Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Thursday, November 9, 2006
John 3:5- What does it mean to be born of water and Spirit?
I was talking with my good friend Nate who raised a question concerning the birth of water and Spirit spoken of in John 3:5. I believe that the birth of water and Spirit that Jesus spoke of is Christian baptism. The Greek construction of this passage lends support to this belief.
I will give the construction of the Greek text of John 3:5 and then translate it.
"απεκριθη Ιησους, Αμην αμην λεγω σοι, εαν μη τις γεννηθη εξ υδατος και πνευματος, ου δυναται εισελθειν εις την βασιλειαν του θεου."
"Jesus answered, 'I certainly tell you, if one should not be born of water and the Spirit, he is not able to enter into the kingdom of God.' "
The significance of the Greek construction is that the preposition "ek," which means out of, is not stated twice in the sentence; both before "water" and then also before "spirit." Instead, "ek" is used only once and then followed by both "water and spirit." To illustrate this distinction think of it like this: The passage does NOT read "...be born out of water and out of the Spirit" but it DOES read, "...be born out of water and the Spirit." When the preposition in Greek is followed by two objects it "may indicate that the author considered both objects as an undivided unit" (Young 87). David Black puts it this way, "Because a preposition tends to be repeated before each noun in a serious of nouns...sometimes the non-use of a second or third preposition ...may be significant, indicating that the writer regarded the terms in one list as belonging together in concept or reality." Black actually lists John 3:5 as an example and says that, " 'water and Spirit' together form a single means of regeneration" (87).
To sum it up, the birth talked about in John 3:5 is one birth that is composed of two elements: water and Spirit. Other passages in the New Testament shed light on a spiritual birth that is composed of both water and the Spirit. Acts 2:38 describes an event in which water and the Holy Spirit are combined in a single act to bring life, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Baptism is immersion, if you disagree refer to the word study I wrote on baptism. Titus 3:5 says, "He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit." The word for washing in this passage is "loutros" (λουτρος) which referred to a washing of the entire body.
I hope this is helpful and free of confusion but if it is confusing let me know and I will try my best to clear things up.
------------------------------------------
Bibliography
Black, David Alan. It's Still Greek to Me. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1998.
Young, Richard A. Intermediate New Testament Greek. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994.
I will give the construction of the Greek text of John 3:5 and then translate it.
"απεκριθη Ιησους, Αμην αμην λεγω σοι, εαν μη τις γεννηθη εξ υδατος και πνευματος, ου δυναται εισελθειν εις την βασιλειαν του θεου."
"Jesus answered, 'I certainly tell you, if one should not be born of water and the Spirit, he is not able to enter into the kingdom of God.' "
The significance of the Greek construction is that the preposition "ek," which means out of, is not stated twice in the sentence; both before "water" and then also before "spirit." Instead, "ek" is used only once and then followed by both "water and spirit." To illustrate this distinction think of it like this: The passage does NOT read "...be born out of water and out of the Spirit" but it DOES read, "...be born out of water and the Spirit." When the preposition in Greek is followed by two objects it "may indicate that the author considered both objects as an undivided unit" (Young 87). David Black puts it this way, "Because a preposition tends to be repeated before each noun in a serious of nouns...sometimes the non-use of a second or third preposition ...may be significant, indicating that the writer regarded the terms in one list as belonging together in concept or reality." Black actually lists John 3:5 as an example and says that, " 'water and Spirit' together form a single means of regeneration" (87).
To sum it up, the birth talked about in John 3:5 is one birth that is composed of two elements: water and Spirit. Other passages in the New Testament shed light on a spiritual birth that is composed of both water and the Spirit. Acts 2:38 describes an event in which water and the Holy Spirit are combined in a single act to bring life, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Baptism is immersion, if you disagree refer to the word study I wrote on baptism. Titus 3:5 says, "He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit." The word for washing in this passage is "loutros" (λουτρος) which referred to a washing of the entire body.
I hope this is helpful and free of confusion but if it is confusing let me know and I will try my best to clear things up.
------------------------------------------
Bibliography
Black, David Alan. It's Still Greek to Me. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1998.
Young, Richard A. Intermediate New Testament Greek. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Can a Christian in Good Conscience Be Wealthy?
I'm sorry that I haven't updated my blog in a very long time but I have finally gotten to it. I wrote this paper for my Timothy and Titus class and my professor was specifically asking the question, "Can a minister in good conscience be weatlhy?" That is the focus of the paper but I want every Christian to understand that there is no distincion between "clergy" and "laity." All Christians are ministers. Yes there are leaders in the church but all Christians are called to holiness and the standard of holiness doesn't change because it is essentially God's unchanging nature. "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." (1 Peter 1:15-16). Therefore what is written in this paper applies to all Christians.
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“That disgusts me!” shouted my oldest sister Amelia as she told me about a preacher of a mega church who owned a brand new red Corvette and lived in a lavish multimillion dollar mansion. Why was that so repulsive to her? Is there a limit on what a minister can and cannot have? The root of all this is the question, “Can a minister in good conscience be wealthy?” Another question results from the first, “Would wealth likely help or hurt a person’s ministry?” The best place to look in order to find the answers to these questions is in the Scriptures; especially the Pastoral Epistles which Paul wrote to the young ministers Timothy and Titus.
It is important to establish whether or not church leaders should even receive pay in the first place. Paul clearly explains that Elders were to be paid. 1 Timothy 5:17 says that Elders who lead the church well are worthy of double honor. The word “honor” originally meant “to set a price on” indicating that honoring somebody involved pay (BDAG). It also meant showing respect for someone. In this context it is clear though that Paul specifically has in mind paying Elders, for he quotes Scripture to back up his point. He refers to the Old Covenant command that people weren’t to muzzle their ox while it was in the process of threshing grain; meaning it was to receive “pay” for its work. Jesus also explicitly says that a worker is worthy of his wage. The same is true for worker of the church; they are to receive pay for their labor.
The question now becomes, “Is there a limit as to how much the minister should be paid?” Scripture does not answer this question, but it does give qualifications on what kind of a person should be in church leadership to receive that pay. Elders and Deacons are to be men that do not love money or pursue dishonest gain (1 Tim. 3:3; Tit. 1:7). In this passage is does not say that they are to be without money, but to be without the love of money (Getz 268). This is in stark contrast to the false teachers who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. Instead of being greedy for money true ministers are to be content with life’s basic necessities as adequate pay for doing their work (1 Tim. 6:8). Paul tells Titus that the very motivation of the false teachers for their teaching is to gain financially (Tit. 1:11). The heart of a godly leader does not desire to be a leader in the church for the purpose of gaining financially but to take care of God’s flock.
