Posts

For those whom He foreknew, He also pre-destined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

  Good morning. OK so we are called according to His purpose. Paul then gives the process by which we came to know God. They are all in the past tense. For those whom He foreknew, He also pre-destined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. There are some questions concerning these verses but no definitive answer. Is he talking about us as individuals, or the selective group of all Christians? Did God personally know each of us in the ancient past, or simply know about us; again as an individual or as a group? Is this predestination in the traditional sense? The predestination here says to become conformed to the image of His Son, not pre-destined to salvation – meaning no free will. In other words, those who do exercise their free will and make Jesus Christ Lord of their lives will be...
Post a Comment
Read more

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the Saints according to the will of God

  Good morning. Remember that the Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are children of God; also having the first fruits of the Spirit we groan within ourselves. In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the Saints according to the will of God. Most of the time we don’t realize that all of this is going on within us. We don’t have to be concerned about whether or not the Spirit is praying the right prayer like we do when we pray. My Bible comments: whether Paul means words that are unspoken or words that cannot be expressed in human language is not clear. And then one of everyone’s favorite verses: and we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. There is at least one ...
Post a Comment
Read more

For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees

  Good morning. Last time it said that we were waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. We sing the Big Daddy Weave song, “I am Redeemed“, but we think of that as our spirit or soul being redeemed. We don’t think about our body being redeemed, but it is – it just won’t be manifested until the resurrection. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? Remember from the book of Hebrews, now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. If you have $100 bill in your hand, you don’t have to hope that you will get one some day. Faith is seeing that hundred dollar bill in your hand, even when it’s not physically visible. But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. We don’t “see“ our bodies already resurrected, but we do eagerly wait for it. In second Corinthians, Paul will go into this in more detail. Father thank You that one da...
Post a Comment
Read more

All who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

  Good morning. How do you know that you truly are a Christian? All who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. That’s pretty clear; but sometimes it is hard to do.  Speaking as a mathematician 🙃 : logically that does not mean that just because you’re not being led by the Spirit of God that you are not a child of God. It just guarantees that if you are being led by the Spirit of God, that you are a child of God. It could be true in reality – but that is not the logical way to interpret this passage. I know, I know… Unfortunately I have heard various speakers interpret other scriptures that way. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” My Bible says that adoption was common among the Greeks and Romans, who granted the adoptive son all the privileges of a natural son, including inheritance rights (can anyone say Ben Hur?). Some people who were a...
Post a Comment
Read more

If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.

  Good morning. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. Death came because Adam sinned. Just because we are Christians, does not mean that our body will not die. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. This life is guaranteed to us. Of course the life that He gives our mortal bodies will be different when we are raised from the dead. Notice from yesterday and today the different ways that Paul speaks about the Spirit. Sometimes he uses the phrase Spirit of God, and sometimes he talks about the Spirit of Christ, almost alternating them. Is he doing that just for variety; saying that they are two different Spirits; or is he emphasizing that They are the same? Good question. So then we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh - for if y...
Post a Comment
Read more

For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,

  Good morning. For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. The mind set on the flesh not only is not able to subject itself to the law of God, it does not even want to. We should be seeking how we can better set our minds on the law of God, and not just on Sunday. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. True, but some who profess to be Christians do not act that way. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. That is the big difference between true Christianity and religion. It is the defining factor that mak...
Post a Comment
Read more

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

  Good morning. After chapter 7, it makes us feel like - woe is me! But after chapter 7 comes – chapter 8! Therefore: remember the saying, if you see the word therefore, find out what it is there for. After the doom and gloom: Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Are you in Christ Jesus? Then there is no condemnation. Yes you have messed up; but if you are striving to serve the law of God, there is no condemnation. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. We are free! For what the law could not do; weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. The law was not meant to save people. It was a guideline as to how they were to act without having the Holy Spir...
Post a Comment
Read more