By Bob Flynn on
8/30/2008 3:13 PM
"This he knows is the way to bring all religion to a mere lifeless formality, and effectually shut out the power of godliness, and every thing which is spiritual, and to have all true Christianity turned out of doors" Dr. Jonathan Edwards
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/29/2008 3:11 PM
"And if the Gentiles obey God's law, won't God declare them to be His own people?" (NLT)
"If the Gentile be found to act according to the spirit and design of the law, his acting thus uprightly, according to the light which God has afforded him, will be reckoned to him as if he were circumcised and walked agreeably to the law." Dr. Adam Clarke
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/28/2008 3:07 PM
"The Jewish ceremony of circumcision has value only if you obey God's law. But if you don't obey God's law, you are no better off than an uncircumcised Gentile." (NLT)
The rite of circumcision was the emblem by which the Jews relationship with Abrahamic covenant was recognized. However, to wear the emblem does not necessarily make you an heir to the promise!
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/27/2008 2:58 PM
"No wonder the Scriptures say, 'The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you.'" (NLT)
I would suggest that the same is true with regard to much of what is called modern Christianity.
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/26/2008 2:56 PM
"You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it." (NLT)
Or are we clinging to the notion that we have some kind of claim to prerogatives and perquisites?
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/25/2008 2:54 PM
"You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples?" (NLT)
If we look toward history we will find that Adultery was a most common crime in Israel.
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/24/2008 2:52 PM
"Well then, if you teach others, why don't you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal?" (NLT)
How often do we tell others how to live their lives while standing in the same ditch?
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/23/2008 2:46 PM
"You think you can instruct the ignorant and teach children the ways of God. For you are certain that God's law gives you complete knowledge and truth." (NLT)
By profession I am a soldier and take pride in that fact, but I am prouder to be a father. General Douglas MacArthur
Our hope is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that sets us free lest we too become the hypocrites of the faith putting the Bible under our arm to use as a seven-day deodorant pad.
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/22/2008 2:44 PM
"You are convinced that you are a guide for the blind and a light for people who are lost in darkness." (NLT)
Like the Jew, we too let our opinion of ourselves wax great!
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/21/2008 2:42 PM
"You know what He wants; you know what is right because you have been taught His law." (NLT)
Ignorance of the law is no excuse!
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/20/2008 2:39 PM
"You who call yourselves Jews are relying on God's law, and you boast about your special relationship with Him." (NLT)
We can see here that Paul argues that the very privileges that the Jews boast of will hold them to a stricter standard. If we extend this to all of God's people we could say that those who have grown up in Christian families may have learned what God's word says. However, if our lives to not reflect this we are no better than the heathen.
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/19/2008 2:38 PM
"And this is the message I proclaim—that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone's secret life." (NLT)
The secrets of men. The majority of our human lives lies hidden from our fellow-men, but when the judgment comes every secret shall be made known to all.
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/18/2008 2:35 PM
"They demonstrate that God's law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right." (NLT)
Medical science finds in our chromosomes various codes that sometimes bring with it a weakness toward specific diseases, maladies or the like.
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/17/2008 2:33 PM
Even Gentiles, who do not have God's written law, show that they know His law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it." (NLT)
So even though the Gentiles were not the possessors of the law (didn't have a God's written word) they knew in their innermost being its very precepts.
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/16/2008 2:31 PM
"For merely listening to the law doesn't make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in His sight." (NLT)
I suspect that we, like Israel, become fooled into thinking that because we own a Bible, read it, and perhaps even study it, that we have somehow become something!
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/15/2008 2:27 PM
"When the Gentiles sin, they will be destroyed, even though they never had God's written law. And the Jews, who do have God's law, will be judged by that law when they fail to obey it." (NLT)
This verse becomes the logical extension of the previous verse referring to God's impartiality. There is much debate by the Biblical scholars as to the exact intention of the word "law."
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/14/2008 2:20 PM
"For God does not show favoritism." (NLT)
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/13/2008 2:08 PM
What a stark contrast to the previous verse. From affliction and distress to blessing. Peace as opposed to tribulation. Approbation to honor.
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/12/2008 6:50 AM
The recompense for sin is clearly given upon everyone. Sin has and effect that cannot be thwarted just like gravity. We might think we have eluded its effects but nevertheless it holds us fast. The first instance of the Jew mentioned in this chapter heads the list since they were blessed with greater privileges by knowing God's law having abused greater mercies.
