Performing vs. Transforming

Live Free!

Romans 8:1-11 Spiritual Acquittal (vv.1-4) Our liberation Our Liberator Our liberty Spiritual Acclimation (vv. 5-8) Acclimated in the flesh = Death Acclimated in the Spirit = Life Spiritual Accompaniment (vv. 9-11) Our Companion in our new life (John 16:7, Acts 1:8, Eph. 1:13) Our capability to live our new life More to Consider The Greeks had a race in their Olympic games that was unique. The winner was not the runner who finished first. It was the runner who finished with his torch still lit. I want to run all the way with the flame of my torch still lit for Him. J. Stowell,Fan The Flame, Moody, 1986, p. 32. Sometimes when we read the words of those who have been more than conquerors, we feel almost despondent. I feel that I shall never be like that. But they won through step by step by little bits of wills little denials of self little inward victories by faithfulness in very little things. They became what they are. No one sees these little hidden steps. They only see the accomplishment, but even so, those small steps were taken. There is no sudden triumph no spiritual maturity. That is the work of the moment. Amy Carmichael quoted in: Tim Hansel, Holy Sweat, 1987, Word Books Publisher, p. 130. The question naturally arises, must a believer spend his whole life on earth frustrated by ongoing defeats to indwelling sin? (7:2125) Is there no power provided to achieve victory? The answer to the first question is no and to the second, yes. In chapter 8, Paul described the ministry of the indwelling Holy Spirit of God who is the source of divine power for sanctification and the secret for spiritual victory in daily living. But first Paul reminded his readers that thereforesince deliverance is through Jesus Christ our Lord (7:25)no condemnation (katakrima, punishment) awaits those who are in Christ Jesus, as a result of their faith and identification with Him (cf. 6:13; John 5:24). John A. Witmer, Romans, in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 469. He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30

Performing vs. Transforming

Romans 7 A New Relationship (vv. 1-6) Law - Religion = have to - performance Christ - Relationship = want to- transformance A New Reality (vv. 7-12) The law requires perfection I am still not perfect A New Rivalry (vv. 13-25) Personal contradiction Internal conflict Eventual conclusion More to Consider A real Christian is an odd number, anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen; talks familiarly every day to Someone he cannot see; expects to go to heaven on the virtue of Another; empties himself in order to be full; admits he is wrong so he can be declared right; goes down in order to get up; is strongest when he is weakest; richest when he is poorest and happiest when he feels the worst. He dies so he can live; forsakes in order to have; gives away so he can keep; sees the invisible, hears the inaudible, and knows that which passeth knowledge. True spirituality manifests itself in certain dominant desires. First is the desire to be holy rather than happy. A man may be considered spiritual when he wants to see the honor of God advanced through his life even if it means that he himself must suffer temporary dishonor or loss. The spiritual man wants to carry his cross. Again, a Christian is spiritual when he sees everything from God's viewpoint. Another desire of the spiritual man is to die right rather than to live wrong. The desire to see others advance at his expense. The spiritual man habitually makes eternity-judgments instead of time-judgments. A.W Tozer I am not what I might be, I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I wish to be, I am not what I hope to be. But I thank God I am not what I once was, and I can say with the great apostle, "By the grace of God I am what I am. John Newton.

It Only Takes One

Romans 5:12-21 One Mans Gross Rebellion - Adam (vv. 12-14) Spread sin Spawned death One Mans Gift of Redemption - Jesus (vv. 15-17) Provided grace Purchased life One Choice for All People You (vv. 18-21) Judgment vs. justification Rebellion vs. righteousness Sin and death vs. grace and eternal life More to Consider Employing the concept of corporate solidarity, Paul explained that when Adam sinned all humanity was profoundly affected through that act of rebellion. There is a corresponding corporate solidarity in Christ. Whereas in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive (1 Co 15:22). Therefore, Paul said later that no condemnation comes to those in Christ Jesus (Rm 8:1, emphasis added). So while the damaging consequences of Adams sin, including an inherited tendency to sin, were passed on to all of Adams descendants, justification likewise passes on to all who receive Gods gift of righteousness secured through Christs death (vv. 1719). Note, however, that Paul did not teach universalism here. God forces His righteousness on no one; people must receive the offered gift through faith. Ted Cabal et al., The Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2007), 1688. When the author walks onto the stage, the play is over. God is going to invade, all right; but what is the good of saying you are on His side then, when you see the whole natural universe melting away like a dream and something else comes crashing in? This time it will be God without disguise; something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love or irresistible horror into every creature. It will be too late then to choose your side. That will not be the time for choosing; It will be the time when we discover which side we really have chosen, whether we realized it before or not. Now, today, this moment, is our chance to choose the right side.C.S. Lewis. Film maker Walt Disney was ruthless in cutting anything that got in the way of a story's pacing. Ward Kimball, one of the animators for Snow White, recalls working 240 days on a 4 1/2 minute sequence in which the dwarfs made soup for Snow White and almost destroyed the kitchen in the process. Disney thought it was funny, but he decided the scene stopped the flow of the picture, so out it went. When the film of our lives is shown, will it be as great as it might be? A lot will depend on the multitude of "good" things we need to eliminate to make way for the great things God wants to do through us. Kenneth Langley.

