The Believer in a Time of National Judgment

Habakkuk prays, asking God: Why do You show me iniquity--plundering, violence, strife, contention; the law being powerless and justice being corrupted in the nation of God's people? God answers that He will raise up a wicked nation to invade and destroy the nation of God's people because of their wickedness.

Habakkuk asks why would God use a people more wicked than they were to invade them and have victory over them. God answered that the wicked invaders, after they had brought judgment on God's people, would then themselves be judged of God for their pride, idolatry, and blasphemy.

Habakkuk then responds with intercessory prayer: "O Lord, I have heard thy speech and was afraid: O Lord, revive thy work...in wrath remember mercy (Ha 3:2)." Habakkuk notes that though he trembled (at what God had shown him), he was able to "rest in the day of trouble (3:16)."

Not only could he rest, he could rejoice: "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls; yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation (3:17-18)."

How can Habakkuk rejoice as he sees God's judgment bring foreign invasion, destruction, famine and poverty to his land? Habakkuk understands that after judgment, God's people will repent and return to faith in Him. He also knows that God protects the righteous: "The Lord is my strength and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places (3:19)."

For personal application, one must ask himself: Am I one of the "just;" i.e., one who has been justified, or made righteous in the sight of God by means of His plan of salvation through His Son Christ?

And secondly, ask: Do I live by faith; i.e., Christ in control of me, living out His life in me through moment-by-moment surrender of my will (my plans, my agenda, my desires) to His will?

The just, who are living by faith (Ha 2:4), can rejoice with Habakkuk in the midst of God's refining fire of judgment as it comes on this nation.

John 1-5: Exciting Conversions

The first five chapters of John's Gospel give exciting accounts of individual conversion experiences. Jesus begins His public ministry after baptism by John the Baptist. Andrew, Peter, Philip and Nathanael become His disciples. At first Nathanael expresses disbelief that anything good (as the Messiah) could come out of Nazareth. Then he actually meets Jesus, and within the context of a brief conversation, he exclaims, "Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel!"

In Chapter 2 Jesus performs His first miracle--changing water to wine--at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Those who are serving the water/wine (and know that it was originally water) have an opportunity to think about who Jesus really is and to come to faith in Him.

In Chapter 3 Nicodemus, a man hardly thought to be a candidate for conversion (because he is a pharisee, a member of a group that is hostile to Jesus) has an encounter with the Lord that brings him to truth and salvation.

In Chapter 4, Jesus goes to Samaria, a place and a people hated by the Jews, and He brings salvation to an entire city. Then He returns to Cana and brings salvation to a nobleman and his household.

In Chapter 5, Jesus brings salvation (and physical healing) to a man who has been incapacitated and hopeless for 38 years.

In these first five chapters, John tells his audience by example that Jesus saves the rich and honorable (Nicodemus and the nobleman), the working class (fishermen), the poor (lame man), the dishonorable (Samaritan woman); the skeptic (Nathanael), the ultra religious (a pharisee), and the foreigner (Samarians). Is there any class or category that Jesus will not save? No! So why art thou cast down, O my soul?...hope thou in God (Psalm 42:11). And Believer, be reinvigorated to pray for that lost one!

Halloween for Believers?

Ephesians 4 and 5 give instruction to the believer in regard to his behavior. He is told to quit following after the dictates of the culture around him and, rather, to behave in a righteous and holy manner.

A casual reading of these chapters may look like nothing more than a list of "do's and don't's" but the admonition as a whole is telling the believer that his behavior should be startlingly different from that of the world around him. The believer has a new nature--one that constantly should be seeking to please the Lord.

The unredeemed nature of man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9.) Most people in any culture are not believers (Matthew 7: 13-14, the narrow way) and the popular traditions and customs will rarely be Christian. The culture of the unredeemed man will be based upon lies and deception because the unredeemed people (the majority) follow Satan, who is the father of lies, rather than following the Lord Jesus, Who is the Truth (John 14:6).

In practical application the question arises: how can a true believer participate in any way in the occult, the dark practices identified with Satan? The most obvious practice this month (October) is the pagan holiday of Halloween.

Why do Christians try to find a way to celebrate this occult holiday and somehow make their actions Biblically acceptable? Some may respond that they only do the "fun" things and not the scary things. What then is the lesson of First Corinthians 8 and 10, where Paul advises believers not to participate in eating meat sacrificed to idols? The admonition there does not stem from the meat itself being tainted, but from the affiliation with pagans in a practice of idol-worship (which is demon-worship).

A similar lesson is reflected in the Old Testament, where syncretistic ( mixed) worship led to forsaking God altogether. In Numbers 25 (and 31:16) Balaam, a wicked prophet, advises a foreign king in a scheme to overcome the Hebrews: have the foreign, pagan women entice the Hebrew men to engage in sexual immorality with them; then the men, in order to please the women, joined them in their idolatrous practices. This effort at mixing paganism with true worship failed (as it always does) and soon the men had forsaken their own God completely.

Compromise in the area of purity, righteousness, holiness and truth constitutes "friendship with the world" and puts a person at "enmity" with God (James 4:4). If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him (1 John 2:15). Rather than looking for loopholes that seem to permit the Christian to have "fun" with the pagans, why doesn't the Christian seek to behave in a manner that glorifies God?

Just what is "love of the world?" Is it just a phrase in the Bible with no meaning to it? Cannot the Christian community even take a stand against Halloween, an obviously occultic holiday? Imagine having to answer to the Lord Jesus about taking part in an event that is known as the biggest day of the year for worshiping Satan!

Ezekiel 34--Shepherds Eating The Flock!

This chapter begins with the Word of the Lord coming to Ezekiel in order for him to give a warning to the priests and other religious (church) leaders of the day: judgment from God is coming to you who should be taking care of God's "flock" of people, but instead of seeing to their needs, all you are doing is taking care of yourselves. And worse yet, you are ceaselessly enriching yourselves at the expense of the poor, especially those who are unable to take care of themselves and who are looking to you for assistance. Instead of taking care of the flock, you are actually eating the flock (Ez 34:1-8).

Ezekiel uses these analogies: Not only do you eat up the good pasture for yourselves, you trod down the gleanings underfoot so that the rest of the people cannot even eat decent gleanings. You also drink your fill from deep waters, but you foul the drinking water for the rest of the people with your feet (Ez 34:18-19).You are the fat cattle and you use your weight and your horns to push out the lean cattle from the herd (Ez 34:20-21).

Then the Lord gives a Word of hope to the oppressed: "Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle (i.e. the fat cattle and the lean cattle)."

Further, the Lord promises to send David as their shepherd and to raise up a "plant of renown" (Messiah) so that they will no longer be consumed with hunger or bear the shame of the heathen. The Lord reiterates His covenant with His people that He will be their God and they will be His people.

What can be learned from this chapter?
1. The heart of man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9).
2. Sometimes the enemy is from within. Just because a person is an esteemed religious leader does not mean that he cannot be selfish and cruel.
3. God will help His people: be they poor, weak and defenseless, even God Himself will come to their aid.
4. Sometimes God's people go through hard times and it is not their fault and is not due to their own sin.
5. Even in the most harsh condemnation and indictment, God has a Word of hope.
6. All of God's Word is important and should be studied, even the uncomfortable passages about His judgment (2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21).

John 4--Samaritan Woman at the Well

Jesus, a Jew, violated social prohibitions by speaking to a Samaritan woman. The Jews condemned the Samaritans as "half-breeds" because they had intermarried with foreigners and had adopted their idolatrous practices. For a man, especially a rabbi, to speak to a woman on the street, especially one of ill-repute, was socially unacceptable. For a Jew to speak to a Samaritan was equally unacceptable.

Jesus asked the woman for a drink of water. Instead of giving Him a drink, she responded merely by saying that He was a Jew--revealing her own prejudice. Jesus spoke to her about "living water" and a "well of water springing up into everlasting life." She perceived He was talking to her about spiritual matters and that He was claiming to be Someone greater than their ancestor Jacob.

