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And then what happened? This is the reality for all of us. We all have a "then what happened?" No matter your situation or circumstances...Regardless of your current concerns or worries...In spite of your anxiety and uncertainty, there is always a "then what happened?". Who Is Your King? As of today (11/05/2020) we still do not know who the President of the United States is going to be. Even after it is "announced" there is likely to be a contesting and recounts. This level of uncertainty - given all that has led up to this election - is great fodder for worry and fret. But remember what Jesus said in the sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7)? He tells us very clearly that our citizenship is first in heaven and our King is God the Father. He rules and reigns over us. God is the One who looks out for us and provides. He is not unaware or unconcerned. The Father does not leave us as orphans to fend for ourselves. On the contrary, He is our Warrior! God is our Light! Christ is our Savior! What could possibly be better than that?! Then what? So what? So we don't yet know who our President will be. Does it matter? Well, yes, absolutely it matters! Does it make a difference? Well again, yes, absolutely! But in the grand scheme of things, Who are you gong to serve? Does your President and country come before your Savior and His Kingdom? I trust not! So what does it really matter? What can man do to me? If God is for me, who can be against me? Whom will you choose this day to serve? Good questions, all. And yes, our leaders in this life definitely make a difference. But they do not and shall not determine our faith and obedience. Our alliance and allegiance is to Christ. In the end, regardless of electoral outcomes, our devotion to God is to be unwavering. He gives authority and takes authority away. And Then What Happened? We all have a "then what happened?" in our lives. Regardless of circumstance or situation, life goes on. Even in death, there is something beyond. Now, I agree that I would prefer the blessings or freedom and liberty as we have come to have them. And yes, I believe these are worth sacrificing and dying for under certain conditions. But I will not allow the uncertainty or threat of oppression determine how I live my life. And neither should you! God is still on His throne! Jesus is still King of kings and Lord of lords! This is a great opportunity for us as Christians to stand up and live like we believe these truths...regardless of who ever sits in the White House. ____________________________________ Your Vote Matters

You have a responsibility and obligation to vote...if you are a Christian. Man of our Founding Fathers believed that American patriotism was directly tied faith in Christ. If you're a Christian, then you're a patriot. In fact, you can't be a true patriot if you're not also a Christian. God shed His grace on America as much as He has on Christians! In this 2020 election special episode, I challenge all Christians to take a stand. Not for one political leader but for political ideologies, beliefs, and worldviews. Clearly, one party is much more pro-God and freedom than the other. This Election Is Special I know, for the past several election cycles people have been declaring "this is the most important election of our lifetime." Well, I believe that statement is truer today than it ever has been. Our freedoms and Republic are definitely under attack. And the attack is not coming from outside sources...although outside sources are certainly supporting and financing these efforts. The attack is coming from within, from our own citizens who believe (wrongly) that they have the best solutions. Let me be clear, Jesus is the only true solution to our country's problems. Our problems are inherent in people and only God can change people! That said, I do believe that one candidate and one party support, promote, and are seeking secure our rights and freedoms more so than the other. Again, let me be clear...Republicans, as a party, stand more for the natural laws of God consistent with the Bible than do Democrats. As long as Democrats, as a party, actively promote and support the killing of the unborn, they will never be worthy of my vote, period! You're Not Voting For A Man You're not voting for a man, you're voting for a worldview and philosophy of governing. One party - Republican - believes in governing consistent with the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence. These documents are rooted in the Bible, specifically the Law of Moses, with an understanding of grace through Jesus Christ. In fact, many of our laws can be referenced, chapter and verse, directly from Scripture. The other party - Democrat - seeks to "re-write" the Constitution, "re-interpret" our founding documents, and in several cases, simply to destroy it all. This worldview is godless, atheist, and anti-Christian. Even among their own leaders who claim to be "Christian" (i.e. Catholic), they belittle the faith of fellow Catholics and degrade attempts to live as Christ. God has no place in their world (unless you keep Him in your own basement) and no place in their governing. They seek to destroy, not build. They want to ruin, not reaffirm. They want power and control, not freedom and self-control. They stand for and represent most all that is anti-Christ. They call good evil and evil good and each does what's right in their own eyes. Sound familiar?! You Have A Choice You have a choice, and it may just be the last one you'll ever have. It has been said that you can vote yourself into socialism (i.e. Marxism/communism) but you can't vote yourself out of it. That requires a literal revolution of physical fighting. Don't believe me? Just ask people from those countries who have experienced it. God has permitted - even dictated - that you were born an American. As such, you have been given great gifts and freedoms. With these also come greater responsibilities. Of the utmost importance is your responsibility to defend and fight to protect these gifts and freedoms. There has never been a nation like the United States of America in the history of the world. And there will never be another one like her. Her survival, to a large extent, is in your hands and how you decide to vote. ________________________________________

Do you see what I see? Do you hear what I hear? I know you're thinking of Christmas and the song of the same title but I have a different intent here. Can you see and recognize what is happening in your country? Do you understand what God is doing? Are you even aware that God is the One who is doing it? Not Always As It Appears Things are not always as they appear to be. Case in point, what is happening across our great country. It is not only political division between differing ideologies on how to govern. There is not just an uptick in violence. Racial discrepancies have always existed. This is not just the result of hate against a sitting President. There is something more going on and we need to be paying particular attention to it. This is clearly the case when you have a biblical worldview. When you read the accounts in Scripture of God's repeated warnings, man's failure, and God's response it becomes clear. Our nation is under the judgment of God. As a country, we have spurned God over the past five decades and pushed Him further and further out of our lives. Even in the Church, we are guilty of forgetting our first love and denying the truth. We have openly stopped preaching God's Word in exchange for more palatable "self-help" and "personal improvement" topics. We've neglected the truth for too long. Shaken To Awaken A recent catch phrase is to be "woke." Woke means to be enlightened to finally see the oppression of the system that "the man" has imposed. This is especially true with regard to minorities. The problem is that the "woke" are actually blind to what is really happening. Only the redeemed are truly "woke" and see life as it really is. Do you see? Or do you think you see? Reading through the pages of Scripture, it is difficult not to recognize that God is shaking thing up. Literally! Through the various upheavals, natural disasters, political tensions, and unrest, God is the one doing the shaking. The goal? To wake us up from our slumber. I am convinced that God is using - through permission and intention - these events to get our attention. Why? For the same reason He did so throughout the Old Testament and New. To call us to repentance and confession. To turn to Him and seek Him that He might relent and heal our land. This was not meant only for the people of Israel. The writer of Hebrews let's us know that God is still at work to call His people to repentance and subsequent faithfulness. We must follow the prayer of Daniel and pray for our country that God would demonstrate, again, His power and love for us. May God bless America. _________________________________ DTLCRadio.com

Do not be afraid. Pretty straight-forward statement. The phrase is used 365 times throughout the Bible. Coincidence? I don't think so. Three hundred and sixty-five times God tells us - commands us - not to be afraid. And yet, today - especially today (2020) - I see so many people living in fear. Nothing To Fear But Fear Itself Paul's admonishment and testimony at the close of Romans 8 is a great platform on which to preach this message. Do not fear! Don't be afraid! And that message has never been more applicable. With the coming of the "plandemic" - I mean, pandemic - of COVID-19, I have seen far too many people walking around in absolute fear. Fear of death and dying, sure. But also fear of contact, fear of proximity, afraid to even come out of their homes. The worst part is that many of the fearful are Christians. Being afraid is the exact opposite mindset God has called us to have. Franklin D. Roosevelt was right, fear perpetuates itself. More than that, fear is of the Devil. Make no mistake! Fear comes straight from the pit of hell. Don't believe me? Go back and re-read Genesis 3. Why did Adam hide himself from God? Because he was afraid. Why wasn't he ever afraid before when he was in the presence of God? Because fear didn't come from God, it came from the Serpent. Don't Be Afraid Fear is False Evidence Appearing Real. Great definition! Think about it; is that exactly what Satan tried to present to Adam...false evidence as legitimate fact? God literally commands us to not be afraid (see Joshua 1:9). Once a day, every day of the year, God has given us a reminder of this command in His word. Living in fear is, in fact, sinful. Why? Because it denies the reality and truth of God as well as faith. Remember, without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Here's a fact: You cannot have both fear and faith at the same time. Your faith is what overcomes fear. Faith that God is, that He is true, and He is a keeper of His word. With all the fear-mongering and uncertainty being presented to us, either in the form of virus or politics, it's even more important to have faith. Your faith is your strength, your confidence, and your assurance. It is was gets you through tough times. Don't fall victim to the "victim mentality" and believe these things are "happening to you" because of something lacking in God. Or worse, that you're being punished by Him. Remember last week's episode? God is for you, not against you! _______________________________________ Study Romans from the Beginning by Clicking Here

God is for you! Is that not the best statement in the world? He is not against you; He is for you. God is on your side. He is your Creator and wants nothing more than to be your Father. The question is not His love you; but your love for Him. Those Who Love God Not only has the Father gone to great lengths to bring you back into the Family - not even sparing His own Son (Romans 8:32) - but He promises to work all things for good. Think about that. All things will work out good - even the awful things - for those who love God. Who are those who love God? According to Jesus in John 14, those who love God are those who keep His commandments. Conversely, those who do not love God are those who do not keep His commandments. Pretty straight forward. Your obedience to God's commands are the evidence and proof of your love for Him. Don't follow Him and it's clear you don't love Him. That simple. The Reward So what is the reward for those who love God? How does His reward reflect that God is for you and not against you? Again, simple. He has already pre-determined (i.e. predestined) that you will receive a glorified body just as Jesus has received His. Remember the context of Romans 6-8. Paul is describing our relationship as redeemed spirits to the Law of God. Our yet-unredeemed-body is still corrupted by sin and resistant to our desire to serve God through obedience. The "reward" for faithfully pursuing holiness - after being justified and born again for this purpose - is exchanging a corrupted flesh for uncorrupted flesh. Our "hope" is the promise of full and complete redemption; a "born again" body to house an-already-born-again-spirit. The Bible calls it our "resurrection from the dead." And as such, Jesus was the first to experience it. Our inheritance is to experience and possess the same. God Is For You The evidence of this fact is clear. As the Judge in your trial for sin, He has already determined that, though you are guilty, your penalty has already been paid. Therefore, no charges or accusations against you can result in any eternal punishment. That's the promise of justification. Likewise, the promise of regeneration and sanctification is that regardless of any circumstances you may encounter; in spite of any and all sufferings, pain, tragedies, or disasters you may experience, God still loves you. His love for you will be made evident through the completion of your redemption. Meaning, you will be glorified and made whole in your salvation. Nothing is more awesome than that! ______________________________________ Study Romans From the Beginning - Click Here

When there are no words, God can still hear your heart. Romans 8:26-29 teaches us that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us even when we can't find the words. No Words Necessary In the same way that our hope sustains and pulls us toward obedience in the midst of present sufferings, the Holy Spirit aids us in our weakness. What weakness? The weakness of our flesh to be obedient. This is the overall condition of our humanity in general. It's our powerlessness at times to overcome temptation. Sometimes there are no words because we do not even know what to pray. Our spiritual weakness and sin-sickness are still present in our not-yet-redeemed body. The world is full of sin-corruption that draws and pulls away from God. There are times when we do not even know what we should be praying for. In those times, the Holy Spirit comes to our aid. Holy Spirit Intercession The Holy Spirit comes to our aid, giving us inward strength at exactly those times when we are in danger of sin and doubt. No words are necessary. In fact, the Holy Spirit's communication with God the Father is beyond words. Words are not necessary because there is oneness of mind. This gives us assurance that in spite of weakness, God has made provision to help us out. In fact, we are given the promise of "all things working together for good" (Romans 8:28). But the promise is specific. Specific to whom? The promise applies to those "who love God." Who are they? They are the ones who keep the commandments. Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments" (John 14:25). And again, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word...He who does not love Me does not keep My words" (John 14:23-24). Proof of your love for God is evidenced by your obedience. Notice how obedience continues to be the common thread throughout this section (Romans 6-8). But it is not without encouragement. We are not expected to be perfect nor are we expected to attempt obedience on our own. True, it is our willful intent to choose obedience. But the follow through is done in conjunction with the Holy Spirit. Think about that...the Third Person of the Trinity lives in you to help you pursue obedience! Notice I did not say "pursue perfection." That is no longer a requirement. Persistence and consistency are our goals. Every day, seeking to improve. In this episode we briefly (wink, wink) review Romans 1-7 and continue to study Romans 8:26-29. __________________________________ Study Romans from the Beginning - Click Here

No description is necessary. Pray for our nation.

