Oops, I Read The Wrong Chapter

So the vacation is not starting and I'm going to work today. Also, I realized I got myself all confused with were I was reading. Prior to yesterday's reading I had read chapter 10, but typed 11 on the blog for August 10th. This caused confusion yesterday, but I just picked on reading where I thought I'd left off. It was only today that I discovered the error.

And now I have to get ready for work. Chapter 11:11-24 is a little too important for me to just quickly run through, and I also want to finish chapter 10, so I'll have to resume later. There is one thing I will leave you with today, think of use Gentiles as grafted into the family of God. Jews rejected Him and we were added to the family in the place of those who rejected Him. But we were not the original chosen people. Act accordingly. Be grateful for God's calling.

Praise God for His Calling.

God's Grace to Jews, Not Earned

Today starts, what is probably going to be a month or so of vacation. "Baby bounding" is the official term. We are hoping Lisa has him really soon. I figure if I don't have to be at work, and there aren't 2 boys looking for some attention, I should probably get going on this blog again.

Chapter 11:5-10 seems mostly for the Jews. Although, if I read it thinking of my own failure to "obtain" salvation on my own power, it says a whole lot more to me. Paul wrote about the fact that he was a full Jew with all the rights and heritage needed to be considered a "Jew's Jew. But without grace, there would have been no salvation. He quotes old testament in verses 8-10 and it is scary to think about. "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see, and ears that would not hear..."

Sin is so powerful in our lives. If we are not constantly focusing and refocusing ourselves on God, on Christ, and on the Spirit's prompting, we will not live lives that glorify God. Without this as the desire of our hearts, we need to reevaluate our place in God's plan of grace. We need to beg on our needs to that grace to be "lavished" on us. David cried out all throughout the Psalms for God's mercy and grace. Who are we to not realize our desperate need as well?

God saves us by grace. We can not earn this salvation we desperately need. We must ask God for that salvation. We must hope in Him for the salvation we can't earn. We must rely on his love and grace and mercy to save us. "Not by works of righteousness that we have done." I always come back to that verse. Don't think this is a license to sin, because it's not. And you are responsible for your sin, so don't sin (good luck with that). "By grace you have been saved through faith."

Praise God for His Grace.

Righteousness Through Christ, Not the Law

This morning I read the entire chapter 10 of Romans. I'm going to write only about Romans 10:1-4 today, but this is a really great chapter for us as believers to understand what we have in salvation, and what we should be doing to witness to others. Paul says his "hearts desire and prayer to God for them (his brother's or Israel) is that they may be saved." Israel was all about their knowledge of the Word of God, but they didn't understand their need for a Savior. They rejected Christ and missed their need for His saving grace. Verse 4 "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes."

I love the New King James version of Titus 3:5 because my wife and I originally learned it together in a Bible study. It goes like this:

NKJ "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit"

or my current version, English Standard Version:

ESV "he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit"

They both help us realize we can no earn salvation through good works we do. It is only the mercy of God through the gracious gift of His Son that we can have salvation from our sins.

Praise God for Righteousness through Christ and His Mercy.

Righteousness Attained Through Faith, not The Law

It's hard not to look at the things we do and say as either earning or not earning us salvation. But as Romans 9:30-33 tells us that Gentiles attained righteousness by faith, and Israel did not succeed in reaching righteousness in their pursuit of the law. This means our righteousness, or salvation from sin, is based on faith not on works of righteousness according to the law. Israel lived in the same way I often think about my salvation. What can I do to get myself back on track in following the rules of being a Christian? That's not right. That's not where salvation will come from.

I have to realize that there are stumbling blocks in life that I will trip over; sins I will commit that will disqualify me from attaining righteousness on my own. Thank God for His Son Jesus. Only by faith in His payment for those sins can I be confident in my righteousness. In Him I am righteous in the eyes of God. Only through faith in Jesus can I attain righteousness. I am a wretched sinner, saved by Christ, saved by faith in the payment He made for my life. Praise God it's not up to my abilities to do good.

Praise God for Christ.

Who Are We to Argue with God?

Romans 9:19-29 talks about God being our maker, and just like a "vessel" made of clay can't argue with its maker about its purpose or use, we can't argue with God about why some are saved and some are not. I do think about this often, and it's one of those predestination arguments people make. "It's not fair," or "it's not a choice," are some of the things people say when talking about God choosing whom He will. But just as the clay can't argue, God's creation can't argue either. We are responsible for our own sin, and we are responsible for responding to God and the truth of His existence. And as believers we are responsible for shining the light of His truth in this dark world. The rest is up to God. He saves. He reveals. He draws people to Himself. We are commanded to go out and tell the world. We are commanded to share the gospel. There is no room to argue with God. His grace and mercy will be revealed through salvation. And is equally important wrath will be satisfied by Hell and when those who reject Him are thrown into the lake of fire.

I just realized I keep saying, "those who reject Him," when I should be saying "those whom He designed for death." Yikes!

Praise God for His Choosing.