Romans 6: How To Get Victory Over Sin's Power Through Christ

Text: Romans 6

Theme: The gospel reveals the righteousness of God...

3. In Sanctification (6:1-8:17)
A) Of Position (6:1-11)
B) Of Practice (6:12 - 7:25)

Chapters 3b - 5 talked about "justification", which is God
saving us from the "penalty" of sin (hell) through faith in
Christ. Chapter 6 now speaks of "sanctification", which is
God saving believers from the "power" of sin in their daily
lives. Sanctification involves the process of separating a
believer from sin, and consecrating him to God's service.
A believer is first sanctified in his position in Christ, then
in his practice on earth. Like justification, sanctification
comes through faith in Christ's death and resurrection, apart
from human merit.

Sanctification of position (1-11). When a person trusts
Christ as Savior, the Holy Spirit baptizes him into the body
of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13). This act of God so unites (5) the
believer with the person and work of Christ, that he is said
to have been buried with Him in His death to sin, and raised
with Him to newness of life (1-6). This is the believer's
position, regardless of his behavior, and forms the basis for
sanctification of practice. To gain victory over the power
of sin in his daily life, the believer must first "know" his
position in Christ, i.e. that he has died with Him to sin, and
been raised with Him to newness of life.

Sanctification of practice (12-13). Chapter 5 showed that the
grace of God appears more abundant when it is given to those
who are greater sinners. One may reason that if our sin
magnifies God's grace, and if we are free from condemnation,
why not sin all the more? Chapter 6 reminds us that a person
is the slave of the one he serves, that slavery to sin results
in death, but that slavery to righteousness results in eternal
life (15-23). To gain victory over the power of sin in his
daily life, the believer must "count" his position in Christ
to be true (that is that he has died to sin and been raised to
newness of life in Christ), and then "yield" his members as
instruments of righteousness to God (12-14).

Even victory over the power of sin in daily life comes through
faith in Christ's death and resurrection, apart from human
merit. Having been united with Christ in His death to sin
and resurrection to newness of life (positional
sanctification), the believer gains victory over the
power of sin in his daily walk as he "knows" his position,
"counts" it to be true, and "yield's" his members as
instruments of righteousness to God (sanctification of
practice). This is all by faith in Christ's death and
resurrection, apart from human merit.

--
Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him
from the dead? Did you know God saves you from hell and
gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,
not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.
1:8-9)? This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the
glory (Eph. 2:8-9).
______________________________________________
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______________________________________________

Romans 5: Peace And Life Through Christ

Text: Romans 5

Theme: The gospel reveals the righteousness of God

2. In Justification (3:21-5:21)
C) Unto Peace with God (5:1-11)
D) Unto life (5:12-21)

Having shown that a person is justified by faith in Christ,
apart from works (1-4), chapter five explains the benefits of
this justification: namely, peace with God (5:1-11), and life
(5:12-21).

Justification through faith in Christ results in peace with
God (1-11). This includes a standing in grace (2), hope of
glory (3-5), assurance of God's love (5-11), and
reconciliation (5-11). Peace with God is not something one
has to make, but a benefit which he may enjoy when God
declares him righteous through faith in Christ.

Justification changes a person's standing before God, so that
he is in a position of grace, rather than under God's wrath.
Even pressures and trials (3-5) only serve to foster hope, as
the believer first abides under them, then sees God develop
character in his life through them, then comes to know God
will deliver him from them (cf. Col. 1:27; Rom. 8:17-30; 2
Cor. 4:17; Col. 3:4; 2 Thes. 2:14; Heb. 2:10; 1 Peter 5:1,
10). This process assures believers of God's love through the
Holy Spirit which indwells them (cf. Ephesians 1:13ff.).

God also assures the believer of his love, in that he provided
reconciliation through the death of Christ. Reconciliation is
a change which harmonizes two opposing parties. The death of
Christ for "all men" satisfied God's righteous demands against
sin, and thus changed the world to a position where it may
be saved. Since God provided this reconciliation when the
believer was still an "ungodly", "enemy", how much more will
He continue to save the believer from wrath, through the
living ministry of Christ, since the believer has become
harmonized with God through Christ? Justification through
faith in Christ results in peace with God.

Justification also results in life (12-21). The excellence of
this benefit in Christ is seen by contrasting it with the
sinners lot in Adam. Since all believers were present in the
loins of Adam when he sinned (cf. Hebrews 7:9-10, where the
tribe of Levi was credited with paying tithes to Melchizedek
since they were in Abraham's loins when he tithed), God puts
this transgression to each individuals account.

This is confirmed by the fact that men died between the time
of Adam and the OT law, even though men did not break any
commandments (12-14). As a result of Adam's one trespass,
many died, while by Christ's grace, the gift of righteousness
abounds to many(v15-16).

Through Adam's one sin, death has reigned, but because of
Christ's one work of righteousness, all who believe can have
eternal life (18), become righteous (19), and reign in life
(20-21). The law only revealed and provoked more sin in men
(20). Therefore, God's gift is seen to abound all the more
when He provided justification through faith in Christ, to
those who transgressed the law. Justification results in the
believer's reign in eternal life with Christ.

Justification through faith results in peace with God, and
eternal life in Christ.

--
Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him
from the dead? Did you know God saves you from hell and
gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,
not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.
1:8-9)? This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the
glory (Eph. 2:8-9).
______________________________________________
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______________________________________________

Romans 4: God's Righteousness Justifies By Faith In Christ, Not Our Merits

Text: Romans 4

Theme: The gospel reveals the righteousness of God:

2. In Justification (3:21-5:21)
B) Apart from works (3:27 - 4:25)

By the example of Abraham (1-5, 9-25) and king David (6-8),
chapter 4 shows men have always been justified by faith, apart
from works.

God justified Abraham by faith before He gave him the sign of
circumcision, and well before giving Israel the OT law. King
David noted that God gave forgiveness, and covering of sins to
those who commit "lawless deeds". Thus both show that God has
always justified by faith, apart from works. Galatians 3:8
agrees that even today, God makes those righteous who "believe
in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was
delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised for
our justification" (Romans 4:24-25).

By the example of Abraham and king David, chapter 4 shows men
have always been justified by faith in Christ, apart from
works.

--
Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him
from the dead? Did you know God saves you from hell and
gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,
not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.
1:8-9)? This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the
glory (Eph. 2:8-9).
______________________________________________
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______________________________________________

Christ Is Sinless God And Man

1) The doctrine of Christ is that He is both God and man...

John 8:23-24
(23) And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from
above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.
(24) I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins:
for if ye believe not that I am, ye shall die in your sins.

John 8:58-59 NIV
(58) "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was
born, I am!"
(59) At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid
himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

John 10:30-33 NIV
(30) I and the Father are one."
(31) Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him,
(32) but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great
miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?"
(33) "We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the
Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God."

Philippians 2:6-7 KJV
(6) Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be
equal with God:
(7) But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the
form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

1 Timothy 3:16 KJV
(16) And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:
God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of
angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world,
received up into glory.

2) The doctrine of Christ is that you must believe He is God, and
call upon Him as such to be saved:

Joel 2:32 NIV
(32) And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be
saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be
deliverance, as the LORD has said, among the survivors whom the
LORD calls.

(Note: LXX has "Kurios" for "LORD")

(LORD = YHVH, from H1961 ("to exist"), self existing, or eternal
(Strongs')

"The word refers to the proper name of the God of Israel,
particularly the name by which He revealed Himself to Moses
(Exo_6:2-3)" (WordStudy)

Exodus 3:14-15 NIV
(14) God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to
say to the Israelites: 'I AM (H1961) has sent me to you.'"
(15) God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'The LORD,
the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and
the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.' This is my name forever,
the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to
generation.

John 8:58-59 NIV
(58) "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was
born, I am!"
(59) At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid
himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

John 8:23-24
(23) And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from
above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.
(24) I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins:
for if ye believe not that I am, ye shall die in your sins.

