Author: The Manager of Site

Wednesday, 24 April 2013

… and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:4

The previous verse noted that tribulation produces perseverance. From that point the perseverance produces character. Some translations state here “experience” instead of “character.” It is true that experience is gained, but that is not the sense of what’s being relayed. Experience can result in admitting defeat as much as it can result in obtaining strength. Experience therefore isn’t at all what is intended by this train of thought. Rather, perseverance is the experience and it results in character. When one perseveres, they will be grounded with fortitude and strength.

Once this character is developed, it leads to hope. Hope is that great virtue which says, “What I long for will be realized.” When we have hope we have internal surety. The thought from Hebrews 12:2 carries us through this entire process – “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus.” When we look unto Him, we can glory in our tribulations thus producing perseverance; our eyes are fixed and our thoughts are steadfast. When we persevere we develop character and our convictions become evident as we continue to look to Him. Once this character is grounded, our eyes look to Him in hope of all that He has promised. Truly, there is no greater assurance than that which comes through an intent and unwavering gaze upon the Lord.

Life application: Either the Bible is true or it isn’t. There is no middle ground. If it is, then it is all-sufficient to lead you to an understanding of what is necessary to be reconciled to God. No matter what happens in your life, hold fast to the word, fix your eyes on Jesus, and have faith that your hope will be realized by the God of truth.

O Lord my God, thank You for life’s trials which have molded me and strengthened me. As they’ve come, I’ve often felt that they were more than I could bear. But as I look back on them, I realize that they were given to refine me, build me up, and shape me to be a person of faith. I can see the wisdom of every trial I’ve faced and I thank You for being with me through them all. Amen.

Tuesday, 23 April 2013

And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;  Romans 5:3

This is a similar thought to what James says in his letter –

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” James 1:2, 3

Not only do we rejoice in hope of the glory of God (v.2), but we further glory in tribulations. The word used here is thlipsis. It carries the idea of pressure, such as being hemmed in a small tight spot. When we face trials which would otherwise cause us to lose control, we can instead glory in them. As the world around us falls apart due to the external crises which arise, we understand that God is in control and that these types of tribulation only serve us in a positive way; they produce perseverance.

If we feel that the world is out of control, then all sense of hope is lost. When this happens, we will look to the government or some other entity to secure us and keep us safe. However, the Christian should understand that the trials and woes of the world around us are a part of God’s plan. Whether He causes them directly or merely allows them, all things are within His providence and therefore we are to look to Him as the Source of our strength.

The difference is wider than the seas. Looking to anything less than God for help in tribulation will not produce patience. Instead, it will only produce greater fear and a loss of freedom. But when we look to God during these trials, we appreciate that He is in complete control and our resolve will only be strengthened.

Life application: In the recent past, more bombers did their evil work. We need to look to the root cause of this and understand that it did not occur apart from God’s sovereign knowledge. The perpetrators are no less guilty, but we need to be strengthened in the perseverance of our faith – that God alone can bring peace to this troubled land.

Heavenly Father, as surely as the sunrise tells us a new day is coming, so does the beginning of a new prayer tell us that comfort is ahead. When we open our hearts to You, it is sure that You are attentive to our prayers. And because of Jesus, we have complete and full access to Your glorious throne. Where is fear when we stand in Your presence? Thank You for Jesus. Amen.

Monday, 22 April 2013

…through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:2

Here is the entire thought as is stated in 5:1, 2. Read it slowly and think about what is occurring here –

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

We were enemies of God and outside of His favor when He did the unimaginable. He sent us Jesus. Now we are justified by mere faith in Him and His finished work. Because of this we are implored to have peace with God through Him. He is our peace and so through Him we enter into a new state and a new relationship with our Creator.

But there is more. Through Jesus we have access by this same justifying faith “into this grace in which we stand.” The Greek word translated as “access” is used only 3 times in the New Testament and all three occurrences indicate a face to face interactive access. JB Lightfoot describes it as “having audience (direct access) with God.” This is an immediate and continuing blessing of having called on Jesus by faith.

Not only is it immediate and continuing, but it is something “in which we stand.” The verb “stand” is perfect, indicative, active – the action is accomplished, it is a fact, and it is on-going. In Christ, we stand; we do not fall. What He has done in us is complete and will not pass away. What occurs here is explained in 2 Corinthians 5:21 – “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” The position we find ourselves in before God is in Christ’s standing, not our own. We could as much lose this standing as Christ Himself could. God has favored us, not because of our own merits, but because of the work of Jesus.

But there is yet more. Through this same faith we also “rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” This is our future benefit and which we wait on as we stand on the surety of what has occurred. In God’s mind, this action is already complete. Paul says in Romans 8:30 that those ” whom He justified, these He also glorified.” We are merely waiting for this final state and as we do, we can rejoice in this hope.

Life application: If you’re feeling beaten up because you’ve failed Jesus, be reassured in today’s verse. If you have faith in Him, you are saved, you will remain saved, and you will be glorified for all eternity. What you see as a difficult walk of repeated failure and trial, God sees as already accomplished. He has done the work, have faith in that and let your hope be filled with rejoicing.

As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Until the day I stand in Your presence, I know that I am secure in Your Son. What I could never have done, He did on my behalf. In Him I stand and in Him I rejoice in the hope of Your glory. Thank You for Jesus. Amen.

Sunday, 21 April 2013

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, Romans 5:1

Paul begins chapter 5 with “Therefore.” What he has explained throughout chapter 4 is summed up in today’s verse. This includes the following three concepts which are contrary to justification by faith alone. He explains they have no bearing on our declaration of righteousness –

4:1-4:8 – Works where wages are due

4:9-4:12 Circumcision in the flesh

4:13-4:25 Obedience to the law apart from faith

Based on these three topics, Paul proclaimed at the end of the chapter, “It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.”