Can a minister in good conscience be wealthy? Yes and no. Scripture doesn’t limit how much pay a person receives but it directs his heart as to how he is to use it! The only way a wealthy minister can have a clear conscience is if he is using his wealth the way God desires him to. There are clear examples of this in Timothy and Titus. Believers in Jesus Christ are to take care of their relatives financially when they are in need; God is pleased when his people learn to put their religion into practice and care for their own family that is in need (1 Timothy 5:4). “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever!” (1 Tim. 5:8). Thus if you are a wealthy minister making far more than you need and you turn a deaf ear to the genuine needs of others then you cannot have a clear conscience. Paul instructed Titus, “Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives” (Tit. 3:14). The rich of this world who are disciples of Jesus are not to put their hope in wealth but they are “to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share” (1 Tim. 6:18). “God’s people may at times be enormously wealthy, but a major purpose of God granting them wealth is to share it with the needy” (Blomberg 59).
A minister who rightfully uses his wealth can have a perfectly clear conscience. Craig Blomberg clarifies the rightful uses of wealth magnificently. “The key to evaluating any individual, church, or nation in terms of its use of material possessions is how well it takes care of the poor and powerless in its midst” (84). He sets forth the principle that “People always take priority over prosperity.” God is the one who entrusts wealth to people and he expects his people to be good stewards of his resources. The “golden mean” with regard to our attitude toward wealth is seen in Proverbs 30:8, “…give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.” At the heart of this passage is that God wants his people to be content, not greedy for worldly wealth. If God does bless someone with an amazing amount of material prosperity it only means that there is increased responsibility to wisely use that privilege (84). Under the Old Covenant wealth was never the goal but it was the means to an end which was sharing with the needy (84). He states forthrightly that it cannot be said that the rich cannot be disciples of Jesus (145). The principle of giving under the New Covenant is not simply ten percent! Paul urged the Corinthians to excel in the grace of giving for the destitute believers in Jerusalem. Paul told them to give according to their means for the goal of equality. “…the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have” (2 Cor. 8:7, 12). Therefore it is up to the minister to decide in his own heart how he will use the wealth that God has blessed him with, either in a godly way or in an ungodly way.
Would wealth likely help or hurt a person’s ministry? The answer to this question ties directly in to how the minister will use his wealth. There are numerous bad examples that have both local and national impact. The wealthy pastor my sister described is hurting his ministry by his selfish use of his wealth. Benny Hin has hurt his ministry by his use of wealth. The infamous televangelists have turned many people away from the Gospel by begging people to give to the cause of Christ as they sit in golden chairs. There are also excellent and admirable examples of Christian leaders who have used their wealth to greatly help their ministry. It is hard to discredit the motives of a man who makes hundreds of thousands of dollars a year and splits his income: giving some to his church, some to Indians on a reservation and receiving for himself only what was necessary to live on; such was the integrity of Rich Mullins.
Wealth will help the ministry of a minister who is a person of integrity. There are some examples of this in the New Testament. When the 12 apostles were starting the church in Jerusalem they chose 7 other men to serve the widows who were being neglected so that they could devote themselves fully to the ministry of the word and prayer (Acts 6). It is right to assume that the basic necessities of the Apostles were being taken care of. Paul explicitly explains that the apostles had the right to receive food and drink (basic necessities) from those they minister to (1 Cor. 9:4). This helped their ministry because they didn’t have to work outside of the church to support themselves which meant that they had more time to edify the body of Christ. Paul’s ministry was made possible when he was under house arrest in Rome by the financial gift that the Philippian church had given him (Phil 4:15). Wealth allows the minister to give himself fully to the work God has called him to.
Wealth also helps a minister’s ministry because when it is used properly it brings pleasure and praise to God, even from those who do not obey the Gospel! The opposite is true of a person who does not use his wealth properly; it displeases God and brings shame to the name of Jesus. A wealthy minister is expected to take care of his parents when they are in need. Paul says that this brings pleasure to God (1 Tim 5:4). Paul commands the rich to be rich in good deeds. What he means is that the rich need to use their wealth in a positive way, “…be generous and willing to share” (1 Tim. 6:18). Jesus taught his disciples to let their light shine before others, so that they may see their good deeds and praise their Father in Heaven (Matt. 5:16)! God’s will for his people is that they take care of each other in tangible ways, this includes providing financially for those who don’t have their basic needs met (James 2:14-16). Jesus said that all people will know who his disciples are by their love for each other (John 13:34). One way that the world can see the tangible love of Christians for each other is in the area of financial care! When people literally see our good deeds then they will praise God! This is not only the right thing but it is actually evangelistic! Wealth properly used can draw people to Christ. A minister can model integrity for others and then they will know that there is something real about being a Christian.
In summation, the amount of wealth a minister has does not matter. What does matter is his stewardship and honesty in the sight of God with it. If my sister had seen a minister who properly modeled the Gospel in his entire life, specifically his financial life, she could very well have said, “What an awesome man of God he is!” instead of “That disgust me!”
Bibliography:
Bauer, Walter, William F. Arndt, F. Wilbur Gingrich, and Frederick William Danker, Eds. A
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature.
Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2000.
Blomberg, Craig L. Neither Poverty Nor Riches: A Biblical Theology of Material Possessions.
Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdman’s Publishing Company, 1999.
Blomberg, Craig L. Heart, Soul, and Money. Joplin: College Press Publishing Company, 2000.
Getz, Gene. Rich in Every Way: Everything Gods says about money and possessions. West
Monroe: Howard Publishing Co., 2004.
Hurley, Virgil. Avoiding the Judas Complex. San Diego: Black Forest Press, 2001.
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“That disgusts me!” shouted my oldest sister Amelia as she told me about a preacher of a mega church who owned a brand new red Corvette and lived in a lavish multimillion dollar mansion. Why was that so repulsive to her? Is there a limit on what a minister can and cannot have? The root of all this is the question, “Can a minister in good conscience be wealthy?” Another question results from the first, “Would wealth likely help or hurt a person’s ministry?” The best place to look in order to find the answers to these questions is in the Scriptures; especially the Pastoral Epistles which Paul wrote to the young ministers Timothy and Titus.