Glorification! The full redemption of your whole person. This is your promise. This is your hope. Three Phases of Salvation The first phase of your salvation - justification - is the application of Christ's blood your heavenly account. This pays the penalty you owe for your sin. By faith - believing God and what He has said about His Son - your debt is cancelled. The penalty due has been paid if full by the blood of Jesus. The second phase of your salvation - regeneration - is the conversion of your 'old man' to a 'new creation.' By the power of the Holy Spirit - 'the workmanship of God' - your old self is buried into the death of Jesus. In its place a new life is 'born of the Spirit' and rises from the waters of immersion. In addition, you are sanctified - set apart as holy and sacred - by the gift of the indwelling of the Spirit of God. He now resides in you and serves as the power for you to live a life of obedience. Thus begins your 'progressive sanctification' and lifelong pursuit of holiness. The final phase of your salvation - glorification - is the replacement of your current sin corrupted body. Your already-made-new spirit presently lives in a yet-made-new body. This body cannot inherit heaven, it's mortal and tied to this world. When you die physically, your already-redeemed-spirit leaves this body and resides with God. You are 'present with the Lord' until such time as you receive your redeemed - glorified/resurrected - body. This glorification is your hope. Glorification is the completion of your salvation. After glorification, your re-united and redeemed spirit and body will then inhabit the 'new earth' prepared for you. Your Inheritance Glorification is God's promised inheritance to you. But it is only the beginning. In Romans 8:14-25 Paul describes the eager craving that our body and the world have. Both are waiting for the glorification of the other. Paul calls it our 'hope' and the promised fulfillment of our redemption. It is simply the final stage of our salvation. First, we are Justified. We are justified by faith through grace in baptism. Then we are 'born again.' We are born of the spirit, converted and regenerated, to live a life consistent with God's law. We receive the indwelling of His Spirit as power and down payment on our final inheritance. Sanctified, we are set apart to live righteous lives that pursue holiness. Finally we will be glorified. Our reward is glorification and a new body to match our already-made-new spirit. In this final form we receive our full inheritance...life eternal in the presence of God with Christ. __________________________________ Study Romans from the Beginning - Click Here

Being led by the Holy Spirit is simply being obedient to God's law. No more. No less. It's very simple. But far too many people get hung up on the false teaching that "being led by the Spirit" is some mystical, ethereal experience. Let me be clear...it is not. Being Led Is Not... Too often people teach or understand being led by the Spirit as a very spiritual experience. In fact, being led is very practical and very simple. In many circles it is described as a special "anointing" or "sensitivity" or special "filling" of the Holy Spirit. This sounds spiritual, mystical, and very other-worldly. The problem is that it's a false conclusion. This is not what the Bible presents when God tells us how to "be led by the Spirit." These false conclusions and teachings leave many people waiting for the Spirit to move them to action. The problem is this: He is waiting for you to move to action. Simply put, to be led by the Holy Spirit just means to be obedient to Him. When you are obedient to the law of God, you are being led by the Spirit. Being Led Is... Following the leading of the Spirit is simply obedience. Paul tells us in Romans 8:14 that "...all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." The way you know you are, in fact, a child of God (cf. John 1:12) is through your obedience to the law of God. How do you know this? Because Paul says as much in the immediate preceding verse. Romans 8:13 says, "[if you are living] by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body." It should be clear that "being led by the Spirit" and living "by the Spirit" are functionally the same thing. What is the evidence of these? You are "putting to death the deeds of the body." What are these deed? Well, some Paul has described in Romans 1:18-32 in identifying those who reject God and suppress His truth. But there are other lists as well. 1 Corinthians 6:9-102 Corinthians 12:20Galatians 5:19-21 The point is that the law of God is where we find those things both to do and to avoid. It is interesting that Paul makes a similar argument and statement in Galatians 5:16-18. "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law." Recall that "walking" consists of our daily action and behavior. Our walk is the same as our conduct. Following the leading of the Spirit simply means our conduct is consistent with the Spirit. More specifically, with His inspired Word (2 Peter 1:21). Notice Paul says "if you are led by the Spirit" and then in the next verse gives the list of what not being led by the Spirit (i.e. being led by the flesh) looks like. It's so plain it's scary. _________________________________ Study Romans from the Beginning - Click Here

The necessity of sanctification is often misunderstood or outright ignored by many Christians. Sanctification is indeed necessary as a phase and condition for complete salvation. In fact, without it, your faith will diminish and perhaps disappear altogether. Are you saying a Christian can lose or forfeit their salvation? Nope, I'm not saying that...God is! The Necessity of Sanctification God - through the Apostle Paul, and others - clearly tells us that "faith without works is dead" (James 2:14-26). The Book of Hebrews gives us warning upon warning not to "drift" from the faith. More specifically, Paul in Romans 8:12-13 tells us sanctification is not only necessary but is also our decision. The necessity of sanctification is explained in this passage as the difference between focusing your mind on the flesh or on the spirit. An explanation is given of the difference between the unsaved - those who are of the flesh - and the saved - those who are of the Spirit. The unsaved (i.e. unregenerated) have no choice but to focus their mind on the things of the body and flesh. They seek out fulfillment of only their personal desires and appetites. In contrast, the saved have a choice as to what they focus their minds (i.e. thinking) on. And this is the key difference between the two. In the absence of choice, the unsaved simply align with their fleshly desires and world's materialistic fulfillment. But even with a choice, the saved must still personally decide to choose obedience to God (i.e. the things of the Spirit). It is within our power - as Christians/born again/redeemed - to determine what we think about and how we behave. As I have pointed out before: You have absolute control over only two things in your life - what you think and how you behave. Phase Two of Three Lest we forget, salvation is given to us in three separate stages. First, recall that sin infects us with a "double-curse." One, we incur a sin debt with a penalty payment due. Two, we become powerless to resist sin and temptation. Phase One of salvation gives us the "double-cure." First, our penalty is paid in full and we are justified - put in right standing with the law of God. And second, we are born again (i.e. regenerated) and made new. This new spirit (i.e. God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus - Eph. 2:10) gives us the ability to follow the law of God. In addition to this new spirit God grants the gift of His indwelling Spirit. He - the Holy Spirit - in combination with our redeemed spirit - gives us power to overcome sin and temptation as we live. This is the purpose of the indwelling! The Holy Spirit is given to us so that we might pursue holiness; aka righteousness, holy living, obedience of faith, keeping God's laws, doing good works, being holy as He is holy, etc. The necessity of sanctification could not be more clear. We do not go from justification to glorification (the third phase) without first growing in sanctification (phase two). Sanctification is a necessary second phase of being saved. We are saved - justification; we are being saved - sanctification; and we will be saved - glorification. The necessity of sanctification is clearly presented when Paul tells us that if a Christian persists in living according to the flesh, they must die. Sounds serious. And it is. ___________________________________ Study Romans From the Beginning - Click Here

Flesh vs. spirit. It's a constant tug-of-war going within you. Your old yet-to-be-redeemed flesh pulls one direction. Your already-redeemed-waiting-for-a-new-body spirit pulls the opposite. This is the Christian life. Flesh vs. Spirit In Romans 5:5-13, Paul sets the record straight explaining how the unredeemed are unable and incapable of submitting to the "law of God." The reason? Because even if they do act in morally their heart remains "in the flesh." Your flesh and your spirit (i.e. mind) - meaning the way you think and what you focus attention on - are either in-tune or they are out of tune. Either you're unredeemed, meaning your spirit and body (i.e. flesh) are both corrupted by sin. Or, you're redeemed, in which case your spirit is new but your body/flesh remains sinful. In the first case, the issue is not your obedience - although you can't be obedient perfectly - but the condition of your heart (Romans 2:29). The issue here is, the heart of the unredeemed is hostile toward God. Even if outwardly obedient, inwardly the motivation is altogether wrong. Flesh vs. spirit in this case...both in-tune with each other, necessarily so. On the other hand, in the case of the redeemed, your heart is already changed and the goal is to discipline your flesh to follow. Flesh vs. spirit in this case...out-of-tune but striving to bring flesh under spirit's discipline. See the difference? For the lost, they cannot submit to God's law (Romans 8:7). However, that does not mean they cannot submit to God's gospel! And that is a key point discussed on the podcast. All About Mindset Paul points out that the unsaved cannot set their mind - their thinking and worldview - on the things of God. Specifically His law and submission to it. The reason is due to their heart condition. The saved, however, can set their thinking and worldview in-line with God's law. Please note: can does mean ought...but does not mean will. We are able and we certainly should. But by Paul's own personal admission (Romans 7:14-25), we will not always be successful. Think in terms of the parable of the two sons (Matthew 21:28-32). Was it the one who determined to go and did not or the one who said he would not but did who was blessed? The issue is always the condition of the heart. Just look around at what is happening in our country today. It's a heart issue. And the only One capable of changing hearts is Christ Jesus our Lord. _______________________________________ Study Romans From the Beginning - Click Here