He then talked with her about cohabiting with a man that was not her husband. She perceived that , if He knew this information, He must be a prophet . She then asked Him about spiritual matters: where God was located in so far as worshiping Him was concerned--in Samaria or in Jerusalem? She also said that she knew the Messiah was coming. Jesus revealed plainly to this woman that the Messiah of whom she spoke was none other than He Himself.

She believed Him and ran into the city to tell others that she had found the Messiah. Many believed in Jesus because of her testimony; others, who came to investigate the matter, believed in Jesus because of their personal encounter with Him.

Then Jesus began His return to Cana of Galilee, where He had performed His first miracle (turning water into wine.) A nobleman from Capernaum approached Him about healing his sick son. Jesus accused him of miracle-seeking. The nobleman pleaded with Him for the life of his son. Jesus spoke and said the boy was healed. The nobleman believed Him and then his whole household came to believe in Jesus.

John 4 gives accounts of the salvation experience of an immoral woman of low social standing who was not even fully Jewish and that of a nobleman. It is clear that the way to salvation is not through any man-made schemes of works, morality, or social order, but solely through belief in Jesus as the Son of God. Both these individuals had to reject their own pride and come to Him humbly admitting their need. He did not turn either away. In John 6:37 Jesus said, "...and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." What is better to have--one's pride or the Son of God?

1 Corinthians 16--Final Instructions

The Corinthian believers had agreed to take up a collection to help the impoverished believers in Jerusalem. The Apostle Paul instructs them to donate each week to this fund so that when he came to get it, no special collection would be necessary.

Paul also instructs them to receive Timothy as a Christian minister the same as Paul. (Timothy was younger, but he was a teacher and preacher and was like Paul's own son.) Similarly, Paul tells them that Stephanas and his household were in ministry the same as Paul's and that the Corinthians should follow their teaching.

In his farewell, Paul sends them greetings from Aquila and Priscilla and the church that met in their house in Ephesus.

And finally, Paul tells them for anyone who does not love the Lord Jesus--"let them be accursed."

What can be learned from this final chapter of First Corinthians?

1. Paul is taking up a collection for Jerusalem. He is not telling believers in general to take up a collection every week if they did not have a specific purpose for the collection.

2. Paul commends certain men in ministry as being sound in the faith so that their teaching should be followed. This commendation would help the Corinthians understand that not everyone teaches sound doctrine but these men are trustworthy because their teaching is the same as Paul's. Every doctrine expounded among the assembly of believers or from house to house ought to be examined to see if it agrees with Scripture.

3. Paul curses those that do not love the Lord Jesus. The implication is that there are both teachers and other church members who profess to trust Christ, but who do not really know the Lord or follow Him. This idea of being cursed shows the seriousness of professing Christ insincerely and the urgent need to examine those who profess to be Christians, especially if they are teachers, for the reality of their faith.

1 Corinthians 15--Resurrection: His and Ours

Over 500 people at the same time saw Jesus after He resurrected from the dead. This proof, along with many others, demonstrates the indisputability of His Resurrection.

Similarly, those that believe in Jesus, that belong to Him, shall also be resurrected to everlasting life with the Lord Jesus and will also receive glorified bodies that are not subject to corruption, decay, or death.

Jesus, the Christ/Messiah, will return to earth again and will reign in His kingdom on earth. When He returns, believers, both dead and alive, will meet Him in the air and will receive their glorified bodies. (See also 1 Thessalonians 4:16.)

In view of these spiritual realities, the believer is called upon to be "stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Co 15:58).

Hallelujah!! What an inheritance! What encouragement to persevere!

1 Corinthians 14--Tongues, Prophecy, & Women

After being admonished to exercise their spiritual gifts in the love and power of God, believers are told that in their church meetings the gift of prophecy is to prevail over the gift of tongues. Prophecy entails explaining the Scripture in view of past and present history, rather than foretelling some event unrelated to Scripture. Tongues entails speaking in a language not understood by the audience.

Speaking in tongues is highly regulated: at any given meeting, only one, two, or at most three people may speak in tongues and then only if they take turns at it and only if an interpreter is present. Prophecy is also regulated: only two or three and then only one at a time; and the speaker must sit down if another rises to speak.

The problem being addressed is confusion and disorder in the church. The women were responsible, at least in part, for the confusion. They are told to be quiet and if they had any questions to ask, to ask them of their husbands at home. In 1 Peter 3:12 wives are instructed to dress modestly and to have a "meek and quiet spirit." (See also 1 Timothy 2:9-12.)

The women were seeking to draw attention to themselves by their dress and by their mouths. And the men were satisfied to sit back and watch them, if not encourage them. The men also allowed the women to usurp leadership authority from them.

Is the foregoing a picture of the modern church? If so, where is the fear of God? This God is the same God that told His people in the Old Testament that He hated their religious services and He would not accept their offerings because of their hypocrisy and lack of reverence. (See Isaiah 1: 11-15; Malachi 1:6-14; Jeremiah 6:19-20.) In the New Testament Paul warned the church: "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap..." (Galatians 6: 7-8).

If men and women in the church are more interested in looking at each other than in seeking God and at the same time are calling their meeting together "worship," this behavior constitutes "mocking God" and is a serious matter.

1 Corinthians 12 Spiritual Gifts & Unity

Paul warns believers to beware of following after spiritual experiences that do not honor the Lord. He explains that the Spirit of God should be evident when individual believers exercise their individual spiritual gifts.

The gifts of the Spirit are listed: word of wisdom (wise counsel); word of knowledge (knowing the facts); faith (in addition to the saving faith that every believer has); gifts of healing; working of miracles; prophecy (proclaiming prophetic Scripture and its fulfillment); discerning of Spirits (identifying erroneous doctrine); tongues (speaking in foreign languages); interpretation of tongues (understanding/translating foreign languages).

Believers are instructed to use their gifts working together with other believers in unity, rather than allowing themselves to covet each others' gifts and thereby allowing division because of their pride.

The Corinthian church was divided rather than unified: they followed various preachers based on their style of preaching rather than on any relevant doctrinal issue (Chapters 1-3); they elevated the wealthy over the poor (chapter 11); and they honored the church members who appeared to be more talented over those whose gifts were less glamorous. In a word, they were worldly.

The pride of life ( 1 John 2:16) is not of God but of the world's system. The world's system presents a form of "wisdom" that is not true wisdom at all (James 3:13-18). Worldliness causes division in the church. Believers who follow Christ will not (and cannot) be unified with persons who are following the world system ( these worldly ones are probably not true believers--see James 4:4 and 1 John 2:15-16).

Arrogance, envy, and love of worldly success negate any chance of unity of the church in regard to exercising spiritual gifts in a meaningful way. "(W)hosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" (Jm 4:4). Believers must courageously identify, confront, and eliminate worldliness in the church before they will see the ministry of the Spirit in power.

1 Corinthians 11--Church Behavior

Paul explains to the Corinthian believers that God created men and women equally, but with different roles: the men are ordained to be leaders; e.g., to lead the congregation when they come together to pray or prophesy. (See Ephesians 5:22-23 for the husband's headship over the wife.)

Men and women are told to distinguish themselves from each other in their hair and headdress. Even by nature, it can be seen that women should have longer hair than men. When praying or prophesying in public, women are to cover their heads as a sign of their willful submission to the leadership of their husbands.

Does Scripture demand the custom of head-covering for women in prayer meetings? The real issue is whether the women are too arrogant and rebellious to accept men as the God-ordained leaders in the home, in the church, and (by extension) in the society. Even if the men lack the courage to assume and fulfill their calling to leadership, the women are not instructed to assert themselves and usurp the position ordained to the men.

(See also 1 Timothy 2:8-3:16 for instructions for women's dress while praying and for men's calling to be bishops and deacons.)

