Missions Paul

Do you ever worry about being good enough for God? Do you wonder if He is pleased or angry or is He someone who is rolling His eyes at you? How debilitating that must be! And more important what a waste of time as a follower of Jesus!

“Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. “ (Romans 4 v 4-5)

God looks for faith; works with faith; pays out because of faith.

That is the gospel.

Faith … trusting Jesus.

Faith gives you enough credit for you to be declared innocent because the debt on your account has now vanished. God did it.

If that’s the truth why are you worrying about being guilty?!

Ever felt that life is passing you by and you are becoming impatient?

Ever feel you want to help God out a bit and take matters into your own hands?

Ever felt that faith wasn’t enough?

Me too!

So far Paul has been saying we cannot boast in anything. It is all of His grace. No matter who you are (Jew or Gentile) the declaring of your innocence before God is done by trusting in Jesus and following Him (faith).

Faith. Simple faith. Nothing else. All of Him.

So Paul chooses Abraham to illustrate this teaching. Abraham died nearly 250 years before Moses was born. So this ancestor pre-dates the Law of God. Paul uses him (seen as the spiritual father of both Jew and Gentile) to show that not even such a heroic figure has the right to boast because of their works. He then uses Genesis 15 v 6 as a key verse set around the story of him and Sarah:

What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? ² If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. ³ What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (Romans 4 v 1-3)

How to live with hope that God will do with your life what He said He would do:-

• Hold on to the promise God has given you. It’s what Abraham did.
• As you do you will create a legacy that will outlive you. It’s what Abraham did. (The countless followers of Christ are Abraham’s sand on the seashore family).
• Don’t Ishmael your promise for it will lead to pain. It’s what Abraham did. (The hatred of Arab Muslim and the Israeli Jew stems from this impatient act).
• Recover your ground of faith and get back on track when you fail, believe in the impossible working God that His Isaac promise is coming. It’s what Abraham did.
• Be willing to sacrifice/lay down/let go of what God has given you knowing He can give it back to you again/resurrect your Isaac. It’s what Abraham did. (This faith in the resurrection of Isaac points to the faith in the resurrection of the dead that followers around the world now hold on to).

I’m trying to reach a target of £5,000 for Svetlana and Maxim. In 3 days Justgiving will release the funds to be sent to her. Please can you share the link on social media to help me get past that target, the link will take you to the story. Thank you to everyone who has already given. They are overwhelmed and thankful to God for you.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/helpforsvetlana?utm_term=XdwgaAzGE

The gospel is God comes in grace to free us from His wrath towards our sin. The grace means there is nothing that we can do which can force God to do that. There is no achievement, heritage or enough obedience to His law/standard that qualifies us to demand or expect the hand of grace. It is purely and totally God and it is always surprising to the recipient.

So no one can boast about anything!

Recently I listened to a man tell of his many accomplishments in the kingdom of God. He never mentioned God in all of those achievements.

One thing is certain, it is impossible to boast of your own salvation without mentioning God!

“Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.” (Romans 3 v 27-31)

Being made right before God is never achieved by working at being right or good or the best you can be.

Being made right before God is only by faith in the act of Christ on the cross and your daily trust in Jesus to follow Him.

With this there is no difference whether Jew or Gentile, it is the same for everyone in this world.

So should we not bother to try and be good?

Paul emphatically says NO!

Here is the Message to help us: “Not at all. What happens, in fact, is that by putting that entire way of life in its proper place, we confirm it.” (v31)

So we approach the Law/standard of God in the right way and Paul will throughout his letter teach a healthy approach to it. He already has said that we uphold the Law by being convicted of our own sin, “through the law we become conscious of our sin” (Romans 3 v 20) and he will say more later in this letter.

I’m trying to reach a target of £5,000 for Svetlana and Maxim. In 4 days Justgiving will release the funds to be sent to her. Please can you share the link on social media to help me get past that target, the link will take you to the story. Thank you to everyone who has already given. They are overwhelmed and thankful to God for you.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/helpforsvetlana?utm_term=XdwgaAzGE

How can God ever say anyone of us is innocent?

How can God turn a blind-eye to our sin if that is what He indeed does?

How can God say someone isn’t guilty when everyone and He knows we are?

How can God bring justice to satisfy the obvious need to punish the guilty?

