Beginning with Romans Chapter nine, when originally studying this book with my girls, we came up with a concept called "flow words." It's like the keywords we previously employed to give us a handle on each chapter. Now, though, we wanted a handle to IMPRINT an outline of each thought in chapter nine - thoughts that flow from one to the next building an overwhelming case for the sovereignty of God in Salvation, that is his election.
Here are the "flow words" we have identified for Chapter Nine:
ROMANS NINE
Keyword: Election
Memory Verse: Rom 9:11
Flow Words – Outlining the flow of thought through Romans Chapter Nine
Verses Flow Word
Rom 9:1-5 Sorrow over Israel’s unbelief.
Rom 9:6 What is wrong with the Word of God? – NOTHING.
Rom 9:6 They are not all Israel which are of Israel.
Rom 9:7-9 Consider Isaac and Ishmael
Rom 9:8 Children of the flesh are not the children of God
Rom 9:10-13 Consider Jacob and Esau
Rom 9:11 Why? That the purpose of God according to Election might stand.
Rom 9:14 Is there unrighteousness with God?
Rom 9:15-29 God shows mercy as he wills.
Rom 9:17 Pharoh.
Rom 9:18-23 Potter and the Clay.
Rom 9:25 Prophecy fulfilled: I will call them my people which were not my people.
Rom 9:33 Believe on the Stumbling Stone.
Online Bible with Lots of helps: http://biblos.com
Free Bible Software, many commentaries, versions, maps, dictionaries: http://e-sword.net/
Showing posts with label Romans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Romans. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Saturday, November 26, 2011
ROMANS NINE-INTRO BY REVIEW
ROMANS CHAPTER NINE
INTRO BY REVIEW
Keywords:
Chap 1: Without Excuse
Chap 2: The Law Condemns
Chap 3: There is none righteous
Chap 4: Imputation/Logizomai
Chap 5: Headship/Representation
Chap 6: Mortification/Vivification
Chap 7: Who Shall Deliver
Chap 8: Spirit of Life
Chap 9: Election
Alternate Keywords:
Chap 1: The Indictment Begins (Rom 1:18)
Chap 2: The law instructs but provides no promise/enablement
Chap 3: All have sinned, Total Depravity
Chap 4: Counted Righteous
Chap 5: Two Adams, First Adam/Second Adam
Chap 6: Dying to Sin and Living to God
Chap 7: O’ Wretched Man that I am
Chap 8: No Condemnation/ No Separation
Chap 9: (there are 13 “flow words” )
Memory Verses - Extended Memory Verses
Rom 1:20 - Chap 1: Rom 1:20, Rom 1:1, Rom 1:8, Rom 1:16-20
Rom 2:13 - Chap 2: Rom 2:13, Rom 2:12-16
Rom 3:10 - Chap 3: Rom 3:10, Rom 3:10-12, 3:18, 3:21, 23 3:28-29
Rom 4:3 - Chap 4: Rom 4:3, Rom 4:23-25
Rom 5:19 - Chap 5: Rom 5:19, Rom 5:8, Rom 5:14
Rom 6:11 - Chap 6: Rom 6:11, Rom 6:1-3, Rom 6:22, Rom 6:23
Rom 7:24 - Chap 7: Rom 7:24, Rom 7:18, Rom 7:25
Rom 8:2 - Chap 8: Rom 8:2, Rom 8:1, 8:8-9, 8:28, or whole chapter
Rom 9:11 - Chap 9: Rom 9:11-16, Rom 9:6, 9:8, 9:20, 9:25
REVIEW:
Chapter One showing us that we were all WITHOUT EXCUSE. That what can be known of God has been made MANFEST IN us and shown to us by GOD. Even the invisible things of God being clearly understood ever since the creation of the world, from the things that are made, even his eternal power and GODHEAD. God is. Who can deny? No one! All are without excuse. As my little girl almost 10 years old at the time said, “There had to be someone that wasn’t made to make all that was made.”
Moving on to Chapter Two, we find that the there is no law to empower us unto the making of our own righteousness. No standard we can erect will ever serve to justify us in the end before a holy God. Having the standard is never enough we must from the first breath uphold all things perfectly and at all times, for it is not the hearers of the law that are just before God but the doers of the law that shall be justified. Again from the mouth of my little girls: “The law tells you what to do, but it doesn’t give you the power to do it.” And if we might assert “We had no standard to guide us, we had no law written on stone to show us the way, how can we then be judged?” We also learned that we evidence all the time the work of the law written on our hearts, we have a conscience, we look at the actions of one another and say approvingly ‘that was good’ or ‘that was bad.’ We have law enough, which if we sin without law we shall also PERISH without law. So then the Law cannot save us, but only condemn. The Law Condemns, either that law which the Jews were under or even which standard is a “work of the law written in our hearts.”
Then in Chapter Three, the case against us having already been made , yet there is more. We hear an argument from Holy Scriptures written long before the book of Romans. “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” A number of scriptures are cited, humbling us, showing us our hopeless state without remedy in ourselves. Some of which are: Psa 14:1-3, Psa 53-13, Psa 5:9, Psa 140:3, Psa 10:7, Isa 59:7-8, Psa 36:1
The charges are numerous, our own inability plainly stated: “None that understands,” “none that seeks after God,” Everyone unprofitable, no one doing GOOD. My Throat like an open grave is a man-eater. (note: I said “my” not “their” for the difficulty for me is to see my own place in this dreadful list, to see these holy charges falling upon me, but they do if I attempt to stand on my own person, ability and goodness.) My tongue has used deceit, and the deadly poison of an asp is under my lips. Mouth full of cursing - (too well do I know that truth.) Destruction and misery in my way. Not knowing the way of peace with my wife, my fellow, my friend, and especially MY GOD. The one true cause of all the previously mentioned is summed all up in the greatest of all sins, “There is no fear of God before my eyes.” Had I feared God aright, my entire passion would be for him, my thoughts always running to him, I would have diligently read His book, prayed without ceasing, this Holy Fear would have flavored my every action. Fear that doesn’t cower but cries out “who do I have in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee.” Not the fear of cowardice but the Holy fear that COMES to God.
So the testimony being clear that there is NONE RIGHTEOUS, and we know also that the UNRIGHTEOUS shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. 1Co 6:9-11 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?
But if the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God, and there is None righteous, not even me, where can I go? To whom should I flee, for I, having no righteousness of my own, am at a loss, a great and terrible loss, I with no goodness of my own by which I can enter heaven and stand before GOD. My heart cries out in earnest despair “What righteousness is there then by which I can stand in the day of Judgment?”
IMPUTED RIGHTOUSNESS - GLORIOUS AND EXCEEDINGLY GREAT GOOD NEWS - for what does the scriptures say: Rom 4:3 - Abraham believed God, and it was COUNTED unto him for righteousness. Surely the scriptures included Abraham when they said there is NONE RIGHTEOUS, and yet Abraham by God was COUNTED righteous. This gives me some hope. This is good news. Can I hope also like Abraham to believe God and by faith to be counted righteous?
Romans Chapter Four assures us that this is the very case:
Rom 4:23-25 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
Jesus Christ suffered and died on the cross in our place and for our sins. Jesus Christ having completed and satisfied in his LIFE and Death all that he set out to do, sin having no more hold on him, HE was raised again, having completed that work which was necessary for our justification.
TO US it shall be IMPUTED, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. Nothing meritorious in our own faith, but faith the means or instrument which joins us to Christ who did what he did in our place.
THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WE NEED IN ORDER TO STAND IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT IS BY GOD IMPUTED TO US BY FAITH. So our keyword for Romans chapter four is IMPUTATION or the Greek word LOGIZOMAI.
But how can this work? How can the righteousness of another be reckoned or counted as being mine? The answer, REPRESENTATION or HEADSHIP being illustrated in Chapter Five with a comparison between the First Adam and the Second ADAM, Jesus Christ. Adam was a figure of him that was to come, he representing all that were in him. Because of the representative office of ADAM, when he sinned all that were in him were made sinners, he brought death upon all because he represented all. Jesus Christ also is the HEAD of his people and represented them in all he did both in his living perfectly for us as our head and in his dying in our place upon the cross. Through the obedience of our representative, Jesus Christ, many shall be made righteous.
CHAPTER SIX: So in imputation and headship we have VERY GOOD NEWS, so good in fact that some may bring the abuse either complaining about the gospel being too good and scornfully saying “Shall we continue to sin that Grace may abound?” Or rather finding grace so good thinking they see an allowance for sin - “Let’s sin that grace will abound.” But the answer is a horrified negation, “THIS CANNOT EVER BE.” We should think along these lines - that we are dead to sin and alive to God. We should be dying daily to sin and living unto God, free from sin to serve righteousness, Mortification and Vivification.
CHAPTER SEVEN describes how we find this dying to sin and living to God difficult. In us, that is in our own flesh there is no strength. Looking in ourselves we do not find the ability to do good. Sin yet remains. We still have flesh remaining within to contend with, and yet being born of God we have new desires, we cry out “O Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death - thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
CHAPTER EIGHT showing us that we are not left as orphans in this world to RUN in our own strength. The law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. The description is given - believers walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. But when we, as described in chapter seven, find ourselves with flesh still remaining, an enemy that beats hard upon us this chapter shows that believers, all of them, are not in the FLESH but in the Spirit. The Spirit is life and peace, we are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if it is true that the Spirit of God dwells in us. And if we do not have the Spirit of Christ then we are not Christians at all and we do not belong to Jesus. But being believers, we know that the Spirit of God dwells in us and knowing this let us who live in the Spirit also WALK in the Spirit. These fruits will follow, we can pray to this end, live for this goal, we will be mortifying the deeds of the flesh by the same Spirit who dwells in us. This Spirit will give us the nature of Children. We will cry out to God in the Spirit of Adoption, Abba Father. The chapter begins with “No Condemnation for those who are IN Christ.” And ends with NOTHING Can separate us FROM Christ. Contained within this chapter we found one of the sweetest of all verses for believers, declaring that GOD causes all things to work together for good. We found the Golden Chain that cannot be broken, and we concluded then that of course nothing can separate us - we cannot be condemned for God justifies and Christ died, and all the calamities and enemies that confront us cannot destroy us or separate us from Jesus Christ. His glory is at stake and he will lose none of his own. We are secure because we are IN him.