It is important to establish whether or not church leaders should even receive pay in the first place. Paul clearly explains that Elders were to be paid. 1 Timothy 5:17 says that Elders who lead the church well are worthy of double honor. The word “honor” originally meant “to set a price on” indicating that honoring somebody involved pay (BDAG). It also meant showing respect for someone. In this context it is clear though that Paul specifically has in mind paying Elders, for he quotes Scripture to back up his point. He refers to the Old Covenant command that people weren’t to muzzle their ox while it was in the process of threshing grain; meaning it was to receive “pay” for its work. Jesus also explicitly says that a worker is worthy of his wage. The same is true for worker of the church; they are to receive pay for their labor.
The question now becomes, “Is there a limit as to how much the minister should be paid?” Scripture does not answer this question, but it does give qualifications on what kind of a person should be in church leadership to receive that pay. Elders and Deacons are to be men that do not love money or pursue dishonest gain (1 Tim. 3:3; Tit. 1:7). In this passage is does not say that they are to be without money, but to be without the love of money (Getz 268). This is in stark contrast to the false teachers who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. Instead of being greedy for money true ministers are to be content with life’s basic necessities as adequate pay for doing their work (1 Tim. 6:8). Paul tells Titus that the very motivation of the false teachers for their teaching is to gain financially (Tit. 1:11). The heart of a godly leader does not desire to be a leader in the church for the purpose of gaining financially but to take care of God’s flock.
Can a minister in good conscience be wealthy? Yes and no. Scripture doesn’t limit how much pay a person receives but it directs his heart as to how he is to use it! The only way a wealthy minister can have a clear conscience is if he is using his wealth the way God desires him to. There are clear examples of this in Timothy and Titus. Believers in Jesus Christ are to take care of their relatives financially when they are in need; God is pleased when his people learn to put their religion into practice and care for their own family that is in need (1 Timothy 5:4). “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever!” (1 Tim. 5:8). Thus if you are a wealthy minister making far more than you need and you turn a deaf ear to the genuine needs of others then you cannot have a clear conscience. Paul instructed Titus, “Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives” (Tit. 3:14). The rich of this world who are disciples of Jesus are not to put their hope in wealth but they are “to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share” (1 Tim. 6:18). “God’s people may at times be enormously wealthy, but a major purpose of God granting them wealth is to share it with the needy” (Blomberg 59).
A minister who rightfully uses his wealth can have a perfectly clear conscience. Craig Blomberg clarifies the rightful uses of wealth magnificently. “The key to evaluating any individual, church, or nation in terms of its use of material possessions is how well it takes care of the poor and powerless in its midst” (84). He sets forth the principle that “People always take priority over prosperity.” God is the one who entrusts wealth to people and he expects his people to be good stewards of his resources. The “golden mean” with regard to our attitude toward wealth is seen in Proverbs 30:8, “…give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.” At the heart of this passage is that God wants his people to be content, not greedy for worldly wealth. If God does bless someone with an amazing amount of material prosperity it only means that there is increased responsibility to wisely use that privilege (84). Under the Old Covenant wealth was never the goal but it was the means to an end which was sharing with the needy (84). He states forthrightly that it cannot be said that the rich cannot be disciples of Jesus (145). The principle of giving under the New Covenant is not simply ten percent! Paul urged the Corinthians to excel in the grace of giving for the destitute believers in Jerusalem. Paul told them to give according to their means for the goal of equality. “…the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have” (2 Cor. 8:7, 12). Therefore it is up to the minister to decide in his own heart how he will use the wealth that God has blessed him with, either in a godly way or in an ungodly way.
Would wealth likely help or hurt a person’s ministry? The answer to this question ties directly in to how the minister will use his wealth. There are numerous bad examples that have both local and national impact. The wealthy pastor my sister described is hurting his ministry by his selfish use of his wealth. Benny Hin has hurt his ministry by his use of wealth. The infamous televangelists have turned many people away from the Gospel by begging people to give to the cause of Christ as they sit in golden chairs. There are also excellent and admirable examples of Christian leaders who have used their wealth to greatly help their ministry. It is hard to discredit the motives of a man who makes hundreds of thousands of dollars a year and splits his income: giving some to his church, some to Indians on a reservation and receiving for himself only what was necessary to live on; such was the integrity of Rich Mullins.
Wealth will help the ministry of a minister who is a person of integrity. There are some examples of this in the New Testament. When the 12 apostles were starting the church in Jerusalem they chose 7 other men to serve the widows who were being neglected so that they could devote themselves fully to the ministry of the word and prayer (Acts 6). It is right to assume that the basic necessities of the Apostles were being taken care of. Paul explicitly explains that the apostles had the right to receive food and drink (basic necessities) from those they minister to (1 Cor. 9:4). This helped their ministry because they didn’t have to work outside of the church to support themselves which meant that they had more time to edify the body of Christ. Paul’s ministry was made possible when he was under house arrest in Rome by the financial gift that the Philippian church had given him (Phil 4:15). Wealth allows the minister to give himself fully to the work God has called him to.
Wealth also helps a minister’s ministry because when it is used properly it brings pleasure and praise to God, even from those who do not obey the Gospel! The opposite is true of a person who does not use his wealth properly; it displeases God and brings shame to the name of Jesus. A wealthy minister is expected to take care of his parents when they are in need. Paul says that this brings pleasure to God (1 Tim 5:4). Paul commands the rich to be rich in good deeds. What he means is that the rich need to use their wealth in a positive way, “…be generous and willing to share” (1 Tim. 6:18). Jesus taught his disciples to let their light shine before others, so that they may see their good deeds and praise their Father in Heaven (Matt. 5:16)! God’s will for his people is that they take care of each other in tangible ways, this includes providing financially for those who don’t have their basic needs met (James 2:14-16). Jesus said that all people will know who his disciples are by their love for each other (John 13:34). One way that the world can see the tangible love of Christians for each other is in the area of financial care! When people literally see our good deeds then they will praise God! This is not only the right thing but it is actually evangelistic! Wealth properly used can draw people to Christ. A minister can model integrity for others and then they will know that there is something real about being a Christian.
In summation, the amount of wealth a minister has does not matter. What does matter is his stewardship and honesty in the sight of God with it. If my sister had seen a minister who properly modeled the Gospel in his entire life, specifically his financial life, she could very well have said, “What an awesome man of God he is!” instead of “That disgust me!”
Bibliography:
Bauer, Walter, William F. Arndt, F. Wilbur Gingrich, and Frederick William Danker, Eds. A
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature.
Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2000.
Blomberg, Craig L. Neither Poverty Nor Riches: A Biblical Theology of Material Possessions.
Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdman’s Publishing Company, 1999.
Blomberg, Craig L. Heart, Soul, and Money. Joplin: College Press Publishing Company, 2000.
Getz, Gene. Rich in Every Way: Everything Gods says about money and possessions. West
Monroe: Howard Publishing Co., 2004.
Hurley, Virgil. Avoiding the Judas Complex. San Diego: Black Forest Press, 2001.
Friday, June 23, 2006
Jesus Among Other Gods
I just finished the book Jesus Among Other Gods by Ravi Zacharias. This book is well written but more importantly it answers hard questions. I remember thinking earlier in my life that if there are so many people in the world and there are so many religions in the world how could I possibly ever discover the one that is true? This book has given me peace of mind because the author grew up in India where there are as many "gods" as there are things in the world. He explains how Jesus is unique among the other religions and religious leaders and gives convincing proof for why he alone is the true God. I will share just a few things that make Jesus so amazingly unique:
1) No other person in all of history has ever seriously claimed to have no beginning and to have come from heaven.
2)No other person in all of history has ever claimed to be without sin or error. Jesus did! He urged his false accusers to just bring up one instance in which he was guilty of wrongdoing and they couldn't!
3)Jesus' message is unique because what he taught pointed to himself! Unlike Buddha, Mohammed, and Krishna who pointed their followers to something that was more powerful than themselves. Jesus was identical to his message! Who else ever said, "I am the resurrection and the life" "I am the true bread that came down out of heaven" "I and my Father are one" "I am the way, the truth, and the life" ?
1) No other person in all of history has ever seriously claimed to have no beginning and to have come from heaven.
2)No other person in all of history has ever claimed to be without sin or error. Jesus did! He urged his false accusers to just bring up one instance in which he was guilty of wrongdoing and they couldn't!
3)Jesus' message is unique because what he taught pointed to himself! Unlike Buddha, Mohammed, and Krishna who pointed their followers to something that was more powerful than themselves. Jesus was identical to his message! Who else ever said, "I am the resurrection and the life" "I am the true bread that came down out of heaven" "I and my Father are one" "I am the way, the truth, and the life" ?
Friday, May 12, 2006
This is a philosophical mind bend!
I have been reading the excellent book "Jesus Among Other Gods" by Ravi Zacharias and I came across an amazing thought. This blog won't be long but take to heart this quote by C.S. Lewis. Wrestle with it and examine your life and see if this is true:
"Heaven understands hell and hell does not understand heaven... To project ourselves into a wicked character, we have only to stop doing something and something we are already tired of doing; to project ourselves into a good one [i.e. good character] we have to do what we cannot and become what we are not."
That is a profound thought and it also reveals why the world so desperately needs Jesus the King.
"Heaven understands hell and hell does not understand heaven... To project ourselves into a wicked character, we have only to stop doing something and something we are already tired of doing; to project ourselves into a good one [i.e. good character] we have to do what we cannot and become what we are not."
That is a profound thought and it also reveals why the world so desperately needs Jesus the King.
Friday, May 5, 2006
Greek Word Study- "patience" μακροθυμια (pronounced mah-krah-thoo-me-ah)
Patience. That English word evokes a feeling, not an image. Patience is an important word because it is one of the nine fruits that the Spirit produces in the Christian’s life (Gal. 5) and it is also the first characteristic of love as Paul lists it in 1 Corinthians 13:4, “Love is patient…” The goal of this paper is to clearly define the meaning of the Greek word makrothumia, “patience,” so that God’s people can have a clearer understanding of the good qualities he is developing in us as we remain in him.
makrothumia is a compound of two Greek words: makros “long (in the sense of both Space and Time); large” (Liddell and Scott 1075) and thumos “spirit; soul; feeling and thought (especially of strong feeling and passion)” (810). Further, thumos is derived from the word thuo which means, “to rage; to seethe” (813). When makros was used in a spatial sense it described the length of ships, a long distance torch race, and the length of a man. makros was used to describe a shout (i.e. a long shout); this shout was not long in duration but it was long in the sense of being able to reach a long distance, thus it was a loud shout (1075). When makros was used in a temporal sense it refers to a long time, “a long cherished wish,” long discourses, and someone taking too long (1075).
Thumos is a Greek word that bursts with different meanings but the meaning that is understood when it is compounded with makros to form makrothumia is “anger” (810). In the first century and onward the meaning of thumos is limited to an “intense expression of the inner self (expressed as strong desire, or passion)” and more often “a state of intense displeasure; anger, wrath, rage” (Bauer 461). When the two words are compounded into the word makrothumia the meaning then is “taking a long time to become angry or be fill with rage.” The Greek word for patience is intrinsically different from the English word because the Greek word practically defines itself, though the meaning is still determined by context. The adjective form makrothumos means, “being self-controlled in the face of provocation; patient, forbearing” (613).
The word makrothumia appears late in the Greek world, but it “is extremely rare” (Brown and Falkenroth 768). Menander used the word to describe the situation of mortals as compared to the situation of the gods. “Being a human never with freedom from grief, ask of the gods, rather to have forbearance.” The word used in this instance carries the idea of “forced acceptance” (Horst 375) and it is not a quality exercised toward humans. In essence Menander is saying, “To be human is to have grief, therefore ask the gods for endurance to deal with life.” Aretaeus used the word makrothumie to describe the patience and endurance of a physician who treated a “severe chronic illness” with little to no hope of actually curing the person (375). A master calls his stubborn donkey “a patient son of sluggishness” (375). In this instance the master is commenting on the speed of his donkey and not on the donkey’s disposition to remain calm and not become angry. Of these three uses of makrothumia only Aretaeus’s use is helpful in determining the meaning of makrothumia in the New Testament.
In the Septuagint makrothumia is used five times, but only two of the uses correspond to equivalent Hebrew words (Gilbrant 105). Proverbs 25:15 says, “In forbearance is success for kings, and a soft tongue shatters bones” (LXX). In this context the meaning of makrothumia could be either endurance or forbearance. If the meaning were taken as endurance then a king’s success would come from his persistence in his duties as king and if the meaning were taken as forbearance then his success would come from being a person who is not easily angered by others. makrothumia is used in Jeremiah 15:15. In this context God declares that he will give the wealth of Israel away and that he will punish them for their sins. Jeremiah appeals to God that he be long-suffering with him and that he not take him away (TNIV). The LXX wording is different because Jeremiah requests that God not be long-suffering with Jeremiah’s persecutors. Either way this usage of makrothumia has the idea of being forbearing towards a person (i.e. not being filled with rage quickly).
