Podcasts about jesus christ romans

INTRODUCTION Paul next applied the implication of this exhortation to various groups of Christians. "What is beyond question is that the three paragraphs which follow are given as examples of Christian submission, and that the emphasis throughout is on submission." He addressed six groups: wives and husbands (3:18-19), children and FATHERS (20-21) and slaves and masters (3:22-4:1). In each of the three pairings, the first partner is responsible to be submissive or obedient However the second partner is also to show a submissive spirit. All are to relate to one another as unto the Lord. This is one of several "house-rule" lists in the New Testament (cf. Eph. 5:22—6:9; 1 timothy 6:1-2; Titus 2:1-10; 1 Pet. 2:18—3:7). The writings of some Apostolic Fathers also contain such lists. "Too much so-called 'holiness teaching' emphasizes a personal relationship to Jesus Christ without any attempt to indicate its consequences in terms of relationships with the people we live and work with. In contrast to such holiness-in-a-vacuum, which magnifies experiences and minimizes ethics, the apostles spelled out Christian duty in the concrete situations of everyday life and work." When God controls us, we experience harmony in the home and in the workplace, in spite of possible friction, tension, and opposition there. Up to this point Paul has been describing how we ought to live In what might appear at first to be an abrupt change of direction, Paul begins to describe how various family members are to conduct themselves The responsibilities of wives The responsibilities of husbands The responsibilities of children The responsibilities of fathers The responsibilities of servants or employees The responsibilities of masters or employers 3. But the subject matter is really not so abrupt as it may appear, for Paul mentioned earlier... How the church is to treat each other How we are to put on certain attributes which show we love Christ...and it is through family relationships that we can often do this more successfully than in any other way! 4. How can this be? It is through our families that we interact so much with the society in which we live... Thus it is through our families we have great potential to demonstrate the wisdom of God... The same principles that underlie the gospel message (submission, love, sacrifice, obedience, honesty, fairness) are to be displayed in our family relationships By example, then, we can demonstrate in our families what is truly good and right (i.e., God's will), and prepare others to be receptive to the gospel message!   Thus Paul is not abruptly changing direction, but continues to talk about those sort of things which are crucial to having a "walk worthy of the calling with which you were called". The root problem is pride and wanting first place in everything Satan: Is 12 Submission involves voluntarily putting oneself under another's authority              The idea implicit in the term is “to place under” (in the active voice).  As it is found in our text, the idea would be, “to subordinate oneself” or “to place oneself under.” In general terms, submission is the placing of oneself under the one to whom we submit. Since we are commanded to submit ourselves one to another, we are to place all others above ourselves. This idea is certainly not foreign to the New Testament, nor is it found only where the term “submit” is employed:             It is the love of our Lord which prompted Him to subordinate His own rights and privileges, and to humiliate Himself by taking on human flesh, and then by death on Calvary. In His first coming, Jesus not only submitted Himself to the will of the Father (see Matthew 26:39), He also submitted His interests to the interests of lost sinners, whom He would save by His death, burial, and resurrection:             Phil. 2:3-8 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.            I doubt that any one word can sum up the heart of what the Scriptures mean by submission. Let me suggest several words, each of which identifies a certain element of submission. The first word is “surrender.” Submission is a voluntary act or surrendering one's rights or will. The second word is” sacrifice.”  The third is “service.” The service which is rendered those to whom we submit often involves a sacrifice. It costs us something to render service to the other person. A fourth term is “authority,” while a fifth is “obedience.” When we submit to one who has authority over us, we should evidence this submission, in part, by our obedience. On the other hand, when we submit to those under our authority, we evidence this with sacrificial service. The final term is “priority.” Those to who we submit have, in some manner, priority over us, our rights, our pleasure, or our will.   Mt 8:5-10 Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, 6 saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented." 7 And Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him." 8 The centurion answered and said, "Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. 9 "For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." 10 When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! Submission involves Sacrifice and Responsibility Jesus gave up His rights yet maintained His responsibilities. The biblical concept of authority emphasizes responsibility, not tyranny Responsible authority does not wield power; it serves with it." The writer to the Hebrews has much to say about the sacrificial aspects of our Lord's earthly ministry (see chapter 9). We must distinguish between what we are as a person in Christ and what role we are to portray about Christ and His church. We are all given a role to play, but a subordinate role does not imply an inferior relationship to Christ. If someone were to protest that the role they have been given to play is beneath them, Let's remind ourselves that we are not worthy of any role. We were, as sinners, worthy only of Christ's eternal wrath. Any role is a privilege. And, also, that in order to achieve our salvation at Calvary, Jesus took on a role which was beneath Him. Finally, I would say that the values assigned to our roles by our culture are opposite to those assigned by God. Do you think it demeaning to hold a position of service? Our Lord has taught us that to be the greatest is to serve, and not to be served (Matthew 20:20-28,           Mr 10:45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.").    Why, then, should we agonize about any role which God has graciously given to us? A CALL TO WALK IN MATRIMONIAL HARMONY (18-19) DUTIES OF WIVES (18) Submit to their own husbands, as to the Lord (18) DUTIES OF HUSBANDS (19) Love their wives Don”t be bitter towards them FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES THE DUTY OF CHILDREN... (20) Children are to obey their parents in a way that honors them But there are also spiritual repercussions - cf. Co 3:20 ("for this is well pleasing to the Lord") THE DUTY OF FATHERS... (21) Fathers are charged negatively.. DON'T provoke children (i.e., put unreasonable demands on them, exasperate them) Lest they be discouraged THE DUTY OF SERVANTS OR EMPLOYEES... (22) In the First Century A.D., servants or slaves were an intricate part of many households, which may explain Paul including instructions to them and masters in this and parallel passages - cf. Eph 5:22-6:9 Christians who were servants or employees we could say in today's setting were expected to demonstrate the proper kind of obedience required of all Christians... Obedience in sincerity of heart, as to Christ Himself, not with eye service, as men-pleasers Obedience with fear of God, Holy and reverential fear of God[i] - cf. Ph 2:10 Obedience with good will, as to the Lord Obedience with an understanding that the Lord is an impartial Judge In this way even slaves or employees in today's setting could demonstrate by example what true obedience was according to the Will of God Col 3:24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. Paul reminds the believers that there are rewards to come for the good and faithful servants of Christ. Christians are to work as if they are in God's service: they ‘serve the Lord Christ'. This is their calling, so they are to do the best they can and pray for grace and protection (Matt. 6:13). Whatever believers do for their Savior here on earth it will not be regretted; in fact, when they reach heaven they will wish that they had given more to him who gave everything for them (John 21:15–17). Ultimately, we do not work for our employer but for the Lord Jesus Christ. Understanding this principle will help produce a better and healthier attitude to work and allow us to do the unpleasant tasks with patience. There are rewards promised and waiting for believers in heaven after a lifetime of faithful service[ii] Col 3:25 But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality. THE DUTY OF MASTERS OR EMPLOYERS... (4:1) Those Christians who had slaves (like Philemon) were charged to treat their servants in very special ways: " give your bondservants what is just and fair", i.e., their treatment of slaves should be governed by the same sort of principles given to the servants...             1) "with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ"             2) "not with eyeservice...but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart"            3) "with good will...as to the Lord, and not to men" By their example, masters could demonstrate the proper exercise of authority, and reveal much about how our Master in heaven rules over us in the kingdom of God! This series of warnings is actually a practical application of Colossians 3:17: “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” It is by His power and authority that we should live in our daily relationships. If He is the preeminent One in our lives, then we will love each other, submit to each other, obey, and treat one another fairly in the Lord.[iii] Our Lord Jesus became a slave in order to bring about our salvation (Mark 10:45), and thus also became an example of submission for slaves (1 Peter 2:18-25). Paul often referred to himself as the Lord's slave (see Romans 1:1; 1 Corinthians 9:19). Beyond this, every Christian has been delivered from slavery to sin, and has become a slave of Jesus Christ (Romans 6:16-20; 14:4; 1 Corinthians 7:22). And so the instructions which Paul gives to “slaves” applies to every Christian, as Christ's slave. Paul contrasted masters according to the flesh with the Master of the human spirit, namely, Jesus Christ. Christian slaves owed their earthly masters obedience. Obedience demonstrated their submission to Christ. "Christianity does not offer us escape from circumstances; it offers us conquest of circumstances." Earthly rank has no relevance in heaven As we review this section of duties, we need to remind ourselves that only a WORD filled or Spirit-filled believer will be able to fulfill them (3:16-17). Essentially what Paul urged was humility that expresses itself in loving submissiveness to others rather than arrogant self-assertiveness. CONCLUSION It would be well for us to review Ephesians 5:18–6:9 and note the parallels between that passage and the one we have just studied. This section of Ephesians emphasizes being filled with the Spirit, while the Letter to the Colossians emphasizes being filled with the Word; but the evidences are the same: joyful, thankful, and submissive living. To be filled with the Spirit means to be controlled by the Word. The fullness of the Spirit and the fullness of the Word are needed in the home. If family members are controlled by the Spirit of God and the Word of God, they will be joyful, thankful, and submissive—and they will have little trouble getting along with each other. Christian employers and employees will treat each other fairly if they are filled with the Spirit and the Word. The heart of every problem is the problem of the heart, and only God's Spirit and God's Word can change and control the heart. Can the people who live around you detect that you are filled with the Spirit and the Word?[iv]   [i] McNaughton, I. S. (2006). Opening up Colossians and Philemon (p. 78). Day One Publications. [ii] McNaughton, I. S. (2006). Opening up Colossians and Philemon (p. 79). Day One Publications. [iii] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 145). Victor Books. [iv] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 145). Victor Books.          Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?              John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.               “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32             Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten.              hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en His Love Ministries on Itunes Don't go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F             The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions

Purposeful Power in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ – Romans 4:23-25 – David Larmour The post Purposeful Power in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ – Romans 4:23-25 appeared first on Welbeck Road Evangelical Church.

The hope of the Christian is based on the ultimate truth - Jesus is alive and lives forevermore! Join Pastor Cameron as he points us towards the central tenet of our faith, the resurrection of Christ. 

Verse by verse teaching in Romans 1:13-16 titled "The Gospel of Jesus Christ" by Pastor Jeffrey Anderson of Calvary Youth of Calvary Chapel Clayton, NC on June 9, 2024.