Now, back to the fulfillment of Joel 2:32:

Romans 10:9-13 NASB
(9) that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and
believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will
be saved;
(10) for with the heart a person believes, resulting in
righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in
salvation.
(11) For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT
BE DISAPPOINTED."
(12) For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the
same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on
Him;
(13) for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."

Same word for "Lord" as the LXX uses for LORD in Joel 2:32.
Except this time, it directly shows Jesus as the Lord who is the
fulfillment of that prophecy.

It is necessary to believe Christ is God to be saved, and you
will die in your sins if you deny He is God.

3) The doctrine of Christ is that Christ is the sinless lamb of
God...

Hebrews 4:15 NIV
(15) For we do not have a high priest who is unable to
sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been
tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.

John 8:46-47 NIV
(46) Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the
truth, why don't you believe me?
(47) He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you
do not hear is that you do not belong to God."

2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV
(21) God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in
him we might become the righteousness of God.

1 Peter 2:22 NIV
(22) "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth."

Christ is sinless, and this is necessary for Him to be our
substitutionary sin bearer.

4) Those who do not abide in the doctrine of Christ, but promote
false doctrines, such as that Jesus is not God, or that He is a
sinful man, do not have God, and to greet or welcome them is to
share in their evil work and lose your reward:

2 John 1:9-11 NASB
(9) Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching
of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching,
he has both the Father and the Son.
(10) If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do
not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting;
(11) for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his
evil deeds.

2Jn 1:10

John instructs the believers not to show hospitality to false
teachers. They were to do nothing that would encourage the
heretics in their propagation of falsehoods. In addition, if
believers were to invite them in, such action would show that
they were approving of what the false teachers said and did.
...John adds that a person who supports a false teacher in any
way shares in the teacher's evil work.

False teaching is serious business, and we dare not overlook it.
It is so serious that John wrote this letter to warn against it.
Because our world has so many false teachings, we might be
tempted to take many of them lightly. Instead, we should realize
the dangers they pose and actively refuse to give heresies any
foothold.
(Life Application Study Bible)

--
Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him
from the dead? Did you know God saves you from hell and
gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,
not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.
1:8-9)? This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the
glory (Eph. 2:8-9).
______________________________________________
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www.facebook.com/faithguard
______________________________________________

How I Know The Bible Is God's Word

God gave every man a test by which to discern what God has inspired:

John 7:16-18 NIV
(16) Jesus answered, "My teaching is not my own. It comes from
him who sent me.
(17) If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out
whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.
(18) He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself,
but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man
of truth; there is nothing false about him.

1) Obedience: "If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find
out whether my teaching comes from God...". Jesus said the will
and work of God was for men to believe on Jesus Christ as Savior
(John 6:29). One must believe in Christ, to discern what comes
from God (John 6:29; cf. 1 Cor. 2). The natural man finds the
word of God foolish. The obedient believer in Christ knows the
teaching comes from God.

2) Glorify of God, not man: "He who speaks on his own does so to
gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one
who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him."
Christianity is the *only* group which has a body of doctrine
that presents man as a completely meritless sinner, dependent
entirely on the sovereign grace and mercy of God through Jesus
Christ. Every false *religion* has man either not being a
sinner, or somehow helping to atone for his own sins, or in some
way helping God achieve salvation through his own merits or
worthiness.

The Bible, through a series of tests from the garden of Eden, to
the millennial reign of Christ on earth, shows that man, in
whatever circumstances and under whatever economy God places him,
to be unable to reflect God's glory in his own strength, and to
therefore be an entirely meritless sinner, in need of God's
gracious and merciful redemption through Christ's atonement.
Thus, as it says, let him who boasts, boast in the Lord, and no
flesh will glory in God's presence.

Multitudes have believed in Christ, and therefore know the Bible
to be God-inspired teaching which glorifies God, not man.
Believers in Christ don't need the approval of some group of
"scholars" to tell them what is or is not God's word. "Any man"
can know whether the doctrine comes from God, by believing in
Christ as Savior, and seeing how it glorifies God rather than man.

--
Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him
from the dead? Did you know God saves you from hell and
gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,
not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.
1:8-9)? This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the
glory (Eph. 2:8-9).
______________________________________________
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______________________________________________

Why Men Attack The Bible

Why Men Attack The Bible

1) Because they hate having their evil exposed

John 3:20 NIV
(20) Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come
into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

2) Because they are "natural" men, not spiritual.

1 Corinthians 2:14 NASB
(14) But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit
of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand
them, because they are spiritually appraised.

3) Because they are "hostile toward God"

Romans 8:5-8 NASB
(5) For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on
the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the
Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
(6) For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on
the Spirit is life and peace,
(7) because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for
it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even
able to do so,
(8) and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

4) Because they are blinded by Satan

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 NIV
(3) And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who
are perishing.
(4) The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so
that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of
Christ, who is the image of God.

5) Because they are under Satan's control

Romans 10:17 KJ2000
(17) So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Genesis 3:1 NIV
(1) Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals
the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say,
'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"

1 John 5:19 NIV
(19) We know that we are children of God, and that the whole
world is under the control of the evil one.

Satan knows that faith in God comes through hearing God's word.
From the beginning, he has been attacking God's word. The first
step in leading men astray from God, and into a path of eternal
ruin, is to promote doubt about what God has said. "Did God
really say...?", is the lie by which Satan has been opposing God,
and leading men to hell since the beginning. It is to be
expected that Satan will constantly attack, try to undermine, and
promote doubt about what God has said, and natural, unregenerate
men lie under his power, doing his will (1 John 5:19).

--
Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him
from the dead? Did you know God saves you from hell and
gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,
not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.
1:8-9)? This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the
glory (Eph. 2:8-9).
______________________________________________
www.faithguard.org
www.twitter.com/faithguard
www.facebook.com/faithguard
______________________________________________

Romans 3: Christ Is God's Righteousness

Text: Romans 3

Theme: The gospel reveals the righteousness of God:

1. In Condemnation (1:18-3:20)
C) Of Jews (2:17 - 3:8)
D) Of all men (3:9-20)
2. In Justification (3:21-5:21)
A) Through faith in Christ (3:21-26)

Chapter three shows God is right to condemn "all men" (1-20),
and justify those who trust Christ (21-31).

How can a just God condemn men? Since the pagan sins against
the knowledge of God in creation (1:18-32), the moral man
against the knowledge in his conscience (2:1-3; 14-16), and
the Jew against the knowledge in the OT (2:17 - 3:8), "all
men" are "under sin" (9). This is evident in their ungodly
deeds (10-18), means they deserve God's wrath (5, 8) and that
they are without ability to merit God's righteousness (19-20;
23).

How can a righteous God justify sinners? Public crucifixion
of Christ showed God's righteousness by exacting the bloody
death penalty for all sins previously "passed over" (25), and
by giving God a righteous grounds to justify the one who
relies on Jesus as Savior (26). To exclude boasting (27) God
justifies sinners by grace, through faith in Christ's
atonement (24), apart from the law, or any other merit system
(21; 27-31).

Chapter three shows God is right to condemn "all men" (1-20),
and justify those who trust Christ (21-31).

--
Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him
from the dead? Did you know God saves you from hell and
gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,
not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.
1:8-9)? This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the
glory (Eph. 2:8-9).
______________________________________________
www.faithguard.org
www.twitter.com/faithguard
www.facebook.com/faithguard
______________________________________________

Romans 2: Christ Is The Righteousness Of God

Text: Romans 2

Theme: The gospel reveals the righteousness of God:

1. In Condemnation (1:18-3:20)
B. Of Moral Men (2:1-17)
C. Of Jews (2:18-29)

The gospel reveals the righteousness of God in the
condemnation of the moral man (1-17), and Jew (18-29).

Though he condemns the actions of the pagan, the moral man
also deserves God's wrath because 1) he does the same things
(1-3), and 2) he sins against the knowledge of God in his
conscience (14-16; cf. 1:32).

