8.10.2008

Obstacles to the Gospel - The New Age Movement

Introduction

Let me begin with the New Age Movement or NAM for short. I’ll draw from The New Age Movement BY G KUMAR, ASTROLOGER & EPISTEMOLOGIST. The FreeDictionalr.com states that NAM was “popularized in the 1980s to describe a wide-ranging set of beliefs and practices that are an outgrowth of the counterculture of the 1960s and 70s in the United States.” This may be true however; NAM has it roots in Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism and Druidism, all ancient religions older than Christianity, and Gnosticism.

Beliefs and how they oppose the Gospel

A: NAM does not believe in a Divine source of Authority. They believe that “All is Unity” and logically, “All is Divine” therefore “Humanity is divine”.

1. The Bible teaches: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV)

2. The Bible teaches that man is NOT divine.

a. Man is a Sinner. for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23 (NKJV)

b. Man is wicked, and deceitful. The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly perverse and corrupt and severely, mortally sick! Who can know it [perceive, understand, be acquainted with his own heart and mind]? Jeremiah 17:9 (AMP)

c. Man is by nature a child of wrath: Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. Ephesians 2:3 (NASB)

d. Man is dead: And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, Ephesians 2:1 (NKJV)

3. NEW Agers often quote Luke 17:21 (NKJV) ^“nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.", however the proper translation is: ^“nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or, 'There it is!' For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst." Luke 17:21 (NASB77)

B: The god of NAM. The god of NAM can be described using the following quotes from George Lucas’ Star Wars:

· "an energy field created by all living things" that "surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together." And

· "makes you sensitive to other living things, makes you intuitive, and allows you to read other people's minds, et cetera"

1. The Bible teaches that God is Personal.

a. He has a self give Name: And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.' " Exodus 3:14 (NKJV)

b. God has emotions: But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, Slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth. Psalms 86:15 (NASB)

c. God is forgiving: The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; Daniel 9:9 (NIV)

d. God Hates sin: ^“Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You can not look on wickedness with favor. Why do You look with favor On those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up Those more righteous than they?” Habakkuk 1:13 (NASB)

C: The Christ of NAM. “Christ Consciousness or the Divine Consciousness is what the New Age advocates mean by Christ. . In other words, Christ is a Divine Principle rather than an individual, such as Jesus. This idea of Christ Consciousness asserts that Jesus was only one of the Christs, but that He equipped Himself to receive the Christ Consciousness (i.e., He was a great Master who attained Christ Consciousness), as did other prophets like Buddha, Krishna, and Mohammed.” The New Age Movement

1. Christ means the anointed.

a. Jesus is the Christ of God: And He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" And Peter answered and said, "The Christ of God." Luke 9:20 (NASB77)

b. Jesus is God: who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Philippians 2:6-7 (NASB77)

c. Jesus died for OUR sins: by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 1 Corinthians 15:2-4 (NASB77)

d. Jesus is the ONLY way: Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me. John 14:6 (NASB77)

D: Human Destiny. “Man is the measure of all things and is more divine than the animals & hence the salvation of the world depends upon Man.” The New Age Movement

2. Man is closer to God because he bears the image of God. And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:27 (NASB77)

3. Salvation does NOT depend upon man:

a. But I will sacrifice to Thee With the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the Lord." Jonah 2:9 (NASB77)

b. Salvation belongs to the Lord; Thy blessing be upon Thy people! Selah. Psalm 3:8 (NASB77)

c. "I, even I, am the Lord; And there is no savior besides Me. Isaiah 43:11 (NASB77)

4. New Agers believe Salvation is Self-Actualisation and Sin is Ignorance. They teach that man is essentially good and: “Sin is merely ignorance of man's essential divinity. The atrophied spiritual consciousness of the normal man who lives in ignorance of his Divine Self is Sin.” The New Age Movement

a. The Bible teaches that man is in bondage to sin, is alienated from and an enemy of God, and is dead:

i. Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. John 8:34 (NASB77)

ii. For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, Philippians 3:18 (NASB77)

iii. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled Colossians 1:21 (NKJV)

iv. Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned-- Romans 5:12 (NKJV)

5. New Agers teach reincarnation: “that through a long process of rebirths, man can eventually attain Divine perfection.” The New Age Movement

a. The Bible teaches when you die you are judged: And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, Hebrews 9:27 (NASB77)

b. "And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." Matthew 25:46 (NASB77)

There are many other aspects of NAM that I’m not going to cover here. As you can see in this brief examination of NAM, it is incompatible with Christianity.