There is an agenda. An agenda to destroy the United States of America from within. Abraham Lincoln, in an 1838 speech at the Young Men’s Lyceum of Springfield, Illinois said: “America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we lose our freedoms it will be because we have destroyed ourselves from within.” Truer words have rarely been spoken. The Agenda You might be looking around and wonder, "What is happening to America?" Truth is, it's no secret. There is an agenda driving what is happening all around us. That agenda is not new. In fact, Paul mentions it in Romans 1. "And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them." Romans 1:28-32 (NASB) The issue is a "hatred of God" issue. This is the agenda...to rid us all of God and His influence. It has been this way from the beginning. And yes, as simple as it might sound, Satan is at the root of it all. I do not think, again, that it is an accident that I am presenting Romans to you. It is the absolute foundation of the Gospel and the key to our understanding. Even in this day and age. The message could not be more clear! Understanding What Is Happening to America What we are studying in Romans is directly related to what is happening in our country...and worldwide. We will get back to Romans next time. Instead of listening to me this week, I've decided to let you hear from a colleague of mine. Larry Taunton is an award-winning author, freelance columnist, and producer. Larry is the author of The Grace Effect and is founder and Executive Director of Fixed Point Foundation. Fixed Point has hosted numerous debates between atheists and believers. Among the participants are Dr. John Lennox, Dr. Richard Dawkins, and Christopher Hitchens. If you've never seen any, you should watch. Larry recently gave a keynote address to a sold out crowd at The Grand Bohemian Hotel in Mountain Brook, Alabama. In it he explains the agenda of those who seek to destroy our country from within. Their agenda is clear cut, has historical roots, and is not new. I believe his presentation is accurate and important enough for you to listen. Here is that presentation. _________________________________________ Study Romans from the Beginning - Click Here Learn more about Larry Taunton and Fixed Point Foundation - Click Here Larry Taunton appears courtesy of https://larryalextaunton.com/. © Larry Alex Taunton 2019-2020

No condemnation! If Romans is the Himalayas, then chapter eight is its Mount Everest. Deliverance from bondage is freedom in Christ. The key is understanding exactly what we have been freed from. Only then will things begin to make sense and give you true independence. No Condemnation! Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus - Romans 8:1. Never has there been a greater and more welcome declaration! (A close second might very well be the Declaration of Independence of the United States.) No condemnation - freedom from bondage - no penalty for you! All because of Christ Jesus our Lord. For many people Romans 8 is the pinnacle of the Bible. It emphasizes the Christians assurance of penalty payment and victory over the power of sin. It is the climax of the Gospel of grace. And yet, so many people misunderstand and misapply it to their daily lives. Or worse, fail to see its significance to their daily life. The Most Succinct Statement of Substitutionary Atonement Romans 8:3-4 may very well be the most succinct statement of substitutionary atonement found in the Scriptures. It perfectly describes what Jesus came to do - in our place. It is His payment of our penalty that sets us free to truly live. Our redemption and regeneration, together with the indwelling Holy Spirit, give us power of sin. No more living in fear of reprisal or retribution. No more fear of death. Living under the power of sin and death has come to an end. That all sounds great...but what about what Paul just shared about Christian living in 7:14-25? There it doesn't sound that easy. Well, easy it is not. However, that does not mean we cannot and will not be victorious. Freedom in Christ is about knowing the truth and reality of who and Whose we are. The daily battle is about living out the reason we're here. ____________________________________ Study Romans from the Beginning - Click Here

Symptoms! It's the symptoms that you see. Just like a tree. You can see the trunk, the limbs, the leaves and the fruit. But these are not the problem. Nor are they the cause of the problem. What we can see is the result of the problem which is the result of the cause. Symptoms! Symptoms Are Affected By Motivation What's my motivation!? The familiar cry of the actor paid to play a part that is not naturally themselves. In order to perform in a certain manner (read behavior), I must have the proper or corresponding motivation. Given the present climate of things (as of June 4, 2020) relative to virus outbreaks, social injustice, protests, and rioting, too many people are only identifying the symptoms. Nearly every report, commentary, and interview I've seen or heard has only addressed the symptoms. The question comes: What can we do to effect change? The answer: Stop dealing with the symptoms and define the problem. Once defined, root out (pun intended) the causes and deal with those. How Romans Fits In I don't think it is by "accident" that we are going through Romans chapters 6-8 at this time. In fact, I believe it's Divine Intervention. Why? Because in these passages the Apostle Paul is dealing with the root that effects real change. What change are we talking about? Behavioral change. Behavioral change (effective over the long term) does not come from simple behavioral modification through conditioning or reward/punishment approaches. This only deals with the symptom. The symptom is what we see...the behavior. To effect real change (to make the behavior different) you have to confront the root problem and the motivation behind it. Paul is dealing with motivation specifically in these chapters. Motivation Comes From the Heart The people of Rome are wondering about their relationship to the law while being under grace. Do they have to obey it? If so, why and for what reward? Paul says you have already received the reward...eternal life! Your motivation is the result of the change you have already experienced. Behavior is the result of thinking and thinking is the result of belief. If I act in a certain way it's because I think a certain thing about the situation or person. I think that way because of what I believe about it or them. If I want to effect how I behave, I change how think. And I change how I think by determining what I believe and why I believe it. The real problem is a heart problem. The cause is sin that destroys and kills the heart. It's dead in its transgressions and sins (Eph. 2). If we/I want to have a heart change, then we have to trust Someone big enough and powerful enough to accomplish it. Once received (converted, born again, regenerated), the heart is soft (Ez. 36:26) and the motivation is changed (Romans 6-8). The motivation to do what? The motivation to live according to the law of God. Why is that important? Because its the law that teaches us how we are to behave and treat others. And isn't that what social justice is, treating others the right way? Well, it's the law that tells us the right way. ____________________________________ Study Romans From the Beginning By Clicking Here

The inner conflict of every Christian is the tension between your already-redeemed spirit and your not-yet-redeemed body. Yes, it's that simple. Unfortunately, too many Christians don't understand this dynamic of their changed state. Even more unfortunate is the reality that most Christians are never told upfront that this tension is going to exist after they are born again. The True Experience Some have read Romans 7:13-25 and wrongly concluded that Paul is describing his life prior to becoming a Christian. However, this cannot be the case for several reasons: The major theme of chapters 6-8 is the Christian life - how grace and law work together in the life of the redeemedPaul clearly uses the present tense and this should be taken at face value, as his First Century readers would have donePaul's description of the God's law and his own inner life is incompatible with the heart and life of an unregenerate personThe struggle described exists only the hearts of the redeemedThe assurance of deliverance is something only a Christian can have (v. 25)All Christians can relate to the struggle Paul describes of himself Additionally, all other descriptions of this passage that suggest Paul is discussing something other than his own, at present, experience fail for many of the same reasons. The inner conflict is the real and legitimate experience of every Christian. Flesh Against Spirit The inner conflict, described as battle and war - and make no mistake, the war-language is intentional - is the same for every believer. Each will experience it to varying degrees, of course, but experience it we all do. The unredeemed and still-tied-to-this-world flesh (which is the reason it dies and goes back to dust) resists and wages war against our new inner man. Our new spirit is young, naive, and in great need of growing up. And, just like children, this process will take time and will at times, be painful. But grow and mature we must. We must educate and train our new inner man to "be the boss" of our flesh. This is part of the reason why sanctification is a necessarily part of the salvation process. In fact, it is for the purpose of obeying God's law that we have been redeemed and remain in this life. There is no biblical process for moving from justification to glorification that does not include regeneration and sanctification. It just doesn't exist. Victory Is Assured Reading this passage (7:13-24), one might conclude the battle is lost but nothing could be further from the truth. We are, in fact, already saved and our victory over sin and death is already assured. Christ has conquered both sin and death and we are equal participants in that (see 6:5; 1 Corinthians 15). This battle we face against our own sin/flesh is the "daily cross" Jesus spoke of (Matthew 16:24ff). Our motivation to "keep the faith" and "fight the good fight" is the assurance of our salvation. We WILL be raised up and receive new bodies at the resurrection. These new bodies will match our already-new-spirit and will inherit eternal life in the very presence of God. ____________________________________ Study Romans from the Beginning - Click Here

Is the law sin? No! Absolutely not! After twice confronting an antinomian (i.e. against law) view of grace, Paul a third time asks a question. The first question was: Do we go on living the sinful lifestyle we had prior to our conversion? No. In fact, you can't because that "old man" has already died and been buried. He doesn't even exist anymore. The second question was: Can we just sin since grace abounds and we're under grace and no longer under law? Again: Absolutely not! If you do, you simply do not understand grace. You're free from law as a system of salvation, not as a code of conduct. Grace eliminates your responsibility to pay a penalty. Third Question Now the question is: Is the law itself sin since it seems - in comparison to grace - to be so negative? And a third time, no! The law is not sin. In fact, it is quite the opposite. The law is good, righteous, and holy...just like God, its Author. Having a right understanding of being "under grace and not under law" has everything to do with right living. Is the law sin? How can it be since it comes from God (cf. James 1:17). It is not given to cause sin but to define it. It's only through the law that you can know what sin is. Wicked Flesh However, it does "provoke" the sin still dwelling in your flesh. It can "create" rebellion in that its command evokes a sense of "restraint" from God. Meaning, your flesh often responds to the as a means by which God keeps you from having "good things you deserve." In point of fact, the opposite is true. The law is not the problem. It's the sin living in you (i.e. in your flesh) that is the problem. This sin that remains in your body is what must be dealt with. This is what you "crucify daily" and learn to discipline. Is the law sin? Far from it. It actually serves as a guardrail to your life. Understanding this is foundational to successful Christian living. _________________________________ Study Romans From the Beginning by Clicking Here

Being "free from the law" has everything to do with understanding what actually died. When you were crucified and buried, what died? Your "old man" died...your old nature. Now, you've been resurrected, born again, and regenerated. You're a new creation in Christ. You are God's workmanship. You have a new nature. Law Has No Jurisdiction Over the Dead In Romans 7:1-6, Paul uses the illustration of a married woman being married to another man (i.e. bigamy; having two or more husbands at the same time). He says the law only has jurisdiction restricting this second marriage only so long as the first husband is still alive. (Paul is not discussing the grounds for marriage, divorce, or remarriage.) If the first husband dies, the wife is released from him "under the law" and is now free to marry another man. The law only has jurisdiction over the living. In context, Paul is referring to our own death and burial (Romans 6:4-6) in Christ. The laws jurisdiction - its ability to impose a penalty - ends when we die. Since we "died" in baptism and our "old man" was buried, we are now new (i.e. born again) and free to "marry" another. In this sense, we are now united a new husband...namely Jesus. (Consider the analogy of Christ the Groom and the Church the Bride of Christ.) New Husband - One Nature We now have a "new husband" to follow and to lead us, Christ the Groom. We have been set free of the "first husband's" jurisdiction over us and are now free to "re-marry." Our "new husband" is good, gracious, and loving in comparison to the first. The first was a tyrant, a slave master, and a heel. We served him out of fear and under penalty of hell. Now we serve from the heart, out of willingness and want-to, desiring to please the One who loves us so. Many read this passage, and the verses following, and wrongly conclude it to be a discussion about two opposing natures. In fact, the translators of the NASB wrongly place the heading, "The Conflict of Two Natures", above verse 14. This is a common but false view. We do not have two natures. At least not at the same time. Our "old nature" was polluted and corrupted by our personal sin. This was the "old man" who was crucified, died, and was buried in our Christian immersion (Romans 6:3-7). That "old nature" died and was replaced - regenerated and born again - as a "new nature" willing and able to obey. Thus our battle is not between two natures but between one new nature and our "old flesh." This perspective can be a game changer when it comes to understanding how live a successful Christian life. ___________________________________ Study Romans from the Beginning - Click Here