Paul then chastises the church for their conduct when having group meals--the rich were shunning and demeaning the poor and some of the diners were getting drunk. The meals were a mockery of the communion (the Lord's Supper) prescribed by the Lord. This behavior, once again, was style over substance; empty tradition. The Lord's name was being proclaimed, but only in lip-service.

This chapter in First Corinthians calls the believer to ask himself: Are the men performing their roles as leaders? Are the women supporting them in their efforts to lead? Is the church practicing empty and disdainful rituals? Is the Lord Jesus present in power at the Christian fellowship meals or is His name merely proclaimed in lip-service?

On an individual level: Am I obedient to the role God has assigned to me (as a man, or as a woman)? Do I practice ritual (or, tradition) without meaning? Am I a glutton, drunkard, social snob, or hypocrite?

1 Corinthians 1-10 Theme of Self-sacrifice

After Paul distinguishes between God's wisdom and man's wisdom in 1 Corinthians 1-4, he gives some instructions that involve self-sacrifice.

In Chapter 6 the believer is told to give up his right to sue a brother in a pagan court; in Chapter 7, to give up his right to divorce an unbelieving spouse and, in marriage, to give up his right to his own body; in Chapters 8 and 10, to give up his right to eat and drink whatever he wants, and to give up his right to patronize pagan establishments; and in Chapter 9, to be willing to give up his right to remuneration for work done.

In 1 Co 9: 27, Paul says: "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." Paul is demonstrating by example both a physical and mental discipline that has enabled him to be an effective witness for Christ.

Romans 12:1 beseeches the believer to "present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."

The believer is said to have freedom in Christ (John 8:36). This freedom has two aspects: freedom from the sin nature with which he was born, and freedom from condemnation for failure to be able to keep all the laws, rules and regulations of the Old Testament moral code. This freedom is a freedom that allows the believer to serve Christ. Free from bondage to sin and the law, the believer is now in bondage to Christ. He is not free to sin with impunity.

Paul compares the need for the believer to have a disciplined life to that of an athlete who is running a race to obtain a prize (1 Co 9:24). Instead of selfishly seeking comfort, wealth, or worldly goals for himself, the believer is to give himself as a living sacrifice in order to bring others to a saving knowledge of Christ. Rather than feeling he has been cheated out of some of the luxuries of life, the surrendered believer, with all his discipline and self-sacrifice, finds the power and joy of the Lord in fulfilling God's purpose for his life.

1 Corinthians 10--Lust Not After Evil Things

Under the leadership of Moses, the Israelites had many spiritual blessings, yet they continued to lust after evil things. Paul warns the Corinthian believers that the judgment of God fell on their ancestors because of their lust and that the judgment of God will fall on them, too, if they continue in lust.

Paul pointed out the sins of their ancestors were set out in Scripture as a warning to them. Many were sexual, such as fornication and idolatry (which included sexual sins as a part of their religion.)

Then Paul explains that the act of partaking of communion is a symbol of the unification of the partakers with each other and with Christ. Similarly, eating meat sacrificed to idols unifies the believers who partake with the pagans, who are actually worshiping demons.

Paul advises the believers that they should feel free to eat this meat if no one has made an issue of it being sacrificed to idols; but otherwise, they should avoid it because they will be unifying themselves with the pagans who are sacrificing this meat to demons."Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table and of the table of devils" (1 Co 10:21).

How to make application for today? Believers may go along with certain practices that are really religious in nature, such as evolution; certain environmentalism beliefs (worshiping Mother Earth); certain meditation techniques, as in yoga; astrology, karma and numerous other Eastern mystic beliefs; the power of positive thinking, and others too many to list. "Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils...." It is impossible to be unified and in fellowship with God if a person is unified and in fellowship with demons.

1 Corinthians 9--Preaching For Pay

Paul explains to the Corinthian church that as a teacher and preacher of the Gospel, he is entitled to remuneration, as the saying goes: "Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn" (1 Co 9:9).

However, Paul and his co-worker Barnabas, supported themselves with secular jobs and did not ask to be paid for preaching. Paul gives the following reasons for preaching without pay:

1. He was able to preach truth fully without compromise because he was not obligated to anyone for wages;

2. He was not preaching for a reward--the Lord had instilled in him such a desire to preach that he could not stop preaching;

3. Without having a salary, he would not be in a position to abuse his right to income; i.e., he would not be preaching just for the money;

4. Paul would be free to be a Jew with the Jews and a Gentile with the Gentiles and to change his style of preaching to fit his audience without anyone having a right to say anything about it ( 1Co 9: 20-22).

Paul also gave cautions to the Corinthians to keep their physical bodies under control, as an athlete in training, that they might serve the Lord better.

A believer might ask himself: Why don't I have the energy or enthusiasm necessary to complete the calling from God on my life? Am I too tired or too sick because I lack the discipline to eat, sleep, and exercise properly? Do I spend too much time pursuing recreation and indulging myself?

A believer who excuses himself from a service to the Lord because he has allowed himself to get in such a poor physical condition that he cannot do certain labor might consider confession and repentance (1 John 1:9).

1 Corinthians 8--The Appearance of Impropriety

The second question posed to Paul in this letter concerns whether or not believers should eat meat sacrificed to idols. Paul explained that idols are not really gods and the food sacrificed to them is not tainted.

However, if a believer enters an idol's temple to eat this meat and is seen by a Christian brother, this brother may be encouraged to enter the same temple, but then he would feel guilty about eating meat sacrificed to some pagan idol and, all-in-all, his walk with the Lord would be damaged.

In today's society a comparison would be the instance of a believer entering a gambling establishment just to eat the food--eating the food may not be wrong in and of itself, but it looks wrong; i.e., it has the appearance of impropriety, and another believer who followed the example of the first may feel that he has dishonored God.

With all the above said, however, it must be noted that in the tenth chapter of First Corinthians, Paul tells the believers there is a time to stay away from meat sacrificed to idols because this meat, while not sacrificed to real gods, is being sacrificed to real demons, and believers (Christians) ought to have no part in this activity.

One might conclude from this chapter that Christians should be aware that others are watching them to see if their behavior is as righteous as their talk, or if their religion is just lip-service. It is important for believers to show self-restraint and be willing to forego the indulgences of their culture in order to demonstrate their faith and obedience to the one true God.

1 Corinthians 7--Trust God in Marital Issues

In this chapter Paul begins a series of answers to questions posed to him by the Corinthian church. He gives these instructions:

1. Husbands and wives ought to share their bodies freely with each other and not deny sex to their mate;

2. Believers married to unbelievers should stay in the marriage in hopes of his or her spouse and children coming to know the Lord;

3. If the unbelieving spouse insists on leaving the marriage, the believing spouse should let him or her go and then the believing spouse is free to remarry;

4. Becoming a Christian does not mean a slave must seek freedom, or a person must be circumcised, or a person must change his marital status;

5. An unmarried person has more opportunity to serve the Lord than does a married person and singleness is a gift from God; widows should not be in a hurry to remarry;

6. A believer who wants to get married is free to marry as long as it is to another believer.

The emphasis is on serving the Lord in singleness or in marriage. Paul reminds the believer that he has been purchased with a price (the substitutionary death of Christ) and that now, as a bond-servant to the Lord Jesus, his aim in life is to serve and to please his Master.

A person who is single should find strength from the Lord to be at peace with his circumstance of singleness. A person in a bad marriage should find peace from the Lord in his circumstance as well. In both circumstances the believer should accept his circumstances as from the Lord and focus on serving the Lord fully and with joy.

From the foregoing, one could conclude that a believer who is dissatisfied, frustrated, or unhappy with his circumstances is not surrendered to the Lord. He is not obeying the Lord and he is not grateful to the Lord. Most of all, he does not trust the Lord to be in charge of his life. It is a matter of faith.

Whatever is not of faith is sin (Ro 14:23). Without faith it is impossible to please him (God) (He 11:6).

Accepting one's circumstances and living at peace with God (instead of being angry with Him) is not optional with believers. This acceptance is surrender and it is necessary in order for a believer to live by faith, trusting God.