Though he has the ten commandments from God, the Jew, too,
deserves God's wrath for failing to keep them (17-29).

Both the morally upright man and the Jew deserve God's wrath
for sinning against the knowledge of God.

--
Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him
from the dead? Did you know God saves you from hell and
gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,
not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.
1:8-9)? This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the
glory (Eph. 2:8-9).
______________________________________________
www.faithguard.org
www.twitter.com/faithguard
www.facebook.com/faithguard
______________________________________________

--
Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him
from the dead? Did you know God saves you from hell and
gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,
not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.
1:8-9)? This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the
glory (Eph. 2:8-9).
______________________________________________
www.faithguard.org
www.twitter.com/faithguard
www.facebook.com/faithguard
______________________________________________

Why We May Hope That Babies Who Die Will Go To Heaven

This is an emotionally charged issue, because many have been
affected by the death of a baby, and no one wants to think such a
one could possibly go to hell. The question then, is not what do
we want to think, but what does the Bible actually teach about
the subject?

1) All Are Born With Inherited Sin:

A) Adam was made in the image of God:

Genesis 1:27 NIV
(27) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he
created him; male and female he created them.

B) The fall changed Adam's nature:

Genesis 2:17 NIV
(17) but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good
and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."

Spiritual death came with the fall of man.

C) After the fall, it is said that Adam's children were born in
Adam's image:

Genesis 5:3 NIV
(3) When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own
likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth.

D) Ephesians confirms the spiritual death from which God has to
save men:

Ephesians 2:1-3 NIV
(1) As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,
(2) in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this
world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who
is now at work in those who are disobedient.
(3) All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the
cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and
thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.

E) The Psalms show men receive that sin nature at the moment of
conception:

Psalms 51:5 NIV
(5) Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother
conceived me.

Psalms 58:3 NIV
(3) Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are
wayward and speak lies.

Inherited sin is passes on from the moment of conception, which
is why no one is born in a condition that makes him worthy of
entering heaven.

2) Imputed Sin

Romans 5:12-14 NIV
(12) Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man,
and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men,
because all sinned—
(13) for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin
is not taken into account when there is no law.
(14) Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the
time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a
command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.

God directly imputes the sin of Adam to all men, and this is
evident by the fact that even though sin is not taken into
account where there is no law, death reigned from the time of
Adam and Moses, when there was none.

Hebrews shows that Levi paid tithes to Melchizedek, by virtue of
being present in his loins at the time Abraham did so:

Hebrews 7:9-10 KJV
(9) And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed
tithes in Abraham.
(10) For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec
met him.

Thus, imputed sin passes directly to all men, and God counts them
guilty of the sin of Adam.

3) You must be born _"again"_ to enter the kingdom of God

John 3:5-6 NIV
(5) Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the
kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
(6) Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to
spirit.

Flesh cannot give birth to "spirit". Salvation requires being
born twice. First of the flesh, then of the Spirit. Men are not
saved simply by being born of the flesh.

4) Eternal Security

Romans 8:30-31 NIV
(30) And those he predestined, he also called; those he called,
he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
(31) What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for
us, who can be against us?

God glorifies everyone whom He saves (justifies) in the first
place. You can't have a person starting out justified, who then
is not also glorified, because God has sovereignly predestined
everyone whom He chooses to save, to glory.

To claim that babies start out in a saved condition, then lose
that at some "age of accountability", implies not only that
babies are born in a sinless AND meritorious condition, but that
they then lose that salvation based on their own merits, which
makes salvation depend not on a sovereign and merciful God, but
on man's merits. If salvation depends in the the least upon
man's merits, rather than God's sovereign mercy, then NO ONE
could EVER be sure they're going to heaven.

5) The direct statement of Scripture:

Romans 9:11-16 NIV
(11) Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good
or bad—in order that God's purpose in election might stand:
(12) not by works but by him who calls—she was told, "The older
will serve the younger."
(13) Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
(14) What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all!
(15) For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have
mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."
(16) It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort,
but on God's mercy.

This chapter labors to show, by many examples, that salvation
does not depend on the "will or effort" of men, but on God's
sovereign purpose and mercy. For those who want salvation to be
a reward for man's innocence or merit, we are shown the example
of twins, before they were born, or had done anything good or
bad. Even in such a case, salvation is shown to depend not on
man's innocence or merits, but on God's sovereign purpose. Thus
there is no room for man to bask in the glory of his own merits
or "innocence", and all glory must go to God alone.

6) Objections answered:

Romans 9 anticipates the objection that if God is sovereign in
the salvation of men, then why does He find fault, since who has
resisted His will? The answer it gives is

A) God is not unjust:

Romans 9:14 NIV
(14) What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all!

B) The glory of God's sovereign mercy is more important than our
glory or salvation:

Romans 9:15-18 NIV
(15) For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have
mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."
(16) It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort,
but on God's mercy.
(17) For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for
this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that
my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."
(18) Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and
he hardens whom he wants to harden.

C) A creature doesn't have any standing or right to call a
sovereign God to account:

Romans 9:19-21 NIV
(19) One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame
us? For who resists his will?"
(20) But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is
formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?'"
(21) Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same
lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?

7) Practical problems:

If all babies who die before the "age of accountability" are
guaranteed salvation, but could then possibly lose their
salvation if they live to reach that certain unknown age, the
only way to insure their salvation would be the insane,
incorrect, and dangerous idea that they must die before that age.
That kind of reasoning would make abortion more effective than
proclaiming the gospel, as a way to insure the salvation of
children, which is totally insane idea with potentially
catastrophic ramifications.

8) Conclusion:

The answer to the question seems clearly defined in Romans 9.
Whether or not babies go to heaven when they die depends not on
man's "innocence", merits or will, but on whether or not God has
elected him to salvation. For me, this Scripture definitively
answers the question. Elect babies go to heaven if they die, and
non-elect babies do not. Since we can't possibly know whether a
baby was born elect, we have a basis for hoping that all children
who die could have been one of God's elect.

--
Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him
from the dead? Did you know God saves you from hell and
gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,
not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.
1:8-9)? This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the
glory (Eph. 2:8-9).
______________________________________________
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______________________________________________

Romans 1: Christ Is The Righteousness Of God

Text: Romans 1

Theme: The gospel reveals the righteousness of God:

Outline:

1. In Condemnation (1:18-3:20)
A) Of Pagans (1:18-32)

Paul introduced himself as the servant and apostle of Christ,
and his theme as the gospel of God's righteousness. This good
news centers on the human nature (Son of David), divine nature
(Son of God), and resurrection of Jesus Christ, teaching
salvation through faith in Him (1-17).

After greeting Roman believers, thanking God for their
testimony of faith, and sharing his wish to visit them, Paul
began to show God's righteousness in the condemnation of
pagans (18-32). Since God has revealed Himself to all men
through creation (19-20) and conscience (32), even Pagans are
"without excuse", because they suppress this knowledge with
their unrighteous deeds (e.g., worshiping creation instead of
the Creator, idolatry, lack of gratitude, etc.--21-32).

For this reason, God gave them over to their depraved desires,
including homosexuality and general ungodliness (24-32). The
gospel reveals the righteousness of God in the condemnation
of pagans, since they sin against the knowledge of God in
creation (19-20) and conscience (32).

--
Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him
from the dead? Did you know God saves you from hell and
gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,
not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.
1:8-9)? This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the
glory (Eph. 2:8-9).
______________________________________________
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______________________________________________

Romans: Christ Is God's Righteousness (Introduction And Outline)

The book of Acts showed the spread of the gospel from
Jerusalem to Rome, and the beginning of local churches. The
rest of the NT is letters of doctrine and instruction for
these churches. Romans was written to believers in Rome, to
explain the full meaning of the gospel.

Book: Romans

Key passage:

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of
God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first
and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is
revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "BUT THE
RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." (1:16-17, NAS).

