Category: Romans

A long way to go…

Romans 5:6-8 (NLT)

6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

A simple thought.  It’s would be easy (ok… maybe not easy, but easier) to sacrifice myself for someone we deem or see as significant… a pastor, a family member, a friend.  It would even be mentally justifiable to sacrifice myself for a “regular” person.  But as I read this passage, the Lord gave me a vision of sacrificing myself for what we call the “scum” of society.  Would I sacrifice myself and forever impact the future of my family, for a child molester?  for a doctor who performs abortions? for a genecidal maniac like Saddam Huessien or Osama Bin Laden?

If I’m honest with myself, and honest with God, I could not do it.  Even if God himself stood in front of me and in an audible voice commanded me to… I’m not sure I could do it.

But He needs me to be in that kind of place spiritually.  He needs me to be that broken, obedient and loving.  That’s exactly the place Jesus was at.  That’s exactly the place he was when he crawled onto the cross.  That’s exactly the place Stephen was as they were hurling stones at him.

I am not there.

I have a very long way to go…

Eternal Life

OK.  I’m still not very far in Romans, but in Romans 2:6-7 I was looking up all the meanings of the various words and for kicks I happened to look up “eternal.”

I’ve been a Christian a long time and thought I knew the word… Eternal Life and all, but its entirely possible that I’ve been missing something.  Read carefully the definition in Strongs for the word translated as “eternal.”  The word is aionios.

1 without beginning and end, that which always has been and always will be. 2 without beginning. 3 without end, never to cease, everlasting.

Did you catch something new?  “Without beginning,” really hit me between the eyes.  Is it possible (prepare for a synapse or two to be overloaded here) that when we step into eternal life, we will will be “without beginning?”  Just typing this out blows my mind, but this word is used 70 or so times in the New Testament and clearly refer to our eternal state.  My finite mind can’t wrap its arms around that infinite thought because I was born on a fall day in 1966.

It’s possible that I’m way out in left field on this one.  However, Father has shown me today what He needs me to see and that it is a very applicable lesson.  How does that apply to me today?

I cannot possibly understand the ways of God. In one sense, it scares me to not be able to think my way through this.  In another, it’s very reassuring to know that my God is so much bigger than I am and I can trust Him, even if I can’t wrap my head around Him.

Don’t stop seeking. Verse 7 in the ESV uses the word “seek” which means to “to seek [in order to find out] by thinking, meditating, reasoning, to inquire into.”  We are to seek out those things – think on, meditate, reason, inquire – that bring glory, honor and immortality (those things that are pure and incorruptible) by patiently doing, but God himself will give us eternal life – that which we will never be able to reason out.

Father,  Thank you that you are bigger than my mind.  I praise the fact that I cannot understand you; I cannot figure you out; that you are SO much bigger than I could ever imagine.  Help me walk today in that security and faith to do things bigger than myself in your name today.  Bless your name.  Amen.

A Kind Father

Romans 2:4

It didn’t take long for Dad to hit me between the eyes today (metaphorically speaking of course – especially since this blog is about the kindness of God!)

Romans 2:4 (ESV) Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

Lots of words in this verse.  I had to look up “forbearance” and it means “a refraining from the enforcement of something (as a debt, right, or obligation) that is due.“

The NIV translates “presume” as “show contempt” while NKJV translates it as “despise.”  When I abuse his kindness, I basically spit in his face.

All of that to say this… while God has every right to punish, reprimand, destroy and wipe me from the face of the earth – because I deserve it – He chooses to use kindness, leniency, patience, mercy and grace to get me to repent – which in simplest terms means to change my mind.  For that, I am so grateful and thankful.

The application for me is: How do I mirror that, represent that, to my earthly children?  When they read this passage as an adult, will they have a hard time visualizing, understanding, or accepting the truth of it because of my actions as their father?  Will my parenting today, make it easier or more difficult for them to see Papa as their Heavenly Father?

Do I model grace to my children?  Do I show mercy to my children?  A more difficult question is will I impede their ability to accept Papa’s love, grace, and mercy as they mature in the Lord?  A sobering thought.

Selflessness… use it or lose it…

Romans 1:21

“…futile in their thinking…” is a really nice way to translate this.  I looked up the word translated into “futile” and it actually means “vain.”  So, in essence, what 1:21 is saying is humanity took its focus off God and put it on itself.  It began looking at itself.  I see that every day in my own life, in the lives of my kids, in the grocery store parking lot, at football games, wherever.  We are a selfish and self-centered people by nature.  Our selfishness leads down a road we don’t want to go down.  Verses 21-27 describe how this self-centered, me-centric view led to all kinds of depravity that must have just broken God’s heart and sickened him.

Romans 1:24-25

Romans 1:28-32

Verse 28 uses “… a debased mind…” That is another nice way to put it.  The word means “reprobate” which, according to Webesters, means “to foreordain to damnation; morally corrupt,” and then a laundry list of man’s depravity follows in the next verses.

The point for me this morning is that it is easy to take my eyes off Him, even if only for a second.  One minute leads to two minutes leads to 4 minutes, etc.  The self-centered road is a slippery one that is easy to walk down.  Think about it, we don’t have to teach our children to be selfish.  It starts early and comes naturally.  One of the first words any toddler learns is “MINE!”  Selflessness – the way Christ lived – is something that has to be learned. It is an on-going lesson that must be used and practiced daily or it goes away – like a foreign language – use it or lose it.

Dad, I need you today.  Fix my eyes on you in all that I do.  Don’t let my heart wander down the road that starts with Me.  My only hope is to have spiritual blinders, as a thoroughbred in a race, to keep me looking only in the direction I am to run.  Thank you for your amazing grace and mercy on me, on all of us.  Thank you for your love.  Help me be aware for opportunities to be selfless today.  Amen.

Growth by Community

I’m starting a journey through Romans today.

Romans 1:11-12

For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established— 12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

In this passage, Paul says that (in the NKJV translation) that he wants to “… impart to you some spiritual gift…”  I’ve struggled with this passage before.  This got me wondering: 1. Can an individual impart a spiritual gift (1 Cor 12:11)?, and 2. If so, how does one do that?  As I began to research this verse I came across a really interesting bit from A Survey of Bible doctrine by Charles Ryrie:

“Too, we can develop our gifts by benefiting from the ministry of others (see Ro 1:11 where Paul is not saying that he could bestow gifts but that he could through his ministry impart the benefit of his spiritual gifts to others). This should be a never ending cycle—gifted people ministering to others who are thereby built up and who in turn minister to others who are then built up to minister to others, etc. This is the way the body of Christ grows quantitatively and qualitatively.”

Ryries’s take on the word “impart,” really helped me personally.  And his last sentance got me focused on verse 12 where Paul talks about the importance of community.

“…that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.”

Now this, I get.  This is the very reason I’m engaged in daily accountability with a group of faithful men…. that we can be encouraged together by our mutual faith.  This is why Prov 27:17 says “As iron sharpens iron, so one man shapens another.“

So what’s the take away today?   I cannot do this life by myself.  I need community. One of the great lies of the enemy is that somehow, manhood is defined by being the Lone Ranger, or John Wayne, the “strong, silent type.”  No. No! NO!  That is not what God intended.  That’s why God created Eve, because it was not good for Adam to be alone…

Thank you Lord for my community… for those You’ve placed in my life and in my path.  Help me to always be grateful for them and for the work you do in me through them.  May I never take You or them for granted.  Amen.