Unity in Christ

United In Christ – Rom 6:5-7

Vs 5 – As we have been united with Christ in death so shall we be united with Him in His resurrection.  A wonderful metaphor about how on one hand before we knew Christ we were dead in trespasses and sin but now we are alive in our new life because of His resurrection.

Vs 6 – Our old self has to be crucified so the power of the body of sin would be render powerless.  Sin ruled our lives from the day we were born until we give our lives to Jesus Christ.  The goal here is that we would no longer be slaves to sin but to Christ.  Who the Son sets free is free indeed.

Vs 7 – Paul then points out a powerful reality that when someone has died they are free from sin.  That which is dead is dead and that which is alive is alive.  Only Jesus Christ can set us free from sin and only allowing the crucified life reign in us will we stay free from sin.

A Life Pleasing to God

A Life Pleasing to God – Rom 6:3-4

Vs 3 – When a person is baptised into Christ.  This baptism is a physical and spiritual identification with Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection.

Vs 4 – As baptism is a sign of burial so when we come out of the water it is a symbol of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  This is for glory of God.  God gets all the credit so the results of this reality is that you live a new life in Christ.  A life that is pleasing to God.  The essential of a life pleasing to God as follows:  First you have a strong prayer life.  Next you spent time with God everyday in the word.  Thirdly, you see the importance of regular attendance to God’s house and lastly you want to share you faith.  Your story is important and others need to hear it.  These elements will help you bring glory to God every day.

True Grace

True Grace – Rom 6:1-2

Vs 1 – Paul continues with his thought and he asks a question, “Shall we go on sinning that grace may increase?”  Paul is dealing with the abuse of grace in this verse.  This was obviously a problem proposed by the Gnostics who believed all flesh was evil but the Spirit was good.  Also the greasy grace expounders in the audience.

Vs 2 – Paul says that we cannot continue to sin because we have died to it.  It no longer has control over us.  When something is dead it cannot live any longer.  True life, is knowing that you must say no to the flesh and yes to the Spirit.  When you submit to God the devil has to flee from you.  The secret of true life is saying no to what you want and saying yes to what God wants.  If you are in close communication with God you begin to know His will and plot the course of your life accordingly.

Grace Reigns

Grace Reigns – Rom 5:20-21

Vs 20 – When the law was added the view of sin increased.  Mankind now knew what sin was so they saw sin in creased because knowledge always leads to action negatively or positively.  Yet as sin increased so did the grace of God increase more.

Vs 21 – Sin reigned in death.  Grace however reigns through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Through this whole exposition Paul uses parallelism to prove his point.  Sin, death, unrighteousness on one side grace, life and righteousness on the other.  Adam brings death to mankind, Jesus brings life.  Let grace reign in your heart through faith.  Let eternal and abundant life have its full impact in your life.  

Salvation is a personal decision

Feb 24 – Salvation is a personal Decision – Rom 5:18-19

Vs 18 – Adams’s trespass, sin and rebellion brought condemnation to all men.  Jesus’ one act of righteousness brought justification and life to all men.   Adam brought death, Jesus Christ brought life.    

Vs 19 – One man’s act of disobedience made all men sinners so through Jesus’ one act of obedience made many righteousness.  One man’s act made all unrighteous.  One man’s act gave mankind the opportunity to be righteous.  Salvation is a personal decision.  Do not make the same mistakes as Adam but follow Christ’s example and do the will of God today.

Living for God

Living for God -  Rom 6:8-10

Vs 8 – The result of this belief is that we have died with Him and that we will live with Him.  Jesus said in the book of John that He would go and prepare a place for us.  He has gone ahead but even now we are living with Him.

Vs 9 – Jesus has risen from the dead and He cannot die again.  Death and sin no longer has mastery over Him or us.  

Vs 10 – When Jesus died He died once and for all.  Jesus’ death was a one time sacrifice

for sin.  He died that we may live.  The life that Jesus now lives, He lives for God.   

So we must do the same.  Christ is our example in all things.  He would never ask us to do something that He was not willing to do Himself.  He is the perfect example of what life can be really like.  Follow His example and live.

United in Christ

Feb 28- United In Christ – Rom 6:5-7

Vs 5 – As we have been united with Christ in death so shall we be united with Him in His resurrection.  A wonderful metaphor about how on one hand before we knew Christ we were dead in trespasses and sin but now we are alive in our new life because of His resurrection.

Vs 6 – Our old self has to be crucified so the power of the body of sin would be render powerless.  Sin ruled our lives from the day we were born until we give our lives to Jesus Christ.  The goal here is that we would no longer be slaves to sin but to Christ.  Who the Son sets free is free indeed.

