Tuesday, March 31, 2009
James 2 - 2nd half
The second half of James 2 reads so similar to what we have been reading in Romans. James was written earlier and has more of a basic idea. Galatians also is an early book and goes a little deeper. Then Romans jumps all in. This kind of proves how difficult it was for early converts to understand what all encompassed "faith".
Monday, March 30, 2009
Romans 5 - NIV
1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Wouldn’t you say that the peace we get is due to the fact that we are no longer enemies to God? We were previously nowhere near just. Now that relationship is friendly.
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
I think it is crazy to think that Jesus went all in when there was no sign of us getting better. It’s like buying into the stock market at the very bottom. Sure you are smart after the market goes up but you are so risky at that time. Jesus saw promise in us when we didn’t even give him the inkling that we would become better. He took a big chance on us.
10 For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Reconciliation is a big deal. Think of how many family members won’t talk to each other anymore due to disagreements or mistreatments. For them to reconcile would seem like a miracle at times. Well, God used Jesus’ sacrifice to reconcile what never before could be brought together, God and sinful man.
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned—
Do you think “death” here is also meaning spiritual death which is “separation from God”?
13 for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.
Do y’all agree that this is reflecting back to Romans 2?
16 Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. 18 Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
“The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation” & “Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men” – I think some people use this to prove Original Sin. I disagree. Adam’s sin did not condemn someone who had not sinned yet. If so, babies would be sinful. Adam’s sin opened the door for sin to REIGN. With sin being in existence, each man then chose to fall prey to temptation and sin. The nature of man is to satisfy his desires. These desires play into temptation and therefore each man decides to continue the influence of sin. I have to “do something” in order for sin to condemn me.
“The judgment followed one sin” vs ” but the gift followed many trespasses” – The one initial sin was powerful because it began a cycle that would permeate mankind to condemn them. Jesus’ sacrifice was so powerful that it trumped countless of those same condemning sins to provide justification.
18 Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
We all know that Jesus saved the world through his sacrifice even though in reality many of the world will not be saved. Why? Because in the same manner that sin leaves the door open for death to reign, Jesus’ sacrifice leaves the door open for life to reign. How does death reign? By me choosing to sin and acting on it. How does life reign? By me choosing Christ and acting on it (Steps of Salvation & Christian living). Sin & Jesus each created a destiny for me; I had to choose which I would align with.
20 The law was added so that the trespass might increase.
If you have no law, you have no trespasses. The law was added so man could clearly see they were evil. The law identified evil.
But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
I think this just states that grace trumps sin of any amount. Grace can always one-up sin. Not that we should test the effectiveness of grace but that we realize that even if we are the worst sinners that ever stepped on Earth, God’s grace reaches us!
Wouldn’t you say that the peace we get is due to the fact that we are no longer enemies to God? We were previously nowhere near just. Now that relationship is friendly.
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
I think it is crazy to think that Jesus went all in when there was no sign of us getting better. It’s like buying into the stock market at the very bottom. Sure you are smart after the market goes up but you are so risky at that time. Jesus saw promise in us when we didn’t even give him the inkling that we would become better. He took a big chance on us.
10 For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Reconciliation is a big deal. Think of how many family members won’t talk to each other anymore due to disagreements or mistreatments. For them to reconcile would seem like a miracle at times. Well, God used Jesus’ sacrifice to reconcile what never before could be brought together, God and sinful man.
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned—
Do you think “death” here is also meaning spiritual death which is “separation from God”?
13 for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.
Do y’all agree that this is reflecting back to Romans 2?
16 Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. 18 Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
“The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation” & “Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men” – I think some people use this to prove Original Sin. I disagree. Adam’s sin did not condemn someone who had not sinned yet. If so, babies would be sinful. Adam’s sin opened the door for sin to REIGN. With sin being in existence, each man then chose to fall prey to temptation and sin. The nature of man is to satisfy his desires. These desires play into temptation and therefore each man decides to continue the influence of sin. I have to “do something” in order for sin to condemn me.
“The judgment followed one sin” vs ” but the gift followed many trespasses” – The one initial sin was powerful because it began a cycle that would permeate mankind to condemn them. Jesus’ sacrifice was so powerful that it trumped countless of those same condemning sins to provide justification.
