Christ died for sinners; not only such as were useless, but such as were guilty and hateful; such that their everlasting destruction would be to the glory of God's justice.  Christ died to save us, not in our sins, but from our sins; and we were yet sinners when he died for us.  Nay, the carnal mind is not only an enemy to God, but enmity itself, Rom 8:7; Col 1:21.  But God designed to deliver from sin, and to work a great change.  While the sinful state continues, God loathes the sinner, and the sinner loathes God, Zec 11:8.  And that for such as these Christ should die, is a mystery; no other such an instance of love is known, so that it may well be the employment of eternity to adore and wonder at it. (Matthew Henry)

The foundation of hope is an assured testimony of the conscience, by the gift of the Holy Spirit, that we are loved by God, and this is nothing else but that which we call faith, from which it follows that through faith our consciences are quieted. (Geneva Bible Translation Notes)

And patience experience,.... As tribulations tend to exercise and increase patience, so patience being exercised and increased, enlarges the saints' stock and fund of experience; of the love and grace of God communicated to them at such seasons; of his faithfulness in fulfilling his promises; of his power in supporting them; and of their own frailty and weakness; and so are taught humility, thankfulness, and resignation to the will of God:

 

and experience, hope; hope is a gift of God's grace, and is implanted in regeneration, but abounds, increases, and becomes more strong and lively by experience of the love, grace, mercy, power, and faithfulness of God. (Dr. John Gill)
 

Tribulation itself gives us different and various occasions to rejoice, and more than this it does not make us miserable.  Afflictions make us use to being patient, and patience assures us of the goodness of God, and this experience confirms and fosters our hope, which never deceives us. (Geneva Bible Translation Notes)

Remark here also the difference of Abraham's faith and ours.  He believed God could perform what He promised.  We are called to believe He has performed. (Dr. John Darby)

THROUGH false emphasis by many religious leaders, Christianity has become in the estimation of a large part of the public no more than an ethical system.  The revealed fact, however, is that the supreme feature of the Christian faith is that supernatural, saving, transforming work of God, which is made possible through the infinite sacrifice of Christ and which, in sovereign grace, is freely bestowed on all who believe.  Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer, Grace

Who was delivered up to death as a sacrifice for our sins; for in what other way, or for what other purpose could He, who is innocence itself, be delivered for our offenses? (Dr. Adam Clarke)

...that we might have an example of the way in which people may be accepted of God.  It is recorded for our encouragement and imitation, to show that we may in a similar manner be accepted and saved. (Dr. Albert Barnes)

The record of this extraordinary faith was not made on his account only; but it was made to show the way in which men may be regarded and treated as righteous by God. If Abraham was so regarded and treated, then, on the same principle, all others may be. God has but one mode of justifying people. (Dr. Albert Barnes)

His faith was so implicit, and so unwavering, that it was a demonstration that he was the firm friend of God. He was tried, and he had such confidence in God that he showed that he was supremely attached to him, and would obey and serve him. This was reckoned as a full proof of friendship; and he was recognized and treated as righteous; that is, as the friend of God. (Dr. Albert Barnes)

And being fully persuaded - πληροφορηθεις, his measure: his soul was full of confidence, that the truth of God bound him to fulfill his promise and his power enabled him to do it. (Dr. Adam Clarke)

Giving honor to God by the firmness with which he believed his promises.  His conduct was Such as to honor God; that is, to show Abraham’s conviction that he was worthy of implicit confidence and trust. In this way all who believe in the promises of God do honor to him.  They bear testimony to him that he is worthy of confidence. They become so many witnesses in his favor; and furnish to their fellow-men evidence that God has a claim on the credence and trust of mankind. (Dr. Albert Barnes)

Many excuse themselves from the work of religion, though they may make a show, and profess it.  They may impose upon others, yet they deceive themselves if they think to impose upon God, who knows their hearts as well as actions; and as he cannot be deceived, so he will not be mocked.  Our present time is seed time; in the other world we shall reap as we sow now.  As there are two sorts of sowing, one to the flesh, and the other to the Spirit, so will the reckoning be hereafter.  Those who live a carnal, sensual life, must expect no other fruit from such a course than misery and ruin.  But those who, under the guidance and influences of the Holy Spirit, live a life of faith in Christ, and abound in Christian graces, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.  We are all very apt to tire in duty, particularly in doing good.  This we should carefully watch and guard against.  Only to perseverance i

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A description of true faith wholly resting in the power of God, and his good will, set forth in the example of Abraham. (Geneva Bible Translation Notes)

We oftentimes believe but are we convinced?

