August 5, 2011

  • Some major questions for me that have been answered from Romans

    Some of the questions that I have had that have been answered in the book of Romans. I have included some other books in the answers; however, the base book used here is Romans. This is not comprehensive; however, the questions I did deal with in this sermon were extremely important to me not only to get enlightened myself; but also, these are questions often asked by others. I have been on “Ask the Pastor” for around 20 years now.  The questions and answers I put here are some that are asked over and over on that program!

    Question:  If someone is completely unaware of God’s existence, how can that person be expected to seek God much less to become a believer?  This  question “haunted” me for years and nearly cost me my salvation because I had the audacity to get angry with the Lord for being “unfair”! I  finally got much relief from Romans 1:20 and decided to that I could trust God for any remaining questions I have on this topic.

    Romans 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.  20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

    Psalm 19 :1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork.
    2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

    Acts 14:  8And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked: 9The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, 10Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. 11And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.
    12And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.
    13Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. 14Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,
    15And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: 16Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. 17Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. 18And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.

    Acts 17: 22Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. 23For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
    24God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
    25Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
    26And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
    28For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. 29Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. 30And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
    31Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
    32And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. 33So Paul departed from among them. 34Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

    God will reward all that believe He IS and all that diligently seek Him:
    He 11:  6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

    Question:   Is homosexuality  displeasing to God? Yes, it is  clear in Romans 1: 25 through 28.  Verse 32 says we are also displeasing to God when we get some pleasure out of the sins of others.  Here I think of what we might actually find ourselves wrongfully enjoying in a movie some behavior that God is against!

     Ro 1:  21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

    More scripture against homosexuality:

    Leviticus 18 (before verse 22 there are other sexual sins listed ): 22Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. 23Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: either shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.
    24Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: 25And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants. 26Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you: 27(For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;) 28That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you. 29For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.30Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were co mmitted before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.

    Lev. 20: 13If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

    Question:  What name do we baptize people into?

    There was a conflict between what  I had been taught as a girl and what was taught at Bethel Pentecostal. Bethel was a part of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World. They were what is called “Jesus only”, to put it very simply , there is but ONE person , Jesus Christ who is God and He is manifested as Father , Son , and Holy Spirit . It Is all Him.  They do not believe in the triunity of God.  When they baptize , they strictly baptize in the “name of Jesus”, not in the “name of the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit”.  TWO facts liberated me from obsessing over this question, i.e., concerning what “formula “ to baptize in. 1. Learning that “name” means  “nature” or “character”. I am baptized into the character of Christ. My old character is to be considered dead and my new nature is His nature IN ME.  2. Romans 6: 3—11 is what I am doing when I get baptized.  This passage helped me to move beyond a debate over what words to use in baptism  because the  most important thing is to realize what we are doing when we get baptized, i.e.,  we are symbolically proclaiming death to self (because we have been crucified with Him and are buried with Him) and a new life in Him (because of His resurrection and His eternal life).


    Romans 6:  3Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
    6Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.     7For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

    BOTH  being baptized into the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and being baptized into the Lord Jesus Christ are mentioned in the Word. If we concentrate on the fact  that the “name of” Jesus Christ and the “name of” the Father , Son, and the Holy Spirit, i.e., HIS NATURE, is the same in the Father, in the Son, and in the Holy Spirit. They are one. They are all Divine. We are being made partakers of the Divine nature. We are baptized into that nature.  Call Him Yeshua, Jehovah El Shaddai, Jehovah Jireh, the great Shepherd – these names all reflect ONE nature, that of our Creator God who revealed Himself through the Lord Jesus Christ

    The Divine nature is the same as he name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

    And is the same as  the name of  Jesus Christ.

    The Lord has provided a way for us to be “partakers of the divine nature”:

    2 Peter 1:  2Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
    4Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

    When we are baptized, we are baptized into His Divine nature whether we are baptized into the Father , Son, and Holy Spirit or into Jesus Christ.  Both uses of words fulfill the purpose of being baptized into His nature.