18 Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
We all know that Jesus saved the world through his sacrifice even though in reality many of the world will not be saved. Why? Because in the same manner that sin leaves the door open for death to reign, Jesus’ sacrifice leaves the door open for life to reign. How does death reign? By me choosing to sin and acting on it. How does life reign? By me choosing Christ and acting on it (Steps of Salvation & Christian living). Sin & Jesus each created a destiny for me; I had to choose which I would align with.
20 The law was added so that the trespass might increase.
If you have no law, you have no trespasses. The law was added so man could clearly see they were evil. The law identified evil.
But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
I think this just states that grace trumps sin of any amount. Grace can always one-up sin. Not that we should test the effectiveness of grace but that we realize that even if we are the worst sinners that ever stepped on Earth, God’s grace reaches us!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Romans 5:14 "type"?
So this verse really was hard for me to understand because it said "Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come." So the Him give it away that it is comparing Adam to Jesus but I was thinking "why would Paul say Adam was similar to Jesus or that Jesus was the next generation of Adam." I didn't get it until I went to my old trusty friend "webster". He says type is:
1 a: a person or thing (as in the Old Testament) believed to foreshadow another (as in the New Testament) b: one having qualities of a higher category : model c: a lower taxonomic category selected as a standard of reference for a higher category ; also : a specimen or series of specimens on which a taxonomic species or subspecies is actually based
It blew my mind that it was talking about the Bible in the first definition, pretty cool. Then it clarifies to me that Paul is not saying Adam & Christ are alike. Paul is saying that Christ is the "higher category". Now I understand why some versions say Adam was the "first man" and Christ was the "second man" in 1 Corinthians 15:45. Adam was the first generation. Through his succombing to temptation he set a presidence for all mankind to succomb to temptations. Christ is the second generation and also the last. Through his abstenance from temptation, he set a presidence for all mankind to elevate themselves through Him above all temptations.
1 a: a person or thing (as in the Old Testament) believed to foreshadow another (as in the New Testament) b: one having qualities of a higher category : model c: a lower taxonomic category selected as a standard of reference for a higher category ; also : a specimen or series of specimens on which a taxonomic species or subspecies is actually based
It blew my mind that it was talking about the Bible in the first definition, pretty cool. Then it clarifies to me that Paul is not saying Adam & Christ are alike. Paul is saying that Christ is the "higher category". Now I understand why some versions say Adam was the "first man" and Christ was the "second man" in 1 Corinthians 15:45. Adam was the first generation. Through his succombing to temptation he set a presidence for all mankind to succomb to temptations. Christ is the second generation and also the last. Through his abstenance from temptation, he set a presidence for all mankind to elevate themselves through Him above all temptations.
A little off the topic...
So in our bible class last night we came across an interesting discussion… or at least I thought the response was interesting.
We are studying the pastoral letters to Timothy and Titus and we are in 1 Timothy 2:8 where it says: “I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.” The instruction seems rather simple and we headed off on this path of people singing and praying… with their hands in the air. At first it was at face value, but then the conversation went to more opinion and feel that it was not ok to do this because it is for show. Of all of the passages that we have gray matter on, this seems pretty black and white. I didn’t have a problem until I received the answer to this question: “The passage is pretty direct here, so what problem do we have with raising hands?” The reply for the most part: “It makes me uncomfortable.” I followed with another question: “What about it makes you so uncomfortable?” The reply: “ We don’t know if it is sincere.”
Issue 1: Is the passage literal?
We found a reference back to an old testament passage in Psalm 24:2 and James 4:8 discussing clean hands as being associated with the heart.
Issue 2: Are we really more uncomfortable about raising hands in song and prayer than the sinner who does not know salvation.
We work with people daily that don’t know God and we seem pretty comfortable with that. Really… are we splitting hairs here? Focused on the right things?
Issue 3: Doesn’t this take a judgment call?
To determine if someone is sincere, we would need to know their heart which really, only God knows unless we really are close in relationship to the person lifting hands. Key work above being judge. I have plenty to be concerned with rather than judging someone’s intent of lifting their hands toward the ceiling.
My reasoning: purely tradition. Every church family I have been associated with before college never made a point to practice song or prayer in this manner, so I never learned it as a function.