Posted on 8.10.2008 at 2:35 PM | Comments (0) | Permanent Link

7.6.2008

Obstacles to the Gospel, Particularly Worldview - Introduction

Introduction

I’ve been reading George Barna’s book “Think Like Jesus” and before we go on with our study of the book of Romans, I thought it would be helpful to examine some of the obstacles to the Gospel particularly one’s worldview.

Definitions

Gospel: - 1 a: the message concerning Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation

b: one of the first four New Testament books telling of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ; also : a similar apocryphal book

c: an interpretation of the Christian message <the social gospel>

2: a lection from one of the New Testament Gospels

3: the message or teachings of a religious teacher (The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)

The Bible Definition
For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (NKJV)

Social Gospel, liberal movement within American Protestantism that attempted to apply biblical teachings to problems associated with industrialization. It took form during the latter half of the 19th century under the leadership of Washington Gladden and Walter Rauschenbusch, who feared the isolation of religion from the working class. They believed in social progress and the essential goodness of humanity. The views of the Social Gospel movement were given formal expression in 1908 when the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America adopted what was later called "the social creed of the churches." Advocated in the creed were the abolition of child labor, better working conditions for women, one day off during the week, and the right of every worker to a living wage. With the rise of the organized labor movement in the early 20th century, the Social Gospel movement lost much of its appeal as an independent force. However, many of its ideals were later embodied in the New Deal legislation of the 1930s. (The FreeDictionary.com)

Worldview: - The Christian thinker James W. Sire defines a worldview as "a set of presuppositions (assumptions which may be true, partially true or entirely false) which we hold (consciously or subconsciously, consistently or inconsistently) about the basic makeup of our world." and suggests that "we should all think in terms of worldviews, that is, with a consciousness not only of our own way of thought but also that of other people, so that we can first understand and then genuinely communicate with others in our pluralistic society." (The FreeDictionary.com)

Some world views:

Deism: – 1. The belief, based solely on reason, in a God who created the universe and then abandoned it, assuming no control over life, exerting no influence on natural phenomena, and giving no supernatural revelation.

2. The acknowledgment of the existence of a god upon the testimony of reason and of nature and its laws, and the rejection of the possibility of supernatural intervention in human affairs and of special revelation. (The FreeDictionary.com)

Naturalism: - a theory denying that an event or object has a supernatural significance; specifically: the doctrine that scientific laws are adequate to account for all phenomena. (The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)

Nihilism: - 1a: a viewpoint that traditional values and beliefs are unfounded and that existence is senseless and useless.

b: a doctrine that denies any objective ground of truth and especially of moral truths ((The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)

Existentialism: - a chiefly 20th century philosophical movement embracing diverse doctrines but centering on analysis of individual existence in an unfathomable universe and the plight of the individual who must assume ultimate responsibility for acts of free will without any certain knowledge of what is right or wrong or good or bad. (The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)

Postmodernism: - of, relating to, or being a theory that involves a radical reappraisal of modern assumptions about culture, identity, history, or language (The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)

Pantheism: - the doctrine that the universe conceived of as a whole is God and, conversely, that there is no God but the combined substance, forces, and laws that are manifested in the existing universe. (The FreeDictionary.com)

Hedonism: - 1. Pursuit of or devotion to pleasure, especially to the pleasures of the senses.

2. Philosophy The ethical doctrine holding that only what is pleasant or has pleasant consequences is intrinsically good.