The conclusion of this argument: the salvation and justification of the posterity of Abraham (that is, of the Church which is composed of all believers) proceeds from faith which lays hold on the promise made to Abraham, and which promise Abraham himself first of all laid hold on. (Geneva Bible Translation Notes)

"A reason of the first confirmation, why the promise cannot be apprehended by the law: because the law does not reconcile God and us, but rather proclaims his anger against us, because no man can fully keep it."  (Geneva Bible Translation Notes)

For if they which are of the law - Who seek for justification and acceptance by the Law.  Faith is made void - Faith would have no place in the scheme; and consequently the strong commendations bestowed on the faith of Abraham, would be bestowed without any just cause.  If people are justified by the Law, they cannot be by faith, and faith would be useless in this work.  (Dr. Albert Barnes)

The promise, that he should be the heir of the world - Is the same as that he should be "the father of all nations," namely, of those in all nations who receive the blessing.  The whole world was promised to him and them conjointly.  Christ is the heir of the world, and of all things; and so are all Abraham's seed, all that believe in him with the faith of Abraham (John Wesley)

The nature of sacraments in general: they are signs and seals - signs to represent and instruct, seals to ratify and confirm.  Matthew Henry

I find that when I think I am asking God to forgive me I am often in reality (unless I watch myself very carefully) asking Him to do something very different.  (C. S. Lewis, Virtue and Vice)

 

We often needlessly wander through the darkened fortress of discouragement and despair.  The high hardened ramparts of our own building.  Brick by brick did they rise from the hardness of our own heart.  Cemented indestructible by the piteous mortar of our ever bleeding heart.  We are powerless to extricate ourselves from this fallen estate because of our self-deception.

Real forgiveness means looking steadily at the sin, the sin that is left over without any excuse, after all allowances have been made, and seeing it in all its horror, dirt, meanness, and malice, and nevertheless being wholly reconciled to the man who has done it.... (C. S. Lewis, Virtue and Vice)

Faith was reckoned to Abraham for justification, as we read Genesis 15:6, (see the note on Genesis 15:6); but circumcision was not instituted till about fourteen or fifteen years after, Genesis 17:1, etc.; for faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness or justification at least one year before Ishmael was born; compare Genesis 15, and 16. At Ishmael’s birth he was eighty-six years of age, Genesis 16:16; and, at the institution of circumcision, Ishmael was thirteen, and Abraham ninety-nine years old. Dr. Adam Clark

This blessedness - This happy state or condition. This state of being justified by God, and of being regarded as his friends. This is the sum of all blessedness; the only state that can be truly pronounced happy.  Dr. Albert Barnes

To be makários, blessed, is equivalent to having God's kingdom within one's heart...Makários is the one who is in the world yet independent of the world. His satisfaction comes from God and not from favorable circumstances. (The Complete Word Study Dictionary, General Editor: Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D.)

The Demon Screwtape: "Whatever men expect they soon come to think they have a right to: the sense of disappointment can, with very little skill on our part, be turned into a sense of injury." C. S. Lewis

"Salvation as an accomplished fact, as a present process, and as a future prospect." Arthur W. Pink, A Fourfold Salvation

The new diet plan, More of Jesus and Less of Me!

