An amazing start to an amazing chapter.
The word "condemnation" is a legal term that means "punishment." What Paul is saying is that although we ARE guilty of our sins before God, there is no punishment because of what Christ has done for us.
Before we know Christ, we sin in our daily lives and stand to be punished by death, because "the wages of sin" is death. We live a lifestyle that leads to death in the end, and sadly enough, eternal death.
Once we become a child of God, things really change. When as Christians we sin, and we need to confess that sin and be changed so we can overcome temptation, but we do not need to be fearful of punishment for that sin.
We may be guilty of our sins, but the punishment for our sins has already been placed upon Jesus on the cross, and we have been forgiven.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
SOAK Romans 7:7-13
"Confused by Sin"
I have to admit I am not sure what this passage is all about.
I hope to research and have some answers, but for now my prayer for you today, and for myself is this: Let us not allow sin, rules and suggestions to confuse us and lead us to do what is not pleasing to God!
I have to admit I am not sure what this passage is all about.
I hope to research and have some answers, but for now my prayer for you today, and for myself is this: Let us not allow sin, rules and suggestions to confuse us and lead us to do what is not pleasing to God!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
What is SOAK?
What is SOAK all about?
It is a Bible reading project we are following. It is loosely based on a Bible study and journaling program used at Hew Hope Church in Hawaii.
We follow 4 steps as we read short passages of scripture. The steps are:
S-read the scripture
O-observe what is being said
A-find an application for your life
K-kneel in prayer and ask God to make the application work in your own life.
You don't really have to kneel, any posture of prayer is fine. I find I am usually praying in the van on the way to the church office. We just liked SOAK better than SOAP :).
Currently we are working our way thorough the book of Romans together.
Please join with us.
It is a Bible reading project we are following. It is loosely based on a Bible study and journaling program used at Hew Hope Church in Hawaii.
We follow 4 steps as we read short passages of scripture. The steps are:
S-read the scripture
O-observe what is being said
A-find an application for your life
K-kneel in prayer and ask God to make the application work in your own life.
You don't really have to kneel, any posture of prayer is fine. I find I am usually praying in the van on the way to the church office. We just liked SOAK better than SOAP :).
Currently we are working our way thorough the book of Romans together.
Please join with us.
SOAK Romans 7:4-6 "New Life"
In this passage Paul explains that new life in Christ frees the Christians in the Roman church from Jewish religious law. It frees them to live in Christ through His death and resurrection. In our modern context we are not so worried about being free from Jewish law since most of us were never under it.
Perhaps we can look at contemporary religious laws or even contemporary cultural "laws" or standards.
What are the religious laws that we as new-born Christians might be able to be set free?
One would be standards or rules based on such things as race or background. Other things might be judgemental attitudes towards certain practices or behavior (consuming alcohol, using tobacco, dancing, playing card games, wearing make-up or other things)
What "human laws" are we freed from?
Can we be free from unhealthy competition? Endless posturing? Pressure to conform? The demands and influence of marketing and advertising? Concern with the opinion of peers and others?
My prayer for you today is that in Christ you free yourself of this world's "laws."
Perhaps we can look at contemporary religious laws or even contemporary cultural "laws" or standards.
What are the religious laws that we as new-born Christians might be able to be set free?
One would be standards or rules based on such things as race or background. Other things might be judgemental attitudes towards certain practices or behavior (consuming alcohol, using tobacco, dancing, playing card games, wearing make-up or other things)
What "human laws" are we freed from?
Can we be free from unhealthy competition? Endless posturing? Pressure to conform? The demands and influence of marketing and advertising? Concern with the opinion of peers and others?
My prayer for you today is that in Christ you free yourself of this world's "laws."
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
SOAK Romans 7:1-3
"Men Who Know the Law"
What I find interesting in this passage is that the Christian community in Rome (which Paul knew but had not yet visited) contained many people who had a Jewish background or were God-fearers (Gentiles who followed Yehweh with becoming Jews through conversion/circumcision). They weren't mostly Roman. In many ways the Roman church is like IES, global citizens with a worldwide perspective gathered in a huge city.
Were they more receptive to the new revelation of God in Christ because they were cosmopolitan? Did they open their hearts because their travel had already opened their minds?
The theology of the passage is interesting too, but we will look at it later as his argument unfolds.
What I find interesting in this passage is that the Christian community in Rome (which Paul knew but had not yet visited) contained many people who had a Jewish background or were God-fearers (Gentiles who followed Yehweh with becoming Jews through conversion/circumcision). They weren't mostly Roman. In many ways the Roman church is like IES, global citizens with a worldwide perspective gathered in a huge city.
Were they more receptive to the new revelation of God in Christ because they were cosmopolitan? Did they open their hearts because their travel had already opened their minds?