3. Psychology The doctrine holding that behavior is motivated by the desire for pleasure and the avoidance of pain. (The FreeDictionary.com)

New Age: - a term popularized in the 1980s to describe a wide-ranging set of beliefs and practices that are an outgrowth of the counterculture of the 1960s and 70s in the United States. Adherents of the New Age movement believe that a spiritual era is dawning in which individuals and society will be transformed. The movement encompasses a wide range of ideas, including personal spiritual growth and self-realization, holistic medicine (including the use of crystals for healing), reincarnation, astrology, and the mystical energies said to be induced by pyramids. Many critics of the movement regard it as anti-intellectual. (The FreeDictionary.com)

Whether you believe it or not everyone has a worldview. You begin forming a worldview at an early age. You learn it from your parents, the programs on TV that you watch, the school you attend, your friends, even the church you attend. In other words, your worldview comes from the environment in which you live. You may have heard the expression, “They see through a pair of rose colored glasses.” Whoever said that could have said, “That’s their worldview.” It’s not something that taught, it’s learned through experience. It is difficult to categorize people as to which “pair of glasses they wear” because everyone’s worldview is a mixture of worldviews.

In the next section we’ll look at how each worldview presents and obstacle to the Gospel and give examples of people who hold a particular worldview.

Posted on 7.6.2008 at 1:23 PM | Comments (0) | Permanent Link

6.28.2008

The Way of Salvation - part 2

Introductory Thoughts

Now the introduction to the letter is over, and we get down to the real business at hand, as Paul introduces the real topic of his letter.

Three parts to Romans:

Man cannot save himself —1:18-3:20
Only God can save us —3:21-11:36
Once we are saved, God expects us to live for Him — 12:1-16:26

The Thesis of Romans — "the just shall live by faith." 1:16-17

'For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. Forin it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."'

Paul confessed to the Philippians, "I count allthings to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, and may befound in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith" (Phil 3:8-9).

"But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith inJesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus"(Rom. 3:21-24).

The German pietist Count Zinzendorf wrote, in a profound hymn,

Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness

My beauty are, my glorious dress;

‘Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed,

With joy shall I lift up my head.

Bold shall I stand in Thy great day,

For who aught to my charge shall lay?

Fully absolved through these I am,

From sin and fear, from guilt and shame.

From faith to faith seems to parallel"everyone whobelieves" in the previous verse. If so, the idea is "from faith to faith to faith to faith," as if Paul were singling out the faith of each individual believer.

Salvation by His grace working through man’s faith was always God’s plan, as Paul here implies in quoting from Habakkuk2:4, as it is written, "But the righteousman shall live by faith."Abraham, the father of the faithful, believed, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness (Rom.4:3), just as every person’s genuine faith, before and after Abraham, has been reckoned to him as righteousness (see Heb.11:4-40). John MacArthur

A. The World’s Idea of Religion — Quid Pro Quo —

1. Israel

Matt 19:16 "And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?"

Rom 10:1-3 "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."

2. Islam — Your good deeds balanced with your bad deeds.

3. Buddhism — through successive rebirths, divinity (nothingness, really) is achieved.

4. Mormonism — ceremonies and works enable you to become a "god" of your own.

5. Jehovah’s Witnesses — obedience earns you a spot in an earthly paradise.

6. "Christian" works religions — combine works and grace, as man cooperates with God in salvation — it is a teamwork thing.

Col 2: 16-23 "Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence."

Gal 3:1-3 "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?"

B. The Problem With the World’s Ideas

1. Our Quid (our work) is no good

Isa 64:6 "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."

2. Even if our works had some value, we really don’t want to do right by God anyway.

Rom 3:10-12 'As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one."'

3. Even if our Quid was good, even if we were willing to work, we can’t work enough to make a difference — the debt is too big!

a. The Standard — PERFECTION!

Lev 18:5 'You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the LORD.'

Deu 27:26 'Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen!'

Deu 28:1 "Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth."

Deu 28:14-16 "So you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right or the left, to go after other gods to serve them. But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country."

Gal 3:10 'For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them."'

James 2:10 "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all."

4. The Bible specifically says that works do not save.

a. We are not saved by works

Gal 2:16 "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."

b. WE ARE saved apart from works

Rom 4:1-8 'What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin."'

C. God’s Way of Salvation (The Romans Road)

1. God is angry at the sin and rebellion of mankind.

Rom 1:18 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;"

2. All human beings are sinners.

Rom 3:10-12 'As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one."'

