Good morning. We are back in the book of Romans. Last time we saw that Abraham was fully assured that what God had promised He was able also to perform. And because of that: "it was reckon to him as righteousness". And it wasn't just for Abraham's sake. It was also for our sake to whom it will be reckoned, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. It talks in another place about Abraham believing while he was still uncircumcised; which meant that salvation was also for the non-Jew. Jesus was "delivered up because of our sins, and was raised because we were justified through His blood". We could not walk in newness of life if Jesus had not been raised from the dead. Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Because He died for us, we have peace with God. But we still needed Him to be raised from the dead so that we could live the Christian life through the Holy Spirit indwelling us. And we exult in hope of the glory of God; and not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations (seriously? How can we exult in them?). Because tribulation brings about perseverance. (I think I'll pass on that one.) But that brings about proven character which brings about hope. And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. We know we have hope because of that love in our hearts. For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. We wouldn't do that. We might die for our family, but for someone who hated us? Our love does not go that far. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He didn't wait for us to first get our life straightened out – because we couldn't without Him. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. Father thank You that Your love has been poured out into the heart of the reader. He/she perseveres through tribulation and has obtained proven character. His/her hope is in You.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me

  Good morning. Paul then gives a list of a lot of things that he has gone through as an apostle. I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. There could be many people that you listen to either in church or through the Internet or other means; but there was only one person (as a general rule it was a person) that lead you to Christ. Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me. He was saying that just like a child imitates his or her father, they were to imitate him. He says that again seven chapters later. Since it is easy to forget some things about people we have not seen in a while, Paul says that he sent Timothy to them to remind them of his ways which are in Christ, just as he taught everywhere in every church. Some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. I shall find ou...
Read more
  Good morning. So Peter just told them that basically they were responsible for the death of Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, brethren, what shall we do? Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. As we will see much later, it seems that at this point in time they believed that you could not receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit without first being baptized in water. It appears that that idea did not change until chapter 10 after God baptized Cornelius and his family in the Holy Spirit before they were water baptized. Now lest someone think that this was just for the people in the first century Peter then says, for the promise (of the Father - baptism in the Holy Spirit) is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself. That means us! And...
Read more

And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it

  Good morning. I pray that everything is all right with your family. And as he heard these words,  Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it – ya think? Based on Peter’s words to the wife later, I don’t think Peter was expecting this to happen. If that happened today, a lot of congregations would be shrinking 😳 . The young men got up and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him. Notice that there was no ceremony, and no one gave a eulogy. I don’t know if that was the custom or if it was because of the way he died – probably the custom. They needed to bury people right away because there was no embalming. Now there elapsed an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. What, no one cellphoned her 🙃 ? Notice that it took three hours. Whether that is because it was a long way off, or it took a long time to dig a grave we don’t know. Responding to her, Peter said, tell me whet...
Read more