INTRO BY REVIEW
Keywords:
Chap 1: Without Excuse
Chap 2: The Law Condemns
Chap 3: There is none righteous
Chap 4: Imputation/Logizomai
Chap 5: Headship/Representation
Chap 6: Mortification/Vivification
Chap 7: Who Shall Deliver
Chap 8: Spirit of Life
Chap 9: Election
Alternate Keywords:
Chap 1: The Indictment Begins (Rom 1:18)
Chap 2: The law instructs but provides no promise/enablement
Chap 3: All have sinned, Total Depravity
Chap 4: Counted Righteous
Chap 5: Two Adams, First Adam/Second Adam
Chap 6: Dying to Sin and Living to God
Chap 7: O’ Wretched Man that I am
Chap 8: No Condemnation/ No Separation
Chap 9: (there are 13 “flow words” )
Memory Verses - Extended Memory Verses
Rom 1:20 - Chap 1: Rom 1:20, Rom 1:1, Rom 1:8, Rom 1:16-20
Rom 2:13 - Chap 2: Rom 2:13, Rom 2:12-16
Rom 3:10 - Chap 3: Rom 3:10, Rom 3:10-12, 3:18, 3:21, 23 3:28-29
Rom 4:3 - Chap 4: Rom 4:3, Rom 4:23-25
Rom 5:19 - Chap 5: Rom 5:19, Rom 5:8, Rom 5:14
Rom 6:11 - Chap 6: Rom 6:11, Rom 6:1-3, Rom 6:22, Rom 6:23
Rom 7:24 - Chap 7: Rom 7:24, Rom 7:18, Rom 7:25
Rom 8:2 - Chap 8: Rom 8:2, Rom 8:1, 8:8-9, 8:28, or whole chapter
Rom 9:11 - Chap 9: Rom 9:11-16, Rom 9:6, 9:8, 9:20, 9:25
REVIEW:
Chapter One showing us that we were all WITHOUT EXCUSE. That what can be known of God has been made MANFEST IN us and shown to us by GOD. Even the invisible things of God being clearly understood ever since the creation of the world, from the things that are made, even his eternal power and GODHEAD. God is. Who can deny? No one! All are without excuse. As my little girl almost 10 years old at the time said, “There had to be someone that wasn’t made to make all that was made.”
Moving on to Chapter Two, we find that the there is no law to empower us unto the making of our own righteousness. No standard we can erect will ever serve to justify us in the end before a holy God. Having the standard is never enough we must from the first breath uphold all things perfectly and at all times, for it is not the hearers of the law that are just before God but the doers of the law that shall be justified. Again from the mouth of my little girls: “The law tells you what to do, but it doesn’t give you the power to do it.” And if we might assert “We had no standard to guide us, we had no law written on stone to show us the way, how can we then be judged?” We also learned that we evidence all the time the work of the law written on our hearts, we have a conscience, we look at the actions of one another and say approvingly ‘that was good’ or ‘that was bad.’ We have law enough, which if we sin without law we shall also PERISH without law. So then the Law cannot save us, but only condemn. The Law Condemns, either that law which the Jews were under or even which standard is a “work of the law written in our hearts.”
Then in Chapter Three, the case against us having already been made , yet there is more. We hear an argument from Holy Scriptures written long before the book of Romans. “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” A number of scriptures are cited, humbling us, showing us our hopeless state without remedy in ourselves. Some of which are: Psa 14:1-3, Psa 53-13, Psa 5:9, Psa 140:3, Psa 10:7, Isa 59:7-8, Psa 36:1
The charges are numerous, our own inability plainly stated: “None that understands,” “none that seeks after God,” Everyone unprofitable, no one doing GOOD. My Throat like an open grave is a man-eater. (note: I said “my” not “their” for the difficulty for me is to see my own place in this dreadful list, to see these holy charges falling upon me, but they do if I attempt to stand on my own person, ability and goodness.) My tongue has used deceit, and the deadly poison of an asp is under my lips. Mouth full of cursing - (too well do I know that truth.) Destruction and misery in my way. Not knowing the way of peace with my wife, my fellow, my friend, and especially MY GOD. The one true cause of all the previously mentioned is summed all up in the greatest of all sins, “There is no fear of God before my eyes.” Had I feared God aright, my entire passion would be for him, my thoughts always running to him, I would have diligently read His book, prayed without ceasing, this Holy Fear would have flavored my every action. Fear that doesn’t cower but cries out “who do I have in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee.” Not the fear of cowardice but the Holy fear that COMES to God.
So the testimony being clear that there is NONE RIGHTEOUS, and we know also that the UNRIGHTEOUS shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. 1Co 6:9-11 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?
But if the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God, and there is None righteous, not even me, where can I go? To whom should I flee, for I, having no righteousness of my own, am at a loss, a great and terrible loss, I with no goodness of my own by which I can enter heaven and stand before GOD. My heart cries out in earnest despair “What righteousness is there then by which I can stand in the day of Judgment?”
IMPUTED RIGHTOUSNESS - GLORIOUS AND EXCEEDINGLY GREAT GOOD NEWS - for what does the scriptures say: Rom 4:3 - Abraham believed God, and it was COUNTED unto him for righteousness. Surely the scriptures included Abraham when they said there is NONE RIGHTEOUS, and yet Abraham by God was COUNTED righteous. This gives me some hope. This is good news. Can I hope also like Abraham to believe God and by faith to be counted righteous?
Romans Chapter Four assures us that this is the very case:
Rom 4:23-25 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
Jesus Christ suffered and died on the cross in our place and for our sins. Jesus Christ having completed and satisfied in his LIFE and Death all that he set out to do, sin having no more hold on him, HE was raised again, having completed that work which was necessary for our justification.
TO US it shall be IMPUTED, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. Nothing meritorious in our own faith, but faith the means or instrument which joins us to Christ who did what he did in our place.
THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WE NEED IN ORDER TO STAND IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT IS BY GOD IMPUTED TO US BY FAITH. So our keyword for Romans chapter four is IMPUTATION or the Greek word LOGIZOMAI.
But how can this work? How can the righteousness of another be reckoned or counted as being mine? The answer, REPRESENTATION or HEADSHIP being illustrated in Chapter Five with a comparison between the First Adam and the Second ADAM, Jesus Christ. Adam was a figure of him that was to come, he representing all that were in him. Because of the representative office of ADAM, when he sinned all that were in him were made sinners, he brought death upon all because he represented all. Jesus Christ also is the HEAD of his people and represented them in all he did both in his living perfectly for us as our head and in his dying in our place upon the cross. Through the obedience of our representative, Jesus Christ, many shall be made righteous.
CHAPTER SIX: So in imputation and headship we have VERY GOOD NEWS, so good in fact that some may bring the abuse either complaining about the gospel being too good and scornfully saying “Shall we continue to sin that Grace may abound?” Or rather finding grace so good thinking they see an allowance for sin - “Let’s sin that grace will abound.” But the answer is a horrified negation, “THIS CANNOT EVER BE.” We should think along these lines - that we are dead to sin and alive to God. We should be dying daily to sin and living unto God, free from sin to serve righteousness, Mortification and Vivification.
CHAPTER SEVEN describes how we find this dying to sin and living to God difficult. In us, that is in our own flesh there is no strength. Looking in ourselves we do not find the ability to do good. Sin yet remains. We still have flesh remaining within to contend with, and yet being born of God we have new desires, we cry out “O Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death - thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
CHAPTER EIGHT showing us that we are not left as orphans in this world to RUN in our own strength. The law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. The description is given - believers walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. But when we, as described in chapter seven, find ourselves with flesh still remaining, an enemy that beats hard upon us this chapter shows that believers, all of them, are not in the FLESH but in the Spirit. The Spirit is life and peace, we are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if it is true that the Spirit of God dwells in us. And if we do not have the Spirit of Christ then we are not Christians at all and we do not belong to Jesus. But being believers, we know that the Spirit of God dwells in us and knowing this let us who live in the Spirit also WALK in the Spirit. These fruits will follow, we can pray to this end, live for this goal, we will be mortifying the deeds of the flesh by the same Spirit who dwells in us. This Spirit will give us the nature of Children. We will cry out to God in the Spirit of Adoption, Abba Father. The chapter begins with “No Condemnation for those who are IN Christ.” And ends with NOTHING Can separate us FROM Christ. Contained within this chapter we found one of the sweetest of all verses for believers, declaring that GOD causes all things to work together for good. We found the Golden Chain that cannot be broken, and we concluded then that of course nothing can separate us - we cannot be condemned for God justifies and Christ died, and all the calamities and enemies that confront us cannot destroy us or separate us from Jesus Christ. His glory is at stake and he will lose none of his own. We are secure because we are IN him.
Friday, April 15, 2011
The Intercession of the Spirit - Rom 8:26
Samuel Bloomfield in Recensio Synoptica (see links to all the volumes of Recensio Synoptica at the right) explains the intercessory work or advocacy of the Holy Spirit of God as we read in Rom 8:26 as follows:
In order, however, more clearly to comprehend this little understood point of Christian Theology, especial attention must be paid to the primitive sense of entugxanein and intercedere, which is, " to go between any two persons, to manage any one's business with another." Now this may be done in various ways; either by acting as Speaker, and Advocate, or as Pleader, (which last office belongs to our Saviour), or (as is that of the Holy Spirit) suggesting the best means of accomplishing any business; and therefore aiding and acting uper hmwn, on our behalf, or (to use an illustration drawn from human affairs) as a Solicitor or Attorney acts on behalf of another, by suggesting to him what is proper for him to say, and putting him in the right way to proceed
in any business. And it is truly observed by Taylor, that " the Spirit of God makes intercession for the Saints, not by making supplication to God in their behalf, but by directing and qualifying their supplications in a proper manner, by his agency and influence upon their hearts; which, according to the Gospel scheme, is the peculiar work and office of the Holy Spirit." And I would add, that this answers to the description of the Paraclete, or Holy Spirit, Joh. 14, 16 & 17., by which is meant Teacher, Helper, Comforter. (See the Dissertation there on the sense of Paraclete.) Click here for Recensio Synoptica Rom 8:26
Click here for Summary concerning Recensio Synoptica
In order, however, more clearly to comprehend this little understood point of Christian Theology, especial attention must be paid to the primitive sense of entugxanein and intercedere, which is, " to go between any two persons, to manage any one's business with another." Now this may be done in various ways; either by acting as Speaker, and Advocate, or as Pleader, (which last office belongs to our Saviour), or (as is that of the Holy Spirit) suggesting the best means of accomplishing any business; and therefore aiding and acting uper hmwn, on our behalf, or (to use an illustration drawn from human affairs) as a Solicitor or Attorney acts on behalf of another, by suggesting to him what is proper for him to say, and putting him in the right way to proceed
in any business. And it is truly observed by Taylor, that " the Spirit of God makes intercession for the Saints, not by making supplication to God in their behalf, but by directing and qualifying their supplications in a proper manner, by his agency and influence upon their hearts; which, according to the Gospel scheme, is the peculiar work and office of the Holy Spirit." And I would add, that this answers to the description of the Paraclete, or Holy Spirit, Joh. 14, 16 & 17., by which is meant Teacher, Helper, Comforter. (See the Dissertation there on the sense of Paraclete.) Click here for Recensio Synoptica Rom 8:26
Click here for Summary concerning Recensio Synoptica
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Holy War and the Intercession of the Spirit in Rom 8:26
Teaching from Roman 8 verse 26, I was reminded of something I read from John Bunyan's Holy War around 24 years past. This passage from Holy War very wonderfully illustrates what is meant by the Intercession of the Spirit in Roman 8:26. For we should understand not that the Spirit himself prays for us, pleading for us, which is the office of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. But rather, he is the intecessor or advocate who teaches us both what-we-ought-to-pray and in what-manner-we-should-pray. Christ is our advocate IN heaven with the Father. The Holy Spirit is the advocate who is WITH us. 1John 2:1 and John 14:16
In Bunyan's allegory, Holy War, the LORD Chief Secretary, is the allegorical representation of the person of the HOLY SPIRIT. Read below first some necessary background and then Bunyan himself allegorically expressing the truth contained in Romans 8:26 concerning the intercession of the Spirit of God.