Rom 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"

3. We are condemned because of our sin.

Rom 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death;"

4. We cannot be right in God’s eyes by anything we do.

Rom 3:20 "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin."

5. Christ’s sacrifice for sinners pays the debt we cannot pay.

Rom 5:8-9 "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him."

6. Only by faith in Christ can we be right with God.

Rom 3:21-22 "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe:"

Rom 5:1 "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:"

7. We must confess who Jesus is, and believe in what He has done.

Rom 10:9-10 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

Posted on 6.28.2008 at 6:06 PM | Comments (0) | Permanent Link

6.8.2008

A REAL Crime Against Humanity!

Put the abortion ticker on your blog or site.

Posted on 6.8.2008 at 9:41 PM | Comments (0) | Permanent Link

The Way fo Salvation - part 1

Introductory Thoughts

Now the introduction to the letter is over, and we get down to the real business at hand, as Paul introduces the real topic of his letter.

There are three parts to Romans:

Man cannot save himself. — Rom 1:18-3:20

Rom 1:18 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,"

Rom 3:19 "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin."

Only God can save us. — Rom 3:21-11:36

Rom 3:21 "But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,"

Rom 11:33-36 'Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! "For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor? Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?" For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.'

Once we are saved, God expects us to live for Him. — Rom 12:1-16:26

Rom 12:1 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."

Rom 16:25-27 "Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now has been made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures has been made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith; to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen."

A. The Thesis of Romans — "the just shall live by faith."

Rom 1:16-17 'For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."'

1. You may ask, "Why is it that we must be justified by faith? Or, why can't we earn our way to heaven? Or, why is OUR righteousness no good in God's eyes?" a. The wrath of God against Sin — 1:18-19

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them."

(1) Where has God revealed Himself? — 1:20

"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,"

(2) What happened? — 1:21-23

"because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man; and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things."

(3) What was the result? — All of the wickedness and moral corruption we see today!

1:24-32 "Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them."

2. The Impotence of Human religion and morality — 2:1-3:8

a. You might say, "That's true, but Paul was talking about the heathen. They deserve God's wrath, but I don't do those things!" Perhaps not all of them, but you can't say you NEVER did any of them. Paul first speaks to the "moral man". — 2:1-11

"Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who "will render to each one according to his deeds": eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness; indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God."

b. Paul the sets forth a spiritual principle.

Rom 2:12-13 "For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified;"

Paul is saying that the Gentiles, who do not have the (written) law, will perish, and the Jews who have the law will be judged by the law.

Gal 3:10 'For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them."'

c. Paul goes on to say that the Gentiles do know the difference between right and wrong. — 2:14-16

"for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel."

1) The evidence — "....show the work of the law written in their hearts,"

2) Their judge — ".... their conscience also bearing witness,"

3) Their verdict — ".... their thoughts accusing or else excusing them..."

d. Then He turns to the Jew (ie. the religious person). — 2:17-20

"Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God, and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law."

1) Notice Paul says in verse 20 "having the form of knowledge and truth in the law."

2) It has already been established earlier that the Jews don't do these things. So, why does Paul go on to ask these questions? — 2:21-23 'You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? You who say, "Do not commit adultery," do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law?'

3) He answers the questions — 2:28-29 "For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God."

e. Paul goes on to ask and answer several objections.

Question: 3:1 "What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision?"
Answer: 3:2 "Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God."
Question: 3:3 "For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect?"
Answer: 3:4 'Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: "That You may be justified in Your words, And may overcome when You are judged."'
Question: 3:5 "But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.)"
Answer: 3:6 "Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world?"
Question: 3:7 "For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?"
Answer: 3:8 'And why not say, "Let us do evil that good may come"?; as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just.'

3. The utter depravity of mankind — 3:9-18

What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one." "Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit"; "The poison of asps is under their lips"; "Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness." "Their feet are swift to shed blood; Destruction and misery are in their ways; And the way of peace they have not known." "There is no fear of God before their eyes."

4. The bottom line is man's total inability to save himself, in whole or in part — 3:19-20

"Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin."