Theme: The gospel reveals the righteousness of God:

Outline:

1. In Condemnation (1:18-3:20)
A) Of Pagans (1:18-32)
B) Of Moral men (2:1-16)
C) Of Jews (2:17 - 3:8)
D) Of all men (3:9-20)

2. In Justification (3:21-5:21)
A) Through faith in Christ (3:21-26)
B) Apart from works (3:27 - 4:25)
C) Unto Peace with God (5:1-11)
D) Unto life (5:12-21)

3. In Sanctification (6:1-8:17)
A) Of Position (6:1-11)
B) Of Practice (6:12 - 7:25)
C) Of Person (8:1-39)

4. In Election (9-11)
A) Of Ancient Israel (9:1 - 11:10)
B) Of Gentiles (11:11-24)
C) Of Future Israel (11:25-36)

5. In Transformation (12-16)
A) Towards the Church (12:1-16)
B) Towards Society (12:17 - 13:14)
C) Towards Weak Brothers (14:1 - 15:33)
D) Towards Faithful Brothers (16:1-16)
E) Towards those who cause dissension (16:17-23)

--
Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him
from the dead? Did you know God saves you from hell and
gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,
not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.
1:8-9)? This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the
glory (Eph. 2:8-9).
______________________________________________
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www.twitter.com/faithguard
www.facebook.com/faithguard
______________________________________________

Hebrews 13: Remain Confident In Christ: By Serving With Gratitude

Hebrews 13

Theme: Remain Confident in Christ

B) Ways
12) By offering grateful service

Chapter 12 closed with the instruction to "show gratitude, by
which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence
and awe..." (28 NAS). Chapter 13 seems to immediately follow
with several ways to offer grateful service.

1) By loving the brethren (1); 2) by showing hospitality to
strangers (2); 3) by sympathizing with christian prisoners
(3); 4) by keeping marriage pure (from fornication and
adultery); 5) by staying content (because God is present); 6)
by imitating faithful leaders (7); 7) by standing firm in
doctrine (8-10); 8) by separating from false teachers
(11-14); 9) by giving thanks to God (15); 10) by sharing with
others (16); 11) by obeying your leaders (17); 12) by praying
for missionaries (18-19); 13) by relying on God's grace
(20-21).

Verses 20-21 again seem to confirm that these instructions
explain how to serve God acceptably. We have already been
told that without faith it is impossible to serve God, and
here we are told that God is the one who equips and works in
us to serve Him in a pleasing way (cf. Eph. 2:8-10; Php.
2:13). Romans 6 explains it is faith in the death and
resurrection of Christ, and the fact the indwelling Holy
Spirit has placed us into this work which empowers us to yield
our members as instruments of righteousness to God.

--
Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him
from the dead? Did you know God saves you from hell and
gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,
not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.
1:8-9)? This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the
glory (Eph. 2:8-9).
______________________________________________
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www.twitter.com/faithguard
www.facebook.com/faithguard
______________________________________________

1 Thessalonians 5

1 Thessalonians 5



Theme: Wait for Christ



3. By abounding in love (3:12 - 5:28)



*The theme of the whole epistle is to "wait for Christ". This is
necessary when believers endure persecution for their faith.
Punishment will come on persecutors during the tribulation and
after.  Christ will rapture believers before the tribulation, saving them
from persecution and tribulation wrath. In light of these facts,
believers should wait for Christ. Chapter five shows how to wait for
Christ: by abounding in love. This includes encouraging others with rapture
hope (1-11), and practicing love in a variety of ways (12-28).*

Abounding in love means encouraging others with rapture hope (4:13 -
5:11).



The words used for "Now" (peri de), in verse one, are those used to
show a sharp contrast in subjects. 4:13-18 just taught about the
rapture of the church, something the Thessalonians had not heard
about before. By contrast, the events described in 5:1-11, pertained to
events which the Thessalonians had been taught, and were described in
the OT: The day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord describes life
during the tribulation, when, after an unmentioned church age, the
anti-christ makes a peace treaty with Israel, and the Lord begins to
pour wrath on the inhabitants of the earth (Revelation 4; cf.
Daniel).



Thus, the rapture, or time when Christ catches the church up to
Himself, is not the "Day of the Lord".  In addition to the strong contrast "Now", in 5:1, there are a series of other contrasts which show that those who go through the Day of the Lord, are different from church age believers, who will be raptured "from" (not out of) tribulation wrath (1-3; cf. 1:10; Rev. 3:10). He

first says "you" know the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night, while "they" are saying "Peace and safety!". The destruction which comes, is said to come on "them", and it is "they" who will not escape.

By contrast, "you brethren", are not in darkness" (4-8).



This means believers know about the events of the day, but also that they are no longer members of the kingdom of darkness, who will enter the
tribulation, as are the unsaved (cf. Col. 1). Believers, are sons of
light, having been delivered from the domain of darkness, and
transferred to the kingdom of Christ (Col. 1:13). Since
believers are of the day, and not of the night, like those unsaved people who will enter the tribulation, they should put on faith, love, and the
hope of salvation.



In contrast to the wrath which will come upon the unsaved during the
tribulation, and the judgments which follow, "God has not destined us
for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ"
(9). This includes not only salvation from the penalty, power, and
presence of our sins, but also from the very "hour" in which
tribulation wrath comes upon the unsaved inhabitants of the earth
(cf. 1:10; Rev. 3:10).



Christ died for us, so that whether we are dead or alive, ready

(spiritually alert) or not, we may live together with Him (10).
4:13-18 indicates it is the rapture of the church from the earth
which accomplishes this goal of bringing the church to live with Christ.
5:9-11 apparently equates this union of believers with Christ to
salvation from tribulation and eternal wrath. Thus, Christ will
rapture the church before the tribulation, saving it from wrath,
something they are "not" appointed to. This hope of salvation from
tribulation and eternal wrath, is a truth which should
"encourage" and "build up" other believers (11).



Abounding in love means practicing it in a variety of ways (5:12 -
28).



The passage mentions several practical ways to abound in love towards
others. It says, to appreciate and respect those who diligently
labor and teach (13-14), to admonish the unruly, encourage the
fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with all men (14). Verse 15 says to "see that no one repays another with evil for evil". Rather,
believers should "always seek after that which is good for one
another and for all men".



Other brief instructions include those to "rejoice always; pray
without ceasing", and to give thanks in everything (16-18a). Such
conduct is "God's will" for believers (18b). What believers are not
supposed to do is "quench the Spirit" (19), which may include
despising "prophetic utterances." Instead, they should examine
everything carefully, hold fast to that which is good (21), and
"abstain from every form of evil" (22).



Since the Bible is now complete, believers do not receive any
additional revelation, or prophecy. The Scriptures, however, are
God's revelation and prophecy to the church, and are what the
Spirit uses to defend and confirm gospel truth in the lives of believers (Eph. 6:17b; Heb. 4:12-13; Matt. 4; 1 Pet. 1:23-25; etc.). As such, believers should not despise the Bible, but hold fast to its truths. Also, Romans
6:1-11, and Galatians 5 tell us to walk in step with the Spirit,
yielding ourselves to God's will, by faith in Christ.



In closing, verses 23 through 28 wish God's sanctification, and
blameless preservation upon the Thessalonians, reminding them
that God had called them, and is able to complete these things in their lives
(23-24). He asks them to pray for the missionary team (25), to greet
and read this letter to all the brethren (26-27), and commends
them to the presence of Christ's grace (28).



--
Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him
from the dead? Did you know God saves you from hell and
gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,
not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.
1:8-9)? This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the
glory (Eph. 2:8-9).
______________________________________________
www.faithguard.org
www.twitter.com/faithguard
www.facebook.com/faithguard
______________________________________________

Hebrews 12: Christ Is A Better Prize (Enduring Trials)

Hebrews 12

Theme: Remain Confident in Christ

B) Ways
11) By enduring trials

Chapter 12 gives several reasons to endure trials for our
faith in Christ.

Because witnesses surround us (1).

