Romans 6

¹³ ...present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 

Reading Romans 6:1-13, I think I understand this to be the main thought:

We must die, just as Jesus died, if we are to live spiritually. We are dependent on Him for salvation from ourselves and the penalty of death we are born with. We die to this nature and because of this, we do not live for ourselves or to fulfill our own agendas and lusts, we are complete property of Christ now and we are to be an extension of His hands here on earth. This means that in the future we have the hope to be able to live with Him in other ways, because we won't be living by our own power and sinful bodies that will never be holy enough to enter the presence of God, but rather through Christ. Physical death is not really a threat because we have the promise of spiritual life in the future and are already "dead," or not living for ourselves in the first place.

We see in verse 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. This reminds me of something we looked at in chapter 3 verse 20: For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.

The law is created to cope with and reveal to us what sin is- how to avoid it, how to redeem oneself from it. Grace is the balance to that, focusing on how to LIVE without the preoccupying fear of every little thing bringing wrath down on our heads. If we are not to sin, even under grace, we must look to the law to learn what sin is... but we are dead to sin, so while the law teaches us what to do or not do, grace then helps us implement those actions in life through Christ. Grace gives us the freedom to live the law without being bound to inescapable death. We are already dead, so our punishment is already paid. Now, without the fear of death, we can keep the spirit that was behind the law to begin with.

I think this is illustrated further in Paul's comparison of sin to slavery in verse 19:

Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin.

So life without the law leads us deeper into sin, and life with the law still shows how sinful we are. However, life under grace is already dead to sin, and thus, free from the power of sin and able to better “do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.” So how do we know what things to do that lead to holiness and eternal life? If we are only under grace, we have the freedom from penalty, but not instruction into righteousness. Is it then that the law instructs us on the nature of God and if we can find the “why” behind the law and live that then we will learn to be righteous. This is where the Spirit of God helps us determine the meaning behind the law, the motivations of God, and how to not be legalistic but to apply it to our lives in the millions of nuances that are not spelled out letter by letter in the Bible. 

More of this is answered in Chapter 7.

Romans 5:1-20

2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory...⁸ But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. ⁹ And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. ¹⁰ For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. ¹¹ So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

This is the simple gospel: God made a way to balance out the law, (which required OUR death,) with the substitution of Jesus. He didn’t stop at this gross unfairness to himself, though, because He was holy and triumphed over death- providing us with a way to attain eternal life through Jesus. Before, where we were enemies of God because of our unrighteousness, now we can go into the presence of God through the blood of Jesus- and more. Not only do we gain atonement, we gain his friendship! He prepared this way for us at extreme cost to Himself before having any assurance that we would even choose to accept it… and He, as is His character, went further than mere redemption and made a way for relationship.

Can you imagine being the friend of God? Abraham was known for his faith earlier in Romans, and now for his friendship. It also brings to mind the words from James: 2:23 "And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God."

So that our friendship with God is reliant upon our faith in Him and acceptance of the way He made for us follows this same pattern: faith in God leads to friendship with God.

¹⁴ Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come.

So Adam chose the knowledge of good and evil over obedience and brought death to all, perhaps as foreshadowing of the law- which brings knowledge, showing us what sin is, but does not bring redemption. Jesus chose extreme obedience and made a way for everyone to have eternal life. He, through the law, came and fulfilled the law leaving us with not only knowledge of what is sin, but with the power of a life-giving relationship with the ability to overcome sin. If He was, as John described, “the Word made flesh that dwelt among us,” perhaps the same words spoken by God to create the law in the first place were all wrapped up in His human body… but alive! Now we can have a relationship with the Word, it’s not just tablets of stone! What a parallel. 

Romans 5 1-11 Joy

I see a series of situations that produce joy or rejoicing according to Paul in the first part of the 5th chapter of Romans: He begins with:
² Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
So, first he introduced how we can have joy when we look to our future with God.

And then continues the theme of joy with:

³ We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. ⁴ And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. ⁵ And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Problems & Trials = endurance = strong character = hope of salvation (because of the Holy Spirit filling our hearts with his love) = JOY!

What stands out to me is how problems and trials are not separate from God's love, they are actually part of the equation of SHOWING us how much God loves us. Second, then, we can rejoice in our current trials.

¹¹ So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

And then, third, we can rejoice in what God has done for us in the past.

I think Paul has covered every tense here... and of course they all work together. Our joy in what Jesus did to makes us reconciled with God helps us to have joy in our trials because we know that they are helping us joyfully look to the future where they will produce glory... 
Goodness Paul. I think I get the point!

Romans 4

Chapter 4 is a history lesson bringing previous chapters about the relationship between faith and the works of the law to life through Abraham. I believe the main point is based on this part of Chapter 3:

²⁷ Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. ²⁸ So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.