Now, as a result of this, he gives his “therefore.” Having been justified by faith (what has been explained) “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” He is writing to saved believers (those having been justified). Because of this, translators and commentators find themselves in a difficult situation. The word translated as “we have” is the Greek word echomen and is explained this way in Vincent’s Word Studies –

“The true reading is ἔχωμεν – let us have; but it is difficult if not impossible to explain it. Godet says: ‘No exegete has been able satisfactorily to account for this imperative suddenly occurring in the midst of a didactic development.’ Some explain as a concessive subjunctive, we may have; but the use of this in independent sentences is doubtful.”

Actually, the difficulty isn’t as great as claimed here. The very premise of what Paul is writing is that our justification before God is one of faith. Paul is of course writing to believers, but he is also writing to skeptics, and unbelievers (his epistles were used as doctrine for anyone to hear). Further, the very premise of his previous words (instruction on what will and won’t lead to justification) implies that there are those addressees who are confused enough to need the instruction in the first place.

Some of them are relying on works; some of them are relying on circumcision; and some of them are relying on obedience to the law apart from faith. Paul has been writing to correct them and therefore “let us have peace with God” is instructing them that this corrective action is required. Faith is a volitional act of the free will. When one comes to the table with the presupposition that man doesn’t have free will to choose Jesus, then of course “let us” would be a confusing thought in the midst of such instruction. But when we realize that God has granted us this right, it follows naturally that we must exercise the very act that has been explained to us.

Therefore – As a result of what has been said.

Having been justified by faith – You came to Christ by faith and were justified by that same faith.

Let us have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ – 1) (To saved but confused souls) Continue in that faith and don’t fall back on works, telling others that they need to be circumcised, or telling others that obedience to the law is necessary. Instruct them as you have been instructed. 2) (To the unsaved) You now know what will bring reconciliation with God, so have faith in this and don’t attempt to be justified by works in order to obtain this state.

This is fully substantiated by the thoughts laid out in the book of Acts and Galatians. In Acts 15:5 it says –

“But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, ‘It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.'”

And again we read this short account from Paul in Galatians 2:11-16 which involves the apostle Peter, a saved believer who was falling back on the law –

“Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews? We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.”

Paul’s use of “let us” here in Romans 5:1 is directed toward exactly such people. They were already saved believers, but they weren’t standing on the truth of what saved them in the first place – faith in what Jesus did for them, apart from deeds of the law.

Life application: The Bible is a large book with many difficult issues, but the more we read it and the more we remember what we’ve read, the surer our knowledge of what it proclaims becomes. It is a book without contradiction or confusion. So if we are confused, the problem lies in our understanding of the word, not in the word itself.

My wonderful Lord! I look to You in awe. You created all things by Your wisdom and all things are sustained by Your great power. In You is no shadow or change and from You comes truth, light, and life. Make me a pleasing vessel for Your use and then fill me with Your wisdom and instruction – even until I overflow for the sake of others. Amen.

Saturday, 20 April 2013

…who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification. Romans 4:25

This final verse of chapter four explains the marvel of the finished work of Jesus. He “was delivered up because of our offenses.” Sins committed by the fallen sons of Adam must be punished. God cannot arbitrarily overlook sin without violating His own righteousness. Every sin must be punished. And the punishment must be perfectly executed. Therefore, there are only two possibilities –

1) Punishment in the one who commits the sin. A finite sin committed against an infinite Creator requires an infinite punishment – condemnation and eternal separation.

2) Punishment in a perfect Substitute. An animal cannot substitute because it is in a different category. Another person born from man cannot substitute because that person bears Adam’s sin. Thus Jesus is the only acceptable Sacrifice apart from option 1. He was born of God through a woman. He is the God/Man.

Jesus was delivered up for the sins of the world and, as Paul has clearly laid out, the justifying work of His sacrifice can only be received by faith. There is nothing we can do to add to what He has done for us. This is why Abraham is used as the preeminent example of this. Abraham looked forward in faith to the coming Messiah –

“Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” John 8:56

Is it really that hard to believe? The answer demands an affirmative. Very few in proportion to the total number of people in the world today have grasped the truth that an itinerant preacher in the little nation of Israel came to redeem the world. They reject the premise and rail against it. The only hope of their salvation is shunned because of an inability to perceive the marvelous workings of God.

However, Paul doesn’t finish with the cross, but he completes the gospel by stating that Jesus “was raised because of our justification.” God declared us “not guilty” through the cross of Christ. All of our sin was heaped upon Him and He bore the punishment for what we have done. But Christ also carried our sins away. They were removed “as far as the east is from the west.”

Therefore, where sin is removed, there is no longer punishment for sin. After bearing our punishment, He came back to life because it was impossible for death to hold Him. The wages of sin is death; He never sinned; therefore, He came back from the grave. He was “raised because of our justification.”

In one fell swoop, God removed our sins and raised us to new life through the work of His Son. This is exactly how Paul portrays the cross and the resurrection – as a single, unified whole. They together are the work of Christ on our behalf. Now, as is recorded in 1 Corinthians 15, the victory has been realized –

“The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (vs. 56, 57)

Life application: There is one and only one way to be reconciled to God the Father – through the work of Jesus Christ. God has shown us what is acceptable and He alone has done the work. Now by simple faith in what Jesus did, we stand justified, holy, and righteous before God.

Heavenly Father, I long for the day when I stand in Your presence and walk in Your light. And it has been made possible because of the precious Lamb without spot or blemish, my Lord Jesus. How great is Your love that You would place my sin and punishment upon Him and grant me His righteousness. I cannot grasp the depth of Your love. Thank You for Jesus. Amen.