AN ILLUSTRATION FROM JOHN BUNYAN’s BOOK, HOLY WAR:
Some background:
Because of former rebellion and allegiances with Diabolus, the city of Mansoul has long been under his harsh rule. The people of the city now longing to come to Emmanuel, plead with him for forgiveness, seeking him as the Saviour of their city, they send out petitions for help and forgiveness. But time and again these petitions are refused, unheard and unreceived. It comes to their attention that the only proper way to offer up a letter to Prince Emmanuel is to have the Lord Chief Secretary make out the petition, who is in allegory the Holy Spirit of God. And so we pick up the story:
CHAPTER 15
After the town of Mansoul had been in this sad and lamentable condition for so long a time as I have told you, and no petitions that they presented their Prince with, all this while, could prevail, the inhabitants of the town, namely, the elders and chief of Mansoul, gathered together, and, after some time spent in condoling their miserable state and this miserable judgment coming upon them, they agreed together to draw up yet another petition, and to send it away to Emmanuel for relief. But Mr. Godly-Fear stood up and answered, that he knew that his Lord the Prince never did nor ever would receive a petition for these matters, from the hand of any whoever, unless the Lord Secretary’s hand was to it; ‘and this,’ quoth he, ‘is the reason that you prevailed not all this while.’ Then they said they would draw up one, and get the Lord Secretary’s hand unto it. But Mr. Godly-Fear answered again, that he knew also that the Lord Secretary would not set his hand to any petition that himself had not an hand in composing and drawing up. ‘And besides,’ said he, ‘the Prince doth know my Lord Secretary’s hand from all the hands in the world; wherefore he cannot be deceived by any pretence whatever. Wherefore my advice is that you go to my Lord, and implore him to lend you his aid.’ (Now he did yet abide in the castle, where all the captains and men-at-arms were.)
So they heartily thanked Mr. Godly-Fear, took his counsel, and did as he had bidden them. So they went and came to my Lord, and made known the cause of their coming to him; namely, that since Mansoul was in so deplorable a condition, his Highness would be pleased to undertake to draw up a petition for them to Emmanuel, the Son of the mighty Shaddai, and to their King and his Father by him.
Then said the Secretary to them, ‘What petition is it that you would have me draw up for you?’ But they said, ‘Our Lord knows best the state and condition of the town of Mansoul; and how we are backslidden and degenerated from the Prince: thou also knowest who is come up to war against us, and how Mansoul is now the seat of war. My Lord knows, moreover, what barbarous usages our men, women, and children have suffered at their hands; and how our home-bred Diabolonians do walk now with more boldness than dare the townsmen in the streets of Mansoul. Let our Lord therefore, according to the wisdom of God that is in him, draw up a petition for his poor servants to our Prince Emmanuel.’ ‘Well,’ said the Lord Secretary, ‘I will draw up a petition for you, and will also set my hand thereto.’ Then said they, ‘But when shall we call for it at the hands of our Lord?’ But he answered, ‘Yourselves must be present at the doing of it; yea, you must put your desires to it. True, the hand and pen shall be mine, but the ink and paper must be yours; else how can you say it is your petition? Nor have I need to petition for myself, because I have not offended.’
He also added as followeth: ‘No petition goes from me in my name to the Prince, and so to his Father by him, but when the people that are chiefly concerned therein do join in heart and soul in the matter, for that must be inserted therein.’
So they did heartily agree with the sentence of the Lord, and a petition was forthwith drawn up for them.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Rom 8:26 - Intercession of the Spirit
I am experimenting with a website I recently discovered whose purpose is to enhance one's study of the Holy Scriptures by providing access to many versions and commentaries and other resources.
I encourage you to check out http://biblos.com.
Realizing the difficulty of grasping what is meant in Romans 8:26 as the Interceding Work of the Holy Spirit, I gathered together some of the comments I found on the same at biblos.com.
Click here for biblos's search results on Rom 8:26.
King James Bible
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
BARNES NOTES:
Maketh intercession - The word used here ὑπερεντυνγχάνει huperentungchanei, occurs no where else in the New Testament. The word ἐντυνγχάνω entungchanō, however, is used several times. It means properly to be present with anyone for the purpose of aiding, as an advocate does in a court of justice; hence, to intercede for anyone, or to aid or assist in any manner. In this place it simply means that the Holy Spirit greatly assists or aids us; not by praying for us, but in our prayers and infirmities.
JOHN GILL:
...but the Spirit itself maketh intercession, for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered; not the spirit of a man; or the gift of the Spirit in man; or a man endued with an extraordinary gift of the Spirit; but the Holy Ghost himself, who makes intercession for the saints: not in such sense as Christ does; for he intercedes not with the Father, but with them, with their spirits; not in heaven, but in their hearts; and not for sinners, but for saints: nor in the manner as Christ does, not by vocal prayer, as he when on earth; nor by being the medium, or way of access to God; nor by presenting the prayers of saints, and the blood and sacrifice of Christ to God, as Christ does in heaven; nor as the saints make intercession for one another, and for other persons: but he intercedes for them, by making them to intercede; he indites their prayers for them, not in a book, but in their hearts; he shows them their need, what their wants are; he stirs them up to prayer, he supplies them with arguments, puts words into their mouths, enlarges their hearts, gives strength of faith in prayer, and all the ardour and fervency of it; he enables them to come to God as their Father; and gives them liberty and boldness in his presence, which requires an heart sprinkled from an evil conscience, faith in the blood and righteousness of Christ, and a view of God, as a God of peace, grace, and mercy: and this intercession he makes, "with groanings which, cannot be uttered"; not that the Spirit of God groans, but he stirs up groans in the saints; which suppose a burden on them, and their sense of it: and these are said to be "unutterable"; saints, under his influence, praying silently, without a voice, as Moses and Hannah did, 1 Samuel 1:13, and yet most ardently and fervently; or as not being able to express fully what they conceive in their minds, how great their burdens are, and their sense of their wants.
Geneva Study Bible:
(h) Incites us to pray, and tells us as it were within, what we will say, and how we will speak.
PEOPLE'S NEW TESTAMENT:
We know not - Many times. What we should pray for - Much less are we able to pray for it as we ought: but the Spirit maketh intercession for us - In our hearts, even as Christ does in heaven. With groanings - The matter of which is from ourselves, but the Spirit forms them; and they are frequently inexpressible, even by the faithful themselves.
JOHN CALVIN:
But the Spirit himself intercedes, [266] etc. Though really or by the event it does not appear that our prayers have been heard by God, yet Paul concludes, that the presence of the celestial favor does already shine forth in the desire for prayer; for no one can of himself give birth to devout and godly aspirations. The unbelieving do indeed blab out their prayers, but they only trifle with God; for there is in them nothing sincere, or serious, or rightly formed. Hence the manner of praying aright must be suggested by the Spirit: and he calls those groanings unutterable, into which we break forth by the impulse of the Spirit, for this reason -- because they far exceed the capability of our own minds. [267] And the Spirit is said to intercede, not because he really humbles himself to pray or to groan, but because he stirs up in our hearts those desires which we ought to entertain; and he also affects our hearts in such a way that these desires by their fervency penetrate into heaven itself. And Paul has thus spoken, that he might more significantly ascribe the whole to the grace of the Spirit. We are indeed bidden to knock; but no one can of himself premeditate even one syllable, except God by the secret impulse of his Spirit knocks at our door, and thus opens for himself our hearts.
EDITOR to JOHN CALVIN'S COMMENTARY:
"Intercedit -- huperentunchanei -- abundantly intercedes," for so huper, prefixed to verbs, is commonly rendered. This is the proper action of an advocate, a name given to the Spirit by our Savior, allon parakleton -- "another advocate," not "comforter," as in our version, and Christ is called by the same name in 1 John 2:1, and the same work, "interceding," is ascribed to him, Hebrews 7:25. But we learn in John 14:16, that the Spirit is an advocate with us -- "that he may abide with you for ever;" and in 1 John 2:1, that Christ is an advocate in heaven -- "with the Father." The same name and a similar kind of work are ascribed to both. Some, as Doddridge, to avoid the blending the offices of the two, have rendered the verb here by a different term, but not wisely. -- Ed.
I encourage you to check out http://biblos.com.
Realizing the difficulty of grasping what is meant in Romans 8:26 as the Interceding Work of the Holy Spirit, I gathered together some of the comments I found on the same at biblos.com.
Click here for biblos's search results on Rom 8:26.
King James Bible
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
BARNES NOTES:
Maketh intercession - The word used here ὑπερεντυνγχάνει huperentungchanei, occurs no where else in the New Testament. The word ἐντυνγχάνω entungchanō, however, is used several times. It means properly to be present with anyone for the purpose of aiding, as an advocate does in a court of justice; hence, to intercede for anyone, or to aid or assist in any manner. In this place it simply means that the Holy Spirit greatly assists or aids us; not by praying for us, but in our prayers and infirmities.