The law of Moses came after Abraham, who is called the father of all who believe... so what law did Abraham follow? Is this what Paul references when he says in Romans 2:14  

"Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. ¹⁵ They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right."?

 We know Abraham had a thriving personal relationship with God. He was called the friend of God. He spoke with God often, and a few times in person; so perhaps this constant contact with God honed his conscience to the point that his actions followed a law his eyes had never read. Why then, does Paul make this division? He seems to emphasize "faith of Abraham" over the "law of Moses." Yet, Paul's specific example of Abraham shows him following the law of circumcision before it was a part of the law of Moses:

⁹ Now, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it also for uncircumcised Gentiles?^[c] Well, we have been saying that Abraham was counted as righteous by God because of his faith. ¹⁰ But how did this happen? Was he counted as righteous only after he was circumcised, or was it before he was circumcised? Clearly, God accepted Abraham before he was circumcised!¹¹ Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith. ¹² And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.

I think he is going through so much trouble with so many words in creating this example for one simple concept: The law does not make one righteous. The law is based on doing something myself, working for myself, trying to find atonement for myself. Only faith can make one righteous because it acknowledges that when I must stand before a Holy creator, none of my works will atone for my unholiness. Only Christ can.

 ⁴ When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. ⁵ But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.

Faith acknowledges that I can do absolutely nothing- and this is such an uncomfortable, uneasy thought, and I suppose it is not natural. It seems to create a vacuum in logic: I am getting something I do not deserve for absolutely nothing in return but my mere belief. Scripture is clear, though, what Abraham did, what we are able to do, is not what will make us righteous. We will never be able to boast in our own abilities, but must come to the point of realizing that everything we are able to do is from God:

 ² If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. ³ For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.

And:

¹⁶ So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.

This defies all natural laws that we work with in this world. Something is never for nothing here, and we are so used to this that we drag it into the spiritual realm and try to work for our salvation, forgetting that there’s a whole new set of rules and norms for that realm. Where we are used to viewing physical, tangible evidence to determine worth, God looks instead at the heart and motivation behind the production, or even before the production of those works, making this question valid:

¹⁰ But how did this happen? Was he counted as righteous only after he was circumcised, or was it before he was circumcised? Clearly, God accepted Abraham before he was circumcised!

Paul has already said, in Chapter 3

³¹ Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.

Which emphasizes that God looks at our motivations, at what drives our works and our obedience to his words more than the final result of our actions. Right actions with wrong motivations are then wrong. Right motivations, though they may take a while to produce “perfected fruit” can still be pleasing to God. This is a very personal part of righteousness: We must continually ask ourselves “Am I doing these things because I am motivated by love for God, or am I trying to atone for myself?” and perhaps, we have to then start over at the beginning and acknowledge:

1.       God exists

2.       I have faith in this God

3.       I believe that only He can atone for me

4.       This produces love and gratitude for him

5.       This love motivates me to good works

6.       I now can ask myself “what works can I do that will show God I love Him. What needs can I fulfill in the environment he has placed me in that will extend this same love to the people around me?”

This is in sharp contrast to the legalistic questions created when men try to line up their final results with the law instead of lining up their hearts to love. Paul emphasizes that Abraham’s faith, though personal with him, was recorded for our benefit:

²³ And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded ²⁴ for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. ²⁵ He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.

And here’s where we are called to action with the example of Abraham who put it into action:

²⁰ Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. ²¹ He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. ²² And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.

Have faith. Believe in God’s promise even when all physical evidence contradicts it. Let your faith grow stronger and bring glory to God. Fully rely on the sacrifice of Christ to make you righteous. Let this sacrifice motivate you to love and good works. Faith like this can make us be counted as righteous, too.

engulfed

It smells salty
like the ocean
and french fries-
both scents mingling
in the muggy breeze

birds chirp incessantly
as if they could procure rain
by sheer desire and volume.

angry motorcyclists
and impatient drivers
roar past tired workers:
just trying to get home.

a film of dust
gives everything a gritty perspective,
even the clouds resemble sandpaper.

things. just things.
I notice them
as my heart ponders
people and the intangible.

I wonder if my spirit
sees through a film of dust also
and how sandpapered down
my conscience is.

I wonder if the ache of missing
what can never be fulfilled here
compares to the bird's longing for rain.

If I could reach beyond this haze
and find You,
I wonder, would You look like
the people You've already placed
right in front of me?

When the sun sets
and I can no longer
see, or feel, or hear-
there- will I find peace?

It's difficult to walk
in the sand.
Be my Rock
and carry me.

there are drums
in the distance.
Please come quickly.