1 Corinthians 6--Wisdom to Judge Yourselves

Paul continues to give instruction on church members (presumably, believers) having the wisdom of God to judge themselves. In the previous chapter he told them to judge the member who was committing incest and to excommunicate him if he did not repent.

Now he tells them to select a wise church member to judge disputes among themselves rather than any believer having to go to a pagan (non-Christian) court for legal relief. He told them their behavior in defrauding each other was shameful. Paul asks them: "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (homosexuals), nor abusers of themselves with mankind (sodomites), Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Co 6: 9-10).

The sins enumerated repeat those listed in the previous chapter where Paul was telling them to judge each other in the church for these sins. In this chapter he clarifies that these sins are reflective of non-believers and that those who habitually, and unrepentantly, practice these sins (including church members) will not be a part of God's kingdom; i.e., they are not true believers. True believers, even if they were engaging in these sins prior to salvation, have been cleansed and set apart from these former things in order to serve Christ.

Paul emphasizes that they must "flee fornication" because in this sin, a person sins against his own body and someone with the indwelling Spirit should not be uniting his body (and by extension, uniting Christ) with a harlot or prostitute. He reminds them that their physical bodies are not their own, "For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's" (1 Co 6:20).

Righteousness is not optional for the believer.

1 Corinthians 5--Foolishly Choosing Sin Over Power

Paul continues to chastise the Corinthians for arrogantly preferring human wisdom to God's wisdom. In their foolishness, the church was tolerating a member who was committing incest. Paul explained that believers were to be holy. Tolerating one person who was committing such a flagrant sin would soon mean more in their congregation would start indulging in sin.

Paul told the Corinthian church to remove this man from their membership. Moreover, Paul told the church not even to eat lunch with people who claim to be Christians if they were known for sins such as these: fornication, covetousness, idolatry, railing, drunkenness, or extortion.

Fornication is sexual intercourse between a person and someone who is not his or her spouse. It includes premarital sex, cohabitation, and adultery.

Covetousness is lusting after something that belongs to someone else. The Tenth Commandment warns against coveting, or lusting after, another person's spouse or his employees or his house or his material wealth.

Idolatry is the act of fervent devotion to something other than the one true God; i.e., being obsessed with something; such as, wealth, social standing, wardrobe, beauty, sports, travel, food, drink, internet, TV, books, education, one's own children.

Railing is angrily denouncing someone or something. People rail against different races, ethnic groups, religions, political groups, professions. Railing has a component of anger and hatred.

Drunkenness is intoxication: "excited mentally beyond self-control or reason" (Webster). Drunkenness may be caused from alcohol, drugs or some other means.

Extortion is the act of getting something by illegitimate means.

Church members are implicitly called upon to examine themselves and each other for deviating from purity into these sins. They are told to judge (yes, judge) one another (1 Co 5:12) in this regard.

Because of their arrogance, the church had elevated style over substance--they were satisfied with the superficial pretense of clean living and they were unwilling to look at the proliferation of sin in their midst. Is it any wonder there was no spiritual power in their church?

Is it any wonder there is no spiritual power in many churches today?

1 Corinthians 4--Ministering in Power, Not Pride

The Apostle Paul continues to warn the Corinthian believers to quit exalting their preachers and teachers. These preacher-teachers(Apollos, Paul and Peter) were all sound in doctrine and they worked together: Apollos planted, Paul watered, and God gave the increase. (1 Co 3:5-6). They were being exalted and judged on their style. The Corinthian church members were acting in arrogance to set themselves up as their judges and comparing their styles of ministry.

The Corinthians also gave themselves positions in the church and were proud of their social standing. Paul said of them: "Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us...(1 Co 4:8). Then he reminded them of his own ministry wherein he was rejected and underwent constant hardships so that others might come to know the truth and be saved from their sins and from the wrath of God. He told them that he had the power of God in his ministry but they did not because of their pride. He told them to follow his example.

How many in the church today would be willing to give up their social position and comfortable living to minister in the power of God? Paul did. In discussing his former upper class social position, Paul said: "...I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ (Philippians 3:8).

Issues in Genesis 1

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth....And the earth was without form, and void: and darkness...And God said, Let there be light...." Ge 1: 1-3. Nothing existed but God. He created matter by speaking it into existence. First He spoke it into being dark and covered in water. Then He brought on light. All this happened on the first day (1:1-5). These verses are plainly and clearly written for the non-biased reader. Anyone who takes issue with them or comes up with some far-fetched theories is just looking to discredit them because he does not like what they say.

The same goes for all this controversy about the meaning of the word day. What do you think day means? How about a 24-hour period? That is the normal understanding. Any doubt in your mind about the meaning of this word has been introduced by someone with an agenda. However, God made it exceedingly clear when He addressed the topic in Exodus 20, the Ten Commandments. The Fourth Commandment: "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God...For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it " (Ex 20:8-11, emphasis added).

We are to work six days and rest on the seventh just as God did. He gave us a pattern for the week. We are not to work six eons of time. We are not to work six millions of years. We are to work six days--and so did He.

Does the clear reading of these passages sound uneducated, fundamentalist, low-brow to you? If so, someone may have used his high-sounding credentials and some intimidation to push his godless agenda on you. Just use your mind and think for yourself.

The Christian community has allowed nonsense to be perpetrated on us and our children. The day is late and the time is now to find courage to stand for the truth of God's Word without equivocation.

1 Corinthians 3--Follow God, Not Man

1 Corinthians 3 continues the discourse of the previous two chapters on wisdom. The church is chastised for its reliance on worldly, man-made wisdom instead of God's wisdom. Church members are compared to babies in their squabbling over which leaders and style of worship to follow (denominationalism).

Believers are told not to "glory in men" (3:21). Church leaders are cautioned about losing their reward in heaven if their work is not of God, but of man. They are reminded that the wisdom of God is available to the church through the Spirit of God, Who indwells each believer, and that the church is actually a living body made up of these Spirit-filled individuals.

Called "carnal" and immature, the Corinthians were acting like non-believers in creating their own man-made styles of "worship." They were in danger of defiling or destroying the temple of God; i.e., the body of believers (the body of Christ, the church) by their worldly wisdom because this kind of "wisdom" leads to man-made religion and strife and does not please God.

It is Godly wisdom that leads to Godly worship and pleases God. Worshiping God in God's way leads to holiness rather than the strife and divisiveness they were experiencing. How to worship God in God's way? Be led by the indwelling Spirit, not the popular wisdom of the day.

1 Corinthians 2--Only Believers Have God's Wisdom

1Corinthians 2, like the previous chapter, explains the wisdom of God:

1. It is not the same as man's wisdom;
2. It is not available to non-believers;
3. It is given to believers as the "mind of Christ" (2:16) and the "spirit which is of God" (2:12);
4. It baffles non-believers, especially worldly leaders and intellectuals.

The Apostle Paul gave his own preaching as an example of the power and wisdom of God: "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God" (1 Co 2:4-5).

How did the Apostle Paul do it? He gave testimony of his encounters with Jesus; he proclaimed Jesus as resurrected from the dead and as the Messiah, or Christ (Acts 17: 3 and 28:23, 31; see also Acts 13, 17, 22-26.) He was " determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified" (1 Co 2:2). No clever anecdotes. No entertainment.

How many preachers and teachers today speak in the Spirit and power of God?

1 Corinthians 1--God's Wisdom Overcomes Strife

1 Co 1 presents an appeal to believers to overcome the divisiveness in the church and to give a unified witness, or testimony, of who Christ is to the world around them. Denominationalism has divided the church so that both believers and unbelievers focus more on the issues that divide Christians (baptism, tongues, dress, alcoholic beverages) than on what unites them--worship of the Lord Jesus and obedience to His Word.