All the examples of faith in chapter 11 refer to believers who
endured trials in hope of a better inheritance than the world
has to offer. Such faith motivated them to brave obedience,
and resulted in a better reward.

Because Jesus endured the cross (2-3).

By focusing on Jesus, the starter and finisher of our faith,
we may remain confident of our inheritance. Jesus endured
great hostility, shame, and death to secure the benefits of
our salvation, and this should motivate us to endure trials
for hope in Him.

Because chastening proves sonship (4-8).

One of the reasons we face hardships and testing is because we
are children of God. God disciplines believers like a father
corrects his children. The fact that we can't get away with
sin proves we are children of God, and this should encourage
us to endure His painful corrections.

Because discipline yields fruit (9-17).

Like the discipline a child receives from his father, God's
chastening is first sorrowful to us, but then bears the fruit
of righteous living in our lives. Knowing this should make
hardship easier to endure. Although in our standing, we are
separated from sin and consecrated to God once for all in
Christ, God continues to conform us more and more to the image
of His son in our daily experience. This grace calls for holy
living. Esau rejected the hope of his inheritance to escape
the pressure of daily trials, and was then unable to
experience the benefits of his inheritance during life on
earth.

Because inheritance awaits us (18-24).

A heavenly city and the fellowship of believers and God await
those who remain confident in Christ as their inheritance (cf.
Rev. 21-22). These benefits are better than anything which
can be gained on earth, because material things have been
shaken in the past and will be shaken in the future, so that
only God's eternal inheritance will remain.

Because God is consuming fire (25-29).

Those who refused God's promised inheritance under the OT
covenant did not escape the severe discipline of God. Since
God will shake away all those material things in which we
might be tempted to place our hope, and since God now warns us
from heaven instead of earth, we should be grateful for His
promised inheritance, and stand in awe of God.

--
Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him
from the dead? Did you know God saves you from hell and
gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,
not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.
1:8-9)? This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the
glory (Eph. 2:8-9).
______________________________________________
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______________________________________________

1 Thessalonians 4: How To Wait For Christ (By Abounding In Love)

1 Thessalonians 4



Theme: Wait for Christ



3. By abounding in love (3:11 - 5:28)



*The prayer in 3:11-13, is that the Thessalonians abound, or increase
and overflow in their love for one another and all men. Such love
establishes a blameless and holy testimony among men, anticipates the
return of Christ, and includes abstaining from sexual immorality
(4:1-8), leading a quiet life (4:9-12), and comforting others with
resurrection hope (4:13-18).*



Abounding in love involves abstaining from sexual immorality (1-8).
"Immorality", here, refers to any kind of sex the Bible doesn't
authorize. Possessing your own body in sanctification and honor
means you control your body and passions, and avoid going too far, by
flaming the fan of desire in someone else, thereby taking
advantage of them. This kind of consecration is God's will, pleases Him, and is
made possible as we, by faith in Christ, yield ourselves to the
indwelling Holy Spirit (cf. Romans 6:1-11). Abounding in love means
abstaining from sexual immorality.



Abounding in love involves leading a quiet life (9-12). The Thessalonians were already bearing the fruit of love for the brethren, but were urged to excel still more. Apparently, some believers were under the impression that since Christ could return at any moment, there was no need to continue working. This may have bothered believers who supported them, and injured the reputation of

non-working believers, with creditors of the world. Such the passage
exhorts to lead a "quiet" life, and work with their hands to provide
for their own financial needs. The concept of being "quiet", is used
elsewhere, to denote a settled, undisturbing manner of behavior,
where one minds his own business. It does not, however, require total
cessation of speech. In Acts 11, for example, some Jews "took issue"
with Peter, for eating with Gentiles. After Peter explained that God
had instructed him to, and had given the Spirit to the Gentiles as
well, they "quieted down, and glorified God, saying...".  Abounding in
love means leading a quiet life.



Abounding in love involves comforting others with resurrection hope
(13-18). Some believers may have become concerned about what
happened to their loved ones (believers) who died before Christ returned for
the church. Would they too be resurrected? Yes. As Christ rose
from the dead, He would first raise physically dead believers, when He
returned for the church. These, followed by believers who will be
living at that time, will be "caught up" ("raptured ") together with
Christ, to meet Him "in the air", and ever live with Him. Abounding
in love involves comforting others with resurrection hope.



--
Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him
from the dead? Did you know God saves you from hell and
gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,
not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.
1:8-9)? This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the
glory (Eph. 2:8-9).
______________________________________________
www.faithguard.org
www.twitter.com/faithguard
www.facebook.com/faithguard
______________________________________________

Hebrews 11: Christ Is A Better Prize

Hebrews 11

Theme: Remain Confident in Christ

A) Reasons
3) Because He is a Better Prize (11-13)

Faith is an assurance of things we hope for, and a conviction
about things we have not seen (1). For example, by faith we
understand that God made the world out of nothing. Hebrews 11
shows our need to remain confident in Christ as our hope of
future inheritance, rather than those things we can see and
handle. The reason for this is because He is a better
prize...

Than worldly praise (11:1-6)

Faith in Christ is Better than worldly praise, because God
commends those who believe in Him. God commended Abel for
offering a better sacrifice, by faith, than his brother Cain
(4). This may picture that faith in Christ's sacrifice
results in God's testimony that we are righteous
(justification), while faith in the fruit of our own labors
(such as offered by Cain), do not merit God's approval.

Enoch also pictures someone God approves of. Because he lived
by faith in God's promises, he "obtained the witness that...he
was pleasing to God." God took Enoch into heaven alive, and
this pictures the believer's hope that he will be taken to
heaven by Christ, to receive the fulfillment of the promised
inheritance of eternal life with God.

Than worldly possessions (11:8-22)

Faith in Christ is better than worldly possessions, because He
promises eternal life in a heavenly city for those who wait
for Him (Rev. 21-22). Faith in God's promises motivated
humble and obedient living in Abraham and Sarah.

For example, Abraham believed God's promise of a seed, and was
therefore willing to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, because he
believed God would have to raise him from the dead to keep his
word. Belief in the resurrection of Christ and God's promise
to raise all believers with a glorious body (1 Cor. 15),
enables us to obey Christ even in the face of death, in the
hope of resurrection.

Even though Jacob was in the most prosperous nation on earth,
he blessed his children in hope of God's promises instead, and
Joseph, requested his bones to be buried in the promised land.

Than worldly pleasures (11:23-29)

Christ is better than worldly pleasures, because worldly
pleasures are only "passing", but Christ is a permanent
reward. Moses could have had all the pleasures of Egypt, but
endured ill treatment with his people instead. He also did
not fear what Pharaoh would do to him because of faith in
Christ. This should motivate believers to choose the
permanent possession of Christ over the passing pleasures of
sin, and to endure ill treatment for their faith in Christ.

Than worldly power (11:30-35)

Christ is better than worldly power, because He gives present
and future victory over sin, evil, and death. Many who
believed God's promise to give them the land of Canaan fought
bravely and gained victory over the enemies of God. Those who
did not believe in God's promise to give them victory and an
inheritance, wandered in the wilderness of sin and died.
Christ corresponds to the believers promised inheritance land,
and by faith in His death and resurrection we gain victory
over guilt, sin and evil in this present life, and receive an
eternal inheritance in glory (cf. Rom. 6 - 8).

Than worldly peace (11:36 - 12:3)

Christ is better than worldly peace, because He alone provides
resurrection from the dead (cf. 1 Cor. 15). Such hope
motivated people of God to endure reproach, torture, and
poverty for their faith.

--
Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him
from the dead? Did you know God saves you from hell and
gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,
not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.
1:8-9)? This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the
glory (Eph. 2:8-9).
______________________________________________
www.faithguard.org
www.twitter.com/faithguard
www.facebook.com/faithguard
______________________________________________

1 Thessalonians 3: How To Wait For Christ (Enduring Opposition)

1 Thessalonians 3

Theme: Wait for Christ

2) By enduring opposition (2:13 - 3:10)

*This passage gives several ways Paul sought to encourage the

Thessalonians to endure opposition: By sending Timothy (1-2;

5-8), by reminding them to expect opposition (3-4), and by praying for them

(9-10)*.

