Romans 3:1-4 Then what advantage has the jew? or what is the value of circumcision? much in every way. to begin with, the jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithfulness nullify the faithfulness of God? by no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written," that you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged."
the jews were unfaithful in their actions. they were saying that they believed in God, but not doing his calling in their lives. The statement that paul is making in these verses is adressing that exact problem. He is making it known to them that even though they are the chosen people of God, that does not give them authority to do as they choose. It does not nullify the faithfulness of an almighty God. All it does is prove how faithful He is to us. It shows that while we disobeyed Him, (and He knew we would), He still gives us blessings we don't deserve. this is an ultimate example of faithfulness because He remained steady while we continued to disobey Him.
How can I apply this example to me? Am I striving to be as steady as his example? Am I trying to change my ways to reflect His purpose?

Right Standing

Romans 3:20 - For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. Since not even one can be righteous before God by keeping the law, right standing with God comes through faith in the atoning work of Jesus Christ. The hope that we get from understanding and realizing his sufficiency in saving us from ourselves.
Romans 3 :21-23: But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it. The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

We know that we cannot no matter how hard we try overcome our sinful nature and obey the law completely. We have already fallen into the snare of sinful nature. However, God provides a hope through faith in Him that surpasses all other possible escapes. He provides a perfect savior to take away the sins of the world.

How can this apply to me? Does this in fact prove that being a Christian is not a set of rules? What is the moral standard of being a Christian? If his righteous overcomes me, do I really need to do anything to recieve his gift?

The answer is yes and no. Being a Christian revolves around the knowledge and understanding that yes, I am a sinner. Yes, I need God. Yes, I can't save myself. God is the only one who saves.

Yes, I need to do something to recieve His gift. I need to see that He is calling me into a relationship with Him, and He is calling me to live towards His will. It really isn't a set of rules, but there are definite rights and wrongs that are evident. He makes them evident through his scriptures, and if we live by the scriptures (His word) we are following His leading.

All have sinned, and all can believe on His name and be saved.

I love you Lord, and I lift my heart to you. I know that you listen to me, and you make your word clear and evident to what you want me to hear. Help me to not only see your word as law, but to see it as a guideline for my life to act on the will in my life that i can gain from your scriptures.

Who is better off?

Romans 3:9-11: What then? are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. We are all the same, no matter what we do, we are all under sin in desperate need of a savior to lift the burden of sin in our lives.

Psalm 53:3 - They have all fallen away; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.

Ecclesiastes 7:20 - Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.

Everyone sins, Christ died for everyone and took the punishment whether we choose to accept it or not. Everyone falls short of God's glory. Can we truly seek God without Him seeking us? Can we choose to follow Him if We can't choose to seek Him? Is sin so evident in our lives that it is dividing us completely from Him. The answer is yes. Sin divides us from a relationship from God. God cannot be in the presence of sin. If sin is present in our lives, God cannot be a part of it. We cannot seek God without realizing that we have sin in our lives that needs to be washed away by the free gift that God gives on the cross. This is not something that we can just realize. God has to open our eyes in order to hear Him. We don't ever seek Him. He seeks us in ways that we don't understand. Sin does divide us. He seeks us, and we have to choose whether or not we will follow Him.

Lord,
Thank you so much for the free gift that you have offered me on the cross and the reminder that you give me in your word. Thank you for seeking me, for helping me realize that I have a sin issue and am in need of a savior. Thank you so much for giving me the choice to follow you, and to be a part of the family of God. Lord, I pray that you would make this evident in the lives of people that I come into contact with. Help them to realize the almighty God that I live and love to serve. I pray that they would find a love for You as I have that would fill their lives with abundance and mercy and love.

Judgement and Law

For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.

It seems to say that there are two different guidelines to which a person lives their life. One who has the law, and one who does not. Those who have the law must do what it says, and those who don't must do what the law requires without necessarily knowing the full extent of it. For when gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law themselves, even though they do not have the law. They sho that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of ment by Jesus Christ.

This verse contradicts the assumption that everyone can choose what is good for themselves. there is truly only ONE law. Some people have it, some do not. All have to do what it requires. All are judged under equal circumstances. All are sinful and deserve death. All deserve judgment.

How do we prove we are living by the law?They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience bears witness.

God calls us to learn his word in heed to know his law. We need to staple his word to our hearts so that we may identify our sin problems, grow in Him and become more like Him.

Lord,
help me in my daily interactions to show your word in everything that i do. God, i know that you have a plan for me. if sin is holding me back from realizing your plan for my life, make this known to me. Jesus, I know that I have issues with fully obeying your law. help me to be digging deeply into your word and give me an understanding and concentration and focus that can only come from you. I love you father.

Justification

For in passing judgement on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgement of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man, you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and foebearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.

