Romans

Sunday, 10 March 2013

There is no fear of God before their eyes. Romans 3:18

This is the final quote in this train of thought and is taken from Psalm 36:1 –

An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes.

“Fear of God” is speaking of awe and reverence. When we have these it will bring about an understanding of our own fallen nature in relation to God. Time and again in Scripture, when one is brought close to God the person finds himself overwhelmed at the majesty of His presence. Such is the case in Isaiah 6. When Isaiah had a vision of the Lord, he cried out –

“Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.”

One of Israel’s holy men stood in awe at what he witnessed, but the people Paul is speaking about shun the glory of God and in their hearts there is only contempt for Him. These past quotes from the Old Testament show us several things. First, the Jew cannot hope to be saved simply because of their heritage. Their own word testifies against them. Paul spoke about this in detail and then provided these quotes, directly from their own sacred writings, to show this is true.

Secondly, what these verses show us is the character of human nature in general, not specifically any given man. They are a broad brushstroke of how humanity is displayed from the creation until today. There was the flood to correct it. There was the cleansing of the land of Canaan by the Israelites to correct it. There was the purging of Israel from their land (twice) to correct it. And there will be the tribulation period of the future to once again destroy wickedness. Humanity, when left to his own devices will shun God and choose the path of destruction.

Third, the corruption of man proceeds from the innermost depths of who he is and it proceeds outward in a vile display of how he presents himself. This is symbolized by the mentioning of the parts in order – throat, tongue, lips, mouth, and then feet. The corruption spreads outward and is carried far and wide.

When man forgets God and sets his feet on an evil path, only wickedness can follow. This is so, so very important to remember because as a nation, the United States has set its feet upon this course. We have condoned that which is forbidden; we have spoken that which is vile; we have spread that which is wicked; and we have lost our fear of God. Unless the people return to the Bible as its source for instruction and guidance, we will come under God’s continued hand of chastisement, eventually leading to destruction. It is the church which must lead the way in this endeavor.

Life application: When the fear of God is lost, only unrighteousness can follow. We must stand up for what is right and not allow ourselves to be caught up in the eddy of moral degradation which surrounds us. Stand firm on the tenets in the Bible and be ready to defend them above all else. There is one standard by which we will right the wrongs around us and it is found there.

O God, please renew in me a reverent fear of who You are and the glory You possess. Forgive me for not treating Your name in a manner which will magnify You. Help me to be a light and a guide to others so that they will see You for who You truly are – the One worthy of all our praise, honor, and devotion. Amen.

Saturday, 9 March 2013

And the way of peace they have not known. Romans 3:17

Again Paul turns to the words of Isaiah to substantiate man’s general character and disposition –

The way of peace they have not known, And there is no justice in their ways; They have made themselves crooked paths; Whoever takes that way shall not know peace. Isaiah 59:8

There are several ways in which the “way of peace” can be demonstrated. Here are four:

1) In oneself. A life of peace in an individual must start with contentment in one’s station. If a person is content, then a hovel and a bowl of rice soup is sufficient for peace. If a person’s eyes are full of greed and want, a mansion with a table of feasting will never satisfy. One must appreciate the gifts God has given in order to have peace in oneself. If such appreciation doesn’t exist it can only lead to internal toil and boil over in our actions toward others.

2) Toward others. Peace and contentment in oneself naturally keeps one from harming others, but when it is lacking, the greed and lust of the heart spills over in our actions – be it individually or as a group or nation. Harming others then becomes an satisfactory means of obtaining what we want. We rationalize reasons why theft is acceptable and move toward the subjugation and oppression of those who have earned their way. As noted, this stems from a lack of contentment in our own station. This frustration is taken out on others, but it inevitably directs the blame toward God.

3) Toward God. Peace with God comes from an appreciation of His goodness and an understanding of His sovereignty. When one feels jipped by their circumstances, they will find fault in God. The sentiment “It’s not my fault I was born here…” would necessarily place the blame on God who made the choice. But Acts says, “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us…” (vs. 26, 27)

God, who is infinitely wiser than man, has selected our time, place, and position to be the very best possible moment in which we will seek Him out. In other words, a person born in Honduras in AD1630 would no more search out God than he would if born in New York city in 2013. God knows this and determines that which is the very best for His creatures, and yet we reject Him. Proof that this is true is that there is a Bible on practically every shelf and accessible from every computer on earth and yet, even with this opportunity, it is ignored. In America, there are churches on every corner and yet they are closing due to a lack of interest. “The way of peace they have not known…” This lack of contentment in self which then overflows towards others and is ultimately blamed on God results in unholy instruction within family and society.