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/11/2008 1:14 PM
No matter how much we anticipate the pending loss of a loved one, knowing the result of age, ill health, or injury will have its way in the end, their death still comes unexpectedly. Our hearts are never ready to say goodbye. Isaiah says that "we all do fade as a leaf." James says that our life is like a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Why is it then that as vapors we should cling so tightly to our sojourn here? When faith call us onward and we trust to take
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/11/2008 6:33 AM
What then is the attitude of my heart? Do I serve Christ for all the wrong reasons? Is my heart moved by the mercies of Christ? Am I really in fellowship with Him? Real fellowship with Christ is always the answer! Yet the natural man is quarrelsome against the very person of God and chooses instead to obey unrighteousness.
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/10/2008 12:38 PM
Patient continuance - Who by perseverance in well doing, or in a good work. It means that they who so continue, or persevere, in good works as to evince that they are disposed to obey the Law of God. It does not mean those who perform one single act, but those who so live as to show that this is their character to obey God.
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/9/2008 12:34 PM
As I ponder the righteous judgment of God that could have been rendered deservedly toward me, His magnificent Grace looms large and thankfulness soars in my heart! Where would I be without Christ? Forever lost! Not one thing could I offer but a sin-stained life. Grace is truly a love that stoops!
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/8/2008 12:30 PM
Penitence is the work of the Holy Spirit upon the heart that allows us to grieve over our sin in the same way He grieves because of it. A word not used much these days in the politically correct world. However, the Word of God is NOT politically correct but rather sharp as a two edged sword that penetrates the very thoughts of man!
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/8/2008 7:41 AM
The word repentance occurs 24 times in the New Testament! How many times does it appear in our hearts?
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/7/2008 7:36 AM
Don't do as I do, do as I say! Sound familiar? Is this not the real grist of our fallen nature that began with Adam, "the woman you gave me made me do it." We are quick to neener, neener, neener everyone else while hiding that secret deep in our heart that will one day be brought into the light for everyone to see.
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/6/2008 7:31 AM
Do we really believe that the judgment of God really falls upon us? We tend to have a greater respect for gravity than for God Himself. Is the law of gravity more real than the "Law of Sin and Death" because scientist can see demonstrations of its existence? Yet the same God created both! The problem is we tend to ignore the evidence of the damage that our own sin brings into our lives. Yet Christ stands ready to mightily forgive!
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/5/2008 11:38 AM
American values are much in the public discourse these days. The topics that come to mind are: Abortion, Euthanasia, cloning, stem-cell research, and same sex marriage.
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/4/2008 11:12 AM
No claim to ignorance here. We knowingly enter into sin and applaud those who do the same. The Greek word here used is "to know fully, to gain or receive full knowledge of, to become fully acquainted with." This ought to strike fear in our hearts because the knowledge is of "the judgment of God!" No wonder, after completing this all encompassing indictment, ALL are found guilty.
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/3/2008 10:57 AM
"Without understanding," how can we be anything else but covenant-breakers? In the flesh we are the diametric opposite of God. Everything He is, we are not! We fool ourselves into thinking that this "marred visage" can be good and righteous but alas we are "treacherous to compacts, and covenant-breakers." Here we can see the result of the wrath of God inflicted against our sin. Not in the way you might think. Rather by the enforcement of His Divine Law. Sin has a reward! One of the more obvious manifestations of this in our world today is the lack of affection of mothers for their children. We now have laws to allow the mother of unwanted children to leave them at the fire station with now questions asked. Yet we still hear of newborn children left in trash bins and toilets.
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/2/2008 10:23 AM
It is the nature of our fleshly heart to be inventors of evil! A hard truth but nevertheless true. The more we deny it the harder our walk! Why? Because when we deny the truth of Scripture, we call the God who wrote it a liar! I suspect that is why the Apostle John mentions this in his epistle. Thankfully we have the Holy Spirit to guide us in learning to agree with God so that we may step into the light of His Grace and find not only forgiveness but the renewing of our mind!
|
By Bob Flynn on
8/1/2008 10:03 AM
"being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips," (NASB)
A poisonous morsel in her teeth she chewed,
And gorged the flesh of vipers for her food.
|