This is really the wrong question. Paul's point in Romans 6:15-23 shows that you are a slave. The question really is: Whose slave are you? "Who's your daddy?" - a modern idiom - implies you haven't yet determined whom you will serve. Through your conversion, as Paul points out, you have already made that decision. Free To Sin? Too many people believe that being "under grace" and no longer being "under law" means you're free from obedience to the law. Not true! In fact, you have actually reinforced your responsibility to obey God's commands. We touched on this last episode (Free OF Not Free FROM). Those who lean (or outright teach) antinomianism simply do not understand grace. Nor do they understand the law or a Christian's relationship to the law. Further, they fail to recognize Paul's clear teaching in Romans 6 & 7. But I Don't Wanna Be A Slave! Sorry, you are. Simply be virtue of not being the Creator - and being a creature instead - you're a slave. Now, before we get too deep into this analogy, understand that Paul is speaking in "human terms" (v. 19) so we can better understand. He is NOT attempting to portray God as a domineering, whip-wielding, slave master. What he is doing is helping us see that whatever we "obey" becomes our master. Herein lies the issue. You are either a "slave to sin" or you're a "slave to righteousness." You don't get to determine whether or not you're a slave (i.e. that you'll be obedient). But you do get to determine whom you will obey. You can either obey a loving, kind, generous, and good God who makes your burden light (Matthew 11:30). Or, you can be a slave to a dictator who only seeks your destruction. Grace does not diminish our obligation to obey God's commands. Not one iota! Gift or Wages Paul puts grace in terms of a gift given by God. At the same time he places sin in terms of wages earned. Simply put, the choice is ours. Whom will you serve. Accepting grace and redemption necessarily means that we have willfully submitted ourselves to a new Master. A Master who loves and cares for us and provides for our every need. Knowingly giving in to sin again just doesn't make sense for any Christian. Obedience to Christ is the essence of what it means to call Him Lord. _____________________________________ Study Romans from the Beginning by Clicking Here

Romans 6:14 is a verse that historically has been misapplied, misinterpreted, and misunderstood. The Christian life - the successful Christian life - is all about having a right understanding of this verse. You are free OF law's penalty but you are not free FROM law's obedience. _________________________________ Study Romans from the Beginning By Clicking Here

New Life! That's what it's all about. Not the "hokey-pokey," not "being happy," and not "keeping up with the Jones." Your new life is about counting yourself dead to sin...but living to God! Resurrected To New Life Is Real Verse 11 of Romans chapter six is the first imperative - the first command - that Paul gives in this letter. However, it is different from other commands we see in the New Testament. Most of the others deal with behavioral commands and how to conduct yourself. This one is a belief command. It is an exhortation to believe and accept that what Paul is telling you is the truth. It's a fact and a reality, not an abstract thought or pretend fiction. What is Paul commanding us to believe? That you should count yourself dead to sin! That you are in fact, alive to God! From verse 2 through verse 11, Paul has repeated this reality as fact several times. Now it is time for you to accept it - and live in it - as your new reality. This is not pretend. It is not wishful thinking. You're not being asked to believe something for which there is no evidence. This is not blind faith. This is your new spiritual - and human - reality. Believe it! Resurrection Is For New Life The purpose of the resurrection of Christ was to affirm and confirm His penalty payment for the sins of the world as acceptable to God. Christ's resurrection also served as proof that He was God in the flesh (Immanuel). Resurrecting Jesus further made Him the "firstborn of all creation" (Colossians 1:13-20) who now has a glorified body. (see Philippians 2:9-11; Revelation 1:8). Your resurrection - accomplished in/during water immersion through the power and working of God (cf. Colossians 2:9-14) - serves the same purpose. You were raised to live a new life. Your new life is simply a life of following God. Living according to His word (i.e. His law). Just as Christ was put to death and resurrected, we have experienced the same thing. When did we experience this? In our water baptism. Out death and burial to sin and resurrection to new life draw their meaning and power from Christ's. ____________________________________ Study Romans from the Beginning by Clicking Here

Your "old self" is dead and buried! Your "new self" is alive and well. The question is, are you aware and actually living this way? And yes, you can live this way even under quarantine. Old Self New Self Paul is addressing three questions about the role of law in relationship to living under grace. If we are living under God's grace, what is the purpose of the law? Do we have to obey the law? Is grace a license to live how we please? Paul says, absolutely not! If you have this attitude or understanding of grace then you really don't understand it all. Your "old self" - the person you used to be who followed temptation and sin's every whim - is dead and buried. They don't even exist anymore. Or don't you know that that is what happened to you in your immersion? Old and New This teaching about your "old man" and the "new man" is fundamental to understanding your redemption. The old man is dead and gone. He does not even exist any longer. The new man - the new creation - has replaced it. Yes, your new man has to live in an "old body" but only for a time. During that time you have the opportunity to retrain and discipline your flesh to be obedient to the new self. Your physical death then, is actually a blessing! How? By allowing you to finally (at that point) to be rid of the flesh that still inhabits sin. Being saved (redeemed, justified, born again) has two parts, just as personal sin infects two curses. First, sin mandates a penalty payment...a "sin-debt" to God. Second, it forces your "old self" to become a slave to sin as its new master. Redemption is necessarily a "double cure." First, you are released from responsibility for paying the penalty by virtue of Jesus paying it for you. Second, your "old self" is crucified in immersion by literally and spiritually coming into contact with the blood of Christ, dying, and being buried. You're then "born again" as a "new creation" and rise as the "workmanship of God, created in Christ Jesus." For what purpose? To live a new life of obedience to God without the pressure of doing so perfectly. Do you understand this? _____________________________________ Study Romans from the Beginning by Clicking Here

In times like these, where does your hope come from? Is your faith the center of your attention? Do you see and understand what is happening and why or are you caught up in the panic? The answers to these questions are at the root of why we dig into Scripture. By Faith and Not By Sight What you believe and why you believe has everything to do with your current perspective and mental state. In the midst of the COVID-19 virus pandemic, too many people - and far too many Christians - are losing their stability. Have you fallen into the ditch of seeing this as "God's punishment" on mankind? That's only half true. Yes, God's wrath is presently visible (see Romans 1). No, this is not God being "out to get" anyone. How do you explain what is happening in the world? Do the circumstances of this life cause you fear and anxiety? It shouldn't. You should, in fact, you should expect it (see John 16:33). Faith and Hope Is your faith in the government or physicians or the stock market? Is your hope in your job, your bank account, or your 401K? If so, you're hoping and trusting in the wrong things. Psalm 121 makes it clear where your true hope lies. Believe it or not, our study of Romans is geared toward specifically making this point. The single biggest challenge, problem, or concern you will ever have has already been settled. The gospel - the Good News - is and should be your foundation for dealing with and getting through any and every thing this world can pitch against you. "For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, 3 inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. 4 For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. 6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight— 8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him." - II Corinthians 5:1-9 _______________________________________ Study Romans from the Beginning

Do you know when you were united to Christ? Your personal union with Christ is required for your salvation. Without it, you will not be found "in Him." In Romans 6:3-4 Paul expressly identifies baptism (i.e. water immersion) as the point in time when you are "united with Christ." Water baptism exemplifies the very real and actual death, burial, and resurrection of repentant believers performed by the Holy Spirit (i.e. Holy Spirit baptism or being born again). _______________________________ Study Romans from the Beginning

The significance of baptism is more than simple symbolism. Baptism is not significant because it is somehow our "first act of obedience" as a Christian. In Romans 6, Paul makes the argument that the significance of baptism is nothing short of actual re-birth! Or Do You Not Know? Before discussing the relationship we as Christians under grace have with obedience to God's law, Paul first reminds us. Reminds us? Yes, he reminds us! Quite literally Paul writes, "are you ignorant" of what happened to you in your immersion. Immersion? Yes, immersion. I thought he is talking about baptism. That's right, he is. Baptism - by definition and translation - is immersion. In fact, it should have been translated as immersion from its original Greek (baptizo). Unfortunately, following the teaching of Huldrych  Zwingli, translators simply transliterated the word to baptize (and its tenses). Nevertheless, Paul addresses the teaching about immersion and what happens in it as a foregone conclusion. This is something we should know. It should be part of the presentation of the gospel and explained to every convert. But in case you don't know or have forgotten, Paul teaches and reminds us of what actually happened. Already Happened The significance of baptism is presented as something that has already taken place. It's past tense. What you experienced - the work that God did in you - happened in the moment of your immersion. Knowing this will help you grasp you now new relationship to the law of God. Under law, your failure to keep it perfectly was counted against you. Under the law of God you would be judged according your your ability to live it perfectly. But you are no longer under law (as a means of salvation; Romans 6:14), you are under grace. Under grace you still need to live in obedience to the law but failure to do so will no longer be held against you. Why? Because your penalty has already been paid in full. But how do I live obediently? By keeping in mind the significance of baptism. _______________________________________ Study Romans From The Beginning By Clicking Here

Does grace lead to antinomianism? If we are "under grace" do we still have to obey the law? Yes. In fact, absolutely yes! Grace does not negate our obedience to the law. Grace does negate the law as a system for salvation. Understanding this key difference is the topic of Romans 6 and 7. The truth is, grace is necessarily an obedient grace. Obedience or Legalism? Antinomianism literally means against (anti) law (nomos). In Paul's presentation of the gospel, he rejects law as a means of personal righteousness unto salvation. Meaning, obeying the law cannot save you. In fact, it was never intended to do so. The question posed is, does this negation of law equate to having no obligation whatever to obeying it. Paul's emphatic answer is NO WAY! Actually, Paul will point that grace is necessarily an obedient grace. Grace or Law? Grace does not lead to antinomianism. As a matter of fact, grace actually gives us the abililty to obey. Yes, grace sets us free from law as a means or way of salvation. You cannot be saved by keeping the law. Grace also sets us free from being condemned by the law when we fail to keep it. In addition, grace sets us free from an attitude of legalistic motivation to obey the law. But what grace does not do is set us free from our obligation to obey God's law. Understanding this specific nuance about grace is Paul's purpose in first verses of Romans 6. In our discussion we will explain the importance of seeing grace as an obedient grace. It is not legalism. And it is not "free grace" antinomianism with no regard for obedience whatsoever. We are, in fact, saved for good works (Ephesians 2:10; good works is equal to obedience to God's law). ___________________________________ Study Romans from the Beginning By Clicking Here