Having been forced to leave Thessalonica prematurely (possibly in as

little as three or four weeks after arriving; Acts 17:2), due to the

persecution of some unbelieving Jews, the missionary team went to

Berea. The Jews followed them, and forced them out of that city as

well. Paul went on from there to Athens, leaving Silas and Timothy

behind to complete the work. From Athens, Paul sent for them (Acts

17:10-15), and then sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to

establish and comfort them (1 Thess. 3:1-5). Paul went to Corinth

alone (Acts 18:1), and shortly afterward, Silas and Timothy met him

there (Acts 18:5). Timothy returned a good report about the

Thessalonians' love for Paul, and stand in the faith during persecution

(3:6-9). From Corinth, Paul then wrote this Epistle to express thanks for their

faith, explain his absence, and complete that which was lacking in

their faith (3:10).

The missionary team first sent Timothy, to check on, strengthen and

encourage the Thessalonians to stand in their faith (1-2; 5-8).

Faith in Bible doctrine (specifically the return of Christ for the church,

and punishment of those who persecute us: cf. 4:13 - 5:11; 2 Thess.

1:4-10) provides a basis for enduring afflictions. Sending a mature

believer along side of new converts helps to strengthen, encourage,

and complete what is lacking in their faith.

The missionary team reminded them to expect opposition (3-4).

They had suffered it, and had told the Thessalonians it would come.

Expecting opposition will make it easier to endure once it arrives

(cf. John 16:1-4).

The team also continued in prayer for the Thessalonians, thanking

God for their existing faith, praying they would continue to stand in it,

and that they might have opportunity to complete what was lacking in

their faith. Follow-up Bible study is key to establishing new converts in the faith, and encouraging them to endure opposition.  The missionaries

continued in prayer to this end.

--

Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him

from the dead? Did you know God saves you from hell and

gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,

not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.

1:8-9)? This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the

glory (Eph. 2:8-9).

______________________________________________

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www.facebook.com/faithguard

______________________________________________

Hebrews 10: Christ Is A Better Sacrifice

Hebrews 10

Theme: Remain Confident in Christ

A) Reasons
    2) Because He is a better Priest (4:14 - 10:39)
        d) Priest of a better sacrifice (10:1-39)

This passage shows several reasons Christ's sacrifice is
better than that of the Levitical priests, and several ways to
apply this truth.

A) Reasons Christ's Sacrifice Is Better

1) Because it is the form (1a).   Animal sacrifices were only
a shadow, or type of Christ.  They pictured a sinless
substitute bearing man's guilt for sin.  Christ, however, is
the form.  He is the substance which casts the shadow.  The
sacrifice of His own body for man's sin is the substantive
payment which the OT sacrifices pointed to.

2) Because it removes guilt (1-4). That animal sacrifices were
unable to cleanse a believers' conscience is evident from the
fact that they had to be offered repeatedly (2).  Rather than
remove sin, they only reminded the believer of it (3).  In
fact, "It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to
take away sins." (4 NAS).  Since Christ's sacrifice removes
sin once for all, it cleanses the believer's conscience.

3) Because it pleases God (5-9).  God said He was not pleased
with the animal sacrifices and offerings (5-6; cf. Ps.
40:6ff.).  God was, however, pleased with the human body
Christ took on and offered as a sacrifice for man's sin (7-9).
1 John 2:2 and Romans 3:25 say Christ's death satisfied all
God's righteous demands against sin.

4) Because it sanctifies forever (10-18).  The animal
sacrifices had to be offered again and again, but Christ's
death removes sin once and for all.  This is evident from the
fact that after He rose, He ascended into heaven and sat down
at the right hand of God.  Christ's sacrifice of His own body
for our sin, permanently cleanses believers of sin with regard
to their positional standing before God.

5) Because there is no other sacrifice (26-31)

The statement in verse 26 that "if we go on sinning willfully"
seems to refer to those who "throw away" their confidence in
Christ.  For these, "there no longer remains a sacrifice for
sins, but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment".  This
seems to mean there is no other sacrifice, than that which
Christ has already made, which can pay for sin.  To reject
this sacrifice would expose the believer to the fury of God.

As stated in previous chapters, though, this letter is written
to believers, and believers cannot loose their salvation.  The
only interpretation which seems to survive cross examination
from other passages of Scripture and the context of Hebrews is
that this apostasy refers to those who were saved but departed
from their confidence in Christ to the extent that God
severely chastened them.

B) How To Show Confidence In Christ's Sacrifice

    6) By drawing near to God (19-22)

Guilt made Adam shrink away from God and hide (Gen. 3:8-11)
Knowing Christ has effectively cleansed you from guilt once
for all, should give you confidence to enter God's presence
and wait for Christ's appearing.

    7) By holding fast our confession (23)

God is faithful.  After He saves you from the penalty of sin,
He also saves from the power of sin (including guilt) in your
daily life, and then from the very presence of sin in glory.
The believer should remain confident in Christ the High Priest
for deliverance from daily sin, in hope of final deliverance
from the presence of sin in his inheritance rest in glory (cf.
Rom. 8).

    8) By provoking love in others (24-25)

The word "stimulate" (24), comes from roots which mean to be
sharp, irritate, or provoke.  This word is used to describe
the "sharp" contention between Paul and Apollos (Acts 15:39).
Believers should consider how to provoke one another to love
and good deeds.

    9) By assembling with other believers (25)

Simply showing up at worship meetings is a way to be
encouraged and encourage others in the faith.

  10) By exhorting one another (25b)

This word means to "call to one's side".  It involves speaking
to them in such a way as to comfort, instruct, and encourage
them.

  11) By remembering former good works (32-34)

Hebrews 6:10 says God remembers the past good works He has
wrought in us (cf. Eph. 2:8-10).  Verse 32 refers to the
Hebrews' "former days", when they endured great conflicts,
sufferings, reproaches, and tribulations for their faith in
Christ, as well as their sympathy for those who endured the
same.  Remembering God's past fruit and deliverance in our
lives should also encourage us to endure in hope of Christ's
appearing (37-39).

-- 
Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him
from the dead?  Did you know God saves you from hell and
gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,
not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.
1:8-9)?  This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the
glory (Eph. 2:8-9).
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______________________________________________

1 Thessalonians 2: How To Wait For Christ (Enduring Opposition)

1 Thessalonians 2

Theme: Wait for Christ

1) By respecting godly teachers (2:1-12)
2) By enduring opposition (2:13 - 3:10)

By Respecting Godly Teachers (2:1-12)

The way these verses recount and defend the ministry of the missionary
team at Thessalonica, seems to suggest that someone was discrediting
their reputation. To discredit the messengers is to discredit their
message, which was the Word of God. Since faith in God's Word is
crucial to waiting for Christ, this passage shows why the
Thessalonians should respect godly teachers, and thus hold faith in
their message.

To show their sincere motives in preaching the gospel, Paul recalls
how the team came and taught after much mistreatment and opposition in
Philippi (2). They had never sought to please or glorify men, but only
God (3-6). They treated the Thessalonians gently, as a nursing mother
cares for her children (7-8). Further, they had worked day and night
to support themselves (9), and charged the Thessalonians nothing.
They behaved devoutly, blamelessly, and uprightly (10), and exhorted
them in God's ways, like a Father does his own children (11-12). Such
a ministry is sincere. It calls for respect (cf. 5:12-13), and
continued faith in God's Word.

