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Romans 5:6 – Irreverent and Undeserving

Posted on December 5, 2017 by Will

For we being still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Truth to Learn

God did it all for us in spite of the fact that we didn’t deserve it.

Behind the Words

The word translated “without strength” is the Greek word asthenēs, which is made up of the privative a, meaning “not” or “without” and a form of sthenos, meaning “strength,” Hence, asthenēs means “without strength, powerless, or without ability.”

This word “ungodly” is from asebēs. This is made up of a, meaning “not” or “without” and a form of sebomai, meaning “to revere or worship.” So, we see that asebēs means, “without reverence, or one who does not worship.”

Word Order – In Greek, word order is used for emphasis. A word-order literal translation of this verse is “for Christ, we being powerless, in due time for the ungodly died.” The emphasis of this verse is on Christ.

Meaning Explained

In Romans chapter four Paul showed us that it is not through works that we are justified before God, rather it is through faith. Because we believe the promise of God, He chose to declare us righteous (even though we aren’t righteous, He chose to declare us so). Paul ended the last chapter with the statement that Christ was delivered on account of our offenses and He was raised again to provide for our justification. In the first five verses of this chapter, we learned that there are a number of benefits to this justification by faith.

He now goes back to the subject of Christ’s death so that we can understand better why Christ died for us. He sets this up by pointing out that we couldn’t do it ourselves. Because of our own lack of righteousness (remember, there is none righteous, not even one) we were without strength or ability. Because of our sinfulness we were unable to stand in the presence of a sinless God, and we did not possess the ability to make ourselves righteous. As a result, because God is a righteous God and must punish the guilty sinner (that means you and me), we would have stood condemned in His presence unless someone who is righteous was willing to pay our penalty for us.

Which is exactly what Paul says happened. The last half of this verse says that Christ (the sinless, righteous one) died for the ungodly. We were irreverent sinners who would stand condemned before God when Christ gave Himself for us.

It’s easy to imagine a wealthy benefactor giving money to a poor child who does nice things for others in spite of his or her own poverty. However, it’s hard to imagine that this same wealthy benefactor would give money to an obnoxious, mean, spiteful young child no matter how poor. What Paul is saying in this and the following verses is that in spite of our being obnoxious, mean, and spiteful (a.k.a. sinful) and without the ability to change ourselves, Jesus the Christ (the anointed one) died for us so that we can stand as sinless and righteous before our Holy God.

Application

It’s easy to get cavalier about our salvation until we realize how much God did for us, how ungodly we are without Him, how powerless we are to save ourselves, and how undeserving we are. In spite of all this, while we were ungodly and unable to do anything about it, Christ died for us. Hallelujah!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 4:5 – Gift of Righteousness

Posted on October 27, 2017 by Will

But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness,

Truth to Learn

It is our faith that God reckons as righteousness, not our works.

Behind the Words

“Believes” is from pisteuō. This is the verb form of the word pistis (the word translated “faith” in this verse), meaning “persuasion” or “faith.” Hence pisteuō refers to the act of being persuaded or believing.

The Greek word translated “ungodly” is asebēs. This is a compound word made up of the privative a, meaning “not” or “without” and a form of sebomai, meaning “to worship” or “to give reverence.” Hence, asebēs refers to one who does not worship or someone who does not revere any god. According to The Complete Word Study Dictionary, “It does not mean irreligious, but one who actively practices the opposite of what the fear of God demands … one characterized by immoral and impious behavior.”

Meaning Explained

Remember what Paul has just said? If Abraham earned his righteousness, then God had to give it to him because He owed it to Abraham. But God doesn’t justify those who have earned righteousness! Why? Paul told us earlier that there is no one who is righteous, not even one. There is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks after God. In other words, there is no one who has earned righteousness. We are what Paul calls “ungodly” in this verse. Apart from His grace we are opposed to God, we are immoral and impious. That’s how righteous we are based on our works.

He now says that for the one who does not obtain righteousness by working (that’s all of us) but who believes God’s promises, He reckons that faith as righteousness. Again, it is not because He has to, but because He wants to.

Do you see? It was God’s choice to credit Abraham with righteousness as a result of his faith just as it is God’s choice to credit us with righteousness because we believe His promise to us. It was God’s choice that Abraham is saved, not Abraham’s, and it is God’s choice that we are saved, not ours. God did not have to declare Abraham righteous when he believed, and He does not have to declare us righteous when we believe the gospel message. God did it for Abraham, and He does it for us because he chooses to. That’s why it is by grace and not by debt. We don’t earn our salvation by believing in the gospel, God freely gives it to us!

That’s what Paul is talking about in the book of Ephesians where he said:

For by grace you are saved through faith, and this not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8, 9)

Salvation is God’s gift to us, not by any deed that we have done, but because He chose to give it to us.

