Moving On To Chapter Four

We had a great discussion this passed Sunday. We missed you guys that couldn't be there. But now we are going to move on to Chapter four.

As you are reading through this chapter, take note that according to my Greek New Testament, the paragraph break is between verses 12&13. The NIV puts new paragraphs at verses 4, 9, 13, 16 & 18. Please remember that it is the words that are inspired and not the punctuation.

The main point is that Abraham is not the father of just the righteous Jews, but also of the righteous gentiles. Paul is using Abraham as a case study to prove that salvation is not of works but of faith.

There were three things that the Jews were very proud of: 1.Abraham as father 2. circumcision 3. their religious system. Paul is demonstrating that it was not Abraham's circumcision, nor his religious system that justified him before God. It was his faith.

Here is the thing. All religious systems are works based. [True Christianity is not a religion. It is a relationship.] God is not calling anyone to religion. He is calling us to a relationship with Him. As has been revealed, this relationship can only be gained and maintained through faith. It is also VERY EASY for us in the church, even the true church, to drift away from relationship and shipwreck ourselves on the rocks of religion. We begin to focus on what we are doing, instead of for whom we are doing. As soon as our eyes get off of God, He gets small and we get big.

Look at what Paul says in verse 4. A works based religion puts you in the driver's seat. It puts God in a place of owing you something. God is never our debtor, but we continue to be His.

Furthermore, works religion makes us the goal. It is focused on what we do and the one that does the most and the best wins. Therefore, someone could say, "You need to be like me." But we are not the goal. Jesus Christ is the goal. Our job as missionaries, and we are all missionaries, whether we walk across the street or fly across an ocean, is not to make people that look like us, but people that look like Jesus.

Your thoughts please;

Ed<><

Let's get on with it.

Well I think we have ridden this horse long enough. We have looked at it every way we know how and still come up with the same conclusion. All men & women, boys & girls, young & old, black, white, yellow, red & any other color you can come up with are BAD! As such, Paul makes the declaration of 3.20: Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

Thus Paul can now move to the central truth of the Christian faith. Justification before God does not come through good living, but through faith in Jesus Christ. Really try and digest verses 21-25 this week. A simple out line of these verses goes something like this:

[21] The Plan of Justification
[22] The Prerequisite of Justification
[24-25] The Price of Justification
[26] The Pronouncement of Justification

Since Justification is a work that rests completely in the work of God, Paul is then able to declare that there is no room for personal human pride in the presence of the cross.

Then Paul makes a startling statement in verse 31. He states that faith in Jesus Christ is not a nullification of the Law, but an establishment [NASB] of the Law. How is it that our faith in Jesus Christ upholds and establishes the Law?

Ed<><

Game Night

Since we talked with Karen & discussed NAME this past Sunday we will just plan to discuss Romans Chpt 3 this Sunday.

But I also just want to remind everyone that we are having a get together this Saturday night at our house. We will be having Pizza or something and just a good time together. If you want to bring a friend, please do so. And if you need directions to the house just give us a call.

We will be getting together about 5:30 or so.

Hope to see you all there.

Ed<><

What does Michael Jackson & You have in common?

We have been having some great discussions these past few weeks. This next week we want to look at Romans 3.5-20.

Verses 5-8 finish up Paul's thoughts about our sin and God's glory. Some argued that Paul was saying: If our sinfulness highlights God's righteousness and thus glorifies God, shouldn't we sin all the more that God's glory would be shown? Forget the fact that that is just stupid. Why should we seek to live a righteous life before the Lord?

In verses 9-20 Paul makes his final argument against mankind. It is a very depressing statement. How should it effect the way we look at the people around us?

Now to Michael Jackson. One of my favorite modern preachers is John Piper. This video was made quite a while back. It is based on one of his sermons.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-GxkAJ1OBU

Ed<><