Romans 3

I see a series of questions and answers in Chapter 3. I think they are incrementally building towards what Paul is going for:

Paul starts this chapter with the question "what's the advantage of being a Jew?" and he then goes on to answer that with "they were entrusted with the whole revelation of God."
However, just having that revelation and letting that revelation CHANGE them were two different things. A man with a revelation who does not act on it, is no better off than the man with no revelation at all. Sinning is never right, even if it highlights God's holiness. There's a reason he chose to use the church as the main way for reaching the world, and we should be reflecting HIM not our own sin to highlight Him. Doing the works of the law without a faith in the God that law reveals to you is a dead religion. I think this is where Paul begins the balancing act between faith and works of the law. Why is the revelation of God important? Because HE, not the law, was what would actually make the way for salvation by actually taking our sins away and not just showing us how sinful we were.

Our sin is examined in the next question he poses, "should we conclude that Jews are better than others?" He answered with "no, because no one is righteous, Jew or Gentile." Receiving a revelation does not make the receiver better than others, only MORE RESPONSIBLE. I think this goes back to the thought that says "of whom much is given, much is required." The Jews were given the law, and through it, were required to do many things... but these things ultimately worked to their benefit in many ways, and especially if they let it lead them to a faith in God, especially when Jesus came fulfilling that law.

(A side note here, is that Paul keeps bringing up dishonesty and lying in his examples. The first answer is attached to the example of a "dishonest person highlighting the truthfulness of God." The second question is answered with a quote from scripture that says "Their tongues are filled with lies." This reminds me of James 3:2 "Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way." Sin is, again, linked to the tongue... Interesting how The Bible highlights the use of words in different mediums for judgement- but actions for reconciliation. The law, the book of life, the spoken words of the Pharisees- but then mercy triumphs over judgment with Jesus' one action of extreme obedience.)

Then in verse 19 I see some things that give me questions:

19 Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. 20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.

I see two things here. First, the law was given to the Jews, but it shows the guilt of the entire world. Apparently, then, it applies to Jews, but if it shows the guilt of all, does that mean all will be judged by the law? Didn't Paul say in the previous chapter that those who have the law will be judged by the law but that those without the law will perish? So then, the law doesn't make anyone right, but it judges. It applies to those it was given to, who will be judged by it, and those without it will also be shown guilty by it and perhaps perish. If the point of the law was to teach us how to do things correctly and to show us how sinful we are, but not to save us, would you say that the law is the morality of God, the right and wrong balance that we are given only as a backdrop to help pattern our lives and show us how desperately hopeless we are without something more... and that something more would be the drive we need to get to faith in Jesus?



27 Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. 28 So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.

There is nothing we can do that will compensate for our sin enough for us to be in the presence of a holy God. So here's what I think I see? Works never make us right, but they do make us more wrong? We are born in sin and continue sinning and the law exists to show us how bad we are compared to righteousness so that we can ONLY give credit for our salvation to Jesus.


His next question is:

29 After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn’t he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is. 30 There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. Whether you have the law or not, then, you must have faith to be made right... but what initiates in faith then continues on into good works, not to earn salvation, but to please God out of a heart motivated by love for Him. Faith saves, the law guides.


And he continues with:

31 Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.

The whole point of the law is to lead us into a deeper relationship with Christ, ultimately, but you have to have faith to take the first step. The law proves that we can do NOTHING on our own, and our reliance on Christ, our understanding that we have to completely die to ourselves and live through His Spirit, leaves us not relying on the law for salvation, only on Christ.

The law and faith work together: The law proves that we need Christ, who we only can accept through faith, and then, only through faith will we take the steps to study the law to better understand God's nature and learn discernment and His ideas for morality, right/wrong. Doing those things then shouldn't increase our pride in ourselves, but highlight just how much more we have to live through faith because the law is consistently reminding us of how sinful we are on our own.... and the circle of thought continues wheeling around in this pattern. If I were to draw this out, I would make a circle with arrows pointing at how faith influences the works of the law which then influences faith which then..... I think you get the point of how I see it in my head.

Romans 2:12-29

¹² When the Gentiles sin, they will be destroyed, even though they never had God’s written law. And the Jews, who do have God’s law, will be judged by that law when they fail to obey it. ¹³ For merely listening to the law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight. ¹⁴ Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. ¹⁵ They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. ¹⁶ And this is the message I proclaim—that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret life.

So, basically, God's law exists, both in words and in the conscience of man, and man, when left in an environment where he can listen to his own conscience, intrinsically knows right and wrong, though he may not always choose the correct way?

Something puzzling, then, I find here: "27 In fact, uncircumcised Gentiles who keep God’s law will condemn you Jews who are circumcised and possess God’s law but don’t obey it." At first this seems paradoxical: how can you keep the law by not being circumcised, which was a part of the law that you are keeping? Is this where it is meaning you keep the heart issues behind the law as opposed to the legalistic letter of the law? How can you possess a law you do not obey? 

