Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: Our inheritance in Jesus Christ.

Note: I will be on vacation for two weeks. See you all when I get back!

 

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Romans 8:16-17,

 

"The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."

 

Co-heirs with Christ! Here is something Paul prayed for believers, "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:18-19. God's glorious inheritance in the saints! Can you imagine?!

 

We know of the great love the Father has for his Son, Jesus Christ. Once, John the Baptist made this observation about Jesus Christ, "The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands." John 3:35-36. We see this wonderful love that exists within the Trinity. God the Father has a unique and special love for his Son. Surely this great love of the Father for the Son is reflected in all the Father has given his Son. (On another note: in giving us the Son of his love to die a miserable death on a cross on our behalf is an unspeakable expression of his love for us!)

 

One time, in praying to the Father, Jesus said, "I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." John 17:20b-23. We see here again the intimacy and love between the Father and the Son.

 

This love of God for his only Son must be expressed in all the Father has given him. As our Lord Jesus Christ has made it his purpose and work to do all the Father has asked of him expresses his love for the Father. In musing on these things I have to think the inheritance that rightfully belongs to Jesus Christ has to beyond anything we mortals here on earth could think of!

 

And to think, we are heirs of God, co-heirs with Jesus Christ! All that Jesus Christ receives from the Father, we will partake of, we will share in with him! This startling expression of the riches of God's lavish love and grace on us outstrips anything we could possibly imagine wanting in this transient, lost and condemned world.

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: Fungible - big word, critically important concept!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Romans 8:3-4b,

 

"What the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us..."

 

I get teased sometimes for my vocabulary, but I can't help myself. I often find new words very interesting because of the content they represent. It's not a snobbery, nose-in-the-air kind of thing at all. I really have no interest in impressing people. I often find concepts and thoughts that are new to me fascinating. Consequently, I have a couple of web-based dictionary services send me their "Word of the Day" emails. Today's word from "Dictionary.com" is "fungible". The definition provided is, "1. Freely exchangeable for or replaceable by another of like nature or kind in the satisfaction of an obligation. 2. Interchangeable."

 

In God's order of things, personal responsibility is inescapable. If we sin, we pay the price. As the Lord himself tells us in Ezekiel 18:4b, "The soul who sins is the one who will die." Paul points out earlier in his letter to the Romans that the wages of sin is death, Romans 6:23, and that all have sinned, Romans 3:23. From these truths we may conclude that we are all destined for that fiery lake of burning sulfur we read about in Revelation 21:8.

 

However, we also learn in God's order of things that the payment for sins committed is "fungible." Where there is personal responsibility for sins, that God will hold each and every one of us accountable for all the things we have ever thought, said or done, that payment for sins is nonetheless fungible. Our payment for sin can be replaced by another's payment for sin. Certainly, he would have to have something to pay with. Another sinner can't make the payment for me because his eternal life will be the required payment for his own sin, leaving him nothing left to pay for my sin.

 

What this means is that there exists a prospect we can enter into an eternal life of blessing with God if that payment for sin can be made. The good news is Jesus Christ came and made that payment for our sins with his own life when he died that horrific and miserable death on the cross. His payment qualifies for me, for all mankind, as he never sinned himself. His resurrection from the dead proves God's acceptance of Jesus' payment for our sins. When here Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6. What is required from me to have his payment for my sins credited to my account with God is to put my faith and trust in him. "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9.

 

This is why the Scriptures tell us God sent his Son to be a sin offering. "God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood." Romans 3:25. "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." 1 John 4:10.

 

Payment for sins is fungible and our loving and merciful Savior made that payment for us! 

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: "You're gonna serve somebody!"

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Romans 8:5-8,

 

"Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God."

 

We fancy ourselves as being free... just to be ourselves. We are all unique and express ourselves in different ways. We all have different personalities, differing likes and dislikes, abilities and inabilities. We enjoy pursuing those things we find interesting and desirable, which may be unique just to us. We all have our own thoughts and perspectives on things and have our own wills we can exercise as we chose to do so.

 

However, from Paul's perspective, there is a sense in which we are not free, not in the least bit. We all have an inherent sinful nature and this nature has its own expression that is anything but unique. It drives a proclivity within us to find its expression it in all its ugliness. Our thoughts, words and actions expose its presence within us and its domination over us even as we may try to thwart its impulses. It is those very thoughts, words and actions that will bring us condemnation before the throne of God on judgment day.