Sanctification Welcome to WISE (Words In Scripture Explored)! The word for today is sanctification. Cleaning Next time you are in a supermarket, count how many products there are on the shelves for cleaning! Oodles and oodles of them! Each one of them promising to make whatever is being cleaned, new again! Sometimes cleaning is hard work – particularly getting little boys or puppy dogs to take a bath! Cleaning and being cleansed, is a major part of living the Christian life! This is known as sanctification! Right mouse click here to save/download this as a MP3 audio file Sanctification For as a Christian Disciple, you have been sanctified (Hebrews 10v10); washed clean (1 Corinthians 6v11); and are being transformed into the image of Jesus Christ and conformed to His likeness (2 Corinthians 3v18, Romans 8v28-29). You are to be a living sacrifice, transformed by the renewing of your minds (Romans 12v1-2). This holiness is the pursuit of moral excellence and is by necessity a high standard (1 Thessalonians 4v3) Transformation This process of sanctification is where God the Holy Spirit transforms you into the likeness of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 7v18), as the fruit of the Spirit, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control”, is produced in your life as a Christian Disciple (Galatians. 5v22-23). Your status if you are a Christian Disciple Your condition before God as a Christian Disciple is: · Set apart for God - separated from sin. · The attainment of moral holiness. In principal,you are a saint, and God has already declared you sanctified · You have been made holy (Hebrews 10v10) · You are washed and sanctified (1 Corinthians 6v11) Your practice In practice, and in order to reflect these God given truths, as a growing Christian Disciple in the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, you should be · Perfecting holiness, freed from the contamination of sin (2 Corinthians 7v1) · Engaging in a continual process of becoming more like Jesus Christ (Romans 8v29; 2 Corinthians 3v18) Transforming your character by the renewal of your mind (Romans 12v1-2) Life Long This life-long process of sanctification is maintained by devotion to righteousness (Romans 6v19); with a desire and firm decision to live a life totally submitted to God. This is done by a work of God (1 Thessalonians. 5v23, Philippians 2v13), as you submit to the indwelling Holy Spirit. Sanctification is God’s way of showing He loves you. This sanctification is God showing you His love for you in action. He loves you far too much for you to remain as you are, but initiates and maintains this lifelong transformation into the very image of your Master, Jesus Christ, as you submit to Him. Sanctification can sometimes be a hard process, but the pursuit of righteousness and transformation is worth it, because by allowing yourself to be transformed and sanctified, you are also showing God how much you love Him. Right mouse click here to save/download this as a MP3 audio file

In 2 Corinthians 5:17, we read: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (NKJV). All things becomes new in Christ. Then in verse 21 we read: "For He [God the Father] made Him [Jesus ] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21, NKJV). Jesus came to bring righteousness to mankind. Prior to coming to Christ in faith, we were caught up in wrong things -- wrong way of thinking. But Jesus brings right things -- right way of thinking. We've been set free from death and brought into His righteous kingdom due to His righteousness being in us as born-again Christians. "For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:17, NKJV). We walk in Christ's righteousness; but so much more. We are told we become kings, co-heirs with Christ. And as kings, we are part of the Army of God. We're soldiers in His army, His host of soldiers. This is not because of anything we've done; but because of what He's done for us. Soldiers must be equipped to fight: "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand" (Ephesians 6:10-13, NKJV).The battle has been won, but we still must fight the good fight of faith. To do this, we must know we have on God's clothes -- His gift of righteousness, then we are made strong. What are you wearing? Let me hear from you - Charles https://www.aboundinglove.org/ Subscribe and share with someone you love.

If you're curious about how to become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus (this is an EXTERNAL resource, not owned by the Morning Mindset. Please do not leave messages for Carey there. See below for contact info). ⇒ TODAY'S DAILY SPONSOR: ANONYMOUS  You can sponsor a daily episode of the Morning Mindset too, by going to https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/DailySponsor ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: ROMANS 1:1 - Paul, a servant  of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SUPPORT OUR WORK: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Support a daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONTACT US AT: Admin@MorningMindsetMedia.com 

Verse by verse teaching in Romans 1:1-2 titled "A Bondservant of Jesus Christ" by Pastor Jeffrey Anderson of Calvary Youth of Calvary Chapel Clayton, NC on May 19, 2024.

We are made of three parts: spirit [innermost life], soul [mind, will and emotions] and body [flesh]. The part which is made alive in Christ is our spirit. Before being born again, our spirit was dead [separated from God], and if our body had died, we would have gone to an eternal death. Death spread to all men, when sin entered the world through Adam (Romans 5:12). But Jesus died and rose  to overcome our sin nature. ". . . God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8, NKJV). The Holy Spirit brought our spirit to life and changes us from the inside, out. "‭But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life" (Romans 6:22, NKJV‬). Since Adam's sin nature was imputed to all, we were without remedy until Jesus died and resurrected. ". . . For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:17, NKJV‬). Now, we need to gain this wisdom from God though believing this truth. You see, it is due to the love of God the Father that Jesus came. And His love will reveal this wisdom to us through the Holy Spirit. We must receive grace from Jesus; we must receive God's Love, and we must believe and receive the death of Jesus upon the cross; His burial and resurrection and most importantly His victory over death and Satan. Jesus took all authority from Satan so life could reign in us. It is time for us to put off the dead person we were and become the living and righteous person God intends us to be, ". . . knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him . . . that we should no longer be slaves of sin" (Romans 6:6, NKJV). Have you realized that the old person you were, is dead? May this message speak to you this truth. [See: Spirit, Soul & Body on the website]. Let me hear from you - Charles https://www.aboundinglove.org/ Subscribe and share with someone you love.

More broken than we know, more loved than we can comprehend. Welcome to the weekly sermon podcast of Grace Church Bellingham.

What is my life purpose? Through our new series in the book of Romans, we will see how the gospel answers that question. The gospel not only saves us, but it also shapes our lives. The gospel comes with a "calling." The Book of Romans opens with the man, Paul, who had a clear sense of his calling. As he explains his calling, he also shows that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings a "calling" with it.