Makrothumia is used twelve times in the New Testament. There are basically two meanings that are derived from the uses of makrothumia in the New Testament. The first meaning is “patient endurance; perseverance.” This meaning is focused primarily on persevering through hardship. James 5:7-11 carries this sense of the word. In this passage James encourages Christians to be patient until the Lord’s coming. James illustrates how Christians are to be patient by comparing the Christian’s patient endurance to that of a farmer who waits for his land to produce crops. James also recalls how the prophets and Job patiently persevered through their suffering. Hebrew 6:10-12 reflects the same meaning of makrothumia. The author of Hebrews encourages his readers to be diligent and not become lazy but to, “imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” The focus here is on perseverance in the face of painful circumstances not on being slow to anger toward people.
The other meaning that is seen in the New Testament for makrothumia “being self-controlled in the face of provocation; forbearing” occurs more often. In Romans 2:1-4 Paul is rebuking self-righteous people that condemn “sinners” because those who condemn others are sinners themselves. Paul then asks them, “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience (makrothumia), not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?” In this context God’s patience is his slowness to anger and his slowness to pour out his wrath on people. In 1 Timothy 1:16 Paul says, “I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him…” Jesus exercised his “immense patience” toward Paul who had killed and persecuted Christians before his conversion. The verb form of makrothumia is used in 1 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” It is clear in this passage that patience is being slow to anger even when you are wronged. God exercises his patience with sinners who are wronging him in hope that they will repent. Patience is “restrained wrath” (Brown and Falkenroth 769).
The word family of makrothumia is small and simple. The verb form is makrothumeo “to be patient” and the adverb is makrothumon “patiently” and makros “long, distant” (Robinson 85).
Greek words that are synonymous with makrothumia are hupomone and anoche. The distinction between makrothumia and hupomone is that makrothumia for the most part expresses patience with respect to persons and hupomone with respect to things (Trench 198). This is not always the case though (see New Testament uses). The distinction between makrothumia and anoche is that the patience of anoche is temporary and “transient.” anoche was the Classical Greek word for “truce; or suspension of arms.” anoche is the kind of patience that “after a certain lapse of time, and unless other conditions intervene, it will pass away” (199).
W. E. Vine sums up very well the meaning of makrothumia. “Longsuffering is that quality of self-restraint in the face of provocation which does not hastily retaliate or promptly punish; it is the opposite of anger, and is associated with mercy…Patience is the quality that does not surrender to circumstances or succumb under trial; it is the opposite of despondency and is associated with hope…” (Vine 12).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bibliography:
Bauer, Walter, William F. Arndt, F. Wilbur Gingrich, and Frederick William Danker, Eds. A
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature.
Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2000.
Brown, Colin and U. Falkenroth. “makrothumia.” The New International Dictionary of New
Testament Theology. Ed. Colin Brown. Vol. 2. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing
House, 1979. 1-1023. 3 vols.
Earle, Ralph. Word Meanings in the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1986.
Gilbrant, Thoralf. The Complete Biblical Library: The New Testament Greek-English
Dictionary: Lambda-Omicron. Vol. 14. Springfield: The Complete Biblical Library,
1986. 16 vols.
Horst, J. “makrothumia, makroyume;w, makro;yumov, makroyu;mwv.” The Theological Dictionary
of the New Testament. Eds. Gerhard Kittel and Gerhard Friedrich. Translator Geoffrey
W. Bromiley. Volume 4. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company,
1985. 1-1126. 10 vols.
Liddell, H.G., and R. Scott. Greek-English Lexicon. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1996.
Robinson, Thomas A. Mastering Greek Vocabulary. Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 1990.
The New Englishman’s Greek Concordance of the New Testament. Wilmington: Associated
Publishers & Authors, 1972.
Trench, Richard C. Synonyms of the New Testament. Grand Rapids: W. B. Eerdman’s
Publishing Company, 1973.
Verbrugge, Verlyn D. New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology: Abridged
Edition. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000.
Vine, W. E. An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. Vol. 3 Old Tappan: Fleming
H. Revell Company, 1966.
Friday, April 28, 2006
A Readers Guide for the Book of Romans
For my Romans class we had to create a readers guide for the entire book. I don't even want to pretend to understand every detail of this book but I think the major concepts that Paul communicates in this letter can be easily understood. The principles of the Gospel and Christian living are found in this letter and it is an amazing book. I hope that this readers guide helps you see the big picture in the book of Romans.
Romans Reader's Guide:
------------------------------------
Thought Flow of the Book of Romans:
I. All of humanity stands justly condemned before God and all people are justified by faith in Jesus (Romans 1-4).
--->✠ Gods’ wrath remains on immoral and wicked people (1:18ff).
--->✠ God’s wrath remains on “moral” Gentiles and on Law keeping Jews (2:1ff).
--->✠ Jewish blood does not equal friendship with God (3:1-20).
--->✠ Righteousness and justification comes from Christ alone (3:21ff).
--->✠ Abraham: the supreme example of righteousness by faith (4).
II. Jesus and the Spirit solved the problems that the Torah could not solve: sin and death and making people holy (Romans 5-8).
--->✠ Jesus fixed the mess that Adam introduced into the world (5:12ff).
--->✠ The sinful life died with Christ in baptism, therefore don’t live in sin (6:1-14).
--->✠ Sin is no longer the master so stop submitting to him, submit to Christ the new master who gives eternal life (6:15ff).
--->✠ Christ has released us from the Law so that we can serve God in the Spirit (7:1-6).
--->✠ The problem with the Law is sin, not the Law itself (7:7ff).
--->✠ The new way of serving God is in walking by the Spirit (8:1-17).
--->✠ Christ’s love is permanent (8:31ff).
III. God has always been faithful to his promises throughout history and his plan has always been to create one people for himself made up of Jews and Gentiles, the Church. (Romans 9-11).
--->✠ God’s promise to forever be the God of Abraham’s descendents has not failed; it has been misunderstood (9:6-13).
--->✠ God has the right to choose whom he will show his mercy (i.e. Israel Old Covenant, Church New Covenant) (9:14-18).
--->✠ The Scriptures reveal that God’s plan was to form one people and they also reveal that this new people would be made righteous through faith (9:19ff).
--->✠ The Jews are not part of God’s people because they try to establish their righteousness through the Torah instead of through faith in Christ (10).
--->✠ God did not reject the Jews; on the contrary they rejected him (11:1-10)!
