It’s Saturday, which means I’m wrapping up my first full week of my commitment to read the Bible in a year. Things have gone GREAT so far… I don’t know about any of you that are reading along, but having structure has really helped me to spend time in the Word like I should, and this blogging commitment? Well… I’m on record pace for the month thanks to this.
It’s odd… before I started this, I wondered how I’d fit my readings in each day. Beforehand, I either never seemed to have time, or when I did, I struggled completely with even where to start. So far? I seem to have more time in each day, despite the fact I’m committing more time to regular Bible study than I ever dreamed possible. I really don’t get it… all I can do is chalk this up as a God thing. It’s kind of like tithing or giving… when you do it, especially when it seems like it’s just not possible to do so and make ends meet, somehow, there’s always money left over? It’s a God thing.
Anyone else going through something similar with this?
Anyway, on to the reading and thoughts… we’re in the Epistles on Saturdays, and we start in Romans 1 and 2 today.
Romans 1:16 (NIV)
16I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
I wonder… if we’re honest with ourselves, would we be able to say the same thing that Paul did here? Do our lives demonstrate (at all) that we’re not ashamed of the gospel?
How can we hide it when we know its power? Salvation. Rescue from eternal damnation. A right relationship with God, enabled by simple, childlike faith in Christ.
Yet most of us rarely, if ever, share the good news with others?
What’s wrong with us?
Romans 1:18-20 (NIV)
18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
I love this passage, emphasizing the fact that God is clearly evident to all… whether we want to admit it or not. Think about it. Everyone inherently has a sense of right and wrong… creation has God’s name written all over it… we all wonder about what follows this life… we all struggle with sin, even if we won’t admit it as such.
No one on this planet will one day stand before the throne of God and honestly be able to say… I had no idea you were part of this.
It emphasizes the importance of sharing the gospel with others so much more. No one will escape judgment simply because they’ve never been told the gospel… how then, can we withhold it from them? Isn’t it encouraging to know that we all have an inkling that there’s something bigger than what we see in this life? Isn’t it helpful to know that when we approach someone with the gospel, they’re not going to be totally blindsided by this concept of God?
Without excuse. We probably look at this passage and apply it to those outside of a relationship with Christ. More convicting, though? What about we who do claim faith? God’s handiwork is everywhere, and presents a plethora of opportunities to share Him with others each day. Yet we don’t?
We’re without excuse as well.
Romans 1:28-32 (NIV)
28Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
This description of sin-sickness is simply painful to read. Couldn’t be more clearly put, though.
I don’t think we, as believers, can look at this list and be anything but heartbroken. The pain that sin brings is immense… how can we even begin to look down our noses at those trapped by it?
Romans 2:4 (NIV)
4Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?
This verse is amazing. We wonder why God doesn’t just strike people down with lightning for the magnitude of sin that is often part of life, but we have our answer here. God continues to love us… over and over and over again, drawing us toward Him even in the middle of our sin.
I know everyone’s testimony is different, but what Christian can’t say that God’s patience with and kindness to them wasn’t huge in their coming to faith? Not many people respond to punishment / reward (just look at the Old Testament and Israel)… but love? It changes everything… including our hearts.
Romans 2:17-24 (NIV)
17Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God; 18if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; 19if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, 20an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth — 21you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
The last verse in this passage brings up a pretty convicting question:
“Does my life give others reason to reject God?”
One of the most common excuses non-believers use as reason they want nothing to do with Christianity? We’re hypocritical.
While absolutely true in that we simply CAN’T live perfect, sinless lives, we all need to do better at making sure that our lives more consistently exhibit the faith we profess.
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