This plea for unity in the church is followed by a discourse on wisdom. Man's wisdom does not lead to peace and harmony. The strife and divisiveness in the Corinthian church was a result of their reliance on the wisdom of man rather than on the wisdom of God (See also James 3: 13-18.)

God's people (the chosen, the elect, the saved) are generally not lauded by the world for intellectual positions, political power, or social prestige (1 Co 1: 26). To the contrary, they are often the target of worldly scorn. However, while they do not usually have worldly acclaim, they do have wisdom from God and peace and joy in the midst of a crooked and perverse world.

Those that do not belong to God are considered to be still among the "wicked." Isaiah states that the "wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked" (Is 57: 20-26).

Ought not the believer examine the origin of strife and division in the church today? The members of the Corinthian church sacrificed the wisdom of God and His peace because of their desire for worldly prestige. Foolish indeed!

Romans 16--Fellowship of Believers

This final chapter of the doctrinal treatise known as the Book of Romans closes with greetings from the Apostle Paul to fellow believers in the church at Rome with whom he was personally acquainted (although he did not found this church, nor had he yet visited with them.)

The chapter also gives a glimpse of life in the early church. For instance, two house churches are mentioned: one in the home of Priscilla and Aquilla in Rome and one in the home of Gaius in Corinth. It appears that the whole church in Corinth met in the no-doubt-expansive home of Gaius. (For mention of other house churches, see Colossians 4:15; Philemon 1-2; and Acts 16: 14-15,40.)

Women as well as men are noted for their Christian service: Phoebe was a deaconess at Cenchrea (near Corinth); she was also entrusted with taking this doctrinal treatise to the Roman church. Priscilla, with her husband Aquilla, hosted the church in their home and taught Scripture together (See Acts 18: 24-26). Sisters Tryphena and Tryphosa were said to "labour in the Lord" (Ro 16:12). (See Acts 16: 14-15, 40, for information about Lydia, who hosted a church in her home and hosted the Apostle Paul and his missionary team.)

Also included in this final chapter is a warning to avoid those who claim to be believers but who teach doctrinal error. They are adept at speaking and they deceive many. Their subtle perversion of Scripture causes strife and division in the church. They do not serve Christ but seek to enhance their own selfish ambitions. Believers are told to "mark them" and to "avoid them" (Ro 16:17-18).

Since these false teachers are able to deceive the "simple" (Ro 16:18), it behooves the believer to educate himself in doctrine so that he will no longer be "simple." (For similar warnings against false teaching, see Colossians 2; 2 Thessalonians 2; 1 Timothy 1:3-11; 2 Timothy 3; Titus 3:9-11; 2 Peter 2; 2 John 7-11; Jude; Revelation 2: 14-16, 20-25.)

Romans 15--Harmony Is Not Absolute Tolerance

Romans 15 continues the discussion in Romans 14 about believers living in harmony with each other. This peace among believers; i.e., unity, being in one accord, is necessary if a congregation expects to be able to glorify the Lord.

Secondly, the churches were instructed to help each other, without the discord created by bigotry. The Gentile churches sent donations to the impoverished Jewish church in Jerusalem.

Thirdly, harmony among believers made possible corporate prayer that was given in one accord. The Apostle Paul asked the Roman church to "strive together with me in your prayers to God for me...." (Ro 15:30).

The harmony under discussion is not the same as tolerance. Believers were also instructed to "admonish" one another (Ro 15:14). (See 1 Corinthians 5 for a discussion of church discipline for immoral conduct.) Also, believers were not to tolerate false teaching (Titus 3: 9-11; see also 2 Ti 3; 2 Pe 2; Jude).

The instructions in Romans 15 concern bickering over man-made rules that restricted the believers' behavior in areas where the Lord Himself did not impose any restrictions; in a word, pharisaism (legalism). It is noteworthy that the Pharisees were strict on matters of insignificance while the immorality, idolatry, and hypocrisy ran rampant. Should the church not examine itself in view of these admonitions?

Romans 14--Harmony of the Brethren

Romans 14 has a wonderful message promoting harmony of the brethren. Believers are told not to get up in another believer's face, wagging a finger at him for having a difference of opinion regarding certain conduct. For example, one believer may choose to eat meat sacrificed to idols and another may not. One may drink wine, but another may not. One may celebrate religious holidays; another may not.

Romans 14 instructs the believer not to impose restrictions on another believer in an area of conduct where Christ has given freedom. This type of criticism and pressure to conform to man-made (rather than God-made) restrictions is a form of legalism for which Jesus castigated the pharisees (strict religious leaders.)

With that said, however, the believer should be charitable enough to restrict his own conduct while in the presence of another believer who is offended by that conduct. For instance, a charitable believer may choose not to offer wine or drink wine where there are other believers who are offended by wine-drinking.

A believer should be sensitive to the appearance of impropriety and not give others an opportunity to slander his name. "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost (Ro 14: 17.)"

Romans 13--The Government Controversy

Romans 13, the controversial chapter about obedience to government, should be read in context. The preceding chapter gives instructions for believers to "avenge not yourselves: but rather give place unto wrath; for it is written vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord" (Ro 12:19). The believer is then instructed to obey the rulers for they are ordained by God to be the avenger against evil-doers (Ro 13:1-4).

It is evident God set up government to keep the peace, to punish evil-doers and to protect the God-fearing people. The individual is not intended to take matters into his own hands: when he has been a victim of crime or of a civil offense, he is to take the matter to the governing authorities. In much the same way, the believer is to take grievances against fellow believers to the body of believers, the church, for mediation (Mt 18:15-17; 1 Co 6: 1-8).

In no way does the fact that God ordains government (or ordains church leaders, for that matter) alleviate those leaders from their responsibility to serve God and to lead in a righteous manner. Likewise, the people being governed have a responsibility to hold their leaders to a godly standard of conduct.

When leaders in the church turn out to be false shepherds, the congregation is warned not to follow them (2 Ti 3; 2 Pe 2; Jude). Neither should God's people follow wicked civil leaders. The idea that civil government is free from God's mandates is a perversion. Civil leaders are ordained by God to act righteously. If they do not, the righteous should act to remove them from leadership. The righteous; i.e., the believer, should not rely on a misinterpretation of Romans 13 to excuse himself from taking a stand against unrighteous leaders!

Romans 12--A Living Sacrifice

In view of all that God has done to bring salvation to His people, both Jew and Gentile, should His people not serve Him?

Romans 12 opens by instructing the brethren to live in holiness, to "present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy...." (Ro 12:1). In order to do this sacrificial life of holiness, the believer must turn away from the pressures of the culture to sin (See also 1 John 2:15--17).

Romans 12:2 instructs: "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind...." Instead of filling his mind with television, internet, music, magazines, newspapers, etc., the believer is to renew and refresh his mind by reading and meditating on the Word of God (See also Joshua 1:8).

Believers ought to think, act, speak, dress, in a way that is very different from the world; i.e., the culture around them. Therefore, they (as non-conformists) will experience persecution from those who live in conformity with the culture. However, beievers should be able to find solace and encouragement in the presence of fellow believers who share in their life of holiness. Believers are even given special spiritual gifts to enable them to minister to each other.

The church, as a body of believers, ought to be known for true righteousness and for love of the brethren for each other. Otherwise, it is no different from the rest of the culture; and, instead of encouraging holiness in the individual believer, it will persecute that believer much as the world in general persecutes anyone who does not go along with its dictates.

Romans 11--Gentiles Grafted In To Jewish Roots

God gave the Jews a religious system of sacrifice and ceremony in order to help them see the nature of their Messiah, the Christ (Jesus), who would be the epitome both of their sacrificial system (He was the Lamb of God slaughtered for their sins) and their ceremonial system (He was the anti-type, or fulfillment, for each of their Feasts; e.g., Christ, our Passover.)

In their religious practices, however, the Jews became more enamored with style than with substance; i.e., empty tradition. They used their system of religious laws to create a man-made self-righteousness that enabled them to feel superior over the Gentiles (who had not been so privileged as to have God speak directly to them and to give them His Commandments.)