Vs 7 – Paul then points out a powerful reality that when someone has died they are free from sin.  That which is dead is dead and that which is alive is alive.  Only Jesus Christ can set us free from sin and only allowing the crucified life reign in us will we stay free from sin.

Meditate on His love

In Psalm 48:9, David says that within the Lord's temple we are to meditate on the Lord's unfailing love.  This is quite the promise from the Word of God.  To sit in the temple of the Lord and to think and truly understand God's unfailing love.  We know the love of God is awesome and great but it will never fail.  That means that each day that we live God will pour out His unfailing love on us.  No matter where we are, what stages of life we are in or who we are with, God's unfailing love will be there.  David was musing about this.  He had seen God's love with him when he was defeating Goliath.  God's unfailing love was with him as he was running from Saul.  God's unfailing love was with him when he was King of Israel.  No matter what state we find ourselves God's unfailing love will be there.  So today remember God's unfailing love will be with you.  His grace and mercy will keep you.  He will never leave you not forsake you.  A promise for today and in the future.  

Solomon's Advice

n Prov 3:5-6, we have a wonderful piece of advice from Solomon.  He says that we are to trust the Lord with all our hearts.  Following God with all our heart is great advice because who better than the creator of the universe and someone who knows all things to guide our lives.  We can trust God, He knows what He is doing.  He knows all things and can do all things.  We are to not lean to our own understanding.  When we rely on our knowledge, wisdom and resources, we will find that they will fail very quickly and then what do you have, nothing?  When we lean on the Lord all things are possible.  Then we are to acknowledge Him.  This means saying to ourselves and others that the Lord is our God.  He is the one who is Lord and Saviour.  Our relationship with Him is not a casual or fleeting one.  It is strong and based on His love for us and our love for Him.  The last phrase is so wonderful.  He will direct our path.  We are all on a path.  The road to destruction is wide and many travel it.  The path to life is narrow and few travel it.  Why?  Because it is not easy to say no to yourself and yes to the Lord.  He will direct your life and will give you eternal and abundant life.  So you have a choice, your way or God\'s.  Destruction of life?  Seems to me an easy choice but then again I have already made mine.  I hope you will choose life.

For all of Us

Feb 14 -  For all of us – Rom 4:23-24

Vs 23 – These words are not just for Abraham alone.  This promise is not for Abraham only.  This verse is a teaser for the next verse.

Vs 24 – This is for us.  For all of us who believe in God.  We have been declared righteous because of our belief, trust and faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ, who was dead, buried and raised from the dead.  Jesus Christ our Lord who was raised from the dead so that all mankind no matter race, creed and color could have a right relationship with God.  The finished work of Jesus Christ accomplished all of this.

His death, burial and resurrection brought this about.  His broken body brought us healing and His shed blood gave us victory over death, hell and the grave.  Trust Him and see the finished work of Christ be completely accomplished in your life.

Results of Unwavering Faith

Feb 13 -  Results of Unwavering Faith – Rom 4:22

Vs 22 -  This unwavering faith was the reason Abraham was declared righteous and holy in the sight of God.  Faith and faith alone justifies.  The results of faith are righteousness which is right standing and right living before God.  God has seen your heart and He has declared you righteous.  You are completely and totally justified before God.  It is like you never sinned.  There is no stain or blot before of sin.  The blood of Jesus Christ has cleansed you completely and totally.  Faith also makes you holy in His sight.  God declares you holy and then spend the rest of your lifetime making you holy in every area of your life.  Being holy is living separate from sin and staying close to God.  Paul makes it clear that faith and faith alone is the avenue in which these benefits have come.

God of the Impossible

Feb 12 - God of the Impossible – Rom 4:20-21

Vs 20 – He did not waver in His faith.  He knew the promise of God.  This enabled him to be strengthened in His faith and give glory to God.  

Vs 21 -  Abraham knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that God could do what He said He would do.  God is the God of the impossible.  You will never waver in the faith when you have met the Lord face to face.  Charles Stanley says, “You will never fall when you have been intimate with God.”  Daniel said in Dan 11:32, “That those who know their God will be strong and do exploits.”  Will you stand on God’s promise, never waver, give God the glory and believe God?  If you do you will see God do the impossible.

Unshakable Faith

Feb 11 – Unshakable Faith – Rom 4:18-19

Vs 18 -  There was no hope for Abraham.  Against all hope Abraham believed in God’s word and promise and became the Father of many nations.  In the same manner God works with us as his off spring.

Vs 19 – His faith never weakened by the fact that he was one hundred years old and was dead as far as having children or the fact that His wife Sarah was ninety and her womb was dead.  To have unshakable faith you have to believe against all hope.  Many times in life things seem impossible that is when you gird up your faith with the word of God and its promises.  No promise given will not go without a time of testing.  Testing allows us to see how strong our faith and belief and if we truly trust the Lord.  It is easy to say you have faith but real faith stands the test and comes out victorious.

