Romans 16:17-18

SCRIPTURE

Romans 16:17-18
I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

COMMENT

This makes some interesting points. One is that the Galatians were apparently taught an important doctrine. And this doctrine was important, and some would seek to teach doctrines that are contrary to it. The words, "create obstacles contrary to..." lead me to believe that he is talking about the same issue here as in Galatians, where some added certain works to the saving faith proclaimed in Christ. The ones who do this do it to satisfy their own appetites, whether those appetites be for profit or power. And they know how to get what they want, smooth talk and flattery. I think of many preachers I have heard, who are more concerned about how people will react to their message rather than what the content of that message is.

We are told to avoid them. I do not believe that this is a command to blindly follow Paul, but rather done out of concern that hearing their message will deceive many, so don't give them a foothold. Don't give them an audience, for in doing so you may encourage others to be deceived.

I pray for the church, because I believe we have wandered far from the time when doctrine was important. I wonder how many even have a system of belief today. It just seems that for so many, they will follow whatever sounds right and feels good. I fear that false teaching is such a norm today that the division seems to be coming from those who hold to the true teachings of Jesus.

No wonder that Jesus said, "when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith?"

Will He?

Romans 15:1-7

SCRIPTURE

Romans 15:1-7
We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

COMMENT

That first phrase says a lot. If you claim to be  strong Christian, then you are willing to put aside some of your freedoms for the sake of other who are weaker. If you aren't, then it sounds to me like it is saying that you are the weaker Christian. Ouch! Why give up some of your freedoms? Because even Christ did not live to please Himself. He took the penalty of our sin, on the cross. So you can give up that beer, or whatever, and still survive.

Romans 14:13-19,23

SCRIPTURE

Romans 14:13-19,23
Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

COMMENT

This is an interesting passage to try and understand, because you could take the idea of being a stumbling block to extremes on either side. On the one hand you could seriously try to avoid anything that someone else might deem sinful, alcohol, R-rated movies, cursing, near cursing (darn it), PG-rated movies, lack of tithing, not working on Sunday, etc. I think to live such a life would be a joyless, anxiety filled existence. So on the other hand, you could just do as you please because Jesus "got your back." You don't have to worry about what others think, because they are not your master, Jesus is. If Jesus wants you to drink, you do it. If you want to curse, you do it. Etc. I think to live such a life as a Christian is not really living a Christian life.

I think the truth lies in the middle, but it is a hard middle to define. I don't decide to put a stumbling block in the way of a brother. In other words, I limit my freedom with intention. Where that intention lies is an individual decision, but one that is made with my brother's interests at heart, because doing so ultimately puts Jesus's interests at heart. I know that nothing I eat is unclean, but for my weaker brother's sake, I do not eat it because that is not acting out of love for him or my Savior.

Do not destroy your brother, who is weaker in faith, by intentionally doing things that he believes are wrong.  If you know it offends, you sacrifice your freedom for his sake. That does not mean that you cannot do anything anyone might find offensive, that is legalism, and Paul has very strong words for legalists, just read Galatians. But as Paul states, the kingdom of heaven is a matter of righteousness and peace. Righteousness and peace are about relationships, and we cannot have either if we do not love our brothers. Remember Christ's teachings about adultery, how even looking at a woman lustfully is wrong? Remember how our righteousness must surpass that of the Pharisees and teachers of the law? If we sacrifice a freedom in order to save a brother, that pales in comparison to the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. That is a tough teaching, but I believe it is the truth.

Romans 14:1-4

SCRIPTURE

Romans 14:1-4
As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

COMMENT

Opinions are not the same as doctrine. There are certain things that I believe are not up for debate, although I know that some would still argue what these are. Baptism, for instance. Some denominations believe it is required, and it is a part of their doctrine. Others believe differently. So lets not even go there. But there are certainly things that are opinion. Like, what color should the carpet be (although I have heard that churches have split over such details).

Food. Apparently Paul sees this as an opinion thing. What is interesting is that the strong person eats anything, the weak, only veggies. Me? I abstain from broccoli, unless it has cheese sauce. Is the one strong because they are not limited by laws? Are the others weak because they do not get enough protein? Does not matter, for Paul says that neither group should look down on the other. When it comes to matters of opinion, we are accountable to the  Master, not one another. Whatever one chooses, God is the one who upholds us all. Now if we could only agree on what is opinion...

Romans 13:8-10

SCRIPTURE

Romans 13:8-10
Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

COMMENT

The one who loves has fulfilled the law. But what if one has a messed up notion of what love is? I have heard a lot of different ideas of what love is. Have you ever heard, "Love means never having to say you are sorry?" I can't think of a much more messed up idea of love than that. You hurt someone, then I suppose they are just supposed to forgive you without ever discussing it. Sounds like something made up by an abusive spouse. It says in this passage, that love does no wrong to a neighbor. Is that why we never have to say, "Sorry!" How many of us can love like that?