We are studying the pastoral letters to Timothy and Titus and we are in 1 Timothy 2:8 where it says: “I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.” The instruction seems rather simple and we headed off on this path of people singing and praying… with their hands in the air. At first it was at face value, but then the conversation went to more opinion and feel that it was not ok to do this because it is for show. Of all of the passages that we have gray matter on, this seems pretty black and white. I didn’t have a problem until I received the answer to this question: “The passage is pretty direct here, so what problem do we have with raising hands?” The reply for the most part: “It makes me uncomfortable.” I followed with another question: “What about it makes you so uncomfortable?” The reply: “ We don’t know if it is sincere.”
Issue 1: Is the passage literal?
We found a reference back to an old testament passage in Psalm 24:2 and James 4:8 discussing clean hands as being associated with the heart.
Issue 2: Are we really more uncomfortable about raising hands in song and prayer than the sinner who does not know salvation.
We work with people daily that don’t know God and we seem pretty comfortable with that. Really… are we splitting hairs here? Focused on the right things?
Issue 3: Doesn’t this take a judgment call?
To determine if someone is sincere, we would need to know their heart which really, only God knows unless we really are close in relationship to the person lifting hands. Key work above being judge. I have plenty to be concerned with rather than judging someone’s intent of lifting their hands toward the ceiling.
My reasoning: purely tradition. Every church family I have been associated with before college never made a point to practice song or prayer in this manner, so I never learned it as a function.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Question
Romans 4:3 What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."
When it says Abraham believed God, in what sense is the word “believed” used? What all went into Abraham "believing." How do we know he believed?
When it says Abraham believed God, in what sense is the word “believed” used? What all went into Abraham "believing." How do we know he believed?
Monday, March 9, 2009
Romans Chapter 4 NIV - my take
4 Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. 5 However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.
We are saved by works so then it is God’s obligation to give us what is ours, Heaven. Does that seem right? If we can earn Heaven, then why are we called redeemed or saved? If we earn it, no one saved us, we saved ourselves. If we earned it, there is no “gift” involved; there is no “grace” involved.
6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 "Blessed are they
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man
whose sin the Lord will never count against him."
What did you do to get your sins forgiven? What part of the forgiveness process were you responsible for producing? None. You may think that immersion is a work but even before you committed to God through immersion, all things had been made ready for “anyone that would submit to Jesus’ allegiance or leadership”. He had done all the prep work, all the cooking, all the setting, and you just had to partake. Immersion is not an active process performed BY you. You “allow” yourself to be immersed as part of the process Jesus mandates for forgiveness. Immersion is a passive process performed UPON you. You are yielding to Him. Physically were are submerged by someone else and do not submerge ourselves.
10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.
Receiving righteousness before circumcision was a sign to the Jews that exclusivity to salvation would not exist. It was also a sign that the Jewish law would not be the ultimate source of God’s desires; the source would be Jesus and the words left for us by his appointed followers.
12 And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
“Walk in the footsteps of the faith” – Having faith is not just believing in something. It is believing in something that motivates you to act a certain way that adheres to the belief/idea.
13 It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless,
If you were a Jew that lived by the law, you would think salvation would be a right, just as an heir has rights to his father’s possessions. If so, then God’s promise is not really a promise or gift, it’s an obligation.
16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring
Our “walking in the footsteps of the faith” has been blessed by God to give us something we did not deserve. As long as our faith is one that is “walking”, the promise (which is conditional on us finding & keeping faith) is guaranteed to be applicable to us.
25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
Our sins brought forth the need for Jesus’ death. Our faith in the resurrection of the true Messiah & Christ brings forth our gift of justification before God. A divine plan the devil would have never expected.
We are saved by works so then it is God’s obligation to give us what is ours, Heaven. Does that seem right? If we can earn Heaven, then why are we called redeemed or saved? If we earn it, no one saved us, we saved ourselves. If we earned it, there is no “gift” involved; there is no “grace” involved.
6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 "Blessed are they
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man
whose sin the Lord will never count against him."