B. Righteousness From God

1. Rom 1:17 "For in it the righteousness of God is revealed..." a. This is righteousness from God. This is not talking about the vindication of God for forgiving us, though that is mentioned later.

b. This righteousness is apart from the law.

Rom 3:21 "But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,"

c. It is not against the law, as Paul says later in the chapter. Indeed, it upholds the law, and in a way, this righteousness comes from the Law, because it comes from the perfect obedience that the sinless Son of God performed on earth.

2 Cor 5:21 "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

Phil 2:8 "And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross."

d. The righteousness of God which Paul talks about here has no relationship to human works whatsoever; this is the righteousness revealed in the Gospel.

Gal 2:16 "knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified."

2. Rom 3:22 "even the righteousness of God..."

The merit is that of Christ Jesus Himself. This is not the righteousness FROM God, this is the righteousness OF God. When a man or woman stands justified by Christ, they have on their record, written in blood, the very righteousness bought and paid for by the God-man, Jesus Christ.

3. "....through faith in Jesus Christ..." This righteousness comes to us THROUGH faith.

a. Faith is NOT the GROUND of our right standing with God — this is very important!

It is NOT that God saw we couldn’t obey the law, so He instituted an easier law.

It is NOT that instead of obeying the law, we generate faith from within ourselves and satisfy God by one work, faith, instead of many...NO!

b. The Ground of our righteousness, and our only claim to anything is the sacrifice of Christ. The basis for our salvation is that we have the merits of Christ Himself, transferred legally to our account.

c. The medium of the transfer, the way that God brings us to receive this righteousness, is the medium of faith. We are saved BY GRACE — by the mercy and acts of God THROUGH FAITH...

Eph 2:8 "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,"

4. This way of Righteousness deals with our sin completely.

Rom 3:25-26 "whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

a. On the Cross, God worked out His way of redemption for all to see — and in so doing, He demonstrated His love, mercy, justice, goodness, wrath against sin, omnipotence, omniscience, sovereignty, and Holiness, all at the same time.

b. Rom 3:25 "whom God set forth" — We can never let this get away from our minds, that God is the Author of the Cross.

(1) Christ did not die because He was too weak to get out of it.

Phil 2:8 "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." (KJV)

(2) Our Lord and Savior was no helpless victim — as He demonstrated when He said, "I am" and they all fell down (John 18:4-6), Jesus could have wiped out the Roman Empire with a word and called for twelve legions of angels to do the light work and mopping up.

(3) No third party arbitrated a settlement between God and the human race — God did it Himself.

1 Tim 2:5-6 "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,"

And on the cross, God showed to the world that as He forgives people through faith in the blood of Christ, He has dealt with their sin.

Rom 3:26 "to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

5. There are three things in which Christianity is vastly different from the various human religions:

a. We serve a risen Savior.

b. Our way of salvation is totally apart from human effort and merit.

c. In the Cross, a Holy God DEALS WITH SIN.

(1) God's broken law is not ignored

(2) The offense of sin and rebellion against the Holy LORD is not just forgotten.

(3) Sin is dealt with!

6. This way of righteousness involves a legal transaction which forever changes the legal standing of the one who is justified thereby.

a. This righteousness we receive is imputed righteousness — that is a theological term which means: righteousness is put to our account, just like a deposit put in our bank account by someone else. God legally declares us to be righteous, and puts that on our record in Heaven.

Rom 4:1-7 'What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered;"'

7. This changed state is permanent

Rom 4:8 "Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin."

8. Salvation is secure.

Rom 8:1a "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,..."

Rom 8:16 "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,"

Rom 8:33 "Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies."

Rom 8:38-39 "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

9. Salvation is the sovereign act of a Sovereign God.

Rom 9:18 "Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens."

C. "Revealed From Faith to Faith"

1. Rom 1:17 'For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."' a.This righteousness is revealed now, but it is not new.

Rom 3:21 "But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,"

b. Salvation by grace through faith is not a new teaching — "The Just shall live by faith" is an OT teaching.

Hab 2:4 "Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith."

c. This is part of an ancient plan and mystery, hidden by God but now revealed, but this is not some new way to heaven. Faith alone has always been the only way to heaven, but the plan was not revealed until now.

d. The law was never a way of salvation, it was always and only our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ.

