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Romans 11:29 – Irrevocable Gifts

Posted on September 11, 2018 by Will

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

Truth to Learn

God’s choosing is final and unchangeable.

Behind the Words

“Gifts” is from charisma, which means “a gift of grace” or “an undeserved benefit.” In the New Testament it is used only of such a gift or undeserved benefit received from God.

The word translated “irrevocable” is the Greek word ametamelētos, which is made up of a, meaning “without,” meta, indicating “a change of place or condition,” and a form of melō, meaning “to be concerned.” When we put this all together we see that ametamelētos means “without changing one’s position of concern,” or “without changing one’s mind regarding an action taken.”

Meaning Explained

This verse serves as an addendum to the previous verse where Paul said, “With regard to the gospel they are enemies, but with regard to the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.” We mentioned the word “election” in the previous verse as coming from the Greek eklogen, which means “the act of choosing.” Paul has used various forms of this word several times in this letter to the Jewish Christians in Rome. In each case he is referring to “election unto salvation” whereby God chose who would receive His free gift of grace.

Paul is now expanding on the concept of the “election.” He says, “For the gifts …” that is, those gifts of grace whereby sinners are chosen to believe the gospel and to be forgiven of their sins. Paul then couples those free gifts with God’s calling, just as he did back in Romans 8:28, 29 where he said:

And we know that to the ones loving God all things work together for good, to those who are the called ones according to His purpose. Because whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.

He now tells us something about this election and its associated calling. They are irrevocable. God does not regret having chosen anyone, and He will not change His mind regarding His selection and calling. So you see Paul is actually saying that this free gift of Grace and the associated irresistible calling of sinners to Himself are done by God without regret and without changing His mind. In other words, once God chooses a sinner to be saved He does not change His mind and revoke that calling unto salvation.

Think about this. Since your salvation is God’s choice and wholly dependent on His actions apart from any action on your part, and since God does not change His mind regarding this choosing, if you are genuinely saved then you cannot become unsaved. It simply can’t happen! You can do nothing to change God’s mind, nothing!

Application

Now, instead of focusing so much of your time and effort on trying not to lose your salvation, you can focus all that time and effort on submitting to God and serving Him. You don’t have to worry about losing your salvation. It can’t happen! Let’s take a moment to thank God and give Him praise.

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 5:15 – More Than Enough

Posted on December 26, 2017 by Will

But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by grace which is of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.

Truth to Learn

God’s free gift of grace is more than enough for our sins.

Behind the Words

The words “free gift” are from the Greek word charisma, a noun based on the verb charidzomai, meaning “to show a favor” or “to be kind to.” Charisma, therefore, refers specifically to the kindness or favor shown. It typically refers to “an undeserved gift or favor.”

“Offense” is translated from paraptōma, which is the noun form of the verb parapipto, meaning “to fall by the wayside” or “to fall away.” Some claim that this word indicates accidental or unintentional sin. The common usage of this word in Koinē Greek, however, does not support this interpretation.

The word “abounded” is from the Greek word perisseuō, which does not just mean abounded but “superabounded” or “was in excess.” In other words, it was more than enough. Hence, Paul is saying that the gracious gift of God in Jesus Christ was more than enough for all the sins of all mankind.

Meaning Explained

In this verse Paul begins his contrasting of the consequences of the actions of Adam and Christ. Paul says that God’s gift of grace (the free gift) is not like the offense (Adam’s sin.) He doesn’t explain how it is different; he merely states it as a fact.

He then goes on to show that the work of grace of God through the Messiah is much greater than the offense of Adam. The next statement, “For if by the one man's offense many died” is a Greek first-class conditional expression, which means it is assumed to be true. Some would contend that it could, therefore, be translated as “For since by the one man's offense many died.” That is, as a result of Adams offense many (all of mankind) have died (and will die). Because of Adam’s sin we have all become sinners and, as a result, we all die (physically).

He now goes on to say that the grace of God, and His gift of eternal life which is given to us by that grace, is greater than the offense that brought sin and death to us all. Paul is simply telling us that God’s gift (salvation through faith) is offered to all freely (by grace) and that it is more than enough to counter the sin that we commit as a result of being Adam’s descendants. And, this gracious gift is given through one man, Jesus Christ. We receive this gift not by obedience to the Law but by belief in the sacrificial death of the one innocent man, Jesus, the Christ.

The final phrase in this verse should be translated as “abounded to the many.” The words “the many” are referring back to the first part of this sentence which says, “For if by the one man's offense many died” so it is also referring to all of mankind. In other words, the gift of grace “superabounds,” or “is more than enough” for the many (all of mankind) who have sinned.

Application

You may consider yourself as a decent person who slips-up occasionally, or you may consider yourself as a wretched sinner who deserves all that Hell can deliver. It really doesn’t matter because the blood of Christ, and God’s free gift of salvation through faith in that blood, is more than enough to cover your sins.

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 1:11 – A Firm Standing

Posted on June 28, 2017 by Will

For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established—

Truth to Learn

Paul was filled with a desire to teach God’s truths to others.