By enduring opposition (2:13 - 3:10)

The missionary team constantly thanked God because the Thessalonians
received their message as the Word of God (13). Also, they had
imitated the faith of other churches by enduring the opposition of
unbelieving Jews, as had Christ (15), and the missionary team (16; cf.
Acts 16:22 - 17:15). The statement that such persecutors always fill
up the measure of their sins, may mean that they reach the limit of
sin which God will allow before He brings wrath upon them (cf. Genesis
15:16; Dan. 8:23). The wrath which is come upon them may refer to the
coming tribulation, when Israel will be especially tried by judgments
from heaven (cf. 1:10; 2 Thess. 1:7-10), or the eternal destruction of
unbelievers in the lake of fire (Rev. 20), which follows. Paul was
eager to return to them, because they were his joy and crown (17-20).
Sometimes, waiting for Christ means enduring opposition.

--
Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him
from the dead? Did you know God saves you from hell and
gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,
not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.
1:8-9)? This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the
glory (Eph. 2:8-9).
______________________________________________
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www.facebook.com/faithguard
______________________________________________

Hebrews 9: Christ Is Priest Of A Better Sanctuary

Hebrews 9

Theme: Remain Confident in Christ

2) Because He is a better Priest (4:14 - 10:39)
C) Priest of a better Sanctuary (9)

We should remain confident in Christ, because He is the priest
of a better sanctuary. His blood brings us into the presence
of God with confidence, having cleansed our conscience from
guilt once for all, and insures us of an eternal hope of
inheritance.

1-10: The OT sanctuary excluded men from the Holy presence of
God. Priests of the earthly sanctuary could only enter this
Holy of Holies once a year. Their animal blood only made
people ceremonially clean, but could not cleanse the
conscience.

11-28: Christ entered the heavenly Holy of Holies, offering
His own blood once for all, removing all guilt, obtaining an
eternal redemption. Therefore His blood cleanses our
conscience, brings us into the presence of God, inaugurates
the New Covenant, and assures His return for our salvation
rather than judgment for sin.

We should remain confident in Christ, because He is the priest
of a better sanctuary.

--
Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him
from the dead? Did you know God saves you from hell and
gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,
not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.
1:8-9)? This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the
glory (Eph. 2:8-9).
______________________________________________
www.faithguard.org
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______________________________________________

--
Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him
from the dead? Did you know God saves you from hell and
gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,
not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.
1:8-9)? This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the
glory (Eph. 2:8-9).
______________________________________________
www.faithguard.org
www.twitter.com/faithguard
www.facebook.com/faithguard
______________________________________________

1 Thessalonians 1

1 Thessalonians 1



Theme: Wait for Christ



Introduction (1:1-10).



Before Paul begins instructing the Thessalonians how to wait for

Christ, he first thanks God for the fruit which is already evident in

their lives: faith, hope, and love (1-3).



They imitated the godly testimony of the missionary team, with joy,

even during a time of "severe" tribulation (6).



They set an example for all the believers in the region (7-8).  2
Cor. 8:1-8

says that in their poverty, they voluntarily gave themselves,
then their

substance, during a time of tribulation, to meet the material
needs of the saints.



They turned to God from idols (9), served Him (9b), and waited
for the return

of Christ from heaven (10).



The fruit they bore showed they were God's elect, and that they
would be saved, by the return of Christ, _from_ (rather than "out
of") the wrath to come

(cf. Rev. 3:10).

Hebrews 8: Christ Is Priest Of A Better Covenant

Hebrews 8



Theme: Remain Confident in Christ



A) Reasons

    2) Because He is a better priest (4:14 - 10:39)

        B) Priest of a better Covenant (8:1-13)



Verses 1-5 conclude Christ is a better priest because His work

is a finished work, and because He ministers in the heavenly

tabernacle rather than the one on earth (2-5).  More will be

said about these facets of Christ's priesthood in the

following chapters.  Verse 6 introduces the subject of chapter

8, i.e. Christ is priest of a better covenant.



There are several reasons the promise of the New Covenant is

Christ mediates, is better than the MOSAIC covenant of Law.



1) Because it changes your heart (8-11).  Romans 7 indicates

the OT Law cannot incline you to obey God.  When you hear

God's will in the Law, it compels your fallen nature to rebel.

This shows your inability to meet God's standard in the

strength of your flesh, and that you deserve condemnation.  As

such, Galatians 3 says this Law was a tutor to lead us to

Christ so we could be justified by faith rather than personal

merit.  Under the New Covenant, God imparts a new regenerate

nature (2 Cor. 5:17).  When you trust Christ, the Holy Spirit

indwells you, and faith in Christ's death and resurrection

empowers you to yield your members as instruments of

righteousness to God (Rom. 6:1ff.)



2) Because it gives you understanding (11).  1 Cor. 2:6-16

says the Holy Spirit takes spiritual truths from the word of

God and reveals them to the understanding of those who trust

Christ.  As such, every believer, under the New Covenant, has

"the mind of Christ" (16 NAS).  This is better than the Old

Covenant, which required the people to "teach everyone his

fellow citizen, and everyone his brother, saying, 'know the

Lord' (Heb. 8:11).



3) Because it removes guilt (12).  The Law reminded people of

sin as the offerings had to be repeated day by day.  As such,

you could not serve God with a conscience clear from guilt. By

contrast, the New Covenant includes a provision whereby God

"will remember their sins no more" (12 NAS).  Christ's once

for all atonement satisfies all God's righteous demands

against all sin of all time (1 John 2:2), giving God a

righteous ground for forgetting one's sin altogether.  To

forget sins does not mean that God has no recollection of

them, but that He no longer holds them against us, because

Christ's death satisfies all His righteous demands against

them.  As such, the New Covenant enables you to serve God with

a clear conscience.



God has declared the Old Covenant obsolete by introducing the

New Covenant, which changes the heart, imparts understanding,

and removes guilt.  Christ is a better priest because He is

priest of this better covenant.

1 Thessalonians: How To Wait For Christ

Book: 1 Thessalonians

Background:

Paul, Silas, and Timothy came to Thessalonica after being persecuted
in Philippi (Acts 16; 17:1ff). On three Sabbaths, Paul reasoned with
the Jews in the synagogue, 1) that the OT predicted a Messiah who
would suffer, die, and rise again, and 2) that Jesus fulfilled these
prophecies (17:3). Many Jews, and some wives of Gentile authorities,
believed (17:4). The missionary team was forced to leave the city
prematurely, however, when some jealous and angry Jews hired a
mob and
put the city in an uproar (5). They finally sent Timothy back to
encourage them in their affliction, and find out about their faith
(3:1-5). When Timothy returned with a good report, Paul sent this
letter (3:6-10).

Content:

Chapter 1 expresses thankfulness for their faith, hope, and love.
2:1-12 recounts the blameless character of their teachers, and
2:13 -
3:10 the persecution they endured for their faith. 3:11 - 5:28 gives
practical instructions about excelling in love. Each chapter relates
its contents to the return of Christ for the church (1:10; 2:19;
3:13;
4:13-18; 5:1-11, 23).

Purpose:

To encourage them to wait for Christ's return (1:1-10), by respecting
their teachers (2:1-12), enduring opposition (2:13 - 3:10), and
abounding in love (3:11 - 5:28).

Theme: Wait for Christ

Outline:

Introduction (1:1-10)
1. By respecting godly teachers (2:1-12)
2. By enduring opposition (2:1 - 3-10)
3. By abounding in love (3:11 - 5:28)

--
Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him
from the dead? Did you know God saves you from hell and
gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,
not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.
1:8-9)? This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the
glory (Eph. 2:8-9).
______________________________________________
www.faithguard.org
www.twitter.com/faithguard
www.facebook.com/faithguard
______________________________________________

Hebrews 7: Remain Confident In Christ

Hebrews 7



Theme: Remain Confident in Christ



2) Because He is a better Priest (4:14 - 10:39)

    A) Priest of a better order [Melchizedekian] (7)



The Hebrew believers to whom this letter was apparently

written, were in danger of dropping faith in Christ, and again

putting their faith in the Aaronic priesthood of the OT.  To

keep them confident in Christ's priesthood, chapter seven

presses on to deeper spiritual truths, showing why Christ is

priest of a better order (Melchizedekian) than Aaron.