 

Paul uses his own experience as a law-keeping Pharisee in Romans 7:14-23 to illustrate this. There he effectively demonstrates how this sinful nature dominated him and kept him from making the choices he wanted to make regarding the law God gave Moses. He found he was "sold as a slave to sin". He was incapable of doing what he wanted to do to please God and incapable of not doing what he did not want to do in order to please God. He concludes by saying, "So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members." Romans 7:21-23. A prisoner of the law of sin!

 

The truth is that although we make our own choices, those choices fall under control of an abiding sinful nature that dwells right within each person. As a result, "When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness." Romans 6:20. In Paul's despair he found Jesus Christ delivered him from the control of his sinful nature and the result: "now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life." Romans 6:22.

 

In short, while we have built within us a will that provides us the opportunity to make our own choices, those choices will always fall under the domination of either the sinful nature or God's Holy Spirit. As the old Bob Dylan song goes, "you're gonna serve somebody". We all do!

 

How wonderful our God has provided us the opportunity to move from under the domination and control of our sinful natures to serve him!

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: The remarkable and mystical presence of the Holy Spirit!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Romans 8:9,

 

"You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ."

 

Here is the remarkable and mystical reality for those of us who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith: the Spirit of God lives in us! All believers! Paul tells us here that "if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ." All who belong to Christ have the Holy Spirit living within them.

 

Not only does Paul point out that the Holy Spirit lives within believers, they are controlled by him. Paul makes this clear by saying that those who belong to Christ have the Holy Spirit living within them, and since he does, they are no longer controlled by the sinful nature but by the Spirit.

 

I recognize this does not mean that we no longer make choices or that we are no longer capable of sin. Paul's own encouragement to us in Romans 12:1-2, to offer our "bodies as living sacrifices" and "be transformed by the renewing of your mind" makes clear we have choices to make. Even with the controlling Holy Spirit living within us, Paul tells us, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21. From experience we believers know we are still capable of sin.

 

However, the Holy Spirit will have his way in our lives. What believer sins and does not feel the shame and contrition the Holy Spirit brings? How is it we find ourselves on our knees asking God for forgiveness, if the Holy Spirit is not at work within our lives? From where does that particular and overwhelming joy flow if not from the Holy Spirit that dwells within? Later in this chapter we read of the Holy Spirit leading us, Romans 8:14, manifesting we are God's own children and co-heirs with Jesus Christ! We read of the Holy Spirit helping us in our weakness when we pray, Romans 8:26-27, interceding for us.

 

As I say, the indwelling Holy Spirit is a remarkable and mystical thing!

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: God has predestined we become a new creation!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Romans 8:28-29,

 

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers."

 

Paul has made the point earlier in this letter that all people have a problem with sinfulness, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God", Romans 3:23. As such Paul observes, "When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness." Romans 6:20. Because of this, all who come to the Lord have need to become fit for the kingdom of heaven. In another letter Paul says that for all who come to Jesus Christ, God makes a "new creation" of them, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17. A part of this "new creation" that comes is what Paul points to in Romans 8:28-29.

 

God predestined, that is, he determined beforehand, that all who love him will be conformed to the very likeness of his own Son, Jesus Christ! When we come into the kingdom of God, God takes us as we are and begins to do a beautiful work in our lives. He reshapes us, taking from us those old sinful ways of bitterness, anger, immorality, etc. and begins to shape within us the beautiful disposition and character of Jesus.

 

Where once might have been found, "sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like." Galatians 5:19-21, now is found, "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" and the like. Galatians 5:22-23.

 

Paul tells us that the Lord uses difficulties we encounter in this life to bring about these wonderful changes. Things like "trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword", Romans 8:35. The very things that might be cause for discouragement, disappointment and despair now become the very tools that "God works for the good of those who love him". The end result is that in the resurrection Jesus Christ will be the firstborn "among many brothers"!

 

God works for the good of those who love him... even in the very difficulties we experience in this life! This tells me so much about the heart of the God we love and serve.

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: Jesus Christ rescues from the body of death.