Wow. In passing judgment on another you Condemn yourself. The word condemn is such a strong word. Its usage according to the dictionary in verbe tense as it is seen here is:
1. To pronounce judgment against.
2. To pronounce to be guilty and sentence punishment.

In judging others we are are really judging ourselves because of the fact that we are falling into the same things (verse 2). We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. That's crazy to think about. We know that all of the sins that we do will be judged by God as we go into eternity. The amazing thing about this, is that Jesus Christ was without sin. He experienced a terrible death and at the same time purchased us from the wages of sin (romans 3:23-24, 6:23). He gave us the ability through a free gift that all sacrifice went upon him while He lived a perfectly sinless life. How is that just on his part? It seems very irrational for Him to make the choice to do such a thing. The unjust person is us. He loved us so much that while we condemned ourselves that He was willing to give us the hope that is in His death and ressurection. THE MINIMUM WE CAN DO IS SURRENDER TO HIS WILL. DOESN'T HE DESEVE IT?

God,
You continue to amaze me in the truth of your word. Help me to surrender fully to your will in my life. I love you with my whole heart as you do me. I could never compare to the amazing love that you have for me. Help me to imitate that in my relationships. I want to go home and hear you say "well done, good and faithful son."

Thank you for making such an irrational decision on my part because of your authentic love for me. Help me to be the servant that you have been for me. Help me to imitate that through a sincere and authentic faith that is shown in my daily life.

Who is the justified judge?
Therefore you have no excuse, o man, every one of you who judges. for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of God righty falls on those who practice such things. We are not able to judge other people based on the fact that we all have sin in our lives that we are dealing with. It is direct hyprocisy to say to someone you are doing wrong and need to repent this, if you in fact are not following your own advice. Therefore, the only one that is justified in saying these things, is God. This is because of his perfect life. He is perfectly righteous. Do you suppose o man you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself that you will escape the judgment of God? But because of your hard and impentient heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. He will render us according to his works: to those who by patience in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. God judges everything that we ever do. However, there is only one way to get to heaven. Nothing that we ever do will get us to heaven in works alone. These works come as a result of what God has done in our lives. We first have to accept the fact that we stand before an almighty God that lived a sinless life and has the power to condemn or approve eternity with Him. In fear and reverence and thankfulness, we live our lives for Him, giving Him full authority. Works come as a result of who God is and who we are letting Him be.

Lord, Help me to replicate the example that you give here. In all of my efforts, help my actions glorify you in everything that I do. God, I know that you want my absolute best in everything in your name. Thank you for reminding me through Your word your absolute power. Help me in my daily actions to give my absolute best in everything that I do.

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the Law and the Prophets who bear witness to it-the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

This is the reason that Jesus is justified to judge the world. In His faithfulness to an almighty God, He remained sinless and fully faithful. At the same time, we are also justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Him, because while He remained sinless, He paid the penalty for ours.

Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? by no means! we uphold the law, because the law is what God put in place. The law was put in place so that the people could be held accountable to God.

But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God and know his will and approve what is excellent because you are instructed from the law; and if you are sure taht you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth-you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? (2:17-22).
What is paul establishing in in the judgment principle and also the law principles that he talks about in chapter 2?
He is directed at their beliefs vs. their behavior. They say that they believe in God. Are they abiding by their own teaching? You told us we can't do this, but you do it yourself. What makes you think that we shoudn't do it if you are? It says in verse 24:" The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you." This shows that the Gentiles saw that the Jews teaching of the law was not matching up to their actions.
Paul supported that they were in this idea that teaching God's word is one thing and what you do with it is something completely different. The fact of the matter is that it isn't two different things. These two concepts go hand in hand with each other. Abiding by God's word is not only knowing it, but doing what it says in full capacity. You can preach it, but are you doing it?

Lord,
Please help me to live out what you are teaching me. God, I know you have a plan for everything. If it be your will, make this known to me. God, thank you for the example of paul: For his desire, and strength, that you give him. Thank you for the applications of your word.
Zeke

Do you suppose o man, you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? Wow. Paul comes on really strong here. You can tell that paul has a heart for these people. As he stated in his introduction in chapter 1:9 and following:
For God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you.
What can we get from what paul is saying in chapter 2 and relating back to chapter 1?
First of all, paul loves these people. He wants to make sure that the gospel is being represented to them. He prays for them, thinks of them, and wants to make sure that they are growing in Christ. Coming into chapter 2, you see a different perspective on the love that paul has for the people. He knows that sin is taking over there lives and they are falling. Chapter 2 is very intense. We can see that paul is asking them very indepth and pesonal questions. Who do you think God is? Are you boxing Him up for your own needs? Are you saying that it's okay to sin because God forgives anyway? Don't you know that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? God is patient and kind, what's my need to repent anyway? I can repent later. It's not a problem. IT IS A PROBLEM. Moving into 2:6 - He will render to each one according to his own works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.
Why is this relevant for me? What am I dealing with that can put me into this category and separate me from God? This is exactly why it isn't okay to sin. You don't get away with it in front the forgiving and almighty God. He will pour his wrath upon sin and because of our sinful nature we have to be held accountable for all the sin that comes into our lives; whether it be anything from unforgiveness, to disobedience, to laziness, to rebellious natures, to finances, God has a calling and an expectation for all of us. He won't accept anything less than our absolute best for His name's sake. He is the creator of all. Shouldn't we give Him what He deserves, our absolute best?