Understanding the five phases of your spiritual life is critical to your success. Remember the key questions we focus on here at DTLC? Who are you? Whose are you? Why are you here? Recognizing the five phases you go through in life - from a spiritual perspective - will make all the difference. Every Person Included Every single person is in one of these five phases of their spiritual life. Recall from our study in Romans 5 that we are all born in a state of "original grace." From conception to the age of accountability, we are covered by the grace of God. Every child ever born was and is born in grace. Even though they may still be susceptible to defects, disease, or even physical death, every child is promised a redemptive resurrection. That means a new body and life eternal with God. At the age of accountability, when a person comprehends that law comes from God, each person becomes accountable. Therefore, personal law breaking becomes personal sin. From this point forward we live subject to sin and its power, as slaves. Our spirit dies and our body is under the power of sin. Paul calls this "living under law" and "in the flesh" (Rom. 6:14; 7:5). We are now guilty and powerless to sin. But the "much more" of the cross ( Rom. 5:15-19) covers even our personal sin. Amazing Grace When we hear the gospel - the full gospel, including the law and our guilt under it - and accept it as true, we place our faith in the saving work of Jesus. We are converted through faith in baptism and God's grace is applied. Our "old" spirit is resurrected to new life (Rom. 6:4). Our penalty is paid and our spirit is "born again." But this new life affects only the spirit. The Struggle Phase The problem is that our new spirit must continue to reside in a corrupted physical body. A body that is controlled by sin and if allowed, has the power to overcome our "new nature." The struggle is real but it is also necessary. It can be summed up in three words: power, struggle, and victory. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; Romans 8:9, 11) gives us power to overcome the power of sin still dwelling in our bodies. Living the Christian life is about recognizing this struggle, embracing it, and learning to overpower it. This is why Paul can "rejoice in our tribulations" (Rom. 5:3-5). Final Victory The last of these five phases is our total victory, when we shed these bodies in physical death. We will have some victories in this life and the goal is to have as many as possible. But regardless of how many, so long as we continue to "fight the good fight of faith" we are assured of total victory. We will be glorified. We will one day rid ourselves of these sinful bodies and replace them with redeemed and glorified ones. This is our hope - this is His promise. Understanding these five phases is key to your success in life. It's also critical to understanding what Paul is talking about - and what he is not talking about - in this next major section of Romans. ____________________________________ Study Romans From the Beginning

Romans chapters 6-8 is certainly, "where the rubber meets the road." Paul has spent the letter telling us how we are all under the law and face due judgment for having broken it. Then, he tells us the amazing good news of the gospel! God, through His grace, has offered us salvation. Through faith in Christ we can have our sins forgiven. That is great news! But Wait, There's More But sin has not just left accountable for a debt we can't pay. It has also corrupted our spirit AND our body. Sin has left us us powerless over it - sin has become our tyrannical master - and we are its slaves. Not only do I need to be justified - have my sins forgiven - but I need to be "born again." Why? Because my spirit is "dead in its trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1-5). I need "new life" if I'm to live. In baptism (see Romans 6:3-4) I'm "born again" by the power of the Holy Spirit (i.e. "baptism of the Spirit"). My sins are forgiven (justification) and I'm regenerated. I now have a new spirit for a new life. What is the new life? A life of striving to increase in my obedience to my Creator...now called my Father, as I'm now his child (John 1:12). New Spirit - Old Body However, I still have a problem. Yes, my sins are forgiven. Yes, I'm born again and now have a redeemed spirit. But I still have this "body of sin and death." My new spirit has to still live in a corrupted body. Worse, this body still has powerful influence over me because it's still full of sin. What's the answer? The answer is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2:38-39; Romans 8). He is the One who will give me power to overcome the sin within me. Even Paul had this struggle (Romans 7:7-24) and had to learn how to "walk by the Spirit." In fact, EVERY Christian will have this struggle. The struggle is actually good news as well. Hard to believe but true. Where The Rubber Meets The Road Romans chapters 6-8 is Paul's description of "where the rubber meets the road." Here he tells us what to expect, what to remember, what to count on, and how to live. He's talking about the second part of the double cure. How do redeemed people live in unredeemed bodies? More specifically, what is the role of the law of God in relation to His grace? ___________________________________ Study Romans from the Beginning

You have already transitioned! Romans chapter six begins a new section of Paul's letter to the church at Rome. For five chapters he has presented the gospel of grace and the inability of the law to save. But does that mean that we have no more relationship to the law? Are we to conclude that we no longer bear any responsibility to keeping it? Justification to Regeneration and Sanctification Paul begins this new section by reminding his Christian readers that they too have already transitioned. Having your sins forgiven and your penalty paid is only half of the story. In fact, it's only half of the cure. Remember that sin causes a double curse on us. First, we become guilty of sin - of having broken the law of God - and are therefore responsible for its due penalty. Second, we are infected by the disease of sin. It infects our spirit AND our physical body. Paul refers to this as our flesh. This renders us cursed with the second part - powerlessness over the sin in us. God's response (grace) is to provide us with a double cure. First, we are forgiven - we have our penalty paid on our behalf - through faith in Christ. Second, we are re-created - born again, regenerated - and given a new spirit. However, this new spirit must continue to dwell in a still-corrupted physical body (i.e. the flesh). At least for a time. Transitioned But more than that, we are also granted the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38-39). Why? Because His presence gives us the power to overcome the sin that continues to dwell within our flesh. But how and when did this happen? You transitioned from diseased (cursed) to surgery (justified and regenerated) to the road to recovery (cured/sanctification) in your baptism (Romans 6:3-7). How does this happen? Through faith in the working of God (Colossians 2:11-12). Reminding of us this reality is Paul's point in these first verses of Romans six. One Baptism In Ephesians 4:5, Paul makes the declarative statement that there is "one baptism." Not two, not only spiritual baptism, but one baptism that includes both physical water and Holy Spirit (see John 3:3-8; Acts 2:38-41; 8:34-39). The idea that there are two different baptisms - one water and one spiritual - is completely foreign to the Bible. Paul affirms this reality here in Romans 6 and elsewhere (e.g. Eph 4:5; Col. 2:12). ____________________________________ Study Romans From the Beginning Resources Baptism: A Biblical Study - by Dr. Jack Cottrell

The true meaning of Christmas. Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year! See you next year - 2020! ____________________________ The Gift of the Magi - written by O. Henry (1905); Narrated by Lorne Greene Peanuts - Charlie Brown & Linus van Pelt - Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown! - created by Charles M. Schultz Song Credit: Come Thou Long Expected Jesus by King's Kaleidoscope.

There is a widespread belief in Christianity that once a person becomes saved, they remained saved no matter what. Not only can you be certain of your salvation (as the teaching goes), you have God's guarantee that you can never lose it. The question is, does this "once saved always saved" teaching agree with the biblical view of assurance? Once a person is saved, do they remain saved forever regardless of any action/belief on their - or anyone else's - part? Augustinian Roots of Once Saved Always Saved The roots of this doctrine - just as with the whole of the T.U.L.I.P. doctrines - are found in the teaching of Augustine. It wasn't until 412 AD that Augustine became the first Christian to write in support of these teachings. Prior to that, every Christian author (i.e. the Patristics/Church Fathers), including Augustine himself (386-411 AD), who addressed these issues did so from a condemning perspective. Why? Because although Augustine was the first "christian" to write in support, the arguments and doctrines surfaced first in the heresies of pagan thought and religion. Specifically, the "five points of Calvinism" (as they became known), and Reformed theology's definitions of sovereignty, divine foreknowledge, and depravity as total, are first found in the teachings of Gnosticism, Stoicism, Neoplatonism, and Manichaeanism. In fact, the church (as early as Paul in Acts) had already previously identified and condemned these as false. (read Dr. Ken Wilson for more) Augustine's latter writings and teaching functionally eliminated human free will. The result was the teaching that man is completely unable to respond to God, unless and until, He first completes a spiritual work within him (i.e. regeneration). Only then will the previously unconditionally elected receive the gifts of faith and repentance. Since, according to this view, you don't have a choice to accept God and be saved, neither do you have a choice as to whether or not you remain saved. Thus, the result is guaranteed perseverance or once your saved, you remain saved forever. This is the "P" in T.U.L.I.P. Apparent Biblical Support for Once Saved Always Saved Those who accept and teach this Augustinian-Calvinist theology do so with numerous Scriptures purported to support this and the other T.U.L.I.P. doctrines. The problem is that these presumed proof texts do not teach unconditional perseverance. Certainly, they teach assurance. But biblical assurance is based upon the continued consistent meeting of the condition of faith. Faith is the very condition upon which salvation was given to us in the first place. We are justified by faith...and we remain justified by that same faith. Meaning, that if a person of their own free will - the same free will with which they accepted Christ - chooses to fall into unbelief (cf. Romans 4:18-21; 1 Peter 1:5), they can forfeit their redemption. The Bible is full of examples of how a person might "fall from grace" (Galatians 5:1-6). Others include John 8, John 15, Romans 11, Colossians 1:21-23, 1 Corinthians 15:1-2, Hebrews 6:4-8, the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13, and many others. How does one fall from grace? You can commit spiritual suicide. Giving up on your faith and renouncing Christ or God because of tragic or negative circumstances is the most common. You can "die to faith" through slow starvation and failing to "feed" yourself spiritually through God's Word. This warning is persistent in the New Testament. You can be strangled by sin and continuing to intentionally live in it (we'll study this next in Romans 6). Romans 8:13 says "if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live." You Can Forfeit Grace The point is the Bible clearly teaches conditional salvation from beginning to end. This is why the verses challenging us to remain faithful to the end are so prominent.

Doctrine matters! Well, of course it does! What you believe and why you believe it effects and influences every aspect of your life. To pretend otherwise is to, well, pretend otherwise. The passage of Romans we just studied (i.e. Romans 1-5) and the passage we're about to begin (i.e. ch. 6-8) teach and solidify several truths. Among these truths are the "ordo slutis" (the order of salvation), original sin (as a concept), original grace (as a reality), confession, faith, and baptism as parts of the plan of salvation. Paul also addresses the reality of sin, the responsibility of being saved, the ongoing struggle with sin, and the power of the Holy Spirit. But before moving on to these it is important to acknowledge the significant differences between two opposing views. Augustinian-Calvinism The differences between Augustinian-Calvinism (aka Reformed theology) and non-Calvinist theology (i.e. historical/traditional theology) is proof that doctrine matters. Several of the key components of T.U.L.I.P. - the self-applied acronym of Reformed theology's principle doctrines - are found in Romans. At least that is what Calvinists would have us believe. Problem is, the concepts are in fact there, just not in the way they think they are. The Bible actually teaches the contrary of T.U.L.I.P. (Acquired Partial Depravity, Conditional Election, Unlimited Atonement, Resistible Grace, & Assurance By Faith). Another problem with Augustinian-Calvinism is found in its philosophical roots. That is, where the concepts of theistic determinism (i.e. T.U.L.I.P.) actually come from. For example, Stoicism, Gnoticism, Neoplatonism, & Manichaeism - all identified by the church as heresies prior to Augustine - each teach one or more of Reformed theology's foundational concepts. When confronted with various questions from the Pelagians, Augustine reverted to his prior teaching and understanding that was rooted in these false teachings. Additionally, Augustinian-Calvinism's presuppositional definitions can be found in these philosophies as well. The fact is that the theology of Augustinian-Calvinism requires eisegetical interpretation of Scripture (as opposed of exegetical). Meaning, the foundation of Augustinian-Calvinism is built on sand ( cf. Matthew 24-27). Ultimately, sound systematic theology is only as good as its foundation. Think Leaning Tower of Pisa. Doctrine Matters Unless you're completely new to this podcast, then you're fully aware that I am not a Calvinist. My goal in going through Romans is first to establish sound doctrine and second to refute (or at least point out) false doctrine. In this episode I briefly discuss the prominent differences between Augustinian-Calvinism and the biblical view. For more detailed discussion I refer you to the resources listed below. __________________________________________ Study Romans From The Beginning By Clicking Here ******** ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT ADDRESS AUGUSTINIAN-CALVINISM The Foundation of Augustinian-Calvinism - Wilson (book) Augustine's Conversion from Traditional Free Choice to 'non-Free Free Will': A Comprehensive Methodology (Studien Und Texte Zu Antike Und Christentum / Studies and Texts in Antiquity and Christianity) Wilson (book) Soteriology 101 - Dr. Leighton Flowers' website Soteriology 101 - YouTube Channel Was Augustine The First To Introduce "Calvinism" Into The Church? (Flowers & Wilson) Did The Early Church Fathers Teach "Calvinism"? (Flowers & Wilson) Was "Calvinism"Introduced By Augustine? Calvinism In A Nutshell (Cottrell) Did the Early Christian Fathers Teach Calvinism? (Cottrell)