The theology of the passage is interesting too, but we will look at it later as his argument unfolds.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
SOAK Romans 6:19-23
"Those Things Result in Death"
This great passage contains many important thoughts.
One is the reminder that sin always leads to death eventually. You cannot escape the destructive nature of sin. We think of sin as a single event, but God thinks of it as a chosen path, which always and inevitably leads to death.
When you choose to sin, you are choosing a path; swallowing a little poison.
Sin does pay, and the payout is always death.
Righteous living also pays, but it pays out eternal life.
Why would anyone choose death?
This great passage contains many important thoughts.
One is the reminder that sin always leads to death eventually. You cannot escape the destructive nature of sin. We think of sin as a single event, but God thinks of it as a chosen path, which always and inevitably leads to death.
When you choose to sin, you are choosing a path; swallowing a little poison.
Sin does pay, and the payout is always death.
Righteous living also pays, but it pays out eternal life.
Why would anyone choose death?
Monday, September 22, 2008
SOAK Romans 6:15-18
"Who is Your Master?"
Paul says that as Christians we can choose how we live; sinfully or righteously. Our choice sets a pattern of behavior and each subsequent choice reinforces the last. If we change choices, we change direction. Our cumulative choices result in slavery, either to sinful behavior or to right living.
Remember that Paul is fighting the accusation that he is teaching antinominism. He is reminding us that the freedom we have in Christ can easily be surrendered if we use that freedom to sin.
One of the saddest things I have ever read is about drug addicts who will go through "cold turkey" to free themselves from a drug addiction, only to take drugs as soon as they leave the facility where they have gotten their systems free of the drugs. After all of the physical sufferings of drug withdrawal, they give themselves back over to the drug.
Some Christians are like that. After being set free from their slavery and addiction to sin through the suffering and death of Jesus Christ on the cross, they return to sin-slavery through the choices they make.
The choice is ours!
Make good choices. Flee all forms of sin and unrighteousness.
Paul says that as Christians we can choose how we live; sinfully or righteously. Our choice sets a pattern of behavior and each subsequent choice reinforces the last. If we change choices, we change direction. Our cumulative choices result in slavery, either to sinful behavior or to right living.
Remember that Paul is fighting the accusation that he is teaching antinominism. He is reminding us that the freedom we have in Christ can easily be surrendered if we use that freedom to sin.
One of the saddest things I have ever read is about drug addicts who will go through "cold turkey" to free themselves from a drug addiction, only to take drugs as soon as they leave the facility where they have gotten their systems free of the drugs. After all of the physical sufferings of drug withdrawal, they give themselves back over to the drug.
Some Christians are like that. After being set free from their slavery and addiction to sin through the suffering and death of Jesus Christ on the cross, they return to sin-slavery through the choices they make.
The choice is ours!
Make good choices. Flee all forms of sin and unrighteousness.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
SOAK Romans 6:11-14
Sorry it has been a while since I posted anything. I have been sick and also busy. It does not take much time to post here, but it is easy to forget to do it.
Paul goes back to a practical question. How are we supposed to live our lives?
In this section he says that sinning is turning our lives over to sin. In Christ we have been made free from sin. Now, what will we do with that freedom?
We can choose sin, but if we do eventually sin will once again become our master.
I prayed for you today, that sin would not master you.
Paul goes back to a practical question. How are we supposed to live our lives?
In this section he says that sinning is turning our lives over to sin. In Christ we have been made free from sin. Now, what will we do with that freedom?
We can choose sin, but if we do eventually sin will once again become our master.
I prayed for you today, that sin would not master you.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
SOAK Romans 3:1-8
One of the hardest things to communicate about the gospel is the difference between accepting everyone in Christ, and giving license to every sort of behavior that you might encounter.
To put it int eh old cliche, "to love the sinner without loving the sin."
This is not a new problem.
Much of Paul's ministry emphasized the grace of God and our inability to earn salvation through good works or obeying the Old Testament Law, so he seemed to have been often accused of antinomianism. Simply put, antinomianism says that since Jesus will forgive any sins, we should just go ahead and sin. The more we sin, the more God's grace is revealed or exercised.
In extreme this idea says that since the more we sin, the more we experience God's grace in forgiveness, so we should sin more! Paul wants no part of this!
My prayer for you today, is that you would flee sin because you love Jesus.
To put it int eh old cliche, "to love the sinner without loving the sin."
This is not a new problem.
Much of Paul's ministry emphasized the grace of God and our inability to earn salvation through good works or obeying the Old Testament Law, so he seemed to have been often accused of antinomianism. Simply put, antinomianism says that since Jesus will forgive any sins, we should just go ahead and sin. The more we sin, the more God's grace is revealed or exercised.
In extreme this idea says that since the more we sin, the more we experience God's grace in forgiveness, so we should sin more! Paul wants no part of this!
My prayer for you today, is that you would flee sin because you love Jesus.
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