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Romans 5:1 – Peace Through Faith

Posted on January 27, 2010 by Will

Romans 5:1

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Truth to Learn

Salvation by faith produces peace with God.

Behind the Words

“We have” is from the Greek verb echō, meaning “to hold” or “to possess.” However, there is a variation in the form of this verb depending on which Greek manuscripts are used. Some texts have this in the indicative mood indicating it as a present fact (“we have” as it is translated here). Other texts have this verb expressed in either the subjunctive mood (“we may have” or “we should have”) or the imperative mood (“let us have” as a command). The difference in the readings is only the difference between an omicron (short o) and an omega (long ō). In spite of these differences, the reading of “we have peace” is justified by the fact that the parallel verbs (“we have” and “we rejoice”) in the following verse are both in the indicative mood.

The word translated “peace” is eirēnē, which does, in fact, mean “peace.” However, this is not so much an expression of contentment, satisfaction, and quiet, as it is “a state of reconciliation with God.”

Meaning Explained

In the previous chapters the Apostle Paul has shown:

1) That all have sinned and come short of the glory of God;

2) That this applies to both Jews and Gentiles;

3) That there was no way to obtain righteousness (become justified) but by pardon, not by personal merit, but by grace, through faith;

4) That this was also the manner in which Abraham and David were accepted before God.

He will now show us a couple of the effects, or fruits, of this justification that we have. The first is, because we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God. About this peace, Matthew Henry in his Commentary on the Whole Bible said,

It is sin that breeds the quarrel between us and God, creates not only a strangeness, but an enmity; the holy righteous God cannot in honour be at peace with a sinner while he continues under the guilt of sin. Justification takes away the guilt, and so makes way for peace. And such are the benignity and good-will of God to man that, immediately upon the removing of that obstacle, the peace is made. By faith we lay hold of God’s arm and of his strength, and so are at peace …

Those who try to work for their salvation can never have peace because they never know whether they have done enough (which they never can) and so are always worried about it. In contrast to that, Paul says that because our salvation is given to us as a result of our faith by a loving God who will never take it away, we have peace and assurance.

Next, Paul will show us what else we have as a result of our justification by grace.

Application

Do you have peace with God? Can you stand in His presence assured that He is at peace with you? You can have this peace through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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Romans 3:29 – Non-Exclusive God

Posted on December 1, 2009 by admin

Romans 3:29

Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also,

Truth to Learn

No group of people has exclusive rights to God and His truth.

Behind the Words

“Only” is translated from the Greek word monon. This is probably derived from the verb menō, meaning “to remain” or “to stay.” Hence, monon means “that which remains, alone, or only.”

The word “not” is translated from ouchi, which is derived from ou, the absolute “not” in Greek. However, ouchi is a stronger form meaning “not at all” or “no way!”

“Yes” is from the Greek word nai, which implies strong affirmation. We could reasonably translated this as “yes, certainly.”

The word “Gentiles” is from ethnos, meaning “a group of people belonging together and living together, a race, or a nation.” It has been used historically by Jewish writers (as it is here) as a reference to those people, or nations, who are not Jewish.

Meaning Explained

Paul has just stated in conclusion that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the Law. To a Jew this would imply that the Law is void, otherwise why have they been working so hard for all these centuries to satisfy the Law through works.

Paul is saying that if justification could come from the Law (and only from the Law, as the Jews thought) then He must only be the God of the Jews since they are the only ones who had the Law. That’s why Paul asks the question, “Or is He the God of the Jews only, and not also of the gentiles?” He then immediately answers the question, “Yes, He is the God of the Gentiles also.”

The apostle is not making a casual statement here. The use of ouchi and nai indicate that he is making a couple of very strong statements: “Is He not at all also the God of the Gentiles? He most certainly is also the God of the Gentiles!”

