequent resurrection that achieved our salvation (Romans 5:10; Ephesians 1:7). Scripture is clear that salvation is the gracious, undeserved gift of God (Ephesians 2:5, 8) and is only available through faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).

How do we receive salvation? We are saved by faith. First, we must hear the gospel—the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection (Ephesians 1:13). Then, we must believe—fully trust the Lord Jesus (Romans 1:16). This involves repentance, a changing of mind about sin and Christ (Acts 3:19), and calling on the name of the Lord (Romans 10:9-10, 13).

A definition of the Christian doctrine of salvation would be “The deliverance, by the grace of God, from eternal punishment for sin which is granted to those who accept by faith God’s conditions of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus.” Salvation is available in Jesus alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:12) and is dependent on God alone for provision, assurance, and security.

 

1 Peter 1:3-4
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.
 

God is great in mercy.
God causes us to be born again to a living hope.
God raised Jesus Christ from the dead.
God promises an inheritance to those whom he fathers.

(And) God is keeping that inheritance so that it will never, ever perish or soil or fade.