JOHN GILL:
...but the Spirit itself maketh intercession, for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered; not the spirit of a man; or the gift of the Spirit in man; or a man endued with an extraordinary gift of the Spirit; but the Holy Ghost himself, who makes intercession for the saints: not in such sense as Christ does; for he intercedes not with the Father, but with them, with their spirits; not in heaven, but in their hearts; and not for sinners, but for saints: nor in the manner as Christ does, not by vocal prayer, as he when on earth; nor by being the medium, or way of access to God; nor by presenting the prayers of saints, and the blood and sacrifice of Christ to God, as Christ does in heaven; nor as the saints make intercession for one another, and for other persons: but he intercedes for them, by making them to intercede; he indites their prayers for them, not in a book, but in their hearts; he shows them their need, what their wants are; he stirs them up to prayer, he supplies them with arguments, puts words into their mouths, enlarges their hearts, gives strength of faith in prayer, and all the ardour and fervency of it; he enables them to come to God as their Father; and gives them liberty and boldness in his presence, which requires an heart sprinkled from an evil conscience, faith in the blood and righteousness of Christ, and a view of God, as a God of peace, grace, and mercy: and this intercession he makes, "with groanings which, cannot be uttered"; not that the Spirit of God groans, but he stirs up groans in the saints; which suppose a burden on them, and their sense of it: and these are said to be "unutterable"; saints, under his influence, praying silently, without a voice, as Moses and Hannah did, 1 Samuel 1:13, and yet most ardently and fervently; or as not being able to express fully what they conceive in their minds, how great their burdens are, and their sense of their wants.
Geneva Study Bible:
(h) Incites us to pray, and tells us as it were within, what we will say, and how we will speak.
PEOPLE'S NEW TESTAMENT:
But the Spirit itself. The Spirit himself (Revised Version). Observe the climax: The creation groans; we ourselves groan; the Spirit himself groans. The Spirit within us intercedes by groaning which are his, in that they are prompted by the Spirit. Augustine says:
It is not in himself, nor in the substance of the Eternal and Blessed Trinity that he groans, but in us because he makes us groan.''
Groanings which cannot be uttered. Speechless groanings.
Wesley's Notes:We know not - Many times. What we should pray for - Much less are we able to pray for it as we ought: but the Spirit maketh intercession for us - In our hearts, even as Christ does in heaven. With groanings - The matter of which is from ourselves, but the Spirit forms them; and they are frequently inexpressible, even by the faithful themselves.
JOHN CALVIN:
But the Spirit himself intercedes, [266] etc. Though really or by the event it does not appear that our prayers have been heard by God, yet Paul concludes, that the presence of the celestial favor does already shine forth in the desire for prayer; for no one can of himself give birth to devout and godly aspirations. The unbelieving do indeed blab out their prayers, but they only trifle with God; for there is in them nothing sincere, or serious, or rightly formed. Hence the manner of praying aright must be suggested by the Spirit: and he calls those groanings unutterable, into which we break forth by the impulse of the Spirit, for this reason -- because they far exceed the capability of our own minds. [267] And the Spirit is said to intercede, not because he really humbles himself to pray or to groan, but because he stirs up in our hearts those desires which we ought to entertain; and he also affects our hearts in such a way that these desires by their fervency penetrate into heaven itself. And Paul has thus spoken, that he might more significantly ascribe the whole to the grace of the Spirit. We are indeed bidden to knock; but no one can of himself premeditate even one syllable, except God by the secret impulse of his Spirit knocks at our door, and thus opens for himself our hearts.
EDITOR to JOHN CALVIN'S COMMENTARY:
"Intercedit -- huperentunchanei -- abundantly intercedes," for so huper, prefixed to verbs, is commonly rendered. This is the proper action of an advocate, a name given to the Spirit by our Savior, allon parakleton -- "another advocate," not "comforter," as in our version, and Christ is called by the same name in 1 John 2:1, and the same work, "interceding," is ascribed to him, Hebrews 7:25. But we learn in John 14:16, that the Spirit is an advocate with us -- "that he may abide with you for ever;" and in 1 John 2:1, that Christ is an advocate in heaven -- "with the Father." The same name and a similar kind of work are ascribed to both. Some, as Doddridge, to avoid the blending the offices of the two, have rendered the verb here by a different term, but not wisely. -- Ed.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Romans Seven - Assurance of Salvation
As we continue our study in Romans 7, I am more deeply grasping how this chapter speaks to the doctrine of Assurance of Salvation.
First, it speaks in this way: As a believer you discover you are still a sinner. You still sin. Are you saved knowing that your thoughts are not perfect? Are you saved knowing that sin still remains?
Romans Seven is very clear - FOR THE BELIEVER THERE IS REMAINING SIN. There is comfort for the wounded in this chapter knowing that even Paul writes, "Oh wretched Man that I am....." we also have this remaining sin as a harasser and ever present foe. So we must always have the weapons of our warfare at the ready.
BUT - THERE IS ANOTHER and second thing coming out of Romans Seven dealing with the doctrine of Assurance of Salvation - and it is this. Yes sin remains even for the believer - but is there a warring against it? Rom 7:23 Don't find Assurance on to slight of Grounds.
Hear Romans Seven speaking of this war: "warring against the law of my mind." Rom 7:23
When it comes to sin can you say: WHAT I HATE THAT I DO? Do you truly hate it? Rom 7:15 Or are you really readily yielding to sin, allowing it, giving willingly way to sin?
Can you say: "It is not I that do it but Sin that dwelleth in me. " Rom 7:17 I am a new creature in Christ, I detest sin, I myself as renewed in the inward man DO IT NOT -- it is SIN that still dwells in me. ????
Or again, Rom 7:19, the evil that I WOULD NOT that I do. I don't want to do it. I hate it. I abhor it - yet there it is - I am new in Christ but not altogether as new as I will be. So now what I do not will to do I find myself yet doing. ????
Consider now A.W. Pink on this topic from the October 1932, Studies In The Scripture. click here
All pretensions unto the present enjoyment of the assurance of faith by those whose daily lives are unbecoming the Gospel, are groundless. They who are confident of entering that Eternal Happiness which consists very much in a perfect freedom from all sin,
but who now allow themselves in the practice of sin (persuading themselves that Christ has fully atoned for the same), are deceived. None truly desire to be free from sin in the future, who do not sincerely long to forsake it in the present. He who does not pant after
holiness here, is dreadfully mistaken if he imagines he desires holiness hereafter. Glory is but grace consummated; the heavenly life is but the full development of the regenerated life on earth. Neither death nor the second coming of Christ will effect any radical change in the Christian: it will only perfect what he already has and is. Any, then, who pretend unto the assurance of salvation, boast of their pardon and present possession of eternal life, but who have not an experience of deep sorrow for sin, real indignation against it, and hatred of themselves because of transgressions, know nothing at all of what holy assurance is.
So there is a heavy emphasis on the renewed inward man in Romans 7, who though finding sin yet within, sins not willingly but to his sorrow and lament.
MAY THIS LAMENT BE FOUND IN ME. God fill me with such a holy hatred of SIN.
First, it speaks in this way: As a believer you discover you are still a sinner. You still sin. Are you saved knowing that your thoughts are not perfect? Are you saved knowing that sin still remains?
Romans Seven is very clear - FOR THE BELIEVER THERE IS REMAINING SIN. There is comfort for the wounded in this chapter knowing that even Paul writes, "Oh wretched Man that I am....." we also have this remaining sin as a harasser and ever present foe. So we must always have the weapons of our warfare at the ready.
BUT - THERE IS ANOTHER and second thing coming out of Romans Seven dealing with the doctrine of Assurance of Salvation - and it is this. Yes sin remains even for the believer - but is there a warring against it? Rom 7:23 Don't find Assurance on to slight of Grounds.
Hear Romans Seven speaking of this war: "warring against the law of my mind." Rom 7:23
When it comes to sin can you say: WHAT I HATE THAT I DO? Do you truly hate it? Rom 7:15 Or are you really readily yielding to sin, allowing it, giving willingly way to sin?
Can you say: "It is not I that do it but Sin that dwelleth in me. " Rom 7:17 I am a new creature in Christ, I detest sin, I myself as renewed in the inward man DO IT NOT -- it is SIN that still dwells in me. ????
Or again, Rom 7:19, the evil that I WOULD NOT that I do. I don't want to do it. I hate it. I abhor it - yet there it is - I am new in Christ but not altogether as new as I will be. So now what I do not will to do I find myself yet doing. ????
Consider now A.W. Pink on this topic from the October 1932, Studies In The Scripture. click here
All pretensions unto the present enjoyment of the assurance of faith by those whose daily lives are unbecoming the Gospel, are groundless. They who are confident of entering that Eternal Happiness which consists very much in a perfect freedom from all sin,
but who now allow themselves in the practice of sin (persuading themselves that Christ has fully atoned for the same), are deceived. None truly desire to be free from sin in the future, who do not sincerely long to forsake it in the present. He who does not pant after
holiness here, is dreadfully mistaken if he imagines he desires holiness hereafter. Glory is but grace consummated; the heavenly life is but the full development of the regenerated life on earth. Neither death nor the second coming of Christ will effect any radical change in the Christian: it will only perfect what he already has and is. Any, then, who pretend unto the assurance of salvation, boast of their pardon and present possession of eternal life, but who have not an experience of deep sorrow for sin, real indignation against it, and hatred of themselves because of transgressions, know nothing at all of what holy assurance is.
So there is a heavy emphasis on the renewed inward man in Romans 7, who though finding sin yet within, sins not willingly but to his sorrow and lament.
MAY THIS LAMENT BE FOUND IN ME. God fill me with such a holy hatred of SIN.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
HELPLESS
"We are helpless"
So explained my just turned 11 years old daughter this morning as we studied our way through Romans chapter 1 - 6 this morning.
This week my girls requested me to forgo our current study of Pilgrim's Progress to revisit our previous study of Romans. To once again consider the gospel as presented especially in those first six chapters.
An outline of our conversation went something like this:
Rom 1:16 as a key verse for the whole of Romans - The gospel of Christ of which Paul by the Holy Spirit of God says he is not ashamed is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes.
Rom 1:1-4 Observing that Paul is separated unto the Gospel. The gospel long proclaimed even before by his Holy Apostles in the HOLY SCRIPTURES.
Which Gospel is "CONCERNING" his son Jesus Christ. We made observation that this word "concerning" means "ABOUT" it's all about CHRIST. We also noted that the Greek word PERI from where we get the English word perimeter teaches us that like the perimeter of the circle - the gospel is all around, all about Christ. The gospel is about JESUS, who he is and what he has done.
And immediately in the next verses we learn that Jesus Christ is of the seed of DAVID according to the FLESH and declared to be the SON OF GOD with power. 1Tim 3:16 God manifest in the flesh.
