Tag: Romans

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Romans- Week 13- Day 1- Romans 14:1-4

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

(1) Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.  (2)  For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.  (3)  Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.  (4)  Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

Rom 14:1-4 

Explanation:

There is much potential diversity in a healthy local church.  A healthy local church consists of people that are a reflection of their community.  One area of diversity is in the spiritual maturity of those who are members.  Some are strong and mature in the faith.  Some are weak in the faith and immature.  There are people all along that spectrum who are growing from babes in Christ, to children, to adoscelecents, to young adults, and on into spiritual spiritual adulthood and maturity.  If a church is consistent in evangelism, discipleship and service there will be all of these kinds of believers in the body.  If there are few babes in Christ it may be an indication that there are few reproducing adults!  But this kind of diveristy can lead to disunity in the body, especially in areas that Paul calls “doubtful disputations”.  These are potential disputes or arguments that are not really that important and may never be settled.

Paul’s instructions to the local body is for the stronger to “receive” the weaker.  The word translated “receive” has the idea of taking into oneself, or to be hospitable and authentically loving to a person.  But in that reception it is not to bring about and foster these arguments.  As an illustration he speaks of the positions that people in the early churches took on eating.  Some believed that they should continue the Hebrew dietary laws from the old testament.  Some thought that they ought not eat meat offered to pagan idols.  These are referred to as weaker brothers.  There were others, those characterized as stronger in the faith, that understood their freedom in Christ and would partake of the food as a gift from God to be enjoyed.  Paul says to both parties not to despise the other for the position that each hath taken.  Why?  It is to God to judge in these kinds of matters.  The one who does not partake does not answer to the one who does, and the one who does  partake does not answer to the one who doesn’t.  God is the one to Whom we must give an answer. 

Application:

One of the dangers in this discussion is that someone would choose liscense and call it spiritual maturity.   Another danger is that one would point to the person of Biblical conviction and call them a legalist.  Yet another may look at a brother in Christ who understands there freedom in Christ and call them out as a compromiser.  This is exactly what this scripture is trying to avoid.

How much time is wasted in arguing over trivial things.  Jesus said that we will be known for our love one to another.  Love and unity must be passionately fought for on things that are explicit in scripture.   There must be a contending for the Truth.  We should not contend over “doubtful disputations”.  We must give our brothers and sisters in Christ room to grow in these areas.  There is a time to “agree to disagree” on the opinions we hold that are not clearly communicated in the Word of God.  We must do this by agreeing fervently together on the clear teaching of Scripture.  We must submit ourselves to the Word of God together, and become convictional in those Biblical doctrines.

Response:

  • Is there someone you need to “receive” today?
  • Is there a position that you hold that is creating disunity… in your local body of believers? …in your family?
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Romans- Week 12- Day 5- Romans 13:12-14

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

(12)  The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.  (13)  Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.  (14)  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Romans 13:12-14

Explanation:

The night is far spent.   The time where we will realize our redemption is drawing near.  We don’t know exactly when it will happen, but the truth is that for all of us it is immenent.  This is the “day” that the Holy Spirit is referring to in this passage. 

Morning is coming.  Let’s get ready to act like it’s about to be day.  He gets really practical when he talks about two description of “walking honestly, as in the day”.

Live according to that “day” culture not this one.  There is a “day” culture that is coming. Every action of man will be revealed.  Have you ever heard of someone doing something wrong “in the broad daylight”?  We say that because most of the time people try to do things they want to get away with at night time rather than the day time.  We are called to “walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkeness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.”

Rioting and drunkeness speak of a party lifestyle and all of the sexual and unclean evil that goes with it.  Often the partying leads to the strife and envying.

Live like Christ.  We are called to live like Jesus.  Don’t make provision for the flesh.  Make it hard to do the wrong thing. 

Application:

It’s so important to live rightly because of the day we live in.  Believers are called to share Christ with those around us.  Those without Christ must respond to Christ in repentance and salvation.  We don’t know how much time we have.  Therefore let us live with urgency and accountability, imitating Christ as our example and the source of our spiritual power.

Response:

How do you need to respond?  Is there a work of darkness that you need to drop?  Is there a person you need to share Christ with?

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Romans- Week 12- Day 4- Romans 13:11

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 

Romans 13:11 

Explanation:

Loving our neighbor and fullfilling the law of Christ is critical and urgent!  Why?  Because the “church age” that we live in is a time of making disciples of Jesus Christ.  The salvation of the lost is of upmost importance and the time for salvation is today!  The scripture says in 2 Corinthians 6:2b:

“…behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

Romans 13:11 compells us to “awake out of sleep”.  It is time to stop being indifferent to eternal things.  Every day that goes by is another day closer to realizing our salvation.  Why is this?  We are not promised tomorrow.  We could die at any point.

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 

James 4:14

Christ’s coming could happen at any point.

He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. 

Revelation 22:20

The New International Commentary on the New Testament stated it this way.

At the very close of the book is the confession that the answers to the problems of life do not lie in people’s ability to create a better world but in the return of the One whose sovereign power controls the course of human affairs. [“Christianity is not a faith which bids us look for a gradual upward march of man till he reaches an ideal state of civilisation” (Preston and Hanson, 145).] Redemptive history remains incomplete until Christ returns. It is for the final act in the great drama of redemption that the church waits with longing.

The New International Commentary of the New Testament

Application:

For the unbeliever there needs to be an awakening.  Stop sleeping when it comes to eternity!  Repent and call on the Lord for salvation.

For the believer there needs to be an awakening.  Everyone you know must make the decision to call on the name of the Lord.  Today is the day of salvation for everyone you know.

There should be an urgency about the eternal.

Response:

What does an urgent response to the fact that we could enter eternity at any time?

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Romans- Week 12- Day 3- Romans 13:8-10

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.  (9)  For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  (10)  Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. 

Romans 13:8-10 

Explanation:

There are some who come to the conclusion that “owe no man any thing” is a prohibition against taking on any kind of debt.  There are good reasons to take a conservative position on debt.  Yet the Bible does not condemn investing in other passages of scripture.  The Bible does speak against taking advantage of the poor by charging outrageous interest rates.  In the context here it is my view that Paul is saying that we should pay our main debt to others that never goes away- that is the debt of love to others.  The focus is not on financial practice, but on the real obligation that we have to others to show them the love of Christ.

The love we show is the summation of the law as Christ said.  All of the ten commandments are repeated in the new testament except the sabbath day command. 

Application:

To love God rightly we must love our neighbor as ourself.  If we get the love of God right we will get the love of others right.  As we get love for others right we will keep the commands given in the law because “love worketh no ill to his neighbor; therefore love is the fullfilling of the law.”

Response:

  • Who do you need to love better today?  
  • How can you show that love to them?
  • In what ways are you being unloving to others?