Sola Fide - Salvation comes only through faith in Jesus and not good works (in particular the belief in atonement for sins at the cross and the resurrection of Christ)

“’Twas for my sins my dearest Lord.
Hung on the cursed tree.
And groan’d away his dying life,
For thee, my soul, for thee.
“O how I hate those lusts of mine.
That crucified my Lord;
Those sins that pierc’d and nail’d his flesh.
Fast to the fatal wood.
“Yes, my Redeemer, they shall die,
My heart hath so decreed;
Nor will I spare the guilty things.
That made my Saviour bleed.”

So we see then that our faith is unfurled and waves brightly in the wind of Christ's good pleasure.  It is Him alone who gives us strength.  It is Him alone who is worthy of our praise.  It is Him alone who is the author and finisher of this faith unfurled.  Sola de Christos!

Paul again anticipates and refutes the absurd argument.  If justification depended upon the Law of Moses, then God could be the savior of the Jews only.

Nothing is more maligned today than the meaning of these few words!  All manner of confusion, deception, error and even heresy have been born from wrongly dividing these words of truth….The idea that salvation is a wonderful gift and yet cost us everything that we are remains a paradox but like God and country are not mutually exclusive concepts.

The law of faith is that divine constitution which makes faith, not works, the condition of acceptance.  John Wesley

Must guilty man remain under wrath?  Is the wound for ever incurable?  Matthew Henry

"And are justified — Pardoned and accepted.  Freely — Without any merit of their own.  By his grace — Not their own righteousness or works.  Through the redemption — The price Christ has paid.  Freely by his grace — One of these expressions might have served to convey the apostle's meaning; but he doubles his assertion, in order to give us the fullest conviction of the truth, and to impress us with a sense of its peculiar importance.  It is not possible to find words that should more absolutely exclude all consideration of our own works and obedience, or more emphatically ascribe the whole of our justification to free, unmerited goodness."  John Wesley

"It is not possible to find words that should more absolutely exclude all consideration of our own works and obedience, or more emphatically ascribe the whole of our justification to free, unmerited goodness." (John Wesley)

"For all have sinned: - And consequently are equally helpless and guilty; and, as God is no respecter of persons, all human creatures being equally his offspring, and there being no reason why one should be preferred before another, therefore his endless mercy has embraced All."  (Dr. Adam Clarke)

Even the righteousness of God - That method of saving sinners which is not of works, but by faith in Christ Jesus; and it is not restrained to any particular people, as the law and its privileges were, but is unto all mankind in its intention and offer, and becomes effectual to them that believe; for God hath now made no difference between the Jews and the Gentiles. (Dr. Adam Clarke)

Νυνὶ δέ (Nuni de, "But now") could be understood as either (1) logical or (2) temporal in force, but most recent interpreters take it as temporal, referring to a new phase in salvation history. (NET Bible Notes)

"It is in vain to seek for justification by the works of the law. All must plead guilty. Guilty before God, is a dreadful word; but no man can be justified by a law which condemns him for breaking it. The corruption in our nature, will for ever stop any justification by our own works." Matthew Henry Concise Commentary

THE SINNER IS UNQUESTIONABLY GUILTY. It is not merely that he has infirmities or that he is not as good as he ought to be: he has set at nought God’s authority, violated His commandments, trodden His Laws under foot.  And this is true not only of a certain class of offenders, but “all the world” is “guilty before God” Arthur W. Pink, Doctrine of Justification

"There is no fear of God before their eyes - This completes their bad character; they are downright atheists, at least practically such. They fear not God’s judgments, although his eye is upon them in their evil ways." Dr Adam Clarke

And the way of peace have they not known - They neither have peace in themselves, nor do they suffer others to live in quiet: they are brooders and fomenters of discord.  Dr. Adam Clarke

Destruction and misery are in their ways - destruction is their work, and Misery to themselves and to the objects of their malice is the consequence of their impious and murderous conduct. (Dr. Adam Clarke)

"Their feet are swift to shed blood - They make use of every means in their power to destroy the reputation and lives of the innocent." (Dr. Adam Clarke)

Cursing - Against God. Bitterness - Against their neighbour. Psaalm 10:7. (John Wesley)