--->✠ The Jewish people can have fellowship with God when they repent and believe in Christ (11:11-24).
--->✠ All of this happened according to God’s sovereign plan (11:25ff).
IV. How to live as the people of God in this world; love with God’s kind of love. (Romans 12-15).
--->✠ Offer your body as a living sacrifice and be transformed (12:1-2).
--->✠ Be humble and use the gifts God has given you to build others up (12:3-8).
--->✠ The characteristics of sincere love (12:9-13).
--->✠ How love reacts to persecution and opposition (12:14ff).
--->✠ How love interacts with higher authorities (13:1-7).
--->✠ The essence of love (13:8-10).
--->✠ Christians must live in anticipation of the coming age (13:11-14).
--->✠ How strong and weak Christians should treat one another (14-15:13).
• Concluding Matters (Romans 15:14-16).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Romans 1-4
Summary: Paul begins the letter to the Romans by introducing himself and his Gospel. The Gospel is the primary focus of the entire letter. Paul states, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes…For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed- a righteousness that is by faith from first to last…” (1:16-17). A legitimate question that one may ask at this point is, “What do I need to be saved from?” That question leads directly into the main focus of Romans 1-4. We need salvation because the wrath of God rightly remains on all people because of their sins and all people can be justified through faith in Christ alone.
Paul explains why God’s wrath remains on all people in the first 2 chapters. Paul says that immoral and wicked people are under God’s wrath because they know what is morally right but still choose to suppress the truth and practice evil (e.g. sexual immorality; homosexuality; etc) (1:18ff). Paul then explains that “moral” Gentiles stand justly condemned because when they pass judgment on people who do wicked things they are actually judging themselves because they have done the same things! Then Paul explains that the Jews who observe the Torah (the Mosaic Law) stand justly condemned because even though they have God’s specific commands they still break God’s commands! All of humanity stands condemned before God!
The only way that mankind can be made right with God is through faith in Christ. Christ removed the death sentence looming over our heads because of his perfect sacrifice. God’s wrath was fully satisfied when it was laid upon Jesus on the cross. We are justified through faith in Christ not by law keeping. Abraham is proof that God justifies on the basis of faith and not on the basis of keeping the Law.
Key Words: Wrath, Law, Faith, Righteousness, and Justification/Justice.
Application:
• Romans 1-4 explains why we so desperately needed Jesus. When you present the Gospel to others try to explain to them why they need it in the first place.
• In this section we see the helpless situation of fallen humanity. The good news is that God got his hands bloody to make things right again and it focuses on what God did to overcome evil. Examine your life. When you get angry about things that are messed up in the world focus on what you can do to change that problem and commit to change it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Romans 5-8
Summary: Paul’s main point in this section is that the Law was not capable of putting an end to sin and death and that it could not make people holy. Jesus and the Holy Spirit on the other hand did solve all those problems. Paul begins his logic in this section by assuring us Christians that our future is secure in Christ because he took it upon himself to put sin and death to an end before we even loved him (5:1-11)! The Law could not justify, it could only condemn. Then Paul explains how Jesus solved the problem of sin and death that Adam had introduced into the world. The Law was established during the time between Adam and Christ but it only increased sin it didn’t cure it (5:12ff). Death is a natural consequence of sin so when Christ did away with sin he also did away with death.
Now that sin and death has been taken care of in Christ one thing yet remains to be accomplished: making sinful people holy. Paul teaches that the weakness of the flesh combined with sin’s abuse of the Law held humanity captive to sin. The Law actually became a contributor to humanity’s slavery to sin; though not because it was sinful in and of itself. The problem with the Law is that it could only tell people what they must do but it did not provide the power to actually obey. Paul explains the agony of a person who desires to obey God but does not have the inner power to do so (7:7ff). This problem was fixed when our flesh was crucified with Christ and when we were raised with him (6:1-14). Christians are now slaves of God and no longer slaves to sin (6:15ff). Being a slave to God is the same thing as having a mind that is controlled by the Spirit (8:5-8). Now that we have the Holy Spirit it is possible for us to “put to death the misdeeds of the body” and live. Those who walk by the Spirit are pleasing to God and are not controlled by the flesh. The Spirit of God intercedes for us so that we might be conformed to the image of Christ.
Key Words: Spirit, Flesh, Sin, Slave.
Application:
• Sin is no longer an obligation but a desire! We don’t have to sin any more because we died to sin; we now sin because we choose to. Daily remind yourself that you are not bound to sin anymore.
• We need the Spirit’s help in order to overcome sin even though we are dead to it. We walk by the Spirit by setting our minds on the things of the Spirit. Choose to set your mind on the things of the Spirit.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Romans 9-11
Summary: This section of Romans deals with the faithfulness and trustworthiness of God. Paul is standing in God’s defense and explaining that God has always been faithful to every promise he has ever made and that his plan has always been to create one new people for himself made up of Jews and Gentiles, the Church. Paul has to address a Jewish misunderstanding because he has just said that nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus (8:37ff). This statement is problematic to a Jew because he is left wondering, “If nothing can ever separate you from God then why has God just forgotten about Israel, his chosen people!”
God promised Abraham in Genesis 17:7 that he would forever be the God of Abraham and his descendents. Paul affirms that God’s word did not fail (i.e. his promise was not broken) but his promise has been misunderstood (9:6). Israel is whoever God wants “Israel” to be. Abraham had many children but his line was carried on by Isaac alone (9:7). Moreover, Isaac had twins, Jacob and Esau, but God only chose Jacob to carry on the line of Abraham. Paul argues that God has the right to choose whom he wants to show his mercy because nobody deserves it anyway. God does not owe national Israel salvation. They felt that they were entitled to salvation but when God chose to show his mercy through the Church instead of through Israel they got upset. Paul then shows his opponents from their own scriptures that God’s plan was to form one people for himself and that this new people would be made righteous through faith (9:19ff).
The only reason the Jews are no longer God’s people is because they choose to try and make themselves right with God through observing the Torah instead of through faith in Christ (10ff). The argument comes full circle on the Jews because it is not God who had rejected them it was they who had rejected God (11:1-10)! Jews are free to reenter into fellowship as God’s people when they repent of their unbelief and trust in Christ (11:11-24). “Israel” is now the church which is made up of Jews and Gentiles and all of this has come about because of God’s sovereign plan (11:25ff).
Key Words: Mercy, Kindness, Grace.
Application:
• It is a temptation to think that God is obligated to us. God does not owe us salvation; he gave it as a gift. If you are a teacher or preacher or small group leader do not be tempted to believe that just because of what you do for God means that God owes you salvation. Salvation comes only through faith.