Here comes the good news:

The heart of God.

The problem of justice existed until that moment of the amazing move of God Himself.

But now … Jesus!

“But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3 v 21-26)

The cross of Christ was the act of love and grace but we must see it as the act of punishment to fulfil justice for sinners like us.

How can we know this to be true?

By placing our trust in Jesus and following Him demonstrating our belief by actions.

This is the gospel!

613 laws of God and all given via Moses to prepare us all for the need of a Saviour to rescue us from the penalty of not being able to do them!

Paul talks a lot about the law simply because that is the high standard of God. Take away the standards and the holiness and there can be no sin.

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. ²⁰ Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. (Romans 3 v 19-20)

Every mouth silenced and the whole world accountable for their own sin. No one person is excluded.

But what about what Paul said in 2:13 “For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.”? That’s the point: no one has been able to fulfil the law in order to be declared righteous. No one but Jesus.

Every person that ever lived is speechless before God. That’s the point. It is like the criminal in the court now awaiting sentence. There isn’t anything that can be said. There is no defence. All they have to rely on is the mercy of the judge.

No one can appeal to their good works done aligned to God’s laws. No one can claim any heritage of religious duty. No one can achieve the standards of God. Silenced.

It doesn’t matter who the person is, Jew or Gentile or whatever status of identity they are and wherever they live in the world, class, race or religion, everyone is in the same situation, under the power of sin and unable to fix that position. There is no good news if we haven’t exposed the bad. Remove sin and there is no need for a Saviour.

So let’s remind ourselves of the truth. As we do look around you and see the many examples of sinners needing a Saviour. More importantly, look within your own heart.

• Sin the overall problem.

“There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good, not even one.” (Romans 3 v10-12)

It is likely Paul is taking from Psalm 14 as it sounds so similar:

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. (v1-3)

Paul turns his attention to how sin is seen. He looks at how people speak to one another. It looks like he is using every description possible for their voice.

• The sins of the mouth.

“Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” (Romans 3 v 13-14)    

It could be that he is using a number of Psalms:

Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with malice. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongues they tell lies. (Psalm 5:9)

They make their tongues as sharp as a serpent’s; the poison of vipers is on their lips. (Psalm 140:3)

His mouth is full of lies and threats; trouble and evil are under his tongue. (Psalm 10:7)

Paul then moves from the sins of the mouth to the way people treat each other and the violent actions that are seen.

• The sins of action.

“Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know.” (Romans 3 v 15-16)

It seems he is using Isaiah 59:

Their feet rush into sin; they are swift to shed innocent blood. They pursue evil schemes; acts of violence mark their ways. The way of peace they do not know; there is no justice in their paths. (v7-8)

• The conclusion.

Paul brings the reader back to where he started in stating the overall problem of sin:

“There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Romans 3 v 18)

Here it seems he is using Psalm 36.

I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes. (v1)

It looks hopeless but set against the backdrop of Saviour Jesus then there is only thing that can be done and that is to give our lives every day to Him. Paul is leading in this way in this letter.

When you witness the bad today acknowledge the need of the Saviour. Whether that is what you hear coming from someone’s mouth or what is happening in the war in Ukraine and elsewhere in the world. This world needs Jesus more than ever.

“What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.” (Romans 3 v9)

The biggest problem in the world has always and will always be this:

We are all imprisoned by a greater power than us, the power of sin.

We all need liberating.

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How does God deal with this sinful world of ours? Is God’s wrath over the top? If sinners experience God’s love is it fair to say sin draws the best out of God and therefore it is okay to sin?

Strange questions maybe but ones that have been asked and still do.

What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? ⁴ Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.” ⁵ But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.) ⁶ Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world? ⁷ Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?” ⁸ Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is just!  (Romans 3 v 3-8)

With his attention on the Jews who had the covenant and their responsibility to the Law of Moses Paul says things that are true and a blessing to all. I hold onto 3 things this morning (because I’m a preacher who thinks in 3’s!)

1. God will not fail to fulfil His responsibilities even if mankind (Jews) fail to fulfil theirs.
2. God is always true, right and faithful even in His punishment/judgment. For example, King David knew that God’s punishment of him over the sin with Bathsheba was right (that is on Paul’s mind as he quotes David’s Psalm 51 written after the judgment)
3. God making all things right (the Jews failure to the covenant leading to the righteousness of Christ) doesn’t mean it wasn’t wrong and deserving judgment. Sin is never right.