Jesus preached from "all" the OT Scriptures the things

regarding Himself (Lk. 24:27).  He warned the Scribes and

Pharisees that the OT Bible they searched in hope of eternal

life pointed to Him (Jn. 5:39). Paul also used the OT to

convince Jewish people that Jesus is the Christ (Ac. 17:1-4).

As such, the account of  Melchizedek (Gen. 14:17-24), although

historical, is also a picture which reveals spiritual truths

about Christ.  There are several reasons why Christ, after the

order of Melchizedek, is a superior priest.



1) Because Abraham paid tithes to him (2-10).  Since Levi was

in his loins at the time, the Levitical and Aaronic priesthood

demonstrated Melchizedek was a superior order of priest by

paying tithes to him through Abraham.



2) Because He is a King priest (2b).  Melchizedek's name means

king of righteousness and king of peace.  Christ fulfills this

type as He is a priest who is also king of righteousness and

peace (Ps. 45:6-7; 72:1-7; Isa. 9:6-7; Jer. 23:5-6Jer. 33:16;

Rom. 3:26; Eph. 2:14-18).



3) Because He is an eternal priest (3, 23-25).  The Levitical,

Aaronic priesthood was weak in that it consisted of men who

died.  By contrast, there is no record of Melchizedek's

genealogy.  As such, we are not able to trace his beginning or

ending, and he pictures an eternal priest.  This type is

realized in Christ  who holds His priesthood permanently, by

the "power of an indestructible life".  He is therefore able

"to save forever those who draw near to God through Him" (25).



4) Because He is priest of a new covenant (11-22).  In Psalm

110:4, God indicates He will institute a king priest forever,

"according to the order of Melchizedek".  The kingly line came

through  Judah, rather than Levi, and thus God introduces a

new order of priesthood to that of the OT system.



5) Because He was sworn in by God (20-22).  Levitical priests

were not sworn into office by an oath of God.  In Psalm 110:4,

however, God takes an oath that He will install Messiah as an

eternal king-priest. This makes Christ the "guarantee of a

better covenant" (NAS) to that of the OT priesthood.



6) Because He is a sinless priest (26-28).  OT priests were

sinners, had to offer sacrifices for their own sins, and had

to repeatedly offer sacrifices for the sins of the people they

represented before God.  Christ, on the other hand, was

sinless.  This qualified Him to make a single sacrifice of

Himself as a once for all atonement for the sins of His

people.  More is said about this later.

Hebrews 6

Hebrews 6
(http://bit.ly/5di80p)

Theme: Remain Confident in Christ

B) Ways
5) By pressing on to maturity (con't)

Chapter 6 gives a solemn warning of the believer's need to
press on to a mature understanding of Christ, so they may
remain confident in His promise of rest (i.e. deliverance from
the power of sin in daily life, and presence of sin in glory).
There seem to be several reasons to press on to maturity.

A) Because God chastens fruitless believers (1-8). "For in
the case of those who have once been enlightened...and have
fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to
repentance...ground that drinks the rain...but..yields thorns
and thistles...ends up being burned...(4-8 NAS). This passage
has at least four possible interpretations, most of which can
be eliminated by the context or clear references in other
passages of Scripture:

1) A believer will loose his salvation if He falls away from
His profession of faith. This view is impossible, because
Romans 8:30ff. indicates everyone who ever becomes saved in
the first place (justified), will also be glorified (future),
and that nothing in time or space is able to separate the
believer from this love of God.

2) This refers to people who made professions, but were never
actually saved. Although possible, much of the context of
Hebrews seems to indicate that believers are in view. The
description of those who have "once been enlightened and have
tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of
the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the
powers of the age to come" (4-5), seems to best fit a
believer.

3) This describes a hypothetical situation which could never
really happen. Support for this view comes from the KJV
translation _"If"_ they shall fall away". It is argued that
it is only impossible to renew someone to repentance "if" they
fall away, and that it is impossible for a true believer to
fall away, therefore the warning is only hypothetical.
However, the word "if" ("kai") almost always means
"and". Thus, the text more accurately describes "those who
have once been enlightened...and have fallen away" (NAS), as
if such cases could occur.

4) This describes people who are truly saved, but who deviate
from the truth to the extent that they become fruitless and
severely chastened by God. This view seems to best fit the
context and language.

Those "who have once been enlightened" elsewhere seems to
refer to those who are truly saved (cf. 10:32; 2 Cor. 4:3-6).
Those "who have tasted the heavenly gift", also uses language
similar to that of believers when they first trust Christ
(John 4:10; Rom. 6:23; James 1:17-18). These were people who
"have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit". Hebrews 1:9
uses this word ("partaker") to refer to companions of Christ,
and "holy brethren" in 3:1 and 14.

Also, national Israel has been used as the example of people
who are truly redeemed (from Egypt, which typifies the
believer being redeemed from the slave market of sin), but
who fail to enter the rest of the promised inheritance (land)
because they don't believe God will also deliver them from its
giants. God chastened them to the point of physical death as
they wandered aimlessly in the wilderness of sin for 40 years.
Even Moses, whom we know was saved (cf. Heb. 11; Mt. 17:3),
did not enter the promised inheritance "rest" during life on
earth, being chastened by God because of disobedience (Num.
27:12-14; Deut. 3:21-29; 34:4).

Also, the illustration of people as land which drinks up rain,
but bears only thorns and thistles and ends up burned (7-8),
evokes ideas of hell, but may actually picture a common
farming practice. If land became useless because of weeds,
the field was burned, the growth consumed, and the land became
useful again.

1 Tim. 1:19-20 apparently describes a situation where those
who had suffered "shipwreck" with regard to their faith, would
benefit from chastening. Hebrews 12:4-13 calls on the
believer to endure the chastening process of God, noting it is
first sorrowful, then yields the peaceful fruit of
righteousness. 1 Peter 1:7 explains that full enjoyment of
our inheritance "rest" waits us in heaven, that the various
trials we experience now test and prove our faith like "fire"
purifies gold, and that we actually experience the joy of the
future aspects of our salvation while still here on earth as
we hope for it's completion at the appearing of Christ (cf.
Rom. 6-8).

This passage seems best understood as warning believers to
remain confident in Christ so they don't become fruitless, and
severely chastened by God.

B) Because God remembers your good works (9-12). Sin and
unbelief do not accompany salvation in the sense that they are
fruit of God's saving work, yet the believer struggles against his
old sin nature till glory (Rom. 6-8; cf. 1 John 1:5-10). As an
encouragement, this passage reminds the readers that God is
just, and remembers their love and ministry to the saints--fruit
which does accompany God's saving work.

C) Because God's keeps His promises (13-20). First, God is
truth, and does not lie, therefore His promise of deliverance
from the power and presence of sin should assure us it will
come to pass on our behalf (Rom. 6 - 8). Second, the fact God
swore to fulfill this promise to Abraham, should assure us
that He who has begun a good work in us will perform it until
the day of Jesus Christ (Gen. 22:17ff.; Philipp. 1:6). God's
promise to Abraham's seed is fulfilled in the person of
Christ, and therefore extended to every child of God through
faith in Him (see Gal. 3:7-29). Since there is no one greater
than God, this oath to Himself should assure us.

D) Because Christ has entered the Holy of Holies. Since
Christ is our High Priest and has entered the presence of God
in the heavenly holy of holies on our behalf, and since God
promised to deliver believers from the power and presence of
sin through faith in Christ, our hope of such salvation is
anchored securely in the presence of God. Therefore, we should
remain confident in Christ by pressing on to maturity, in the
hope of deliverance from the power and presence of sin by our
Great High Priest.

--
Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him
from the dead? Did you know God saves you from hell and
gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,
not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.
1:8-9)? This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the
glory (Eph. 2:8-9).
______________________________________________
www.faithguard.org
www.twitter.com/faithguard
www.facebook.com/faithguard
______________________________________________