Father of the Faithful

Feb 10 – Father of the Faithful – Rom 4:16-17  

Vs 16 – Paul brings out three truths in this verse.  First, all promises in God come by faith.  Next, these promises are guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring, whether they are Jew or Gentile.  Lastly, Abraham is the Father of us all.

Vs 17 – In Gen 22:18, God told Abraham that he would be the father of many nations.  He is the Father of all in the sight of the God in whom Abraham believed in.  God gives life to the dead.  Those dead in trespasses and sin or dead in the things of God.  He calls things which are not as though they were.  God sees and does the impossible.  When we see God’s promises by faith we pass from death until life.  We have become like our Abraham who is an example that even when his body was dead he believed God and received his promise.  Receive your promises by faith today just like Abraham.

Universal Blessing

Feb 7 – Universal Blessing – Rom 4:7-8

Vs 9 – Is this blessedness only for the Jews.  No. It is universal.  The Gentiles receive the same opportunity.  Abraham’s faith was the thing that brought about His righteousness.  He believed and trusted in God.

Vs 10 – When did Abraham become righteous?  It was before the act of circumcision not after.  Being circumcised is the outward of the inward act.  God cuts out hear and changes us from the inside out.  No outward form or religious service will make us righteous.  Only the blood of Jesus Christ can do that.  Accept God’s provision, walk in unity with Him.  Live a life in the Spirit and trust God.  Every day is a journey of faith but the end of the journey is well worth the travel.

David's Example

Feb 6 – David’s Example – Rom 4:6-8

Vs 6 – David another man who had a vibrant relationship with God speaks of this thought.  The man who is blessed is one who walks in faith.  They know their faith in the Lord is the foundation for righteousness and not works.

Vs 7 – You are blessed for two reasons.  First, your transgressions have been forgiven.  Secondly, your sins have been forgiven.  What a wonderful truth.

Vs 8 – You are blessed because your sins will never be held against you.  To have forgiveness, peace with God and never have your sin being brought back to your attention. If you feel guilty because of sin and you have repented then you know it is the devil who trying to condemn you.  God takes our sins and tosses them as far as the east is from the west.  Walk in freedom not condemnation.  

Salvation is Free

Feb 5 – Salvation is Free – Rom 4:4-5

Vs 4 – Paul uses the illustration of a man who works for a living, his wages are given to him as an obligation not as a gift.  Salvation is a free gift with an expensive price for the giver.

Vs 5 – When a person knows that it not works that justify.  Their trust in God accounts for righteousness.  It is the wicked who try to work their way into heaven.  Man has been trying to close the gap between Himself and God since Adam sinned in the garden.  You cannot recapture Paradise lost through works but only through Jesus Christ.  Man’s way leads to an endless lost.  God ways lead to and endless hope.  Choose the Lord today.

Jesus is the door

n John 10:9, Jesus describes Himself as a door.  If any one comes through Him they will be saved and when they are, they will go out and in and find pasture for their soul.  This is quite the promise.  When a person comes to the Father through Jesus Christ, the first thing that happens is that they get saved.  They get saved from their sins.  Sin is the thing that separates us from God.  It is the thing that makes us enemies of God.  When a person comes through Jesus Christ they are literally opening the doors and blessings of heaven into their lives.  The next thing that happens is that they can go in and out through this door.  It means that we can walk into the blessings of God.  Jesus said that we will find green pastures.  This of course is a metaphor of the goodness and provision of the Lord.  It is place of rest and security.  Through Jesus Christ we have been given access to all the goodness of God.  You have eternal and abundant life.  You have righteousness, peace and joy.  You have love, acceptance and forgiveness.  You have faith, hope and love and so much more.  Today enter through the door Jesus Christ.  Receive and live in the marvellous benefits of salvation and find rest for your soul  The Lord will meet your need for significance, security and self worth.  In Christ you will see the goodness and love of God in your life today.

God of all

Feb 3 – God of all – Rom 3:29-31

Vs 29 – Paul then presents two questions that are also statements.  Is God the God of the Jews only?  Is He not the God of the Gentiles as well?  Then He answers the questions.  “Yes, He is the God of the Gentiles.”  He is the universal God.

Vs 30 – He is the only universal God.  Both Jew and Gentile are justified through the same means and method, through faith.

Vs 31 – Paul closes this chapter off with another question?  Do we nullify or discount the law by walking in faith?  “Not at all,” Paul says.  The law is upheld by faith.  Faith is the foundation of the law.  It is also the fulfillment of the law through Jesus Christ.  Jesus said He did not come to do away with the law but to fulfill it.  Let Him fulfill it in your life today.