Application

This truth should not make us proud. On the contrary, it should humble us. Thank you, Lord, for crediting me with righteousness. I didn’t deserve it and I don’t deserve it, but you gave it to me nonetheless!

In God's service, for His glory,

2 Peter 3:7 – Fiery Reservation

Posted on May 23, 2017 by Will

By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept unto the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

Truth to Learn

Though God will not bring another worldwide flood, He will judge the world and unbelieving people by a fiery judgment.

Behind the Words

The word, “reserved” is translated from thesauridzō. This is based on the word thesauros from which we get our English word thesaurus, meaning “a stored up treasure.” The word thesauridzō is a participle meaning “being laid up,” or “being kept in store,” or “being held in reserve.” This is an accounting term that often refers to treasure that is being kept in reserve for future use.

The word translated “unto” in the expression “unto the day of judgment” is the Greek preposition eis, which means “into” or “unto.” It can also be translated “for” or “until.”

The word “ungodly” is translated from the Greek word asebēs made up of the privative a, meaning “not” and a form of sebomai, meaning “to revere” or “to adore.” Hence, we see that this is a reference to those people who have no reverence for God.

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Peter stated that the earth and its inhabitants were once judged and destroyed by a flood of water. This flood occurred some forty-five hundred years ago, according to God’s Word. In today’s verse he states that the earth and its inhabitants will someday be destroyed again. But, the judgment will not be by water this time, for God promised Noah that He would never do that again.

I have set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. And it shall be when I gather the clouds over the earth, that the bow will be seen in the cloud, and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living soul of all flesh; and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh. (Genesis 9:13-15)

The next judgment of the earth will be by fire and it will cause total destruction. Until that day, however, the current heavens and earth are being kept in store waiting for that day. And, according to Peter, the heavens and the earth are being held in reserve by the Word of God. Some day God’s patience and longsuffering will end and He will once again judge the world.

Peter’s point in these past few verses is that even though there are scoffers who think we are crazy to believe that there ever was a universal flood or that God will cause a catastrophic judgment of fire, the flood really did happen just as sure as the fire judgment will occur some day in the future. The best (unsaved) scientific minds today are telling us that neither could a universal flood have occurred nor could the earth be judged by great fire.

But we know better!

Application

In light of this fact, what manner of people ought we to be in the presence of a loving God who continues to hold back His judgment so that everyone will have a chance to believe in His Son? Does that affect the way you live? It should!

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Peter 4:18 – Final Judgment

Posted on February 21, 2017 by Will

And if the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?

Truth to Learn

All unbelievers will face a horrific judgment.

Behind the Words

The word translated “scarcely” is the Greek word molis. This is an adverb (it modifies the verb “is saved”) which means “with difficulty.” It carries with it the notion that it almost didn’t happen because of the difficulty.

The word translated “ungodly’” is the Greek word asebēs, which literally means “irreverent” and by extension means “ungodly.”

Meaning Explained

On the surface it may appear that today’s verse is simply a restatement of yesterday’s verse. On closer inspection, however, we can see that what Peter is talking about in today’s verse is slightly, but significantly, different. In the previous verse he referred to God’s day by day work in believers that accomplishes spiritual growth. In theological terms this is known as “progressive sanctification.” It refers to our progress in becoming more holy and more like Christ. In the current verse he calls us righteous, a reference to our legal standing in God’s book that is our “positional sanctification.” From God’s perspective, we are already sanctified (holy and set-apart) and righteous because Christ paid for our sins at the cross.

Today’s verse contains a conditional clause. As we have noted in previous verses, there are at least three (some say four) different conditional class forms in New Testament Greek. This one is the first class condition, which assumes that the protasis (the “if” clause) is true, and can be approximated by substituting “since” in place of “if.”

So, we could paraphrase this verse as: “And since the righteous one is barely saved because of the difficulty of it, where shall the one who is a sinner and is an ungodly disbeliever appear.”

Peter is talking about judgment here, so it is important to note that according to 2 Corinthians 5:10 believers will appear before the Bema (judgment) Seat of Christ where we will receive crowns as rewards for the works we have done for God. We will not appear at the Great White Throne judgment that is talked about in Revelation 20:11-15. This is where unbelievers will appear, and they will all be cast into the lake of fire.

So to answer Peter’s rhetorical question in today’s verse, “where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” the answer is “The Great White Throne Judgment.”

So, let’s all bear our suffering patiently and glorify God for it, remembering what Peter said in chapter two about Christ, our example,

who, being reviled, did not revile in return; suffering, He did not threaten, but committing Himself to Him who judges righteously; (1Peter 2:23).

Application

Peter’s message in these last few verses is clear. We may very well suffer as Christians. If we do, we should glorify God for it because we are being judged daily in order to make us more Christ-like. The unbelievers, the ungodly, may not be getting judged on this earth like we are, but they will face a far more fearsome and horrific judgment after this life is over, when it is too late for them to make excuses.

In God's service, for His glory,