    Matthew :28:  18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

    Acts 2: 37Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

     

    Question:  Are we  still expected to walk in the law of the Lord or does living in His grace mean that we don’t have to do that ?

    Today there is a ongoing debate between those who think that we are hopeless sinners who could not possible walk in holiness and therefore must continually rely on the forgiving grace of God vs. those who believe that the power of God’s Spirit in us causes us to overcome sin and walk in holiness. There is actually some truth in both sides and , quite naturally, if either  side tries to prove too aggressively that their perspective is the only correct way to think , then we will see  people  more casually sinning because they believe it is all easily forgiven and  -- on the other side – people  becoming absolutely  intolerant of sin in a Christian  because they believe there is no excuse for sin because of God’s power to deliver us from it.

    There is no excuse for sinning; but , there is forgiveness and restoration to those who do! 

    Yes, grace abounds towards the repentant Christian; but the Christian is supposed to be dead to sin.

    Lamentations 3:21This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
    22It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
    23They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
    24The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
    25The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
    26It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.

    Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?..................................... 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. 19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

    Romans 8: 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So  then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

     

    The word “fulfilled” in Ro 8: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

    V 4 “fulfilled” (from dictionary.con)= to carry out, or bring to realization, as a prophecy or promise.

    2. to perform or do, as duty; obey or follow, as commands. 3.

    to satisfy (requirements, obligations, etc.):

    Finally, IN CHRIST, through His power, we CAN fulfill the law, i.e., satisfy its requirements.

     

    .  . Question: What about the Jews? Can they be saved by following the Old Covenant?  Should we preach Jesus’ gospel   to them?   Romans 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. ………………….. 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. {RB note: ALL must come through the New Covenant of the Lord Jesus Christ – there is no other way!} 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.    

    Yes, we Gentiles must preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to them. We are called to “provoke them to jealousy” because of our new covenant with the Lord.  Also, we will anger them – which does happen today when we tell them they need Jesus to be saved!!

    Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. 19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. 20 But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. 21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

    Question:  Is God done dealing with those who are Jews “after the flesh”? Has the church replaced Israel for good? 

    One day , around 1991, I was preaching and used some verses out of Romans 11. When I saw  “12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? 13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: 14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. 15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?” in this chapter , I literally experienced a deliverance from the deception of “replacement theology”. This revelation radically changed both my life and River of Life!

    We have been supporting ministries to the Jews ever since that time. We have ceased to boast against the root. We have incorporated many things into our church calendar that had been eliminated basically because of anti Semitism . We have now embraced ,e.g., Sabbath, acknowledgement of the Feasts, a rejection of  those aspects of church “holidays” brought in through  Gentile idolatry,  prayers and support for the return of Jews to Israel and the establishment of a strong Jewish state with the undivided capital of Jerusalem, and understanding that all nations will come against Jerusalem and Jesus will come back and defeat those nations, a new understanding of Old Testament passages that we once thought applied only to the Gentile church – there have been many radical changes as a result of this revelation!

    We have deeply studied what it means for us to have been grafted into Israel, for us to have become citizens of the commonwealth of Israel.

    We see that all the promises to the seed of Abraham are applicable to us too in that Christ is His seed and we are in Christ.

    We see that He is not done with natural Israel; but, we also know that natural Israel cannot eternally benefit from being Abraham’s natural seed  -- all must come to Christ in order now to be joint heirs of these promises.

    The Jews were “blinded” ; but, when they see, it will be as “life from the dead” for the rest of us.

    {Obviously I am putting in very short words what could be a huge sermon series in its own right. But, I just  wanted to highlight the impact  Romans 11 has had on me and our church in getting us started in a huge journey of revelation regarding the Jews!

    Romans 11:1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, 3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. 4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. 5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. 7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded 8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. 9 And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: 10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. 11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. 12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? 13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: 14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. 15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? 16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. 17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. 20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. 24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? 25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. 29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. 30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.