Behind the Words

“Long” is from the Greek verb epipotheō, which is made up of epi, used as an intensifier, and potheō, meaning “to yearn.” Thus this word means “to desire strongly.”

The word translated “impart” is the Greek word metadō. This is a compound word made up of meta, which implies association, often translated as “with” and a form of didōmi, meaning “to give.” Hence Paul is saying that he wanted to give something to them and share it with them at the same time.

“Gift” is from the Greek word charisma, which is the noun form of the verb charidzomai, meaning “to show favor.” Hence, charisma refers to a gift of grace. That is, a gift which was not earned and is not deserved.

The word translated “established” is the Greek word stērichthēnai, the passive form of steridzo, meaning “to stand fast” or “to fix firmly in place.” The passive form means that Paul wanted this to be done to the Roman Christians. That is, he wanted them to be firmly fixed in place (spiritually) as a result of the gift that he wanted to give to them.

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Paul confessed that he longed to see the Christians in Rome. He now explains why; he wanted to share something with them. In the Christian church we often talk about “sharing” an experience with someone else. That is, we want to tell it to them in a way in which they will share in the joy or sorrow of the experience. This is precisely what Paul is talking about. He wants to give the Roman Christians something that can be shared among them.

Paul then tells them that what he wants to share with them is a “spiritual gift.” Some have claimed this means that Paul wanted to impart a “miraculous gift of the spirit,” which supposedly the apostles had the power to give to others. However, this interpretation is unnatural and forced as there is no place in the scriptures where this expression denotes the power of working miracles. In fact, the explanation of this gift is given in the next verse, “that I may be comforted together with you through the faith of one another, both yours and mine.” Paul simply wanted to share more truths of the Gospel and the glories of a life in Christ with the Christians in Rome. He wanted to encourabe them by teaching them about a life of faith, and he wanted to be encouraged by their own accounts of faithful living.

His purpose in wanting to do this is, “so that you may be established.” That is, Paul wanted the Christians in Rome to have a firm doctrinal footing. He knew that faith in Christ and the surrendered life are essential for Christians. He also knew that learning the truth of God’s word would result in these Christians becoming firmly grounded in their faith, able to withstand any storm of life.

Application

Is that where your faith is today? Do you feel firmly fixed in your faith and in your daily walk with God, or does God often feel far away? If so… who do you think moved?

It is possible to feel firmly fixed in your faith, but it requires regular, careful reading and study of the Bible. It also requires a consistent commitment to live your life God’s way, instead of your own way.

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Peter 4:10 – Ministering Gifts

Posted on February 9, 2017 by Will

each one as has received a gift, ministering it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Truth to Learn

God has given every Christian gifts. These are to be shared with the rest of the church, liberally and humbly.

Behind the Words

The expression “one another” is translated from the Greek word hekastos, which means “each one,” but it has the force of a superlative (as in good … better … best, better is a comparative and best is a superlative). So we could translate this word as “each and every one of you.”

“Gift” is the from the Greek word charisma, which means “a gift,” that is, “something which is bestowed gratuitously.” Some translations have this as “the gift,” but the definite article (the) is not in the original. So, this is not talking about some specific gift, rather any gift which God has bestowed on you. These gifts can be spiritual gifts such as are talked about in 1Corinthians12:4-10, (i.e. wisdom, faith, and knowledge), or in Ephesians 4:8-13 (i.e. evangelism, teaching, and pastoring). But these could also be any possession (spiritual, physical, or mental) which God has bestowed on you.

“Minister” is from the Greek word diakoneō (the word from which we get our English word deacon). This word means “to run errands, to wait on (like a waiter in a restaurant), or to serve.”

The word translated as “stewards” is oikonomos, which means “house manager” or “overseer,” one who is entrusted with the care of something belonging to someone else.

The word “manifold” is from poikilos, meaning “variegated” or “many faceted.” It means that God gives various different gifts to individual members of the body of Christ as He determines.

Meaning Explained

In today’s verse Peter continues his description of how we should agape-love each other. He starts out by talking about something that each one of us should do: we should minister to one another. That is to say that we should learn to be each other’s servant. Peter intends that all Christians are included in this call to action.

After all, the gifts that Peter is talking about are not things that we have earned ourselves, but things that God has entrusted to us. Peter makes that very clear when he admonishes us to be “good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” The gifts (abilities, talents, possessions, etc.) are bestowed upon us by the graciousness of God Himself and, as Peter points out in this verse, are to be shared in a ministering manner within the body of Christ. Hence, you can see that everything we have is really a gift from God, and we are entrusted to use and take care of these gifts for the good of the church universal.

If we put this all together, we see that Peter is telling us that we are to unselfishly serve one another (Christians) with the gifts that God has freely bestowed on us (spiritual or material) in a manner that will please and glorify God.

Application

Are you sharing with the rest of the church the gifts and abilities that God has given to you? Or are you a Christian sponge, taking in all that others give you (materially or spiritually) but not giving anything back to the body of Christ? God wants you to share liberally with other Christians.