As a result of their abusing the laws God had given them, these laws--their religious system--actually became a snare to them so that when their Messiah (Jesus) arrived, they could not recognize and honor Him (Ro 11:9). In their self-righteousness, the Jews had ceased to be a showcase demonstrating the righteousness of God. God then took away their privilege of being His spokesman to evangelize the unbelieving world.

Romans 11 presents a vivid illustration: the Jews are God's special olive tree. The Gentiles are a wild olive tree. The Jews, and their man-made religious system, are broken off the tree and the Gentile church is grafted in. The roots are Jewish.

The warning to the church is to beware of the snare that befell the Jews; i.e., do not use the church system as a man-made religion with empty rituals and traditions that enable the participants to appear righteous and thus feel superior to those who are not part of their religious system.

Romans 10--Warnings Against Self-Righteousness

The religious leaders in Jerusalem imposed a system of rules of conduct on their people and viewed it as a righteousness pleasing to God. The Apostle Paul, in Romans 10, explains that their legalistic rule-keeping resulted in a self-righteousness, not a Godly righteousness.

True righteousness comes by believing what God says (like Abraham did). The religious leaders knew God had said for them to obey the Messiah when He came, but they would not listen to God on this matter. They did not like it that the Messiah (Jesus) said that their laws were man-made and that their hypocritical religiosity was actually keeping people from finding true salvation through faith in God.

The religious leaders also knew God's Word included salvation for the Gentiles, but they would not listen to God on this matter, either. They preferred their man-made religious system that allowed them to feel superior to the Gentiles.

As a result of their hard-headed ways, God removed from them the privilege of being His spokesman to the unbelieving world. God gave this position to the church, which includes both Jew and Gentile.

The Apostle Paul warns the church (in Romans 11) that if they become arrogant and disobedient to God's instructions, that they will not last as His spokesman, either.

Before anyone judges the Jews too harshly, he should look at the church, especially his own church, and seek to determine if it is a religious organization following a system of man-made laws that produce self-righteousness.

Romans 9--God's Chosen People, The Elect

In order to better understand Romans 9, one should take a quick look at Romans, chapters 9-11: God chose Abraham and his progeny, the Israelites (Jews), to be His special people--they would receive His Commandments, live by them, and demonstrate the righteousness of God to the world around them so that the Gentiles, too, might come to know the one true God.

The Israelites, however, abused this privilege. Instead of being used by God as a showcase for the righteousness of God, they became arrogant and self-righteous for being God's "Chosen People." Their outward righteousness, but inner rebellion against God, is best seen in their hatred for God's Son, Jesus. Therefore, God removed their privilege of being His showcase for Godliness and He gave this privilege to another group--the church--made up of both Jew and Gentile.

Romans 9 explains that no one was ever saved (from his own sin and from God's wrath in judgment on that sin) just because he was a descendant of Abraham (an Israelite, a Jew). Abraham's "true" children, whether Jew or Gentile, are those individuals who share Abraham's faith in the one true God--they believe what God says as Abraham believed God.

To illustrate this truth, the Apostle Paul points out that Abraham's son Isaac shared Abraham's faith and followed God while Abraham's son Ishmael did not; Abraham's grandson Jacob had faith and followed God, while his twin brother Esau did not. No person has ever been saved because of his family ancestry--it is not by blood (John 1:13) but by believing God.

A distinction must be made between the nation of Israel, which was "chosen" to showcase God's righteousness, and the individual, whether Jew or Gentile, known as "chosen" because of his faith. The individual that believes God and follows God is saved; he is Abraham's child and a child of God. He attains this status by God's mercy. As salvation is not by blood, neither is it by works--good deeds--so that no one can boast. (Ro 9; Jn 1:12-13; Ep 2:8-9).

Anyone who is saved should be on his face before God in amazement, humility and gratitude!

Romans 8--Marvelous Promises!

Romans 8 reiterates Romans 7: God's righteous law could not and never did give anyone power to live a righteous life. Jesus, however, liberated believers from the condemnation of the law and provided them a new, godly nature, and along with it, the power to live a truly righteous life.

Romans 8 goes on to say that, since the nature of the believer is spiritual (the believer is indwelt by the Spirit of God), he ought to follow the leading of the Spirit in his conduct. Unlike the lost person, the believer is no longer alienated from God: he has been adopted into the family of God and is allowed to call God "Father."

As a family member, the believer is an heir: he will share in Christ's glory and he will receive a new, glorified, and immortal body. The believer is constantly being conformed to the image of Christ and his behavior should be increasingly Christ-like.

The Apostle Paul assures the believer that "...If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Ro 8:31). One way God is "for us" is through the intercessory prayers of both the Spirit (Ro 8:26) and Christ (Ro 8:34) on behalf of the believer.

Romans 8 ends with this wonderful assurance: "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, ...Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 8 ought to make a brother want to jump up and spin around!

Romans 7--Freedom in Christ

As in Romans 6, Romans 7 centers on how Christ saves the believer from a life dominated by sin. Romans 7 goes on to explain the relationship between God's law, sin and righteousness.

The law is righteous and good, but it does not have power in and of itself to enable a person to live according to its precepts. To the contrary, the law--God's standard of righteousness--condemns each and every individual because no one can keep the law without violating it. Because of the human sin nature, everyone violates God's law; no one can claim purity on Judgment Day. Therein lies the need for a Savior--Someone who never did violate God's law and Who was willing to intercede on behalf of each believer.

Romans 7 illustrates the relationship of sin and law: a married woman is bound by law to her husband (as her master) until he dies. Then she is free from his dominance and free from the laws of marriage that dictated that dominance. Similarly, every person born is "married" to, or subject to, a master: his sin and the law of God that classifies him as a sinner. Everyone comes under the condemnation of God's law.

There was a death that released the married woman from her marriage vows. Similarly, there was a death that released the believer, a sinner, from being subject to God's condemning laws--that was the death of Christ. All believers are said to be "in" Christ (John 17). When Christ died, all believers "died" with Him. Therefore, through Christ, all believers have paid the price for their sin (death) and God's law cannot exact another payment of death out of them. Believers are in this sense free from God's law (free from the condemnation of it).

But, as seen in Romans 6, this freedom from the condemnation of God's law is not a license to sin. Romans 7 explains that the believer, released from his "marriage" to the law (that condemned him for his sin), is now "married" to another: to Christ. The fruit of this marriage is righteousness. What the Law could not provide (power to live a truly righteous life), Jesus could and did provide (more on this topic in Romans 8)!

Romans 7 does contain a matter of controversy: there is a struggle, or inner conflict, exhibited by a person who wants to follow God's law and live righteously but who repeatedly fails in his efforts. Does this struggle describe the believer?

The Apostle Paul explained clearly throughout Romans 5, 6 and 7 that Jesus set the believer free from sin being the master of his life. Just what does "free" mean? The believer is free from the sin nature with which he was born; he has been given a new nature, one that is bent toward righteousness. He has been given power--a means by which to live a righteous life. Part of the victory that is in Jesus is this ability to live righteously without this constant struggle with one's own sin nature! Glory halleluia!

Romans 6--Mastered By Sin or By Righteousness?

The dilemma, as summarized from Romans 5: Adam sinned. His progeny are born with a sin nature; i.e., human nature has a bent toward sinning. God hates sin. All people, born sinners, are subject to God's judgment for their sin and are doomed to hell. No one can deliver himself or anyone else out of this predicament.

Then came Jesus! Jesus was without sin; thus, in a position to stand in the sinner's place of judgment before God. God was satisfied. He raised Jesus from the dead. Those that receive Jesus as Lord and Master are given eternal life and a new nature that has a bent toward holiness. Good News!

Romans 6 explains further: For the believer the old sin nature no longer has the power to make him sin. However, the believer can still choose to sin. For a believer to continue in his sinful ways is unpleasing to God.