Gal 3:24 "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." (KJV)

2. From Faith to Faith — that is, from each individual to another — from faith to faith, to faith, etc.

Rom 1:17 "For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."'

Posted on 6.8.2008 at 10:56 AM | Comments (0) | Permanent Link

5.17.2008

Savior for all — The Sin of Racism

Rom 1:16-17 'For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."'

Introductory Thoughts

"At the heart of racism is the religious assertion that God made a creative mistake when he brought some people into being." (FRIEDRICH OTTO HERTZ)
"Motives and forces behind racism are anti-Christ, denying that man is made in the divine image." (TREVOR HUDDLESTON 1913– )
"Race prejudice is as thorough a denial of the Christian God as atheism." (HARRY EMERSON FOSDICK (1878–1969))
"Skin color does not matter to God, for he is looking upon the heart. . . . When men are standing at the foot of the cross, there are no racial barriers." (BILLY GRAHAM (1918– )
"To remain neutral in a situation where the laws of the land virtually criticized God for having created men of color, was the sort of thing I could not, as a Christian, tolerate." (ALBERT JOHN LUTHULI (1898–1967)
"The church must be a sample of the kind of humanity within which . . . economic and racial differences are surmounted. Only then will she have anything to say to the society that surrounds her about how those differences must be dealt with. Otherwise her preaching to the world a standard of reconciliation which is not her own experience will be neither honest nor effective." (JOHN HOWARD YODER)

The specific brand of racism Paul is attacking is of Jews against Gentiles.

In the mind of the Jew, Gentiles were dogs.
Jews did not mingle socially with Gentiles.
Jews did not believe Gentiles could be saved unless they first became Jews.

Attitudes like this are sometimes common among professing Christians. However, the Bible makes no case for any type of racism — indeed, racism opposes all the Gospel stands for.

The Human Race is One Race, with one and ONLY one Savior.
The Kingdom of God is One Kingdom; The Church is One Body.
Heaven Will be Integrated.

A. The Human Race is One Race, with one Savior — Rom 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek"

1. One Race a. One Blood — Acts 17:26 "And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,"

b. One Species — proof positive is that all races can have fertile children.

c. No race is superior when you take the historical view.

(1) Europe vs Africa 1300 years ago

(2) Who were the savages then?

(3) Who were the slaves in those days?

2. The Race has One Human Father — Adam.

Made of the dust of the earth — what colors are found in the ground?

3. The race comes from One Branch of Adam — Noah.

Gen 9:18-19 "Now the sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And Ham was the father of Canaan. These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated."

4. From whence the different races?

(a) Ham — "dark"

(b) Shem — "Brown"

(c) Japeth — "fair"

Chances are very good that Mr. and Mrs. Noah were a mixed couple.

(d) The boys’ wives?

5. The fabled "curse of Ham" on the Black race.

Gen 9:25-27 'Then he said: "Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brethren." And he said: "Blessed be the LORD, The God of Shem, And may Canaan be his servant. May God enlarge Japheth, And may he dwell in the tents of Shem; And may Canaan be his servant."

(a) Canaan was cursed — not Ham.

(c) Curse only applied to relations between the Semites/Japethites and the Canaanites.

(d) The children of Ham were a highly civilized group, who built the first civilizations —

Gen 10:6-20 'The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabtechah; and the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan. Cush begot Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one on the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.” And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. From that land he went to Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah (that is the principal city). Mizraim begot Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, Pathrusim, and Casluhim (from whom came the Philistines and Caphtorim). Canaan begot Sidon his firstborn, and Heth; the Jebusite, the Amorite, and the Girgashite; the Hivite, the Arkite, and the Sinite; the Arvadite, the Zemarite, and the Hamathite. Afterward the families of the Canaanites were dispersed. And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon as you go toward Gerar, as far as Gaza; then as you go toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha. These were the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their languages, in their lands and in their nations.'

B. The Kingdom of God is One Kingdom — A local Church is One Body

1. One King — One Way of Salvation

2. One People — No Distinctions

Eph 2:11-19 "Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh; who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands; that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making