Going on we rehearsed our keywords from each of the first six chapters of Romans.
Rom 1:20 Everyone is WITHOUT EXCUSE for creation evidences a creator. We can see that GOD IS and if GOD IS then HE is to be worshiped.
And if we would know that GOD IS we should live in obedience to him. IF we have within in us some knowledge of right and wrong, a sense of RULE that must be obeyed we know also that it must be obeyed perfectly in all its parts. Rom 2:13 it is not the hearers but the DOERS of the Law that are justified or declared right by and with GOD.
But from Romans 3:10 we see that there is NONE RIGHTEOUS. And Rom 3:23 ALL have sinned. We cannot but conclude from our condition and plight that the only means to be justified is by FAITH and not by the works of the law. Rom 3:28.
AGAIN - what does the scriptures say. Rom 4:3 reminds us - that Abraham believed GOD it was counted to him for/unto righteousness. (greek word "eis" meaning unto or into) Faith is the instrument by which Abraham was imputed as righteous. Not works but Faith.
And we can gain great hope for this was not written for just Abraham but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him who raised up Christ our Lord from the dead. Rom 4:22-25.
But how can this work?
How can God consider the righteousness of another as mine? How can the atoning work or Christ be done in my place, and how can his perfect law-keeping righteousness be imputed to me?
Which answer we find in Romans Chapter Five where we read of the REPRESENTATION or HEADSHIP of Jesus Christ on behalf of those that are in him.
Rom 5:12 See how the judgement or consequence of what Adam has done has fallen upon us all, in fact upon the whole world. Death passed upon all men. We are culpable in Adam, because we were in ADAM as he STOOD IN THE GARDEN in the form of a public representative of all that were in HIM. What Adam did he did on behalf of all that were in him. When ADAM fell, all fell in HIM. In ADAM ALL DIE.
Rom 5:14 As is evident all around --- the result of Adam's fall, know also that ADAM in this representative nature was a FIGURE or TYPE of HIM THAT WAS TO COME. HE was a figure of CHRIST. Christ, the second Adam, holding a representative office for his people. So that what Jesus did he did on behalf of all that were in HIM.
We read in Genesis, God's words to Adam: In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. He ate and Death passed upon all. We could also read "and in the not eating thereof you will live." Christ obeyed where Adam disobeyed.
Rom 5:19 For AS by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, SO by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
We especially concentrated here upon those two little words: AS and SO
What does the word "AS" mean we thought. It means in similar fashion, in LIKE manner with Adam as a representative so also CHRIST. The results are quite opposite but there is a similarity in their representative offices. Which office was appointed by GOD.
By Faith in Christ alone we are counted righteousness. We are declared perfectly 100% righteous because our HEAD was this, if we by Faith beleive on the HIM who raised up Christ our Lord from the dead.
AND SO my just-turned-11-years-old daughter says with all seriousness: "We are helpless without God. He is the one who puts his spirit in us. We cannot do this work, he must do it. We are helpless, He changes us." I don't remember ever using that word with my girls but I think she rightly appropriated it today "HELPLESS without GOD." Even for our Faith, God be thanked.
This led me to think deeply about the meaning of faith and to think out loud with my girls this morning. How FAITH, and BELIEVING does speak to our utter dependence and reliance upon God for every good and perfect gift. Even as a baby is so dependent upon parents for food, and bed, and love, and shelter, and changing the diapers - so dependent. We are dependent upon God, Our faith is a dependence, a trusting a relying upon GOD ALONE, Apart from him we are helpless.
[postscript: after discussing the above post my 11 yr old added the comment, "and so I also thank God for making that in my mind."]
** Update - Whitestone has written extensively and clearly on this same topic today in her post entitled:
Question 12 asks, "According to God's righteous judgment we deserve punishment both in this world and forever after: How then can we escape punishment and return to God's favor?"
Answer 12: God requires that His justice be satisfied. Therefore the claims of His justice must be paid in full, either by ourselves or another.
So explained my just turned 11 years old daughter this morning as we studied our way through Romans chapter 1 - 6 this morning.
This week my girls requested me to forgo our current study of Pilgrim's Progress to revisit our previous study of Romans. To once again consider the gospel as presented especially in those first six chapters.
An outline of our conversation went something like this:
Rom 1:16 as a key verse for the whole of Romans - The gospel of Christ of which Paul by the Holy Spirit of God says he is not ashamed is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes.
Rom 1:1-4 Observing that Paul is separated unto the Gospel. The gospel long proclaimed even before by his Holy Apostles in the HOLY SCRIPTURES.
Which Gospel is "CONCERNING" his son Jesus Christ. We made observation that this word "concerning" means "ABOUT" it's all about CHRIST. We also noted that the Greek word PERI from where we get the English word perimeter teaches us that like the perimeter of the circle - the gospel is all around, all about Christ. The gospel is about JESUS, who he is and what he has done.
And immediately in the next verses we learn that Jesus Christ is of the seed of DAVID according to the FLESH and declared to be the SON OF GOD with power. 1Tim 3:16 God manifest in the flesh.
Going on we rehearsed our keywords from each of the first six chapters of Romans.
Rom 1:20 Everyone is WITHOUT EXCUSE for creation evidences a creator. We can see that GOD IS and if GOD IS then HE is to be worshiped.
And if we would know that GOD IS we should live in obedience to him. IF we have within in us some knowledge of right and wrong, a sense of RULE that must be obeyed we know also that it must be obeyed perfectly in all its parts. Rom 2:13 it is not the hearers but the DOERS of the Law that are justified or declared right by and with GOD.
But from Romans 3:10 we see that there is NONE RIGHTEOUS. And Rom 3:23 ALL have sinned. We cannot but conclude from our condition and plight that the only means to be justified is by FAITH and not by the works of the law. Rom 3:28.
AGAIN - what does the scriptures say. Rom 4:3 reminds us - that Abraham believed GOD it was counted to him for/unto righteousness. (greek word "eis" meaning unto or into) Faith is the instrument by which Abraham was imputed as righteous. Not works but Faith.
And we can gain great hope for this was not written for just Abraham but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him who raised up Christ our Lord from the dead. Rom 4:22-25.
But how can this work?
How can God consider the righteousness of another as mine? How can the atoning work or Christ be done in my place, and how can his perfect law-keeping righteousness be imputed to me?
Which answer we find in Romans Chapter Five where we read of the REPRESENTATION or HEADSHIP of Jesus Christ on behalf of those that are in him.
Rom 5:12 See how the judgement or consequence of what Adam has done has fallen upon us all, in fact upon the whole world. Death passed upon all men. We are culpable in Adam, because we were in ADAM as he STOOD IN THE GARDEN in the form of a public representative of all that were in HIM. What Adam did he did on behalf of all that were in him. When ADAM fell, all fell in HIM. In ADAM ALL DIE.
Rom 5:14 As is evident all around --- the result of Adam's fall, know also that ADAM in this representative nature was a FIGURE or TYPE of HIM THAT WAS TO COME. HE was a figure of CHRIST. Christ, the second Adam, holding a representative office for his people. So that what Jesus did he did on behalf of all that were in HIM.
We read in Genesis, God's words to Adam: In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. He ate and Death passed upon all. We could also read "and in the not eating thereof you will live." Christ obeyed where Adam disobeyed.
Rom 5:19 For AS by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, SO by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
We especially concentrated here upon those two little words: AS and SO
What does the word "AS" mean we thought. It means in similar fashion, in LIKE manner with Adam as a representative so also CHRIST. The results are quite opposite but there is a similarity in their representative offices. Which office was appointed by GOD.
By Faith in Christ alone we are counted righteousness. We are declared perfectly 100% righteous because our HEAD was this, if we by Faith beleive on the HIM who raised up Christ our Lord from the dead.
AND SO my just-turned-11-years-old daughter says with all seriousness: "We are helpless without God. He is the one who puts his spirit in us. We cannot do this work, he must do it. We are helpless, He changes us." I don't remember ever using that word with my girls but I think she rightly appropriated it today "HELPLESS without GOD." Even for our Faith, God be thanked.
This led me to think deeply about the meaning of faith and to think out loud with my girls this morning. How FAITH, and BELIEVING does speak to our utter dependence and reliance upon God for every good and perfect gift. Even as a baby is so dependent upon parents for food, and bed, and love, and shelter, and changing the diapers - so dependent. We are dependent upon God, Our faith is a dependence, a trusting a relying upon GOD ALONE, Apart from him we are helpless.
[postscript: after discussing the above post my 11 yr old added the comment, "and so I also thank God for making that in my mind."]
** Update - Whitestone has written extensively and clearly on this same topic today in her post entitled:
What I Learned Yesterday In the Chemo Chair click here
Whitestone's article deals with the Heidelberg Catechism and the following question and answer:Question 12 asks, "According to God's righteous judgment we deserve punishment both in this world and forever after: How then can we escape punishment and return to God's favor?"
Answer 12: God requires that His justice be satisfied. Therefore the claims of His justice must be paid in full, either by ourselves or another.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Romans Seven - Believer or UNbeliever
Q. Who is the man described in Romans Seven? Is this the experience of an unbeliever or a believer?
A. A Believer for the following reasons:
-The use of the personal pronoun “I” even emphatically in verse 25 “I myself.”
-The moving from past tense indicating Paul prior to conversion and present tense indicating Paul now, the believer.
-Though some things are so dark we wonder how this could be a believer, yet others can be said of none but the believer.
See v 14 “Carnal, sold under sin” and v 22 “delight in the law of God” and v 25 “with the mind I myself serve the law of God,” There is a law “in my members, warring against the law of my mind.”
-Context of Romans Seven within the book of Romans. See “the connection to what came before” above. Romans Seven showing the nature of sanctification further explained. Sin though broken from the reigning power yet remains and is not fully eradicated. There remains the harasser - and we are at war with sin.
A. A Believer for the following reasons:
-The use of the personal pronoun “I” even emphatically in verse 25 “I myself.”
-The moving from past tense indicating Paul prior to conversion and present tense indicating Paul now, the believer.
-Though some things are so dark we wonder how this could be a believer, yet others can be said of none but the believer.
See v 14 “Carnal, sold under sin” and v 22 “delight in the law of God” and v 25 “with the mind I myself serve the law of God,” There is a law “in my members, warring against the law of my mind.”