The Jews had the Law, they kept the law, etc. but then they rejected Jesus Christ who came to fulfill the law in that He came to make it complete--to make it not just a ritual obedience, but add love, mercy, forgiveness and to be the sacrifice so that we can be observers of the law without having to sacrifice an animal every-time we sin.

Circumcision was a sign for men to know that they were Law-keepers, but if they accepted Jesus Christ and they started obeying the Law out of love for God instead of as a work to atone for themselves, the physical sign of circumcision lost its importance. Instead of taking off a part of their flesh, more importantly Jesus came so that we would have the power to die to all of our flesh. We see this addressed in Acts 15:10 when Peter addressed the sect of (probably) Pharisees who were trying to force the Gentiles to be circumcised as a work to earn salvation:

¹⁰ So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers^]"[b] with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? ¹¹ We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.”

There is something between possession of the law and obedience of the law that we have to grasp. It is addressed in verse 29:

"29 No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God’s Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people."

The law changed the flesh and modified the outward signs of obedience. Love for God changes the heart before it is ever manifested in our actions.

If I'm honest about my struggles, one of the greatest lessons I feel God has been teaching me this past year is how to love other people.This verse really hit a nerve. A changed heart can love others without needing it back from them because it is only reflecting what God has already given us. It is not seeking praise or affirmation from other people. This is too easy to put into words and not to practice. Especially lately, God has brought people into my life that He has used to help me see His love through them instead of only judgment, (and yes, now I can see so many ways it was there all along.) The next step seems to be finding ways to show that to other people... which is not what comes naturally in the face of judgment! But it all boils down to this: Love isn't deserved. It just is. God gives it without any earning and He expects the same from us toward others... in fact, He gives/gave it while actively hated. If need be, He wants us to go that far, too. I'm learning what a proud, selfish and fearful person I am and how so much of that is able to change if I let God mold my life instead of closing myself off in a shell... and learn to "seek praise from God, not from people."

This portion of Romans challenges us to question our own motives. Whose praise are we seeking? If we truly seek God's praise, it will then be manifested in our actions... and the  only way to truly achieve this is through a heart that has been changed by God's Spirit. I am convinced that this heart change is a process of God pruning things by degrees and carefully eliminating self until we are made into this form of "true circumcision."

Romans 2:1-11

The end of chapter 1 listed so many things that people do when they fail to acknowledge God and give Him the place He deserves in their lives, and all of it goes back to a worship of something other than God, sometimes literal idols, sometimes self, in His place. So, when chapter 2 begins with:
"You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things." we can see that anyone who judges struggles with putting themselves in the place of God as well... so by judging, we become a type of idolator.
We know that the only one with the right to judge is God: ⁵ ... "For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. ⁶ He will judge everyone according to what they have done." and we should never take this place. This is also shown in verse 8:  But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness." Living for self also implies putting one's self in the place of God... and we all are guilty of this at some point in our lives.

⁴ Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?
I wish I could see this verse manifested in the life of some of the people I love. If they could ever really see just how balanced and gentle God's nature is, it could revolutionize their view of love and then the way they interact with others. Of course, I say this realizing that there's so much I don't even understand yet, but I want to, and I want to find a way to share it with them, too. God is kind. Who knew?

^"9 There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.^{a]"[a] 10} But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. ¹¹ For God does not show favoritism."
I have to admit that I find these verses paradoxical... like the argument that "anything separate is inherently unequal," something being "first" and it not showing favoritism goes against what we would consider "fair" in our understanding. But we also know that we do not see the whole picture and that in reality, we don't deserve anything but judgment, whether first or otherwise, and that God can not be unjust.

The last part of verse 7, then, shows what we should be motivated to: ⁷ He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers.

Romans 1:18-32

¹⁸ But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.^{[i] 19} They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. ²⁰ For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.²¹ Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks.

So what I hear being said here is that God exists, you can tell this just by studying nature and more than just his mere existence, you can see his "eternal power and divine nature," or, that this world was created by someone not bound by time or human constraints. Because it is so obvious in nature that God exists, the question isn't then "does God exist" but rather "how will I acknowledge this God that exists?" Paul says that these people knew He was there, but denied His deity and were not grateful for His blessings.

Isn't that normally how it works? Pride inhibits gratefulness which leads to denying God His rightful place in our lives. Ouch.

Paul has some very strong words here against particular sins. He goes from atheism and idolatry to homosexuality and "every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip."

This makes me wonder if the Romans in particular were struggling with this in their society? "So God abandoned them" are some very chilling words. " ³² They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too."

Doesn't it always seem to be that misery and sin love company? Where when one person goes down the slope of abandonment of God, they try to drag as many people with them as they can.

I suppose then, our challenge is to do the opposite: as we climb  the pathway trying to become more like God, we should show His love to as many of those around us as we can and try to take THEM with us!

There are a lot of serious thoughts in this portion of the 1st chapter.