It applies to the Jews. But it also applies to me.

God doesn’t get it wrong in His dealings with me: He will never fail me; He is always faithful even in His discipline of me; He makes all things good which only means they were bad to begin with. Thank you Jesus!

Thank you for reading this would you please help me raise money for an old Bible College friend, I was her Pastor for several years, Ukrainian Svetlana Souzko, currently in Romania with her son having left her family behind in Kyiv.

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When I was a child in our house was a promise box. A small wooden box of small scrolls with bible promises in them. Often when I was in need of a dream that my life would be great I would go to the box get the tweezers and pull out a promise. If I didn’t like it or didn’t understand it I would put it back and do the best of three routine, hoping to pull put a good one!

I cannot remember a day in my life when I have not opened my Bible at some point. I would rather read it than any other book. If that comes across as boasting then I am happy to boast. One of the primary tasks of any Pastor is for them to lead their church into the reading of the Bible on a daily basis as part of their discipleship. Christians have the revelation of God! This makes us greatly privileged!

Let’s come to a few verses today:

So Paul has been saying that both Jews and Gentiles stand in the same place before God.

He knows the questions that this raises: Why be a Jew? Why be circumcised?

Are we not chosen anymore?

What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God. (Romans 3 v 1-2)

His response is YES! The Jews have the Scriptures.

First of all … there doesn’t seem to be a second or third point. There is but it doesn’t come till much later in his letter. In chapter 9 Paul will speak of the other benefits of being a Jew: their adoption, the covenants and the law. It seems he gets side-tracked and wonderfully so.

First of all the Jews were given the task of writing down and preserving the revelation from God throughout the ages! They have what is our Old Testament. (The problem is they came to also believe their oral traditions are equal to the written revelation of God and that good works now outweigh the sacrificial system which is now not operational since the destruction of their Temple in AD70)

And so do we!

Of course there are promises that are appropriate only for the Jews but we have a Bible full of promises that apply to us! We also have promises in the New Testament, in letters like this one, Romans!

In this letter I wonder which amazing Bible declarations you know?!

(1: 16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

(3:23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

(5:1) Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ

(5:8) But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

(6: 23) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Or do you remember these?

(8: 28)  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

(10: 9) If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

(10:13) Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

(11:29) for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.

(12:2)  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Why not choose one today (like my promise box) and meditate on it throughout the day?!

Thank you for reading this would you please help me raise money for an old Bible College friend, I was her Pastor for several years, Ukrainian Svetlana Souzko, currently in Romania with her son having left her family behind in Kyiv.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/helpforsvetlana

Your best attempts to prove you belong to God are futile.

If those who don’t belong obeyed God’s laws (and no one can be that obedient) they would belong more than those who say they belong to God and try prove it by their efforts.

Here is what Paul says about it:

“Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker. A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.” (Romans 2 v 25-29)

There is nothing you can do to cause you to be saved, not one thing, it is total grace. Not one performance, not one sin-free day, not one commandment or act of purity or sacrificial giving, nothing. Get rid of the whole notion.

Circumcision is so important to the Jew. In fact it is the rite of passage. It is easy to imagine Jewish teachers imposing this requirement on new followers of Jesus.

Baptism is not the outward sign of belonging to God nor is the Lord’s Supper or witnessing or church attendance etc. These are never enough. There is always more things that are needed. Don’t be friends with Pharisees because you will lose the one thing that is of all importance, grace.

Moses called for people to circumcise their hearts. Jeremiah called for people to circumcise their hearts before the Lord and Paul agrees that circumcision is one done by the Spirit.

I have found the cut of my heart continually happen throughout my life and so have you. Sometimes the pain of circumstances are used to make the cut and sometimes it is the pain of conviction.

It will mark a new day, a new journey, a new direction, this is a moment of change, you will never be the same again and all that sounds wonderfully exciting, but it begins with a cut. It hurts.

I don’t have to do one thing to prove to anyone what Christ has done for me or who I am in Him. He has my heart and He continues to circumcise it.

Thank you for reading this would you please help me raise money for an old Bible College friend, I was her Pastor for several years, Ukrainian Svetlana Souzko, currently in Romania with her son having left her family behind in Kyiv.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/helpforsvetlana