• God’s grace allows no room for superiority complexes. If we look down on other people that are less “spiritual” then it is time to check our pride. All have fallen short of God’s glory.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Romans 12-15
Summary: Now that Paul has explained that the Church is God’s people and that faith in Christ is the only way to be justified he focuses his attention on how God’s people are to live in this world. The first instruction Paul gives is that we need to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice and he then urges us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (12:1-2). This thought echoes Paul’s teaching on walking by the Spirit (8) which is the foundation of Christian living. Paul teaches that God’s people are to use their individual gifts to build up the body of Christ and to be humble (12:3-8). Paul then draws a picture of what sincere Christian love looks like so that believers can model their lives after it (12:9-13). The people of God are to respond to persecution and opposition with love and to allow good to overcome evil (12:14ff).
The love that characterizes the believer’s life is so immense that it affects every area of their life. When Christian love is expressed toward governing authorities, submission and respect is the result (13:1-7). It would take books to explain the way Christian love changes specific situations in life. Paul sums up the essence of Christian love; “Love does no harm to its neighbor.” He leaves the exploration of this principle up to us (13:8-10). As God’s people, not the people of the world, we are to live in anticipation of the coming age by clothing ourselves with Jesus Christ (13:11-14). Paul turns to address a specific situation that was dividing the church in Rome and urges the mature Christians who realize that they are not bound to food laws not to use their freedom if a weaker Christian brother or sister will be destroyed by it. Paul urges the weaker Christians to not judge their brothers over morally neutral issues (14:15-13). The people of God are to live in harmony with one another and they are to love with God’s brand of love.
Key Words: Good, Love, Judge.
Application:
• Real love only acts from a disciplined will. The kind of love that God is calling us to show others is tough. Real love seeks the good for others even when it doesn’t feel so great for us. We need to get rid of the idea that love is a feeling and replace it with the idea that love is a commitment.
• At the core of Paul’s teaching on eating meat is the idea that we are not to put another believer’s soul in danger by what we do. If someone you know feels that it is morally wrong to drink wine don’t drink wine in front of them. Be considerate of the conscience of other people for the sake of their spiritual health.
Romans Reader's Guide:
------------------------------------
Thought Flow of the Book of Romans:
I. All of humanity stands justly condemned before God and all people are justified by faith in Jesus (Romans 1-4).
--->✠ Gods’ wrath remains on immoral and wicked people (1:18ff).
--->✠ God’s wrath remains on “moral” Gentiles and on Law keeping Jews (2:1ff).
--->✠ Jewish blood does not equal friendship with God (3:1-20).
--->✠ Righteousness and justification comes from Christ alone (3:21ff).
--->✠ Abraham: the supreme example of righteousness by faith (4).
II. Jesus and the Spirit solved the problems that the Torah could not solve: sin and death and making people holy (Romans 5-8).
--->✠ Jesus fixed the mess that Adam introduced into the world (5:12ff).
--->✠ The sinful life died with Christ in baptism, therefore don’t live in sin (6:1-14).
--->✠ Sin is no longer the master so stop submitting to him, submit to Christ the new master who gives eternal life (6:15ff).
--->✠ Christ has released us from the Law so that we can serve God in the Spirit (7:1-6).
--->✠ The problem with the Law is sin, not the Law itself (7:7ff).
--->✠ The new way of serving God is in walking by the Spirit (8:1-17).
--->✠ Christ’s love is permanent (8:31ff).
III. God has always been faithful to his promises throughout history and his plan has always been to create one people for himself made up of Jews and Gentiles, the Church. (Romans 9-11).
--->✠ God’s promise to forever be the God of Abraham’s descendents has not failed; it has been misunderstood (9:6-13).
--->✠ God has the right to choose whom he will show his mercy (i.e. Israel Old Covenant, Church New Covenant) (9:14-18).
--->✠ The Scriptures reveal that God’s plan was to form one people and they also reveal that this new people would be made righteous through faith (9:19ff).
--->✠ The Jews are not part of God’s people because they try to establish their righteousness through the Torah instead of through faith in Christ (10).
--->✠ God did not reject the Jews; on the contrary they rejected him (11:1-10)!
--->✠ The Jewish people can have fellowship with God when they repent and believe in Christ (11:11-24).
--->✠ All of this happened according to God’s sovereign plan (11:25ff).
IV. How to live as the people of God in this world; love with God’s kind of love. (Romans 12-15).
--->✠ Offer your body as a living sacrifice and be transformed (12:1-2).
--->✠ Be humble and use the gifts God has given you to build others up (12:3-8).
--->✠ The characteristics of sincere love (12:9-13).
--->✠ How love reacts to persecution and opposition (12:14ff).
--->✠ How love interacts with higher authorities (13:1-7).
--->✠ The essence of love (13:8-10).
--->✠ Christians must live in anticipation of the coming age (13:11-14).
--->✠ How strong and weak Christians should treat one another (14-15:13).
• Concluding Matters (Romans 15:14-16).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Romans 1-4
Summary: Paul begins the letter to the Romans by introducing himself and his Gospel. The Gospel is the primary focus of the entire letter. Paul states, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes…For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed- a righteousness that is by faith from first to last…” (1:16-17). A legitimate question that one may ask at this point is, “What do I need to be saved from?” That question leads directly into the main focus of Romans 1-4. We need salvation because the wrath of God rightly remains on all people because of their sins and all people can be justified through faith in Christ alone.
Paul explains why God’s wrath remains on all people in the first 2 chapters. Paul says that immoral and wicked people are under God’s wrath because they know what is morally right but still choose to suppress the truth and practice evil (e.g. sexual immorality; homosexuality; etc) (1:18ff). Paul then explains that “moral” Gentiles stand justly condemned because when they pass judgment on people who do wicked things they are actually judging themselves because they have done the same things! Then Paul explains that the Jews who observe the Torah (the Mosaic Law) stand justly condemned because even though they have God’s specific commands they still break God’s commands! All of humanity stands condemned before God!
The only way that mankind can be made right with God is through faith in Christ. Christ removed the death sentence looming over our heads because of his perfect sacrifice. God’s wrath was fully satisfied when it was laid upon Jesus on the cross. We are justified through faith in Christ not by law keeping. Abraham is proof that God justifies on the basis of faith and not on the basis of keeping the Law.
Key Words: Wrath, Law, Faith, Righteousness, and Justification/Justice.