I believe that to love is to admit your shortcomings, to talk about the times that you may have been hurt or hurt someone else. Love is the delicate balance between giving everything for others without becoming a doormat. But maybe my idea of love is messed up.

Commandments are mentioned, let's just take the first one, don't commit adultery. Jesus said that to look at another woman lustfully was to commit adultery. What about not committing murder? Jesus said to insult your brother makes you liable to the council, to call them a fool and you are liable for hell. I hope you get the idea. Love is more than just obeying the law.

Romans 13:1-7

SCRIPTURE

Romans 13:1-7
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

COMMENT

This Scripture poses a dilemma for me. On the one hand, it puts God in control as the one who institutes governments and authorities. On the other hand, there are times when those same governments or authorities command that I do things that are in opposition to what I believe a Christian should do. The only way that I seem to be able to understand this is to consider that we should be subject as long as those authorities do not violate what I believe to be God's standards. Am I wrong in this?

I look at Paul's life, and what he endured. Sometimes he suffered for his actions. Were not some of those actions in opposition to the authorities? Yet when he did oppose authority, it seems that he was willing to pay the consequence for that opposition. Even when in prison, he sang and praised his God.

I also think about those who would not bow down to idols or worship of someone other than God. They too, were in opposition to the authorities, but in a way that accepted the consequences in a way befitting a follower of God. Even David in opposition of Saul did not violate by killing Saul when he had opportunity.

This is a tough one, and may get tougher as our country is in such turmoil at the current time.

Romans 12:9-21

SCRIPTURE

Romans 12:9-21
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

COMMENT

For someone who preaches against those who would have us live up to a law standard, Paul sure likes to tell people what to do. But look at what he is asking. Love, don't be lazy, rejoice, pray, be generous, etc. Perhaps he is not telling us what to do, but instead is sharing what a living sacrifice looks like. If repentance is more than just turning your back on sin, if it is turning your sights on God, then people who have spent their lives living for themselves need to hear this.

Jesus spent a lot of time telling people how to act as well. Look at the Beatitudes, in fact, the entire Sermon on the Mount. Jesus takes the law to the next level. Not only is adultery wrong, but to look at a woman lustfully is too. This is a standard no one can accomplish! It is also a standard that requires a change of heart.

Paul seems to echo this kind of thinking toward the end, where he talks about not repaying evil for evil, but overcoming evil with good. This is not a natural human tendency! It requires a change of heart and a change of thinking. It is why we need instruction on what it means to call ourselves Christians.

Romans 12:1,2

SCRIPTURE

Romans 12:1,2
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

LANGUAGE

Appeal (Vs 1)  παρακαλέω parakaleō; to call near, i.e. invite, invoke  — beseech, call for, (be of good) comfort, desire, (give) exhort(-ation), intreat, pray.

COMMENT

Let's begin by talking about the interpretation of this verse. The word "appeal" (ESV & RSV) is rendered "urge" (NIV, NASB, & HCSB), beseech (KJV & ASV), and "encourage" (CEB). How you interpret Paul using this word seems to determine your understanding of this passage. It Paul issuing a command or is he inviting others to join him. As I look at the Greek meaning (above), and from what I gather of Paul in the context of what he is saying, this is an invitation to join him in his journey as a follower of God. The "therefore" in my opinion, refers to what Paul has been saying in 11:33-36, where Paul is basically singing in praise of God, and how He is superior to us in all ways, and is as such deserving of all praise. So he invites us to present ourselves before God as a living sacrifice because of the mercy of this all powerful and all knowing being, who has provided salvation. This is why we worship. It is not, and cannot be a command to earn God's favor. That is what the world says and offers, pay your penance and give God His due so that you can get your due. But our offering is always going to fall short. Do you want to know what God's will for you is? Love Him, then you will know his will for you.

Let's Sing! (Romans 11:33-36)

SCRIPTURE

Romans 11:33-36
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
“For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?”
“Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?”
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

COMMENT

Up to this point in Romans, Paul has been talking theology. He has been trying to show that the existence of God is without doubt, that all have turned from God to selfishness and sin, to show God's patience with us, to show of God's need for justice. He also talks about man's manipulation of all of this, trying to justify our behavior so that God is to blame for our sin. He then talks about the role of faith in salvation, and how forgiveness is possible, not because of what we can do, but because of what Christ has done. He speaks of God's role in the matter...which many still cannot agree upon today. And now, in these verses, it is as if Paul's spirit has just been overwhelmed with praise. But what a praise.

Who can understand God, or what He does, or how He does it? Who can imagine to give God advice? Who can put God in their debt? No one! He is all and above all, praise the Lord!

It appears to me that it is as if Paul were standing in the presence of God, and his only response it that he is humbled. This is critical, because in Chapter 12, Paul uses the word "therefore," and I believe that these verses are what he is referring to.