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Romans 7:24-25,

 

"What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

 

Many recognize, and rightly so, Paul's letter to the Romans is a presentation of salvation by faith. Often Romans 1:16-17 is observed to be a concise expression of the theme of his letter, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'"

 

What sometimes gets overlooked is that Paul's presentation of salvation by faith is a polemic against salvation by doing works of the law. As Paul preached the gospel of Jesus Christ, his payment for the sins of mankind, and the invitation of eternal life by embracing him in faith, Paul had to deal with the prevailing conflict with the very nation Jesus Christ himself was from. His own people as a nation rejected Jesus Christ as her Savior. Rather than accepting the good news of salvation by faith, the Jews maintained their steadfast commitment to keep the law to find their righteous standing with God. It is against this backdrop that Paul's reasoning is developed throughout the letter to the Romans.

 

The Jews lived by the law of Moses and even codified it in an array of oral traditions that would insure compliance with it. In historical background studies of the early church, the Roman Empire and Israel, it is often observed that the Jews throughout the Diaspora were looked to as that ethnic group in any given locality that maintained the highest ethical and religious standards. As a nation of monotheistic worshippers committed to their adherence to the law given them by God in every facet of life, their expression of morality, ethical conduct and worship set them apart from all others.

 

Salvation by faith would mean abandoning what set the Jews apart from others, abandoning what had become the very fabric of the life and culture of the nation - a perceived higher moral ground the Jews maintained for themselves. Paul cut the ground right from underneath this perception by addressing the Jew's weakness. Although they subscribed to high moral standards in keeping the law, they were just as sinful as anyone else. Paul tells them, "You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things." Romans 2:1. He brings home this indictment very forcefully from verse 17 to the end of chapter two.

 

Paul points to the problem of sin. Where the Jews may have thought they held a higher moral standing than the surrounding peoples, they were sinful themselves. All mankind has an innate sinful nature with a proclivity for sinfulness. He used his own experience to make his case in this letter. He points out he is an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin, Romans 11:1. Yet he struggled with sin. In Romans 7:14-23 he outlines his struggle as someone who delighted in the law of God. As he summarizes the reality of his condition he finds himself to be "unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin... I have the desire to do what is good but cannot carry it out." Romans 7:14-18.

 

And so Paul raises the cry of despair in frustration and futility, "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" He finds the answer in the next verse, "Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

 

I may think I am a pretty good person. I may think I ought to be regarded as not-so-bad in the courtroom of God when judgement day comes. But the sad reality is that my lot is the same as Paul's. As someone mastered by sin, the only relief and victory over that enslavement is found in Jesus Christ. He brings freedom! He brings release from the bonds of sin! He brings me a right standing before God so that on judgment day I will not be condemned. All he asks of me is to trust in him!

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: The tragedy of rejecting Jesus Christ.

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Romans 11:2b-5,

 

"Don't you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: 'Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me'? And what was God's answer to him? 'I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.' So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace."

 

One of the challenges Paul faced as he took the gospel to the Gentiles was the authenticity and veracity of the gospel message being questioned due to Israel's rejection of Jesus Christ as a nation. After all, if those of whom Paul acknowledged, "Theirs is the adoption [by God] as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised!" (Romans 9:4-5) rejected Jesus Christ, doesn't that bring into question Paul's proclamation that Jesus Christ is God's Son, the Savior?

 

As part of his argument, Paul shows that historically Israel had been on the wrong side of things in the past. His point is that it is not surprising the nation of Israel would reject God's Son he had sent, as the nation had a history of rejecting those God had sent, just as in Elijah's day. Don't place any stock in Israel's rejection of Jesus Christ as a cause to question Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Given Israel's history, it might even be expected.

 

The sad reality in Paul's point is the truth that so many reject the only means to eternal life beyond the doorway of death. When here Jesus Christ said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

 

Once in his ministry Jesus was asked, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?" His response was frightening, "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.' But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.' Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.' But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evil doers!' There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out." Luke 13:23-28. Tragically and horrifically, many will not enter into eternal life!

 

Jesus said, "make every effort" to enter into that narrow door. How difficult an effort is required? We are told that God offers his salvation freely, as a gift to anyone who will take it. The only effort the Lord asks is that we embrace him in trust and faith. "It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9. Most people, as in Paul's day with the nation of Israel, refuse to do so. "For many are invited, but few are chosen." Matthew 22:14. God has chosen only those who will embrace him in faith.

 

Salvation is simply by faith. "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9. Don't believe anyone who says you have to be good enough to earn it. Don't believe anyone who says salvation is by appointment. Don't believe anyone who says they are the custodians of God's grace, so you have to come to them. Just believe in Jesus Christ! He is the way, the truth and the life!

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: No condemnation!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Romans 8:1-4,

 

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.  And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit."

 

In Jude's beautiful doxology he declares, "To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy..." Jude 24. Just what is the source of that "great joy"? It is the very thing Paul tells us in Romans 8:1-4. "There is therefore now no condemnation..." Christ Jesus has set us free from the condemnation brought us by the law of sin and death. It will be in this state we will stand before God in the resurrection!

 

Paul tells us that it is through Jesus Christ that we can find freedom from what has beguiled mankind for ages. There is simply something wrong with us! We know it intuitively. We all struggle with a sinful nature that permeates our very being. "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" Jeremiah 17:9.

 

In this wonderful passage that portrays all three members of the Trinity working together on our behalf, we see God the Father has sent his Son to be a sin offering for us! This means all the sinfulness of our lives has been paid for in God's courtroom by Jesus Christ. Now we have been freed from sin and live according to God's Holy Spirit! There is no longer any indictment that stands against us. No condemnation! We can look forward to coming into God's presence free from guilt - undefiled!

 

Just how can it possibly get any better than this?! This truly is "good news"!!

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: God's election-- salvation will be by faith!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Romans 9:10-13,

 

"Rebekah's children had one and the same father, our father Isaac. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God's purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls—she was told, 'The older will serve the younger.' Just as it is written: 'Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.'"

 

In this passage Paul points to God's sovereign will in the choices he makes. The NIV uses the term "election" here, something we use very little outside of our political process when we vote. The term means "choice". God has a purpose when he makes his choices and it matters not what we think, do or say about them as it is his purposes that will stand. Paul uses God's announcement to Rebekah about a decision he had made regarding her yet to be born twins as an example of this reality. God had already chosen something about her sons before they were born resulting in the natural order of things being reversed for them: the older would serve the younger.

 

Note that Paul makes reference to the fact that God's decision had been made before either of the twins had ever done anything, whether good or bad. It will not make any difference what they might do as it is God's decision, his choice or his "election" that will stand.

 

I suspect very few actually read Paul's letter to the Romans of those who love to quote from it. It may surprise many to learn that Paul's point here has nothing to do with God selecting certain individuals for salvation while rejecting others. In this part of Paul's letter he is demonstrating to his readers that salvation can only be had through faith and trust. Attempts at keeping the law will not do. God has decided only those who embrace him in faith will be saved. It doesn't matter what we may think or do, hence Paul's example of Jacob and Esau.

 

While the Jews may protest, that their efforts at law-keeping ought to bring them God's acceptance, Paul quotes Exodus 33:19 with God saying, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." Romans 9:15. Paul concludes this thought in Romans 9:30-32, "What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the 'stumbling stone.'"

 

God has chosen that only those who embrace him in faith will be saved. Being a do-gooder will not get me there. This is God's election.

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: Globalism from God's perspective.

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Romans 10:19b-21,

 

"First, Moses says, 'I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.' And Isaiah boldly says, 'I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.' But concerning Israel he says, 'All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.'"

 

In chapters 9-11 of Paul's letter to the Romans, God's activity with the nation of Israel and how that effects his involvement with other nations occupies Paul's thoughts. Paul is dealing with the considerable difficulty of explaining to others why it is his gospel message is true and authentic since Israel as a nation had rejected Jesus Christ.

 

In Romans 11:1 Paul is careful to point out that not all Jews had rejected Jesus Christ, as he himself was a Jew of high pedigree: a Pharisee from the tribe of Benjamin. Elsewhere he speaks of being tutored by none other than the great rabbi Gamaliel, Acts 22:3. There he says he was thoroughly trained in the law and in Philippians 3:5 he calls himself a "Hebrew of Hebrews". He was just as zealous for God as any of the Jews of his day. Not just Paul, but the entire early church had been comprised of Jews who had placed their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. The disciples and apostles of Jesus Christ, as well as all of the earliest believers, the folks at the birth of the church on Pentecost in Acts 2, were all Jews.

 

Nevertheless, the nation of Israel as a whole had rejected Jesus Christ as her Savior. This presented Paul with a challenge as he took the gospel message to the various Gentile nations that made up the Roman Empire. Why should the Gentiles embrace Jesus Christ when the mother-ship, Israel, the nation to whom Jesus Christ was born and the primary focus of his ministry while here on earth, rejected him? It is in this milieu that Paul talks of the activity of God among the nations.

 

In Genesis 11:1-9 we read of the post-diluvian people who had come together to build an edifice to establish themselves as a global community. God's comments on this are captured for us in this passage. He expresses his concern that mankind had begun this effort, Genesis 11:6 and so he scattered the people of the earth by confusing their language. We read, "From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth." Genesis 11:9. In Acts 17:26-27, Paul explains why the Lord had done this, "From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us."

 

God is the one who has determined the times and places that peoples live. Paul tells us it is God's purpose, his intent that within the framework of the nations and empires of history he has created, he will draw mankind to himself. Not through peaceful coexistence as some imagine God's purposes, but through the furnace of fear and desperation that can open a hard heart to reach out to him for help and refuge. Paul explains in Romans 8:20-21, "the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God."

 

Some have misquoted the company of the "heavenly host" at Christmas time as saying "Peace on earth" with the arrival of Jesus Christ's birth, Luke 2:14. The point being that Jesus came so that mankind would get along with one another if we would all just follow his teachings. Surely, that was why Jesus Christ came, right? What was actually said by that heavenly host was, "... on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." This is not peace among peoples, but peace between God and those to whom God's favor rests-- those of faith. In Matthew 10:34, Jesus said, "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." And, in Luke 12:49-51, "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! ... Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division." It is not God's intent the nations of the earth live in peace and harmony with one another. It is the very conflict among the nations of the earth that God uses to draw men to himself as they seek deliverance and refuge from a fearful world.

 

Here in this passage of Romans 10 we see God in his workplace. In verses 19-21 we read among the nations he fosters anger and envy with the purpose of drawing men to himself. This is not the message most bring into their reading of the Bible. However, if we let the Scriptures speak for themselves, we find God busy at work, using the most amazing things to draw us all to himself. "God our Savior... wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:3-4.

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: The message of faith!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Romans 10:8-10,

 

"What does it [the righteousness that is by faith] say? 'The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,' that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."

 

Paul contrasts two messages in this passage. The first concerns a righteousness, a "right-standing" with God that some pursue by living exemplary lives in keeping God's law. These are the ones who demonstrate their worthiness to God, that they merit salvation, life eternal with him in the resurrection.The other message, the one that Paul championed is a righteousness or "right-standing" with God that comes from simply putting our faith and trust in him.

 

The problem with the first approach to righteousness is that the man who attempts to establish his credentials with God must live by the law. Therein lays the problem. For all who are honest enough, it must be admitted this is impossible.

 

One of the points Jesus made in his sermon on the mount was that the law constrains in a way that is impossible to conform to, given our sinful natures. He says, "You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Matthew 5:27-28. He also said, "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment." Matthew 5:21-22. Who will ever be able to stand before God as sinless based on the law? This is Paul's point. To emphasize it even further Jesus said the law was not going anywhere. It is what it is - rigid and unchanging. No bending of the rules here. "I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished." Matthew 5:18.

 

To make matters worse for those who would attempt to earn their way into heaven by keeping the law Jesus said, "Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:19-20. I suspect the world has never seen more impeccable law-keepers than Pharisees. A good read on the history and background on these Jews will be evidence enough, and yet Jesus said that the pursuit of righteousness through law-keeping would have to surpass that of the Pharisees or a person would never make it into heaven. An impossible task! We all will arrive at eternity's door with a list of indictments- we have all broken the laws of God.

 

The second message is "the word of faith". Of this message Paul says, "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." Here is good news! Earlier in this letter Paul spoke of what Abraham's life has to say about this, "He [Abraham] did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why 'it was credited to him as righteousness.' The words 'it was credited to him' were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead." Romans 4:20-24.

 

There are a lot of religions, a lot of denominations, a lot of churches, theologies and doctrines that teach there must be other things in addition to faith for one to have a right-standing before God, to have a future for all eternity with God in the resurrection. As for Paul, it is by faith alone that brings us a right-standing with God. The kind of faith that Abraham had. Salvation has always been by faith, from Genesis to Revelation.

 

I don't know about you, but this is great news! There is no way I could possibly make it on my own ability to conform my life. I just can't do it. But I can place my faith and trust in Jesus Christ!

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com