Lord,
What an amazing visual that you give within Your word. As I listen to you what you tell me, I see how applicable and how living Your word is. Lord, help me to apply this to me. You know what my struggles are, You know what I am working on. God, thank you for making Your word come out and alive and for the amazing truths that are in it. God, please help me to work on my downfalls. I want to live my life completely in surrender to your will. God, help me to be focused on your will and yours alone. Thank you for placing people in my life that imitate the friend that paul was to the roman people. Thank you for giving them such a passion for growing that they are willing to do anything for the sake of your calling, including saying hard things sometimes. God, help me to imitate that as well. God, I love you.
Zeke

Therefore you have no excuse, o man, every one of who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. All people have sinned against God. God died to save all sins. Those of us that think we are better than others because of the fact that we think we know more about God is wrong. Accepting the fact that we are equal in God's eyes is the first step to humbling oneself before an almighty God. We are equal in God's eyes because all have sinned and fall short of His glory. (Romans 3:23). The reason that the people were so divided and paul was addressing the issues in 1:18-32 and carrying into chapter 2 was the fact that the jews did not see themselves equal to those now involved in the church (the gentiles). Paul adresses that yes, the gentiles have sins that they are dealing with, but so do you. You are all equal in God's eyes, and He died for all of you. Do you suppose, o man,-you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself-that you will escape the judgment of God? Nothing saves us from God's judgment. He is called to judge everyone fairly and justly. What He wants is this; Because of his death on the cross, He gives us the ability to spend eternity with Him. His death cleansed all sins, past, present, and future. God wants us to surrender our lives to Him as he purchased us with his blood. If we are so caught up in other's doings, are we really keeping an eye on ourselves, making sure that we are growing and doing what He wants to do in our lives. It is not hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers that will be justified. (Romans 2:13). I think based on this passage it's important to check oneself. Am I actively learning about God, and striving to maintain the life that He wants me to have? Am I watching myself closely, examing my heart, to make sure that nothing is holding me back from hearing the Holy spirit's will? Am I watching others to closely, and not really examining my own needs?

Dear Lord,
You are an amazing God. You give us so much everyday to learn about how much You love us. Thank you for your word, and compassion, love, and mercy. God, I pray that I don't fall under the category of hyprocritical Christian. God, I wish to live my life for You. Examine my heart, show me my shortcomings so that I may not sin against You. God, I pray that those who are involved in my life would see You through my actions, and that I wouldn't be the hyprocritical Christian. Give me an authentic faith that can only come from You.
Zeke

Many people think of God's wrath as something that is bad. Something that shouldn't happen from an all loving God. The matter of the fact is, if He is an all-loving God, why wouldn't he pour his wrath on our sinful nature?
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness supress the truth." (1:18).
Unrighteous people supress, or hide, the truths that they know. It is stated that if one is not following God, they will be hesitant in the opportunities given to them to proclaim the gospel. The wrath of God is justified. He died for our sins, took the penalty for our transgressions, taking pain that we could never imagine, and we still hide the amazing hope that He gives us?
How can we prove that it is real other than the bible?
"For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. so they are without excuse." (1:20).
God can be proved because of the power and strength that He has over the people. People believe that there is a God, and still reject Him because of their own selfish and sinful natures.
God can be proven through creations perfection and intricacy. The Human Body, processes of the ocean, animals...so many things prove that God exists. There is no way that something this beautiful and ornate could ever exist without a perfect creator to mold it into what it is.

God is Real. God is Perfect. His creation is Perfect. Our sinful Nature took over. God is still perfect. His plan and judgement is justified. He gave us life. He could have given us Death. He gave us a second chance. His wrath is justified.