-Context of Romans Seven within the book of Romans. See “the connection to what came before” above. Romans Seven showing the nature of sanctification further explained. Sin though broken from the reigning power yet remains and is not fully eradicated. There remains the harasser - and we are at war with sin.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
ROMANS SEVEN - INTRO
ROMANS KEYWORDS THROUGH CHAPTER SIX
Keywords:
Chap 1: Without Excuse
Chap 2: The Law Condemns
Chap 3: There is none righteous
Chap 4: Imputation/Logizomai
Chap 5: Headship/Representation and 1st Adam - 2nd Adam, or 1st Adam - Last Adam.
Chap 6: Dying and Living, Mortification and Vivification
Chap 7: Oh Wretched man that I am, who will deliver me.
Alternate Keywords:
Chap 1: The Indictment Begins (Rom 1:18)
Chap 2: (open for suggestions)
Chap 3: All have sinned, Total Depravity
Chap 4: Counted Righteous
Chap 5: Federal Headship (the theological term)
Chap 6: Dying to Sin and Living to Righteousness (or Living to God)
Chap 7: Remaining Sin or conflict between grace and corruption
Memory Verses:
Rom 1:20
Rom 2:13
Rom 3:10
Rom 4:3
Rom 5:19
Rom 6: 11
Rom 7:19
Extended Memory Verses
Chap 1: Rom 1:1, Rom 1:8, Rom 1:16-20
Chap 2: Rom 2:12-16
Chap 3: Rom 3:10-12, Rom 3:18, Rom 3:21, Rom 3:23, Rom 3:28-29
Chap 4: Rom 4:23-25
Chap 5: Whole Chapter (If I had to select only two more Rom 5:8, Rom 5:14)
Chap 6: Rom 6:1-2, Rom 6:11, Rom 6:22-23
Chap 7: Rom 7:18, Rom 7:21, Rom 7:24-25
Overview Chapter Seven discussed thus far:
The connection to the what came before: Romans Six laying out both the Nature and the Necessity of Sanctification showing that sanctification consists both in our dying to sin and living to God, v 14. Also that as we are baptized into his death we must be conforming to it as Christ died for our sin we should be dying to it, v3. And as Christ rose and we also raised up to walk in newness of life we must be conforming to his resurrection living unto righteousness, v4. We are no longer under the law but grace and are receivers of great and gracious promises in Christ thus necessitating our sanctification for shall we sin against so much goodness, v 14. Our state is known by that to which we yield our obedience, v16. Sanctification and justification are two separate truths, two things that are not the same and are not to be confused but YET THEY ARE INSEPARABLE. We shall not continue in sin. But this is a high calling, this is a hard calling. And though sin no longer reigns over us and shall not have dominion over us as a tyrant and king we yet find that SIN still remains in us and can say as in ROMANS CHAP 7:19 we are not doing the good that we would but the evil that we would not. OH WRETCHED MAN THAT I AM WHO SHALL DELIVER ME FROM THE BODY OF THIS DEATH? I THANK GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.
Several things we may yet learn in our Study of Romans Seven some as follows:
-There is here a further encouragement to holiness.
-Though sin no longer reigns as formerly, it yet remains and so WE ARE NOT TO TRUST in ourselves.
-Romans Seven teaches us that sin is not yet wholly eradicated in the believer.
-And so we learn further the nature of Sanctification.
-And so also, even for the regenerate believer the law cannot justify. Justification is not by works even in the believer but by faith.
-We gain a right estimation of ourselves knowing that sin yet remains though no longer reigning.
- Romans seven speaks to the assurance of the believer alarmed to find that sin yet remains.
Keywords:
Chap 1: Without Excuse
Chap 2: The Law Condemns
Chap 3: There is none righteous
Chap 4: Imputation/Logizomai
Chap 5: Headship/Representation and 1st Adam - 2nd Adam, or 1st Adam - Last Adam.
Chap 6: Dying and Living, Mortification and Vivification
Chap 7: Oh Wretched man that I am, who will deliver me.
Alternate Keywords:
Chap 1: The Indictment Begins (Rom 1:18)
Chap 2: (open for suggestions)
Chap 3: All have sinned, Total Depravity
Chap 4: Counted Righteous
Chap 5: Federal Headship (the theological term)
Chap 6: Dying to Sin and Living to Righteousness (or Living to God)
Chap 7: Remaining Sin or conflict between grace and corruption
Memory Verses:
Rom 1:20
Rom 2:13
Rom 3:10
Rom 4:3
Rom 5:19
Rom 6: 11
Rom 7:19
Extended Memory Verses
Chap 1: Rom 1:1, Rom 1:8, Rom 1:16-20
Chap 2: Rom 2:12-16
Chap 3: Rom 3:10-12, Rom 3:18, Rom 3:21, Rom 3:23, Rom 3:28-29
Chap 4: Rom 4:23-25
Chap 5: Whole Chapter (If I had to select only two more Rom 5:8, Rom 5:14)
Chap 6: Rom 6:1-2, Rom 6:11, Rom 6:22-23
Chap 7: Rom 7:18, Rom 7:21, Rom 7:24-25
Overview Chapter Seven discussed thus far:
The connection to the what came before: Romans Six laying out both the Nature and the Necessity of Sanctification showing that sanctification consists both in our dying to sin and living to God, v 14. Also that as we are baptized into his death we must be conforming to it as Christ died for our sin we should be dying to it, v3. And as Christ rose and we also raised up to walk in newness of life we must be conforming to his resurrection living unto righteousness, v4. We are no longer under the law but grace and are receivers of great and gracious promises in Christ thus necessitating our sanctification for shall we sin against so much goodness, v 14. Our state is known by that to which we yield our obedience, v16. Sanctification and justification are two separate truths, two things that are not the same and are not to be confused but YET THEY ARE INSEPARABLE. We shall not continue in sin. But this is a high calling, this is a hard calling. And though sin no longer reigns over us and shall not have dominion over us as a tyrant and king we yet find that SIN still remains in us and can say as in ROMANS CHAP 7:19 we are not doing the good that we would but the evil that we would not. OH WRETCHED MAN THAT I AM WHO SHALL DELIVER ME FROM THE BODY OF THIS DEATH? I THANK GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.
Several things we may yet learn in our Study of Romans Seven some as follows:
-There is here a further encouragement to holiness.
-Though sin no longer reigns as formerly, it yet remains and so WE ARE NOT TO TRUST in ourselves.
-Romans Seven teaches us that sin is not yet wholly eradicated in the believer.
-And so we learn further the nature of Sanctification.
-And so also, even for the regenerate believer the law cannot justify. Justification is not by works even in the believer but by faith.
-We gain a right estimation of ourselves knowing that sin yet remains though no longer reigning.
- Romans seven speaks to the assurance of the believer alarmed to find that sin yet remains.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Matthew Henry - Quotable Quote
A friend and Elder in our church sent me the following quote worthy of memorization and meditation. Succinctly Matthew Henry summarizes here truths we have been learning and applying to our lives from the first six chapters of Romans:
“The righteousness of Christ imputed to us is our breast-plate against the arrows of divine wrath. The righteousness of Christ implanted in us is our breast-plate to fortify the heart against the attacks which Satan makes against us.... Faith is all in all to us in an hour of temptation. ” - Matthew Henry Eph 6:14 and Eph 6:16
In Justification we have righteousness of Christ imputed to our account, He is our representative, our Head, our divine substitute, the one mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.
In Sanctification we have the righteousness of Christ implanted in us or imparted to us by the working of the Spirit of God so that we work out our salvation with fear and trembling knowing that GOD works in us both TO WILL and TO DO of his good pleasure.
Praise His holy Name. Praise him, Hallelujah to his glorious name. Thank you Jesus. Praise GOD. All blessing and glory and honor to him who alone is worthy to be praised - God Blessed forever. AMEN. My heart swells with joy, Amen.
“The righteousness of Christ imputed to us is our breast-plate against the arrows of divine wrath. The righteousness of Christ implanted in us is our breast-plate to fortify the heart against the attacks which Satan makes against us.... Faith is all in all to us in an hour of temptation. ” - Matthew Henry Eph 6:14 and Eph 6:16
In Justification we have righteousness of Christ imputed to our account, He is our representative, our Head, our divine substitute, the one mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.
In Sanctification we have the righteousness of Christ implanted in us or imparted to us by the working of the Spirit of God so that we work out our salvation with fear and trembling knowing that GOD works in us both TO WILL and TO DO of his good pleasure.
Praise His holy Name. Praise him, Hallelujah to his glorious name. Thank you Jesus. Praise GOD. All blessing and glory and honor to him who alone is worthy to be praised - God Blessed forever. AMEN. My heart swells with joy, Amen.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Romans - Chap 6 The Necessity of Sanctification #8
Continuing on with the NECESSITY OF SANCTIFICATION while borrowing from the outline found in Matthew Henry's Commentary:
Previously:
1. Rom 6:2 We are dead to sin, to sin is a contradiction of our profession.
2. Rom 6:3 Baptized into his death so it is necessary to conform to Christ's death.
3. Rom 6:9-10 Buried with him It is necessary also to conform unto Christ's RESURRECTION
4. Rom 6:14 we have new covenant promises, effectual and mighty, shall we sin against such love and grace.
5. Rom 6:15 to think we have license with such promises of encouragment is to "suck poison from them."
6. Rom 6:16 Our state is known by that to which we yield obedience.
7. Rom 6:17 THE CHANGE CAME ABOUT BY CONVERSION necessitates it
Now:
8. Rom 6:18 Conversion is the freedom from the service of sin to the service of GOD.
We are not our own masters.
Rom 6:21 What was the service of sin?
What fruit then?
Think about it!
It is such a fruit unbecoming to our shame.
Why willingly do what sooner or later will bring SHAME.
Looking forward, what is the end of this service to sin?
Blessing or cursing?
Good or evil?
Sin Leads to death - that's the end where it leads. Rom 6:21
Rom 6:23 The wages of sin is death.
But Grace for the servants of righteousness has the end being EVERLASTING LIFE, which is the gift of God.
Death is the dessert of sin.
Life is the gift of God.
Sinners merit hell but saints DO NOT merit heaven.
We must thank God and not ourselves if ever we get to heaven.
Christ purchased it, prepares it and prepares us for it, preserves us to it.
Christ is the alpha and omega, all in all in our salvation.
(Thanks be to God for faithful teachers like Matthew Henry who aided me in the series on Romans 6.)