What did you do to get your sins forgiven? What part of the forgiveness process were you responsible for producing? None. You may think that immersion is a work but even before you committed to God through immersion, all things had been made ready for “anyone that would submit to Jesus’ allegiance or leadership”. He had done all the prep work, all the cooking, all the setting, and you just had to partake. Immersion is not an active process performed BY you. You “allow” yourself to be immersed as part of the process Jesus mandates for forgiveness. Immersion is a passive process performed UPON you. You are yielding to Him. Physically were are submerged by someone else and do not submerge ourselves.
10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.
Receiving righteousness before circumcision was a sign to the Jews that exclusivity to salvation would not exist. It was also a sign that the Jewish law would not be the ultimate source of God’s desires; the source would be Jesus and the words left for us by his appointed followers.
12 And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
“Walk in the footsteps of the faith” – Having faith is not just believing in something. It is believing in something that motivates you to act a certain way that adheres to the belief/idea.
13 It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless,
If you were a Jew that lived by the law, you would think salvation would be a right, just as an heir has rights to his father’s possessions. If so, then God’s promise is not really a promise or gift, it’s an obligation.
16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring
Our “walking in the footsteps of the faith” has been blessed by God to give us something we did not deserve. As long as our faith is one that is “walking”, the promise (which is conditional on us finding & keeping faith) is guaranteed to be applicable to us.
25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
Our sins brought forth the need for Jesus’ death. Our faith in the resurrection of the true Messiah & Christ brings forth our gift of justification before God. A divine plan the devil would have never expected.
Chapter 4...5 By End of the Week
Okay, Romans is starting to come together for me. This whole book so far (I think, correct me if I'm wrong) seems like Paul is telling the Jews, "You aren't the only ones who've got a shot at Heaven". They've thought this whole time they were the heirs because of their circumcision and following the Law, and that was what was due them (Romans 4:4-5). But Paul says that Abraham was counted righteous when he wasn't circumcised because he had faith, and that the circumcision as a seal of the righteousness of his faith. Kinda like "I will show you my faith by my works". So, even if we do a ton of good deeds, tons of works-like many of the Jews were doing-works of the Law-if we don't have faith it doesn't matter. Let me know what you think and if I'm missing out on something. I would like for us to get through chapters 4 and 5 by the end of this week!
Rebellion
Or laziness, whatever you want to call it. I have rebelled against everything I'm supposed to be doing this past week...eating healthy, working out, reading my bible, blogging about it, cleaning and cooking...EVERYTHING! This week will be bette. I've read chapter 4 and will blog about it today. It's all starting to come together for me.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
March 1 through March 7 - Days read
I read 5 of 7 days this week. Don't give me the half day nonsense. Falling asleep after reading a few sentences is not enough substance. Where's the beef!
Thursday, March 5, 2009
3.2 days read on average last week
Don't really have to say much here. Considering we probably read on Sundays & Wednesdays by default, that means we dedicated time to read for only 1.2 days of 5 available days. I've already missed 2 days this week. Let's hang in there.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Romans 3
Okay, it's time to get rolling. Here's my take on parts of chapter 3...
V. 1-4: When I first read this, I thought of people who are raised in the Church. When he says "Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?
2Great in every respect. First of all, that A)" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">(A)they were entrusted with the B)" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">(B)oracles of God." it reminded me of people raised in the Church are taught God's word and that way of life from their birth, and for the most part it is just how things are for them. People who aren't raised in the Church often don't have this background.
3What then? If C)" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">(C)some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?
4D)" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">(D)May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found E)" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">(E)a liar, as it is written,
"F)" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">(F)THAT YOU MAY BE JUSTIFIED IN YOUR WORDS,
AND PREVAIL WHEN YOU ARE JUDGED."
Loved verses 3-4. Even if we aren't faithful in God, or have no faith in Him, He is still faithful. Amazing.
V. 5-20: Everyone is sinful, whether you go to church, are a Christian, non-Christian, whatever. And we should remember that and not judge others who are of a different religion as being "more sinful". We are all sinful.
V. 21-31: God is everyone's God. There is one God, and he is there for everyone in the world. Jesus was given to die for everyone in the world and save us all. We must have faith, not just works. Paul has been talking (I think) in the previous chapters and this one about how Jews can follow the law and do all the work, but have no faith. We must have faith, it must start in our hearts, and our works should show what is in our hearts.
It is amazing that God is there for us all, even for those who don't believe. I don't think (based on what I've read) he ever writes anyone off...and neither should we.
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