Sermon - The First Deaconate Acts 6v1-7 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word." This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. Introduction So far in the book of Acts, we can see that the Church has come under attack by the The world (persecution), satan (deceit & moral compromise) Now a new crisis appears. Unable to destroy the church by way of persecution and deceit, satan now tries to create a split in the church by getting believers to argue and fight with each other. If satan had succeeded in creating an implosion within this church, the only church in existence at the time, then the effects could have been devastating. The media in our world loves to report about anything negative to do with Christianity and the church. So any form of dissension, pressure splits and arguments within the Church, is often reported with an almost earnest gleefulness by the media. From this Bible passage, four questions quite naturally arise. What was the problem? How was it resolved? What happened after it was resolved? How can we apply it to church life, 2000 years after the event? The Problem! (v1) Good news - they were growing, but this had caused a problem! Bad news - Some widows were not being cared for! Hebraic Jews = always had lived in the then nation of Israel, spoke mainly Aramaic and some Hebraic. Well used to life in a Jewish society, the Temple and avoiding those who were not Jews - the Gentiles.. Grecian or Hellenestic Jews = were part of the Jewish Diaspora, born elsewhere within the known world and had returned to Jerusalem. These mainly spoke Greek, and well used to working with Gentiles. Widows were important to God, because justice is important to God. God is a God of justice and mercy. In the Old Testament, under the Law of Moses, God commanded provision for those who were widows, oppressed or uncared for. There was no NHS at the time in Jerusalem. The Apostles would have known about God caring for the widows and in Jesus teaching about justice for the poor and the oppressed. We know this because if you remember from Acts 2 and 4, people were selling and sharing possessions and ensuring that people within the Christian community were being looked after and cared for. This included making sure that everyone got fed, particularly those who had no family to care for them. Somehow, unintentional or not, this group of widows were missing out. What to do? The Solution! (v2-6) Three things about the solution Transformation of the Apostles - James, Peter & John particularly (v2) Its not stated here, but a transformation had taken place! Only a few short time ago, the disciples of Jesus had refused to wash feet as an act of service (Peter); some had wanted positions of power and greatness (James & John). Their old nature must have started asking questions and prompting them to react negatively. The world has attacked the church, satan has attacked the church, and now satan would have been using the Apostles old nature to attack the church. But - as they are transformed by the indwelling Holy Spirit and now have a new nature, the nature of Jesus Christ, they react much more righteously and judiciously. All together now! (v2-5) Notice they gathered all the believers together for a church meeting. The gave their opinion or judgment if you like, that their ministry or time would be better spent doing what God had called them to do - to be leaders of the Church, praying, preaching, evangelizing and discerning how best to apply the 3 years of teaching that they had had when traveling with Jesus Christ before His ascension. Their time, rightly so, was best spent doing that, for that was their ministry of service. But other people in the church gathering, who had a ministry of service and overseeing the food distribution, could spend their time doing that! So what of these seven men with Greek names? They were elected by the whole church, both Grecian and Hebraic, to perform this duty. They may already have been doing it, but now were being set apart especially for this role. These men were controlled by the Holy Spirit and were wise. They were chosen to give relief to the leadership so that the Word of God and prayer would not be hindered. Commissioning (v6) Interestingly enough, the word diakonia is translated here in the NIV as ministry. Another way to translate it is as deacons, as our sermon title suggests. But, they were not deacons in the way the Paul uses the word as part of a church government in 1 Timothy 3. Rather they were deacons, set apart for this specific task - it was their ministry. It may well have been from here, that Paul developed what some parts of the universal church understands of the role of deacons. So these seven men, were prototypes as it were, for the Paul-ine idea of deacons. Note also that the Apostles didn't say their work was more important than serving. They were just following what God had called them to do, just as God had called these seven men to take responsibility for providing food for the widows. So they were commissioned by God, by the laying on of hands and set apart to perform it. We know only of Steven and Phillip and that they continued doing other ministries as well as this. The Result! (v7) Growth and witness = conversion of former enemies... (v7) Growth and witness = reasoning and transformation Now that the Apostles had time for their dedicated and unique ministry, all the widows could be fed, and all believers able to participating within the life of the church. Not only that, Stephen was instrumental in reaching the Apostle Paul (Acts 7:58). Philip was instrumental in reaching the city of Samaria and won over for Jesus Christ, the Ethiopian Eunuch who then took the gospel to Africa. (Acts 8) This growth was where the word of God increased in its effectiveness in the lives of those unbelievers who would listen to the gospel. This growth was not merely addition but multiplication! It was explosive! So explosive that even former enemies were becoming converts! Sadducees were Jewish believers who didn't believe in a bodily resurrection - yet they came to faith and started to believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. It's not hard to imagine that some of those Priests coming to faith in Jesus Christ were former persecutors of the Church! They were watching the church to see how best to attack and debate them. Yet found that they were joining the church, rather than continuing to oppose it. The church was preaching one thing and acting upon it. There was no hypocrisy within the church. The church was transparent - it lived as it believed. The church was seen as transformative and servant-like. While the Church continue to reason with others about the validity of Jesus Christ's claims to be the Messiah, it would have not been effective if lives were not being transformed. If lives were not being changed, then no amount of reasoning alone would have seen the growth in numbers being added to the Church. Just as transformation and change alone would not have been the catalyst for growth, without the reasoning behind it. Conclusion Transformation As we have seen here, the first Church was a radical community of believers, growing quickly. The church today, also needs to be a community that is seen to be radical by the surrounding society. At Pentecost, the church community began when the Holy Spirit filled the Disciples (Acts 2v4). The hallmarks of this community were commitment and transformation. This community was radical. It was where people's lives were being changed as the Holy Spirit filled them. Instead of being a withdrawn people filled with fear of retribution from the Roman government and Jewish leaders, they became a people filled with boldness and joy. This church in Jerusalem grew by being a radical community imbued with radical individuals engaging with others and serving. It was a church where every member was asked and expected to play some role. Imagine this church here, if nobody straightened the chairs, vacuumed the carpets, made the tea and coffee etc. All vital parts of church life, and everyone can participate in the life of the church. I was glad to see in the handout Steve gave me that all members were encouraged to participate in some way within the life of the Church here in Bearwood. Today's church will grow by building a strong community. And by church, I don't mean just Bearwood Chapel, but all churches in this area, this country and this world. In working with other local churches, a church community can be created which involves joining together isolated and solitary individuals where people are imbued with love, shown caring for each other, particularly the frail, elderly and young. Despite small differences in worship style and non-essential doctrines, local churches working together can show a world looking in, that all local churches are unified in some positive aspect. In doing this, churches can be a visible symbol of the invisible link that unites all churches. And we can do it, with what somebody once called a "creative passion for the impossible." An inherent human need is the need to belong, and by fulfilling relational needs, the radical church community will become relevant to the people within it. It will then also become relevant to those who are on the outside and looking in. And people are looking in, all the time, whether you want them to or not. When systematic persecution comes to this country, and it will, local churches will need to work with each other and show that Jesus Christ is the reason for our hope and faith. This is shown partly be caring for those who are in need within the community as a whole, and not just in the Church. This involves improving present societal conditions, rather than remaining a conservative community, which merely repairs the status quo. In doing this, today's church will be emulating characteristics of this church we have read and heard about this morning. Jesus Christ is glorified, honoured as the Church community's spiritual health gets stronger and the community bonds in unity. I know of churches that are good at one thing but not the other. Some churches are excellent at social care and social justice, but are very weak in regards to teaching from the Bible and prayer. I know others who are the opposite - are faithful in prayer and bible teaching, but neglectful in regards to social justice. The church must be both as it endeavours to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. The church must be a community of people, willing to be holy. By holy, I mean living a life of constant transformation into the image of Jesus Christ. Being transformed by the Holy Spirit as God's Word is read, studied and applied to your life. It is by being holy, that the church will grow, as we have seen with this church in Jerusalem. The role of the community engaged in radical transformation is to help people to be holy and not merely happy. Happiness will flow from holiness, but holiness will not necessarily flow from an induced ‘feel good factor'. Good leadership, as we have seen this morning, stems from good accountability to each other and to the whole church community. Ministry for all - serving! The Christian life is not to be static or inactive. The Christian life is to be dynamic and active. As we have seen the word "deacon" here denotes ministry. Ministry is any service for Jesus Christ When you serve as God's deacon in this way, God's honour is released. That's why the embryonic Church in Jerusalem grew and flourished. This is done because service shows the beauty and glory of Jesus Christ to those being served and to those watching. That is to be our motive for service. I don't know you. I don't know how or why or if you serve in the Church here in Bearwood. But I do know that ministry and serving in some capacity is for all Christians. In some parts of the worldwide church, ministry is only ever used of the clergy, missionaries and other "professional Christians". And, with a few exceptions notably the Brethren movement, this was the case in most Christian denominations until 40 or 50 years ago. But since then, service and ministry has returned to its New Testament roots. Service and ministry is the domain of all those who would profess to call Jesus Christ as LORD. Serving and ministry should never to be about what you and I can get out of it. When that is the motive, God is not glorified. God's glory and supremacy is our goal as Christians. Spiritual growth comes from serving rather than being served. This is because what ever is given in service of God and others, faith grows and Jesus Christ gives back even more. Jesus speaking in Matthew 25v15-30 tells of the rewards for faithful service and the penalties for being faithless. Serving others is a sign that you are trusting God and having faith in God. Serving God and others is the mark of a spiritually maturity and through service, the greatest servant of all, is reflected: Jesus Christ, who came to serve and give his very life for others (Mark 10v45). As Christians, we are to be as Jesus Christ (Romans 8v28; Philippians 2v5) and to serve. Yet if we are honest, we sometimes feel incapable, just as Moses did (Exodus 3). An excellent example to follow is that of the deacon Stephen. As the church, we are dependent upon each other, just as one part of the human body has dependence on another part. That is why we serve each other and use the gifts generously given by God. If we are Christians here today, you have spiritual gifts and talents, and you have a responsibility to discover and develop them (1 Timothy 4v14)! As we have hopefully seen today, God has called all Christians into one ministry or another and equipped them to fulfill that ministry. So find where in this church, you can serve. Ask the elders and other Church leaders, how they think you can serve here. Finally, if you would not call yourself a Christian here today, then I would urge you to look at this Church. You maybe here having investigated Christianity rationally but still need a bit more for one reason or another. In that case, I would urge you to see how this church cares for the poor and the widows of this area and the world, and match that against its dedication to Jesus Christ. Or you may be here, because you have seen the transforming work of this church with the poor and the widows, but feel you need a bit of something else. Then I would urge you to match this transforming work in individuals against what the Bible says and rationality. Maybe you are in one of those camps, you want to cross the line to faith, but just can't quite get there. Ask one of the Church leaders here, how they might be able to help you. Let's pray. Tap or click here to save the audio in MP3 format.

Israel's present claims to the land in which she dwells are not the realization of the promise made by God toAbraham and His collective seed (in Genesis 17:7-8). For the promise of dwelling securely and at peace withinthe land will only be biblically realized when Israel turns in faith and repentance to Jesus Christ and is broughtinto the Visible Church of Jesus Christ (Romans 11:23-24).

Israel's present claims to the land in which she dwells are not the realization of the promise made by God to-Abraham and His collective seed -in Genesis 17-7-8-. For the promise of dwelling securely and at peace within-the land will only be biblically realized when Israel turns in faith and repentance to Jesus Christ and is brought-into the Visible Church of Jesus Christ -Romans 11-23-24-.

Israel's present claims to the land in which she dwells are not the realization of the promise made by God to-Abraham and His collective seed -in Genesis 17-7-8-. For the promise of dwelling securely and at peace within-the land will only be biblically realized when Israel turns in faith and repentance to Jesus Christ and is brought-into the Visible Church of Jesus Christ -Romans 11-23-24-.

1/11/24. Five Minutes in the Word scriptures for today: Romans 5:21. Resources: enduringword.com; biblehub.com; logos.com; Matthew Henry Commentary; and Life Application Study Bible. November 2021 Podchaser list of "60 Best Podcasts to Discover!" Listen, like, follow, share! #MinutesWord; @MinutesWord; #dailydevotional #christianpodcaster Now on Amazon podcasts and Pandora! #prayforpeace

Reach out and connect to my ministry and help me to continue to make and share great FREE Biblical content everyday by supporting my ministry at | PatreonWelcome to the Latest Episode - Living by a Higher Standard"In this episode, we continue our journey through the book of Leviticus, uncovering the timeless principles it holds. As we look into Chapter 21, we encounter a specific focus on the priests, their consecration, and the higher standard they were held to within the community of Israel.Episode Notes:Living by a Higher Standard: Lessons from Leviticus 21In Leviticus 21, the fundamental principle of living in a way that sets the people of Israel apart for the Lord is emphasized. The chapter outlines specific requirements for the priests, highlighting the sanctity of their role. These principles have implications for modern-day Christians and leaders in the church.The Priestly Standards: A Reflection of HolinessSeparation and Holiness: The priests were called to live in a way that set them apart for the Lord, reflecting a higher standard compared to the surrounding nations. Believers, too, are called to a life of holiness and separation (1 Peter 1:15-16).Elevated Standards for Leaders: The regulations for priests highlight the concept of higher standards for spiritual leaders. In the New Testament, elders and church leaders are held to high moral and spiritual standards (1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9).Physical Completeness and Spiritual WholenessSymbolism of the High Priest: The high priest symbolizes Jesus Christ in the New Testament, who is our perfect High Priest, offering Himself as a spotless sacrifice for our sins (Hebrews 4:14-16, Hebrews 7:26-27).Christ as the Fulfillment of the Law: Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament Law, ushering in a new covenant. Believers are now under grace rather than the strict regulations of the Old Testament Law (Matthew 5:17, Romans 10:4).Application of Principles: The underlying principles of Leviticus 21 can be applied in the Christian life. Believers are called to a life of consecration, holiness, and service to God, understanding the sacrifice and grace offered through Jesus Christ (Romans 12:1-2).In conclusion, living by a higher standard is an enduring message found in Leviticus 21. While the regulations were specific to the Old Testament priesthood, the principles they convey have relevance for all believers. As you listen to this episode, consider how you can apply these principles in your own life and service to OLTVOrientale Lumen TeleVision provides adult enrichment programs of eastern theology as...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showFurther Discipleship Training Courses Free at;linkedin.com/in/jeremy-mccandless-68353b16Podcast Archive also athttps://www.youtube.com/c/JeremyRMcCandlessThe LIFE Podcast - The Bible Project | FacebookMy Amazon Author Pageamazon.com/author/jeremymccandlessJeremy McCandless is creating podcasts and devotional resources | PatreonHelp us continue making great content for listeners everywhere.https://thebibleproject.buzzsprout.com