Previously:
1. Rom 6:2 We are dead to sin, to sin is a contradiction of our profession.
2. Rom 6:3 Baptized into his death so it is necessary to conform to Christ's death.
3. Rom 6:9-10 Buried with him It is necessary also to conform unto Christ's RESURRECTION
4. Rom 6:14 we have new covenant promises, effectual and mighty, shall we sin against such love and grace.
5. Rom 6:15 to think we have license with such promises of encouragment is to "suck poison from them."
6. Rom 6:16 Our state is known by that to which we yield obedience.
7. Rom 6:17 THE CHANGE CAME ABOUT BY CONVERSION necessitates it
Now:
8. Rom 6:18 Conversion is the freedom from the service of sin to the service of GOD.
We are not our own masters.
Rom 6:21 What was the service of sin?
What fruit then?
Think about it!
It is such a fruit unbecoming to our shame.
Why willingly do what sooner or later will bring SHAME.
Looking forward, what is the end of this service to sin?
Blessing or cursing?
Good or evil?
Sin Leads to death - that's the end where it leads. Rom 6:21
Rom 6:23 The wages of sin is death.
But Grace for the servants of righteousness has the end being EVERLASTING LIFE, which is the gift of God.
Death is the dessert of sin.
Life is the gift of God.
Sinners merit hell but saints DO NOT merit heaven.
We must thank God and not ourselves if ever we get to heaven.
Christ purchased it, prepares it and prepares us for it, preserves us to it.
Christ is the alpha and omega, all in all in our salvation.
(Thanks be to God for faithful teachers like Matthew Henry who aided me in the series on Romans 6.)
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Romans - Chap 6 The Necessity of Sanctification #7
Continuing on with the NECESSITY OF SANCTIFICATION while borrowing from the outline found in Matthew Henry's Commentary:
Previously:
1. Rom 6:2 We are dead to sin, to sin is a contradiction of our profession.
2. Rom 6:3 Baptized into his death so it is necessary to conform to Christ's death.
3. Rom 6:9-10 Buried with him It is necessary also to conform unto Christ's RESURRECTION
4. Rom 6:14 we have new covenant promises, effectual and mighty, shall we sin against such love and grace.
5. Rom 6:15 to think we have license with such promises of encouragment is to "suck poison from them."
6. Rom 6:16 Our state is known by that to which we yield obedience.
Now:
7. THE CHANGE CAME ABOUT BY CONVERSION:
Romans 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Previously:
1. Rom 6:2 We are dead to sin, to sin is a contradiction of our profession.
2. Rom 6:3 Baptized into his death so it is necessary to conform to Christ's death.
3. Rom 6:9-10 Buried with him It is necessary also to conform unto Christ's RESURRECTION
4. Rom 6:14 we have new covenant promises, effectual and mighty, shall we sin against such love and grace.
5. Rom 6:15 to think we have license with such promises of encouragment is to "suck poison from them."
6. Rom 6:16 Our state is known by that to which we yield obedience.
Now:
7. THE CHANGE CAME ABOUT BY CONVERSION:
Romans 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
The gospel is the great rule both of truth and holiness.
The gospel is a doctrine not only to be believed, but to be obeyed and that from the heart, which denotes the sincerity and reality of that obedience; not in profession only but in power
- from the heart, the innermost part, the commanding part of us.
To be a Christian indeed is to be transformed into the likeness and similitude of the gospel.
Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, Vol VI, McDonald Publishing, P. 404.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Romans - Chap 6 The Necessity of Sanctification #6
Continuing on with the NECESSITY OF SANCTIFICATION while borrowing from the outline found in Matthew Henry's Commentary:
Previously:
1. Rom 6:2 We are dead to sin, to sin is a contradiction of our profession.
2. Rom 6:3 Baptized into his death so it is necessary to conform to Christ's death.
3. Rom 6:9-10 Buried with him It is necessary also to conform unto Christ's RESURRECTION
4. Rom 6:14 we have new covenant promises, effectual and mighty, shall we sin against such love and grace.
5. Rom 6:15 to think we have license with such promises of encouragment is to "suck poison from them."
Now:
6. Rom 6:16 Our state is known by that to which we yield obedience
Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Hence such sanctification is necessary to know our true state - it reveals it to be true - without is to claim to separate justification and sanctification and cannot be.
Rom 6:17-21 From our former state -- YE WERE SERVANTS OF SIN[1]
Rom 6:19 - The body is made a drudge of sin - it was voluntarily yielded.[2]
Rom 6:20 Ye were free from righteousness[3]
[1] Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, Vol VI, McDonald Publishing, P. 403.
[2] Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, Vol VI, McDonald Publishing, P. 404.
[3] Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, Vol VI, McDonald Publishing, P. 404.
Previously:
1. Rom 6:2 We are dead to sin, to sin is a contradiction of our profession.
2. Rom 6:3 Baptized into his death so it is necessary to conform to Christ's death.
3. Rom 6:9-10 Buried with him It is necessary also to conform unto Christ's RESURRECTION
4. Rom 6:14 we have new covenant promises, effectual and mighty, shall we sin against such love and grace.
5. Rom 6:15 to think we have license with such promises of encouragment is to "suck poison from them."
Now:
6. Rom 6:16 Our state is known by that to which we yield obedience
Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Hence such sanctification is necessary to know our true state - it reveals it to be true - without is to claim to separate justification and sanctification and cannot be.
Rom 6:17-21 From our former state -- YE WERE SERVANTS OF SIN[1]
Rom 6:19 - The body is made a drudge of sin - it was voluntarily yielded.[2]
Rom 6:20 Ye were free from righteousness[3]
[1] Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, Vol VI, McDonald Publishing, P. 403.
[2] Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, Vol VI, McDonald Publishing, P. 404.
[3] Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, Vol VI, McDonald Publishing, P. 404.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Romans - Chap 6 The Necessity of Sanctification #5
Continuing on with the NECESSITY OF SANCTIFICATION while borrowing from the outline found in Matthew Henry's Commentary:
Previously:
1. Rom 6:2 We are dead to sin, to sin is a contradiction of our profession.
2. Rom 6:3 Baptized into his death so it is necessary to conform to Christ's death.
3. Rom 6:9-10 Buried with him It is necessary also to conform unto Christ's RESURRECTION
4. Rom 6:14 we have new covenant promises, effectual and mighty, shall we sin against such love and grace.
Now:
5. The necessity of Sanctification further shown that we have such encouragement in the New Covenant promises - to sin would be to "suck poison."
ROM 6:15 Matthew Henry: Abusing this is to be “sucking poison from such encouragment.”
Romans 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Matthew Henry:
What can be more black and ill-natured than from a friend’s extradinary expressions of kindess and good-will to take occasion to affront and offend him? To spurn at such bowels, to spit in the face of such love, is that which between man and man, all the world would cry out shame one.
Previously:
1. Rom 6:2 We are dead to sin, to sin is a contradiction of our profession.
2. Rom 6:3 Baptized into his death so it is necessary to conform to Christ's death.
3. Rom 6:9-10 Buried with him It is necessary also to conform unto Christ's RESURRECTION
4. Rom 6:14 we have new covenant promises, effectual and mighty, shall we sin against such love and grace.
Now:
5. The necessity of Sanctification further shown that we have such encouragement in the New Covenant promises - to sin would be to "suck poison."
ROM 6:15 Matthew Henry: Abusing this is to be “sucking poison from such encouragment.”
Romans 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Matthew Henry:
What can be more black and ill-natured than from a friend’s extradinary expressions of kindess and good-will to take occasion to affront and offend him? To spurn at such bowels, to spit in the face of such love, is that which between man and man, all the world would cry out shame one.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Romans - Chap 6 The Necessity of Sanctification #4
Continuing on with the NECESSITY OF SANCTIFICATION while borrowing from the outline found in Matthew Henry's Commentary:
Previously:
1. Rom 6:2 We are dead to sin, to sin is a contradiction of our profession.
2. Rom 6:3 Baptized into his death so it is necessary to conform to Christ's death.
3. Rom 6:9-10 Buried with him It is necessary also to conform unto Christ's RESURRECTION
Now:
4. ROM 6:14 THE NEW COVENANT PROMISE - WE ARE UNDER GRACE
The promises and privileges of THE NEW COVENANT -- there is strength laid up in the covenant of grace if we will but use it.
God promises to us are more powerful and effectual for the mortifying of sin than our promises to God.
Sin may struggle in a believer, and may create him a great deal of trouble, but it shall not have dominion, it may vex him but it shall not rule over him.
UNDER THE LAW: the law condemns.
We have such grace in the gospel. Nothing is required but what it promises strength to perform.
Shall we sin against so much goodness and abuse such love?
Previously:
1. Rom 6:2 We are dead to sin, to sin is a contradiction of our profession.
2. Rom 6:3 Baptized into his death so it is necessary to conform to Christ's death.
3. Rom 6:9-10 Buried with him It is necessary also to conform unto Christ's RESURRECTION
Now:
4. ROM 6:14 THE NEW COVENANT PROMISE - WE ARE UNDER GRACE
The promises and privileges of THE NEW COVENANT -- there is strength laid up in the covenant of grace if we will but use it.
God promises to us are more powerful and effectual for the mortifying of sin than our promises to God.
Sin may struggle in a believer, and may create him a great deal of trouble, but it shall not have dominion, it may vex him but it shall not rule over him.
UNDER THE LAW: the law condemns.
We have such grace in the gospel. Nothing is required but what it promises strength to perform.
Shall we sin against so much goodness and abuse such love?
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Romans - Chap 6 The Necessity of Sanctification #3
Continuing on with the NECESSITY OF SANCTIFCATION while borrowing from the outline found in Matthew Henry's Commentary:
Previously:
1. Rom 6:2 We are dead to sin, to sin is a contradiction of our profession.
2. Rom 6:3 Baptized into his death.
Now:
3. It is necessary also not only to conform to CHRIST'S DEATH BUT to CONFORM TO HIS RESURRECTION.
ROM 6:9 Death does not have dominion over him. We are to be planted together in the likness of his resurrection. It is necessary therefore that we conform to his resurrection - walking in newness of life.
Rom 6:10 He arose to live unto GOD. We must conform to this and LIVE UNTO GOD. There is a necessity therefore in sanctification - for us who believe and are justified it is an INSEPARABLE BLESSING.
Self was the chief end - but now GOD THE CHIEF END.
Previously:
1. Rom 6:2 We are dead to sin, to sin is a contradiction of our profession.
2. Rom 6:3 Baptized into his death.
Now:
3. It is necessary also not only to conform to CHRIST'S DEATH BUT to CONFORM TO HIS RESURRECTION.
ROM 6:9 Death does not have dominion over him. We are to be planted together in the likness of his resurrection. It is necessary therefore that we conform to his resurrection - walking in newness of life.
Rom 6:10 He arose to live unto GOD. We must conform to this and LIVE UNTO GOD. There is a necessity therefore in sanctification - for us who believe and are justified it is an INSEPARABLE BLESSING.