The believer has been given a new nature that is capable of living in purity and righteousness. The believer can and should choose to live in this righteousness that has been made available to him through the death and resurrection of Christ.

All people are born into a slavery of sorts. Because of the human sin nature, people are born slaves to sin. Believers receive a new, righteous nature, but they are still slaves--slaves to righteousness.

The unsaved person has no choice but to sin. The saved person has a choice: he may either continue to act in accordance with his old sin nature or he may serve his new master--righteousness. For the believer to continue in sin dishonors God. A person who just cannot get free of a sinful habit is either unsaved, ignorant of this freedom from sin granted to believers, or in a back-slidden rebellion against God.

Romans 5--A Life Bent Toward Holiness

The righteousness imputed, or reckoned, to the believer puts him in right-standing before God: he has peace, or reconciliation, with God; whereas, the unbeliever (the unregenerate, the unconverted), in his lost (unsaved) state, is still subject to God's wrathful judgment, poised to fall on all sinners who cannot truly point to Jesus as their Savior (Ro 5:1).

Not only does the believer have reconciliation with God, which saves him from damnation and hell (as if that were not enough!), the believer is granted access to God--a personal audience with the God of the universe! (Ro 5:2). It is no wonder the believer rejoices! He rejoices even in tribulations because he now understands why he has troubles: "...knowing that tribulation produces perseverance, and perseverance, character; and character, hope (Ro 5: 3-4)."

This audience, or personal relationship, with Almighty God, made possible through Christ, enables the believer to live a "saved" life--a life marked by purity (Ro 5:10).

When Adam sinned, he caused the "Fall" of mankind. Thenceforth every child born would have a sin nature; i.e., a bent toward sinning. No person could save himself from this condition--his own sinful nature. No amount of good works or moral, upstanding behavior could alleviate the ultimate consequences of this sin nature: condemnation by a just and holy God.

God, in His mercy, however, provided one way (Jn 14:6) out of this dilemma--the sinner can receive Jesus, the Holy One, as Lord and Master (Jn 1:12). Thus the sinner, now a believer, receives a new nature (11 Corinthians 5:17). This new nature is bent toward holiness, unlike the old nature, which is bent toward sin. The believer, with his new nature, is not sinless, but the mark of his life is holiness.

Sinful man, in his fallen state, does not quickly recognize his depraved condition. Therefore, God gave mankind His law, to show each individual his impure state. If there is any doubt in a person's mind whether or not he is pure, he can read the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) and ask himself how many of God's laws he has violated, even still violates daily, in thought, word and deed.

Violating God's law is not the normal condition for a true believer. The rejoicing seen in Romans 5 is not just the joy of salvation from hell, it is the joy of salvation from the sin nature. God, through Jesus, has provided a new nature, with a bent toward purity, for the believer. Glory Hallelulia!

Romans 4--Righteousness By Believing God

Romans 2 and Romans 3 explain what righteousness is not: not morality (Ro 2) and not good deeds (Ro 3). Romans 4 explains what righteousness is--believing God.

Ro 4 gives Abraham as an example of a man who believed God and "it was imputed to him for righteousness." (Ro 4:22). God told Abraham that his wife Sarah would give birth to their son. At the time Abraham was about 100 years old and Sarah was 90. Yet Abraham believed God could and would do what He had said.

Anyone declared righteousness by God comes into right-standing with God and is no longer subject to the wrath of God when He judges and condemns sinners. To be declared righteous, a person must believe what God says. In His Word God has said:

1. All men are sinners by nature, separated from God by sin and condemned to hell (Ro 3:23). The wages of sin are death (Ro 6:23).
2. Jesus was God. He was sinless and did not have to die for His own sins like other men.
3. Yet Jesus did die physically, by choice, in order to accept the penalty for sin that would otherwise have condemned all men. He swapped places with the sinner who believes and that believer, instead of receiving the wrath of God in condemnation, receives the righteousness of Jesus by imputation.
4. God accepted this substitution. God's approval is demonstrated by Jesus being resurrected from the dead. Because of Jesus' death and resurrection, some (believers) are saved from condemnation.
5. Those that are saved are the ones who have received Jesus as Lord and Savior (John 1:12).

A person wanting to consider whether he believes what God has said can ask himself if he believes these Biblical truths:

1. I am a sinner, separated from God's grace and condemned by His wrath because of my sin.
2. I cannot work my way into His good grace because my very nature as a human is sinful. Moral behavior and good deeds in the eyes of mankind do not cover up my sinful nature in the eyes of God.
3. Jesus was sinless. Jesus stood in my place and received the penalty coming to me so that I could receive the righteousness that is His.
4. Jesus, being God, is my Creator as well as my Savior and my Lord. My life belongs to Him. I am to obey His Word, the Holy Bible. He gives me power to live righteously--truly righteously--and not just present a superficial righteousness created by men in order to approve one another.

Romans 3--Dangers of Doing Good Deeds

In Romans 2 God condemns people who exhibit a superficial, external morality in order to be seen as respectable. In Romans 3 God condemns religious people who go about doing good deeds in order to be seen as respectable. In these chapters the Apostle Paul repeatedly emphasizes that it is not good conduct that brings a person into favor with almighty God.

God views all mankind, regardless of conduct, as depraved sinners (Ro 3:9-18). Acting moral and respectable cannot fix a person's naturally sinful nature.

The marvelous thing is that God has provided a way for some to be saved from this innate condition of sin. Jesus, holy and righteous, can stand in the place of the sinner being judged by a holy God and God will declare that sinner innocent.

But not everyone is saved from this condemning verdict. Good conduct and respectability cannot save. To be saved from the sin that convicts him, a person must see and admit his sinful state. Then he must see and admit that Jesus is righteous and the only one who can stand in his place and be found innocent.

On Romans 2--Dangers of a Superficial Morality

As Romans 1 presented the dangers of self-deception, Romans 2 presents the dangers of a superficial morality.

After listing the sins of utter depravity (Ro 1:24-32), the Apostle Paul warns the respectable persons, including the religious leaders, that they, too, are subject to the wrath of God because they, too, have hard and impenitent hearts.

While externally they appear to be righteous, internally they steal, commit adultery, and practice idolatry (Ro 2:21-22).

Moral conduct, or a reputation for morality in the eyes of men, is worthless to God if there is no genuine holiness, or purity, according to His standards. The Lord commands: "Be ye holy; for I am holy." ( See 1 Pe 1:15-16.) Can anyone not be humbled by such a command from such a holy God?

Praise God for the assurance found in 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." His people are to please Him and not just other people.

From Romans 1--Dangers of Self-deception

Jesus is proved to be the Son of God by His Resurrection (Ro 1:4). By God's grace He calls out (separates unto Himself) a people to be His saints, or "Holy Ones" (Ro1:5-7).

Those that are saved (from God's wrath and from their own state of sinfulness) are saved through the power of God, the same power that raised Christ from the dead (Ep 1:19-20).

However, those that spurn God and His Word are subject to God's wrath. They do not realize their predicament. "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools" (Ro 1:22). They are self-deceived!

A person can be a church-goer and well respected in the community and think himself to be right with God. But Jesus says, "My sheep hear my voice and ... they follow me." So the question is, "Do I really hear Jesus speaking directly and personally to me and then do I obey what He says?"

Self-deception is dangerous.

Vanity of the Mind

Vanity means both conceit and emptiness or worthlessness (Webster).

Scripture warns of the dangers of vanity. Ephesians 4: 17-18 states that believers/Christians are to "walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart. "

In other words, a vain person is ignorant, without understanding, blinded to truth, foolishly prideful, and oblivious to his own sad condition. The vain person is a fool who thinks he is smart ("Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools...." (Ro 1:22).

Before dismissing these passages as inapplicable to one's own life, the wise person will ask God to reveal those areas of vanity/conceit/ emptiness in his own life. Can anyone truly say he is fully cleansed from vanity?