Partake WISE - Serving Serving God and others is the mark of a spiritually mature Christian Disciple and through service, we reflect the greatest servant of all, Jesus Christ. It was He, who came in order to serve and give his life for others (Mark 10:45). As Christian Disciples we are to be as Jesus Christ (Romans 8:28; Philippians 2:5) and to serve. Yet if we are honest, we sometimes feel incapable, just as Moses did (Exodus 3). An excellent example to follow is that of Stephen in the Book of Acts. Go Serve! As a Christian Disciple, you are called to a life of serving God and other people. You are not alone to do this however, but are part of a larger body of people, where each person is also called to perform a serving function. By serving others, it shows unity and solidarity to those outside of the church who frequently accuse the church of infighting and "devouring one another". The Christian life is not to be static or inactive. The Christian life is to be dynamic and active. The word servant is key in Scripture. It is used at least 500 times in its various derivations. Spiritual growth comes from serving rather than being served. This is because what ever is given in service of God and others, faith grows and Jesus Christ gives back even more. Jesus speaking in Matthew 25:15-30 tells of the rewards for faithful service and the penalties for being faithless. Serving others is a sign that you, as a Christian Disciple, trust God and are having faith in Him. By serving others, you fulfil the command that Jesus gave to love God and love others. Showing love and serving each other through your Spiritual Gifts and giving, achieves this aim of obedience to Jesus. As the church, we are dependent upon each other, just as one part of the human body has dependence on another part. That is why we serve each other and use the gifts generously given by God. When you, as a disciple of Jesus Christ, serve in any capacity, then God's honour is released. This is done because service shows the beauty and glory of Jesus Christ to those being served and to those watching. That is to be our motive for service. Serving is never about what you can get out of it. When that is the motive, God is not glorified. God's glory and supremacy is the goal of all those who would call themselves a Christian Disciple. So go and serve. Ask your church leader how you may serve Jesus in your church today. Right mouse click or tap here to save this Podcast in MP3.  

Free From Your Past

Free From Your Past

Do you have an urgency to your others-centered love?

1 Peter 1:1 Aliens from another country or foreigners in the world because of our faith (1 Peter 2:11). Our true citizenship is in heaven awaiting God's Kingdom. Chosen according to God's foreknowledge - Ephesians 1:4 The sanctifying work of the spirit - Titus 3:3-6 To obey Jesus Christ – Romans 10:9-10 “Be sprinkled with his blood” has three aspects: 1) ratified the new covenant, 2) cleansing, and 3) forgiveness. Reserved in heaven. God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ – Romans 15:6; 2 Corinthians 1:3; 11:31; Ephesians 1:3; 3:14; John 20:17; Matthew 2:15; 3:17; 17:5; Mark 1:11; 9:7; Luke 3:22; 9:35; Acts 13:33; Colossians 1:13; Hebrews 1:5; 2 Peter 1:17 4 This living hope is not subject to decay, destruction, or deterioration in any way. It is completely free from any form of contamination, impurity, or sin and is eternal and unchanging. 5 Already, not yet salvation. We have been saved, are being saved, and will be saved when Christ returns. 6 We greatly rejoice even though we have various trials. 7 We will receive praise, glory, and honor from Jesus if we remain faithful. 8 We greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible. 13 Prepare your minds; Christ is coming back. 14 We are not like everyone else in the world. 15 We are saints (holy ones), so we live holy. 17 Everyone is subject to judgment, so live accordingly. 22 Sincere, fervent love 25 We are born again by the living and enduring Word of God.

This week we are studying Paul's Epistles to the Romans. Romans 1-6 “The Power of God unto Salvation” Roman Church members, who were a diverse group of Jews and Gentiles, the Church of Jesus Christ had grown far beyond a small band of believers from Galilee. About 20 years after the Savior's Resurrection, there were congregations of Christians almost everywhere the Apostles could reasonably travel—including Rome, the capital of a powerful empire. Still, compared to the vastness of the Roman empire, the Church was small and often the object of persecution. In such conditions, some might feel “ashamed of the gospel of Christ”—but, of course, not Paul. He knew and testified that true power, “the power of God unto salvation,” is found in the gospel of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16). This podcast is for children studying the New Testament. This week the children will come away knowing: I can show my faith in Jesus Christ by following Him. Paul taught that the gospel has the power to bring salvation to everyone who lives by faith in Jesus Christ. Faith in Jesus Christ is the first principle of the gospel. It motivates us to obey the commandments. They will also learn: We all need Jesus Christ in order to be forgiven of our sins. Paul wanted the Romans to understand that salvation comes only through Jesus Christ and His grace. And finally the children will learn: Being baptized is like becoming a new person. Paul taught that baptism symbolizes the death and Resurrection of Christ. It also symbolizes being raised up to “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). We renew our commitment to walk in newness of life every time we partake of the sacrament. This podcast is called Come Follow Me Kids! We are a Come Follow Me Podcast for children and kids! We are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and we create this podcast for primary aged children (2-12) following along with the church's Come Follow Me Manual. This is a New Testament Bible Study podcast for children. If your children would like to be guests on our podcast email us at comefollowmekidspodcast@gmail.com and we will send you an assignment for a future week.

From Come Follow Me:By the time Paul wrote his epistle to Roman Church members, who were a diverse group of Jews and Gentiles, the Church of Jesus Christ had grown far beyond a small band of believers from Galilee. About 20 years after the Savior's Resurrection, there were congregations of Christians almost everywhere the Apostles could reasonably travel—including Rome, the capital of a powerful empire. Still, compared to the vastness of the Roman empire, the Church was small and often the object of persecution. In such conditions, some might feel “ashamed of the gospel of Christ”—but, of course, not Paul. He knew and testified that true power, “the power of God unto salvation,” is found in the gospel of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16).The thoughts, ideas, and beliefs we express on this channel do not officially represent The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  For additional information or official statements, please visit the website below.The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints:https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/?lang=eng#biblestudy #oldtestament #religion #churchofjesuschrist #ldspodcast #christianpodcast #missionary #lds #biblestories #christ #faith #faithinchrist #scriptures #bookofmormon #doctrineandcovenants #pearlofgreatprice #temples #houseofthelord #mormon #mormonbeliefs #chritiansandmormons #god #endure #ironrod #faithineveryfootstep #generalconference #prophets #followtheprophet #commandments #love #service #charity #keepstriving #keeponstriving #gospelgrowthandgoodtimes #become #newtestamentSupport the show

Dear beloved congregation, today, we embark on a profound journey through the book of Romans, a letter written by the Apostle Paul that unveils the heart of the Christian faith. This epistle stands as a magnificent theological masterpiece, rich with divine wisdom, and it lays the foundation for understanding the righteousness of God and the transformative power of the gospel. I. The Servant of Christ: Romans 1:1 In the opening verse, Paul humbly introduces himself as a "servant of Christ Jesus." This designation sets the tone for the entire letter, demonstrating Paul's humility and submission to the Lord's call on his life. As we begin this exploration of Romans, we are reminded that it is not about human achievements or accolades, but about surrendering our lives as humble servants of Christ. II. The Gospel of God's Promises: Romans 1:2 Paul emphasizes that the gospel is not a novel idea but a fulfillment of ancient promises proclaimed by the prophets in the holy Scriptures. This divine plan of salvation was preordained by God Himself and proclaimed through generations, assuring us that the gospel is rooted in the faithfulness of God's eternal word. III. The Identity of Jesus Christ: Romans 1:3-4 In verses 3 and 4, Paul proclaims the identity of Jesus Christ, the central figure of the gospel message. Jesus is the Son of God and the Son of Man, fully divine and fully human. His lineage from David according to the flesh highlights His humanity, while His resurrection from the dead demonstrates His deity and power over sin and death. IV. The Grace of Obedience through Faith: Romans 1:5 Through Jesus Christ, we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the "obedience of faith." Here, Paul introduces a key theme that echoes throughout the book - the harmony between faith and obedience. Genuine faith results in a transformed life that obeys God's commands and seeks to follow the example of Christ. V. The Inclusive Gospel: Romans 1:6-7 The gospel is not limited to a specific group but extends to all nations. The message of God's grace and peace through Jesus Christ is universal and embraces both Jews and Gentiles. We, too, are called to belong to Jesus Christ, becoming part of a diverse community united by our shared faith in the Savior. VI. The Righteousness of God Revealed: Romans 1:16-17 In these powerful verses, Paul declares the central theme of Romans - the righteousness of God. The gospel is the "power of God unto salvation" for everyone who believes. It reveals God's righteousness, which is received through faith and results in a life of righteousness. VII. The Universality of Sin: Romans 3:9-12 As Paul delves into the theme of righteousness, he confronts the universality of sin. He quotes from several Old Testament passages, highlighting that both Jews and Gentiles are under sin. None are exempt from the reality of human fallenness and the need for God's redemption. VIII. Justified by Grace through Faith: Romans 3:21-24 In this pivotal passage, Paul expounds on the gospel's power to justify sinners. We are justified by God's grace as a gift, not by our works or efforts, but through faith in Jesus Christ. This underscores the fundamental truth that our righteousness comes from God alone. IX. The Role of Faith: Romans 4:3-5 Drawing from the example of Abraham, Paul emphasizes the significance of faith in God's reckoning of righteousness. Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness, demonstrating that it is faith, not works, that connects us to God's righteousness. X. Freedom from Sin's Dominion: Romans 6:6-7 Paul presents a powerful message of freedom from the dominion of sin. Through identification with Christ's death and resurrection, we are set free from sin's power and are empowered to live in newness of life. As we conclude our exploration of the introduction to Romans and its central theme, let us be transformed by the profound truth of God's righteousness. May the gospel's power ignite a passion for obedience, a hunger for righteousness, and a fervent desire to live lives that glorify our Savior. Let us remember that we are called to be servants of Christ, bearing the message of God's grace and peace to all nations. May our faith be firmly rooted in the righteousness of God, leading us to live as a holy and devoted people, empowered by the Holy Spirit. In the journey through Romans, let us continually seek the transforming power of God's righteousness, knowing that our salvation is not earned but received as a precious gift through faith in Jesus Christ. May this profound epistle shape us into a community of believers who shine God's light in a world longing for redemption and hope. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Savior, we pray. Amen.   To Give: www.ToddCoconato.com/give New Book: www.PastorToddBook.com Website: www.PastorTodd.org Church website: www.RRCNashville.org  

To Give: www.ToddCoconato.com/give New Book: www.PastorToddBook.com Website: www.PastorTodd.org Church website: www.RRCNashville.org Today we embark on a profound journey through the book of Romans, a letter written by the Apostle Paul that unveils the heart of the Christian faith. This epistle stands as a magnificent theological masterpiece, rich with divine wisdom, and it lays the foundation for understanding the righteousness of God and the transformative power of the gospel. I. The Servant of Christ: Romans 1:1 In the opening verse, Paul humbly introduces himself as a "servant of Christ Jesus." This designation sets the tone for the entire letter, demonstrating Paul's humility and submission to the Lord's call on his life. As we begin this exploration of Romans, we are reminded that it is not about human achievements or accolades, but about surrendering our lives as humble servants of Christ. II. The Gospel of God's Promises: Romans 1:2 Paul emphasizes that the gospel is not a novel idea but a fulfillment of ancient promises proclaimed by the prophets in the holy Scriptures. This divine plan of salvation was preordained by God Himself and proclaimed through generations, assuring us that the gospel is rooted in the faithfulness of God's eternal word. III. The Identity of Jesus Christ: Romans 1:3-4 In verses 3 and 4, Paul proclaims the identity of Jesus Christ, the central figure of the gospel message. Jesus is the Son of God and the Son of Man, fully divine and fully human. His lineage from David according to the flesh highlights His humanity, while His resurrection from the dead demonstrates His deity and power over sin and death. IV. The Grace of Obedience through Faith: Romans 1:5 Through Jesus Christ, we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the "obedience of faith." Here, Paul introduces a key theme that echoes throughout the book - the harmony between faith and obedience. Genuine faith results in a transformed life that obeys God's commands and seeks to follow the example of Christ. V. The Inclusive Gospel: Romans 1:6-7 The gospel is not limited to a specific group but extends to all nations. The message of God's grace and peace through Jesus Christ is universal and embraces both Jews and Gentiles. We, too, are called to belong to Jesus Christ, becoming part of a diverse community united by our shared faith in the Savior. VI. The Righteousness of God Revealed: Romans 1:16-17 In these powerful verses, Paul declares the central theme of Romans - the righteousness of God. The gospel is the "power of God unto salvation" for everyone who believes. It reveals God's righteousness, which is received through faith and results in a life of righteousness. VII. The Universality of Sin: Romans 3:9-12 As Paul delves into the theme of righteousness, he confronts the universality of sin. He quotes from several Old Testament passages, highlighting that both Jews and Gentiles are under sin. None are exempt from the reality of human fallenness and the need for God's redemption. VIII. Justified by Grace through Faith: Romans 3:21-24 In this pivotal passage, Paul expounds on the gospel's power to justify sinners. We are justified by God's grace as a gift, not by our works or efforts, but through faith in Jesus Christ. This underscores the fundamental truth that our righteousness comes from God alone. IX. The Role of Faith: Romans 4:3-5 Drawing from the example of Abraham, Paul emphasizes the significance of faith in God's reckoning of righteousness. Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness, demonstrating that it is faith, not works, that connects us to God's righteousness. X. Freedom from Sin's Dominion: Romans 6:6-7 Paul presents a powerful message of freedom from the dominion of sin. Through identification with Christ's death and resurrection, we are set free from sin's power and are empowered to live in newness of life. As we conclude our exploration of the introduction to Romans and its central theme, let us be transformed by the profound truth of God's righteousness. May the gospel's power ignite a passion for obedience, a hunger for righteousness, and a fervent desire to live lives that glorify our Savior. Let us remember that we are called to be servants of Christ, bearing the message of God's grace and peace to all nations. May our faith be firmly rooted in the righteousness of God, leading us to live as a holy and devoted people, empowered by the Holy Spirit. In the journey through Romans, let us continually seek the transforming power of God's righteousness, knowing that our salvation is not earned but received as a precious gift through faith in Jesus Christ. May this profound epistle shape us into a community of believers who shine God's light in a world longing for redemption and hope. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Savior, we pray. Amen. Website: www.PastorTodd.org To support: www.ToddCoconato.com/give To get Pastor Todd's brand new book, please go here: www.PastorToddBook.com

-Paul, -bond--servant of Jesus Christ---Romans 1-1-7-Genesis 24-1-9--Editor's note- After three upload attempts I have given up on trying to figure out why the -In Jesus' Name, Amen-- gets cut off.

-Paul, -bond--servant of Jesus Christ---Romans 1-1-7-Genesis 24-1-9--Editor's note- After three upload attempts I have given up on trying to figure out why the -In Jesus' Name, Amen-- gets cut off.

"Paul, [bond]-servant of Jesus Christ"Romans 1:1-7Genesis 24:1-9Editor's note: After three upload attempts I have given up on trying to figure out why the "In Jesus' Name, Amen!" gets cut off.

The Holy Triune God “shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners,” ungodly and at enmity with Him, “Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). The incarnate Son has justified us by His blood and reconciled us to His God and Father (Romans 5:9–10). Whereas sin and death originated with Adam, forgiveness and life abound for all His children through “that one man Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:12–17). As the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, so does He bring us to Himself by the Gospel and make of us “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6) by our Baptism into Christ. For “all that the LORD has spoken” (Exodus 19:8), Christ has done for us. As He has gone up to God by His cross and resurrection, so does He bring us to the Father in Himself (Exodus 19:3–4). Nor does He leave us “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36), but He sends men with authority “to heal every disease and every affliction” by His forgiveness of sins (Matthew 10:1). In their proclamation, “the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 10:7).

  TDAgiantslayer@gmail.com    Brought to you by wellbuiltbody.com    97X     PODBEAN   Apple Podcast    Do you know who I am… Im sorry sir hold just a minute.  Picks up the phone and says hello can you connect me with the psychology department… we have a man down here who does not know who he is     At a ver prestigious university it was the final day of exams… the class was a huge class of about 500 plus students… the professor handed out the tests and pencils and said you must finish in exactly 2 hours…  When the time was up everyone brought their tests up… except one young man who continued to write down answers… the professor began to get irritated, threatening and finally said you can take your time, but I am going to fail you regardless… the kid kept writing and finally brought his test up to the professors desk. The professor who was a very arrogant and snide man began to chew out this young man… Do you know who I am? I have received the highest honors this university bestows. DO you know who I am, I have studied abroad at Cambridge university… you apparently truly have no idea who I am, I have 3 doctorates from Yale, Harvard and Princeton… to which the student shrugged and said, “do you know who I am?”. The professor winced and with a confusing grin said NO I DONT KNOW WHO YOU ARE… And with that the student picked up the huge pile of tests from the center  quickly put his test in the middle and put the hundreds of tests on top of it… and said “good luck”. and walked out.    We often ask do you know who you are in Christ… but actually its not if you know who you are in Christ, its if you know who's  you are in Christ.  What do i mean? Well i can quote all the scriptures of who I am in Christ… and I will quote a few in a second, but unless I know Christ, and know Who's I am, who I am has very little affect on me. It would be like finding out you are related to the great prince of Zinaqua… who is the richest man in the world… you can brag about that, but it means nothing until you go and see and experience his life style, his riches, the esteem and awe he is treated with, the power he has… all that and more.. now when you realize you are related to him and yes you are related to him as in he is your father… now you know who's who you are.    I am complete in Him Who is the head over all rule and authority—of every angelic and earthly power (Colossians 2:10). I am alive with Christ (Ephesians 2:5). I am free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). I am far from oppression, and will not live in fear (Isaiah 54:14). I am born of God, and the evil one does not touch me (1 John 5:18). I am holy and without blame before Him in love (Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:16). I have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:5). I have the peace of God that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). The Spirit of God, who is greater than the enemy in the world, lives in me (1 John 4:4). I have received abundant grace and the gift of righteousness and reign in life through Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17). I have received the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Jesus, the eyes of my heart enlightened, so that I know the hope of having life in Christ (Ephesians 1:17-18). I have received the power of the Holy Spirit and He can do miraculous things through me.I have authority and power over the enemy in this world (Mark 16:17-18; Luke 10:17-19). I am renewed in the knowledge of God and no longer want to live in my old ways or nature before I accepted Christ (Colossians 3:9-10). I am merciful, I do not judge others, and I forgive quickly. As I do this by God's grace, He blesses my life (Luke 6:36-38). God supplies all of my needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). In all circumstances I live by faith in God and extinguish all the flaming darts (attacks) of the enemy (Ephesians 6:16). I can do whatever I need to do in life through Christ Jesus who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13). I am chosen by God who called me out of the darkness of sin and into the light and life of Christ so I can proclaim the excellence and greatness of who He is (1 Peter 2:9). I am born again—spiritually transformed, renewed and set apart for God's purpose—through the living and everlasting word of God (1 Peter 1:23). I am God's workmanship, created in Christ to do good works that He has prepared for me to do (Ephesians 2:10). I am a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). In Christ, I am dead to sin—my relationship to it is broken—and alive to God—living in unbroken fellowship with Him (Romans 6:11). The light of God's truth has shone in my heart and given me knowledge of salvation through Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6). As I hear God's Word, I do what it says and I am blessed in my actions (James 1:22, 25). I am a joint-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17). I am more than a conqueror through Him who loves me (Romans 8:37). I overcome the enemy of my soul by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony (Revelation 12:11). I have everything I need to live a godly life and am equipped to live in His divine nature (2 Peter 1:3-4). I am an ambassador for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). I am part of a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people (1 Peter 2:9). I am the righteousness of God—I have right standing with Him—in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit; I belong to Him (1 Corinthians 6:19). I am the head and not the tail, and I only go up and not down in life as I trust and obey God (Deuteronomy 28:13). I am the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). I am chosen by God, forgiven and justified through Christ. I have a compassionate heart, kindness, humility, meekness and patience (Romans 8:33; Colossians 3:12). I am redeemed—forgiven of all my sins and made clean—through the blood of Christ (Ephesians 1:7). I have been rescued from the domain and the power of darkness and brought into God's kingdom (Colossians 1:13). I am redeemed from the curse of sin, sickness, and poverty (Deuteronomy 28:15-68; Galatians 3:13). My life is rooted in my faith in Christ and I overflow with thanksgiving for all He has done for me (Colossians 2:7). I am called to live a holy life by the grace of God and to declare His praise in the world (Psalm 66:8; 2 Timothy 1:9). I am healed and whole in Jesus (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24). I am saved by God's grace, raised up with Christ and seated with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:5-6; Colossians 2:12). I am greatly loved by God (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:4; Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:4). I am strengthened with all power according to His glorious might (Colossians 1:11). I humbly submit myself to God, and the devil flees from me because I resist him in the Name of Jesus (James 4:7). I press on each day to fulfill God's plan for my life because I live to please Him (Philippians 3:14). I am not ruled by fear because the Holy Spirit lives in me and gives me His power, love and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7). Christ lives in me, and I live by faith in Him and His love for me (Galatians 2:20).

The Fruit of the Spirit... Our website: www.PastorTodd.org To give a donation: www.ToddCoconato.com/give Galatians 5:22-23 tells us, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” The fruit of the Holy Spirit is the result of the Holy Spirit's presence in the life of a Christian. The Bible makes it clear that everyone receives the Holy Spirit the moment he or she believes in Jesus Christ (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:13-14). One of the primary purposes of the Holy Spirit coming into a Christian's life is to change that life. It is the Holy Spirit's job to conform us to the image of Christ, making us more like Him. The fruit of the Holy Spirit is in direct contrast with the acts of the sinful nature in Galatians 5:19-21, “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” This passage describes all people, to varying degrees, when they do not know Christ and therefore are not under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Our sinful flesh produces certain types of fruit that reflect our nature, and the Holy Spirit produces types of fruit that reflect His nature. The Christian life is a battle of the sinful flesh against the new nature given by Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). As fallen human beings, we are still trapped in a body that desires sinful things (Romans 7:14-25). As Christians, we have the Holy Spirit producing His fruit in us and we have the Holy Spirit's power available to conquer the acts of the sinful nature (2 Corinthians 5:17; Philippians 4:13). A Christian will never be completely victorious in always demonstrating the fruits of the Holy Spirit. It is one of the main purposes of the Christian life, though, to progressively allow the Holy Spirit to produce more and more of His fruit in our lives—and to allow the Holy Spirit to conquer the opposing sinful desires. The fruit of the Spirit is what God desires our lives to exhibit and, with the Holy Spirit's help, it is possible!

What does it mean that "there is no one righteous?"

How often do you share the gospel with others?

In it, but not of it! Survive in the midst of chaos and thrive!  Website: www.PastorTodd.org To give: www.ToddCoconato.com/give We are in it, but not of it!   When we read of the "world" in the New Testament, we are reading the Greek word cosmos. Cosmos most often refers to the inhabited earth and the people who live on the earth, which functions apart from God. Satan is the ruler of this "cosmos" (John 12:31; 16:11; 1 John 5:19).   By the simple definition that the word world refers to a world system ruled by Satan, we can more readily appreciate Christ's claims that believers are no longer of the world—we are no longer ruled by sin, nor are we bound by the principles of the world. In addition, we are being changed into the image of Christ, causing our interest in the things of the world to become less and less as we mature in Christ.   Believers in Jesus Christ are simply in the world—physically present—but not of it, not part of its values (John 17:14-15). As believers, we should be set apart from the world. This is the meaning of being holy and living a holy, righteous life—to be set apart.   We are not to engage in the sinful activities the world promotes, nor are we to retain the insipid, corrupt mind that the world creates. Rather, we are to conform ourselves, and our minds, to that of Jesus Christ (Romans 12:1-2). This is a daily activity and commitment.   We must also understand that being in the world, but not of it, is necessary if we are to be a light to those who are in spiritual darkness. We are to live in such a way that those outside the faith see our good deeds and our manner and know that there is something “different” about us. Christians who make every effort to live, think and act like those who do not know Christ do Him a great disservice. Even the heathen knows that “by their fruits, you shall know them,” and as Christians, we should exhibit the fruit of the Spirit within us.   Being “in” the world also means we can enjoy the things of the world, such as the beautiful creation God has given us, but we are not to immerse ourselves in what the world values, nor are we to chase after worldly pleasures. Pleasure is no longer our calling in life, as it once was, but rather the worship of God.

What are you "set apart" to?

How steady do you feel spiritually? Do you feel weak or strong? The Bible states that God is able to establish us through the Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ (Romans 16:25). In this message, we continue through the letter of Romans and find how this Gospel can establish us for life and for eternity. As we worship we'll praise God for His work in us through the Gospel!

How steady do you feel spiritually-- Do you feel weak or strong-- The Bible states that God is able to establish us through the Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ -Romans 16-25-. - -In this message, we continue through the letter of Romans and find how this Gospel can establish us for life and for eternity. As we worship we'll praise God for His work in us through the Gospel-

Okay, I'm going to admit it. Sometimes I wear a Superman t-shirt to sleep. That's about as close to being Superman as I'll ever get. As far as leaping tall buildings in a single bound? Sometimes I have trouble getting off the floor. But in some of the "Man of Steel" movies that were such box office hits, Superman is popping up or landing all over the place. And he would remind me of the sad reality that there really is no such thing as Superman. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Trying to be Superman." Oh, if you're a man, you're supposed to be Superman. Never weak, life's bullets bouncing off you, the fixer, the solver, the answer man, the tower of strength, the conqueror. Above all - the conqueror. Because a man supposedly proves he's a man by conquests, right?. You win in sports, you win in business, in the gym, and with women. I'm learning, though, that those aren't the conquests that ultimately prove your manhood. No, here's the question: "Can you conquer yourself?" What about that volcano temper that erupts briefly but scars permanently? How about that chainsaw mouth that rips even the people we love. That selfishness that insists "I'm more important than you are." The passions that cheapen sex, imprison your imagination. Those dark feelings that take us to some very bad places. The addiction that's calling the shots. The Bible presents a man's conquest of himself as decisive in his manhood. In our word for today from the Word of God, Proverbs 16:32, God says, "It is better to be patient than powerful; it is better to have self-control than to conquer a city." And young men are praised for proving that they are strong by the evil they've overcome (1 John 2:14). Every man has his Kryptonite. Denying our weakness only guarantees it's going to bring us down. Stuffing our pain just hastens an explosion. Pretending we've got it all together only sentences us to a very dangerous strain of lonely. Yeah, manhood is conquest - of myself. And that begins with taking off the Superman mask of invulnerability, admitting when I'm hurting, when I'm not sure, when I need someone. A lot of men had a dad who always had to be tough, and right, and in control. But the son would have given anything to know if his dad was proud of him...to hear him apologize...to hear him say, "I love you." Even today there are scars from a dad's criticism, a dad's anger. So I'm seeing now that "man up" may mean something quite different from the macho myths we were raised on. It means being man enough to say three of the most healing words in the English language "I was wrong" or "I forgive you." Manhood is saying those words we thought showed weakness but actually prove strength. Like, "I need help" and saying them before the explosion comes, before I hurt more people, before I'm hooked and I can't get free. I can't conquer me alone. The man in the mirror is my biggest battle. But maybe if I swallow my stubborn pride, it could be my biggest conquest. I have to agree with that guy in the Bible who said, "I really want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate. Who will free me?" You can't be rescued until you admit you can't save yourself, and you're willing to pin all your hopes on somebody who can rescue you. And "who will free me?" Well, the Bible's answers this way: "Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ" (Romans 7:15, 24-25). Because the animal inside us - sin, God calls it - can only be tamed by the Man who turned its fury on Himself. That's what Jesus did on the cross, to beat our sin and to be able to forgive us of it having paid our death penalty. I am one of an army of men who have surrendered our lives to this amazing Jesus. Who've discovered that a man can finally conquer his darkness by being conquered - by the Son of God. I'll tell you how to get started with Him. Just go to our website. It's ANewStory.com. Jesus has the power to conquer what has always conquered you. And you can trust Him because He loved you enough to die for you.

Wednesday, 2 November 2022   “Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' Acts 11:16   Peter just noted that even as he began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon the believers at Cornelius' house. He then said, “as upon us at the beginning.” With that, he next says, “Then I remembered the word of the Lord.”   Peter had seen the salvation of these uncircumcised Gentiles. They heard the word, they obviously believed, and then the Holy Spirit fell upon them. This was the same as when the Jews had received the Spirit. As such, it is a confirmation that the fulfillment of the Feast of Pentecost is not merely a particular day in the calendar year, but a particular event that occurs in a believer's life.   The fact that it first occurred on a particular day was to show the believers at that time that the feast had found its fulfillment in the giving of the Spirit. But this was not a one-time thing. It was the beginning of an ongoing event. Peter suddenly realized this, and so he continues with, “how He said.”   Peter is now remembering something that Jesus said and he then processed the Lord's words in a fuller and more complete way, which is, “John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”   This comes from Jesus' words just prior to the ascension –   “And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, ‘which,' He said, ‘you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.'” Acts 1:4, 5   Jesus was speaking to those gathered with Him at the Mount of Olives. This was to Jews who had followed Him and believed. They had seen His crucifixion and His resurrection. It was they who had received the Holy Spirit. Now, a group of people who were not Jews had likewise heard, believed, and been given the Holy Spirit in an outward display. Pentecost did not just apply to Jews then. Rather, its significance continued on with the acceptance of Gentiles as well.   But more, this was even without the baptism of repentance that came to Israel at the call of John. These Gentiles had not repented because there was nothing to repent of. They were never under the law, and they had never needed to turn back to Moses or turn back to the Messiah they had rejected. They simply heard the word concerning Jesus and they believed unto salvation. Peter will next explain the logical conclusion of this to those gathered before him.   Life application: The feasts detailed in Leviticus 23 are not “Jewish” feasts. They are also not “the feasts of Israel.” They are “the feasts of the Lord.” They are then laid out in order by the Lord –   The Sabbath. The Passover. *Unleavened Bread. Firstfruits. *Weeks (beginning with Pentecost). Acclamation. Atonement. *Tabernacles.   (* indicates a pilgrim feast)   These deal with the work of the Lord and/or the state of the believer in Christ. The Sabbath is the rest offered to God's people upon belief in Christ's work (Hebrews 4:3). The Passover deals with the believer's redemption from sin by the work of Jesus (1 Corinthians 5:7). Unleavened Bread anticipates the state of the believer in Christ because of Christ's redemptive work (1 Corinthians 5:8). Firstfruits deals with the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:20). Weeks anticipates the acceptance of believers despite their sinful nature (Acts 2:1, Romans 16:5, and 1 Corinthians 16:15). Acclamation anticipates the incarnation of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:48, 49). Atonement is fulfilled in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:24, 25). And Tabernacles anticipates Christ dwelling in a “tent” of flesh and the believers' walk in this life “tenting” with Him (2 Corinthians 5:7).   The only thing these feasts had to do with Israel were anticipatory annual celebrations of the Lord's coming. Like all things under the law, they were shadows given so that when He came, the world could see Him and His work as the fulfillment of them (see Colossians 2:15, 16). In Christ is the substance, and in Christ is found the realization and fulfillment of what these annual celebrations only anticipated.   In other words, Peter is just now more fully realizing what people all over the world still fail to realize today. The work of Jesus Christ is a unified work that extends to all – Jews and Gentiles. There is one salvation and one gospel –   “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.” Ephesians 2:14-18   If someone comes to you with any other doctrine, tell him, “Beat it heretic, I'm following Jesus, not the law and not just ‘one' of His gospels, but His one and only gospel.”   Lord God, it is so wonderful that all are saved in the same manner – by simple faith in the full, final, and forever work of Jesus Christ our Lord. Thank You that we do not have to observe the law, be circumcised, or do any other such thing. All we have to do is to believe in what Jesus has done. From there, help us to demonstrate our gratitude by being observant of His will. May it be so for all our days. Amen. 

The consequences of man's sin is death -Romans 3-26-. The cure for man's sin is the righteousness of Jesus Christ -Romans 5-18-.

The consequences of man's sin is death -Romans 3-26-. The cure for man's sin is the righteousness of Jesus Christ -Romans 5-18-.

Transcript: Hello, this is Pastor Don Willeman of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to the Kingdom Perspective. Who is in control of your life? You may think you are, but it only takes one moment of crisis to reveal you are ultimately not. God is in control. Not you. Your life is not your own. You belong to Him. Your life is in His hands. And, for those who know God as their loving heavenly Father through Jesus Christ, this is a very good thing. The New Testament writer Jude speaks of God as the One “who is able to keep you”. “Keep” means "to guard and protect." We see similar sentiment in Romans 8 where we are told that “if God is for us who can be against us” (Romans 8:31). And so, God is in the business of keeping His people safe in His grace. God has promised to complete the salvation He has begun in us, namely that through all the trial and trouble of this world we shall be transformed into the very likeness of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29). This is God's good and sure plan. Thus, there is no reason ever to react in fear. History shows that fearful people do foolish things. Desperate people make dumb moves. However, we have no reason to feel desperate. We are, thus, free to act in faith-filled wisdom, for we know that in whatever comes our way we are more than conquerors through him who loves us, and that nothing shall be separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:37-39). Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” ~ Jude 24-25 (ESV)