4) In Instruction. When the way of peace is unknown, the venues of life instruction follow a course of wickedness. The raising of children disregards education in the Bible, in respect, in honor, and in right living. School systems turn towards a liberal agenda and “tolerance” for that which is profane. This carries from kindergarten to college. Young minds are perverted from what is normal and the developed minds are perverted from what is reasonable. Society itself rejects the truth and turns to a news media which is based on feelings rather than objective journalism. Churches no longer preach doctrinal truths, but instead provide soft messages without any real substance. As these institutions continue to turn away from soundness, the only thing which cannot be tolerated is “intolerance.” But even this is self-contradictory and so vile emotions are spewed out at those who pursue peace and reason.

In the end, the pattern repeats itself and the world ends in a state which is no longer worthy of anything but destruction. At the time of the flood, a mere 1600 years after the creation of the world, Genesis 6:5 says that “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Of course, this resulted in a global flood which took the lives of all but eight people.

God’s people, Israel, have been destroyed and exiled twice because they followed this same pattern and the church is now following it as well. At the rapture of the church, there will only be strife against God leading to the Tribulation period. All because “they have not known the way of peace.”

Life application: It is unreasonable to love others into hell through tolerance. That which is against God – be it in the general society or in the church – must be identified and called out. If not, there is eventually a breakdown in right moral thinking. This is especially true with our religious leaders. If they depart from what is right or deflect attention away from Jesus, their words or actions must be shown for what they are. Judgment begins at the house of the Lord and so the house of the Lord must proclaim the way of peace – Jesus.

Lord, please be with those who teach Your word. Give them strength and wisdom to properly proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ and to never water down the severity of the consequences of rejecting Him. Give them soundness of doctrine and clearness in their thinking. This, to Your honor and glory. Amen.

Friday, 8 March 2013

Destruction and misery are in their ways; Romans 3:16

This verse is a quote from the second half of Isaiah 59:7 –

Their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed innocent blood;

Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; Wasting and destruction are in their paths.

The ways of those who reject God lead to “destruction and misery.” The Greek word translated as “destruction” is suntrimma and this is its only use in the New Testament. It comes from the idea of dashing something to pieces. “Misery” comes from the Greek talaiporia, a word found only one other time in the Bible – James 5:1. It indicates a state of wretchedness.

It is evident that these words are not applicable to all people at all times. Rather they apply to a state of corruption which exists in the hearts of people and which is brought out when a denial of God exists. This is important to remember because, as was noted in a previous quote, these words cannot be found to imply that unregnerate man is unable to seek after God as Calvinism claims. These are generalities about humanity which can lead to specific extremes in humanity – such as Khan, Hitler, Stalin, etc.

The opposite is true as well. There a those who pursue peace who haven’t been called by Jesus. Perhaps they refuse to bear arms against others or spend their lives ministering to others, even though they aren’t saved believers. This is important to note in order to gain a proper understanding of how one comes to saving faith. It is often true that the worst offenders will see their need for Jesus before the one who is always helping others and doing good stuff.

The truly depraved person, when confronted with the truth of the gospel, may fully understand their condemned state and seek for pardon. The kind, gentle, and humble person when given the gospel may shun it because they feel they are already good enough and that the balances tip in their favor or maybe they are at the top of the bell curve.

Neither of these understandings would lead to the choice of accepting or rejecting the gospel without free-will. Instead, they would continue down their chosen path without a second thought. If man doesn’t possess free will, the evil of the person described in today’s verse would have to be traced back to the fall of man who didn’t possess free will and thus the blame would be elevated back to the Creator; such is impossible as God is perfect and holy in all ways.

Therefore, the wicked state of those described by Paul is a personal choice acting upon the already corrupt state of man. It is a choice which is reflected in Matthew 7:13 – “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.” Jesus asks us to make the right choice because the wrong one will end in the destruction and misery noted in this same verse.

Life Application: If you’re struggling with the doctrine of free-will in man because you were originally instructed that you don’t possess it, then think the issue through to its logical conclusion at the fall of man – ascribing the fall to God. The question is, “Do you have free will?” The reply – “Think it through and then you decide.”