The Jews knew that Jehovah is the God of all mankind, but they also knew that only the Jews had the Law. This made them selfish about the Scriptures and their relationship with God. They began to believe that Jehovah was their God exclusively, but Paul is bursting that bubble. Not only is He the God of both the Jews and the Gentiles but, as he will state in the next verse, He justifies (declares as righteous) both the Jews and the Gentiles. That would have come as a shock to many Jewish Christians who believed that God only justifies those who keep the law. It also may come as a shock to Christians today who believe we have to keep a lot of “rules” to be saved or to stay saved.

Application

Once again, we can see a strong parallel between the attitude of the Jewish people at the time of Christ and the attitude of Christians today. The Jews believed they had exclusive rights to God and were unwilling to share Him with Gentiles, building a wall between Jews and Gentiles. Since Christians have been given the Great Commission, we are commanded to share the Gospel with the whole world. But many denominations believe only they have “the correct” truth, thus building walls between Christians.

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Romans 1:20 – Created Evidence

Posted on August 16, 2009 by admin

Romans 1:20

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,

Truth to Learn

God reveals much about Himself in His created world.

Behind the Words

The word in today’s verse translated “invisible” is from the Greek word ahoratos, which is a compound word made up of a, implying negation, and a form of horaō, which means “to see” or “to behold.” Hence, ahoratos means that which is unseen, or invisible.

The words “clearly seen” are from the Greek, kathoratō, which is a compound word made up of kata meaning “down” (as in this case, it is often used for intensity) and a form of horaō, which we just learned means “to see.” So kathoratō could mean “to look down upon” but more accurately means “to see distinctly or clearly.”

“Understood” is translated from noieō, a form of nous, meaning “the mind.” Noieō implies an exercise of the mind. That is, it means “to comprehend or understand.”

Meaning Explained

Paul now explains what he meant in the previous verse when he said, “because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.” It has already been pointed out that not all things about God are apparent or even knowable by the finite minds of humans. However, there are things about God which are knowable even though they are not visibly apparent.

“But,” you may ask, “what are these invisible things?” Paul answers that question in the latter part of today’s verse, “His eternal power and Godhead (Godness or Divinity).” Mankind understands the fact that God is who He says He is and understands His immeasurable power because they can be seen in creation. Paul says that these things are “clearly seen” and “understood” by the created things (which includes mankind).

Let me say it again, God’s power and Godliness, though invisible, are clearly perceived and understood by His creatures by viewing all that God created. We cannot actually see God’s limitless power, but we can see the result of it in creation. We cannot see the Godness of God but we can see the effect of it in mankind himself. Anyone who has ever seen the birth of a child is confronted with the power and dominion of God and to deny it is to suppress the truth.

Therefore, Paul says, people who hold down the truth about God are without excuse! Much of the world today refuses to believe in the God of creation. Instead, they have a god they call evolution. Some day they will stand before the creator and He will be undeniable. I believe it takes more faith to believe that everything we see came into existence through a “scientific” process that cannot be seen, much less proven, than to believe that God created it.

Application

The next time you gaze at a sunset, a mountain, a river, a beautiful flower, the starry sky on a clear night, or the miracle of conception and birth, be in awe. This is evidence of God, Himself! And, this God of creation wants to have a close personal relationship with you. Yes, even you!

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Romans 1:19 – Our God Revealed

Posted on August 6, 2009 by admin

Romans 1:19

because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.

Truth to Learn

God does not hide Himself from mankind.

Behind the Words

The phrase, “the thing which may be known” is from the Greek to gnoston, which literally means “that which is knowable.”

“Clearly revealed” is translated from the Greek word phaneros, which means “to cause to shine” or “to cause to appear.” Therefore, it could be translated as “made to appear” or “revealed.” The words “has shown it” are translated from the verb form of this same word.

The word “in” is translated from the Greek preposition en, which denotes a position in place or time. As it is used here it implies “in the presence of.” So, even though some translations read “in them” or “within them,” it could also be translated as “among them.” Paul is not saying “that which may be known of God is revealed inside each person” rather, he is saying “that which may be known of God is revealed among mankind.” This interpretation is further supported by the following verse.