One of the things that I believe has to happen in order for us to be able to appropriately respond to God is for us to see God as Paul saw Him, as the sovereign God of the universe who not only is all wise and does not need our advice, but also is perfectly content, and does not need any thing from us. He is God, and all praise goes to Him.

I was Blind, But Now I See? (Romans 11:7-10)

SCRIPTURE

Romans 11:7-10
What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, as it is written,
“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
eyes that would not see
and ears that would not hear,
down to this very day.”
And David says,
“Let their table become a snare and a trap,
a stumbling block and a retribution for them;
let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,
and bend their backs forever.”

COMMENT

I always struggle when I see that phrase, "The elect." Just being honest. I know that some say that God could not predestine us, because that would not be fair. But any way you look at it, it is not fair because not all have the same opportunities. ''

So Israel was seeking a relationship with God, but the failed, and failed, and failed again, and so on. The elect did obtain it. Who are the elect? Are they God's choice? People like David, Solomon, Abram, the 700 prophets who God set apart? What about today? How does it work?

I read about a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see, etc., and think of those who follow such teachers as Joel Osteen, Mart Batterson, Steven Furtick, and a litany of other prosperity preachers. Not just the ones on TV, but also the ones from local churches who are not focused on the gospel message, but on attendance or preservation or works. Scary stuff. So today, I just have a prayer. It is a prayer to be able to discern truth, to not be one of the blind or deaf. A prayer to be able to earnestly seek and find God and the salvation that He offers.

Chosen by Grace (Romans 11:1-6)

SCRIPTURE

Romans 11:1-6
I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” But what is God's reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

COMMENT

The whole "foreknew" verses "predestined" thing sometimes drives me crazy. If God foreknew, did He not know before we were created? And if so, is there really much difference between His foreknowing and predestination? I'm glad I don't have his job with my limited knowledge.

Either way you feel about the above subject, the point of the passage is that God does not desert those destined for salvation. That is what grace is all about. God gives grace, we don't earn it. So if God selects or foreknows of your salvation, you are secure. That is different from your knowing about your salvation, because many of us believe lies. So while we should have some assurance of salvation, there is also the element of testing our faith, making sure it is in line with the gospel. That is a tough enough job in itself.

Hear Me or Not (Romans 10:20-21)

SCRIPTURE

Romans 10:20-21
Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,
“I have been found by those who did not seek me;
I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”
But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

COMMENT

This is an interesting passage to me. What does Isaiah mean when he says that "I have been found by those who did not seek me." What does Paul hope to show by quoting it? I think the answer to the second question is Paul is seeking to validate his words from the previous chapter about the gentiles, "who did not pursue righteousness have attained it." They were not looking for it, did not seek it, but God has shown it to them. Whereas Israel, those who had the law of righteousness, who pursued it not through faith but on their own merits, failed.

I often wonder, are we the now new Israel? Have we deserted faith and are again seeking to obtain grace through our own merits. I think back to a church we attended. Every sermon was about doing better and trying harder. Every activity sought to lift up the church itself. Go, pick up trash at the river on community clean up day, and before you go, be sure to get your church shirt with the church logo and a cute saying about service on it. Not that this is a bad thing, but if done to obtain God's favor, it is just another filthy rag on the pile. Not quite an acceptable offering. Jesus told us, "Don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing," but if some there happen to see those shirts, they will know where you came from. And if the media picks up on this, all the better. Soon, we will have a group of good people doing good things. But if that is the gospel we preach, I fear we have missed the mark. It's not that we do good things to merit God's favor, it's that because we have God's favor we do good things. To some, it seems like splitting hairs. Others might not even see the difference. But God know. After all, He has to keep cleaning those rags off the altar.

Obeying the Gospel (Romans 10:16-17)

SCRIPTURE

Romans 10:16-17
How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

COMMENT

Yes, beautiful are those who preach the gospel, keeping in mind, that not all who preach, preach the gospel. He goes on to say, "But they have not all obeyed the gospel." Is he talking about the preachers or the hearers? I think, because of the context brought in by the next sentence, he speaks of the hearers. Hearing is not enough. Hearing must be coupled with belief. Faith comes from hearing, but hearing alone is not a guarantee that faith will come.

Here is a tough thought: If we do not hear the truth, we will not believe the truth, yet I believe that we are responsible for believing the truth. So what about those who do not hear the truth? Are they only accountable for what they have been told? Perhaps their fate is the same as those who never hear at all. Yet if Jesus is the only way to salvation, it appears that those who never hear will also not be able to attain salvation.

But again, this is an instance where I must put my faith in God. My human heart questions if it is fair that those who never hear are still accountable. But my understanding of the Bible is that they are. I can question God, but I must also accept His answer, one that I might not hear this side of eternity. But if those who hear really believe, then many will hear. But when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith?