by HARVEYOPP | Oct 30, 2015 | Tim Challies
Many Christians have declared Romans to be the finest book of the Bible, the high peak of Scripture. J.I. Packer echoes many pastors and theologians when he says, “All roads in the Bible lead to Romans, and all views afforded by the Bible are seen most clearly from Romans, and when the message of Romans gets into a person’s heart there is no telling what may happen.” He goes on to give 4 reasons that we ought to read, study, and know the book of Romans.
Romans is a book of doctrine. Romans is a book of truth about God taught by God. “You will find that Romans gives you all the main themes integrated together: God, man, sin, law, judgment, faith, works, grace, creation, redemption, justification, sanctification, the plan of salvation, election, reprobation, the person and work of Christ, the work of the Spirit, the Christian hope, the nature of the church, the place of Jew and Gentile in God’s purpose, the philosophy of church and world history, the meaning and message of the Old Testament, the significance of baptism, the principles of personal piety and ethics, the duties of Christian citizenship — et cetera!”
Romans is a book of life. It shows “by exposition and example what it means to serve God and not to serve him, to find him, and to lose him in actual human experience. What has Romans to offer here? The answer is: the fullest cross-section of the life of sin and the life of grace, and the deepest analysis of the way of faith, that the Bibles gives anywhere.”
Romans is a book of the church. In Romans “the God-given faith and self-understanding of the believing fellowship is voiced. From this standpoint, Romans, just because it is the classic statement of the gospel by which the church lives, is also the classic account of the church’s identity. What is the church? It is the true seed of faithful Abraham, Jew and non-Jew together, chosen by God, justified through faith, and free from sin for a new life of personal righteousness and mutual ministry. It is the family of a loving heavenly Father, living in hope of inheriting his entire fortune. It is the community of the resurrection, in which the powers of Christ’s historic death and present heavenly life are already at work.”
Romans is a personal letter. Romans is a personal letter from God to each one of his spiritual children. “Read Romans this way, and you will find that it has unique power to search out and deal with things that are so much part of you that ordinarily you do not give them a thought—your sinful habits and attitudes; your instinct for hypocrisy; your natural self-righteousness and self-reliance; your constant unbelief; your moral frivolity, and shallowness in repentance; your half-heartedness, worldliness, fearfulness, despondency; your spiritual conceit and insensitiveness. And you will also find that this shattering letter has unique power to evoke the joy, assurance, boldness, liberty, and ardour of spirit which God both requires of and gives to those who love him.”
by HARVEYOPP | Oct 30, 2015 | Scott Henry
“The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.” (Proverbs 8:13)
It’s a horrible fact, whether we admit it or not, that PRIDE is the most common sin which permeates the sinful human nature. We are all born Pharisees and rebels against God. We all naturally think far better of ourselves than we ought to think. We all naturally imagine that we deserve something better than we have. “A proud and haughty man; “Scoffer” is his name; He acts with arrogant pride” (Proverbs 21:24).
Pride is an old, old sin. It began in the heart of Lucifer when he was determined to exalt himself above the Almighty (Isaiah 14:12-14). The sin of pride next reared its ugly head in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve thought, just like Lucifer, to be like God determining good and evil. They wanted to be their own authority, to do their own thing, to be their own boss. Pride is a subtle sin that rules and reigns in many hearts without being detected, and can even wear the costume of humility. “Therefore pride serves as their necklace” (Psalm 73:6). Pride is a soul-ruining sin. “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). The sin of pride causes a person to: resist repentance, start a feud, cast forgiveness behind the back, overlook the needs of others, and pride continually fuels hatred for Christ and His Church. “By pride comes nothing but strife…” (Proverbs 13:10).
However, of all garments, none is more graceful, none wears so well, and none is as rare as the virtue called humility. “A man’s pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor” (Proverbs 29:23). Humility is absolutely essential in the life of every believer and it’s a defining mark of a true Christian. Proverbs 15:33: “The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom, and before honor is humility.” The key element to a life of humility is submission to the Word of God. A person who is unwilling to submit to God’s Word is a person filled with soul-damning pride, which is exactly opposite of humility. You see, an attitude of submission is the fruit of humility, and true humility is demonstrated by obedience to God. Therefore, Scripture calls every believer to “…be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5).
Does your life manifest humility or pride? Our prayer should be that the Lord removes every last stench of pride that still dwells within our sinful heart. Praise God our salvation rests securely in the person and work of Jesus Christ, the only One who never had a prideful attitude but always walked in perfect humility before God and men. Praise God for JESUS … He is our ONLY hope of humility, forgiveness, wisdom, redemption, and reconciliation with God. Jesus truly is our only hope of salvation! Praise Him!
by HARVEYOPP | Oct 30, 2015 | Scott Henry
On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses for reform on the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. Luther’s students then took the 95 theses, made copies and distributed them throughout Germany, and this was the catalyst that sparked the Protestant Reformation. The main emphasis of the Reformation was to bring the straying church back to the teaching of Scripture, especially regarding the doctrine of justification. You see, the Reformers understood the Bible to be the very Word of God and therefore the Bible alone can instruct us concerning every issue of faith and life. It was from this understanding of Scripture that the “Five Solas” of the Reformation were developed.
- SOLA SCRIPTURA: the Bible is the only authority in faith and life. This teaching opposed the Roman Catholic doctrine of church tradition and the authority of the Pope (Matt. 4:4; John 12:48).
- SOLA FIDE: we are justified through faith alone, not faith plus works (Ephesians 2:8-10).
- SOLA GRATIA: we are saved by God’s grace alone, not because of anything we have done. Salvation is simply according to God’s good pleasure. (Ephesians 2:8-9; Ephesians 1:5).
- SOLA CHRISTO: we are saved by the person and work of Jesus Christ alone; Not Christ plus the sacraments or Christ plus good works, but by Jesus Christ alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Tim. 2:5).
- SOLI DEO GLORIA: ALL things are to be done unto God’s glory alone. (1 Cor. 10:31)
Now it’s important to realize that each of these “Solas” is under attack today, and not just in liberal churches, or in the secular world, but these five “Solas” are being undermined even in Protestant churches. And if we lose them, we lose biblical Christianity, because without the “Solas” we lose the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). The teaching of Scripture concerning salvation is very clear –– salvation is by grace alone –– through faith alone –– in Jesus Christ ALONE. But what did the Apostle Paul mean when he wrote “you have been saved?” First of all, he means that believers have been rescued from the penalty of sin. Romans 6:23 says the wages of sin is death, and every person has earned these wages. And so when Paul speaks of being saved he means, in the first place, that believers have been spared the just judgment of God against their sins. But he also means that believers have been rescued from the dominion, guilt, and consequences of sin. Before a person trusts in Jesus Christ they are enslaved to sin (Eph. 2:1-3; John 8:34), but when Jesus saves a person He breaks the power of reigning sin in their life. Jesus now becomes their Master and Savior, and the principle of grace begins to reign in the soul of the redeemed person. Are you one of the redeemed of Christ? Do you trust Him ALONE as your only righteous standing before God? Then praise God for saving you by His wondrous, amazing grace, which is in Christ Jesus, and let your glorying be that of Jesus Christ. As it is written: “But let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the LORD” (Jer. 9:24).
by HARVEYOPP | Oct 6, 2015 | Scott Henry
“What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Romans 4:1-3).
The most important question any person could ever ask is, “How can a sinful man be reconciled to the holy God of Scripture?” How is it possible for a sinner, who has violated the holy standard of God’s law at every point, to escape the penalty of eternal death and be received into God’s favor?
From the very moment man fell into sin he has been seeking to answer this question in a myriad of ways. Adam thought it was enough to cover himself with figs leaves, whereas Cain believed the bringing of his produce should be enough to fully satisfy God. The Pharisees of Jesus’ day declared that they were righteous in God’s sight on the basis of their obedience to the works of the Law. Ecclesiastes 1:9-10: “That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us.”
After reading these words in Ecclesiastes, it should come as no surprise that there are Pharisees today who teach that sinners can be justified before the holy God of Scripture on the basis of their obedience. They even say this is what the Scriptures teach. But according to our text NO SINFUL MAN will ever be justified in the sight of the holy God of Scripture by anything he has done or will do. Rather, Scripture declares that man is justified by grace alone, through faith alone, apart from the works of the Law, and any man seeking to be justified by his own works is under God’s curse. As our text says, “What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
Our text clearly teaches that justification before God does not come from our doing, but rather from believing the promise of God. “For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Romans 10:11-13). And so we read in our text, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
What about you … do you believe the promise of God? Do you trust Jesus Christ as your only hope of righteousness, reconciliation, and forgiveness with God? Call upon Jesus now and live forevermore.
by HARVEYOPP | Oct 6, 2015 | JOEL BEEKE
- Don’t idolize your pastor. Don’t expect him to be able to do what only God can do. Don’t make a savior of him.
- Don’t criticize your pastor, unless he departs from the truth, and then do it with tears. And please don’t expect perfection. He is a mere man—a weak, sinful man at that, just like you. His office is divine, but his person is human. He sets before you treasure in an earthen vessel. If you don’t remember that, you will cry hosanna today, but will crucify him tomorrow.
- Don’t avoid your pastor. Go to him, tell him your needs, open your soul, but don’t waste his precious time. It is your duty and privilege to go to him with your questions and spiritual troubles—and that will be to his encouragement and joy.
- Do pray for your pastor. Pray for his soul, that he may be kept humble and holy. Pray for his body, that he may be kept strong and spared for many years. Pray that he may be a burning and shining light. Pray for his ministry that it may be abundantly blessed. Pray for his wife, his family, his sermon preparation, his delivery, his counseling. Pray your minister full and he will preach you full.
- Do be a good listener to and doer of the sermons your pastor preaches. Listen to and obey your pastor. As long as he preaches the Scriptures, receive it as the very word of God. Remember, he is Christ’s gift to you.
- Do be interested in your pastor. Don’t let all your conversation with him be focused only on you. Be kind to him. Show interest in him, his life, and the life of his family; he is human too!
- Remember to appreciate your pastor’s strengths and minimize his weaknesses, always reminding yourself that your next pastor may not have your present pastor’s strengths. Don’t compare pastors to each other, but learn to appreciate each pastor whom God sends you for the peculiar gifts that God has given to that pastor.
- Look above and beyond your pastor. Look to Him whom your pastor sets before you.
- Do be coworkers with your pastor and the consistory. Be self-forgetters, Christ-exalters, and co-laborers. Covet humility, wisdom, peace, unity—and put on charity.
- Keep an eternal perspective under your pastor’s ministry. Ask God that your pastor may give a good account of your soul on Judgment Day. Remember you don’t have to give an account of your pastor’s blemishes and strengths on the Day of days, but you do have to give an account of what you have done with the word that he will bring you. If you are as yet unsaved, look on his ministry as one more major opportunity God is giving you to receive with meekness His engrafted word. Through his ministry, the Lord is saying that He has more people from your church to be gathered into His eternal harvest—and why should it not be you? Oh, that you would know the day of your visitation under your pastor’s ministry!
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