"Their throat - Is noisome and dangerous as an open sepulchre.  Observe the progress of evil discourse, proceeding out of the heart, through the throat, tongue, lips, till the whole mouth is filled therewith.  The poison of asps - Infectious, deadly backbiting, tale - bearing, evil - speaking, is under (for honey is on) their lips. An asp is a venomous kind of serpent." John Wesley

They have all turned aside - From the good way.  They are become unprofitable - Helpless impotent, unable to profit either themselves or others. (John Wesley)

This becomes the logical result of having a reprobate mind. We cannot know or understand the depth of our own depravity. We cannot seek after God because we are still His enemy. Every fiber of our being is diametrically opposed to the Will of God.

All the BRASSO in the world won't make this one shine!

The dominion of sin consists in being willingly slaves thereto, not in being harassed by it as a hated power, struggling for victory.

"In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you, they would have not been at all." St. Augustine

Brevity: Shortness; conciseness; contraction into few words; applied to discourses or writings.

"I like the word protest; it is the good old root from which came our good old title of Protestant. But our forefathers protested against error and darkness ; your protest bears against truth and light." Earnest Christianity Illustrated, the Rev. James Caughey

Krino - To judge, to form and express a judgment or opinion as to any person or thing, more commonly unfavorable.

The object of Salvation rails against the benafactor!

God's truth is a place of rest for those who belong to Jesus Christ. It is a place of judgement for those who reject His Gospel.

Is unbelief a nullification of the faithfulness of God?

Does the Bible teach that we are to forgive under all circumstances?  I answer categorically, vigorously, ardently, insistently that it DOES NOT!

The Bible remains the best seller and least read! Blessed insurance, State Farm is mine, oh what a joy from actuarial divine. Heir of deductible, all is at rest, I keep my adjuster's name in my vest.

What value is there in the Excellency of the Christian faith? There must be value since Noah Webster wrote a book entitled, "Value of the Bible and Excellence of the Christian Religion."

"How strikingly this also brings out what so breaks everywhere through the doctrine of this epistle that everything is according to its reality before God, God being revealed through Christ and the cross.  All must take its true character and result according to what He was. Note moreover that the terms suppose gospel knowledge — 'seek for glory, honor, and incorruptibility.' These are known by Christianity."  Dr. John Darby

"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

"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

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!

 The soul must solemnly remind itself of Who it is that is to be approached, even the Most High, before whom the very seraphim veil their faces (Isaiah 6:2).  Though Divine grace has made the Christian a son, nevertheles

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I would suggest that the same is true with regard to much of what is called modern Christianity.

Or are we clinging to the notion that we have some kind of claim to prerogatives and perquisites?

If we look toward history we will find that Adultery was a most common crime in Israel.

How often do we tell others how to live their lives while standing in the same ditch?

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.

Like the Jew, we too let our opinion of ourselves wax great!

Ignorance of the law is no excuse!

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.

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.

Medical science finds in our chromosomes various codes that sometimes bring with it a weakness toward specific diseases, maladies or the like.

I therefore beg leave to move that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the clergy of this city be requested to officiate in that service.  Dr. Benjamin Franklin, at the Continental Congress

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.

Bless to us our extraordinary mercies; if the day come when these must be taken, brace us to play the man under affliction.  Robert Louis Stevenson - Vailima Prayers and Sabbath Morn

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!

The sea around us, which this rain recruits, teems with the race of fish; teach us, Lord, the meaning of the fishes.  Let us see ourselves for what we are, one out of the countless number of the clans of thy handiwork.  Robert Louis Stevenson-Vailima Prayers and Sabbath Morn

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."

There is every consolation and encouragement from belonging to Christ! One is that we married men have a new heart!  It is composed of half of Jesus' heart and half of my beloved wife's heart.

What a stark contrast to the previous verse. From affliction and distress to blessing. Peace as opposed to tribulation. Approbation to honor.

"Aid us, if it be thy will, in our concerns.  Have mercy on this land and innocent people."  Robert Louis Stevenson - Vailima Prayers and Sabbath Morn

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.