Christ is greater than Adam. This is the primary point being made in Romans 5:12-21. Whatever consequences Adam's sin brought on every man, the cross of Christ has negated for every man. No matter what consequences Adam's sin could have brought on every man, the cross of Christ has canceled for every man. Christ is Greater Christ is greater than Adam. The cross is greater than the consequences of sin. Grace is greater than sin itself. Grace prevails! Failure to see this point in this passage ultimately pollutes many - if not most- other doctrines and conclusions drawn from Scripture. As I've mentioned before, this passage - and its misinterpretation - is the root of much of the division within Christianity. Why do we have all these various denominations? Much of the reason is found in misunderstanding and misapplying this passage. It's that important. Universal Grace Universal grace is not only available to every person...it has already been applied to every person. Grace and its universal application however, does not equate to universal salvation. The grace of God through the cross of Christ is indeed applied to every human being at conception. Every baby is born free from any consequences of Adam's sin, save one, physical death. We are not born depraved. We are not born guilty. No one has ever been born condemned as a result of Adam's sin. Why? Because grace - Christ - is greater than sin and specifically Adam's sin. Even physical death - a necessary part of salvation's plan - is negated and overcome by Christ (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). Does this fly in the face of what you have been taught? Is this seemingly inconsistent with your denomination's "statement of faith"? Probably. Listen to this week's episode and you'll soon discover that it is, in fact, the truth of God's word. __________________________________ Click Here to Study Romans From the Beginning

The entire point of Romans 5:12-21 is that the gift of grace is greater than any or all of the effects of Adam's sin. To miss this is to miss everything else explained in the passage. Giving Credit This episode begins by addressing an email that I received pointing out my negligence in giving proper credit to those authors, instructors, and influencers from whom I have readily drawn. I admit that I have been lax in this reporting. To correct this, I have posted a list (although a very incomplete list) of many of the men from whom I have learned. You can read the post here. In addition to this post, I also address this at the beginning of this week's episode. On The Shoulders of Giants There is no denying the influence others have had on our lives. This is especially true for those of us who have endeavored to learn from and then teach others. This takes on greater significance when we are doing so with regard to Scripture. Below I have included a few links to a couple of the most influential and most recent persons from whom I have garnered a great deal. These are provided for you to have access to the same for yourself. The Gift is Greater Jumping back to our study of Romans, our next section, verses 14-17, we see Paul emphasizing Christ over Adam. More specifically, whatever the effects of Adam's sin on humanity, the cross of Christ has overcome, negated, and much more! In this episode we address several of the issues we've raised previously with respect to the scope of "many" and "all", as well as the "much more" found in Christ. __________________________________ Study Romans From The Beginning By Clicking Here Additional Resources Books by Dr. Jack Cottrell The Faith Once For AllCommentary on RomansSet Free! What the Bible Says About GraceJackCottrell.com Books by Dr. Ken Wilson The Foundation of Augustinian-CalvinismAugustine's Conversion from Traditional Free Choice to 'Non-free Free Will'

Death is experienced by all men because of Adam's sin. This is the reality of our existence as fallen people in a fallen world. This section of Romans 5, specifically verses 12-14, establish several critical points. One man is responsible for human beings having to experience physical death. Just as through one man sin entered the world, his one sin also brought death. Interestingly enough, this verse affirms the reality of Adam's existence. Meaning, that Paul here confirms the fact of Adam being an actual historical individual. Adam is not a fictional character or mythical allegory. He was the real and verified first person to ever exist. Jesus refers to him in an historical context as well. The truth is, if Adam were not historically real, the legitimacy of Paul's comparing him to Christ is lost. Adam Is Our Federal Head Adam is the "federal head" of the human race. He represented all of humankind. What he did affects and effects all of us. We experience physical death by virtue of his representing the entire human race when he first sinned. We do not die as a result of personal sin but as a consequence of Adam's sin. Death through Adam. Although this is a fact, it does not justify concluding that this necessarily leads to a doctrine of original sin. Original sin as a concept is found in this passage, but it is clearly not Paul's point nor the doctrine he is teaching! Don't Forget The Context! We cannot forget the context of Paul's teaching. In fact, he is counting on the fact that we have remembered what he has already taught us. In anticipating an argument his Jewish readers would have jumped to, Paul is making it clear who he is talking about. Jews may have concluded that since people died between Adam and Moses - before the Law was given - that this proves death comes from Adam and not personal sin (death through Adam). But this is an invalid argument. Why? Because there was law between Adam and Moses. Paul argues this in chapter 1:18-32. Therefore, the proof of death through Adam is not demonstrated by those who died during that period of time. Instead, what proves his point is that babies (i.e. infants, children, and the mentally handicapped) in all times, sometimes die. These obviously can't die as a result of personal sin because they are unable to commit such sin. (Personal sin is the result of personal decision; "in the likeness of the offense of Adam" v. 14.) Therefore, their death must be the result of Adam's sin. Death through Adam. _____________________________________________ Study Romans From the Beginning - Click Here

Original grace* or original sin? Which one are we born with? This question - and its answer - is the root of many of the differences between denominations. And Romans 5:12-21 is the passage of Scripture most often used to defend the teaching of original sin. But what if that common understanding is wrong? How does that effect our understanding of grace? What Is Original Sin? Original sin is the belief and teaching that all babies are born sinners and are born depraved. The extent of this depravity at birth - either partial or total - is also a major distinction among denominations. Some believe babies are born only partially depraved and retain a certain ability to respond to God's grace once they are older. Others teach that babies are born totally depraved and completely incapable of responding to God positively in any way, shape, or form. And then there are those between these views. How a particular denomination answers the question also determines their practice of baptizing infants or not. Those who accept total depravity often baptize infants for salvation. Others teach that God "elects" some babies and condemns others. Still others don't practice infant baptism and believe only mature persons of a certain age/comprehension should receive baptism. All of these practices and variations hinge - to great extent - on interpretations of Romans 5:12-21. Original Grace* The real question is, what is Paul's point in drawing out the comparison between Adam and Jesus? What is he emphasizing and why? Missing the point is what has led to a great many false assumptions and false teachings. Paul's comparison has one sole purpose: to point out how the cross of Christ has overcome every effect of Adam's first sin. Whatever Adam's sin did bring or potentially could have brought upon mankind, Jesus has overcome. In effect - in actuality - the cross and God's grace through it has negated all the negative effects of Adam's sin on humanity. Therefore, every person is born, was born, and will be born with original grace. (*The phrase original grace was coined by Dr. Jack Cottrell, Professor of Theology, Cincinnati Christian University, retired.) ____________________________________ Study Romans from the Beginning - Click Here

Four key questions will help clarify the overall meaning of Romans 5:12-21.* Q1: What is the purpose of the passage relative to the immediate context of chapter 5 and the rest of Romans as a whole? Q2: Does this passage teach the doctrine of original sin? Q3: What is the scope of the words many and all as they are used in this passage? Q4: Does this passage teach universal salvation? The answers to these four questions will remove some of the "problems" of interpreting this passage. (*These questions do not originate with me. They were formulated by Dr. Jack Cottrell, retired professor of theology. In fact, much of my understanding of Romans has resulted from his previous work.) Historically Challenging Historically, this passage of Scripture has presented theological and exegetical challenges. That is, how the passage should be interpreted and what does it mean. No doubt, it can be somewhat confusing. However, once four key questions are answered, the passage becomes very clear. This passage is foundational to teaching what is commonly known as Original Sin. Since Augustine in the fifth century, and reinforced by nearly all of the Reformers, this text has been used to justify the doctrine that everyone is born totally depraved, guilty, and condemned to hell because of Adam's sin. While used for this justification, it is ironic that this passage actually teaches the exact opposite. Paul is not teaching original sin but original grace. When the four key questions are answered relative to what the passage actually says, Paul's point becomes clear. A Continuation of Assurance When you see - as seems obvious - that the context of 5:12-21 is a continuation of 5:1-11, relative to the previous chapters, the argument is obvious. Paul is continuing to present his comparisons and contrasts between law on the one hand and grace on the other. Two opposing views. One compared to the other. General/Moral Revelation vs. Special Revelation. Law vs. Grace. Works vs. Faith. Enemies vs. Family. And now, Adam vs. Jesus. It's seems simple enough but why do so many get it wrong and continue to emphasize a point Paul is not making? Good question. These four key questions will help to answer the one. ____________________________________________ Study Romans From the Beginning - Click Here

What's the point? Jesus is the point! If we fail to remember this, we are doomed to misinterpretations and misunderstandings of Scripture. Jesus - His cross, His blood, His love - is the point. Why does this matter? Because if forgotten, we tend to pull passages out of their context. Our upcoming passage in Romans 5:12-21 is a perfect example. Context, Context, Context As you've learned from past episodes, context is a critical component in hermeneutics (interpreting the Bible). Knowing, for example, the definition of a word is important. But how that word is used in context ultimately determines its meaning. Romans 5:12-21, our next section of study, is a passage that is infamously known for being taken out of its larger context. What is the larger context? The comparison that Paul is making between the law-system and grace-system for salvation. He has compared them head-to-head (Romans 1:18-3:20). Abraham is used as an illustration and pattern to follow (Romans 4). And in Romans 5:1-11, Paul shows us how Christ's death, while we were still enemies of God, is proof of His continued power to protect us. To protect us until when? Until we completely receive the fullness of our salvation in glorified bodies - united with our justified spirits. God protects us by His power through our continued faith in Christ's blood (1 Peter 1:5). We can be certain of our assurance of salvation because of what God has done "while we were yet sinners" (Romans 5:8). The All-Sufficiency of the Death of Christ The point continues. In Romans 5:12-21, Paul continues to draw comparisons between law and grace. More specifically, he draws a comparison between what Adam brought into the world through his sin and what Jesus has brought into the world through His death. It is a comparison between "one transgression" and "one act of righteousness" (Romans 5:18). And as always with Paul, Jesus is still the point! Failure to recognize and remember the larger context and the argument Paul is making through contrast and comparison will result in bad theology. And as you know, Theology Matters! ________________________________________ Study Romans from the Beginning - Click Here