Meaning Explained

The reason that God’s anger is revealed against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men is because they suppress and deny the truth about God. “But,” you may ask, “how can they suppress and deny the truth about God if they don’t know the truth in the first place?” In other words, “How can God hold men accountable before Him if they never know Him?”

Paul anticipates this question and answers it in today’s verse and the verse to follow. Not all things about God are apparent or even knowable by the finite minds of humans. However, there are many things about God that are knowable such as His godliness, His presence, and His power. The reason we know that God is revealed among mankind, according to Paul, is because God has personally revealed Himself to man. In the next verse, Paul will go on to explain how God has revealed Himself among us.

The point is that our God does not want to be separated from us. He doesn’t want to be hidden from us. He wants to have a personal relationship with us. As we will see in the next verse, He has revealed Himself to all of mankind through creation. In spite of that, most of mankind chooses to ignore the evidence of creation and refuses to acknowledge Him. Therefore, God sees mankind as unrighteous and irreverent. Nonetheless, He still sent His Son to die on the cross so that we could become righteous and experience close, personal fellowship with Him. And we can experience this personal relationship with Him, not just for a few years, but for all of eternity.

Application

Paul is telling us in these verses that God has already revealed Himself to all of mankind and, as a result, all of mankind is without excuse. We, who have believed the additional revelation about Jesus Christ, have been credited with a righteousness that we didn’t earn and that we don’t deserve. These facts alone should cause all Christians to fall to their knees praising God for His mercy and His revelation!

In God’s service, for His glory,

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1 Peter 4:11 – Speaking and Ministering

Posted on February 19, 2009 by admin

1 Peter 4:11

If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Truth to Learn

All ministering that we do within the church should glorify God, not us!

Behind the Words

The word translated “oracles” is logia. This is related to logos, meaning “a word,” but it specifically refers to “an utterance.”

“Ability” is from the Greek word ischus, which refers to “physical strength or mental power.”

Meaning Explained

Now Peter gets specific about two very important types of gifts in the body; the speaking gifts and the serving gifts. The speaking gifts are those which involve the use of words. These could be preaching, teaching, counseling, encouraging, singing, or other verbal functions within the body of Christ. Peter tells us that if we are using any speaking gift within the church we should treat our words as the very utterances of God.

This is an awesome responsibility for those of us who have speaking responsibilities in the Church and is not to be taken lightly. First, we must be sure it is because of God’s gift that we are speaking. Then, we need to be certain that what we are saying is, in fact, the message that God wants us to deliver. It must be consistent with what is taught throughout the Bible. Therefore, the words that come out of our mouths should only be words that would come out of God’s mouth. Think about that the next time you are asked to present special music at your church or the next time you teach a Sunday school lesson.

The other gifts that Peter is talking about in today’s verse are the serving gifts. Though not always as visible as the speaking gifts, they are just as important. For instance, those who serve in the nursery so that others can receive the spoken message without distraction are doing a mighty service to God and to the church. Just because these gifts are behind the scenes doesn’t mean that they are any less blessed, any less important, or any less needful of the enabling gifts from God.

Whatever we do within and for the body of Christ is a type of service, and Peter says something critically important about it. He says that we are to do it with the ability that God has given us. That means that there are things within the body of Christ that you or I shouldn’t do. Unfortunately, there are people within the church who have taken on responsibilities that they shouldn’t have taken on, but they don’t know how to say “no” to those who ask them.

How do we know what areas of ministry we should be involved with in our church? Peter even gives the answer to this question. If we can do it so that God will be glorified, then we should do it. If it is for personal glory, we shouldn’t!

Application

We all need to be actively serving the body in one way or another, but we need to be involved

“… so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ …”

In God’s service, for His glory,

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