Romans 8

As we continue looking at walking in after the Holy Spirit of God in (Rom. 8), we see that God gives the believer much encouragement along the way. 1) We have the encouragement of heir-ship. In (v.14-17), we see that, at the moment of salvation we became “sons of God,” and also “heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ.” Now in Christ we have been given a new family (the Church) to encourage us, but also a future glory to look forward to as well. Praise the Lord that now in Christ, all that God has given Jesus will one day be shared with all in his family. 2) We have the encouragement of helpers. The first helper is the church. It's amazing how many people try to walk the Christian walk alone, rather than join a church and reap the benefits of having new brothers and sisters to help them and encourage them along the way. Now in Christ, we not only have a new family but secondly a new Dad, so that when we are in need or in distress, all we have to do is cry “Abba Father”(or dad help), and He promises to help. Thirdly, We also have The Holy Spirit’ help. The Bible tells us in (chp. 8) that as we travel our journey, the Holy Spirit is in constant communication with the Father, revealing to Him God’s will for our lives. So that when we know not the way, or when we can’t pray as we ought, the Spirit of God is constantly praying for us. Thank God, that God promises in His Word, that “He will never leave us or forsake us.”

Now in Christ

As we continue looking at walking in after the Holy Spirit of God in (Rom. 8), we see also that God gives us much encouragement along the way. 1) We have the encouragement of heir-ship. In (v.14-17), we see that, at the moment of salvation we became “sons of God,” and also “heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ.” Now in Christ we have been given not just a new family (Church) to encourage us, but also a future glory to look forward to as well. Praise the Lord that now in Christ, what God has given Jesus he will one day share with us. 2) We have the encouragement of helpers. Now when in need or in distress, all we have to do is cry “Abba Father,” and He promises to help. We also have The Holy Spirit’ help. The Bible tells us in (chp. 8) that as we travel our journey, the Holy Spirit is in constant communication with the Father, revealing to Him God’s will for our lives. So that when we know not the way, or when we can’t or don’t pray as we ought, the Spirit of God is constantly praying for us, so He can guide us. For God promises in His Word, that “He will never leave us or forsake us.”

O wretched man that I am!

Rom. 7:24) “ O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” This was the Apostle Paul’s question in chapter 7 after realizing that sin was still controlling him after salvation, but thank God he also concluded, ‘”so then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”After salvation, it becomes quite apparent to us that we can still sin. Why? Because even though we have been freed from the condemnation of sin in salvation, our flesh or sin nature is still very much alive within us. Therefore, we must learn to control the old nature of sin. That’s why God at the moment of salvation places within us his new nature, and his Holy Spirit to help us control the old flesh. So, the problem that we face is not that we still have the old nature, but rather that the old nature has tricked us into believing he's still in control. Baptism is our first step of obedience to Christ, but we also must choose to yield our mind and body to Jesus as well. You see the old nature within us wants us to believe that we can't stop sinning. In Christ we are now free from his power, just as death frees a wife from the power of her first husband (Rom. 7:1-6). “So then (Paul asks) who (then) shall deliver us?” Well, the answer is clear, our new husband, Jesus Christ (Ro.7:4). Once we learn to yield ourselves now unto his word and walk in and after his Holy Spirit, we will have power over the old nature! You see the problem is not that we can't, but rather that we just won't. (Phil 4:13) "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

Baptism

Rom. 6:2) “God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” As we continue on our journey through the book of Romans, the Apostle Paul makes it very clear that once we are saved from the condemnation of our sin we are not to go back to the old sinful life style of our past. Therefore Paul introduces to us in (Chp. 6) “Baptism.” Here, Paul teaches us that baptism is a symbolic ordinance demonstrating not just the gospel of Christ but also our death to our old way of life. Baptism was never meant to save anyone, but it is 1) A symbol of identification. (It identifies us with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus). (Ro 6:4) “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death:” Water baptism is a symbol of our death to the old way of life, and our coming out of it, alive unto God. “that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” 2) A symbol of surrender. If we are dead to our past sin, then we need to make a decision of the mind and heart to “yield ourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead” (Rom. 6:11-13). Baptism is a surrender of our will to follow God. 3) A symbol of servant hood. (Ro 6:18) “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” Baptism pictures a new allegiance to a new Lord. Once saved we are no longer under the power of the old master Sin, but rather now under a new master, Jesus Christ!

The Gospel

(Eph. 1: 4&5) “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will..,” So how can we as Bible believing Christians reconcile the command of God to go into all the world and preach the gospel, with the above verses that seem to indicate that God is the one, and not man, who chooses us for salvation? When Jesus died on the cross, his sacrifice was sufficient for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). My Bible still says in (1 Tim. 2:4) that God, “…will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” meaning that his desire is that all men repent and turn to Christ, but also that “ whosoever will…” can still come (Rev. 22: 17). Christian, all men can if they so desire. When any man hears the gospel of God he is faced with a choice to believe it or not. Jesus said himself that many are called but few chosen. God knew us from the foundation of the world whether or not we would believe the gospel or reject it. Jesus was not an after-thought and neither were we. God doesn’t want any to perish. That’s why God sent His Son to save all or whosoever will !

Apostasy

Is There Apostasy In America
This question can simply be answered, Yes! Who then is in apostasy? The Church, for you can’t fall away from something that you never really had. Apostasy is defined as the abandoning of what one used to believe or practice. In the book of Jeremiah, God called Jeremiah to preach to a people who had abandoned their faith in God, for a faith based upon the beliefs of men. God’s simple message was for Judah to repent and return to the Lord, but they refused to listen and went into captivity anyway. So, the real question is why didn’t they listen? 1) They failed to remember their past. God rebuked them for not remembering where they came from, nor the God who led them there. (Ps 9:17) “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” As Christian Americans, if we as the Church forget God, our nation is doomed to the same. 2) They failed to remember God’s Law. (Ps 11:3)” If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” In our country today all of a sudden God’s Word is optional or up for interpretation. Christian, our foundation is still Jesus Christ and his Word. Be careful lest you go the way of the apostate. (Ps 33:12) Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD.

The Backslider In Heart

The Backslider In Heart
(Prov. 14:14) “The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways:” I’ve never yet met a backslidden Christian that didn’t have an excuse for why he/she is living contrary to scripture. A backslider knows that he is not living right, for he has convinced himself that the way he is living is justified, even though God says in the above verse that it’s not. This world is constantly antagonistic to the ways of God, and we must be on guard at all times least we slip back into the ways and thinking of our past. This slipping backward is not fast but slow, a bit here and a little there and before we know it, we are outside the will of God looking in. But there is a way back. In (Rom.12: 1-3) 1) God tells us to “present” our bodies back to the Lord, as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God. This is a recognition of a wrong direction, and a re-dedication to the correct way of God. 2) We need to “transform” our thinking. The backslider must re-fill again his heart and mind with God’s Word. An acceptable sacrifice is one that is practiced in agreement with God’s Word. 3) “Prove” the will of God. Practice the first two, but prove the third. Talk is cheap, practicing the known will of God proves to God and others that you have indeed repented. Everyone slips, but the consecrated remain !