Without a doubt, you can be 100% certain that you are saved. Regardless of any - and in fact, regardless of every - circumstance you ever encounter in this life, you can have absolute assurance of your salvation. Sound impossible? Not when you understand the basis of your assurance. While We Were Yet Sinners In Romans 5:1-11, Paul is contrasting two different conditions. The first, what we once were. The second, what we are now. It is in understanding what you once were - and what happened while you were - that grounds our confidence in what we are now. Not only that, but it gives assurance of what we will yet be. Before you turned to God, you were His enemy. Plain and simple. You hated Him and He hated you. You were at war. Even if you were unaware of the battle. But after you came to God in faith, you became His friend. You are now no longer His enemy. This is the basis for being "without a doubt." Why? Because it was while you (and I) were His enemy that He sent His Son to die for you...in your place. Why does this matter and how is it related to being "without a doubt" of salvation? Because if, while we are still His enemy, Christ died for us, how much more confident should we be that He will take care of us now that we are His friends? Without A Doubt Think about it. God took the initiative to put aside His enmity for us first, and before we were even interested in putting aside ours for Him. While we were actively opposed to and fighting against Him, Christ died for us. That's the point! If God was willing to go to those lengths while we were yet sinners, how much more can we be confident that He will get us to heaven? The question is not about God's keeping His end of the "bargain" (if you'll pardon the term) but whether we will keep the faith. It all hinges on our keeping faith. This is why Paul begins to stress the negative experiences we go through in this life. When our circumstances get difficult or we have to go through tragedy and loss, will we blame Him or keep walking in faith? Paul tells us to see these challenges and obstacles as opportunities. Why? Because now that we are God's children (John 1:12-13), He will use these experiences for our good (Romans 8:28). Herein lies our assurance! Praise Jesus and glory to God!!! ___________________________________ Study Romans from the Beginning - Click Here

Go with what you know! This is a phrase that I use on a regular basis. Interestingly enough, Paul basically says the same thing in Romans 5:1. Justification by faith - for the one who has faith - is a present reality. It is not a distant wish or a figment of your imagination. Right now, you truly are justified and you truly are saved, by faith. Peace With God The direct result of this reality is an equally amazing dual reality. You are no longer an enemy of God! We have peace with God, through faith in Jesus Christ. You are no longer at war with God. And make no mistake, you were at war with God. Hard to believe we would even consider such a thing - being at war with God - how absurd. And yet, we were. I was too. Think about it. At war with the Creator of the universe?! How amazingly ignorant, obstinate, and arrogant must we be to think this is a war we can win?! Utter insanity. And still millions openly welcome such a battle. Sad. It is truly sad. I Don't Feel Saved Many of you may know that I am a product of the 80's, specifically 80's rock music. Most of you will also remember I'm a fan of Sammy Hagar and Van Halen. I can't help but think about the line from a song on the 1984 album. "I don't feel tardy." Just because you don't feel something does not mean that reality isn't different. David Lee Roth may not "feel tardy" but that does not negate his "being tardy." In the same sense, your "being forgiven" (i.e. justified) does not necessarily mean you will always "feel forgiven." You have to go with what you know. What is the truth? Has not God declared you justified by faith? Your circumstances and experiences have nothing whatsoever to do with the reality of your salvation. Go With What You Know Being at peace with God is an objective state. It is not a subjective feeling. However, the subjective feeling and "peace of mind" is a natural consequence of being at peace with God, objectively. The key is knowing it. If you want to "feel" peace you have to trust in "knowing" you are already at peace. As a Christian, you are truly saved and you are truly at peace with Him. He has declared it so. If God has said it is a fact, why should we doubt Him? Has He not demonstrated His trustworthiness? In fact, Paul will tell us in later verses that the biggest reason to trust Him now is because "while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Go with what you know, not how you feel. _____________________________________________ Study Romans From the Beginning - Click Here

Assurance - being 100% confident that you are saved - is based squarely on your understanding of justification by grace through faith. The single greatest reason I am spending time going through the Book of Romans is to help you have just such an assurance. Therefore... Romans 5:1 begins with these words: Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the essence of assurance of our salvation. We are no longer an enemy of God. There is no longer any hostility or enmity between us and God. Not because of anything we have done. But because God took the initiative. This assurance - confidence that we will go to heaven - is sorely lacking for far too many Christians. But Paul is telling us, "therefore" - by way of the arguments I have already made - you can be fully confident of your salvation. If this is the case, then why do so many have doubts? Mainly because they do not understand the basis for this assurance. Justification By Faith...Again...Still What is the proper basis for having such assurance? Nothing less than the knowledge that we are justified by our faith in the atoning blood of Jesus. Paul begins this chapter by reminding us of all that he has taught and presented in the previous four chapters. "Therefore" is there for us to recall and remind ourselves of what he has been teaching. Justification - forgiveness of our sins - is not possible by law keeping. It is only possible by grace and is received by faith. We cannot allow ourselves to forget the comparison that Paul has been making from the beginning of this letter. If we do, we run the risk of misinterpreting and then misapplying his teaching. The result of which is either a false sense of security or a continued state of uncertainty. ______________________________________ Click Here to Study Romans From the Beginning

Faith like Abraham. That's what we are to have. Faith like Abraham. This is the point of Romans 4:17b-25. If Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness and we can have that same justification, what kind of faith do we need? Paul's answer is to just duplicate the faith of Abraham. Standing On the Promises of God Abraham's circumstances - being an old man of 100 and having a barren wife - did bode well for him having children. And yet, this was God's promise. Abraham and Sarah would have a child. And not just any child. But a child who would continue to have descendants to the point that Abraham would be the "father of many nations." Hardly seemed likely. In fact, he and Sarah both laughed when they heard it. And yet, in spite of the seeming reality of his situation, Abraham believed God and trusted in His promises. And it was more than "simple" belief. Abraham not only believed and trusted in God's promise, but also believed in His power to actually accomplish it. This is the God who "gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist." That's pretty powerful! Our Faith Justifies This kind of faith - in this God and His promises - is what was credited to Abraham as righteousness. Paul uses this to illustrate the kind of faith we are called to have if we want to be justified. Specifically, that this same God raised Jesus from the dead. Not only that but He will raise us from the dead as well. Both spiritually and physically. Sure Abraham was aware of his situation. Of course he realized the odds. He even struggled at times but the fact that he "did not waver in unbelief" is the key. Even though years went by after the promise without any hint of it happening, the promises were enough. Faith like Abraham is a faith that says, God's promises are enough. The awesome thing is that we have more than just promises. We have the ability to look back through history and see the legitimate fulfillment of God's promises...in spades! Abraham was fully persuaded that God had both the power to do what He promised and also the will to do it. Do you have that kind of faith? If you do, it's a faith that will justify you, just as it did Abraham. ___________________________________ Study Romans From The Beginning By Clicking Here

Not by law. The salvation of sinners is not by works (4:1-8), not by circumcision (4:9-12), nor is it by law (4:13-17). It is by faith and therefore consistent with grace. In this section of Romans Paul continues his contrast between the law-system and the grace-system as ways of salvation. Not By Law Abraham is called the "Father of Israel" because it is through him that the nation is established. All Jews are physical descendants of Abraham. As we saw last time, circumcision is the physical sign of the covenant God made with His people. Abraham is also called the "Father of the faith". Why? Because the promise given to him (and his descendants) is delivered through faith. The blessing (i.e. being credited with righteousness) comes "not through the Law" but through faith. This makes the promise accessible to anyone (and everyone) who has the faith of Abraham. Not necessarily the "degree" of the faith of Abraham but the same faith as Abraham. Not By Law But Through Faith That the promise is delivered by faith makes it consistent and in accordance with grace. When a promise is given, the only way to accept it is to believe it. Paul makes the point that the grace-faith relationship is inevitable. Why? Because the reality of sin (i.e. lawlessness) mandates that the law can only enforce the penalty of God's wrath (vv. 14-15). The law - regardless of its form - cannot deliver lawbreakers from the penalty due. But the fact that Abraham received the promise by faith assures us all that we can receive it the same way. In fact, it is guaranteed to all who have the same faith as Abraham. He is "the father of us all" (i.e. Christians; v. 16). AS Paul has pointed out before, this is not exclusive to Jews. Gentiles also have the very same access to the promise through the very same promise. ___________________________________ Study Romans From the Beginning By Clicking Here

The sign of the covenant relationship between God and the Hebrews has zero impact on salvation. In Romans 4:1-8, Paul states that salvation is by faith apart from works. Verses 9-12 he teaches that it is apart from circumcision (i.e. the sign of the covenant) as well. And as we'll see later, in verses 13-17, Paul says salvation is by faith apart from law. Membership In Abraham's Family is By Faith Paul has established - through the OT Scriptures - that Abraham is the quintessential example of justification by faith. First he cites Genesis 15:6. Then he cites David from Psalm 32:1-2 to describe what this means. Last time we discussed how (in Romans 4:1-8) justification is by faith apart from any consideration of works. Now in verses 9-12, still using Abraham as the example, Paul says justification by faith is apart from any consideration of circumcision. Yes, Abraham is the father of the nation of Israel, physically, by means of being circumcised first. But he is also the father of "spiritual Israel" by means of his faith. Okay, but why the focus on circumcision? The Physical Sign Does Not Equate to Salvation The physical sign of circumcision meant membership in the covenant family of God, yes. But Jews believed also that it equated to salvation. To them, salvation was inherent in the physical sign of circumcision. But this was and is not the case. Paul counters this argument by again referencing Abraham. The Scriptures clearly show Abraham's faith credited as righteousness before he received the sign of circumcision, not after. In fact, 14+ years before. Meaning, Abraham was in fact a Gentile when his faith was credited as righteousness. The Jews have not only misunderstood the covenant sign but have also failed to clearly understand when and how Abraham was saved. This reality makes it clear that faith in God - whether held by Jew or Gentile - is effective unto salvation for both. _______________________________ Study Romans From the Beginning By Clicking Here