Lord, You have been so gracious to Your fallen creatures. You have given us the choice to choose You, but time and time again we choose the opposite. And yet You continuously call us back to You, giving us the chance to turn and call on You in truth. Help us to think rightly and to make the choice of life and peace… the choice of Jesus. Thank You for Jesus. Amen.

Thursday, 7 March 2013

“Their feet are swift to shed blood;…  Romans 3:15

This verse is taken first from Solomon in the book of Proverbs –

For their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed blood. Proverbs 1:16

Isaiah builds upon it in his writings as well –

Their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed innocent blood; Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; Wasting and destruction are in their paths. Isaiah 59:7

The heart has shown its state – the words have come up from the throat, they have been shaped  by the tongue and passed through the lips (v 13), from there they have issued from the mouth (v 14). Now the words are carried into action. The first recorded sin in the Bible outside of Eden was the murder of Abel by Cain. Adam’s sin in Eden separated man from his Creator. Cain’s sin in the fallen world separated man from man. Abel sacrificed animal life to his God for restoration; Cain sacrificed human life out of jealousy, leading to condemnation.

Within about 1600 years of Cain’s crime, the world had become so wicked that God destroyed it by flood. The same pattern occurs time and again throughout the post-flood world. At the time of King Manasseh it says that he, “shed very much innocent blood, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another, besides his sin by which he made Judah sin, in doing evil in the sight of the Lord.” 2 Kings 21:16

The world is once again at a state of such violence and degradation, that human life has little value. The process of abortion is a mill of death. Euthanasia has become an acceptable method of human disposal, murder rates in cities such as Chicago are higher than war deaths in Afghanistan. TV shows and newscasts are so filled with crime scenes that one cannot determine reality from Hollywood. All of this stems from the intent of the heart. Jeremiah rightly called out the words of the Lord as he looked at the world around him –

The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings. Jeremiah 17:9, 10

Life application: Yes, the Lord does search the heart and He is able to heal its desperately wicked state, but it takes moving from the fallen world to the risen Christ. Without this action, there can be no true peace. Take time to learn the following five verses which show how to make this move. Think about them and how you can rightly explain them to others. Then go and share the message –

1) There is none righteous, no, not one. Romans 3:10

2) …for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  Romans 3:23

3) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 6:23

4) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Romans 5:8

5) For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”  Romans 10:13

Glorious God, despite our wicked hearts, You sent us Your Son to reconcile us to You. Help each of us to commit to telling others about Jesus and His beautiful deeds which can restore the bridge between us. Help us to get our priorities right and to never waste an opportunity to share this good news of peace and restoration. Amen.

Wednesday, 6 March 2013

“Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.” Romans 3:14

Paul’s next quote is from Psalm 10:7 –

His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression; Under his tongue is trouble and iniquity.

Under divine inspiration, Paul has amended David’s words while maintaining the overall intent of what he was saying. Anyone who opens his mouth in deceit and oppression is himself a person of bitterness. The cursing of man can be accomplished in several ways and in different directions. Man can curse God who created Him. This can be done directly or indirectly. An attack against the unseen God or upon Jesus who reveals God would be a direct curse. A person who speaks against God’s word indirectly attacks God because the word of God issues from Him.

An act of cursing God directly is found in Leviticus 24:10-23. The penalty for the one who did this was to be stoned to death.

Cursing can be against others as well. An example of this is found in 2 Samuel 16 when a man cursed King David as he fled from his son who had revolted against him –

Now when King David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing continuously as he came. And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David. 2 Samuel 16:5, 6

The bitterness which Paul speaks of is rooted in the heart of man and pours out in his words. Jesus, while speaking to Israel’s leaders showed us this in Matthew 12. There He revealed that we cannot disassociate what we say from who we are –

“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. Matthew 12:33-35

Life application: Our words are a reflection of the state of our heart. How we speak about God, His word, and the things He has created reflect our relationship with Him. How we speak to and about others shows others our concern for those He has created and for whom He sent His Son to die. Although we have every right to speak out against evil and the perverse ways of the world, we need to ensure that our words rightly reflect the truth without promoting evil. Others are watching and evaluating us as Christians. And as Christians we represent Christ.

Lord God, if my words are unpleasing in Your sight, then come in and change my heart. Help me to be a person whose words are truthful and which edify others, call out sin and evil without becoming a part of the problem, and which ultimately bring You the glory You deserve. Amen.