Who comes to mind when you hear the word, “fool”?When I hear the word, “fool,” I immediately think of one of my heroes when I was 6: “Mr. T.” Mr. T was the tough, tender-hearted mechanical wizard of my favorite TV show, the A- Team. His name on the show was Bosco “B.A.” Baracus. I'll let you guess what “B.A.” stood for.He was one cool dude. Not afraid of anything. Clever and totally jacked. And when the A-Team had to outsmart some unreasonable bad guy, Mr. T would come up with an ingenious solution and say “I pity the fool!” And believe me, you did not want to be that fool!And can I say that, two weeks ago, Mr. T tweeted the following: “I pity the fool!: “The fool says in his heart, there is no God.” Mr. T. gets it. Yep—still my hero!I begin lightheartedly because this is a difficult Psalm. It is humbling, searching, sobering. And as much as we might want to think that Psalm 53 is speaking of someone else, as we will see, its message is universal. David is speaking to all people and perhaps, especially, to those who claim that God exists, but live as though he doesn't.Like Mr. T, we ought to pity the fool—especially when that fool is us. And Psalm 53 is here to tell us something difficult now so that we don't hear it on the day of judgement.Here is how this Psalm unfolds: David moves from telling us about the heart of the fool, to the identity of the fool, to the destiny of the fool, and, finally, to the hope for the fool. Remember those four words:Heart – Identity – Destiny – HopeFather in heaven, your word is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path. Help us to see you, by your Spirit and through your word, because we ask in Jesus's name, Amen.The Heart of the Fool (1–3)Psalm 53 teaches us some very fundamental things about the human condition—about our nature and desires. Let's look together at verse 1: "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity; there is none who does good.” At first glance, we might think that the fool of v1 is the atheist.But the Bible doesn't believe in atheists.The Scriptures very clearly and repeatedly attest that no human being at any time in any place can plausibly deny the existence of God.Paul makes this case in Romans 1:19-20, where he says For what can be known about God is plain to [all mankind], because God has shown it to them. For [God's] invisible attributes, namely his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world in the things that have been made. So [mankind is] without excuse. And Paul builds his argument on Psalm 19:1-3: The heavens declare the glory of God, the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor are there words whose voice is not heard. Human beings simply cannot deny creation's witness to the existence of God. From galaxies to grasshoppers, God's glory, his power, his moral beauty, his creativity, his wisdom, his goodness—are all displayed in the things he has made.Our very nature as derivative, created beings who cannot bring ourselves into the world or uphold our existence, testifies to God's sovereign power. His miraculous deeds displayed in history and preserved through the ages in his word, bear witness to his purposes and to his mercy and goodness.That's why there can be no theoretical or philosophical atheists. God is there, and he is not silent. The Bible doesn't believe in atheists.So, here is what Psalm 53 is saying: The heart of the fool says “there is no God” not because God is plausibly deniable, but because it stubbornly refuses to bow the knee to God's rule. The heart refuses to give him the glory he is due. And the highest injustice, the most immoral act, is saying in our heart, “I cannot deny that you exist, but I refuse to worship you and I reject your authority.”So, despite the witness of reality, the heart of the fool suppresses the truth about God. It says: “He does not see, he does not judge, he does not hold to account. There is no God.”Listen to how Psalm 10 identifies the fool's suppression of truth with wickedness. The Psalmist writes: For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord. In the pride of his face, the wicked does not seek him. All his thoughts are “there is no God.”… [The wicked] says in his heart, “God has forgotten."He has hidden his face, he will never see it….[the wicked renounces] God and [says] in his heart, “you will not call to account[.]” Psalm 53:1 is teaching us that, by its very nature, the heart of the fool suppresses the truth about God. It is stubborn, proud, sin-sick, and opposed to the Lordship of God. The Identity of the FoolSpotting an atheist is as difficult as drawing a square circle, but spotting a fool is as easy as waking up in the morning and looking in the mirror. Look at the rest of verses 1–3: "They are corrupt, doing abominable deeds, there is none who does good. God looks down on the children of men to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all fallen away, together, they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one." We have been looking at the heart from David's perspective. Now we are looking at mankind from God's perspective. Seeing all of humanity simultaneously, God finds none “who act wisely,” none who from the heart naturally pursue God in worship and obedience. Rather, the entire human race is characterized by rebellion against God.Instead of walking with the One by whom and for whom mankind was made, everyone has verse 3 “fallen away.” Humanity refuses God the worship and obedience that he deserves. Together they have “soured” on God—becoming bitter, resentful, acrimonious, disaffected. Rather than acting wisely and choosing good, all their actions have turned inward. They have become self-seeking, rather than God-seeking. They have become morally corrupt. The concluding words of verse 3 capture the picture comprehensively: “None of them does what is right, not a single one!” So, who then is the fool? Not someone else. Not them. Us. All of us. Apart from a miracle of God's grace, to be human is to be a fool.You might say: “hold on a second, Pastor Ryan! You are going too far! How can we be lumped in with those woke liberal progressives, those raging anti-theists, those enemies who persecute the church of Christ?”The placement of Psalm 53 actually gives us the answer. Track with me a second. You may remember that Psalm 53 is almost a word-for-word repetition of Psalm 14. The fact that the Psalter repeats Psalm 14 between Psalm 52 and 54 could seem accidental. But it is intentional. And it reminds the people of God why we are not exempted from the league of fools.As we have seen in over the last two Sundays in Psalm 51 and 52, several of the Psalms reflect on particular moments in David's life.Those who arranged the Psalms repeated Psalm 14 as Psalm 53 to point back to the actions of Doeg the Edomite and King Saul which occasion David's lament in Psalm 52. You can go back and listen to Jordan's excellent message from last week to hear more. What is important for the moment is to remember that in Psalm 52 David is lamenting Saul's wicked slaughter of the inhabitants of Nob.Obviously, King Saul wasn't a woke liberal progressive or a raging anti-theist—he was Israel's king. And as king, he was especially responsible to cultivate his personal relationship with the God of Israel. In Deuteronomy 17:18-20, God says: "And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. 19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, 20 that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel." While nature and conscience would have been sufficient witness, Saul had God's very word. He knew precisely what pleased God and what didn't. Saul did not deny God's existence, he defied God's kingship. He said in his heart, “there is no God” and in his anger and bitterness, he murdered 85 Levitical priests with their wives and children. He became the fool—and committed an injustice so abhorrent, so repulsive, so despicable that it can only be described as “abominable.”Psalm 53 stands here in the Psalter in part as a witness against the high-handed sin of God's people who foolishly say, “He doesn't know, he doesn't care, he doesn't judge, he won't hold to account.”So, what is the identity of the fool? All rebellious, sinful humanity, generally. And especially those who know the living God, who know the beauty of living according to his word, and who in pain or anger or lust or greed, deliberately choose to defy his Lordship.What we've just seen in Psalm 53:1-3 and these other texts of Scripture is sometimes labeled by theologians as the doctrine of total depravity. Total depravity describes the complete moral inability of mankind to seek after God.As beings created in God's image and for relationship with him, we have the natural ability to see that God exists and alone is worthy of our worship and obedience. No physical limitation prevents us from worshipping or obeying him. But because our hearts are trapped in conscious, deliberate rebellion, we are morally unable to seek him. No matter how irrational it may be to disbelieve in God, we cannot reason ourselves to belief.Here's why: fold your arms right now in the “angry momma” pose. Now, note which arm is on top of the other. Got it? Now, try to reverse it. Not that easy, is it? But why do some people have their right hand above their left forearm and others the opposite? Intriguingly, it doesn't necessarily correspond to right or left-handedness. Scientists believe that our arm folding preference is an inherited trait.Why is the whole human race in bondage from birth to rebellion against God? It is an inherited trait. Rebellion from birth is the consequence of our first parents' rebellion in the garden of Eden. This is the doctrine of original sin. Genesis narrates how Adam and Eve chose not to act wisely by walking in holiness and obedience and gratitude. Instead, they presumed that God was keeping something from them that they deserved.Rather than acknowledging his benevolent authority or giving thanks to him, they defied him by eating of the one tree that was forbidden them. The result was catastrophic. Genesis 3:16-19 describes how Adam and Eve's rebellion resulted in disordered desires producing all kind of dysfunction in their relationship with themselves, with God, with each other, and with the created order. And their offspring inherited this new state of reality. All humanity is under the power of sin.David reflects this biblical understanding in Psalm 51, flip back and look at Psalm 51:5: Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Listen to how Paul explains it in Romans 5:12: …all sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned. And in Romans 3, Paul even quotes our Psalm, Psalm 53:3, to underscore the fact that all of the human race are under the power of sin. Listen to verses 9–12: “What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.'” (Rom 3:9-12) The heart of the fool suppresses the truth about God. And who is that fool? The man who refuses to make God his God. And, under the power of sin inherited from our first parents, that is all of humankind. Apart from a miracle of grace transforming our disordered desires, every single one of us are trapped in obstinate foolishness. This is a humbling doctrine. It is a doctrine against which our proud hearts want to rebel. But it is a doctrine that gives all the glory to God — because all the initiative is of God's grace.The Destiny of the FoolWhew. Ok. Stretch break. Out of the heavy doctrinal stuff.Let's consider what the destiny of the fool if his folly is not addressed. Where does folly ultimately lead? Consider for a moment that what makes foolishness folly is not merely that it is sin. What is foolish about foolishness is that it places an unwise bet. The fool wagers that God isn't really who he says he is, even though this is contrary to the witness of creation and conscience. The fool says, “he doesn't really see. He doesn't really care.”But this is a wager that the fool cannot possibly win. The fool might wager that poison doesn't affect him, but that won't stop the poison from killing him when he drinks it.And David knows this. Look at verse 4: Have those who work evil no knowledge? Who eat up my people as they eat bread and do not call upon God? David sees the fool's wager. He cries out, “do they not know?” Do they not realize that gobbling up God's people like breakfast cereal—will bring about their own destruction? Do they not know that they are playing with fire? That they are teetering on the edge of destruction?But then, David sees the answer. Look at verse 5: "There they are, in great terror, where there is no terror. For God scatters the bones of who encamps against you; you put them to shame, for God has rejected them." Like in a vision, David sees that God's judgment has suddenly come upon his enemies. They were confident in their rebellion, consciously disobeying God's rule, acting as though God did not see, living as though he did not exist. But he does. And he sees. They weren't frightened by him then, but now they are seized with terror.The ESV translates Psalm 53:5 in the present tense—which captures the “prophetic perfect” from the Hebrew original. God says something will happen, a prophet sees it, and because God has said it will happen it is as good as done. David is looking at what will happen that is so sure is it as though it is happening right now. It is as good as done. Those who walk in pride now will be brought to complete shame then.There is a warning for us here. David is saying, “If I reject him now, he will reject me then. And if he rejects me on that day, there will be no hope.” Shame and destruction is the fool's destiny.Psalm 53 is sobering. It highlights our impossible situation. We are fools who, by nature, cannot change our foolish state, and our destiny is shame and destruction. We need a miracle of grace. But thank God that the Psalm does not end there.The Fool's HopeThere is hope for the fool. Look at verse 6: “Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When God restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.” Verse 6 is a prayer. David prays, “Oh, that deliverance would come out of Zion,” “Oh, God would you send a rescuer from Jerusalem? Would you send a deliverer from the holy city of God's king, where the your presence dwells in your temple! Oh, God would you send your promised anointed one to rescue men and women who trapped in the bondage of sin!”Then, David says, when God's deliverer brings back his people from the bondage of sin, Jacob will rejoice and Israel will be glad!As a boy, I went hiking one morning with some friends. This was many moons before smartphones or GPS. Somewhere along the way, we split up into two groups, intending to rendezvous later in the day. I hung toward the back of my group and, after some time, realized that our leader was hopelessly lost. We got off the trail, intending, we thought to bushwack a shortcut to our destination.As the hours wore on, we got more and more turned around. Night began to fall. It was dark and cold. We were hungry and tired. I still remember that feeling—the tightness in my chest, the rising panic that we might be lost beyond rescue in 10,000 acres of howling wilderness. In that moment what I wouldn't have given to have been home! To be at the campsite in a warm tent! To at least have had a compass!But getting deeply lost certainly heightened the joy of being found. I won't forget that moment when the headlamp of friend from the other group blinked into view over the ridgeline. What it was to be found!Perhaps we cannot know the joy of salvation until we know the true danger of our situation. We are, by nature, fools. Our hearts are resolutely set against God and we have no desire to change. That folly is abominable in God's sight (v1). That folly destroys our relationship with others (v4). And that folly ultimately leads to final rejection by God (v5). There is only one hope. That salvation would come out of Zion.Verse three tells us that there are none who seek after God, none who do good, not even one.But that judgement is no longer absolutely true. The Gospels tell us that there came a time in human history when God looked down from heaven at one man and said “you are my beloved Son, in you am I well pleased.” The word “salvation” in verse six is the word Yeshua, “God's salvation,” the same as the name Joshua, or, in Greek, Jesus.There is hope for the fool—the salvation to be found in Jesus. Jesus who, alone, lived in perfect joyful obedience to his Father's will. Jesus who alone acted wisely, whose entire earthly life was in perfect concert with his Father's purposes. Jesus, the anointed one of God, the Son of David and Son of man who laid down his life to redeem fools from our sin.Isaiah says that all we like sheep had gone astray, every one of us to our own way, but God laid upon him the iniquity of us all (Isa 53.6). Paul says that for our sake God made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor 5.21). This Jesus, Paul says, broke the power of our miserable inheritance, “if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ” (Romans 5.17). The apostle Peter says, “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4.12). Salvation has come out of Zion.ConclusionThere is hope for the fool. Perhaps this morning for the first time the real sense of your plight has settled in. The word of God is the Spirit's sword, and this difficult word is a message of mercy. Psalm 53 is telling you that you are a fool, now, so that you do not hear it on the day of judgement. Perhaps in his kindness at this moment he is inclining your heart to find your hope in him. Responding to that sense is as simple as saying, “I am that fool and I need rescue. I repent of my hard-hearted rebellion and I trust in the rescue of Jesus, the Messiah.”Friend, I promise, you are not too far away for rescue. Jesus says to you in John 6:37, “whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” This morning, receive the mercy of God.Or perhaps you are trusting the Lord Jesus, but you see in your own heart the tendency to say “he does not see. He does not hold to account.” As Christians, we live in the time between the times. We are, in Christ, a new creation. And yet our foolish nature has not yet been entirely eradicated. Before grace, we were not able to not sin. Now, in Christ, we are able to not sin. But we look forward to our Savior's final return when we will be with him and no longer able to sin. Until that day, then, can we resolve again, together, this morning, God helping us, to live our utmost for his highest? Can we remember him who laid down his life to free us from our selfish, sinful ways? Can we remember him, daily, and walk in newness of life?The Lord's TableThat's what we do when we come to this table. We remember his redeeming love, until he comes again.

Rapp Report episode 223 The sin nature of man is often debated. Andrew and Bud continue the What We Believe statement from the Striving for Eternity website series discussing the sin nature of mankind. Are people born in sin or are we born good? The sin nature is that reality that has been imputed directly from Adam to every individual since Adam (except Jesus Christ) (Romans 5:12-19). The whole human race exists seminally through Adam as the head. Thus, there is a seminal universality of humanity. The nature that each person, with the exception of Christ, possesses is the sinful nature passed on from Adam to each generation. By this nature, all men are guilty with race guilt through Adam. The sin nature is inherited, and each person is guilty at the point of conception. Listen to the last episode in the series: The Purpose of Man, What We Believe, Part 19 This podcast is a ministry of Striving for Eternity and all our resources Listen to other podcasts on the Christian Podcast Community Support Striving for Eternity Leave us a review Give us your feedback, email us info@StrivingForEternity.org Get the book What Do They Believe Get the book What Do We Believe Sponsors: Logos Bible Software MyPillow or call (800) 873-0176 and use promo SFE

Rapp Report episode 223 The sin nature of man is often debated. Andrew and Bud continue the What We Believe statement from the Striving for Eternity website series discussing the sin nature of mankind. Are people born in sin or are we born good? The sin nature is that reality that has been imputed directly from Adam to every individual since Adam (except Jesus Christ) (Romans 5:12-19). The whole human race exists seminally through Adam as the head. Thus, there is a seminal universality of humanity. The nature that each person, with the exception of Christ, possesses is the sinful nature passed on from Adam to each generation. By this nature, all men are guilty with race guilt through Adam. The sin nature is inherited, and each person is guilty at the point of conception. Listen to the last episode in the series: The Purpose of Man, What We Believe, Part 19 This podcast is a ministry of Striving for Eternity and all our resources Listen to other podcasts on the Christian Podcast Community Support Striving for Eternity Leave us a review Give us your feedback, email us info@StrivingForEternity.org Get the book What Do They Believe Get the book What Do We Believe Sponsors: Logos Bible Software MyPillow or call (800) 873-0176 and use promo SFE