Application:
• Romans 1-4 explains why we so desperately needed Jesus. When you present the Gospel to others try to explain to them why they need it in the first place.
• In this section we see the helpless situation of fallen humanity. The good news is that God got his hands bloody to make things right again and it focuses on what God did to overcome evil. Examine your life. When you get angry about things that are messed up in the world focus on what you can do to change that problem and commit to change it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Romans 5-8
Summary: Paul’s main point in this section is that the Law was not capable of putting an end to sin and death and that it could not make people holy. Jesus and the Holy Spirit on the other hand did solve all those problems. Paul begins his logic in this section by assuring us Christians that our future is secure in Christ because he took it upon himself to put sin and death to an end before we even loved him (5:1-11)! The Law could not justify, it could only condemn. Then Paul explains how Jesus solved the problem of sin and death that Adam had introduced into the world. The Law was established during the time between Adam and Christ but it only increased sin it didn’t cure it (5:12ff). Death is a natural consequence of sin so when Christ did away with sin he also did away with death.
Now that sin and death has been taken care of in Christ one thing yet remains to be accomplished: making sinful people holy. Paul teaches that the weakness of the flesh combined with sin’s abuse of the Law held humanity captive to sin. The Law actually became a contributor to humanity’s slavery to sin; though not because it was sinful in and of itself. The problem with the Law is that it could only tell people what they must do but it did not provide the power to actually obey. Paul explains the agony of a person who desires to obey God but does not have the inner power to do so (7:7ff). This problem was fixed when our flesh was crucified with Christ and when we were raised with him (6:1-14). Christians are now slaves of God and no longer slaves to sin (6:15ff). Being a slave to God is the same thing as having a mind that is controlled by the Spirit (8:5-8). Now that we have the Holy Spirit it is possible for us to “put to death the misdeeds of the body” and live. Those who walk by the Spirit are pleasing to God and are not controlled by the flesh. The Spirit of God intercedes for us so that we might be conformed to the image of Christ.
Key Words: Spirit, Flesh, Sin, Slave.
Application:
• Sin is no longer an obligation but a desire! We don’t have to sin any more because we died to sin; we now sin because we choose to. Daily remind yourself that you are not bound to sin anymore.
• We need the Spirit’s help in order to overcome sin even though we are dead to it. We walk by the Spirit by setting our minds on the things of the Spirit. Choose to set your mind on the things of the Spirit.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Romans 9-11
Summary: This section of Romans deals with the faithfulness and trustworthiness of God. Paul is standing in God’s defense and explaining that God has always been faithful to every promise he has ever made and that his plan has always been to create one new people for himself made up of Jews and Gentiles, the Church. Paul has to address a Jewish misunderstanding because he has just said that nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus (8:37ff). This statement is problematic to a Jew because he is left wondering, “If nothing can ever separate you from God then why has God just forgotten about Israel, his chosen people!”
God promised Abraham in Genesis 17:7 that he would forever be the God of Abraham and his descendents. Paul affirms that God’s word did not fail (i.e. his promise was not broken) but his promise has been misunderstood (9:6). Israel is whoever God wants “Israel” to be. Abraham had many children but his line was carried on by Isaac alone (9:7). Moreover, Isaac had twins, Jacob and Esau, but God only chose Jacob to carry on the line of Abraham. Paul argues that God has the right to choose whom he wants to show his mercy because nobody deserves it anyway. God does not owe national Israel salvation. They felt that they were entitled to salvation but when God chose to show his mercy through the Church instead of through Israel they got upset. Paul then shows his opponents from their own scriptures that God’s plan was to form one people for himself and that this new people would be made righteous through faith (9:19ff).
The only reason the Jews are no longer God’s people is because they choose to try and make themselves right with God through observing the Torah instead of through faith in Christ (10ff). The argument comes full circle on the Jews because it is not God who had rejected them it was they who had rejected God (11:1-10)! Jews are free to reenter into fellowship as God’s people when they repent of their unbelief and trust in Christ (11:11-24). “Israel” is now the church which is made up of Jews and Gentiles and all of this has come about because of God’s sovereign plan (11:25ff).
Key Words: Mercy, Kindness, Grace.
Application:
• It is a temptation to think that God is obligated to us. God does not owe us salvation; he gave it as a gift. If you are a teacher or preacher or small group leader do not be tempted to believe that just because of what you do for God means that God owes you salvation. Salvation comes only through faith.
• God’s grace allows no room for superiority complexes. If we look down on other people that are less “spiritual” then it is time to check our pride. All have fallen short of God’s glory.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Romans 12-15
Summary: Now that Paul has explained that the Church is God’s people and that faith in Christ is the only way to be justified he focuses his attention on how God’s people are to live in this world. The first instruction Paul gives is that we need to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice and he then urges us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (12:1-2). This thought echoes Paul’s teaching on walking by the Spirit (8) which is the foundation of Christian living. Paul teaches that God’s people are to use their individual gifts to build up the body of Christ and to be humble (12:3-8). Paul then draws a picture of what sincere Christian love looks like so that believers can model their lives after it (12:9-13). The people of God are to respond to persecution and opposition with love and to allow good to overcome evil (12:14ff).
The love that characterizes the believer’s life is so immense that it affects every area of their life. When Christian love is expressed toward governing authorities, submission and respect is the result (13:1-7). It would take books to explain the way Christian love changes specific situations in life. Paul sums up the essence of Christian love; “Love does no harm to its neighbor.” He leaves the exploration of this principle up to us (13:8-10). As God’s people, not the people of the world, we are to live in anticipation of the coming age by clothing ourselves with Jesus Christ (13:11-14). Paul turns to address a specific situation that was dividing the church in Rome and urges the mature Christians who realize that they are not bound to food laws not to use their freedom if a weaker Christian brother or sister will be destroyed by it. Paul urges the weaker Christians to not judge their brothers over morally neutral issues (14:15-13). The people of God are to live in harmony with one another and they are to love with God’s brand of love.
Key Words: Good, Love, Judge.
Application:
• Real love only acts from a disciplined will. The kind of love that God is calling us to show others is tough. Real love seeks the good for others even when it doesn’t feel so great for us. We need to get rid of the idea that love is a feeling and replace it with the idea that love is a commitment.
• At the core of Paul’s teaching on eating meat is the idea that we are not to put another believer’s soul in danger by what we do. If someone you know feels that it is morally wrong to drink wine don’t drink wine in front of them. Be considerate of the conscience of other people for the sake of their spiritual health.
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