Romans Chapter 6

Romans 6 is an interesting place to go for an explanation of what baptism really means.  Really, the discussion is about sin, a continuation of the discourse on sin and grace from chapter 5.  Note the final words of chapter 5:  "...just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Then as chapter 6 begins, the discussion continues.  "What shall we say, then?  Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?  By no means!  We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?  Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?  We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.  If we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection."

There is a figurative relationship established by the physical act of baptism.  That is, by being baptised in the physical act, we are figuratively joining in the death of Jesus.  And just as He was raised from the dead, we are joined with Him in being raised up out of the water.  It is an interesting concept that is carefully detailed in this one place of the New Testament.

But the main point of the whole discussion is that since we Christians have given up the old life of living in sin, we have no right to go back to it, counting on the grace of God to save us.  We know that God wants to save us through His grace.  But the message here is that we shouldn't try to play games with God, keep on sinning, living the life of sin, thinking that He will overlook whatever we do.  Galatians 6:7 says, "Do not be deceived; God cannot be mocked.  A man reaps what he sows."

So the warning is clear that we must not try to play games with God.  Some people believe that once a person has been saved, has become a Christian, there is no being lost.  But the Bible surely does not teach that.  He wants to save us, but we must be diligent, diligently seeking Him, and truly trying to serve Him.

Thanks for reading.  I hope you have a great week.  Feel the love. 

The Most Powerfull Message of the Bible

The most powerful message of the Bible can be summed up in one word: Resurrection.  Jesus came to earth to save those who would follow Him.  When we say, "save," we mean beyond the grave.  There are many clear passages throughout the New Testament that show the significance of "beyond the grave," but let's look at the words of Jesus as recorded in John 5:24.

"I tell you the truth, whoever hears My Word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will be not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.  I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.  For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself.  And He has given Him authority to judge because He is the Son of Man."

"Do not be amazed at this, for time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out--those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned."

This teaching of Jesus shows clearly that there is salvation in Jesus for those who believe...and follow.  That is, that there is a resurrection to come for every person, and a judgment by the Lord Himself.  Jesus proved that there is a resurrection by overcoming death Himself, showing that if He can come back from the dead, we can also, through His power. 

There is no more powerful message than that of the resurrection.  Many of the Jews did not want to hear it, and Jews today persist in that opposition.  It is important that we see the significance of the resurrection, the eternal life that Jesus offers us.

Have a great week!

Truth

It is always important to tell the truth....in whatever setting we find ourselves.  But in dealing with God and His Word, it is especially important.  Many people look at God as a God of love; and of course, He is.  And they feel that He is a patient and understanding God; and of course, He is.  But He is a God that expects us to do things His way.  He establishes what is truth, and right, and what He wants by giving us instruction through His Word, the Bible.  But the first question to answer is, Does it really matter?  To answer this question we simply go to the Bible, and we find out that it matters a lot. 

Many places in the New Testament talk about the importance of doing things God's way.  It also talks, warns, of those who would not do so.  Jesus Himself talked of false teachers, warning His disciples to be on guard.  Note these passages:

Matthew 7:15  "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  .....Therefore by their fruits you will know them.  Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."

2Timothy 4:3 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth...."  Paul is warning Timothy about false teachers....and false teaching.

1Timothy 2:1  "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies...."

Acts 20:29-31 "For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.  Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.  Therefore watch...."

2Peter 2  "But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.  And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed."

With all of this teaching by Jesus, Paul and Peter, it is clear that false teachers and false teaching were, and still are, a real concern.  Let us care about the truth....and stick to it.

Thanks for reading again.  May God bless you!

Adoption

As Christians, we are adopted children of God.  This is an interesting relationship in that we aren't the born children of God, but have to be adopted in.  Let's look at a few Bible passages that talk about this adoption principle.

Galatians 4:4, "But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons."  We aren't actual descendants, aren't blood kin, aren't direct descendants of Abraham.  But previous verses say that we are "heirs,"  heirs according to promise, that is, according to the promise that God made to Abraham in Gen. 12, that all the world would be blessed through his seed, Jesus.  This is stressed at the end of Hebrews 11, the faith chapter: "These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them (OT characters) received what had been promised.  God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect."

John 1:12, "Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God--children not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God."

Romans 8:14, "..those who are led by the Spririt of God are sons of God.....The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.  Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ..."

Those of us who have been involved with adoption know that an adopted child is very special.  It really can't be fully described, put into words.  This is the effect that we see with being adopted into God's family.  It truly is a blessing, one that almost goes beyond description.  It is powerful, it is special, it is amazing.  We are God's children!

Have a great week.  Feel the love!