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Corinthians 1:7 – Gifts Used for Him

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Will

so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Truth to Learn

All Christians are gifted so we might bring glory to God.

Behind the Words

The words “come short” are from the Greek verb husteroō, which is based on the noun husteros, meaning “latter” or “last.” Husteroō literally means “to be in last place, to be behind, or to be lacking something.” It is expressed here in the passive voice, indicating action done to the subject. So, we see that Paul is saying “that you may not be made to be lacking …”

Mēdeis is the Greek word translated “no.” It is a compound word made up of mēde, meaning “and not” and heis, meaning “one.” Hence, mēdeis means “not even one.”

“Gift” is translated from charisma, which is based on the verb charidzomai, meaning “to show favor.” Thus, charisma refers to “an undeserved gift.”

The words “eagerly waiting for” are from the Greek verb apekdechomai. This word is made up of apo, used as an intensifier and ekdechomai, meaning “to watch for” or “to fully expect.” Thus apekdechomai means “to intently watch for something, fully expecting it to come to pass.”

Meaning Explained

As we have discussed before, there are two aspects of salvation that apply to our lives. The first is the day of our belief, the point in time when we believed in our heart that Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead. At that point, we say that we are “saved.” The second aspect of our salvation is the day that God will fully accomplish our salvation. That is a future time when Jesus Christ will return (the rapture) and claim His children, giving us our heavenly body and presenting us as blameless before the Father.

On the day we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we believed God’s promise that He will claim us as His own. And, on that day we were imbued with spiritual gifts to be used in building up the body (the church) in preparation for His return. In God’s record book, those of us who “believe” are already recorded as sinless and blameless because Christ has paid the penalty for our sins. In reality, however, we are still sinners because we still have a sin nature.

Here’s one of the wonders of God. Even though we are still sinners, we have already been reconciled to God, and every sin, past, present, and future, has been paid for and is covered by the blood of the Lamb. And, even though we are still present in this sinful form, God has gifted us and expects us to use those gifts to bring glory to Him.

In today’s verse Paul tells the Corinthians that they are not lacking in any of the spiritual gifts and that they (and we) are eagerly waiting for, and fully expecting, the return of Christ. Because of this expectation of our full salvation, we need to do our part which is to use those spiritual gifts to build up the body and to bring glory to God.

Application

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then you are gifted in a special way by God. In return, God expects you to use your gifts for Him until He returns. These gifts are to be used to bring Him glory and praise. Are you using your gift(s)? Do your gifts bring glory to God or just to you?

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 11:29 – Irrevocable Gifts

Posted on December 7, 2010 by Will

Romans 11:29 – Irrevocable Gifts

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

Truth to Learn

God’s choosing is final and unchangeable.

Behind the Words

“Gifts” is from charisma, which means “a gift of grace” or “an undeserved benefit.” In the New Testament it is used only of such a gift or undeserved benefit received from God.

Meaning Explained

This verse serves as an addendum to the previous verse where Paul said, “Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.” We mentioned the word “election” in the previous verse as coming from the Greek eklogen, which means “the act of choosing.” Paul has used various forms of this word several times in this letter to the Jewish Christians in Rome. In each case he is referring to “election unto salvation” whereby God chose who would receive His free gift of grace.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Application

In God’s service, for His glory,

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

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Romans 5:15 – More Than Enough

Posted on February 16, 2010 by Will

Romans 5:15

But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.

Truth to Learn

God’s free gift of grace is more than enough for our sins.

Behind the Words

Meaning Explained

He then goes on to show that the work of grace of God through the Messiah is much greater than the offense of Adam. The next statement, “For if by the one man’s offense many died” is a Greek first-class conditional expression, which means it is assumed to be true. Some would contend that it could, therefore, be translated as “For since by the one man’s offense many died.” That is, as a result of Adams offense many (all of mankind) have died (and will die). Because of Adam’s sin we have all become sinners and, as a result, we all die (physically).

He now goes on to say that the grace of God, and His gift of eternal life which is given to us by that grace, is greater than the offense that brought sin and death to us all. Paul is simply telling us that God’s gift (salvation through faith) is offered to all freely (by grace) and that it is more than enough to counter the sin that we commit as a result of being Adam’s descendents. And, this gracious gift is given through one man, Jesus Christ. We receive this gift not by obedience to the Law but by belief in the sacrificial death of the one innocent man, Jesus, the Christ.

The final phrase in this verse should be translated as “abounded to the many.” The words “the many” are referring back to the first part of this sentence which says, “For if by the one man’s offense many died” so it is also referring to all of mankind. In other words, the gift of grace “superabounds,” or “is more than enough” for the many (all of mankind) who have sinned.

Application

You may consider yourself as a decent person who slips-up occasionally, or you may consider yourself as a wretched sinner who deserves all that Hell can deliver. It really doesn’t matter because the blood of Christ and God’s free gift of salvation through faith is more than enough to cover your sin.

In God’s service, for His glory,

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

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