"God, who justifies the wicked..." What an amazing phrase...justifying the wicked. How does that even happen? How can it even happen? God is the One who declares that all judges should always condemn and never acquit (justify) the wicked. In fact, God Himself declares, "I will not justify the wicked" (Exodus 23:7, KJV). Romans 1:8 - which we have already studied - describes God as directing His wrath toward all human wickedness. But here it is. Right here in black and white. Romans 4:5 says clearly that God does justify the wicked. How can this be? Justifying the Wicked is An Amazing Statement F. F. Bruce, a Christian commentator on Romans, says this statement "is so paradoxical as to be startling - not say shocking" (Romans, p. 106-107). This seems so counter to the God many would have come to know, especially the Jews. But that is exactly the point - that is the point of grace - it is different. In fact, it is the exact opposite of law. Under law, God is restricted from justifying the wicked. Not so under grace. David Says the Same Thing Paul quotes from Psalm 32 - a psalm of David - showing that this teaching is not at all "new" or inconsistent with the Old Testament. He combines David's words with the example of Abraham. Doing so he shows the continuity of salvation by grace through faith. There are several phrases used in these verses - used in fact throughout this section - Romans 3:21-4:8. The parallelism is remarkable. Why is it here? Because it provides a means for determining exactly the point Paul is trying to convey. We should never try to understand "justification by faith apart from works" without considering this quote from David. Several of the statements found here effectively have the same meanings. Justification is the same as forgiveness of sins. It is not merely a part or a component of justification. It is the same as justification. This has huge implications when it comes to living our daily lives. _________________________________ Study Romans from the Beginning by Clicking Here

Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6). It was not his works of law that resulted in his salvation. As is the case today, salvation always is, always has been, and always will be, by grace through faith. Therefore,Paul goes back to the beginning of "our" faith to the call of Abraham, and presents him as the illustration of salvation by grace. As a result, the point is made that anyone who has ever been saved has been saved by grace. Abraham As A Paradigm of Grace The whole of Romans 4 is a presentation of Abraham as the primary example of salvation by grace through faith. Appealing to Abraham has several goals. First, Abraham is the patriarch of the Old Testament (OT) and the Jews. He is considered both the father of the Jewish nation and the spiritual father of the faith. This definitely gets and holds the attention of those of Jewish decent. Abraham's faith is crucial. Second, it provides OT confirmation and continuity with Paul's teaching. Not that Paul is seeking mere "scriptural proof" but he is showing the consistency of the teaching of salvation by faith. The goal is to help Jews accept the gospel of grace. Again, Abraham's faith is the focus. A Comparison of Systems Throughout chapter four, Abraham's faith plays the prominent role. Even "father Abraham" was saved by his faith and not by his works of law. In his case, he did not even yet have the Law of Moses. In fact, as we will see later, Abraham became the father of our faith before he was circumcised. Meaning, he was saved as a gentile, not as a Jew. Paul compares and contrasts the law system for salvation and the grace system of salvation. Using Abraham as his example, Paul clearly shows these differences in relating to God. First, he contrasts faith with works (4:1-8), then faith with circumcision (4:9-12), and then faith with law (4:13-22). All using Abraham's faith as the perfect example. Of course Abraham served God and was (mostly) obedient to His law. But he was not perfectly obedient. Therein lies the problem. As we have learned, obedience to God's law is required. Even for those under grace. However, salvation has always been by faith and not by keeping the law. ____________________________________ This Series on Romans Begins With Episode #69

So, does "being under grace" mean that we no longer have to abide by the law? Are Christians - as a result of their faith - exempt from keeping the law of God? Is it necessary for Christians to still be obedient to the commandments we find the Bible? The answer is yes, we do still have to keep the law. In fact, our faith doesn't nullify the law at all...it upholds it. Our faith is what allows the law of God to do its proper and intended work. The Work of the Law A right understanding of justification through faith as a gift of God's grace confirms the law. Christians - through their faith - set the law free from the burden of justifying sinners. This is a role and responsibility the law was never intended to have or to bear. It is impossible for the law to accomplish redemption. The law does not contain provisions for correcting a previous brokenness. It can never "make us perfect" once it has been disobeyed. As a result, under the law, we all stand condemned before our Creator. But there is good news! The Gospel and the Law The gift of grace and justification by faith allows the law to perform is proper functions. What are those functions? First and primarily, it show us our sin (Rom. 3:20). By doing so, is reveals to us our need for justification by some other means. Specifically, through faith. Second, it functions as the norm for holy living. Because of salvation by grace through faith, we can teach (and live out) the real value of the law. That is, to point out right from wrong. You Still Have To Follow the Law Here is a point that is rarely made in the American pulpit: as a revelation of God's will to us as Creator, His law is absolutely binding upon us. Further, we have an absolut obligation to obey it. Why? Because grace does not remove us from under the category of creatures. God stil is - always has been - and will remain our Creator. Grace does not change this fact. We are not under law as a way of salvation. However, we are under law as a way of living. Our responsibility to obey the law of God is not involved in the first part of the double cure (i.e. justification); but it isabsolutely necessary for the second part of the double cure (i.e. sanctification). ____________________________ Study Romans from the beginning: Click here.

Are there conditions for receiving God's grace and salvation? Yes! And understanding that (a) there are conditions and (b) what those conditions are will make all the difference. How do you answer the question: What must I do to be saved? Your response could make an eternal difference. According to the Redeemer In our last episode we discussed the different relationships we have with God. First, we deal with Him as our Creator. As such, He gives commands that we are obligated to obey by virtue of being His creatures. Second, we deal with Him as our Ruler and King. We either honor Him or dishonor Him as such. Third, some of us will deal with God as our Redeemer. In this capacity God sets forth instructions. Specifically, instructions on how to receive His gift of grace. Grace Conditions or Works of Law? Are the conditions God as Redeemer sets forth the same as those He sets as Creator? Do we have the same obligation to follow them? Are these "conditions of salvation" just another way of catorgizing "works of law"? These and other questions are answered in this episode. Biblically, "works" or "works of law" are any deeds we do in response to our respective law code. Gospel imperatives, on the other hand, are those conditions and commands given us by our Redeemer as to how we can be saved from our sin. One is related to God's "manual" for righteous living. The other is instructions on how to receive salvation. Seems to me we had better know and understand the difference. Condition Criteria "The conditions for receiving grace must have as their primary characteristic the acknowledgement that the only ground of salvation is the redeeming work of Christ" (Dr. Jack Cottrell). This means there must be a focus within the condtions themselves upon the cross of Jesus. Without such a focus, the conditions would become simple works or human righteousness. ____________________________________ Study Romans from the Beginning

There is a difference in the ways we deal with God. God has "performed" three primary works: Creation, Providence, and Redemption. In these works God has three primary roles: Creator, Ruler, and Redeemer. Every person ever conceived deals with God in at least two of the three ways. Each one of us deals with God as Creator. Each one of us deals with God as Ruler. But only some of us deal with God as Redeemer. Instructions from the Creator As Creator, God has every right to give and expect obedience to His commandments. Those commandments He gives in His role as Creator are what Paul calls works of law or simply works. He uses this phrase throughout his letters, especially in Romans and Galatians. The question is: What constitute works or works of law? Answer: Anything done by creatures (i.e. you and me) in response to the law commandments. This necessarily includes both positive (obedience) and negative (disobedience) responses. The law codes given by God - either the creation law) Romans 1:21), moral law of the heart (Romans 2:14-15), or Law of Moses (Romans 2) - all provide law conditions. In fact, they require a single condition: absolute and total obedience. Instructions from the Redeemer On the other hand, in His role as Redeemer, God has also given instructions under grace. These "grace conditions" are instructions given by the Redeemer to sinners on how to receive salvation. This is a critical distinction, and one many fail to recognize. God has given us specific conditions by which we can receive His gift of grace and salvation. Law conditions represent "necessity of precept" while grace conditions represent "necessity of means". Actually, law conditions - if kept perfectly - represent both necessity of precept and necessity of means. What are we talking about? You'll have to tune in to this episode of DTLC Radio to learn more. ___________________________________ Study Romans From the Beginning

Romans 3:28 - What does Paul mean by "works of law"? How does the Bible define "works"? Are there conditions to salvation? Are we saved by "faith alone" and nothing else? What about repentance or confession or baptism? Is everything a person does counted as a "work" or "work of law"? These and other questions answered in this weeks episode of our continuing study of Romans. _____________________________________ This Study of Romans Begins With Episode #69 Episode #68 helps you understand the Bible's definition of "faith."

No bragging! There is no bragging or boasting about your faith. More specifically, there can be no bragging about your being justified by faith. Why? Because your justification is not based on anything you did. Nor is it based on anything you can do. The truth is, whatever you attempt to do to "gain" or "earn" your salvation will fall woefully short (Isaiah 64:6). (see Philippians 3:2-11) Boasting Is Excluded As we come to the last section of Romans 3, Paul declares that all bragging and boasting is eliminated and excluded (3:27). On what basis? On the basis that justification is by grace and not the result of anything you can contribute to it.. Jesus is the one who has paid the payment of our penalty due to God for having sinned...for having broken the law of God. Justification by faith - being declared righteous by God - is "apart from law." This aspect of justification being "apart from law" or "apart from works" or "apart from works of law" is crucial. It is critical to our understanding of the conditions for salvation. The Law of Faith Justification through the law system would permit bragging. If you kept the law perfectly, you would have grounds for bragging about your justification because it would have been all based on your keeping the law. But since all have sinned, justification by the law system is not possible and therefore bragging about it is not possible. The same is true under the grace system. Grace excludes boasting because all the work(s) that produce salvation within this system was accomplished by Christ. The only thing we sinners can do is react and respond to His divine works and passively receive them. "Where, then, is there bragging among you? It has been eliminated. By which system of salvation? The law system, in which you are justified by works of law? Nope. On the contrary, through the grace system, in which you are justified by your faith in Christ Jesus." _______________________________________ Start Your Study of Romans With Episode #69

We have stated that Romans 3:21-26 might be the most important paragraph ever written. We might further contend that Romans 3:24-26 is the most important passage in the entire Bible. It is no less than the introduction of one of the most important doctrines: justification by grace through faith. Wrath- Remover The question is raised, on what basis can God justify - declare righteous - unrighteous sinners? If God's law demands that sin be punished, how was anyone in the Old Testament saved? How can God be true to His law and at the same time be generous with salvation? The answer: Jesus is our propitiation! The importance of this word and its meaning cannot be overstated. If we deserve wrath and yet don't receive wrath, that wrath must go somewhere else. More specifically, that wrath must be endured by someone else. Otherwise, God is not being true to His word or His law. But that is not the case. My Propitiation Christ Jesus is the one on whom God's wrath is laid. Jesus is my propitiation. He turns God's wrath from me and takes it upon Himself. I deserve it - He does not. Jesus is more than merely a "sacrifice of atonement" on my behalf. He is definitively more than an "expiation" that simply covers my sin. No. Jesus became sin so that I might receive the righteousness of God. Any description of the cross that does not describe the cross of Christ as a propitiation - as a wrath-removing, wrath-averting sacrifice - is false. (First John 1:2; 4:10) If you want total and absolute freedom, it is imperative that you grow in your understanding of the basis on which God releases us from the penalty of breaking His divine law. What is your faith in? What is saving faith? If you died today, are you certain of going to heaven? Your ability to answer these questions is foundational to your living a transformed life. _____________________________________ Study Romans Beginning With Episode #68