Dear Lord,
In my transgressions against you, I ask with my whole heart to seek your forgiveness. God, you are the molder of the universe and Lord of my life. Sometimes I fall into the trap of things that seem important but in the end hurt my relationship with you. God, please make these known to me. I want to glorify You in all that I do.
Zeke

It seems that the people of Rome are divided. Paul sends a letter to them proclaiming the gospel, as it doesn't seem that He will be able to make it there. (1:10-11, 1:15). He also says that He is willing to share the gospel with everyone, the greeks and non-greeks.(1:14). He mentions that salvation is for all people not just jews or gentiles, but jews and gentiles. I think he adresses this matter for a specific reason, he did not want God's church to be divided. He wanted a christian unity. He then moves on and talks about the sinful nature of the Gentiles in Rome. Because of their focuses, they are beginning to fall into evil desires. (1:18-32). He explains that the wrath of God will come upon them because of their action. He said that they knew God but were not glorifying Him. He said that they began to image Him as human, animal, bird, and reptile. In this sense, they began to worship the things rather than the creator.(1:23-25).

So what does this mean for me?
I think that a lot of the time people are divided without truly knowing it. Our sinful nature allows us to divide ourselves from that which God ordained. It starts with something small, and that small thing whirlpools into something catastrophic. Everybody has something difficult to deal with. God does not give anything that we can't handle. He does give us people in our lives that will help make sure that we are heading in the right direction and following God with our whole heart. That is what Paul was doing for the Roman people. He showed them how it started, and then showed them what it moved into. The same thing happens to most of us. We see the little things that got our sinful problems started, and what they moved into. We begin to worship the creation rather than the creator.

How can I fix this?
First of all, Identify the problem. Paul did this for the Roman people. He showed them their problem, and told them how to fix it in sincere hope that they would. Worship God. Give him reverence. Turn from your sinful nature. God loves you, and wants to have a relationship with you. A healthy relationship. Let Him.

Lord my God,
Help me to identify my shortcomings. I know that everyone has difficulties to deal with. Show me what I need to fix in order to fully experience your will in my life. I need you God, more than any want, or monetal possession, or material necessity. All of these things are from you, and why worship something, and why not worship where it came from? God, I love you with my whole heart, please help me to identify anything that's holding me back from your will in my life.
Zeke

Romans 1

In a study of Romans, there are many questions that come up to mind as one is reading through the passages within it. Who was Paul? What is an Apostle? Who is David? Who is Paul writing to? Why is Paul writing to them? Who is called to be a saint as mentioned in 1:7? How do we know our power comes from God?

Questions can continue to rise as we continue to look at a passage. every word is God breathed, and what God wants us to get out the passage is what we will as long as we are following Him and asking Him to portray Himself within His word.

Question 1: Who was Paul?
Paul was the writer of Romans - 1:1-"Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God." In this passage he is introducing himself as the writer of the letter. He gives his name, his authority, his authentification, and his purpose.

Question 2: What is an Apostle?
An apostle is built off of the greek word apostolos and it means: a person sent by someone else, a messenger, an alloy, those commissioned to be special representatives of Jesus. Disciples was used more broadly in the sense that it was anyone who believed in Jesus. God calls all believers to make disciples. (Matthew 10:2).

The Introduction to Romans, (Romans 1) gives a clear representation of Paul's authentification. It gives a clear display of his reasoning and purpose to sending the letter to the Romans. He was specifically sending the letter to the Roman churches, which were now combined Jew and Gentile. He was displaying the meaning of true Christianity, in an effort to steer the minds of the Christian people back to the path in which they choose to follow. He wanted unity within the Jews and Gentiles. His goal was to portray that they had unity. Unity in Christ.


Dear Lord,
Thank you for allowing your son to die for us in giving us hope and power that only comes with the understanding that you give. Please give me the power to understand your will for my life, so that I can glorify you in all that I do. Help me to be the disciple and ambassador that You call me to be.
Zeke

Proverbs 1

1:7 - The Fear of the Lord is the begginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and knowledge. The proverbs were written to give an understanding of true knowledge. knowledge and understanding comes with a true, intimate relationship with God. We cannot follow Him without knowing Him. On the contrary, the passage also states fools despise wisdom and instruction. This contrast shows the difference between the knowledge seeker and the fool.

1:9 - Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck. God calls us to Honor our parents according to the law provided to moses in exodus 20:12 - Honor your father and mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

1:13-14 - we shall find all precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder; throw in your lot amond us; we will all have one purse. The pursuit of money and material possessions wholeheartedly is the root of all evil. (1 Tim 6:10 - the love of money is the root of all kinds of evils.) If material possessions and money are what we are striving for, we may miss the blessings and full plan that God has for us and the possessions that He gives to us.

Wisdom and understanding comes with fully experiencing God in an intimate way. He calls us to follow Him. There is no following without knowing Him. He has a plan for everything that He gives us and puts into our lives. We just have to heed to his callings.

Lord,
Please help me in my faint understanding of who you are to follow you with my whole heart. I know that you love me more than I can ever understand. Thank you for your son and for allowing us to have relations with you. God, you are so merciful, and grace efficient. Help me to be what you call me to be.
Zeke