Monday, December 20, 2004

No Comparison

Romans 5:15
But God's free gift is not at all to be compared to the trespass [His grace is out of all proportion to the fall of man]. For if many died through one man's falling away (his lapse, his offence), much more profusely did God's grace and free gift that comes through the undeserved favor of the one Man Jesus Christ abound and overflow to and for the benefit of many.

Yet the rescuing gift is not exactly parallel to the death-dealing sin. If one man's sin put crowds of people at the dead-end abyss of separation from God, just think what God's gift poured through one man, Jesus Christ, will do! (The Message)

Sin and grace are not even remotely the same. They are not even remotely different. One man's disobedience resulting in the death of all mankind, one Man's obedience resulting in life for all mankind. It's not the same.
The benefits are just too much.
Liefde en Groete

Friday, December 17, 2004

Romans 5:12-13
Therefore, as sin came into this world through one man, and death as the result of sin, so death spread to all men, [no one being able to stop or escape its power] because all men have sinned.
To be sure sin was in the world before ever the Law was given, but sin is not charged to men's account where there is no law to transgress.

You know the story of how Adam landed us in the dilemma we're in - first sin, then death, and no one exempt from either sin or death.
That sin disturbed relations with God in everything and everyone, but the extent of the disturbance was not clear until God spelled it out in detail to Moses. So death, this huge abyss separating us from God, dominated the landscape from Adam to Moses.

Sin is the problem, and sin came into this world when Adam failed to at his job to guard and protect the earth and let snake deceive the woman and him into eating what God forbade them to eat.
What the first man failed at, the second Man had to undo.
Thank you Jesus.
Liefde en Groete

Thursday, December 16, 2004

The Question is Removed

Romans 5:9-10
Therefore, since we are now justified (acquitted, made righteous, and brought into right relationship with God) by Christ's blood, how much more certain is it that we shall be saved from the indignation and wrath of God.
For while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, it is much more certain, now that we are reconciled, that we shall be saved (daily delivered from sin's dominion) through His resurrection life.

Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds with God in any way.
If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we're at our best, just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection life!

The pig and the chicken are involved in giving for man to have breakfast. The chicken lays an egg, the pig lays down his life.
Now you know. When you were at your worst, God gave His best. So that you can eat and live.
Liefde en Groete

Wednesday, December 15, 2004

Love on the Line

Romans 5:6-8
While we were yet in weakness [powerless to help ourselves], at the fitting time Christ died for (in behalf of) the ungodly.
Now it is an extraordinary thing for one to give his life for an upright man, though perhaps for a noble and lovable and generous benefactor someone might even dare to die.
But God shows and clearly proves His own love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us.

Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn't, and doesn't, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn't been so weak, we wouldn't have known what to do anyway.
We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice.
But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.

What can you do for me? Let me first determine that before I decide what I will do for you. That's the way we think. That's what we do. That's the logical thing to do. But God does the extraordinary thing, (I love that) He dies for the ungodly, those that are of no use to Him. Why? He sees the end from the beginning, He can count the apples in the seed.
Liefde en Groete

Tuesday, December 14, 2004

The Law of Deliverance / Working for It - 4

Romans 3: 27-28
Then what becomes of our pride and our boasting? It is excluded (banished, ruled out entirely). On what principle? On the principle of doing good deeds? No, but on the principle of faith.
For we hold that a man is justified and made upright by faith independent of and distinctly apart from good deeds (works of the Law). [The observance of the Law has nothing to do with justification.]

So where does that leave our proud Jewish insider claims and counterclaims? Canceled? Yes, canceled. What we've learned is this: God does not respond to what we do; we respond to what God does.
We've finally figured it out. Our lives get in step with God and all others by letting him set the pace, not by proudly or anxiously trying to run the parade. (The Message)

Why do you think we cannot work for our salvation? Why is it God that does the job?
I think it is because some of us work harder than others and working will then provide a better salvation than others and then we get to go to better heaven than the lazy bums. See, pride raises its ugly head when we get involved. And God hates pride.
Sit back. Relax. Watch God work.
Enjoy.
Liefde en Groete

Monday, December 06, 2004

The Law of Deliverance / Acquittal - 3

Romans 3:23-24
Since all have sinned and are falling short of the honor and glory which God bestows and receives.
All are justifed and made upright and in right standing with God, freely and gratuitously by His grace (His unmerited favor and mercy), through the redemption which is provided in Christ Jesus.

Since we've compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us,
God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ. (The Message)

Read the rest of the sentence, Koos. Dont stop at "All sinners and fall short of the glory of God". "Woe is me, I can never make it, I'll just have to accept my fate , a sinner till I die, I just hope God has mercy on my soul when I die".
Read all of it. It says "since we were sinners" God did it all for us. We were made upright, like a fallen toy soldier, incapable of doing anything, God made us upright.
When did this happen?
2000 years ago, Koos, so it's for you now.
Learn and Live
Liefde en Groete


Friday, December 03, 2004

The Law of Deliverance / Acquittal - 2

Romans 3:21-22
But now the righteousness of God has been revealed independently and altogether apart from the Law, although actally it is attested by the Law and the Prophets.
Namely, the righteousness of God which comes by believing with personal trust and confident reliance on Jesus Christ (the Messiah). [And it is meant] for all who believe. For there is no distinction.

But in our time something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened.
The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. (The Message)

There has been a change in the method. The way things were, are not. The Law has been made complete by Jesus. Faith in Him is the only way to acquittal.
You as always have a choice in this matter. It is like your mamma said about the food; You can take it or you can leave it. But if you dont eat you are going to be hungry and there is no other food out there.
Believe.
Eat.
Drink.
Liefde en Groete