Fully Saved and Safe!

Romans 5:6-11 We Have Been Saved from Sins Penalty (vv. 6-7) Despite our weakness Regardless of our ungodliness We Are Saved from Sins Power (v. 8) The demonstration of Gods love for us The determination of Gods love for us The deliverance by Gods love for us We Shall be Saved from Sins Presence (vv. 9-11) Saved from Gods wrath Saved by Christs life Saved to rejoice More to Consider D.M. Stearns in Present Day Theology writes: "If you wish to know whether a man is a theologian, turn to his Greek Testament, and if it opens of its own accord to Romans 5, or you find the page warm and brown, you may safely set him down as a devotee of the sacred science.". S. Lewis Chafer A poor criminal stood before an Eastern monarch, trembling for his life. A moment later his head was to be severed from his body. He asked for a drink of water. They brought it, but his hand trembled so that he could not drink. The king cried to him, "Do not be so alarmed; your life is safe till you drink that water." In an instant the glass was shivered on the pavement and the water untasted, and looking boldly up to the king, the condemned man claimed the royal word. The monarch smiled bitterly, and said, "You have fairly won your life: I cannot break my word even to you. You are saved.". Selected Watchman Nee tells about a new convert who came in deep distress to see him. "No matter how much I pray, no matter how hard I try, I simply cannot seem to be faithful to my Lord. I think I'm losing my salvation." Nee said, "Do you see this dog here? He is my dog. He is house-trained; he never makes a mess; he is obedient; he is a pure delight to me. Out in the kitchen I have a son, a baby son. He makes a mess, he throws his food around, he fouls his clothes, he is a total mess. But who is going to inherit my kingdom? Not my dog; my son is my heir. You are Jesus Christ's heir because it is for you that He died." We are Christ's heirs, not through our perfection but by means of His grace. Watchman Nee. The story is told of a monastery in Portugal, perched high on a 3,000 foot cliff and accessible only by a terrifying ride in a swaying basket. The basket is pulled with a single rope by several strong men, perspiring under the strain of the fully loaded basket. One American tourist who visited the site got nervous halfway up the cliff when he noticed that the rope was old and frayed. Hoping to relive his fear he asked, "How often do you change the rope?" The monk in charge replied, "Whenever it breaks!". Daily Walk, March 30, 1992.

Faith's Unfolding Rewards

Romans 5:1-5 Through Faith, We Have Peace with God (v. 1) Justified by faith Reconciled through Christ Through Peace, We Have Access to God (v. 2) Standing in grace Rejoicing in hope Through Access, We Have Hope in God (vv. 3-4) Tribulation Perseverence Character Hope Through Hope, We Have Fullness from God (v. 5) Filled with the love of God our confidence Filled with the Spirit of God our comfort (John 16:5-11) More to Consider "God made us: invented us as a man invents an engine. A car is made to run on petrol, and it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other. That is why it is just no good asking God to make us happy in our own way . God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there." C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity Chippie the parakeet never saw it coming. One second he was peacefully perched in his cage. The next he was sucked in, washed up, and blown over. The problems began when Chippie's owner decided to clean Chippie's cage with a vacuum cleaner. She removed the attachment from the end of the hose and stuck it in the cage. The phone rang, and she turned to pick it up. She'd barely said "hello" when "ssssopp!" Chippie got sucked in. The bird owner gasped, put down the phone, turned off the vacuum, and opened the bag. There was Chippie -- still alive, but stunned. Since the bird was covered with dust and soot, she grabbed him and raced to the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and held Chippie under the running water. Then, realizing that Chippie was soaked and shivering, she did what any compassionate bird owner would do . . . she reached for the hair dryer and blasted the pet with hot air. Poor Chippie never knew what hit him. A few days after the trauma, the reporter who'd initially written about the event contacted Chippie's owner to see how the bird was recovering. "Well," she replied, "Chippie doesn't sing much anymore -- he just sits and stares." It's hard not to see why. Sucked in, washed up, and blown over . . . That's enough to steal the song from the stoutest heart. Max Lucado, In the Eye of the Storm, Word Publishing, 1991, p. 11.