Envy Is Surely Sin

Romans 1:28-32 lists envy as one of the sins of a reprobate mind, along with such sins as fornication, murder and haters of God. Galatians 5:19-21 includes envyings in a list with adultery, witchcraft, heresies, murder, drunkenness....

Envy differs from covetousness in that envy is thoroughly odious. It is "discontentment at the sight of another's success, accompanied by some degree of hatred" (Webster). The origin of the word is invidia, meaning hatred, ill will. With envy, not only does a person inordinately desire the success or the possessions of another person, he hates the person that he envies.

Covetousness can be positive in meaning "eagerly desire" or negative in meaning "to desire inordinately, to long for that which is unlawful to obtain or possess" (Webster). The last of the Ten Commandments warns: "Thou shalt not covet ... thy neighbor's wife...." (Exodus 20:17) A person may covet his neighbor's wife and envy/hate his neighbor for having her.

How does one recognize envy in his heart? The psalmist went into the sanctuary of God (God's presence) and it was revealed to him. (Ps 73) What was his response to this revelation? Something similar to this: "Oh what an ignorant fool I've been!"

May the Lord help His people be set free from this insidious trap called envy.

Blinded to the Truth by Envy

The Apostle Paul, on his first missionary journey, preached in the Jewish synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia that by Jesus "all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13:39)

The gentiles were interested because Paul included them in God's plan of salvation. The Jews were not upset at this point because they had always accepted gentiles into their faith if the gentiles were willing to be circumcised and follow all of their laws.

However, when Paul spoke the next week, at invitation of the gentiles, "almost the whole city came to hear the word of God," and "when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy and spoke against those things which were spoken by Paul...." (Acts 13:44-45)

The Jews that were filled with envy were the Jewish religious leaders, comparable to the preachers, elders and bishops of the Christian church today. These men were jealous that another preacher had come to town and had commanded a larger audience than their own.

Because of their envy, these religious leaders immediately disputed what Paul was saying without first examining it for the truth. They were blinded by their envy.

The two-fold application of this passage requires the believer to ask himself:
1. Does envy in my life prevent me from looking for truth?
2. Are the religious leaders in the church I attend more interested in attaining those things they envy that in searching for the truths of God's Word?

Envy is Foolish

Proverbs 23:17 says, "Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long." The subject of the envy is the sinner. Psalm 73 explains more fully that the reason sinners are envied by the righteous is that they prosper in this world.For example, Ps 73: 12 says, "Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches."

However, in Ps 73:22, the writer says he was foolish and ignorant to envy the wicked. He came to that realization after the Lord showed him that the end of the wicked is destruction.

Ps 37:1-2 gives the same message: "Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb."

Not only is the prosperity of the wicked short-lived, this prosperity does not encompass spiritual prosperity. Isaiah 57:21 says, "There is no peace, saith my God, for the wicked."

Rather than envy the wicked and be a fool, the believer is to fear the Lord and be wise. 1 Ti 6:6 says, "...godliness with contentment is great gain." The antidote to envy, then (as stated is the first Proverb quoted), is to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long. Joshua 1:8 says to meditate in the Word day and night--that is the way to "be in the fear of the Lord all the day long" and that is the way to have "godliness with contentment" and that is the way to find relief from foolish envy. May the Lord be praised!

Labor Not To Be Rich

Proverbs 23:4 says, "Labor not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom." The "Labor not" in this verse refers to overworking--someone so taken with riches that he works all the time for more (obsessed.)

Proverbs 23:5 says,"Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven." This proverb may not seem to be the case all the time, but add the following to it: 1 Timothy 6:7, "For we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out."
There will be a time that riches will fail to be of assistance!

If a person is instructed not to set his eyes, or his heart, upon riches, then upon what should his heart be set? Colossians 3:2 says, "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." "Things above" are the things pertaining to God and His Word. Meditation on God's Word leads to obedience to His Word, which in turn leads to "good success" (Jos 1:8.) One thing good success means, in addition to having freedom from sin, is to have contentment. 1 Ti 6:8 says, "And having food and raiment let us be therefore content." This contentment with little--little prestige, little status, little in the way of material wealth--is given to the believer who truly believes this truth. The Apostle Paul said, "...I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content...I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Ph 3:11-13)

This contentment, and freedom from sin, eludes those who would be rich. 1 Ti 6:7 says, "They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition."

The question is this: Does the person reading these Bible passages believe them or not?

Wisdom from God

Proverbs 19:20 says, "Hear counsel and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in the latter end."

Who would say he did not want to be wise? What is wisdom and how is it attained? James 3:13-18 gives a clear account of true wisdom, i.e., wisdom from God, and distinguishes godly wisdom from earthly wisdom, or wisdom of man. According to James 3: 17-18, "... the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace."

Notice the tone of this passage: peace, mercy, gentleness, purity, righteousness. True wisdom is not self-seeking or grasping. In dealing with others, God's wisdom has no ulterior motives, lies, deceptions or manipulations.

How can one attain God's wisdom? Proverbs 19:20 says, "Hear counsel and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in the latter end." What counsel? What instruction? Proverbs 9:10 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." One cannot even begin to be wise in a godly sort of way until he fears the Lord. And one cannot fear the Lord until he comes to know Him. John 1:12 says, "...as many as received him (Jesus), to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name."

If the Lord has granted salvation to a person and the believer has a fear, or reverence, of God, then the instruction that will make him wise is found in Joshua 1:8, "...meditate (on God's Word) day and night."

Bondage to Sin

The Apostle Paul gives a vivid illustration of the law of sin and death and how a person subject to this law is a slave, in bondage to his own sin. Ro 7:19 states, "For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do."

Anyone who has ever tried to "turn over a new leaf" or get free from some nagging habit should be able to understand what it is like to want to do the right thing, but to fail at it over and over. Try going through the day without lying at all or without coveting or lusting after anything. It is easier to understand the bondage to sin than it is to understand freedom from this bondage to sin.

People like to say, "The devil made me do it" or"I'm only human." In reality, a person who enjoys sin fits the description in John 3:19, "...men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."

Rather than a person making excuses for sin or pretending there is no sin in his life, why should he not read over the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) and see how many violations there are in his life daily? A good look at the extent of sin in one's life, the utter pervasiveness of it, should make the freedom from sin as stated in Romans 8:2 a most compelling topic.

This Wonderful Freedom

This wonderful freedom from sin and death, as stated in Ro 8:2, is available to whom? That well-known verse, John 3:16, states that whosoever believes in the Son of God should not perish but have everlasting life. The first criterion for freedom from sin and death is that a person believes in Jesus as his Lord and Savior. The non-believer does not share in this promise of everlasting life.

The second criterion for this freedom from sin and death is an understanding that the Word of God, including this verse, is true and is applicable to the believer's life.

And thirdly, even while believing that God grants freedom from sin, a believer must choose to live in this freedom rather than to continue living in sin. In Ephesians 4:17-20, the Apostle Paul told the gentile believers at Ephesus, "... henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ."

Free from the Law of Sin and Death

Just as Jos. 1:8 speaks of the Book of the Law and Ps 1:2 speaks of the law of the Lord, Romans 8:2 speaks of law--the law of sin and death. The law of sin is illustrated in Ro 6:16, "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness."

Sin is characterized as a slave master and the person in sin is in bondage to this master. Sin causes a barrier between man and God. Isaiah 59:2, "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." Ultimately, sin leads to death (Ro 6:23), including eternal separation from a good and righteous God.

While Ro 8:2 speaks of this law of sin and death, it also speaks of another law--the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. The writer of Romans found life in Jesus. Ro 8:2, "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." The slave master, sin and death, does not hold Jesus in his grips (Jesus did resurrect from the dead.) Neither does this slave master hold in his grips those that belong to Jesus.

The freedom of which this passage speaks is the same freedom seen in John 8:36; it is freedom from a life of sin followed by eternal death. This freedom gives life where there was previously death and righteousness where there was previously sin. For all these things, Brethren, ought not we to rejoice day and night!