Self was the chief end - but now GOD THE CHIEF END.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Romans - Chap 6 The Necessity of Sanctification #2
Continuing on with the NECESSITY OF SANCTIFICATION while borrowing from the outline found in Matthew Henry's Commentary:
Previously:
1. Rom 6:2 We are dead to sin, to sin is a contradiction of our profession.
Now:
2. Rom 6:3 Baptized into his death.
We have an obligation to comply with the design of His Death.
So our conformity to the death of Christ obliges us to die to sin. Phil 3:10 - fellowship of his sufferings.
Rom 6:4 Planted together in the likeness of his death. Planting - like a crop in order to life and fruitfulness.
Rom 6:6 Old man crucified with him. Sin doesn’t go easy or fast.
Christ for us has a work of Christ in us killing sin.
Rom 6:8 We are dead with Christ.
Colossians 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
Colossians 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
Previously:
1. Rom 6:2 We are dead to sin, to sin is a contradiction of our profession.
Now:
2. Rom 6:3 Baptized into his death.
We have an obligation to comply with the design of His Death.
So our conformity to the death of Christ obliges us to die to sin. Phil 3:10 - fellowship of his sufferings.
Rom 6:4 Planted together in the likeness of his death. Planting - like a crop in order to life and fruitfulness.
Rom 6:6 Old man crucified with him. Sin doesn’t go easy or fast.
Christ for us has a work of Christ in us killing sin.
Rom 6:8 We are dead with Christ.
Colossians 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
Colossians 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Romans - Chap 6 The Necessity of Sanctification #1
"It is the spirits work to persuade us to Holiness our hearts naturally opposed to it." Matthew Henry.
If you have stuck with this series through Romans Six so far you might have thought, "he really uses Matthew Henry." This is purposeful. In 1989-1990 as I was reading through Matthew Henry's Commentary and encountering Romans Six I found this chapter especially helpful. I must have stayed there quite a lengthy time, gathering an outline from Henry that has stuck in my own mind for this many years. I couldn't pass through chapter Six without once again referring to it. The last several posts discussing Mortification and Vivification follows a partial outline of how I perceived Matthew Henry to expound on this same text.
Henry, once Finished explaining the Nature of Sanctification consisting in Dying and Living, Mortification and Vivification, goes on to explain the NECESSITY of Sanctification as described In Romans Chapter Six.
Here we begin by referring to Baptism:
1. We are dead to sin
Rom 6:2
"To participate in sin is to contradict our profession, violate an obligation."
“return to that to which we were dead, like walking ghosts than which nothing is more unbecoming and absurd. Rom 4:7 Return to that slavery from which we were discharged."
Matthew Henry:
In general, we are dead to sin, that is, in profession and in obligation. Our baptism signifies our cutting off from the kingdom of sin. We profess to have no more to do with sin. We are dead to sin by a participation of virtue and power for the killing of it, and by our union with Christ and interest in him, in and by whom it is killed. All this is in vain if we persist in sin; we contradict a profession, violate an obligation, return to that to which we were dead, like walking ghosts, than which nothing is more unbecoming and absurd. For (Rom_6:7) he that is dead is freed from sin; that is, he that is dead to it is freed from the rule and dominion of it, as the servant that is dead is freed from his master, Job_3:19. Now shall we be such fools as to return to that slavery from which we are discharged? When we are delivered out of Egypt, shall we talk of going back to it again?
If you have stuck with this series through Romans Six so far you might have thought, "he really uses Matthew Henry." This is purposeful. In 1989-1990 as I was reading through Matthew Henry's Commentary and encountering Romans Six I found this chapter especially helpful. I must have stayed there quite a lengthy time, gathering an outline from Henry that has stuck in my own mind for this many years. I couldn't pass through chapter Six without once again referring to it. The last several posts discussing Mortification and Vivification follows a partial outline of how I perceived Matthew Henry to expound on this same text.
Henry, once Finished explaining the Nature of Sanctification consisting in Dying and Living, Mortification and Vivification, goes on to explain the NECESSITY of Sanctification as described In Romans Chapter Six.
Here we begin by referring to Baptism:
1. We are dead to sin
Rom 6:2
"To participate in sin is to contradict our profession, violate an obligation."
“return to that to which we were dead, like walking ghosts than which nothing is more unbecoming and absurd. Rom 4:7 Return to that slavery from which we were discharged."
Matthew Henry:
In general, we are dead to sin, that is, in profession and in obligation. Our baptism signifies our cutting off from the kingdom of sin. We profess to have no more to do with sin. We are dead to sin by a participation of virtue and power for the killing of it, and by our union with Christ and interest in him, in and by whom it is killed. All this is in vain if we persist in sin; we contradict a profession, violate an obligation, return to that to which we were dead, like walking ghosts, than which nothing is more unbecoming and absurd. For (Rom_6:7) he that is dead is freed from sin; that is, he that is dead to it is freed from the rule and dominion of it, as the servant that is dead is freed from his master, Job_3:19. Now shall we be such fools as to return to that slavery from which we are discharged? When we are delivered out of Egypt, shall we talk of going back to it again?
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Romans - Chapter Six Vivification #4
Having discussed Dying to SIN in previous posts, we have now begun to consider LIVING TO RIGHTEOUSNESS as described in Romans Chapter six.
So far:
1. Rom 6:4 Walking in Newness of Life
2. Rom 6:11 TO BE ALIVE TO GOD
3. Rom 6:13 Yield ourselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead
So also Vivification is described in Romans 6 as:
4. Rom 6:13 Yield our members as instruments of righteousness to God
Romans 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Not yielding to sin - yet not idle - but made use of in the service of GOD
The soul the first and immediate instrument -- yet the members of the body are also to be instruments.
“The body must always be ready to serve the soul in service of God.”
And
ROM 6:19 Yield…servants to righteousness
KJV Romans 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
Righteousness unto holiness - growth and progress
2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Borrowing again from Matthew Henry:
Every gracious act confirms and strengthens a gracious habit.
Serving righteousness is unto holiness.
One duty fits us for another.
The more we do the more we do for God.
Matthew Henry:
“Yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. Let them be under the conduct and at the command of the righteous law of God, and that principle of inherent righteousness which the Spirit, as sanctifier, plants in the soul.” Righteousness unto holiness, which intimates growth, and progress, and ground obtained. As every sinful act confirms the sinful habit, and makes the nature more and more prone to sin (hence the members of a natural man are here said to be servants to iniquity unto iniquity - one sin makes the heart more disposed for another), so every gracious act confirms the gracious habit: serving righteousness is unto holiness; one duty fits us for another; and the more we do the more we may do for God. Or serving righteousness, eis hagiasmon - as an evidence of sanctification.
So far:
1. Rom 6:4 Walking in Newness of Life
2. Rom 6:11 TO BE ALIVE TO GOD
3. Rom 6:13 Yield ourselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead
So also Vivification is described in Romans 6 as:
4. Rom 6:13 Yield our members as instruments of righteousness to God
Romans 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Not yielding to sin - yet not idle - but made use of in the service of GOD
The soul the first and immediate instrument -- yet the members of the body are also to be instruments.
“The body must always be ready to serve the soul in service of God.”
And
ROM 6:19 Yield…servants to righteousness
KJV Romans 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
Righteousness unto holiness - growth and progress
2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Borrowing again from Matthew Henry:
Every gracious act confirms and strengthens a gracious habit.
Serving righteousness is unto holiness.
One duty fits us for another.
The more we do the more we do for God.
Matthew Henry:
“Yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. Let them be under the conduct and at the command of the righteous law of God, and that principle of inherent righteousness which the Spirit, as sanctifier, plants in the soul.” Righteousness unto holiness, which intimates growth, and progress, and ground obtained. As every sinful act confirms the sinful habit, and makes the nature more and more prone to sin (hence the members of a natural man are here said to be servants to iniquity unto iniquity - one sin makes the heart more disposed for another), so every gracious act confirms the gracious habit: serving righteousness is unto holiness; one duty fits us for another; and the more we do the more we may do for God. Or serving righteousness, eis hagiasmon - as an evidence of sanctification.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Romans - Chapter Six Vivification #3
Having discussed Dying to SIN in previous posts, we have now begun to consider LIVING TO RIGHTEOUSNESS as described in Romans Chapter six.
So far:
1. Rom 6:4 Walking in Newness of Life
2. Rom 6:11 TO BE ALIVE TO GOD
So also:
3. Rom 6:13 Yield ourselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead
Romans 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Borrowing from Matthew Henry:
Nothing less than your wholeselves.
Not as a dead carcass - but as those that are alive from the dead.
The surest evidence of our spiritual life is the dedication of ourself to God.
The redeemed to the one that redeemed them.
Matthew Henry:
As those that are alive from the dead. To yield a dead carcass to a living God is not to please him, but to mock him: “Yield yourselves as those that are alive and good for something, a living sacrifice,” Rom 12:1.
ROM 12:1
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
Matthew Henry:
The very life and being of holiness lie in the dedication of ourselves to the Lord, giving our own selves to the Lord, 2Co 8:5. “Yield yourselves to him, not only as the conquered yields to the conqueror, because he can stand it out no longer; but as the wife yields herself to her husband, to whom her desire is, as the scholar yields himself to the teacher, the apprentice to his master, to be taught and ruled by him. Not yield your estates to him, but yield yourselves; nothing less than your whole selves;”
So far:
1. Rom 6:4 Walking in Newness of Life
2. Rom 6:11 TO BE ALIVE TO GOD
So also:
3. Rom 6:13 Yield ourselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead
Romans 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Borrowing from Matthew Henry:
Nothing less than your wholeselves.
Not as a dead carcass - but as those that are alive from the dead.
The surest evidence of our spiritual life is the dedication of ourself to God.
The redeemed to the one that redeemed them.
Matthew Henry:
As those that are alive from the dead. To yield a dead carcass to a living God is not to please him, but to mock him: “Yield yourselves as those that are alive and good for something, a living sacrifice,” Rom 12:1.
ROM 12:1
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
Matthew Henry:
The very life and being of holiness lie in the dedication of ourselves to the Lord, giving our own selves to the Lord, 2Co 8:5. “Yield yourselves to him, not only as the conquered yields to the conqueror, because he can stand it out no longer; but as the wife yields herself to her husband, to whom her desire is, as the scholar yields himself to the teacher, the apprentice to his master, to be taught and ruled by him. Not yield your estates to him, but yield yourselves; nothing less than your whole selves;”
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